CHAPTER XXIII.

1 David, enquiring of the Lord by Abiathar, rescueth Keilah. 7 God shewing him the com

ing of Saul, and the treachery of the Keilites, he escapeth from Keilah. 14 In Ziph Jonathan cometh and comforteth him. 19 The Ziphites discover him to Saul. 25 At Maon he is rescued from Saul by the invasion of the Philistines. 29 He dwelleth at En-gedi.

HEN they told David, saying,

Josh.15.44. against a Keilah, and they rob the threshingfloors.

b ver. 4, 6, 9. ch. 30. 8.

23.

2 Therefore David benquired of the 2 Sam.5.19, LORD, saying, Shall I go and smite these Philistines? And the LORD said unto David, Go, and smite the Philistines, and save Keilah.

3 And David's men said unto him, Behold, we be afraid here in Judah: how much more then if we come to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines?

4 Then David enquired of the LORD yet again. And the LORD answered him and said, Arise, go down to Keilah; for I will deliver the Philistines into thine hand.

5 So David and his men went to Keilah, and fought with the Philistines, and brought away their cattle, and smote them with a great slaughter. So David saved the inhabitants of Keilah.

6 And it came to pass, when A• ch. 22.20. biathar the son of Ahimelech fled to David to Keilah, that he came down with an ephod in his hand.

cir. 1061.

21.

7 And it was told Saul that David was come to Keilah. And Saul said, God hath delivered him into mine hand; for he is shut in, by entering into a town that hath gates and bars.

8 And Saul called all the people together to war, to go down to Keilah, to besiege David and his men.

9 And David knew that Saul secretly practised mischief against Num. 27. him; and he said to Abiathar the priest, Bring hither the ephod.

ch. 30.7.

10 Then said David, O`LORD God of Israel, thy servant hath certainly heard that Saul seeketh to come to ⚫ch. 22. 19. Keilah, to destroy the city for my

sake.

11 Will the men of Keilah deliver me up into his hand? will Saul come down, as thy servant hath heard? O LORD God of Israel, I beseech thee, tell thy servant. And the LORD said, He will come down.

12 Then said David, Will the men

The Ziphites betray David.

BEFORE CHRIST cir. 1061.

2 Heb.

f ch. 22. 2.

& 25. 13.

of Keilah 2 deliver me and my men into the hand of Saul? And the LORD said, They will deliver thee up. 13 T Then David and his men, shut up. f which were about six hundred, arose and departed out of Keilah, and went whithersoever they could go. And it was told Saul that David was escaped from Keilah; and he forbare to go forth.

14 And David abode in the wilderness in strong holds, and remained in

h

Ziph. And Saul 'sought him every day, but God delivered him not into his hand.

15 And David saw that Saul was come out to seek his life: and David was in the wilderness of Ziph in a wood.

16 And Jonathan Saul's son arose, and went to David into the wood, and strengthened his hand in God.

17 And he said unto him, Fear not: for the hand of Saul my father shall not find thee; and thou shalt be king over Israel, and I shall be next unto thee; and that also Saul my father knoweth.

P. 11.1.

h Josh. 15. 55.

1 P3.54.3, 4.

ch. 24. 20.

ch. 18.3. 2016, 12.

2 Sam.21.7.

m See ch. 28. 1.

18 And they two 1made a covenant before the LORD: and David abode in the wood, and Jonathan went to his house. 19 Then m came the Ziphites up to Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doth not Ps. 54, title. David hide himself with us in strong holds in the wood, in the hill of Hachilah, which is on the south of 3 Heb. on • Jeshimon?

20 Now therefore, O king, come down according to all the desire of thy soul to come down; and our part shall be to deliver him into the king's hand.

22 Go, I pray you, prepare yet, and know and see his place where his haunt is, and who hath seen him 5 Heb.foot there: for it is told me that he dealeth very subtilly.

23 See therefore, and take knowledge of all the lurking places where he hideth himself, and come ye again to me with the certainty, and I will go with you: and it shall come to pass, if he be in the land, that I will search him out throughout all the thousands of Judah.

David spareth Saul's life,

BEFORE CHRIST cir. 1061.

2 Or, from the rock.

PPs. 31. 22.

P. 17. 9.

r See

2 Kings 19.

9.

8 Heb. spread themselves upon, &c.

4 That is, The rock of divisions.

12 Chr.20.2.

a ch. 23. 23.

5 Heb. after.

in the plain on the south of Jeshi

mon.

25 Saul also and his men went to seek him. And they told David: wherefore he came down 2 into a rock, and abode in the wilderness of Maon. And when Saul heard that, he pursued after David in the wilderness of Maon.

26 And Saul went on this side of the mountain, and David and his men on that side of the mountain: P and David made haste to get away for fear of Saul; for Saul and his men compassed David and his men round about to take them.

27 But there came a messenger unto Saul, saying, Haste thee, and come; for the Philistines have invaded the land.

28 Wherefore Saul returned from pursuing after David, and went against the Philistines: therefore they called that place Sela-hammahlekoth.

4

the Philistines, that it was told him, saying, Behold, David is in the wilderness of En-gedi.

2 Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and Ps. 88. 12.b went to seek David and his men upon the rocks of the wild goats. 3 And he came to the sheepcotes by the way, where was a cave; and Saul went in to cover his feet: and Judg.3.24. David and his men remained in the title, & 142, sides of the cave.

Ps. 141. 6.

• Ps. 57,

title.

fch. 26.8.

robe which

f

4 And the men of David said unto him, Behold the day of which the LORD said unto thee, Behold, I will deliver thine enemy into thine hand, that thou mayest do to him as it shall seem good unto thee. Then David arose, and cut off the skirt of Heb. the "Saul's robe privily. was Saul's. 5 And it came to pass afterward, 28am. 24. that David's heart smote him, because he had cut off Saul's skirt. 6 And he said unto his men, ch. 28. 11. The LORD forbid that I should do this thing unto my master, the LORD's anointed, to stretch forth mine hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the LORD.

10.

and sheweth his innocency.

7 So David 21 stayed his servants with these words, and suffered them not to rise against Saul. But Saul rose up out of the cave, and went on his way.

8 David also arose afterward, and went out of the cave, and cried after Saul, saying, My lord the king. And when Saul looked behind him, David stooped with his face to the earth, and bowed himself.

BEFORE CHRIST cir. 1061.

2 Heb.

cut off.

I P8. 7. 4.
Matt. 5. 44.

Rom. 12. 17,

19.

9 And David said to Saul, * Wherefore hearest thou men's Ps. 141. 6. words, saying, Behold, David seeketh thy hurt?

10 Behold, this day thine eyes have seen how that the LORD had delivered thee to day into mine hand in the cave: and some bade me kill thee: but mine eye spared thee; and I said, I will not put forth mine hand against my lord; for he is the LORD's anointed.

11 Moreover, my father, see, yea, see the skirt of thy robe in my hand: for in that I cut off the skirt of thy robe, and killed thee not, know thou and see that there is neither evil nor transgression in mine hand, and I have not sinned against thee; yet thou huntest my soul to take it.

Prov. 16.28. & 17.9.

1 Ps. 7. 3.

& 35.7.

m ch. 26. 20. n Gen. 16. 5. Judg.11. 27. ch. 20. 10.

and thee, and the LORD avenge me 12 The LORD judge between me of thee: but mine hand shall not be Job.5. 8.

upon thee.

cir. 1060.

a ch. 28. 3.

b Num. 20. 20. Deut. 34. 8.

CHAPTER XXV.

d

1 Samuel dieth. 2 David in Paran sendeth to

Nabal. 10 Provoked by Nabal's churlishness, he mindeth to destroy him. 14 Abigail understanding thereof, 18 taketh a present, 23 and by her wisdom 32 pacifieth David. Nabal hearing thereof dieth. 39 David taketh Abigail and Ahinoam to be his wives. 44 Michal is given to Phalti.

a

36

Nabal's churlishness.

hand unto thy servants, and to thy son David.

9 And when David's young men came, they spake to Nabal according to all those words in the name of David, and 2 ceased.

k

10 ¶ And Nabal answered David's servants, and said, Who is David? and who is the son of Jesse? there be many servants now a days that break away every man from his master.

11 1Shall I then take my bread, and my water, and my 3 flesh that I have killed for my shearers, and give it unto men, whom I know not whence they be?

12 So David's young men turned their way, and went again, and came and told him all those sayings.

13 And David said unto his men, Gird ye on every man his sword. And they girded on every man his

Ps. 120. 5.

d ch. 23. 24.

2 Or,
business.
e Josh. 15.
55.

е

2 And there was a man din Maon, whose 2 possessions were in Carmel; and the man was very great, and he had three thousand sheep, and a thousand goats: and he was shearing his sheep in Carmel.

3 Now the name of the man was Nabal; and the name of his wife Abigail: and she was a woman of good understanding, and of a beautiful countenance: but the man was churlish and evil in his doings; and he was of the house of Caleb.

4 ¶ And David heard in the wilGen. 38.13. derness that Nabal did shear his sheep.

2 Sam. 13.

23.

1

3 Heb. ask him in my

name of

peace.

ch. 17. 22.

18.

Ps. 122. 7. Luke 10. 5.

5 And David sent out ten young men, and David said unto the young men, Get you up to Carmel, and go to Nabal, and 3 greet him in my

name:

6 And thus shall ye say to him that 81 Chr. 12. liveth in prosperity, Peace be both to thee, and peace be to thine house, and peace be unto all that thou hast. 7 And now I have heard that thou hast shearers: now thy shepherds which were with us, we hurt them not, neither was there ought missing unto them, all the while they were in Carmel.

4 Heb. shamed.

b ver. 15, 21.

BEFORE CHRIST cir. 1060.

2 Heb. rested.

Judg.9.28. & 123.3, 4.

Ps. 73.7, 8.

Judg. 8. 6. 3 Heb.

slaughter.

m ch. 30.24.

4 Heb. flew upon them.

n ver. 7. 5 Heb.

15 But the men were very good unto us, and we were not hurt, neither missed we any thing, as long shamed. as we were conversant with them, when we were in the fields:

16 They were a wall unto us both by night and day, all the while we were with them keeping the sheep.

• Ex. 14. 22. Job 1. 10.

17 Now therefore know and consider what thou wilt do; for Pevil is P ch. 20. 7. determined against our master, and against all his household: for he is such a son of a Belial, that a man cannot speak to him.

q Deut. 13. 13. Judg. 19. 22.

Gen. 32. 18. & 21. 14.

Prov. 18. 16.

18 ¶ Then Abigail made haste, and took two hundred loaves, and two bottles of wine, and five sheep ready dressed, and five measures of parched corn, and an hundred clus-Or, lumps. ters of raisins, and two hundred cakes of figs, and laid them on asses.

19 And she said unto her servants, "Go on before me; behold, I come Gen. 32. 16, after you. But she told not her

husband Nabal.

20 And it was so, as she rode on the ass, that she came down by the covert of the hill, and, behold, David and his men came down against her; and she met them.

21 Now David had said, Surely in vain have I kept all that this fellow hath in the wilderness, so that nothing

20.

22 So and more also do God Rath 1.17. unto the enemies of David, if I leave of all that pertain to him by the morning light any that pisseth against the wall.

ch. 3. 17. &
20. 13, 16.
7 ver. 34.

1 Kings 14.

10. & 21. 21.

2 Kings 9.8.

Josh.15.18.

Judg. 1. 14.

23 And when Abigail saw David, she hasted, and a lighted off the ass, and fell before David on her face, and bowed herself to the ground,

24 And fell at his feet, and said, Upon me, my lord, upon me let this iniquity be: and let thine handmaid, Heb. cars. I pray thee, speak in thine audience, and hear the words of thine handmaid. 25 Let not my lord, I pray thee, Heb. lay it regard this man of Belial, even Nabal for as his name is, so is he; Nabal is his name, and folly is with him: but I thine handmaid saw not the young men of my lord, whom thou didst send.

to his heart.

4 That is, Fool.

29 Yet a man is risen to pursue thee, and to seek thy soul: but the soul of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of life with the LORD thy God; and the souls of thine enemies, Jer. 10. 18. them shall he sling out, as out of midst of the the middle of a sling.

8 Heb. in the

bought of a sling.

9 Heb. no staggering, or, stumbling.

1Gen.24.27. Ex. 18.10. 72.18.

k

8

30 And it shall come to pass, when the LORD shall have done to my lord according to all the good that he hath spoken concerning thee, and shall have appointed thee ruler over Israel; 31 That this shall be 'no grief unto thee, nor offence of heart unto my lord, either that thou hast shed blood causeless, or that my lord hath avenged himself: but when the LORD shall have dealt well with my lord, then remember thine handmaid.

32 ¶ And David said to Abigail, P. 4113&Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, Lake 1.68. which sent thee this day to meet me:

m

pacifieth David.

33 And blessed be thy advice, and blessed be thou, which hast kept me this day from coming to shed blood, and from avenging myself with mine own hand.

BEFORE CHRIST cir. 1060.

m ver. 26.

n ver. 26.

34 For in very deed, as the LORD God of Israel liveth, which hath kept me back from hurting thee, except thou hadst hasted and come to meet me, surely there had not over. 22. been left unto Nabal by the morning light any that pisseth against the wall.

35 So David received of her hand that which she had brought him, and said unto her, P Go up in peace to thine house; see, I have hearkened to thy voice, and have accepted thy person.

p ch. 20. 42. 2 Sam. 15.9. Luke 7.50.

2Kings5.19. &18.

qGen. 19.21.

23.

36 T And Abigail came to Nabal; and, behold, he held a feast in his 2 Sam. 13. house, like the feast of a king; and Nabal's heart was merry within him, for he was very drunken: wherefore she told him nothing, less or more, until the morning light.

37 But it came to pass in the morning, when the wine was gone out of Nabal, and his wife had told him these things, that his heart died within him, and he became as a stone.

38 And it came to pass about ten days after, that the LORD smote Nabal, that he died.

39 ¶ And when David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, Blessed bever. 32. the LORD, that hath pleaded the Prov. 22. cause of my reproach from the hand of Nabal, and hath "kept his servant from evil: for the LORD hath returned the wickedness of Nabal upon his own head. And David sent and communed with Abigail, to take her to him to wife.

40 And when the servants of David were come to Abigail to Carmel, they spake unto her, saying, David sent us unto thee, to take thee to him to wife.

44. Ps. 7.10.

David again spareth

BEFORE CHRIST cir. 1060.

a ch. 23. 19.

CHAPTER XXVI.

13

1 Saul, by the discovery of the Ziphites, cometh to Hachilah against David. 5 David coming into the trench stayeth Abishai from killing Saul, but taketh his speur and cruse. David reproveth Abner, 18 and exhorteth Saul. 21 Saul acknowledgeth his sin. ND the Ziphites came unto Saul

a

came both not Ps. 54, title. David hide himself in the hill of Hachilah, which is before Jeshimon? 2 Then Saul arose, and went down to the wilderness of Ziph, having three thousand chosen men of Israel with him, to seek David in the wilderness of Ziph.

3 And Saul pitched in the hill of Hachilah, which is before Jeshimon, by the way. But David abode in the wilderness, and he saw that Saul came after him into the wilderness.

4 David therefore sent out spies, and understood that Saul was come in very deed.

5 And David arose, and came to the place where Saul had pitched: and David beheld the place where bch. 14. 50. Saul lay, and Abner the son of Ner, the captain of his host: and Saul lay in the trench, and the people pitched round about him.

& 17.55.

2 Or, midst of his car riages. ch. 17. 20.

с

d

6 Then answered David and said to Ahimelech the Hittite, and to 1 Chr.2.16. Abishai the son of Zeruiah, brother Judg.7.10, to Joab, saying, Who will go down with me to Saul to the camp? And Abishai said, I will go down with thee.

11.

Saul's life.

12 So David took the spear and the cruse of water from Saul's bolster; and they gat them away, and no man saw it, nor knew it, neither awaked: for they were all asleep; because a deep sleep from the LORD was fallen upon them.

13 T Then David went over to the other side, and stood on the top of an hill afar off; a great space being between them:

14 And David cried to the people, and to Abner the son of Ner, saying, Answerest thou not, Abner? Then Abner answered and said, Who art thou that criest to the king?

15 And David said to Abner, Art not thou a valiant man? and who is like to thee in Israel? wherefore then hast thou not kept thy lord the king? for there came one of the people in to destroy the king thy lord.

2

16 This thing is not good that thou hast done. As the LORD liveth, ye are worthy to die, because ye have not kept your master, the LORD'S anointed. And now see where the king's spear is, and the cruse of water that was at his bolster.

17 And Saul knew David's voice, and said, 'Is this thy voice, my son David? And David said, It is my voice, my lord, O king.

m

18 And he said, " Wherefore doth my lord thus pursue after his servant? for what have I done? or what evil is in mine hand?

19 Now therefore, I pray thee, let my lord the king hear the words of his servant. If the LORD have "stir-2 Sam. 16. red thee up against me, let him accept an offering: but if they be the children of men, cursed be they before the LORD; for they have driven me out this day from abiding in the Pinheritance of the LORD, saying, Go, serve other gods.

smell Lev. 26.31. Deut. 4.28. Ps. 120. 5. cleaving.

Gen. 8. 21.

4 Heb.

p 2 Sam. 14. 16. & 20. 19.

ach. 24.14.

20 Now therefore, let not my blood fall to the earth before the face of the LORD: for the king of Israel is come out to seek a flea, as when one doth hunt a partridge in the mountains. 21 Then said Saul, I have sin-r ch. 15. 24. ned: return, my son David: for I will no more do thee harm, because my soul was precious in thine this day: behold, I have played the fool, and have erred exceedingly.

8

eyes

22 And David answered and said, Behold the king's spear! and let one of the young men come over and fetch it.

t

23 The LORD render to every man his righteousness and his faith

& 24. 17.

☐ ch. 18. 80.

t Ps. 7. 8. & 18.20.