Then Saul arose, and went down to the wilderness of Ziph, having three thousand chosen men of Israel with him, to seek David…. And David arose, and came to the place where Saul had pitched: and David saw…where Saul lay, and Abner the son of Ner, the captain of his army: and Saul lay in the trench, and the people pitched round about him.

Then answered David and said to Ahimelech the Hittite, and to Abishai the son of Zeruiah, brother to Joab, saying, "Who will go down with me to Saul to the camp?" And Abishai said, "I will go down with you." So David and Abishai came to the people by night: and, look, Saul lay sleeping within the trench, and his spear stuck in the ground at his head: but Abner and the people lay round about him.

Then said Abishai to David, "God has delivered your enemy into your hand this day: now therefore let me strike him, I pray you, with the spear even to the earth at once, and I will not strike him the second time."

And David said to Abishai, "Destroy him not: for who can stretch out his hand against the LORD'S anointed, and be guiltless?"

David said furthermore, "As the LORD lives, the LORD shall strike him; or his day shall come to die; or he shall descend into battle, and perish. The LORD forbid that I should stretch out my hand against the LORD'S anointed: but, I pray you, take…now the spear that is at his head, and the jar of water, and let us go." So they took the spear and the jar of water…and they got 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.

Then David went over to the other side, and stood on the top of a hill afar off; a great space being between them: And David cried to the people, and to Abner the son of Ner, saying, "Answer you not, Abner?"

Then Abner answered and said, "Who are you that cries to the king?" And Saul knew David's voice, and said, "Is this your voice, my son David?" And David said, "It is my voice, my lord, O king." And David said, "Why does my lord thus pursue after his servant? For what have I done? Or what evil is in my hand?"

Then said Saul, "I have sinned: return, my son David: for I will no more do you harm, because my soul was precious in your eyes this day: look, I have played the fool, and have erred exceedingly."

And David answered and said, "Look the king's spear! And let one of the young men come over and fetch it. The LORD renders to every man his righteousness and his faithfulness: for the LORD delivered you into my hand today, but I would not stretch out my hand against the LORD'S anointed.

"And, look, as your life was highly valued by this day in my eyes, so let my life be highly valued in the eyes of the LORD, and let him deliver me out of all distress."

Then Saul said to David, "Blessed be you, my son David: you shall both do great things, and also shall still prevail." So David went on his way, and Saul returned to his place. And it was told Saul that David was fled to Gath: and he hunted no more again for him.

…A Psalm of David

Give ear to my words, O LORD, consider my meditation.
Listen unto the voice of my cry, my King, and my God: for unto you will I pray. My voice shall you hear in the morning, O LORD;
In the morning will I direct my prayer unto you, and will look up.
For you are not a God that has pleasure in wickedness: neither shall evil dwell with you.
The foolish shall not stand in your sight: you hate all workers of iniquity.
You shall destroy them that speak lies:
The LORD will hate the bloody and deceitful man.
But as for me, I will come into your house in the multitude of your mercy:
And in your fear will I worship toward your holy temple.
Lead me, O LORD, in your righteousness because of my enemies,
Make your way straight before my face.
For there is no faithfulness in their mouth; their inward part is very wickedness; Their throat is an open tomb; they flatter with their tongue.
Destroy…them, O God; let them fall by their own counsels;
Throw them out in the multitude of their transgressions,
For they have rebelled against you.
But let all those that put their trust in you rejoice:
Let them ever shout for joy, because you defend them:
Let them also that love your name be joyful in you.
For you, LORD, will bless the righteous,
With favor will you surround him as with a shield.

And the Philistines gathered themselves together, and came and pitched in Shunem: and Saul gathered all Israel together, and they pitched in Gilboa. And when Saul saw the army of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart greatly trembled. And when Saul inquired of the LORD, the LORD answered him not, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets.

Now the Philistines fought against Israel: and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell down slain in Mount Gilboa. And Saul died, and his three sons, and his armorbearer, and all his men, that same day together.

Now it came to pass after the death of Saul, when David was returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites, and David had stayed two days in Ziklag…that, look, a man came out of the camp from Saul with his clothes torn, and earth upon his head: and so it was, when he came to David, that he fell to the earth, and did prostrate himself. And David said unto him, "From where did you come?"

And he said unto David, "Out of the camp of Israel am I escaped."

And David said unto him, "How went the matter? I pray you, tell me."

And he answered, that "The people are fled from the battle, and many of the people also are fallen and dead; and Saul and Jonathan his son are dead also."

Then David took hold on his clothes, and tore them; and likewise all the men that were with him: And they mourned, and wept, and fasted until evening, for Saul, and for Jonathan his son, and for the people of the LORD, and for the house of Israel; because they were fallen by the sword.

And it came to pass after this, that David inquired of the LORD, saying, "Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah?"

And the LORD said unto him, "Go up." And David said, "Where shall I go up?" And the LORD said, "To Hebron."

So David went up there, and his two wives also, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail Nabal's widow the Carmelite. And the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. And they told David, saying, that the men of Jabeshgilead were they that buried Saul.

And David sent messengers unto the men of Jabeshgilead, and said unto them, "Blessed be you of the LORD, that you have shown this kindness unto your lord, even unto Saul, and have buried him. Therefore now let your hands be strengthened, and be…valiant: for your master Saul is dead, and also the house of Judah have anointed me king over them."

But Abner the son of Ner, captain of Saul's army, took Ishbosheth the son of Saul, and brought him over to Mahanaim; And made him king over Gilead, and over the Ashurites, and over Jezreel, and over Ephraim, and over Benjamin, and over all Israel.

Ishbosheth Saul's son was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and ruled two years. But the house of Judah followed David. And the time that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months.

Then came all the tribes of Israel to David unto Hebron, and spoke, saying, "Look, we are your bone and your flesh. Also in time past, when Saul was king over us, you were he that lead out and brought in Israel: and the LORD said to you, ‘You shall feed my people…and you shall be a captain over Israel.’"

So all the elders of Israel came…to Hebron; and King David made a league with them…before the LORD: and they anointed David king over Israel.

And the king and his men went to Jerusalem unto the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land: which spoke unto David, saying, "Except you take away the blind and the lame, you shall not come in here": thinking, "David cannot come in here…." Nevertheless David took the strong hold of Zion he lived in the fort, and called it the city of David. He built round about from Millo and inward. And David went on, and grew great, and the LORD God of hosts was with him.

And David took him more concubines and wives out of Jerusalem, after he was come from Hebron: and there were yet sons and daughters born to David. And David…prepared a place for the ark of God, and pitched for it a tent.

Then David gathered all Israel together to Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the LORD unto his place…with joy. They brought the ark of God, and set it in the middle of the tent that David had pitched for it: and they offered burnt sacrifices and peace offerings before God. And David appointed certain of the Levites to minister before the ark of the LORD, and to record, and to thank and praise the LORD God of Israel.

… A Psalm of David

O LORD, you have searched me, and known me.
You know my sitting down and my rising up,
You understand my thought afar off.
You know my path and my lying down,
And are acquainted with all my ways.
For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, you know it altogether. You have set me behind and before, and laid your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.
Where shall I go from your spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence?
If I ascend up into heaven, you are there:
If I make my bed in hell, look, you are there.
If I take the wings of the morning, and live in the uttermost parts of the sea;
Even there shall your hand lead me, and your right hand shall hold me.
If I say, ‘Surely the darkness shall cover me’;
Even the night shall be light about me.
Truly, the darkness hides not from you; but the night shines as the day:
The darkness and the light are both alike to you.
For you have formed my inward parts: You have covered me in my mother's womb.
I will praise you; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made:
Marvelous are your works, and that my soul knows right well.
My frame was not hid from you when I was made in secret,
And curiously woven together in the lowest parts of the earth.
Your eyes did see my fetus, yet being imperfect,
And in your book all my days were written,
Which in time were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.
How precious also are your thoughts unto me, O God!
How great is the sum of them!
If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand:
When I awake, I am still with you.
Surely you will kill the wicked, O God:
(Depart from me therefore, you bloody men.)
For they speak against you wickedly,
And your enemies take your name in vain.
Do not I hate them, O LORD, that hate you?
And am not I grieved with those that rise up against you?
I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them my enemies.
Search me, O God, and know my heart:
Try me, and know my thoughts:
And see if there be any wicked way in me,
And lead me in the way everlasting.

Psalm 91

He that dwells in the secret place of the most High
Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress:
My God; in him will I trust.
Surely he shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler,
And from the raging pestilence.
He shall cover you with his feathers, and under his wings shall you trust:
His truth shall be your shield and defense.
You shall not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flies by day; Nor for the pestilence that walks in darkness;
Nor for the destruction that devastates at noonday.
A thousand shall fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand;
But it shall not come near you.
Only with your eyes shall you behold and see the reward of the wicked.
Because you have made the LORD, which is my refuge,
Even the most High, your habitation;
There shall no evil befall you, neither shall any plague come near your dwelling. For he shall give his angels charge over you,
To keep you in your ways.
They shall bear you up in their hands, lest you dash your foot against a stone.
You shall tread upon the lion and viper:
The young lion and the serpent shall you trample under feet.
Because he has set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him:
I will set him on high, because he has known my name.
He shall call upon me, and I will answer him:
I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honor him.
With long life will I satisfy him, and show him my salvation.

REFERENCES

1 Samuel 26:2, 5-14, 17-18, 21-25; 1 Samuel 27:4; Psalms 5:1-12; 1 Samuel 28:4-6; 1 Samuel 31:1, 6; 2 Samuel 1:1-4, 11-12; 2 Samuel 2:1-2, 4-5, 7-11; 2 Samuel 5:1-3, 5-7, 9-10, 13; 1 Chronicles 15:1, 3, 25; 1 Chronicles 16:1, 4; Psalm 139:1-24; Psalm 91: 1-16.

CHAPTER 25