²⁷ But on the second day, the day after the new moon, David’s place was empty. And Saul said to his son Jonathan, “Why has the son of Jesse not come to the feast, either yesterday or today?”

⁴ Come to him, a living stone, though rejected by mortals yet chosen and precious in God’s sight, and

⁵⁵ Is not this the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas?^(A)

The Peaceful Kingdom

¹⁰ But Nabal answered David’s servants, “Who is David? Who is the son of Jesse? There are many servants today who are breaking away from their masters.^(A)

¹³ Saul said to him, “Why have you conspired against me, you and the son of Jesse, by giving him bread and a sword and by inquiring of God for him, so that he has risen against me to lie in wait, as he is doing today?”

¹⁴ Then Ahimelech answered the king, “Who among all your servants is so faithful as David? He is the king’s son-in-law and is quick^[a] to do your bidding and is honored in your house.^(A)

⁷ Saul said to his servants who stood around him, “Hear now, you Benjaminites; will the son of Jesse give every one of you fields and vineyards? Will he make you all commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds?^{(A) 8} Is that why all of you have conspired against me? No one discloses to me when my son makes a league with the son of Jesse; none of you is sorry for me or discloses to me that my son has stirred up my servant against me to lie in wait, as he is doing today.”^{(B) 9} Doeg the Edomite, who was in charge of Saul’s servants, answered, “I saw the son of Jesse coming to Nob, to Ahimelech son of Ahitub;^(C)

¹⁵ Then Saul sent the messengers to see David for themselves. He said, “Bring him up to me in the bed, that I may kill him.”

⁹ Then an evil spirit from the Lord came upon Saul as he sat in his house with his spear in his hand, while David was playing music.^{(A) 10} Saul sought to pin David to the wall with the spear, but he eluded Saul, so that he struck the spear into the wall. David fled and escaped that night.^(B)

¹¹ and Saul threw the spear, for he thought, “I will pin David to the wall.” But David eluded him twice.^(A)