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撒母耳记上 16:14-24:19
Chinese Contemporary Bible (Simplified)
撒母耳记上 16:14-24:19
Chinese Contemporary Bible (Simplified)
大卫服侍扫罗
14 耶和华的灵离开了扫罗，有个邪灵从耶和华那里来折磨他。 15 扫罗的臣仆对他说：“现在有个邪灵从上帝那里来折磨你， 16 你[a]可以吩咐跟前的臣仆去找一个善于弹琴的人来。邪灵从上帝那里来到你身上的时候，他为你弹琴，你就会好。” 17 扫罗说：“你们就为我找一个善于弹琴的人，带他到我这里来。” 18 其中有一个仆人说：“我见过伯利恒耶西的一个儿子，他善于弹琴，英勇善战，谈吐合宜，相貌英俊，并且耶和华与他同在。” 19 扫罗便差遣使者去见耶西，说：“请让你放羊的儿子大卫到我这里来。” 20 耶西就把一些饼、一皮袋酒和一只山羊羔驮在驴背上，让儿子大卫带去送给扫罗。 21 大卫到了扫罗那里，做了他身边的侍臣。扫罗非常喜欢大卫，让大卫为他拿兵器。 22 扫罗派人去见耶西，说：“你就让大卫留在我的身边吧，因为我喜欢他。” 23 每当有邪灵从上帝那里来到扫罗身上的时候，大卫就为他弹琴，扫罗便觉得舒畅，邪灵也离开了他。
大卫迎战歌利亚
17 非利士人在犹大的梭哥招聚军队，准备作战。他们在梭哥和亚西加之间的以弗·大悯扎营。 2 扫罗和以色列人也聚集起来在以拉谷安营，摆好阵势准备迎战。 3 双方的军队在两边的山上对峙，中间隔着山谷。 4 非利士营中有个名叫歌利亚的巨人出来讨战。他来自迦特，身高三米， 5 头戴铜盔，身穿重达五十七公斤的铠甲， 6 腿上有铜护膝，肩背铜戟。 7 戟柄粗如织布机的轴，铁戟头重七公斤。有卫士拿着他的盾牌走在前面。 8 他挑战以色列人，说：“你们为什么列阵打仗呢？我是非利士人，你们是扫罗的仆人，你们选一个人下来跟我一比高下。 9 如果他打得过我，将我杀了，我们就做你们的奴隶。但如果我战胜他，把他杀了，你们就要做我们的奴隶，服侍我们。 10 我今天向以色列军队骂阵，你们找一个人出来跟我比个高下吧！” 11 扫罗和所有以色列人听了非利士人的这些话，都吓得惊恐不已。
12 大卫是以法他人耶西的儿子。扫罗执政期间，耶西已经年纪老迈，住在犹大的伯利恒，有八个儿子。 13 他的三个儿子已经跟随扫罗去打仗了，他们是长子以利押、次子亚比拿达和三子沙玛。 14 大卫年纪最小，他的三个哥哥跟随扫罗期间， 15 他有时去扫罗的军营，有时回伯利恒为他父亲放羊。 16 这非利士人早晚都出来骂阵，长达四十天。
17 一天，耶西对大卫说：“你带上十公斤烤麦和十个饼，赶快到军营中送给你的哥哥们。 18 再带十块奶饼送给他们的千夫长，看望一下他们，带个信儿回来。 19 他们跟随扫罗率领的以色列军在以拉谷跟非利士人打仗。”
20 大卫清早起来把羊交给一个牧人看顾，然后照父亲的吩咐带着食物出发了。他来到军营的时候，大军正吶喊着出战。 21 以色列人与非利士人摆好阵势，两军对垒。 22 大卫把带来的东西交给负责看守的人保管，自己跑到阵中去问候哥哥们。 23 他们正在交谈的时候，非利士军中的迦特人歌利亚出来像往常一样向以色列军骂阵，大卫都听见了。 24 以色列人一看见歌利亚都竞相奔逃，极其害怕。 25 以色列人彼此议论说：“看那个人！他是来向以色列军骂阵的。谁要能杀死他，王必有重赏，还会把女儿嫁给他为妻，并免去他父亲家在以色列应缴的赋税。” 26 大卫问站在旁边的人：“如果有人杀了这非利士人，洗掉以色列人的羞辱，他会得到什么呢？这个未受割礼的非利士人是谁？竟敢向永活上帝的军队骂阵！” 27 他们就把刚才的话一一告诉大卫。
28 大卫的长兄以利押听见他跟人说话，就愤怒地对他说：“你来这里做什么？你把旷野的那几只羊交给谁了？我知道你骄傲自大，心怀恶意，你来只是想看打仗。” 29 大卫说：“我做错了什么？我问一下都不行吗？” 30 他又去问其他人同样的问题，得到了同样的答复。 31 有人听见了大卫的话，就去告诉扫罗，扫罗便派人来召大卫。 32 大卫对扫罗说：“大家不要因这个非利士人而丧胆，让仆人去战他。” 33 扫罗说：“你不能去，你年纪还小，他却是一个久经沙场的战士。” 34 大卫说：“我一直替父亲放羊，有时候狮子或熊会从羊群中叼走羊， 35 我会去追打它，把羊从它口中救出来。如果它起来攻击我，我就揪着它的胡子把它打死。 36 我曾打死过狮子和熊。这未受割礼的非利士人竟敢向永活上帝的军队骂阵，他的下场也必像狮子和熊一样。 37 耶和华曾经从狮子和熊的利爪下拯救我，祂也必从非利士人手中拯救我。”扫罗对大卫说：“去吧，愿耶和华与你同在。” 38 扫罗把自己的战袍给大卫穿上，又给他戴上自己的头盔，穿上自己的铠甲。 39 大卫把刀挎在战袍上，试着走了几步，却不习惯这种装束，就对扫罗说：“我穿着这些无法作战，因为我不习惯。”他便摘下头盔，卸下铠甲， 40 然后拿着杖，在溪里捡了五块光滑的石头放进牧人用的袋子，拿着投石器向歌利亚走去。
41 歌利亚也迎着大卫走来，卫士拿着他的盾牌走在前面。 42 歌利亚见大卫是个面色红润、相貌英俊的少年，就藐视他。 43 他对大卫说：“你拿着棍子来战我，难道我是一条狗吗？”他就凭自己的神明咒诅大卫， 44 又说：“你过来，我要把你的肉丢给天上的飞禽和地上的走兽。” 45 大卫答道：“你是靠刀枪剑戟来攻击我，我是靠万军之耶和华的名，就是你所蔑视的以色列军队的上帝来迎战你。 46 今天，耶和华必把你交在我手中，我必杀死你，砍掉你的头，用非利士军兵的尸体喂天上的飞禽和地上的走兽，使普天下都知道以色列有上帝。 47 这里所有的人都必知道耶和华拯救人不靠刀枪，因为祂掌管战争的胜负。祂必把你们交在我们手中。” 48 歌利亚迎面走来的时候，大卫就飞快地跑上去应战， 49 他从袋里拿出一块石子用投石器猛力抛去，石子击中歌利亚的额头，嵌了进去，他迎面栽倒在地。
50 大卫就这样不用刀剑，只用投石器和一块石子战胜了那个非利士人，杀死了他。 51 大卫跑到那非利士人身边，从他刀鞘里拔出刀杀了他，并割下他的头颅。非利士人看见自己的英雄死了，纷纷逃跑。 52 以色列人和犹大人乘势吶喊，追杀非利士人，直追到迦特和以革伦的城门。通往迦特和以革伦的沙拉音大道上到处是非利士人的尸体。 53 以色列军队追杀非利士人回来，又掳掠了他们的营地。 54 大卫把那非利士人的头颅带到耶路撒冷，把那人的兵器存放在自己的帐篷中。
55 扫罗看见大卫出去迎战歌利亚，就问押尼珥元帅：“押尼珥啊，那少年是谁的儿子？”押尼珥答道：“王啊，我向你发誓，我真的不知道。” 56 扫罗王说：“你去查查他是谁的儿子。” 57 大卫杀了歌利亚回来，押尼珥就把他带到扫罗那里，他手上还拿着那非利士人的头颅。 58 扫罗问他：“年轻人，你是谁的儿子？”大卫答道：“我是你仆人伯利恒人耶西的儿子。”
扫罗嫉妒大卫
18 大卫与扫罗说完话后，又见了约拿单，二人一见如故，约拿单像爱自己一样爱大卫。 2 从那天起，扫罗把大卫留在身边，不让他再回父亲那里。 3 约拿单像爱自己一样爱大卫，他与大卫立了盟约， 4 并把身上的外袍、战衣、刀、弓和腰带都送给大卫。 5 无论扫罗派大卫办什么事，他都表现出色。扫罗派他做军队的将领，民众和扫罗的臣仆都非常满意。
6 大卫杀死了非利士人歌利亚，以色列人凯旋归来，妇女们击鼓弹琴、载歌载舞地从以色列各城出来迎接扫罗王。 7 她们跳舞歌唱：“扫罗杀死千千，大卫杀死万万。” 8 扫罗听了非常愤怒，说：“她们将万万归功给大卫，将千千归功给我，只剩我的王位没有给他了！” 9 扫罗从此对大卫起了嫉妒之心。
10 第二天，从上帝那里来的邪灵突然降在扫罗身上，他就在屋子里叫闹不停，大卫照常为他弹琴。扫罗当时手上拿着矛， 11 他突然把矛投向大卫，心想：“我要把他刺透，钉在墙上。”他投了两次，大卫都躲过了。
12 耶和华离开了扫罗与大卫同在，因而扫罗惧怕大卫。 13 他把大卫调离自己身边，立为千夫长，让他领兵作战。 14 耶和华与大卫同在，因此他事事成功。 15 扫罗看见大卫做事精明，就惧怕他。 16 以色列人和犹大人都爱戴他，因为他带领他们作战。
17 扫罗对大卫说：“我要把大女儿米拉嫁给你，但你要英勇作战，效忠于我，为耶和华争战。”扫罗心里想：“我不要亲自动手，我要借非利士人的手杀他。” 18 大卫说：“我算什么？我的家族在以色列那么卑微，我怎么配做王的女婿呢？” 19 到了婚礼的日子，扫罗却把米拉嫁给了米何拉人亚得列。 20 扫罗的次女米甲爱上了大卫，扫罗知道了非常高兴。 21 他心里想：“我把这个女儿给大卫，让他中圈套，好借非利士人的手杀掉他。”于是，他对大卫说：“你现在还有一次机会做我的女婿。” 22 他又吩咐臣仆，说：“你们私底下告诉大卫，说王很欣赏他，群臣都爱戴他，劝他做王的女婿。” 23 扫罗的臣仆把这话告诉了大卫，大卫却说：“做王的女婿岂是一件小事呢？我不过是个贫穷卑微的人。” 24 臣仆把这番话回报扫罗， 25 扫罗说：“你们去告诉大卫，就说王只需要一百个非利士人的包皮作聘礼，好向他的敌人报仇。”扫罗想让大卫死在非利士人的手上。 26 臣仆把这番话告诉了大卫，大卫欣然答应做王的女婿。期限到来之前， 27 大卫和部下出去杀了二百个非利士人，把他们的包皮献给扫罗，好做王的女婿。扫罗便把女儿米甲嫁给了大卫。 28 扫罗知道耶和华与大卫同在，自己的女儿米甲也爱他， 29 就更加惧怕大卫，终生与大卫为敌。
30 非利士人的将领常来进犯，大卫每次作战总比扫罗的其他臣仆出色，因而倍受尊重。
扫罗试图杀大卫
19 扫罗吩咐他儿子约拿单和众臣仆去杀掉大卫。但约拿单非常喜爱大卫， 2 便告诉他，说：“我父亲要杀你，明天早上你要小心，找个僻静的地方躲起来。 3 我会出去和父亲站在你藏身的田间，跟他提你的事，然后把消息告诉你。” 4 约拿单就在父亲面前替大卫说好话，他说：“王不要伤害大卫，他从来没有对不起王，他所做的使王大受益处。 5 他冒着生命危险去杀非利士人，耶和华使以色列人大获全胜，当时你看见了，非常欢喜，现在为什么要犯罪，枉杀无辜的大卫呢？” 6 扫罗听了约拿单的话，就凭永活的耶和华起誓说：“我不杀大卫。” 7 约拿单叫来大卫，把经过告诉他，带他去见扫罗，大卫又像以前一样伺候扫罗。
8 后来，战事再度爆发，大卫领兵与非利士人交战，大败敌人，杀得他们四散溃逃。 9 一天，扫罗手里拿着矛正坐在家中，从耶和华那里来的邪灵降临在扫罗身上。大卫正在弹琴， 10 扫罗想用矛把大卫刺透，钉在墙上，大卫躲开了，矛插在了墙上。大卫当晚逃走了。
11 扫罗派人监视大卫的家，要在早上杀死他。大卫的妻子米甲警告他说：“如果你今晚不逃命，明早必死无疑。” 12 于是，她从窗口把大卫缒下去，让他逃走了。 13 然后她把家中的神像放在床上，头枕在山羊毛的枕头上，盖上被子。 14 扫罗派人来捉拿大卫的时候，米甲说他病了。 15 扫罗又派人去见大卫，并吩咐说：“把他连床一起抬来，我好杀他。” 16 众人进去发现躺在床上的是一个神像，头枕在山羊毛的枕头上。 17 扫罗问米甲：“你为什么欺骗我，让我的敌人逃走？”米甲答道：“他说如果我不让他逃走，就杀了我。”
18 大卫逃到住在拉玛的撒母耳那里，把扫罗的所作所为告诉他。后来，他和撒母耳去拿约住了下来。 19 扫罗听说大卫在拉玛的拿约， 20 就派人去捉拿他。扫罗的人看到一群先知在说预言，撒母耳在当中带领他们。上帝的灵也临到扫罗的人，他们也说起预言来。 21 扫罗听说后又派人去，派去的人也说起预言来。扫罗第三次派人去，派去的人同样说起预言来。 22 最后扫罗亲自前往拉玛，走到西沽的大井，问撒母耳和大卫在哪里，有人说在拉玛的拿约。 23 扫罗便去拉玛的拿约。上帝的灵临到扫罗，他就一边走一边说起预言来，一直到拉玛的拿约。 24 他脱下自己的衣服，在撒母耳面前说起预言来。他赤身躺了一天一夜。因此有句俗语说：“扫罗也在先知当中吗？”
大卫与约拿单
20 大卫从拉玛的拿约逃出来去见约拿单，问他：“我做了什么？犯了什么罪？我什么地方对不起你父亲，他竟追杀我？” 2 约拿单答道：“绝无此事，你不会死的！我父亲事无大小都会告诉我的，他不会瞒着我这件事，不会的。” 3 大卫发誓说：“你父亲深知你恩待我，他为了不使你伤心，才瞒着你。但我凭永活的耶和华和你的性命起誓，我离死亡仅一步之遥！” 4 约拿单说：“你有什么需要？我一定相助。” 5 大卫答道：“明天是初一，我本该跟王一起用餐，请让我躲到田间，直到第三天晚上。 6 如果你父亲问起我，你就说我恳求你允许我回到故乡伯利恒，因为我全家正在那里献年祭。 7 如果你父亲说‘好吧’，仆人就平安无事了。如果他发怒，就表示他决意要杀我。 8 请你善待仆人，因你与我在耶和华面前立了盟约。如果我有罪，就请你亲手杀了我，何必把我交给你父亲呢？” 9 约拿单答道：“我决不会这样做。如果我知道我父亲决意要杀你，我怎能不通知你呢？” 10 大卫说：“你父亲若向你发怒，谁来告诉我呢？” 11 约拿单说：“我们一起到田野去吧。”于是，二人一起去了田野。
12 约拿单对大卫说：“愿以色列的上帝耶和华作证，明天或后天这个时侯我就会打探到我父亲的意思，如果他善意待你，我会派人通知你。 13 如果他有意杀你，而我却不告诉你让你安然逃走，愿耶和华重重地惩罚我。愿耶和华与你同在，像从前与我父亲同在一样。 14 在我有生之年，请你照耶和华的慈爱恩待我，免我一死。 15 在我死后，即使耶和华把你所有的仇敌都毁灭了，请你仍旧恩待我的后人。” 16 于是，约拿单与大卫家立下盟约，说：“倘若大卫不守盟约，愿耶和华借着仇敌惩罚他。” 17 约拿单因为像爱自己一样爱大卫，便叫他再次起誓。 18 约拿单说：“明天是初一，人们会注意到你缺席。 19 到了后天，你要赶快去上次出事时躲藏的以色磐石那里。 20 我会朝磐石的旁边射三箭，好像射靶子。 21 然后，我会叫一个少年把箭拾回来。如果你听到我对他说，‘箭就在你旁边，把箭拾回来。’那就表示你可以回来了，我凭永活的耶和华起誓，你必平安无事。 22 但如果我对少年说，‘箭就在你前面。’你就要离开，因为是耶和华要你离开。 23 至于我们之间所立的约，耶和华永远为我们作证。”
24 于是，大卫就躲到田野。初一到了，扫罗王入席吃饭， 25 他照常坐在靠墙的位置，约拿单坐在对面，押尼珥坐在王的身边，大卫的位子空着。 26 那一天，扫罗并没有说什么，他以为大卫可能遇到了使自己不洁净的事，不能赴宴。 27 可是到了第二天，大卫的座位还是空的，扫罗就问儿子约拿单：“耶西的儿子为什么这两天都不来赴宴呢？” 28 约拿单答道：“大卫恳求我让他回到伯利恒， 29 因为他家要在城中献祭，他的哥哥要他去。他求我恩准他去见他的哥哥们。所以，他没有来参加王的宴席。”
30 扫罗向约拿单发怒，对他说：“你这邪恶叛逆妇人所生之子！难道我不知道你是站在耶西的儿子那边吗？你这样做不但自取其辱，也使你母亲蒙羞。 31 只要耶西的儿子活在世上，你和你的王位就不得安稳。你派人把他抓到我这里，他非死不可。” 32 约拿单问：“为什么要杀他？他做了什么？”
33 扫罗气得把矛掷向约拿单，想要杀他。约拿单知道父亲决意要杀大卫。 34 他怒气冲冲地离席，整天不肯进食，因为他看见父亲如此卑劣地对待大卫，心里非常难过。 35 第二天早晨，约拿单按照和大卫的约定带着一个少年来到田野。 36 约拿单对少年说：“你跑去把我射的箭拾回来。”少年就向前跑去，约拿单把箭射在他前面。 37 少年跑到落箭之处的时候，约拿单就大声叫道：“箭不是在你的前面吗？ 38 快快去，不要耽延。”少年连忙把箭拾起来，回到主人那里。 39 他不知道主人的用意，只有约拿单和大卫知道。 40 约拿单把弓箭交给那少年，吩咐他带回城中。 41 少年离开以后，大卫就从磐石南面出来，伏地拜了三拜。二人彼此亲吻，抱头痛哭，大卫更是泣不成声。 42 约拿单说：“我们已凭耶和华的名起誓，有耶和华在你我和你我的子孙之间永远为我们的盟约作证，你就安心去吧。”大卫便起身离开，约拿单也回城去了。
大卫逃亡
21 大卫来到挪伯的祭司亚希米勒那里。亚希米勒战战兢兢地出来迎接他，问道：“你为什么独自一人，没有随从呢？” 2 大卫答道：“王差遣我来办一件事，他吩咐我不可把事情泄露给任何人。我已经吩咐部下在某处跟我会合。 3 现在你这里有什么吃的吗？请给我五个饼，或任何吃的东西。” 4 祭司答道：“我们没有普通的饼，只有圣饼[b]，如果你的部下没有亲近过女色，就可以吃。” 5 大卫答道：“当然没有亲近过女色。每逢我们出来办事，即使是平常的任务，我的部下总是保持圣洁，何况这次是特别的任务。” 6 于是，祭司把圣饼给他，因为那里没有别的饼，只有从耶和华的会幕里更换下来的供饼。 7 那天，扫罗的司牧长以东人多益碰巧在耶和华的会幕。 8 大卫问亚希米勒：“你这里有没有刀枪？因为王的事紧急，仓促间我连兵器也没有带。” 9 祭司答道：“你在以拉谷杀的非利士人歌利亚的刀在这里，用布包着放在以弗得后面。如果你要就拿去吧，这里没有别的刀了。”大卫答道：“这刀再好不过了，把它给我吧。”
10 那日，大卫为了躲避扫罗，逃往迦特王亚吉那里。 11 亚吉的臣仆对亚吉说：“这个大卫不是以色列的王吗？民众跳舞歌唱‘扫罗杀死千千，大卫杀死万万’，歌颂的不是他吗？” 12 大卫听到这些话，担心迦特王亚吉会加害于他， 13 就在他们面前装作疯子，在城门上胡乱涂画，任由唾沫沿着胡子流下来。 14 亚吉对臣仆说：“你们看，这是个疯子，为什么把他带到我这里来？ 15 我这里缺少疯子吗？你们怎么可以把这个家伙带到我家里，在我面前疯疯癫癫呢？”
扫罗残杀祭司
22 大卫离开迦特，逃到亚杜兰洞。他的兄弟和亲属知道后，都来到他那里， 2 所有受压迫的、负债的和心怀不满的人都纷纷来投奔他。大卫就做了他们的首领，跟随他的有四百多人。 3 后来，大卫到摩押的米斯巴去，请求摩押王收留他的父母，直到他明白上帝给他的安排为止。 4 大卫把父母留在了摩押王那里。在大卫住堡垒期间，他的父母一直住在摩押。 5 迦得先知吩咐大卫离开堡垒回犹大去，大卫就动身前往哈列的树林。
6 当时，扫罗正在基比亚的拉玛，坐在垂丝柳下，手中拿着矛，臣仆侍立在左右。他得知大卫一行人的行踪后， 7 就对左右的臣仆说：“便雅悯人啊，你们听着！难道耶西的儿子会给你们田地和葡萄园吗？他能立你们做千夫长和百夫长吗？ 8 为什么你们一同谋害我？我的儿子跟耶西的儿子立约，没有人告诉我。就是今天我的儿子鼓动我的臣仆来谋害我，也没有人关心我，告诉我。” 9 以东人多益正站在扫罗的臣仆中，他说：“我在挪伯亲眼看见耶西的儿子到了亚希突的儿子亚希米勒那里。 10 亚希米勒为他求问耶和华，给他食物，还把非利士人歌利亚的刀给了他。”
11 于是，扫罗派人把挪伯的祭司——亚希突的儿子亚希米勒及其家人都召来。他们都来到王面前。 12 扫罗说：“亚希突的儿子，听着！”亚希米勒答道：“我主啊，我在这里。” 13 扫罗说：“你为什么和耶西的儿子一同谋害我？你为什么把食物和刀给他，又为他求问耶和华，使他像今天这样背叛我，伺机害我呢？” 14 亚希米勒答道：“王的臣仆中有谁像大卫那样忠心呢？他是王的女婿，又是王的护卫长，在王室中受尊重。 15 那也不是我第一次为他求问耶和华，求王不要因这事加罪于我或我的家人，因为我根本不知道谋反的事。” 16 王却说：“亚希米勒啊，你和你全家都必死无疑！” 17 他就命令身旁的护卫，说：“把这些耶和华的祭司杀掉，因为他们跟大卫同谋，明知道大卫在潜逃，却不来告诉我。”扫罗的臣仆不愿意下手杀害耶和华的祭司。 18 扫罗就对多益说：“你去把祭司杀掉！”以东人多益就杀了他们。那天，他下手杀了八十五个穿细麻布以弗得的祭司。 19 他又把祭司城挪伯的男女老少、牛羊和驴全部杀掉。
20 只有亚希米勒的一个儿子亚比亚他逃出去，投奔了大卫。 21 亚比亚他把扫罗屠杀耶和华祭司的事告诉了大卫， 22 大卫说：“那天我见以东人多益在那里，就知道他一定会告诉扫罗。是我连累了你父亲一家。 23 你就放心留在我这里，不要害怕，谁想杀你，就是想杀我。你在我这里很安全。”
大卫营救基伊拉
23 一天，大卫得知非利士人正在攻打基伊拉，抢掠麦场， 2 便求问耶和华：“我可以去攻打非利士人吗？”耶和华答道：“你可以去攻打非利士人，营救基伊拉。” 3 大卫的部下却对他说：“我们在犹大这里尚且胆战心惊，何况去基伊拉攻打非利士军队呢！” 4 大卫再求问耶和华，耶和华答道：“到基伊拉去吧，我一定把非利士人交在你手里。” 5 于是，大卫和部下到基伊拉去攻打非利士人，大败敌人，夺取了他们的牲畜，救出基伊拉人。
6 亚希米勒的儿子祭司亚比亚他到基伊拉投奔大卫时，把以弗得也带了去。 7 扫罗得知大卫在基伊拉，就说：“这一次是上帝把他交在我手中了，因为他竟然自投网罗，进入有门有闩的城。” 8 扫罗召集全军准备攻打基伊拉，围困大卫和他的部下。 9 大卫知道了扫罗的计谋，便吩咐祭司亚比亚他把以弗得带来， 10 然后说：“耶和华，以色列的上帝啊，仆人听说扫罗要来毁灭基伊拉，因为我在这里。 11 基伊拉的人会不会把我交给扫罗呢？扫罗是不是像我听说的那样要来这里呢？耶和华，以色列的上帝啊，求你告诉我。”耶和华说：“扫罗一定会来。” 12 大卫又问耶和华：“基伊拉的人会不会把我和我的部下交给扫罗呢？”耶和华说：“他们一定会。” 13 于是，大卫率领自己的六百部下离开基伊拉，到处流浪。扫罗得知大卫已经离开基伊拉，就不去了。
14 大卫住在旷野的堡垒或西弗旷野的山区。扫罗天天搜捕大卫，但上帝没有把大卫交在他的手中。 15 大卫在西弗旷野的何利沙得知扫罗要来杀他。 16 扫罗的儿子约拿单去何利沙见大卫，鼓励大卫坚定地信靠上帝。 17 他对大卫说：“不要害怕，我父亲害不了你。你将做以色列的王，我将做你的宰相。我父亲也明白这一点。” 18 二人在耶和华面前立了约。之后，大卫仍留在何利沙，约拿单则回家去了。
19 西弗人去基比亚见扫罗，说：“大卫就躲在我们那里，在旷野南面哈基拉山上何利沙的堡垒里。 20 王啊，你随时都可以下来，我们一定把他交在王的手里。” 21 扫罗说：“愿耶和华赐福给你们！因为你们体恤我。 22 我听说他非常狡猾，你们再回去弄清楚他的行踪，谁在那里见过他， 23 查明他的藏身之处，回来如实告诉我，然后我会与你们同去。如果他在犹大境内，我要搜遍千家万户，找到他。” 24 于是，西弗人先回去了。当时大卫和他的部下在旷野南面的亚拉巴，即玛云旷野。 25 大卫听说扫罗和手下正在搜寻他，便率领部下前往玛云旷野的磐石，住在那里。扫罗得知后，便去玛云旷野追赶大卫。 26 扫罗在山这边走，大卫和他的部下在山那边走，急急忙忙地躲避扫罗。扫罗和他的手下四面包围过来，眼看就要抓住他们了。 27 这时，扫罗的信使前来禀报，说非利士人前来犯境，请王速回。 28 扫罗只好放弃追赶大卫，回师迎战非利士人。因此，那地方叫“脱险岩”。 29 后来，大卫从那里转移到隐·基底的堡垒里。
大卫不杀扫罗
24 扫罗追击非利士人回来，得知大卫在隐·基底的旷野， 2 就率领三千以色列精兵去野羊岩附近搜索大卫和他的部下。 3 他们来到路旁的一处羊圈，那里有一个山洞，扫罗进去大解。大卫和他的部下就躲在洞的深处。 4 大卫的部下对大卫说：“耶和华说过要把你的仇敌交在你手中，任你处置，今天机会来了。”大卫就爬过去，偷偷割了扫罗外袍的一角。 5 事后，大卫心里不安， 6 他对部下说：“我不该做这样的事，我主是耶和华所膏立的王，我绝不出手伤害他，因为他是耶和华所膏立的。” 7 大卫用这些话拦住他的部下，不让他们杀扫罗。
扫罗起来离开山洞走了， 8 大卫随后也来到洞外，在后面喊扫罗：“我主我王啊！”扫罗回头一看，见大卫俯伏在地，向他下拜。 9 大卫对扫罗说：“你为什么听信谗言，认为我要谋害你呢？ 10 你现在亲眼看见了，刚才在山洞里，耶和华把你交在我手中，有人叫我杀你，我却不肯，因为你是耶和华所膏立的王，我不会动手伤害你。 11 我父请看，你的这块袍子在我手中。我割下了你的袍角，没有杀你，现在你应该明白我并未图谋背叛你。我没有对不起你，你却要置我于死地。 12 愿耶和华在你我之间判定是非，替我申冤，我却不会动手伤害你。 13 俗语说，‘恶事出于恶人’，所以我不会动手伤害你。 14 以色列王出来要捉拿谁呢？一条死狗吗？一只跳蚤吗？ 15 愿耶和华做我们的审判官，在你我之间判定是非。愿耶和华鉴察，为我申冤，从你手中拯救我。”
16 大卫说完了，扫罗问道：“我儿大卫啊！是你吗？”便放声大哭起来。 17 扫罗对大卫说：“你比我公义，因为你善待我，我却恶待你。 18 你今天使我明白你善待了我，耶和华把我交在你手中，你却没有下手杀我。 19 有谁会让自己手中的仇敌平安离去呢？愿耶和华因你今日善待我而赐福你。
1 Samuel 16:14-24:19
New International Version
1 Samuel 16:14-24:19
New International Version
David in Saul’s Service
14 Now the Spirit of the Lord had departed(A) from Saul, and an evil[a] spirit(B) from the Lord tormented him.(C)
15 Saul’s attendants said to him, “See, an evil spirit from God is tormenting you. 16 Let our lord command his servants here to search for someone who can play the lyre.(D) He will play when the evil spirit from God comes on you, and you will feel better.”
17 So Saul said to his attendants, “Find someone who plays well and bring him to me.”
18 One of the servants answered, “I have seen a son of Jesse(E) of Bethlehem who knows how to play the lyre. He is a brave man and a warrior.(F) He speaks well and is a fine-looking man. And the Lord is with(G) him.”
19 Then Saul sent messengers to Jesse and said, “Send me your son David, who is with the sheep.(H)” 20 So Jesse took a donkey loaded with bread,(I) a skin of wine and a young goat and sent them with his son David to Saul.
21 David came to Saul and entered his service.(J) Saul liked him very much, and David became one of his armor-bearers. 22 Then Saul sent word to Jesse, saying, “Allow David to remain in my service, for I am pleased with him.”
23 Whenever the spirit from God came on Saul, David would take up his lyre and play. Then relief would come to Saul; he would feel better, and the evil spirit(K) would leave him.
David and Goliath
17 Now the Philistines gathered their forces for war and assembled(L) at Sokoh in Judah. They pitched camp at Ephes Dammim, between Sokoh(M) and Azekah.(N) 2 Saul and the Israelites assembled and camped in the Valley of Elah(O) and drew up their battle line to meet the Philistines. 3 The Philistines occupied one hill and the Israelites another, with the valley between them.
4 A champion named Goliath,(P) who was from Gath, came out of the Philistine camp. His height was six cubits and a span.[b] 5 He had a bronze helmet on his head and wore a coat of scale armor of bronze weighing five thousand shekels[c]; 6 on his legs he wore bronze greaves, and a bronze javelin(Q) was slung on his back. 7 His spear shaft was like a weaver’s rod,(R) and its iron point weighed six hundred shekels.[d] His shield bearer(S) went ahead of him.
8 Goliath stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, “Why do you come out and line up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not the servants of Saul? Choose(T) a man and have him come down to me. 9 If he is able to fight and kill me, we will become your subjects; but if I overcome him and kill him, you will become our subjects and serve us.” 10 Then the Philistine said, “This day I defy(U) the armies of Israel! Give me a man and let us fight each other.(V)” 11 On hearing the Philistine’s words, Saul and all the Israelites were dismayed and terrified.
12 Now David was the son of an Ephrathite(W) named Jesse,(X) who was from Bethlehem(Y) in Judah. Jesse had eight(Z) sons, and in Saul’s time he was very old. 13 Jesse’s three oldest sons had followed Saul to the war: The firstborn was Eliab;(AA) the second, Abinadab;(AB) and the third, Shammah.(AC) 14 David was the youngest. The three oldest followed Saul, 15 but David went back and forth from Saul to tend(AD) his father’s sheep(AE) at Bethlehem.
16 For forty days the Philistine came forward every morning and evening and took his stand.
17 Now Jesse said to his son David, “Take this ephah[e](AF) of roasted grain(AG) and these ten loaves of bread for your brothers and hurry to their camp. 18 Take along these ten cheeses to the commander of their unit. See how your brothers(AH) are and bring back some assurance[f] from them. 19 They are with Saul and all the men of Israel in the Valley of Elah, fighting against the Philistines.”
20 Early in the morning David left the flock in the care of a shepherd, loaded up and set out, as Jesse had directed. He reached the camp as the army was going out to its battle positions, shouting the war cry. 21 Israel and the Philistines were drawing up their lines facing each other. 22 David left his things with the keeper of supplies,(AI) ran to the battle lines and asked his brothers how they were. 23 As he was talking with them, Goliath, the Philistine champion from Gath, stepped out from his lines and shouted his usual(AJ) defiance, and David heard it. 24 Whenever the Israelites saw the man, they all fled from him in great fear.
25 Now the Israelites had been saying, “Do you see how this man keeps coming out? He comes out to defy Israel. The king will give great wealth to the man who kills him. He will also give him his daughter(AK) in marriage and will exempt his family from taxes(AL) in Israel.”
26 David asked the men standing near him, “What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine and removes this disgrace(AM) from Israel? Who is this uncircumcised(AN) Philistine that he should defy(AO) the armies of the living(AP) God?”
27 They repeated to him what they had been saying and told him, “This is what will be done for the man who kills him.”
28 When Eliab, David’s oldest brother, heard him speaking with the men, he burned with anger(AQ) at him and asked, “Why have you come down here? And with whom did you leave those few sheep in the wilderness? I know how conceited you are and how wicked your heart is; you came down only to watch the battle.”
29 “Now what have I done?” said David. “Can’t I even speak?” 30 He then turned away to someone else and brought up the same matter, and the men answered him as before. 31 What David said was overheard and reported to Saul, and Saul sent for him.
32 David said to Saul, “Let no one lose heart(AR) on account of this Philistine; your servant will go and fight him.”
33 Saul replied,(AS) “You are not able to go out against this Philistine and fight him; you are only a young man, and he has been a warrior from his youth.”
34 But David said to Saul, “Your servant has been keeping his father’s sheep. When a lion(AT) or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, 35 I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it turned on me, I seized(AU) it by its hair, struck it and killed it. 36 Your servant has killed both the lion(AV) and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God. 37 The Lord who rescued(AW) me from the paw of the lion(AX) and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine.”
Saul said to David, “Go, and the Lord be with(AY) you.”
38 Then Saul dressed David in his own(AZ) tunic. He put a coat of armor on him and a bronze helmet on his head. 39 David fastened on his sword over the tunic and tried walking around, because he was not used to them.
“I cannot go in these,” he said to Saul, “because I am not used to them.” So he took them off. 40 Then he took his staff in his hand, chose five smooth stones from the stream, put them in the pouch of his shepherd’s bag and, with his sling in his hand, approached the Philistine.
41 Meanwhile, the Philistine, with his shield bearer(BA) in front of him, kept coming closer to David. 42 He looked David over and saw that he was little more than a boy, glowing with health and handsome,(BB) and he despised(BC) him. 43 He said to David, “Am I a dog,(BD) that you come at me with sticks?” And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. 44 “Come here,” he said, “and I’ll give your flesh to the birds(BE) and the wild animals!(BF)”
45 David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin,(BG) but I come against you in the name(BH) of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.(BI) 46 This day the Lord will deliver(BJ) you into my hands, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head. This very day I will give the carcasses(BK) of the Philistine army to the birds and the wild animals, and the whole world(BL) will know that there is a God in Israel.(BM) 47 All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword(BN) or spear that the Lord saves;(BO) for the battle(BP) is the Lord’s, and he will give all of you into our hands.”
48 As the Philistine moved closer to attack him, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet him. 49 Reaching into his bag and taking out a stone, he slung it and struck the Philistine on the forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell facedown on the ground.
50 So David triumphed over the Philistine with a sling(BQ) and a stone; without a sword in his hand he struck down the Philistine and killed him.
51 David ran and stood over him. He took hold of the Philistine’s sword and drew it from the sheath. After he killed him, he cut(BR) off his head with the sword.(BS)
When the Philistines saw that their hero was dead, they turned and ran. 52 Then the men of Israel and Judah surged forward with a shout and pursued the Philistines to the entrance of Gath[g] and to the gates of Ekron.(BT) Their dead were strewn along the Shaaraim(BU) road to Gath and Ekron. 53 When the Israelites returned from chasing the Philistines, they plundered their camp.
54 David took the Philistine’s head and brought it to Jerusalem; he put the Philistine’s weapons in his own tent.
55 As Saul watched David(BV) going out to meet the Philistine, he said to Abner, commander of the army, “Abner,(BW) whose son is that young man?”
Abner replied, “As surely as you live, Your Majesty, I don’t know.”
56 The king said, “Find out whose son this young man is.”
57 As soon as David returned from killing the Philistine, Abner took him and brought him before Saul, with David still holding the Philistine’s head.
58 “Whose son are you, young man?” Saul asked him.
David said, “I am the son of your servant Jesse(BX) of Bethlehem.”
Saul’s Growing Fear of David
18 After David had finished talking with Saul, Jonathan(BY) became one in spirit with David, and he loved(BZ) him as himself.(CA) 2 From that day Saul kept David with him and did not let him return home to his family. 3 And Jonathan made a covenant(CB) with David because he loved him as himself. 4 Jonathan took off the robe(CC) he was wearing and gave it to David, along with his tunic, and even his sword, his bow and his belt.(CD)
5 Whatever mission Saul sent him on, David was so successful(CE) that Saul gave him a high rank in the army.(CF) This pleased all the troops, and Saul’s officers as well.
6 When the men were returning home after David had killed the Philistine, the women came out from all the towns of Israel to meet King Saul with singing and dancing,(CG) with joyful songs and with timbrels(CH) and lyres. 7 As they danced, they sang:(CI)
“Saul has slain his thousands,
and David his tens(CJ) of thousands.”
8 Saul was very angry; this refrain displeased him greatly. “They have credited David with tens of thousands,” he thought, “but me with only thousands. What more can he get but the kingdom?(CK)” 9 And from that time on Saul kept a close(CL) eye on David.
10 The next day an evil[h] spirit(CM) from God came forcefully on Saul. He was prophesying in his house, while David was playing the lyre,(CN) as he usually(CO) did. Saul had a spear(CP) in his hand 11 and he hurled it, saying to himself,(CQ) “I’ll pin David to the wall.” But David eluded(CR) him twice.(CS)
12 Saul was afraid(CT) of David, because the Lord(CU) was with(CV) David but had departed from(CW) Saul. 13 So he sent David away from him and gave him command over a thousand men, and David led(CX) the troops in their campaigns.(CY) 14 In everything he did he had great success,(CZ) because the Lord was with(DA) him. 15 When Saul saw how successful he was, he was afraid of him. 16 But all Israel and Judah loved David, because he led them in their campaigns.(DB)
17 Saul said to David, “Here is my older daughter(DC) Merab. I will give her to you in marriage;(DD) only serve me bravely and fight the battles(DE) of the Lord.” For Saul said to himself,(DF) “I will not raise a hand against him. Let the Philistines do that!”
18 But David said to Saul, “Who am I,(DG) and what is my family or my clan in Israel, that I should become the king’s son-in-law?(DH)” 19 So[i] when the time came for Merab,(DI) Saul’s daughter, to be given to David, she was given in marriage to Adriel of Meholah.(DJ)
20 Now Saul’s daughter Michal(DK) was in love with David, and when they told Saul about it, he was pleased.(DL) 21 “I will give her to him,” he thought, “so that she may be a snare(DM) to him and so that the hand of the Philistines may be against him.” So Saul said to David, “Now you have a second opportunity to become my son-in-law.”
22 Then Saul ordered his attendants: “Speak to David privately and say, ‘Look, the king likes you, and his attendants all love you; now become his son-in-law.’”
23 They repeated these words to David. But David said, “Do you think it is a small matter to become the king’s son-in-law?(DN) I’m only a poor man and little known.”
24 When Saul’s servants told him what David had said, 25 Saul replied, “Say to David, ‘The king wants no other price(DO) for the bride than a hundred Philistine foreskins, to take revenge(DP) on his enemies.’” Saul’s plan(DQ) was to have David fall by the hands of the Philistines.
26 When the attendants told David these things, he was pleased to become the king’s son-in-law. So before the allotted time elapsed, 27 David took his men with him and went out and killed two hundred Philistines and brought back their foreskins. They counted out the full number to the king so that David might become the king’s son-in-law. Then Saul gave him his daughter Michal(DR) in marriage.
28 When Saul realized that the Lord was with David and that his daughter Michal(DS) loved David, 29 Saul became still more afraid(DT) of him, and he remained his enemy the rest of his days.
30 The Philistine commanders continued to go out to battle, and as often as they did, David met with more success(DU) than the rest of Saul’s officers, and his name became well known.
Saul Tries to Kill David
19 Saul told his son Jonathan(DV) and all the attendants to kill(DW) David. But Jonathan had taken a great liking to David 2 and warned him, “My father Saul is looking for a chance to kill you. Be on your guard tomorrow morning; go into hiding(DX) and stay there. 3 I will go out and stand with my father in the field where you are. I’ll speak(DY) to him about you and will tell you what I find out.”
4 Jonathan spoke(DZ) well of David to Saul his father and said to him, “Let not the king do wrong(EA) to his servant David; he has not wronged you, and what he has done has benefited you greatly. 5 He took his life(EB) in his hands when he killed the Philistine. The Lord won a great victory(EC) for all Israel, and you saw it and were glad. Why then would you do wrong to an innocent(ED) man like David by killing him for no reason?”
6 Saul listened to Jonathan and took this oath: “As surely as the Lord lives, David will not be put to death.”
7 So Jonathan called David and told him the whole conversation. He brought him to Saul, and David was with Saul as before.(EE)
8 Once more war broke out, and David went out and fought the Philistines. He struck them with such force that they fled before him.
9 But an evil[j] spirit(EF) from the Lord came on Saul as he was sitting in his house with his spear in his hand. While David was playing the lyre,(EG) 10 Saul tried to pin him to the wall with his spear, but David eluded(EH) him as Saul drove the spear into the wall. That night David made good his escape.
11 Saul sent men to David’s house to watch(EI) it and to kill him in the morning.(EJ) But Michal, David’s wife, warned him, “If you don’t run for your life tonight, tomorrow you’ll be killed.” 12 So Michal let David down through a window,(EK) and he fled and escaped. 13 Then Michal took an idol(EL) and laid it on the bed, covering it with a garment and putting some goats’ hair at the head.
14 When Saul sent the men to capture David, Michal said,(EM) “He is ill.”
15 Then Saul sent the men back to see David and told them, “Bring him up to me in his bed so that I may kill him.” 16 But when the men entered, there was the idol in the bed, and at the head was some goats’ hair.
17 Saul said to Michal, “Why did you deceive me like this and send my enemy away so that he escaped?”
Michal told him, “He said to me, ‘Let me get away. Why should I kill you?’”
18 When David had fled and made his escape, he went to Samuel at Ramah(EN) and told him all that Saul had done to him. Then he and Samuel went to Naioth and stayed there. 19 Word came to Saul: “David is in Naioth at Ramah”; 20 so he sent men to capture him. But when they saw a group of prophets(EO) prophesying, with Samuel standing there as their leader, the Spirit of God came on(EP) Saul’s men, and they also prophesied.(EQ) 21 Saul was told about it, and he sent more men, and they prophesied too. Saul sent men a third time, and they also prophesied. 22 Finally, he himself left for Ramah and went to the great cistern at Seku. And he asked, “Where are Samuel and David?”
“Over in Naioth at Ramah,” they said.
23 So Saul went to Naioth at Ramah. But the Spirit of God came even on him, and he walked along prophesying(ER) until he came to Naioth. 24 He stripped(ES) off his garments, and he too prophesied in Samuel’s(ET) presence. He lay naked all that day and all that night. This is why people say, “Is Saul also among the prophets?”(EU)
David and Jonathan
20 Then David fled from Naioth at Ramah and went to Jonathan and asked, “What have I done? What is my crime? How have I wronged(EV) your father, that he is trying to kill me?”(EW)
2 “Never!” Jonathan replied. “You are not going to die! Look, my father doesn’t do anything, great or small, without letting me know. Why would he hide this from me? It isn’t so!”
3 But David took an oath(EX) and said, “Your father knows very well that I have found favor in your eyes, and he has said to himself, ‘Jonathan must not know this or he will be grieved.’ Yet as surely as the Lord lives and as you live, there is only a step between me and death.”
4 Jonathan said to David, “Whatever you want me to do, I’ll do for you.”
5 So David said, “Look, tomorrow is the New Moon feast,(EY) and I am supposed to dine with the king; but let me go and hide(EZ) in the field until the evening of the day after tomorrow. 6 If your father misses me at all, tell him, ‘David earnestly asked my permission(FA) to hurry to Bethlehem,(FB) his hometown, because an annual(FC) sacrifice is being made there for his whole clan.’ 7 If he says, ‘Very well,’ then your servant is safe. But if he loses his temper,(FD) you can be sure that he is determined(FE) to harm me. 8 As for you, show kindness to your servant, for you have brought him into a covenant(FF) with you before the Lord. If I am guilty, then kill(FG) me yourself! Why hand me over to your father?”
9 “Never!” Jonathan said. “If I had the least inkling that my father was determined to harm you, wouldn’t I tell you?”
10 David asked, “Who will tell me if your father answers you harshly?”
11 “Come,” Jonathan said, “let’s go out into the field.” So they went there together.
12 Then Jonathan said to David, “I swear by the Lord, the God of Israel, that I will surely sound(FH) out my father by this time the day after tomorrow! If he is favorably disposed toward you, will I not send you word and let you know? 13 But if my father intends to harm you, may the Lord deal with Jonathan, be it ever so severely,(FI) if I do not let you know and send you away in peace. May the Lord be with(FJ) you as he has been with my father. 14 But show me unfailing kindness(FK) like the Lord’s kindness as long as I live, so that I may not be killed, 15 and do not ever cut off your kindness from my family(FL)—not even when the Lord has cut off every one of David’s enemies from the face of the earth.”
16 So Jonathan(FM) made a covenant(FN) with the house of David, saying, “May the Lord call David’s enemies to account.(FO)” 17 And Jonathan had David reaffirm his oath(FP) out of love for him, because he loved him as he loved himself.
18 Then Jonathan said to David, “Tomorrow is the New Moon feast. You will be missed, because your seat will be empty.(FQ) 19 The day after tomorrow, toward evening, go to the place where you hid(FR) when this trouble began, and wait by the stone Ezel. 20 I will shoot three arrows(FS) to the side of it, as though I were shooting at a target. 21 Then I will send a boy and say, ‘Go, find the arrows.’ If I say to him, ‘Look, the arrows are on this side of you; bring them here,’ then come, because, as surely as the Lord lives, you are safe; there is no danger. 22 But if I say to the boy, ‘Look, the arrows are beyond(FT) you,’ then you must go, because the Lord has sent you away. 23 And about the matter you and I discussed—remember, the Lord is witness(FU) between you and me forever.”
24 So David hid in the field, and when the New Moon feast(FV) came, the king sat down to eat. 25 He sat in his customary place by the wall, opposite Jonathan,[k] and Abner sat next to Saul, but David’s place was empty.(FW) 26 Saul said nothing that day, for he thought, “Something must have happened to David to make him ceremonially unclean—surely he is unclean.(FX)” 27 But the next day, the second day of the month, David’s place was empty again. Then Saul said to his son Jonathan, “Why hasn’t the son of Jesse come to the meal, either yesterday or today?”
28 Jonathan answered, “David earnestly asked me for permission(FY) to go to Bethlehem. 29 He said, ‘Let me go, because our family is observing a sacrifice(FZ) in the town and my brother has ordered me to be there. If I have found favor in your eyes, let me get away to see my brothers.’ That is why he has not come to the king’s table.”
30 Saul’s anger flared up at Jonathan and he said to him, “You son of a perverse and rebellious woman! Don’t I know that you have sided with the son of Jesse to your own shame and to the shame of the mother who bore you? 31 As long as the son of Jesse lives on this earth, neither you nor your kingdom(GA) will be established. Now send someone to bring him to me, for he must die!”
32 “Why(GB) should he be put to death? What(GC) has he done?” Jonathan asked his father. 33 But Saul hurled his spear at him to kill him. Then Jonathan knew that his father intended(GD) to kill David.
34 Jonathan got up from the table in fierce anger; on that second day of the feast he did not eat, because he was grieved at his father’s shameful treatment of David.
35 In the morning Jonathan went out to the field for his meeting with David. He had a small boy with him, 36 and he said to the boy, “Run and find the arrows I shoot.” As the boy ran, he shot an arrow beyond him. 37 When the boy came to the place where Jonathan’s arrow had fallen, Jonathan called out after him, “Isn’t the arrow beyond(GE) you?” 38 Then he shouted, “Hurry! Go quickly! Don’t stop!” The boy picked up the arrow and returned to his master. 39 (The boy knew nothing about all this; only Jonathan and David knew.) 40 Then Jonathan gave his weapons to the boy and said, “Go, carry them back to town.”
41 After the boy had gone, David got up from the south side of the stone and bowed down before Jonathan three times, with his face to the ground.(GF) Then they kissed each other and wept together—but David wept the most.
42 Jonathan said to David, “Go in peace,(GG) for we have sworn friendship(GH) with each other in the name of the Lord,(GI) saying, ‘The Lord is witness(GJ) between you and me, and between your descendants and my descendants forever.(GK)’” Then David left, and Jonathan went back to the town.[l]
David at Nob
21 [m]David went to Nob,(GL) to Ahimelek the priest. Ahimelek trembled(GM) when he met him, and asked, “Why are you alone? Why is no one with you?”
2 David answered Ahimelek the priest, “The king sent me on a mission and said to me, ‘No one is to know anything about the mission I am sending you on.’ As for my men, I have told them to meet me at a certain place. 3 Now then, what do you have on hand? Give me five loaves of bread, or whatever you can find.”
4 But the priest answered David, “I don’t have any ordinary bread(GN) on hand; however, there is some consecrated(GO) bread here—provided the men have kept(GP) themselves from women.”
5 David replied, “Indeed women have been kept from us, as usual(GQ) whenever[n] I set out. The men’s bodies are holy(GR) even on missions that are not holy. How much more so today!” 6 So the priest gave him the consecrated bread,(GS) since there was no bread there except the bread of the Presence that had been removed from before the Lord and replaced by hot bread on the day it was taken away.
7 Now one of Saul’s servants was there that day, detained before the Lord; he was Doeg(GT) the Edomite,(GU) Saul’s chief shepherd.
8 David asked Ahimelek, “Don’t you have a spear or a sword here? I haven’t brought my sword or any other weapon, because the king’s mission was urgent.”
9 The priest replied, “The sword(GV) of Goliath(GW) the Philistine, whom you killed in the Valley of Elah,(GX) is here; it is wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod. If you want it, take it; there is no sword here but that one.”
David said, “There is none like it; give it to me.”
David at Gath
10 That day David fled from Saul and went(GY) to Achish king of Gath. 11 But the servants of Achish said to him, “Isn’t this David, the king of the land? Isn’t he the one they sing about in their dances:
“‘Saul has slain his thousands,
and David his tens of thousands’?”(GZ)
12 David took these words to heart and was very much afraid of Achish king of Gath. 13 So he pretended to be insane(HA) in their presence; and while he was in their hands he acted like a madman, making marks on the doors of the gate and letting saliva run down his beard.
14 Achish said to his servants, “Look at the man! He is insane! Why bring him to me? 15 Am I so short of madmen that you have to bring this fellow here to carry on like this in front of me? Must this man come into my house?”
David at Adullam and Mizpah
22 David left Gath and escaped to the cave(HB) of Adullam.(HC) When his brothers and his father’s household heard about it, they went down to him there. 2 All those who were in distress or in debt or discontented gathered(HD) around him, and he became their commander. About four hundred men were with him.
3 From there David went to Mizpah in Moab and said to the king of Moab, “Would you let my father and mother come and stay with you until I learn what God will do for me?” 4 So he left them with the king of Moab,(HE) and they stayed with him as long as David was in the stronghold.
5 But the prophet Gad(HF) said to David, “Do not stay in the stronghold. Go into the land of Judah.” So David left and went to the forest of Hereth.(HG)
Saul Kills the Priests of Nob
6 Now Saul heard that David and his men had been discovered. And Saul was seated,(HH) spear in hand, under the tamarisk(HI) tree on the hill at Gibeah, with all his officials standing at his side. 7 He said to them, “Listen, men of Benjamin! Will the son of Jesse give all of you fields and vineyards? Will he make all of you commanders(HJ) of thousands and commanders of hundreds? 8 Is that why you have all conspired(HK) against me? No one tells me when my son makes a covenant(HL) with the son of Jesse.(HM) None of you is concerned(HN) about me or tells me that my son has incited my servant to lie in wait for me, as he does today.”
9 But Doeg(HO) the Edomite, who was standing with Saul’s officials, said, “I saw the son of Jesse come to Ahimelek son of Ahitub(HP) at Nob.(HQ) 10 Ahimelek inquired(HR) of the Lord for him; he also gave him provisions(HS) and the sword(HT) of Goliath the Philistine.”
11 Then the king sent for the priest Ahimelek son of Ahitub and all the men of his family, who were the priests at Nob, and they all came to the king. 12 Saul said, “Listen now, son of Ahitub.”
“Yes, my lord,” he answered.
13 Saul said to him, “Why have you conspired(HU) against me, you and the son of Jesse, giving him bread and a sword and inquiring of God for him, so that he has rebelled against me and lies in wait for me, as he does today?”
14 Ahimelek answered the king, “Who(HV) of all your servants is as loyal as David, the king’s son-in-law, captain of your bodyguard and highly respected in your household? 15 Was that day the first time I inquired of God for him? Of course not! Let not the king accuse your servant or any of his father’s family, for your servant knows nothing at all about this whole affair.”
16 But the king said, “You will surely die, Ahimelek, you and your whole family.(HW)”
17 Then the king ordered the guards at his side: “Turn and kill the priests of the Lord, because they too have sided with David. They knew he was fleeing, yet they did not tell me.”
But the king’s officials were unwilling(HX) to raise a hand to strike the priests of the Lord.
18 The king then ordered Doeg, “You turn and strike down the priests.”(HY) So Doeg the Edomite turned and struck them down. That day he killed eighty-five men who wore the linen ephod.(HZ) 19 He also put to the sword(IA) Nob,(IB) the town of the priests, with its men and women, its children and infants, and its cattle, donkeys and sheep.
20 But one son of Ahimelek son of Ahitub,(IC) named Abiathar,(ID) escaped and fled to join David.(IE) 21 He told David that Saul had killed the priests of the Lord. 22 Then David said to Abiathar, “That day, when Doeg(IF) the Edomite was there, I knew he would be sure to tell Saul. I am responsible for the death of your whole family. 23 Stay with me; don’t be afraid. The man who wants to kill you(IG) is trying to kill me too. You will be safe with me.”
David Saves Keilah
23 When David was told, “Look, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah(IH) and are looting the threshing floors,”(II) 2 he inquired(IJ) of the Lord, saying, “Shall I go and attack these Philistines?”
The Lord answered him, “Go, attack the Philistines and save Keilah.”
3 But David’s men said to him, “Here in Judah we are afraid. How much more, then, if we go to Keilah against the Philistine forces!”
4 Once again David inquired(IK) of the Lord, and the Lord answered him, “Go down to Keilah, for I am going to give the Philistines(IL) into your hand.(IM)” 5 So David and his men went to Keilah, fought the Philistines and carried off their livestock. He inflicted heavy losses on the Philistines and saved the people of Keilah. 6 (Now Abiathar(IN) son of Ahimelek had brought the ephod(IO) down with him when he fled to David at Keilah.)
Saul Pursues David
7 Saul was told that David had gone to Keilah, and he said, “God has delivered him into my hands,(IP) for David has imprisoned himself by entering a town with gates and bars.”(IQ) 8 And Saul called up all his forces for battle, to go down to Keilah to besiege David and his men.
9 When David learned that Saul was plotting against him, he said to Abiathar(IR) the priest, “Bring the ephod.(IS)” 10 David said, “Lord, God of Israel, your servant has heard definitely that Saul plans to come to Keilah and destroy the town on account of me. 11 Will the citizens of Keilah surrender me to him? Will Saul come down, as your servant has heard? Lord, God of Israel, tell your servant.”
And the Lord said, “He will.”
12 Again David asked, “Will the citizens of Keilah surrender(IT) me and my men to Saul?”
And the Lord said, “They will.”
13 So David and his men,(IU) about six hundred in number, left Keilah and kept moving from place to place. When Saul was told that David had escaped from Keilah, he did not go there.
14 David stayed in the wilderness(IV) strongholds and in the hills of the Desert of Ziph.(IW) Day after day Saul searched(IX) for him, but God did not(IY) give David into his hands.
15 While David was at Horesh in the Desert of Ziph, he learned that[o] Saul had come out to take his life.(IZ) 16 And Saul’s son Jonathan went to David at Horesh and helped him find strength(JA) in God. 17 “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “My father Saul will not lay a hand on you. You will be king(JB) over Israel, and I will be second to you. Even my father Saul knows this.” 18 The two of them made a covenant(JC) before the Lord. Then Jonathan went home, but David remained at Horesh.
19 The Ziphites(JD) went up to Saul at Gibeah and said, “Is not David hiding among us(JE) in the strongholds at Horesh, on the hill of Hakilah,(JF) south of Jeshimon? 20 Now, Your Majesty, come down whenever it pleases you to do so, and we will be responsible for giving(JG) him into your hands.”
21 Saul replied, “The Lord bless(JH) you for your concern(JI) for me. 22 Go and get more information. Find out where David usually goes and who has seen him there. They tell me he is very crafty. 23 Find out about all the hiding places he uses and come back to me with definite information. Then I will go with you; if he is in the area, I will track(JJ) him down among all the clans of Judah.”
24 So they set out and went to Ziph ahead of Saul. Now David and his men were in the Desert of Maon,(JK) in the Arabah south of Jeshimon.(JL) 25 Saul and his men began the search, and when David was told about it, he went down to the rock and stayed in the Desert of Maon. When Saul heard this, he went into the Desert of Maon in pursuit of David.
26 Saul(JM) was going along one side of the mountain, and David and his men were on the other side, hurrying to get away from Saul. As Saul and his forces were closing in on David and his men to capture them, 27 a messenger came to Saul, saying, “Come quickly! The Philistines are raiding the land.” 28 Then Saul broke off his pursuit of David and went to meet the Philistines. That is why they call this place Sela Hammahlekoth.[p] 29 And David went up from there and lived in the strongholds(JN) of En Gedi.[q](JO)
David Spares Saul’s Life
24 [r]After Saul returned from pursuing the Philistines, he was told, “David is in the Desert of En Gedi.(JP)” 2 So Saul took three thousand able young men from all Israel and set out to look(JQ) for David and his men near the Crags of the Wild Goats.
3 He came to the sheep pens along the way; a cave(JR) was there, and Saul went in to relieve(JS) himself. David and his men were far back in the cave. 4 The men said, “This is the day the Lord spoke(JT) of when he said[s] to you, ‘I will give your enemy into your hands for you to deal with as you wish.’”(JU) Then David crept up unnoticed and cut(JV) off a corner of Saul’s robe.
5 Afterward, David was conscience-stricken(JW) for having cut off a corner of his robe. 6 He said to his men, “The Lord forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the Lord’s anointed,(JX) or lay my hand on him; for he is the anointed of the Lord.” 7 With these words David sharply rebuked his men and did not allow them to attack Saul. And Saul left the cave and went his way.
8 Then David went out of the cave and called out to Saul, “My lord the king!” When Saul looked behind him, David bowed down and prostrated himself with his face to the ground.(JY) 9 He said to Saul, “Why do you listen(JZ) when men say, ‘David is bent on harming(KA) you’? 10 This day you have seen with your own eyes how the Lord delivered you into my hands in the cave. Some urged me to kill you, but I spared(KB) you; I said, ‘I will not lay my hand on my lord, because he is the Lord’s anointed.’ 11 See, my father, look at this piece of your robe in my hand! I cut(KC) off the corner of your robe but did not kill you. See that there is nothing in my hand to indicate that I am guilty(KD) of wrongdoing(KE) or rebellion. I have not wronged(KF) you, but you are hunting(KG) me down to take my life.(KH) 12 May the Lord judge(KI) between you and me. And may the Lord avenge(KJ) the wrongs you have done to me, but my hand will not touch you. 13 As the old saying goes, ‘From evildoers come evil deeds,(KK)’ so my hand will not touch you.
14 “Against whom has the king of Israel come out? Who are you pursuing? A dead dog?(KL) A flea?(KM) 15 May the Lord be our judge(KN) and decide(KO) between us. May he consider my cause and uphold(KP) it; may he vindicate(KQ) me by delivering(KR) me from your hand.”
16 When David finished saying this, Saul asked, “Is that your voice,(KS) David my son?” And he wept aloud. 17 “You are more righteous than I,”(KT) he said. “You have treated me well,(KU) but I have treated you badly.(KV) 18 You have just now told me about the good you did to me; the Lord delivered(KW) me into your hands, but you did not kill me. 19 When a man finds his enemy, does he let him get away unharmed? May the Lord reward(KX) you well for the way you treated me today.
Footnotes
- 1 Samuel 16:14 Or and a harmful; similarly in verses 15, 16 and 23
- 1 Samuel 17:4 That is, about 9 feet 9 inches or about 3 meters
- 1 Samuel 17:5 That is, about 125 pounds or about 58 kilograms
- 1 Samuel 17:7 That is, about 15 pounds or about 6.9 kilograms
- 1 Samuel 17:17 That is, probably about 36 pounds or about 16 kilograms
- 1 Samuel 17:18 Or some token; or some pledge of spoils
- 1 Samuel 17:52 Some Septuagint manuscripts; Hebrew of a valley
- 1 Samuel 18:10 Or a harmful
- 1 Samuel 18:19 Or However,
- 1 Samuel 19:9 Or But a harmful
- 1 Samuel 20:25 Septuagint; Hebrew wall. Jonathan arose
- 1 Samuel 20:42 In Hebrew texts this sentence (20:42b) is numbered 21:1.
- 1 Samuel 21:1 In Hebrew texts 21:1-15 is numbered 21:2-16.
- 1 Samuel 21:5 Or from us in the past few days since
- 1 Samuel 23:15 Or he was afraid because
- 1 Samuel 23:28 Sela Hammahlekoth means rock of parting.
- 1 Samuel 23:29 In Hebrew texts this verse (23:29) is numbered 24:1.
- 1 Samuel 24:1 In Hebrew texts 24:1-22 is numbered 24:2-23.
- 1 Samuel 24:4 Or “Today the Lord is saying
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