Old/New Testament
David Escapes to Philistine Territory
27 David told himself, “One of these days I’ll perish by Saul’s hand. There is nothing better for me to do than to escape to Philistine territory. Saul will give up searching for me anymore within the borders of Israel, so I’ll escape from him.” 2 So David got up, and he and the 600 men who were with him went to Maoch’s son Achish, the king of Gath. 3 David stayed with Achish in Gath along with his men, each of whom was with his household. David had his two wives, Ahinoam from Jezreel and Abigail, who had been the wife of Nabal of Carmel. 4 Saul was told that David had fled to Gath, and he did not continue to search for him.
Achish Gives Ziklag to David
5 David told Achish, “If it pleases you, give me a place in one of the outlying towns,[a] so I may live there. Why should your servant live with you in the royal city?” 6 So that day Achish gave him Ziklag, and therefore, Ziklag has belonged to the kings of Judah until the present time. 7 David lived in Philistine territory for a year and four months.
David’s Raids on the Land
8 David and his men went up and raided the descendants of Geshur, the descendants of Girzi, and the Amalekites, for they had been living in the land since ancient times, from the entrance of[b] Shur all the way to the land of Egypt. 9 David struck the land and did not leave a man or woman alive. He took sheep, cattle, donkeys, camels, and clothing, and then came back and went to Achish.
10 Achish said, “Where did you raid today?”
David answered, “Against the Negev[c] of Judah, against the Negev[d] of the Jerahmeelites, and against the Negev[e] of the Kenites.” 11 David did not leave a man or woman alive to bring to Gath. He told himself,[f] “Otherwise, they’ll say, ‘This is what David is doing, and this has been his practice all the time he has lived in Philistine territory.’”
12 Achish believed David, telling himself,[g] “He has certainly made himself repulsive to his people in Israel. He will be my servant forever.”
The Philistines Prepare to Fight against Israel
28 At that time the Philistines assembled their army for war to fight against Israel. Achish told David, “You know, of course, that you and your men will go out with me into the battle.”
2 David told Achish, “Very well, you will now see[h] what your servant will do.”
Achish told David, “Very well, I’ll appoint you as my permanent bodyguard.”
Saul and the Medium at Endor
3 Now Samuel had died, and all Israel had mourned for him and buried him in his own town of Ramah. Saul had expelled the mediums and spiritists from the land.
4 The Philistines assembled, moved out, and camped at Shunem, while Saul assembled all Israel and camped at Gilboa. 5 When Saul saw the Philistine camp, he was afraid, and his heart trembled greatly. 6 Saul inquired of the Lord, but the Lord did not answer him, either through dreams or Urim[i] or through prophets. 7 Saul told his servants, “Find me a woman who is a medium so I can go to her and make my inquiry through her.”
His servants told him, “Look, there’s a woman at Endor who is a medium.”
8 Saul disguised himself, putting on different clothes. He went along with two men to the woman at night. He said, “Consult a familiar spirit for me and bring up for me the one whom I tell you.”
9 The woman told him, “Look, you know what Saul has done. He has removed mediums and spiritists from the land, so why are you trying to entrap me, so as to cause my death?”
10 Saul swore to her by the Lord: “As surely as the Lord lives, no punishment will come on you for this thing.”
11 The woman said, “Whom shall I bring up for you?”
Saul[j] said, “Bring up Samuel for me.”
12 When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out loudly.[k] The woman told Saul, “Why have you deceived me? You are Saul!”
13 The king told her, “Don’t be afraid; but what do you see?”
The woman told Saul, “I see a divine being[l] coming up out of the ground.”
14 Saul[m] told her, “What does he look like?”
She said, “An old man is coming up, and he’s wrapped in a robe.” Saul knew that it was Samuel, and he bowed low to the ground and prostrated himself.
Samuel’s Message to Saul
15 Samuel told Saul, “Why did you disturb me by bringing me up?”
Saul said, “I’m in great distress. The Philistines are waging war against me. God has departed from me and won’t answer me anymore, either by messages written by[n] the hand of the prophets or by dreams. So I’ve summoned you to tell me what I should do.”
16 Samuel said, “Why do you ask me, since the Lord has departed from you and become your enemy? 17 The Lord has done to you exactly as he spoke through me.[o] The Lord has torn the kingdom away from you[p] and has given it to your colleague David. 18 Because you didn’t obey the Lord and didn’t display his fierce anger against Amalek, therefore, the Lord will do this thing to you today. 19 The Lord is giving both you, and Israel with you, into Philistine control. Tomorrow, the Lord will give you, your sons with you, and also the army of Israel into the control[q] of the Philistines.”
The Medium Attends to Saul
20 Saul immediately fell down full-length on the ground. He was terrified because of Samuel’s words, and he had no strength because he had not eaten food all day and all night. 21 Then the woman came to Saul and saw that he was very disturbed. She told him, “Look, your servant[r] obeyed you. I put my life into your hands, and I listened to your words that you spoke to me. 22 Now, please listen to your servant.[s] I’ll put a piece of bread before you so you can eat and have strength to go on your way.”[t]
23 Saul[u] refused, saying, “I won’t eat!”
Both his servants and the woman urged him, and so he listened to them. He got up off the ground and sat on the bed. 24 The woman had a fattened calf in the house, and she quickly slaughtered it. She took flour, kneaded it, and baked unleavened bread. 25 She brought it to Saul and to his servants, and they ate. Then they got up and went out that night.
The Philistine Leaders Reject David
29 The Philistines gathered all their troops at Aphek, while Israel was camped at the spring in Jezreel. 2 The Philistine leaders were passing in review among[v] the military units,[w] and David and his men were among[x] them in the rear with Achish.
3 The Philistine leaders said, “What are these Hebrews doing here?”
Achish asked the Philistine leaders, “Isn’t this David, the servant of King Saul of Israel, who has been with me these days, or rather[y] these years? I’ve found no fault in him from the day he deserted[z] until now.”
4 But the Philistine leaders were angry with him, so they[aa] pleaded with him, “Send the man back! Let him return to the[ab] place you assigned him. He mustn’t go into battle with us. Otherwise, he may become our adversary in the battle! How could there be a better way for[ac] this fellow to reconcile himself with his lord? Wouldn’t it be with the heads of these men? 5 Isn’t this the same[ad] David about whom the maidens[ae] sang when they were dancing,
‘Saul has struck down his thousands,
but David his ten thousands’?”
Achish Sends David Home
6 Then Achish summoned David and told him, “As surely as the Lord lives, you are trustworthy,[af] and it seems good to me for you to campaign[ag] with me as part of the army. Indeed, I’ve not found any evil in you from the time you came to me until now.[ah] But the leaders don’t approve of you. 7 Now return and go in peace, so you do nothing to displease the Philistine leaders.”
8 David told Achish, “What have I done, and what have you found in your servant from the time I came before you until this very moment,[ai] that I shouldn’t go out and fight the enemies of your majesty?”[aj]
9 Achish answered David, “I know that I’m pleased with you. You’re[ak] like an angel of God. But the Philistine leaders have said, ‘He mustn’t go into battle with us.’ 10 Now, get up early in the morning along with your lord’s servants who came with you.[al] Get up early in the morning, and go as soon as you have light.” 11 So[am] David and his men got up early in the morning to return to Philistine territory, while the Philistines went up to Jezreel.
Repent or Die
13 At that time, some people who were there told Jesus[a] about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices.[b] 2 He asked them, “Do you think that these Galileans were more sinful than all the other Galileans because they suffered like this? 3 Absolutely not, I tell you! But if you don’t repent, then you, too, will all die. 4 What about those eighteen people who were killed when the tower at Siloam fell on them? Do you think they were worse offenders than all the other people living in Jerusalem? 5 Absolutely not, I tell you! But if you don’t repent, then you, too, will all die.”
The Parable about an Unfruitful Fig Tree
6 Then Jesus[c] told them this parable: “A man had a fig tree that had been planted in his vineyard. He went to look for fruit on it but didn’t find any. 7 So he told the gardener, ‘Look here! For three years I’ve been coming to look for fruit on this tree but I haven’t found any. Cut it down! Why should it waste the soil?’ 8 But the gardener[d] replied, ‘Sir, leave it alone for one more year, until I dig around it and fertilize it. 9 Maybe next year it will bear fruit. If not, then cut it down.’”
Jesus Heals a Woman on the Sabbath
10 Jesus[e] was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. 11 A woman was there who had a spirit that had disabled her for eighteen years. She was hunched over and completely unable to stand up straight. 12 When Jesus saw her, he called to her and said, “Woman, you are free from your illness.” 13 Then he placed his hands on her, and immediately she stood up straight and began praising God.
14 But the synagogue leader, indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, told the crowd, “There are six days when work is to be done. So come on those days to be healed, and not on the Sabbath day.”
15 The Lord replied to him, “You hypocrites! Doesn’t each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or donkey and lead it out of its stall to give it some water? 16 Shouldn’t this woman, a descendant of Abraham whom Satan has kept bound for eighteen long years, be set free from this bondage on the Sabbath day?” 17 Even as he was saying this, all of his opponents were blushing with shame. But the rest of the crowd was rejoicing at all the wonderful things he was doing.
The Parables about a Mustard Seed and Yeast(A)
18 So Jesus[f] went on to say, “What is the kingdom of God like? What can I compare it to? 19 It is like a mustard seed that someone took and planted in his garden. It grew and became a tree, and the birds of the sky nested in its branches.”
20 Again he said, “To what can I compare the kingdom of God? 21 It’s like yeast that a woman took and mixed with[g] three measures of flour until all of it was leavened.”
The Narrow Door(B)
22 Then Jesus[h] taught in one town and village after another as he made his way to Jerusalem.
Copyright © 1995-2014 by ISV Foundation. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. Used by permission of Davidson Press, LLC.