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5 Whatever Saul sent David to do, he did it so wisely that he placed him in charge of warriors. This pleased all of the people, and even Saul’s servants.
Saul’s Jealousy. 6 When David returned after having struck down the Philistine, the women came out from the cities of Israel to greet King Saul with singing and dancing, with joyful songs, tambourines, and lutes. 7 [a]As the women danced, they sang, “Saul has killed his thousands, and David has killed his ten thousands.” 8 Saul was very angry at this for the saying displeased him. He said, “They give David tens of thousands, and me they only give thousands. What else is he lacking but the kingdom?” 9 From that time on, Saul kept an eye on David.
10 The next morning an evil spirit from God rushed upon Saul, and he prophesied right inside of the house. David played on the harp, as he did every day. In the meantime, Saul had a javelin in his hand.[b] 11 Saul cast the javelin, saying to himself, “I will pin David to the wall,” but David eluded him twice. 12 Saul feared David, for the Lord was with him, but he had departed from Saul.
13 Saul sent him away, giving him command over a thousand men. He would go out and come back publicly. 14 David prospered in everything he did, for the Lord was with him. 15 When Saul saw that he was very successful, he grew to dread him. 16 But Israel and Judah loved David, for he went out and came back publicly.
17 David’s Marriage. Saul said to David, “Here is my oldest daughter, Merab, I will give her to you in marriage, only be a brave warrior and fight the Lord’s battles.” Saul thought, “It will not be by my hand, but let it be by the hands of the Philistines.” 18 David said to Saul, “Who am I? What is my life or my father’s family worth in Israel that I should become the king’s son-in-law?”[c] 19 When Saul’s daughter Merab should have been given to David, she was given instead to Adriel, the Meholathite, as his wife.
20 Now Michal, Saul’s daughter, loved David. When Saul was informed about this, he was pleased. 21 Saul thought, “I will give her to him so that she might be a trap for him and so that the hands of the Philistines will be against him.” Saul said to David, “You have a second chance to be my son-in-law.” 22 Saul ordered his servants, “Speak in confidence to David saying, ‘The king is pleased with you, and all his servants love you. You should become the king’s son-in-law.’ ” 23 Saul’s servants said these things to David, and David answered, “Do you think it is a light matter to become the king’s son-in-law? I am only a poor man and not highly esteemed.”
24 Saul’s servants told him, “David was speaking about this thing.” 25 Saul said, “This is what you are to say to David, ‘The king does not want a dowry, he only wants one hundred Philistine foreskins, so he might be avenged on the king’s enemies.’ ” Saul planned to have David fall at the hands of the Philistines.[d] 26 When his servants told David these things, David was well-pleased to become the king’s son-in-law. Before the allotted time had expired, 27 David went out with his men and killed two hundred Philistines. David brought their foreskins and presented the full number to the king so that he might become the king’s son-in-law. So Saul gave him Michal, his daughter, in marriage.
28 When Saul saw and realized that the Lord was with David, and that Michal, his daughter, loved him, 29 Saul dreaded him all the more, and Saul was David’s enemy for the rest of his life. 30 The Philistine leaders continued to go out to battle, and whenever they went out, David would encounter them with more success than all of Saul’s other servants, so that his name became well known.
Chapter 19
Jonathan Defends David.[e] 1 Saul told his son Jonathan and all his servants that they should kill David, but Jonathan, Saul’s son, was very fond of David. 2 Jonathan informed David about it saying, “Saul, my father, is seeking to kill you. Be on your guard tomorrow morning. Stay in some secret place and hide there. 3 I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where you are. I will speak to him about you, and I will tell you what I discover.”
4 Jonathan spoke well of David to his father Saul. He said to him, “May the king not wrong his servant David, for he has not wronged you. What he has done has only been to your benefit. 5 He risked his life when he killed the Philistine. The Lord won a great victory for all of Israel. You saw it and you rejoiced. Why would you sin against innocent blood by killing David for no reason?”
6 Saul listened to Jonathan, and Saul swore, “As the Lord lives, he will not be killed.” 7 Jonathan then called David, and Jonathan informed him about all these things. Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence as he had been before.
8 War broke out again, and David went out to fight against the Philistines. He struck them down, slaughtering many, and they fled from him.
David Is Saved by Michal. 9 Now an evil spirit from the Lord was upon Saul, and he was sitting in his house, holding a javelin in his hand while David was playing some music. 10 Saul tried to pin David to the wall with the javelin, but he eluded Saul, and he drove the javelin into the wall. That night David fled and escaped.
11 [f]Saul sent deputies to David’s house to watch for him and to kill him in the morning. Michal, David’s wife, told him, “If you do not save yourself tonight, you will be killed tomorrow.” 12 So Michal lowered David down through a window, and he fled and escaped.
13 Michal took a teraphim and laid it on the bed, and she placed a goat’s hair pillow where his head would be, and she covered it over with clothes.[g] 14 When Saul sent deputies to seize David, she said, “He is sick.” 15 Saul sent the deputies back to look for David saying, “Bring him back to me on a litter so I can kill him.” 16 When the deputies arrived, they found the teraphim in the bed with the pillow of goat’s hair where the head would be.
17 Saul said to Michal, “Why have you deceived me by sending away my enemy so that he could escape?” Michal said to Saul, “He said to me, ‘Let me go or I will kill you.’ ”
18 David, Samuel, and Saul in Ramah. When David had fled and made his escape, he went to Samuel in Ramah and told him everything that Saul had done to him. He and Samuel went to Naioth and they stayed there.
19 Saul heard that David was in Naioth in Ramah. 20 [h]He sent deputies to capture David. They saw a band of prophets there prophesying, and Samuel was their leader. The Spirit of God rushed upon Saul’s deputies, and they prophesied as well. 21 Saul was told about it, and he sent other deputies, but they prophesied as well. A third time Saul sent deputies, but they also prophesied.
22 Saul and the Prophets. Finally, he himself went to Ramah, and he came to the great well in Secu. He asked, “Where are Samuel and David?” Someone told him, “They are at Naioth in Ramah.” 23 So he went to Naioth in Ramah, and the Spirit of God rushed upon him, too. He walked along, prophesying, until he arrived at Naioth. 24 He stripped off his clothes and he prophesied as he had in Samuel’s presence. He laid down naked all that day and all that night. This is why they say, “Is Saul also one of the prophets?”
31 Jesus and Abraham.[a] Then Jesus said to those Jews who did believe in him,
“If you remain faithful to my word,
you will truly be my disciples.
32 You will know the truth,
and the truth will set you free.”
33 They answered him, “We are descendants of Abraham, and we have never been slaves to anyone. What do you mean by saying, ‘You will be set free’?” 34 Jesus replied,
“Amen, amen, I say to you,
everyone who sins
is a slave of sin.
35 A slave does not remain in a household forever,
but a son remains in it forever.
36 Therefore, if the Son sets you free,
you then will truly be free.
37 “I know that you are descendants of Abraham,
but you seek to kill me
because my word has no place in your heart.
38 I speak of what I have seen
in my Father’s presence,
whereas you do what you have heard
from your father.”
39 The Jews said to him, “Abraham is our father.” Jesus said to them,
“If you were Abraham’s children,
you would be doing the works that Abraham did.
40 But now you seek to kill me,
a man who has told you the truth
that I heard from God.
This is not what Abraham did.
41 You are doing the works of your father!”
They retorted, “We are not illegitimate children. We have one father—God.” 42 Jesus said to them,
“If God were your father,
you would love me,
for I came from God;
neither did I come of my own will,
but he was the one who sent me.
43 Why do you not understand
what I am saying?
It is because you cannot bear
to hear my words.
44 “You are from your father, the devil,
and you choose to carry out your father’s desires.
He was a murderer from the beginning,
and he does not abide by the truth,
for there is no truth in him.
When he lies,
he speaks in accord with his own nature,
for he is a liar
and the father of lies.
45 But because I speak the truth
you refuse to believe me.
46 “Which of you can convict me of sin?
If I say what is true,
why do you not believe me?
47 Whoever comes from God
listens to the words of God.
The reason why you refuse to listen
is that you do not belong to God.”
48 The Jews answered, “Are we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan and are possessed?” 49 Jesus said,
“I am not possessed.
I honor my Father,
but you dishonor me.
50 I do not seek my own glory.
There is one who seeks it,
and he is the judge.
51 Amen, amen, I say to you,
whoever keeps my word
will never see death.”
52 The Jews retorted, “Now we are positive that you are possessed. Abraham died, and the Prophets are dead. Yet you say, ‘Whoever keeps my word will never taste death.’ 53 Are you greater than our father Abraham? He is dead, and the Prophets are also dead. Who do you claim to be?” 54 Jesus answered,
“If I glorify myself,
that glory is of no value.
It is my Father who glorifies me,
the one about whom you say,
‘He is our God,’
55 even though you do not know him.
However, I do know him.
If I would say
that I do not know him,
I would be a liar like you.
But I do know him,
and I keep his word.
56 Your father Abraham rejoiced
that he would see my day.
He saw it and was glad.”[b]
57 The Jews then said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old. How can you have seen Abraham?” 58 Jesus responded,
“Amen, amen, I say to you,
before Abraham was,
I AM.”[c]
59 Then they picked up stones to throw at him, but he hid himself and left the temple.
Psalm 112[a]
The Blessings of the Righteous
1 Alleluia.
Blessed[b] is the man who fears the Lord,
who greatly delights in his precepts.
2 His descendants will be powerful upon the earth;
the generation of the upright will be blessed.[c]
3 His house will be filled with wealth and riches,[d]
and his righteousness will endure forever.
4 He shines as a light for the upright in the darkness;
kindness, mercy, and justice are his hallmarks.[e]
5 The future bodes well[f] for him
who is generous in helping those in need
and who conducts his affairs with justice.
6 [g]He will never be swayed;
the righteous man will be remembered forever.
7 He has no fear of bad news,
for his heart remains steadfast, trusting in the Lord.
8 Since his heart is tranquil, he will not be afraid,
and he will witness the downfall of his enemies.
9 He bestows gifts lavishly on the poor;
his righteousness will endure forever,
and his horn[h] will be exalted in glory.
10 The wicked will be furious when he sees this,
gnashing his teeth and pining away;
the desires of the wicked will be fruitless.[i]
12 A scoffer[a] does not like to be reproved,
and he refuses to consult the wise.
13 A glad heart makes the face cheerful,
but anguish of heart breaks one’s spirit.
14 The mind of one who is wise seeks further knowledge,
but the mouth of a fool feeds on folly.
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