1 Samuel 22

New American Standard Bible

Priests Killed at Nob

22 So David departed from there and ^(A)escaped to ^(B)the cave of Adullam; and when his brothers and all his father’s household heard about it, they went down there to him. ²Then everyone who was in distress, and everyone who ^[a]was in debt, and everyone who was ^[b]discontented gathered to him; and he became captain over them. Now there were ^(C)about four hundred men with him.

³And David went from there to Mizpah of Moab; and he said to the king of Moab, “Please let my father and my mother come and stay with you until I know what God will do for me.” ⁴Then he ^[c]left them with the king of Moab; and they stayed with him all the time that David was in the stronghold. ⁵But ^(D)Gad the prophet said to David, “Do not stay in the stronghold; leave, and go into the land of Judah.” So David left and went into the forest of Hereth.

⁶Then Saul heard that David and the men who were with him had been discovered. Now ^(E)Saul was in Gibeah, sitting under the tamarisk tree on the height with his spear in his hand, and all his servants were standing in front of him. ⁷Saul said to his servants who were standing in front of him, “Hear now, you Benjaminites! Will the son of Jesse really give all of you fields and vineyards? ^(F)Will he make you all commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds? ⁸For all of you have conspired against me so that there is no one who ^[d]informs me ^(G)when my son makes a covenant with the son of Jesse, and there is none of you ^(H)who cares about me or ^[e]informs me that my son has stirred up my servant against me to lie in ambush, as it is this day.” ⁹Then ^(I)Doeg the Edomite, who was ^[f]standing in front of the servants of Saul, responded and said, “^(J)I saw the son of Jesse coming to Nob, to ^(K)Ahimelech the son of Ahitub. ¹⁰And ^(L)he inquired of the Lord for him, ^(M)gave him provisions, and ^(N)gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine.”

¹¹Then the king sent a messenger to summon Ahimelech the priest, the son of Ahitub, and all his father’s household, the priests who were in Nob; and all of them came to the king. ¹²Saul said, “Listen now, son of Ahitub.” And he ^[g]replied, “Here I am, my lord.” ¹³Saul then said to him, “Why have you and the son of Jesse conspired against me, in that you have given him bread and a sword, and have inquired of God for him, so that he would rise up against me ^(O)by lying in ambush as it is this day?”

¹⁴^(P)Then Ahimelech answered the king and said, “And who among all your servants is as faithful as David, the king’s own son-in-law, who ^[h]is commander over your bodyguard, and is honored in your house? ¹⁵Did I just begin ^(Q)to inquire of God for him today? Far be it from me! ^(R)Do not let the king impute anything against his servant or against any of the household of my father, because your servant knows nothing ^[i]at all of this whole affair.” ¹⁶But the king said, “You shall certainly die, Ahimelech, you and all your father’s household!” ¹⁷And ^(S)the king said to the ^[j]guards who were attending him, “Turn around and put the priests of the Lord to death, because their hand also is with David and because they knew that he was fleeing and did not ^[k]inform me.” But the ^(T)servants of the king were unwilling to reach out with their hands to ^[l]attack the priests of the Lord. ¹⁸Then the king said to Doeg, “You, turn around and ^[m]attack the priests!” And Doeg the Edomite turned around and ^[n]attacked the priests, and ^(U)he killed on that day eighty-five men ^(V)who wore the linen ephod. ¹⁹^(W)He also struck Nob the city of the priests with the edge of the sword, both men and women, children and infants; he also struck oxen, donkeys, and sheep with the edge of the sword.

²⁰But ^(X)one son of Ahimelech the son of Ahitub, named Abiathar, ^(Y)escaped and fled ^[o]to David. ²¹Abiathar informed David that Saul had killed the priests of the Lord. ²²Then David said to Abiathar, “I knew on that day, when ^(Z)Doeg the Edomite was there, that he would certainly tell Saul. I myself ^[p]have turned against every person in your father’s household. ²³Stay with me; do not be afraid, ^[q]even though ^(AA)he who is seeking my life is seeking your life. For you are safe with me.”

Footnotes

1 Samuel 22:2 Lit had a creditor
1 Samuel 22:2 Lit bitter of soul
1 Samuel 22:4 Probable reading of the Heb; MT brought them before
1 Samuel 22:8 Lit uncovers my ear
1 Samuel 22:8 Lit uncovers my ear
1 Samuel 22:9 Or set over
1 Samuel 22:12 Lit said
1 Samuel 22:14 As in LXX; MT turns aside to
1 Samuel 22:15 Lit small or great
1 Samuel 22:17 Lit runners
1 Samuel 22:17 Lit uncover my ear
1 Samuel 22:17 Lit fall upon
1 Samuel 22:18 Lit fall upon
1 Samuel 22:18 Lit fell upon
1 Samuel 22:20 Lit after
1 Samuel 22:22 LXX am responsible for
1 Samuel 22:23 Or because he

Psalm 17

New American Standard Bible

Prayer for Protection against Oppressors.

A Prayer of David.

17 Hear a ^(A)just cause, Lord, ^(B)give Your attention to my cry;
^(C)Listen to my prayer, which is not from ^(D)deceitful lips.
²Let ^(E)my ^[a]judgment come forth from Your presence;
Let Your eyes look with ^(F)integrity.
³You have ^(G)put my heart to the test;
You have visited me by night;
You have ^(H)sifted me and ^(I)You find ^[b]nothing;
My ^(J)intent is that my mouth will not offend.
⁴As for the works of mankind, ^(K)by the word of Your lips
I have kept from the ^(L)ways of the violent.
⁵My ^(M)steps have held to Your ^[c]paths.
My ^(N)feet have not slipped.

⁶I have ^(O)called upon You, for You will answer me, God;
^(P)Incline Your ear to me, hear my speech.
⁷^(Q)Show Your wonderful faithfulness,
^(R)Savior of those who take refuge ^[d]at Your right hand
From those who rise up against them.
⁸Keep me as ^[e]the ^(S)apple of the eye;
Hide me ^(T)in the shadow of Your wings
⁹From the ^(U)wicked who deal violently with me,
My ^(V)deadly enemies who surround me.
¹⁰They have ^(W)closed their ^[f]unfeeling hearts,
With their mouths they ^(X)speak proudly.
¹¹They have now ^(Y)surrounded us in our steps;
They set their eyes ^(Z)to cast us down to the ground.
¹²He is ^(AA)like a lion that is eager to tear,
And as a young lion ^(AB)lurking in secret places.

¹³^(AC)Arise, Lord, confront him, ^(AD)make him bow down;
^(AE)Save my soul from the wicked with ^(AF)Your sword,
¹⁴From people by ^(AG)Your hand, Lord,
From people ^[g]of the world, ^(AH)whose portion is in this life,
And whose belly You ^(AI)fill with Your treasure;
They are satisfied with children,
And leave their abundance to their babies.
¹⁵As for me, I shall ^(AJ)behold Your face in righteousness;
^(AK)I shall be satisfied with Your ^(AL)likeness when I awake.

Footnotes

Psalm 17:2 I.e., vindication
Psalm 17:3 Or no shameful act in me; My mouth
Psalm 17:5 Lit tracks
Psalm 17:7 Or from those who rise up...at Your right hand
Psalm 17:8 Lit the pupil, the daughter of the eye
Psalm 17:10 Lit fat
Psalm 17:14 Or whose portion in life is of the world

Psalm 35

New American Standard Bible

Prayer for Rescue from Enemies.

A Psalm of David.

35 Contend, Lord, with those who ^(A)contend with me;
Fight against those who ^(B)fight against me.
²Take hold of ^[a]^(C)buckler and shield
And rise up as ^(D)my help.
³Draw also the spear and ^[b]the battle-axe to meet those who pursue me;
Say to my soul, “I am ^(E)your salvation.”
⁴Let those be ^(F)ashamed and dishonored who seek my ^[c]life;
Let those be ^(G)turned back and humiliated who devise evil against me.
⁵Let them be ^(H)like chaff before the wind,
With the angel of the Lord driving them on.
⁶Let their way be dark and ^(I)slippery,
With the angel of the Lord pursuing them.
⁷For ^(J)they ^(K)hid their net for me without cause;
Without cause they dug a pit for my soul.
⁸Let ^(L)destruction come upon him when he is unaware,
And ^(M)let the net which he hid catch him;
Let him fall into that very ^(N)destruction.

⁹So my soul shall ^(O)rejoice in the Lord;
It shall ^(P)rejoice in His salvation.
¹⁰All my ^(Q)bones will say, “Lord, ^(R)who is like You,
Who rescues the afflicted from one ^(S)who is too strong for him,
And ^(T)the afflicted and the poor from one who robs him?”
¹¹^(U)Malicious witnesses rise up;
They ask me things that I do not know.
¹²They ^(V)repay me evil for good,
To the bereavement of my soul.
¹³But as for me, ^(W)when they were sick, my ^(X)clothing was sackcloth;
I ^(Y)humbled my soul with fasting,
But my ^(Z)prayer kept returning to ^[d]me.
¹⁴I went about as though it were my friend or brother;
I ^(AA)bowed down ^[e]in mourning, like one who mourns for a mother.
¹⁵But ^(AB)at my ^[f]stumbling they rejoiced and gathered themselves together;
The ^[g]^(AC)afflicted people whom I did not know gathered together against me,
They ^[h]^(AD)slandered me without ceasing.
¹⁶Like godless jesters at a feast,
They ^(AE)gnashed at me with their teeth.

¹⁷Lord, ^(AF)how long will You look on?
Rescue my soul ^(AG)from their ravages,
My ^(AH)only life from the lions.
¹⁸I will ^(AI)give You thanks in the great congregation;
I will ^(AJ)praise You among a mighty people.
¹⁹^(AK)Do not let those who are wrongfully ^(AL)my enemies rejoice over me;
Nor let those ^(AM)who hate me for no reason ^[i]^(AN)wink maliciously.
²⁰For they do not speak peace,
But they devise ^(AO)deceitful words against those who are quiet in the land.
²¹They ^(AP)opened their mouth wide against me;
They said, “^(AQ)Aha, aha! Our eyes have seen it!”

²²^(AR)You have seen it, Lord, ^(AS)do not keep silent;
Lord, ^(AT)do not be far from me.
²³^(AU)Stir Yourself, and awake to my right
And to my cause, my God and my Lord.
²⁴^(AV)Judge me, Lord my God, according to Your righteousness,
And ^(AW)do not let them rejoice over me.
²⁵Do not let them say in their heart, “^(AX)Aha, our desire!”
Do not let them say, “We have ^(AY)swallowed him up!”
²⁶May ^(AZ)those be ashamed and altogether humiliated who rejoice at my distress;
May those who ^(BA)exalt themselves over me be ^(BB)clothed with shame and dishonor.

²⁷May those ^(BC)shout for joy and rejoice, who take delight in ^(BD)my vindication;
And ^(BE)may they say continually, “The Lord be exalted,
Who ^(BF)delights in the prosperity of His servant.”
²⁸And ^(BG)my tongue shall proclaim Your righteousness
And Your praise all day long.

Footnotes

Psalm 35:2 I.e., small shield
Psalm 35:3 Or close up the path against those
Psalm 35:4 Or soul
Psalm 35:13 Lit my chest
Psalm 35:14 Or dressed for mourning
Psalm 35:15 Or limping
Psalm 35:15 Or struck ones
Psalm 35:15 Lit tore
Psalm 35:19 Or wink the eye

Matthew 6

New American Standard Bible

Charitable Giving to the Poor and Prayer

6 “Take care not to practice your righteousness in the sight of people, ^(A)to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven.

²“So when you ^[a]give to the poor, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, so that they ^(B)will be praised by people. ^(C)Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. ³But when you ^[b]give to the poor, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, ⁴so that your charitable giving will be in secret; and ^(D)your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.

⁵“And when you pray, you are not to be like the hypocrites; for they love to ^(E)stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners ^(F)so that they ^[c]will be seen by people. ^(G)Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. ⁶But as for you, when you pray, ^(H)go into your inner room, close your door, and pray to your Father who is in secret; and ^(I)your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.

⁷“And when you are praying, do not use thoughtless repetition as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard because of their ^(J)many words. ⁸So do not be like them; for ^(K)your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.

The Lord’s Prayer

⁹“^(L)Pray, then, in this way:

‘Our Father, who is in heaven,
^[d]Hallowed be Your name.
¹⁰^[e]^(M)Your kingdom come.
^(N)Your will be done,
^[f]On earth as it is in heaven.
¹¹^(O)Give us this day ^[g]our daily bread.
¹²And ^(P)forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
¹³And do not lead us into temptation, but ^(Q)deliver us from ^[h]^(R)evil.^[i]’

¹⁴^(S)For if you forgive other people for their ^[j]offenses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. ¹⁵But ^(T)if you do not forgive other people, then your Father will not forgive your ^[k]offenses.

Fasting; The True Treasure; Wealth

¹⁶“Now ^(U)whenever you fast, do not make a gloomy face as the hypocrites do, for they ^[l]distort their faces so that they will be noticed by people when they are fasting. ^(V)Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. ¹⁷But as for you, when you fast, ^[m]^(W)anoint your head and wash your face, ¹⁸so that your fasting will not be noticed by people but by your Father who is in secret; and your ^(X)Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.

¹⁹“^(Y)Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. ²⁰But store up for yourselves ^(Z)treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; ²¹for ^(AA)where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

²²“^(AB)The eye is the lamp of the body; so then, if your eye is ^[n]clear, your whole body will be full of light. ²³But if ^(AC)your eye is ^[o]bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. So if the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!

²⁴“^(AD)No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and ^[p]^(AE)wealth.

The Cure for Anxiety

²⁵“^(AF)For this reason I say to you, ^[q]do not be ^(AG)worried about your ^[r]life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is life not more than food, and the body more than clothing? ²⁶^(AH)Look at the birds of the sky, that they do not sow, nor reap, nor gather crops into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more important than they? ²⁷And which of you by ^(AI)worrying can ^(AJ)add a single ^[s]day to his ^[t]life’s span? ²⁸And why are you ^(AK)worried about clothing? Notice how the lilies of the field grow; they do not labor nor do they spin thread for cloth, ²⁹yet I say to you that not even ^(AL)Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. ³⁰But if God so clothes the ^(AM)grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? ^(AN)You of little faith! ³¹Do not ^(AO)worry then, saying, ‘What are we to eat?’ or ‘What are we to drink?’ or ‘What are we to wear for clothing?’ ³²For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for ^(AP)your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. ³³But ^[u]seek first ^[v]His kingdom and His righteousness, and ^(AQ)all these things will be ^[w]provided to you.

³⁴“So do not ^(AR)worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will ^[x]worry about itself. ^[y]Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Footnotes

Matthew 6:2 Lit make a charitable gift
Matthew 6:3 Lit make a charitable gift
Matthew 6:5 Lit may show themselves to
Matthew 6:9 I.e., treated as sacred or holy
Matthew 6:10 Or May Your...come
Matthew 6:10 Lit as in heaven, also on earth
Matthew 6:11 Or our bread for tomorrow
Matthew 6:13 Or the evil one
Matthew 6:13 Late mss add For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen
Matthew 6:14 Or wrongdoings
Matthew 6:15 Or wrongdoings
Matthew 6:16 I.e., leave unwashed, or discolor their faces with makeup
Matthew 6:17 I.e., rub oil in the hair
Matthew 6:22 Or healthy; or sincere
Matthew 6:23 Or evil
Matthew 6:24 Gr mamonas, for Aramaic mamon (mammon); i.e., wealth etc. personified as an object of worship
Matthew 6:25 Or stop being worried
Matthew 6:25 Lit soul
Matthew 6:27 Lit cubit (about 18 in. or 45 cm)
Matthew 6:27 Or height
Matthew 6:33 Or continually seek
Matthew 6:33 Or the kingdom
Matthew 6:33 Or added
Matthew 6:34 Or look after itself
Matthew 6:34 Lit Sufficient for the day is its evil