1 Samuel 21-25

Holman Christian Standard Bible

David Flees to Nob

21 David went to Ahimelech^(A) the priest at Nob.^(B) Ahimelech was afraid to meet David, so he said to him, “Why are you alone and no one is with you?”

² David answered Ahimelech the priest, “The king gave me a mission, but he told me, ‘Don’t let anyone know anything about the mission I’m sending you on or what I have ordered you to do.’ I have stationed my young men at a certain place. ³ Now what do you have on hand? Give me five loaves of bread or whatever can be found.”

⁴ The priest told him, “There is no ordinary bread on hand. However, there is consecrated bread,^(C) but the young men may eat it^[a] only if they have kept themselves from women.”^(D)

⁵ David answered him, “I swear that women are being kept from us, as always when I go out to battle.^(E) The young men’s bodies^[b] are consecrated^(F) even on an ordinary mission, so of course their bodies are consecrated today.” ⁶ So the priest gave him the consecrated bread,^(G) for there was no bread there except the bread of the Presence^(H) that had been removed from the presence of the Lord. When the bread was removed, it had been replaced with warm bread.

⁷ One of Saul’s servants, detained before the Lord, was there that day. His name was Doeg the Edomite,^(I) chief of Saul’s shepherds.

⁸ David said to Ahimelech, “Do you have a spear or sword on hand? I didn’t even bring my sword or my weapons since the king’s mission was urgent.”

⁹ The priest replied, “The sword of Goliath the Philistine,^(J) whom you killed in the Valley of Elah, is here, wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod. If you want to take it for yourself, then take it, for there isn’t another one here.”

“There’s none like it!” David said. “Give it to me.”

David Flees to Gath

¹⁰ David fled that day from Saul’s presence and went to King Achish of Gath.^{(K) 11} But Achish’s servants said to him, “Isn’t this David, the king of the land? Don’t they sing about him during their dances:

¹² David took this to heart^[c] and became very afraid of King Achish of Gath, ¹³ so he pretended to be insane in their presence.^(M) He acted like a madman around them,^[d] scribbling^[e] on the doors of the gate and letting saliva run down his beard.

¹⁴ “Look! You can see the man is crazy,” Achish said to his servants. “Why did you bring him to me? ¹⁵ Do I have such a shortage of crazy people that you brought this one to act crazy around me? Is this one going to come into my house?”^(N)

Saul’s Increasing Paranoia

22 So David left Gath and took refuge in the cave of Adullam.^(O) When David’s brothers and his father’s whole family heard, they went down and joined him there. ² In addition, every man who was desperate, in debt, or discontented rallied around him, and he became their leader. About 400 men were with him.^(P)

³ From there David went to Mizpeh of Moab where he said to the king of Moab, “Please let my father and mother stay with you until I know what God will do for me.” ⁴ So he left them in the care of the king of Moab, and they stayed with him the whole time David was in the stronghold.

⁵ Then the prophet Gad^(Q) said to David, “Don’t stay in the stronghold. Leave and return to the land of Judah.” So David left and went to the forest of Hereth.

⁶ Saul heard that David and his men had been discovered. At that time Saul was in Gibeah, sitting under the tamarisk tree^(R) at the high place. His spear was in his hand, and all his servants were standing around him. ⁷ Saul said to his servants, “Listen, men of Benjamin: Is Jesse’s son going to give all of you fields and vineyards? Do you think he’ll make all of you commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds?^{(S) 8} That’s why all of you have conspired against me! Nobody tells me^[f] when my own son makes a covenant with Jesse’s son.^(T) None of you cares about me^(U) or tells me^[g] that my son has stirred up my own servant to wait in ambush for me, as is the case today.”

⁹ Then Doeg the Edomite,^(V) who was in charge of Saul’s servants, answered: “I saw Jesse’s son come to Ahimelech son of Ahitub at Nob.^{(W) 10} Ahimelech inquired of the Lord for him^(X) and gave him provisions.^(Y) He also gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine.”^(Z)

Slaughter of the Priests

¹¹ The king sent messengers to summon Ahimelech the priest, son of Ahitub, and his father’s whole family, who were priests in Nob. All of them came to the king. ¹² Then Saul said, “Listen, son of Ahitub!”

“I’m at your service,^(AA) my lord,” he said.

¹³ Saul asked him, “Why did you and Jesse’s son conspire against me? You gave him bread and a sword and inquired of God for him, so he could rise up against me and wait in ambush, as is the case today.”^(AB)

¹⁴ Ahimelech replied to the king: “Who among all your servants is as faithful as David?^(AC) He is the king’s son-in-law, captain of your bodyguard, and honored in your house. ¹⁵ Was today the first time I inquired of God for him?^(AD) Of course not! Please don’t let the king make an accusation against your servant or any of my father’s household, for your servant didn’t have any idea^[h] about all this.”

¹⁶ But the king said, “You will die, Ahimelech—you and your father’s whole family!”

¹⁷ Then the king ordered the guards standing by him, “Turn and kill the priests of the Lord^(AE) because they sided with David. For they knew he was fleeing, but they didn’t tell me.”^[i] But the king’s servants would not lift a hand to execute the priests of the Lord.

¹⁸ So the king said to Doeg, “Go and execute the priests!” So Doeg the Edomite went and executed the priests himself. On that day, he killed 85 men^(AF) who wore linen ephods.^{(AG) 19} He also struck down Nob, the city of the priests, with the sword—both men and women, children and infants, oxen, donkeys, and sheep.^(AH)

²⁰ However, one of the sons of Ahimelech son of Ahitub escaped. His name was Abiathar,^(AI) and he fled to David.^{(AJ) 21} Abiathar told David that Saul had killed the priests of the Lord. ²² Then David said to Abiathar, “I knew that Doeg the Edomite^(AK) was there that day and that he was sure to report to Saul. I myself am responsible for^[j] the lives of everyone in your father’s family. ²³ Stay with me. Don’t be afraid, for the one who wants to take my life wants to take your life.^(AL) You will be safe with me.”

Deliverance at Keilah

23 It was reported to David: “Look, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah^(AM) and raiding the threshing floors.”

² So David inquired of the Lord:^(AN) “Should I launch an attack against these Philistines?”

The Lord answered David, “Launch an attack against the Philistines and rescue Keilah.”

³ But David’s men said to him, “Look, we’re afraid here in Judah; how much more if we go to Keilah against the Philistine forces!”

⁴ Once again, David inquired of the Lord, and the Lord answered him: “Go at once to Keilah, for I will hand the Philistines over to you.”^{(AO) 5} Then David and his men went to Keilah, fought against the Philistines, drove their livestock away, and inflicted heavy losses on them. So David rescued the inhabitants of Keilah. ⁶ Abiathar son of Ahimelech fled to David at Keilah, and he brought an ephod with him.

⁷ When it was reported to Saul that David had gone to Keilah, he said, “God has handed him over to me, for he has trapped himself by entering a town with barred gates.” ⁸ Then Saul summoned all the troops to go to war at Keilah and besiege David and his men.

⁹ When David learned that Saul was plotting evil against him, he said to Abiathar the priest,^(AP) “Bring the ephod.”^(AQ)

¹⁰ Then David said, “Lord God of Israel, Your servant has heard that Saul intends to come to Keilah and destroy the town because of me. ¹¹ Will the citizens of Keilah hand me over to him? Will Saul come down as Your servant has heard? Lord God of Israel, please tell Your servant.”

The Lord answered, “He will come down.”

¹² Then David asked, “Will the citizens of Keilah hand me and my men over to Saul?”

“They will,”^(AR) the Lord responded.

¹³ So David and his men, numbering about 600,^(AS) left Keilah at once and moved from place to place.^(AT) When it was reported to Saul that David had escaped from Keilah, he called off the expedition. ¹⁴ David then stayed in the wilderness strongholds and in the hill country of the Wilderness of Ziph.^(AU) Saul searched for him every day, but God did not hand David over to him.^(AV)

A Renewed Covenant

¹⁵ David was in the Wilderness of Ziph in Horesh when he saw that Saul had come out to take his life. ¹⁶ Then Saul’s son Jonathan came to David in Horesh and encouraged him in his faith in God,^{(AW) 17} saying, “Don’t be afraid, for my father Saul will never lay a hand on you. You yourself will be king over Israel,^(AX) and I’ll be your second-in-command. Even my father Saul knows it is true.”^{(AY) 18} Then the two of them made a covenant in the Lord’s presence.^(AZ) Afterward, David remained in Horesh, while Jonathan went home.

David’s Narrow Escape

¹⁹ Some Ziphites^(BA) came up to Saul at Gibeah and said, “David is^[k] hiding among us in the strongholds in Horesh on the hill of Hachilah south of Jeshimon. ²⁰ Now, whenever the king wants to come down, let him come down. Our part will be to hand him over to the king.”^(BB)

²¹ “May you be blessed by the Lord,” replied Saul, “for you have taken pity on me.^{(BC) 22} Go and check again. Investigate and watch carefully where he goes^[l] and who has seen him there; they tell me he is extremely cunning. ²³ Look and find out all the places where he hides. Then come back to me with accurate information, and I’ll go with you. If it turns out he really is in the region, I’ll search for him among all the clans^[m] of Judah.” ²⁴ So they went to Ziph ahead of Saul.

Now David and his men were in the wilderness near Maon^(BD) in the Arabah south of Jeshimon, ²⁵ and Saul and his men went to look for him. When David was told about it, he went down to the rock and stayed in the Wilderness of Maon. Saul heard of this and pursued David there.

²⁶ Saul went along one side of the mountain and David and his men went along the other side. Even though David was hurrying to get away from Saul, Saul and his men were closing in on David and his men to capture them.^{(BE) 27} Then a messenger came to Saul saying, “Come quickly, because the Philistines have raided the land!” ²⁸ So Saul broke off his pursuit of David and went to engage the Philistines. Therefore, that place was named the Rock of Separation. ^29 [n]From there David went up and stayed in the strongholds of En-gedi.^(BF)

David Spares Saul

24 When Saul returned from pursuing the Philistines,^(BG) he was told, “David is in the wilderness near En-gedi.”^{(BH) 2} So Saul took 3,000 of Israel’s choice men^(BI) and went to look for David and his men in front of the Rocks of the Wild Goats. ³ When Saul came to the sheep pens along the road, a cave was there, and he went in to relieve himself.^[o](BJ) David and his men were staying in the back of the cave,^{(BK) 4} so they said to him, “Look, this is the day the Lord told you about: ‘I will hand your enemy over to you so you can do to him whatever you desire.’” Then David got up and secretly cut off the corner of Saul’s robe.

⁵ Afterward, David’s conscience bothered^[p](BL) him because he had cut off the corner of Saul’s robe.^{[q] 6} He said to his men, “I swear before the Lord: I would never do such a thing to my lord, the Lord’s anointed.^(BM) I will never lift my hand against him, since he is the Lord’s anointed.”^{(BN) 7} With these words David persuaded^[r] his men, and he did not let them rise up against Saul.

Then Saul left the cave and went on his way. ⁸ After that, David got up, went out of the cave, and called to Saul, “My lord the king!” When Saul looked behind him, David bowed to the ground in homage.^{(BO) 9} David said to Saul, “Why do you listen to the words of people who say, ‘Look, David intends to harm you’? ¹⁰ You can see with your own eyes that the Lord handed you over to me today in the cave.^(BP) Someone advised me to kill you,^(BQ) but I^[s][t] took pity on you and said: I won’t lift my hand against my lord, since he is the Lord’s anointed. ¹¹ See, my father!^(BR) Look at the corner of your robe in my hand, for I cut it off, but I didn’t kill you. Look and recognize that there is no evil or rebellion in me. I haven’t sinned against you even though you are hunting me down to take my life.^(BS)

¹² “May the Lord judge between you and me, and may the Lord take vengeance on you for me, but my hand will never be against you.^{(BT) 13} As the old proverb says, ‘Wickedness comes from wicked people.’^(BU) My hand will never be against you. ¹⁴ Who has the king of Israel come after? What are you chasing after? A dead dog? A flea?^{(BV) 15} May the Lord be judge and decide between you and me. May He take notice and plead my case and deliver^[u] me from you.”^(BW)

¹⁶ When David finished saying these things to him, Saul replied, “Is that your voice, David my son?”^(BX) Then Saul wept aloud ¹⁷ and said to David, “You are more righteous than I, for you have done what is good to me though I have done what is evil to you.^{(BY) 18} You yourself have told me today what good you did for me: when the Lord handed me over to you, you didn’t kill me.^{(BZ) 19} When a man finds his enemy, does he let him go unharmed?^[v](CA) May the Lord repay you with good for what you’ve done for me today.

²⁰ “Now I know for certain you will be king, and the kingdom of Israel will be established^[w] in your hand.^{(CB) 21} Therefore swear to me by the Lord that you will not cut off my descendants or wipe out my name from my father’s family.”^{(CC) 22} So David swore to Saul. Then Saul went back home, and David and his men went up to the stronghold.^(CD)

David, Nabal, and Abigail

25 Samuel died,^(CE) and all Israel assembled to mourn for him,^(CF) and they buried him by his home in Ramah.^(CG) David then went down to the Wilderness of Paran.^[x](CH)

² A man in Maon^(CI) had a business in Carmel;^(CJ) he was a very rich man with 3,000 sheep and 1,000 goats and was shearing his sheep in Carmel. ³ The man’s name was Nabal, and his wife’s name, Abigail. The woman was intelligent and beautiful, but the man, a Calebite,^(CK) was harsh and evil in his dealings.

⁴ While David was in the wilderness, he heard that Nabal was shearing sheep, ⁵ so David sent 10 young men instructing them, “Go up to Carmel, and when you come to Nabal, greet him in my name.^{[y] 6} Then say this: ‘Long life to you,^[z] and peace to you, to your family, and to all that is yours.^{(CL) 7} I hear that you are shearing.^[aa] When your shepherds were with us, we did not harass them, and nothing of theirs was missing the whole time they were in Carmel.^{(CM) 8} Ask your young men, and they will tell you. So let my young men find favor with you, for we have come on a feast^[ab] day.^(CN) Please give whatever you can afford to your servants and to your son David.’”

⁹ David’s young men went and said all these things to Nabal on David’s behalf,^[ac] and they waited.^{[ad] 10} Nabal asked them, “Who is David?^(CO) Who is Jesse’s son? Many slaves these days are running away from their masters. ¹¹ Am I supposed to take my bread, my water, and my meat that I butchered for my shearers and give them to these men? I don’t know where they are from.”

¹² David’s men retraced their steps. When they returned to him, they reported all these words. ¹³ He said to his men, “All of you, put on your swords!” So David and all his men put on their swords. About 400 men followed David while 200 stayed with the supplies.^(CP)

¹⁴ One of Nabal’s young men informed Abigail, Nabal’s wife: “Look, David sent messengers from the wilderness to greet our master,^(CQ) but he yelled at them. ¹⁵ The men treated us well. When we were in the field, we weren’t harassed^(CR) and nothing of ours was missing the whole time we were living among them. ¹⁶ They were a wall around us, both day and night,^(CS) the entire time we were herding the sheep. ¹⁷ Now consider carefully what you must do, because there is certain to be trouble for our master and his entire family. He is such a worthless fool nobody can talk to him!”

¹⁸ Abigail hurried, taking 200 loaves of bread, two skins of wine, five butchered sheep, a bushel^[ae] of roasted grain, 100 clusters of raisins, and 200 cakes of pressed figs, and loaded them on donkeys.^{(CT) 19} Then she said to her male servants, “Go ahead of me. I will be right behind you.”^(CU) But she did not tell her husband Nabal.

²⁰ As she rode the donkey down a mountain pass hidden from view, she saw David and his men coming toward her and met them. ²¹ David had just said, “I guarded everything that belonged to this man in the wilderness for nothing. He was not missing anything, yet he paid me back evil for good. ²² May God punish me^[af] and do so severely^(CV) if I let any of his men^[ag] survive until morning.”^(CW)

²³ When Abigail saw David, she quickly got off the donkey and fell with her face to the ground in front of David.^{(CX) 24} She fell at his feet and said, “The guilt is mine, my lord, but please let your servant speak to you directly. Listen to the words of your servant. ²⁵ My lord should pay no attention to this worthless man Nabal, for he lives up to his name:^[ah] His name is Nabal,^[ai] and stupidity is all he knows.^[aj] I, your servant, didn’t see my lord’s young men whom you sent. ²⁶ Now my lord, as surely as the Lord lives and as you yourself live, it is the Lord who kept you from participating in bloodshed and avenging yourself^(CY) by your own hand. May your enemies and those who want trouble for my lord be like Nabal.^{(CZ) 27} Accept this gift^(DA) your servant has brought to my lord, and let it be given to the young men who follow my lord. ²⁸ Please forgive your servant’s offense,^(DB) for the Lord is certain to make a lasting dynasty for my lord^(DC) because he fights the Lord’s battles.^(DD) Throughout your life, may evil^[ak] not be found in you.^(DE)

²⁹ “When someone pursues you and attempts to take your life, my lord’s life will be tucked safely in the place^[al] where the Lord your God protects the living. However, He will fling away your enemies’ lives like stones from a sling.^{(DF) 30} When the Lord does for my lord all the good He promised and appoints you ruler over Israel,^{(DG) 31} there will not be remorse or a troubled conscience for my lord because of needless bloodshed or my lord’s revenge. And when the Lord does good things for my lord, may you remember me your servant.”^(DH)

³² Then David said to Abigail, “Praise to the Lord God of Israel,^(DI) who sent you to meet me today! ³³ Your discernment is blessed, and you are blessed. Today you kept me from participating in bloodshed and avenging myself by my own hand.^{(DJ) 34} Otherwise, as surely as the Lord God of Israel lives, who prevented me from harming you, if you had not come quickly to meet me, Nabal wouldn’t have had any men^[am] left by morning light.” ³⁵ Then David accepted what she had brought him and said, “Go home in peace.^(DK) See, I have heard what you said and have granted your request.”^(DL)

³⁶ Then Abigail went to Nabal, and there he was in his house, holding a feast fit for a king.^(DM) Nabal was in a good mood^[an] and very drunk, so she didn’t say anything^[ao] to him^(DN) until morning light.

³⁷ In the morning when Nabal sobered up,^[ap] his wife told him about these events. Then he had a seizure^[aq] and became paralyzed.^{[ar] 38} About 10 days later, the Lord struck Nabal dead.^(DO)

³⁹ When David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, “Praise the Lord who championed my cause against Nabal’s insults^(DP) and restrained His servant from doing evil.^(DQ) The Lord brought Nabal’s evil deeds back on his own head.”^(DR)

Then David sent messengers to speak to Abigail about marrying him. ⁴⁰ When David’s servants came to Abigail at Carmel, they said to her, “David sent us to bring you to him as a wife.”

⁴¹ She stood up, then bowed her face to the ground^(DS) and said, “Here I am, your servant, to wash the feet of my lord’s servants.”^{(DT) 42} Then Abigail got up quickly, and with her five female servants accompanying her, rode on the donkey following David’s messengers.^(DU) And so she became his wife.

⁴³ David also married Ahinoam of Jezreel,^(DV) and the two of them became his wives. ⁴⁴ But Saul gave his daughter Michal, David’s wife, to Palti^(DW) son of Laish, who was from Gallim.^(DX)