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1 Samuel 24-25

24 After Saul had returned from chasing the Philistines, he was told that David had gone to the wilderness of Engedi. He gathered 3,000 hardened fighting men from across Israel and sought David in the vicinity of the Rocks of Wild Goats. When he came to the sheep shelters beside the road, a cave was there, and Saul went inside to relieve himself. Unguarded, he was especially vulnerable to attack.

Now Saul didn’t know it, but David and his men were hiding in the recesses of that very cave. David’s guards thought it was the perfect time to strike.

It seems as if much of the First Book of Samuel is taken up with Saul trying to kill David and David escaping; and when David catches Saul in the most vulnerable position, his men urge him to kill Saul. It would be nothing more than self-defense. Wouldn’t Saul kill David if Saul caught him with his pants down? Isn’t Saul turning over every stone in the wilderness looking for David so he can kill him?

David settles for a symbolic victory—he cuts off a corner of Saul’s robe while Saul is otherwise occupied—but then he feels ashamed. If David is supposed to be king someday, God will make that happen. But until that time, who is he to bring shame on the king whom God anointed as his ruler?

The exchange between David and Saul shows both men at their best. At times, David could be a schemer; Saul’s obsession and possible mental illness could obscure the good qualities that caused God to choose him in the first place. But in this exchange, each acknowledges the other. Saul sees that David could have killed him and chose not to; for the moment, he sees the truth about their relationship. In return Saul acknowledges what he knows in his heart to be true: David will someday be the king, and not he or his sons. And as Eli did earlier, Saul here accepts God’s plan, even though it will be the destruction of his line. Saul doesn’t always keep this understanding, and he will pursue David again. But Saul has his good—even noble—qualities, especially as his time grows short.

David’s Men: This must be the very day the Eternal One told you about: “Watch! I will give your enemy to you, and you will do whatever you please with him.”

David crept forward quietly and moved in so close he was able to cut a corner from Saul’s robe. But immediately afterward, David felt awful about what he had done.

David (to his men): God forbid that I do any harm to my lord, the one chosen by the Eternal to rule. How could I even pretend to assault him, knowing he is the Eternal’s anointed king?

David reprimanded his men, refusing to allow them to attack Saul. At last Saul finished and went outside the cave.

David followed him at a safe distance. When Saul exited the cave, David called out.

David: My lord, the king!

Saul turned around to see David bowing low, his face touching the ground to show his respect.

David: My lord, why do you listen to those who say I plan to harm you? 10 Look! Today the Eternal One placed you at my mercy in that cave. I could have done anything to you, and some said I should kill you. But I refused. I said, “I will not raise my hand against my lord, the Eternal’s anointed king.”

11 Father, do you see what I am holding in my hand? It is the corner of your robe. Recognize and understand that I have not committed evil or treason against you—that I cut this off and did not kill you. I have not wronged you, even though you are hunting me and trying to kill me.

12 May the Eternal One judge between us. If the Eternal chooses to avenge me and punish you, then let Him, but I will not take revenge against you. 13 As the old proverb says, “From the wicked flows wickedness.” But I will not harm you.

14 Whom did the king of Israel come out in pursuit of, anyway? A dead dog? A lone flea? Someone as insignificant as I am? 15 May the Eternal One judge between us. May He see who has done wrong and argue my case and uphold justice on my behalf.

16 David’s voice fell silent. Saul could hardly believe his eyes and ears.

Saul: Is that really you, David my son? (weeping loudly) 17 It’s true that you are more righteous than I am—you have repaid me with good when I handed you only evil. 18 Today you demonstrated how you dealt kindly with me by not killing me when the Eternal gave you power over me. 19 Who has ever come across his enemy in such a vulnerable position and yet allowed him to go away safely? So may the Eternal reward you richly for the good you have done for me today.

20 Now I know that you will surely be king someday, and that you will establish the kingdom of Israel. 21 So swear to me—by the Eternal One—that when that time comes, you will not destroy my descendants, and you won’t wipe my name from my family tree.

22 David swore this to Saul. Saul went home, and David and his men returned to their hideout.

25 At last, Samuel died, and all of the people of Israel gathered to mourn him. They buried him at his home in Ramah on the border of Benjamin and Ephraim. Once the mourning period was over, David and his men went down to the wilderness of Paran[a] (the desert area far to the south).

A certain man in Maon owned property in Carmel, a town south of Hebron near the Dead Sea. This man was very rich: he owned 3,000 sheep and 1,000 goats. It was sheepshearing time in Carmel, which was celebrated with feasting and generosity. This rich man’s name was Nabal, which means “foolish,” and his wife was Abigail, which means “my father is joy.” She was smart and beautiful, but he was mean-spirited and bad-tempered, an embarrassment to his Calebite tribe.

From his hiding place in the wilderness, David heard that Nabal was shearing his sheep, so David gathered 10 young men to send to Nabal asking for gifts.

David (to the young men): Go up to Carmel in Judah, to Nabal, and greet him in my name: Live long. Peace be to you, your entire household, and all you possess. I hear that it is time to shear the sheep. I want you to know that your shepherds have been among us in the wilderness, and not only did we not harm them, but not an animal was taken during their time among us in Carmel. Ask your young men; they will tell you this is true. Please return our kindness and look on my young men with favor since we come on this feast day. Please give whatever you can spare to them and to your son David.”

When David’s young men came to Nabal, they delivered David’s message and waited for Nabal’s response.

Nabal: 10 Who is David? Who is this son of Jesse? I’ve never heard of him, so he must be nothing more than a slave who abandoned his master. 11 Should I take bread and water and meat from my own servants and give it to men who come from who knows where?

12 So David’s young men returned to him by the same road and told him what had happened.

David (ordering his men): 13 Strap on your swords!

All of them put on their swords, including David, and about 400 of his men followed him while 200 remained behind with their supplies.

14 One of Nabal’s servants recognized his master’s insolence and told Abigail, Nabal’s wife, what was happening.

Servant: David sent messengers from the wilderness to salute our master, and Nabal returned their honor with insults. 15 David’s men have been very good to us. Nothing happened to us while we were with his company, and we never lost a single sheep in the fields in the time we were there. 16 They were like a wall protecting us day and night the whole time we were near them keeping the sheep.

17 You should know this and think about what to do next. Evil is coming to my master and his entire household if you don’t do something. Nabal is so worthless that no one can talk to him.

18 Then Abigail, knowing the stakes, rushed about gathering gifts similar to what her husband should have offered: 200 loaves, 2 jugs of wine, 5 sheep (butchered and dressed), more than 50 quarts of roasted grain, 100 clusters of raisins, and 200 fig cakes. She had these loaded on donkeys.

Abigail (to her servants): 19 Go ahead of me with all the gifts. I’ll be right behind you.

But she never stopped to speak to her husband Nabal. She had decided to approach David herself.

20 As she rode down the mountain on a hidden trail, David and his men were approaching, and they met.

21 Earlier David had made an oath.

David: It looks as though we protected everything this guy owns—so that he lost none of the things belonging to him—for nothing. We did him a good turn, and now he rewards us with evil. 22 May the True God do so to my enemies[b]—and more—if tomorrow morning I’ve left alive a single male of Nabal’s household.

23 When Abigail saw David, she dropped quickly from her donkey and fell to the ground in front of him, bowing.

Abigail (at David’s feet): 24 My lord, any guilt here falls on me. Please let me, your servant, speak, and may you hear the words I speak. 25 My lord, you must not take seriously the words of this worthless man, Nabal. His actions have proven that his name and his nature are the same: Nabal is a fool. Unfortunately I, your servant, did not see the young men you sent.

26 Now, my lord, as the Eternal One lives and as you live, since the Eternal has kept you from senseless killing and from seizing vengeance yourself, may your enemies and all who seek to harm you, my lord, be like Nabal.

27 Now, please, accept my gift and distribute it among the young men who are with you. 28 Please forgive your servant’s shortcomings. The Eternal will certainly make my lord’s house into a lasting dynasty because you fight on behalf of Him, and no evil will be found in you as long as you live. 29 If anyone dares to rise up against you and seek your life, then you will be protected by the Eternal One, your True God, who will launch the lives of your enemies like stones from a sling.

30 When the Eternal has done for my lord all the good things He has promised and has installed you as ruler over all Israel, 31 you will never have to be grieved or conscience-stricken for having shed blood needlessly or for taking vengeance into your own hands. When He has dealt generously with my lord, I pray you will remember me, your servant.

David (to Abigail): 32 Blessed is the Eternal God of Israel, who sent you here today to intercept me. 33 And blessed is your wisdom—blessed are you—for keeping me from shedding blood needlessly and from taking vengeance into my own hands. 34 For as surely as the Eternal God of Israel lives and sent you to me, if you had not hurried out to meet me, tomorrow there would not have been a single male left alive in Nabal’s household.

35 Then David accepted her gifts.

David: Arise, and return home in peace. I have listened to your words, and I have granted your request.

36 Abigail returned to Nabal, who was holding a kingly feast in his house. Nabal’s heart was light because he was very drunk, so Abigail chose not to tell him anything until the next morning. 37 The next morning, when he was sober, Abigail told him about her meeting with David and he went cold inside. 38 About 10 days later, the Eternal One struck down Nabal, and he died.

39 When David heard this news, he blessed God.

David: Blessed is the Eternal One, who protected my honor from Nabal’s insults and who kept me, His servant, from executing evil. Instead, the Eternal One turned Nabal’s evil back on him.

40 Then David sent servants to Carmel asking Abigail to be his wife.

Servants: David has sent us to bring you to him so that you can be his wife.

41 She stood, and then bowed to the ground before David’s servants.

Abigail: I am your servant, willing to wash the feet of my lord’s servants.

42 Then Abigail quickly got up, mounted her donkey, and went with the messengers of David attended by her five handmaidens. Not long after, she married him.

43 David also married Ahinoam of Jezreel; she and Abigail were both wives of David. 44 By this time, Saul had given his daughter Michal, David’s former wife, to Palti (the son of Laish) from Gallim.

John 10:22-42

22-23 It was winter and time for the Festival of Dedication.[a] While in Jerusalem, Jesus was walking through the temple in an area known as Solomon’s porch, 24 and Jews gathered around Him.

Jews: How long are You going to keep us guessing? If You are God’s Anointed, the Liberating King, announce it clearly.

Jesus: 25 I have told you, and you do not believe. The works I am doing in My Father’s name tell the truth about Me. You do not listen; 26 you lack faith because you are not My sheep. 27 My sheep respond as they hear My voice; I know them intimately, and they follow Me. 28 I give them a life that is unceasing, and death will not have the last word. Nothing or no one can steal them from My hand. 29 My Father has given the flock to Me, and He is superior to all beings and things. No one is powerful enough to snatch the flock from My Father’s hand. 30 The Father and I are one.

31 The Jews gathered stones to execute Jesus right then and there.

Jesus: 32 I have performed many beautiful works before you in the name of the Father. Which of these can be judged as an offense that merits My execution?

Jews: 33 You are not condemned for performing miracles. We demand Your life because You are a man, yet you claim to be God. This is blasphemy!

Jesus: 34 You know what is written in the Scriptures. Doesn’t it read, “I said, you are gods”?[b] 35 If the Scriptures called your ancestors (mere mortals) gods to whom the word of God came—and the Scriptures cannot be set aside— 36 what should you call One who is unique, sanctified by and sent from the Father into the world? I have said, “I am God’s Son.” How can you call that blasphemy? 37 By all means, do not believe in Me, if I am not doing the things of the Father. 38 But examine My actions, and you will see that My work is the work of the Father. Regardless of whether you believe in Me—believe the miracles. Then you will know that the Father is in Me, and I am in the Father.

39 Once again, some of the Jews tried to capture Him, but He slipped away, eluding their grasp. 40 Jesus crossed the Jordan River and returned to the place where John was ritually cleansing the people through baptism[c] in the early days. He lingered in the area, 41 and scores of people gathered around Him.

Crowds: John never performed any miracles, but every word he spoke about this man has come to pass. It is all true!

42 In that place, many believed in Him.

Psalm 116

Psalm 116

I love the Eternal; for not only does He hear
    my voice, my pleas for mercy,
But He leaned down when I was in trouble and brought His ear close to me.
    So as long as I have breath, I will call on Him.
Once I was wound in the wrappings of death;
    the terror of dying and the grave had a grip on me;
    I could not get away, for I was entombed in distress and sorrow.
Then I called on the name of the Eternal:
    “O Eternal One—I am begging You—save me!”

The Eternal is full of grace and naturally just;
    our God is compassionate and merciful.
And the Eternal watches over the naive.
    Whenever I was knocked down, He reached down and saved me.
O my soul! Return and relax. Come to your true rest,
    for the Eternal has showered you with His favor.

God, You alone rescued my soul from the grips of death,
    my eyes from weeping,
    and my feet from slipping.
I will come before the Eternal
    as long as I journey in the land of the living.
10 I believed Your promise; therefore I spoke,
    “I am in deep trouble.”
11 In my confusion I blurted out,
    “All people are liars!”

12 How will I pay back the Eternal
    for all His graciousness toward me?
13 I will raise the cup of deliverance
    and call out the name of the Eternal.
14 I will fulfill the promises I made to Him
    here as a witness to all His people.

15 Precious in the eyes of the Eternal
    are the deaths of those who follow after Him.
16 O Eternal One, You know I am Your servant.
    I am Your servant, a child of Your maidservant, devoted to You;
    You have cut me loose from the chains of death that bind me.
17 And I come, eager to offer a sacrifice of gratitude
    and call on the name of the Eternal.
18 I will fulfill the promises I made to Him
    here as a witness to all His people
19 In the courts of the Eternal’s temple,
    among the people of God’s city, O Jerusalem.
Praise the Eternal!

Proverbs 15:20-21

20 A wise child makes his father happy,
    but a foolish man despises his mother.
21 Foolishness brings sheer joy to those who have no sense,
    but people with insight steer a straight course through life.

The Voice (VOICE)

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.