Historical
Eating Consecrated Bread
21 Then David got up and left, while Jonathan returned to the town. 2 David went to Nob to Ahimelech the kohen. Ahimelech was afraid to meet David, so he said to him, “Why are you alone and no one with you?”
3 David said to Ahimelech the kohen, “The king has commissioned me with a matter, and told me: ‘Let no one know anything about the mission on which I am sending you, or with what I have commissioned you.’ So, I have directed the young men to such and such a place. 4 So now, what do you have on hand? Give me five loaves of bread or whatever can be found.”
5 The kohen answered David saying, “There is no common bread on hand, but there is consecrated bread[a]—so long as the young men have kept themselves from women.”
6 “Of course women have been kept from us, as on previous campaigns,” David answered the kohen. “So the young men’s vessels were holy, though it was an ordinary mission—how much more so will their vessels be holy today!” 7 So the kohen gave him consecrated bread, for there was no bread there but the bread of the Presence, which was taken out from the presence of Adonai in order to replace it with hot bread on the day it was taken away.[b]
8 Now one of Saul’s servants was there that day, detained before Adonai. His name was Doeg the Edomite, chief of Saul’s shepherds.
9 Then David said to Ahimelech, “Isn’t there a spear or sword on hand? For I did not take my sword or my weapons with me, because the king’s mission was urgent.”
10 The kohen said, “The sword of Goliath the Philistine whom you killed in the valley of Elah—it’s here, wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod. If you want to take it for yourself, take it. For there’s nothing else here.”
“There’s nothing like it!” David said. “Give it to me.”
David Pretends Insanity
11 Then David got up and fled that day from Saul, and went to Achish, king of Gath. 12 But Achish’s courtiers said to him, “Isn’t this David king of the land? Isn’t he the one they sing about in their dances saying, ‘Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands?’”
13 David took these words to heart, and he became so afraid of King Achish of Gath 14 that he changed his demeanor before them and acted like a mad man while in their hands—scribbling on the doors of the gate and letting his saliva run down his beard. 15 Then Achish said to his courtiers, “Look, you can see the man is insane. Why did you bring him to me? 16 Do I have a shortage of crazy people that you’ve brought this fellow to go crazy on me? Is this one going to come into my house?”
Flight to a Cave and to Moab
22 So David walked from there and escaped to the cave of Adullam. When his brothers and all his father’s house heard about it, they went down there to him. 2 Anyone who was in distress, anyone in debt, and anyone embittered rallied around him, and he became their leader. There were about 400 men with him.
3 Then David left 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.” 4 Then he brought them to the king of Moab, and they stayed with him all the time that David was in the stronghold.
5 But the prophet Gad said to David, “Do not stay in the stronghold; depart, and go to the land of Judah.” So David left and went to the forest of Hereth.
6 Then Saul heard that David and the men with him were located. Saul was in Gibeah, sitting under the tamarisk tree on the height, spear in his hand, and all his courtiers were attending him. 7 Saul said to his courtiers standing about him, “Listen now, Benjamites! Will the son of Jesse give every one of you fields and vineyards? Will he make all of you captains of thousands and captains of hundreds? 8 Yet all of you have conspired against me, and there was nobody disclosing to me when my son makes a covenant with the son of Jesse! None of you is sorry for me or discloses to me that my son has stirred up my servant against me to lie in ambush—as is the case today?”
9 Then Doeg the Edomite, who was standing among Saul’s courtiers, answered and said, “I saw the son of Jesse coming to Nob—to Ahimelech son of Ahitub— 10 and he inquired of Adonai for him, gave him provisions and gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine.”
11 Then the king sent word to summon the kohen Ahimelech son of Ahitub and all the kohanim of his father’s house who were in Nob. So they all came to the king. 12 “Listen now, son of Ahitub,” Saul said.
“Here I am, my lord,” he said.
13 Then Saul said to him, “Why have you conspired against me—you and the son of Jesse—by giving him bread and a sword, and by inquiring of God for him, that he should rise against me by lying in ambush, as is the case today?”
14 Then Ahimelech answered the king saying, “Who among all your servants is as trusted as David, the king’s son-in-law, a captain of the royal guard, and honored in your house? 15 Just today I began to inquire of God for him? Far be it from the king to accuse his servant or to anyone of my father’s house. For your servant knows nothing of all this, whether little or much.”
16 But the king said, “You will surely die, Ahimelech, you and all your father’s house.” 17 Then the king ordered the guards attending him, “Turn around and kill the kohanim of Adonai, for they are in cahoots with David, for they knew that he was running away but did not inform me.” But the servants of the king were not willing to raise their hand to assault the kohanim of Adonai. 18 So the king said to Doeg, “You, turn around and kill the kohanim!” So Doeg the Edomite turned and fell upon the kohanim and on that day killed 85 men who wore the linen ephod. 19 Nob, the town of the kohanim, he struck with the edge of the sword: men and women, children and infants, oxen, asses, and sheep with the edge of the sword.
20 Yet one of the sons of Ahimelech son of Ahitub, named Abiathar, escaped and fled to David. 21 Abiathar told David that Saul had slain Adonai’s kohanim. 22 Then David said to Abiathar, “I knew on that day, when Doeg the Edomite was there, that he would surely tell Saul. I have brought about the death of all the people of your father’s house. 23 Stay with me, and fear not; for the one who is seeking my life is seeking your life too—but with me you will be safe.”
David Hides and Saul Seeks
23 Then they reported to David saying, “Look, the Philistines are raiding Keilah and they are plundering the threshing floors.” 2 So David inquired of Adonai saying, “Shall I go and attack those Philistines?”
Adonai said to David, “Go, attack the Philistines and deliver Keilah.”
3 But David’s fellow men said to him, “Look, we’re afraid here in Judah; how much more so if we go to Keilah against the Philistine forces?”
4 Once again David inquired of Adonai, and Adonai answered him saying, “Arise! Go to Keilah, for I am going to deliver the Philistines into your hand.” 5 So David and his fellow men went to Keilah and fought against the Philistines, drove off their livestock and inflicted a great slaughter on them. Thus David rescued the inhabitants of Keilah. 6 It came about, when Abiathar son of Ahimelech fled to David at Keilah, he came down with an ephod in his hand.
7 Now when Saul was told that David had gone to Keilah, Saul said, “God has delivered him into my hand! For he shut himself in by entering a town with barred gates.” 8 So Saul summoned all the troops for battle, to go down to Keilah to besiege David and his fellow men.
9 Now David knew that Saul was plotting evil against him, so he said to Abiathar the kohen, “Bring the ephod.” 10 Then David said, “Adonai, God of Israel, Your servant has heard for certain that Saul intends to come to Keilah to destroy the town because of me. 11 Will the men of Keilah surrender me into his hand? Will Saul come down, as Your servant has heard? Adonai God of Israel, I pray, tell Your servant.”
“He will come down,” Adonai said.
12 Then David asked, “Will the men of Keilah surrender me and my fellow men into the hand of Saul?”
“They will surrender,” Adonai said.
13 Then David and his fellow men, about 600, got up and left Keilah, and went wherever they could go. When Saul was told that David had escaped from Keilah, he stopped the pursuit. 14 So David stayed in the strongholds of the wilderness, remaining in the hill country in the wilderness of Ziph. Saul searched for him every day, but God did not give him into his hand.
15 By now David was aware that Saul would come out to seek his life while David was in the wilderness of Ziph at Choresh. 16 Then Saul’s son Jonathan arose and went to David at Choresh and strengthened him in God. 17 “Don’t be afraid,” he said to him, “because my father Saul will never find you. You will be king over Israel and I will be second to you. Even my father Saul recognizes that.” 18 Again they cut a covenant before Adonai. David remained at Choresh, but Jonathan went home.
19 Then some of the Ziphites went up to Saul in Gibeah, saying, “Isn’t David hiding with us in the strongholds at Choresh, in the hill of Hachilah which is south of Jeshimon? 20 Now therefore, O king, come down whenever it is a desire of your soul to come down—our part will be to deliver him into the king’s hand.”
21 “May you be blessed of Adonai,” Saul said, “for you have taken pity on me. 22 Go now, make more sure, investigate and scout out his place where he usually goes and who has seen him there. For I have been told that he is very cunning. 23 Look around and see in which of all the hiding places he has been hiding, and return to me with certainty, and I will go with you. If he is in the area, I will search him out among all the clans of Judah.” 24 Then they got up and went to Ziph ahead of Saul.
But David and his men were then in the wilderness of Maon in the Arabah, to the south of Jeshimon. 25 So when Saul and his men began the search, David was informed. Then he went down to the rocky area and stayed in the wilderness of Maon. On hearing this, Saul pursued David in the wilderness of Maon. 26 Then, while Saul was advancing on one side of the mountain, David and his men were on the other side of the mountain. David was hurrying to elude Saul. Meanwhile Saul and his men were closing-in on David and his men to seize them. 27 But a messenger came to Saul saying, “Hurry and come, for the Philistines have invaded the land!” 28 So Saul had to return from chasing after David, and go to engage the Philistines. Therefore they called that place the Rock of Separation. 29 From there David went up and stayed in the strongholds of En-gedi.
David Spares Saul at En-gedi
24 Now when Saul returned from pursuing the Philistines, they told him saying, “Look, David is in the wilderness of En-gedi.” 2 So Saul took 3,000 chosen men from all Israel and went to search for David and his men near the rocks of the mountain goats. 3 When he came across the sheepfolds along the way where there was a cave, Saul went in to relieve himself. Now David and his men were already sitting in the innermost parts of the cave. 4 So David’s men said to him, “Look, it’s the day Adonai spoke to you about, ‘Behold, I will deliver your enemy into your hand, so you may do to him as seems good in your eyes.’” Then David crept and cut off the corner of Saul’s robe stealthily.
5 But afterward, David’s conscience bothered him for cutting off the edge of Saul’s robe. 6 So he said to his fellow men, “Adonai forbid that I should do such a thing to my lord, Adonai’s anointed, stretching out my hand against him—for he is Adonai’s anointed.” 7 So David persuaded his fellow men with these words and did not let them rise against Saul. Then Saul left the cave and went on his way.
8 David also rose afterward, went out of the cave, and called out after Saul saying, “My lord the king!” When Saul looked behind him, David bowed with his face to the earth and prostrated himself. 9 Then David said to Saul, “Why do you listen to men’s words saying: ‘Look, David intends you harm’? 10 Look, today your own eyes should see how Adonai delivered you today into my hand, in the cave. Some urged me to kill you, but my eye had pity on you, and I said: ‘I will not stretch out my hand against my lord, for he is Adonai’s anointed.’ 11 Moreover, my father, see! Yes, look at the corner of your robe in my hand! For in cutting off the corner of your robe, yet not killing you, you should know and realize that there is no evil or rebellion in my hand. I haven’t sinned against you, even though you are lying in wait for my life, to take it. 12 May Adonai judge between me and you, and may Adonai avenge me of you, but my hand will not be against you. 13 As the old proverb goes, ‘Out of the wicked comes forth wickedness’—but my hand will never be on you. 14 Whom has the king of Israel come after? Who are you chasing? A dead dog? A single flea? 15 May Adonai be judge and decide between me and you! And may He see and plead my cause and vindicate me against you.”
16 Now when David finished speaking these words to Saul, Saul said, “Is this your voice, my son, David?” Then Saul lifted up his voice and wept aloud. 17 Then he said to David, “You are more righteous than I, for you have done good to me, while I have done evil to you. 18 You’ve told today how well you’ve dealt with me, for Adonai had delivered me up into your hand, yet you did not kill me. 19 For if a man finds his enemy, will he let him go away on a good road? May Adonai reward you with good in return for what you have done to me today. 20 Now behold, I know for certain that you will be king, and that the kingdom of Israel will rise in your hand. 21 Swear now to me by Adonai that you won’t cut off my descendants after me, and that you won’t wipe out my name from my father’s house.” 22 So David swore to Saul. Then Saul went to his home, but David and his men went up to the stronghold.
Tree of Life (TLV) Translation of the Bible. Copyright © 2015 by The Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society.