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David Spares Saul

24 When Saul returned from pursuing the Philistines,^(A) he was told, “David is in the wilderness near En-gedi.”^{(B) 2} So Saul took three thousand of Israel’s fit young men^(C) and went to look for David and his men in front of the Rocks of the Wild Goats. ³ When Saul came to the sheep pens along the road, a cave was there, and he went in to relieve himself.^[a](D) David and his men were staying in the recesses of the cave,^{(E) 4} so they said to him, “Look, this is the day the Lord told you about: ‘I will hand your enemy over to you so you can do to him whatever you desire.’” Then David got up and secretly cut off the corner of Saul’s robe.

⁵ Afterward, David’s conscience bothered^[b](F) him because he had cut off the corner of Saul’s robe.^{[c] 6} He said to his men, “As the Lord is my witness, I would never do such a thing to my lord, the Lord’s anointed.^(G) I will never lift my hand against him, since he is the Lord’s anointed.”^{(H) 7} With these words David persuaded^[d] his men, and he did not let them rise up against Saul.

Then Saul left the cave and went on his way. ⁸ After that, David got up, went out of the cave, and called to Saul, “My lord the king!” When Saul looked behind him, David knelt low with his face to the ground and paid homage.^{(I) 9} David said to Saul, “Why do you listen to the words of people who say, ‘Look, David intends to harm you’? ¹⁰ You can see with your own eyes that the Lord handed you over to me today in the cave.^(J) Someone advised me to kill you,^(K) but I^[e][f] took pity on you and said: I won’t lift my hand against my lord, since he is the Lord’s anointed. ¹¹ Look, my father!^(L) Look at the corner of your robe in my hand, for I cut it off, but I didn’t kill you. Recognize^[g] that I’ve committed no crime or rebellion. I haven’t sinned against you even though you are hunting me down to take my life.^(M)

¹² “May the Lord judge between me and you, and may the Lord take vengeance on you for me, but my hand will never be against you.^{(N) 13} As the old proverb says, ‘Wickedness comes from wicked people.’^(O) My hand will never be against you. ¹⁴ Who has the king of Israel come after? What are you chasing after? A dead dog? A single flea?^{(P) 15} May the Lord be judge and decide between you and me. May he take notice and plead my case and deliver^[h] me from you.”^(Q)

¹⁶ When David finished saying these things to him, Saul replied, “Is that your voice, David my son?” ^(R) Then Saul wept aloud ¹⁷ and said to David, “You are more righteous than I, for you have done what is good to me though I have done what is evil to you.^{(S) 18} You yourself have told me today what good you did for me: when the Lord handed me over to you, you didn’t kill me.^{(T) 19} When a man finds his enemy, does he let him go unharmed?^[i](U) May the Lord repay you with good for what you’ve done for me today.

²⁰ “Now I know for certain you will be king, and the kingdom of Israel will be established^[j] in your hand.^{(V) 21} Therefore swear to me by the Lord that you will not cut off my descendants or wipe out my name from my father’s family.”^{(W) 22} So David swore to Saul. Then Saul went back home, and David and his men went up to the stronghold.^(X)

David, Nabal, and Abigail

25 Samuel died,^(Y) and all Israel assembled to mourn for him,^(Z) and they buried him by his home in Ramah.^(AA) David then went down to the Wilderness of Paran.^[k](AB)

² A man in Maon^(AC) had a business in Carmel;^(AD) he was a very rich man with three thousand sheep and one thousand goats and was shearing his sheep in Carmel. ³ The man’s name was Nabal, and his wife’s name, Abigail. The woman was intelligent and beautiful, but the man, a Calebite,^(AE) was harsh and evil in his dealings.

⁴ While David was in the wilderness, he heard that Nabal was shearing sheep, ⁵ so David sent ten young men instructing them, “Go up to Carmel, and when you come to Nabal, greet him^[l] in my name. ⁶ Then say this: ‘Long life to you,^[m] and peace to you, peace to your family, and peace to all that is yours.^{(AF) 7} I hear that you are shearing.^[n] When your shepherds were with us, we did not harass them, and nothing of theirs was missing the whole time they were in Carmel.^{(AG) 8} Ask your young men, and they will tell you. So let my young men find favor with you, for we have come on a feast^[o] day.^(AH) Please give whatever you have on hand to your servants and to your son David.’”

⁹ David’s young men went and said all these things to Nabal on David’s behalf,^[p] and they waited.^{[q] 10} Nabal asked them, “Who is David?^(AI) Who is Jesse’s son? Many slaves these days are running away from their masters. ¹¹ Am I supposed to take my bread, my water, and my meat that I butchered for my shearers and give them to these men? I don’t know where they are from.”

¹² David’s young men retraced their steps. When they returned to him, they reported all these words. ¹³ He said to his men, “All of you, put on your swords!” So each man put on his sword, and David also put on his sword. About four hundred men followed David while two hundred stayed with the supplies.^(AJ)

¹⁴ One of Nabal’s young men informed Abigail, Nabal’s wife, “Look, David sent messengers from the wilderness to greet our master,^(AK) but he screamed at them. ¹⁵ The men treated us very well. When we were in the field, we weren’t harassed^(AL) and nothing of ours was missing the whole time we were living among them. ¹⁶ They were a wall around us, both day and night,^(AM) the entire time we were with them herding the sheep. ¹⁷ Now consider carefully^[r] what you should do, because there is certain to be trouble for our master and his entire family. He is such a worthless fool nobody can talk to him!”

¹⁸ Abigail hurried, taking two hundred loaves of bread, two clay jars of wine, five butchered sheep, a bushel^[s] of roasted grain, one hundred clusters of raisins, and two hundred cakes of pressed figs, and loaded them on donkeys.^{(AN) 19} Then she said to her male servants, “Go ahead of me. I will be right behind you.”^(AO) But she did not tell her husband, Nabal.

²⁰ As she rode the donkey down a mountain pass hidden from view, she saw David and his men coming toward her and met them. ²¹ David had just said, “I guarded everything that belonged to this man in the wilderness for nothing. He was not missing anything, yet he paid me back evil for good. ²² May God punish me^[t] and do so severely^(AP) if I let any of his males^[u] survive until morning.”^(AQ)

²³ When Abigail saw David, she quickly got off the donkey and knelt down with her face to the ground and paid homage to David.^{(AR) 24} She knelt at his feet and said, “The guilt is mine, my lord, but please let your servant speak to you directly. Listen to the words of your servant. ²⁵ My lord should pay no attention to this worthless fool Nabal, for he lives up to his name:^[v] His name means ‘stupid,’ and stupidity is all he knows.^[w] I, your servant, didn’t see my lord’s young men whom you sent. ²⁶ Now my lord, as surely as the Lord lives and as you yourself live—it is the Lord who kept you from participating in bloodshed and avenging yourself^(AS) by your own hand—may your enemies and those who intend to harm my lord be like Nabal.^{(AT) 27} Let this gift^(AU) your servant has brought to my lord be given to the young men who follow my lord. ²⁸ Please forgive your servant’s offense,^(AV) for the Lord is certain to make a lasting dynasty for my lord^(AW) because he fights the Lord’s battles.^(AX) Throughout your life, may evil^[x] not be found in you.^(AY)

²⁹ “Someone is pursuing you and intends to take your life. My lord’s life is tucked safely in the place^[y] where the Lord your God protects the living, but he is flinging away your enemies’ lives like stones from a sling.^{(AZ) 30} When the Lord does for my lord all the good he promised you and appoints you ruler over Israel,^{(BA) 31} there will not be remorse or a troubled conscience for my lord because of needless bloodshed or my lord’s revenge. And when the Lord does good things for my lord, may you remember me your servant.”^(BB)

³² Then David said to Abigail, “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,^(BC) who sent you to meet me today! ³³ May your discernment be blessed, and may you be blessed. Today you kept me from participating in bloodshed and avenging myself by my own hand.^{(BD) 34} Otherwise, as surely as the Lord God of Israel lives, who prevented me from harming you, if you had not come quickly to meet me, Nabal wouldn’t have had any males^[z] left by morning light.” ³⁵ Then David accepted what she had brought him and said, “Go home in peace.^(BE) See, I have heard what you said and have granted your request.”^(BF)

³⁶ Then Abigail went to Nabal, and there he was in his house, holding a feast fit for a king.^(BG) Nabal’s heart was cheerful,^[aa] and he was very drunk, so she didn’t say anything^[ab] to him^(BH) until morning light.

³⁷ In the morning when Nabal sobered up,^[ac] his wife told him about these events. His heart died^[ad] and he became a stone. ³⁸ About ten days later, the Lord struck Nabal dead.^(BI)

³⁹ When David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, “Blessed be the Lord who championed my cause against Nabal’s insults^(BJ) and restrained his servant from doing evil.^(BK) The Lord brought Nabal’s evil deeds back on his own head.”^(BL)

Then David sent messengers to speak to Abigail about marrying him. ⁴⁰ When David’s servants came to Abigail at Carmel, they said to her, “David sent us to bring you to him as a wife.”

⁴¹ She stood up, paid homage with her face to the ground,^(BM) and said, “Here I am, your servant, a slave to wash the feet of my lord’s servants.”^{(BN) 42} Then Abigail got up quickly, and with her five female servants accompanying her, rode on the donkey following David’s messengers.^(BO) And so she became his wife.

⁴³ David also married Ahinoam of Jezreel,^(BP) and the two of them became his wives. ⁴⁴ But Saul gave his daughter Michal, David’s wife, to Palti^(BQ) son of Laish, who was from Gallim.^(BR)

Jesus at the Festival of Dedication

²² Then the Festival of Dedication took place in Jerusalem, and it was winter. ²³ Jesus was walking in the temple in Solomon’s Colonnade.^{(A) 24} The Jews surrounded him and asked, “How long are you going to keep us in suspense?^[a] If you are the Messiah,^(B) tell us plainly.”^[b](C)

²⁵ “I did tell you and you don’t believe,” Jesus answered them. “The works^(D) that I do in my Father’s name testify about me. ²⁶ But you don’t believe because you are not of my sheep.^{[c](E) 27} My sheep hear my voice, I know them, and they follow me. ²⁸ I give them eternal life,^(F) and they will never perish.^(G) No one will snatch^(H) them out of my hand. ²⁹ My Father,^(I) who has given them to me, is greater than all. No one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. ³⁰ I and the Father are one.”^(J)

Renewed Efforts to Stone Jesus

³¹ Again the Jews picked up rocks to stone him.^(K)

³² Jesus replied, “I have shown you many good works^(L) from the Father. For which of these works are you stoning me?”

³³ “We aren’t stoning^(M) you for a good work,” the Jews answered, “but for blasphemy, because you—being a man—make yourself God.”

³⁴ Jesus answered them, “Isn’t it written in your law,^[d] I said, you are gods?^{[e](N) 35} If he called those to whom the word^(O) of God came ‘gods’—and the Scripture^(P) cannot be broken— ³⁶ do you say, ‘You are blaspheming’ to the one the Father set apart and sent into the world, because I said: I am the Son of God?^{(Q) 37} If I am not doing my Father’s works,^(R) don’t believe me. ³⁸ But if I am doing them and you don’t believe me, believe the works. This way you will know and understand^[f] that the Father is in me and I in the Father.”^{(S) 39} Then they were trying again to seize him,^(T) but he escaped their grasp.^(U)

Many beyond the Jordan Believe in Jesus

⁴⁰ So he departed again across the Jordan^(V) to the place where John^(W) had been baptizing earlier, and he remained there. ⁴¹ Many came to him^(X) and said, “John never did a sign, but everything John said about this man was true.” ⁴² And many believed in him there.

Psalm 116

Thanks to God for Deliverance

Saul’s Increasing Paranoia

22 So David left Gath and took refuge in the cave of Adullam.^(A) When David’s brothers and his father’s whole family heard, they went down and joined him there. ² In addition, every man who was desperate, in debt, or discontented rallied around him, and he became their leader. About four hundred men were with him.^(B)

³ From there David went to Mizpeh of Moab where he said to the king of Moab, “Please let my father and mother stay with you until I know what God will do for me.” ⁴ So he left them in the care of the king of Moab, and they stayed with him the whole time David was in the stronghold.

⁵ Then the prophet Gad^(C) said to David, “Don’t stay in the stronghold. Leave and return to the land of Judah.” So David left and went to the forest of Hereth.

⁶ Saul heard that David and his men had been discovered. At that time Saul was in Gibeah, sitting under the tamarisk tree^(D) at the high place. His spear was in his hand, and all his servants were standing around him. ⁷ Saul said to his servants, “Listen, men of Benjamin: Is Jesse’s son going to give all of you fields and vineyards? Do you think he’ll make all of you commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds?^{(E) 8} That’s why all of you have conspired against me! Nobody tells me when my own son makes a covenant with Jesse’s son.^(F) None of you cares about me^(G) or tells me that my son has stirred up my own servant to wait in ambush for me, as is the case today.”

⁹ Then Doeg the Edomite,^(H) who was in charge of Saul’s servants, answered, “I saw Jesse’s son come to Ahimelech son of Ahitub at Nob.^{(I) 10} Ahimelech inquired of the Lord for him^(J) and gave him provisions.^(K) He also gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine.”^(L)

Slaughter of the Priests

¹¹ The king sent messengers to summon the priest Ahimelech son of Ahitub, and his father’s whole family, who were priests in Nob. All of them came to the king. ¹² Then Saul said, “Listen, son of Ahitub!”

“I’m at your service,^(M) my lord,” he said.

¹³ Saul asked him, “Why did you and Jesse’s son conspire against me? You gave him bread and a sword and inquired of God for him, so he could rise up against me and wait in ambush, as is the case today.”^(N)

¹⁴ Ahimelech replied to the king, “Who among all your servants is as faithful as David?^(O) He is the king’s son-in-law, captain of your bodyguard, and honored in your house. ¹⁵ Was today the first time I inquired of God for him?^(P) Of course not! Please don’t let the king make an accusation against your servant or any of my father’s family, for your servant didn’t have any idea^[a] about all this.”

¹⁶ But the king said, “You will die, Ahimelech—you and your father’s whole family!”

¹⁷ Then the king ordered the guards standing by him, “Turn and kill the priests of the Lord^(Q) because they sided with David. For they knew he was fleeing, but they didn’t tell me.” But the king’s servants would not lift a hand to execute the priests of the Lord.

¹⁸ So the king said to Doeg, “Go and execute the priests!” So Doeg the Edomite went and executed the priests himself. On that day, he killed eighty-five men^(R) who wore linen ephods.^{(S) 19} He also struck down Nob, the city of the priests, with the sword—both men and women, infants and nursing babies, oxen, donkeys, and sheep.^(T)

²⁰ However, one of the sons of Ahimelech son of Ahitub escaped. His name was Abiathar,^(U) and he fled to David.^{(V) 21} Abiathar told David that Saul had killed the priests of the Lord. ²² Then David said to Abiathar, “I knew that Doeg the Edomite^(W) was there that day and that he was sure to report to Saul. I myself am responsible for^[b] the lives of everyone in your father’s family. ²³ Stay with me. Don’t be afraid, for the one who wants to take my life wants to take your life.^(X) You will be safe with me.”

Deliverance at Keilah

23 It was reported to David, “Look, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah^(Y) and raiding the threshing floors.”

² So David inquired of the Lord:^(Z) “Should I launch an attack against these Philistines?”

The Lord answered David, “Launch an attack against the Philistines and rescue Keilah.”

³ But David’s men said to him, “Look, we’re afraid here in Judah; how much more if we go to Keilah against the Philistine forces!”

⁴ Once again, David inquired of the Lord, and the Lord answered him, “Go at once to Keilah, for I will hand the Philistines over to you.”^{(AA) 5} Then David and his men went to Keilah, fought against the Philistines, drove their livestock away, and inflicted heavy losses on them. So David rescued the inhabitants of Keilah. ⁶ Abiathar son of Ahimelech fled to David at Keilah, and he brought an ephod with him.

⁷ When it was reported to Saul that David had gone to Keilah, he said, “God has handed him over to me, for he has trapped himself by entering a town with barred gates.” ⁸ Then Saul summoned all the troops to go to war at Keilah and besiege David and his men.

⁹ When David learned that Saul was plotting evil against him, he said to the priest Abiathar,^(AB) “Bring the ephod.”^(AC)

¹⁰ Then David said, “Lord God of Israel, your servant has reliable information that Saul intends to come to Keilah and destroy the town because of me. ¹¹ Will the citizens of Keilah hand me over to him? Will Saul come down as your servant has heard? Lord God of Israel, please tell your servant.”

The Lord answered, “He will come down.”

¹² Then David asked, “Will the citizens of Keilah hand me and my men over to Saul?”

“They will,”^(AD) the Lord responded.

¹³ So David and his men, numbering about six hundred,^(AE) left Keilah at once and moved from place to place.^(AF) When it was reported to Saul that David had escaped from Keilah, he called off the expedition. ¹⁴ David then stayed in the wilderness strongholds and in the hill country of the Wilderness of Ziph.^(AG) Saul searched for him every day, but God did not hand David over to him.^(AH)

A Renewed Covenant

¹⁵ David was in the Wilderness of Ziph in Horesh when he saw that Saul had come out to take his life. ¹⁶ Then Saul’s son Jonathan came to David in Horesh and encouraged him in his faith^[c] in God,^{(AI) 17} saying, “Don’t be afraid, for my father Saul will never lay a hand on you. You yourself will be king over Israel,^(AJ) and I’ll be your second-in-command. Even my father Saul knows it is true.”^{(AK) 18} Then the two of them made a covenant in the Lord’s presence.^(AL) Afterward, David remained in Horesh, while Jonathan went home.

David’s Narrow Escape

¹⁹ Some Ziphites^(AM) came up to Saul at Gibeah and said, “Isn’t it true that David is hiding among us in the strongholds in Horesh on the hill of Hachilah south of Jeshimon? ²⁰ So now, whenever the king wants to come down, let him come down. As for us, we will be glad to hand him over to the king.”^(AN)

²¹ “May you be blessed by the Lord,” replied Saul, “for you have shown concern for me.^{(AO) 22} Go and check again. Investigate^[d] where he goes^[e] and who has seen him there; they tell me he is extremely cunning. ²³ Investigate^[f] all the places where he hides. Then come back to me with accurate information, and I’ll go with you. If it turns out he really is in the region, I’ll search for him among all the clans^[g] of Judah.” ²⁴ So they went to Ziph ahead of Saul.

Now David and his men were in the wilderness near Maon^(AP) in the Arabah south of Jeshimon, ²⁵ and Saul and his men went to look for him. When David was told about it, he went down to the rock and stayed in the Wilderness of Maon. Saul heard of this and pursued David there.

²⁶ Saul went along one side of the mountain and David and his men went along the other side. Even though David was hurrying to get away from Saul, Saul and his men were closing in on David and his men to capture them.^{(AQ) 27} Then a messenger came to Saul saying, “Come quickly, because the Philistines have raided the land!” ²⁸ So Saul broke off his pursuit of David and went to engage the Philistines. Therefore, that place was named the Rock of Separation. ²⁹ From there David went up and stayed in the strongholds of En-gedi.^(AR)

The Good Shepherd

10 “Truly I tell you, anyone who doesn’t enter the sheep pen by the gate but climbs in some other way is a thief and a robber.^{(A) 2} The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd^(B) of the sheep.^{(C) 3} The gatekeeper opens it for him, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. ⁴ When he has brought all his own outside, he goes ahead of them. The sheep follow him because they know his voice. ⁵ They will never follow a stranger; instead they will run away from him, because they don’t know the voice of strangers.” ⁶ Jesus gave them this figure of speech, but they did not understand^(D) what he was telling them.

⁷ Jesus said again, “Truly I tell you, I am^(E) the gate for the sheep.^{(F) 8} All who came before me^[a] are thieves and robbers, but the sheep didn’t listen to them. ⁹ I am the gate. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will come in and go out and find pasture. ¹⁰ A thief comes only to steal^(G) and kill and destroy.^(H) I have come so that they may have life and have it in abundance.

¹¹ “I am the good shepherd.^(I) The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.^{(J) 12} The hired hand, since he is not the shepherd and doesn’t own the sheep, leaves them^[b] and runs away when he sees a wolf^(K) coming. The wolf then snatches and scatters them. ¹³ This happens because he is a hired hand and doesn’t care about the sheep.

¹⁴ “I am the good shepherd. I know my own, and my own know me, ¹⁵ just as the Father knows me, and I know the Father.^(L) I lay down my life^(M) for the sheep. ¹⁶ But I have other sheep^(N) that are not from this sheep pen; I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. Then there will be one flock, one shepherd.^{(O) 17} This is why the Father loves me,^(P) because I lay down my life^(Q) so that I may take it up again. ¹⁸ No one takes it from me, but I lay it down on my own. I have the right to lay it down, and I have the right to take it up again. I have received this command from my Father.”^(R)

¹⁹ Again the Jews were divided^(S) because of these words. ²⁰ Many of them were saying, “He has a demon^(T) and he’s crazy. Why do you listen to him?” ²¹ Others were saying, “These aren’t the words of someone who is demon-possessed. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?” ^(U)

Psalm 115

Glory to God Alone

Jonathan Protects David

20 David fled from Naioth in Ramah and came to Jonathan and asked, “What have I done?^(A) What did I do wrong? How have I sinned against your father so that he wants to take my life?”

² Jonathan said to him, “No, you won’t die. Listen, my father doesn’t do anything, great or small, without telling me. So why would he hide this matter from me? This can’t be true.”

³ But David said, “Your father certainly knows that I have found favor with you. He has said, ‘Jonathan must not know of this, or else he will be grieved.’” David also swore, “As surely as the Lord lives and as you yourself live, there is but a step between me and death.”^(B)

⁴ Jonathan said to David, “Whatever you say, I will do for you.”

⁵ So David told him, “Look, tomorrow is the New Moon,^(C) and I’m supposed to sit down and eat with the king.^(D) Instead, let me go, and I’ll hide in the countryside for the next two nights.^{[a](E) 6} If your father misses me at all, say, ‘David urgently requested my permission to go quickly to his hometown, Bethlehem,^(F) for an annual sacrifice^(G) there involving the whole clan.’ ⁷ If he says, ‘Good,’ then your servant is safe, but if he becomes angry, you will know he has evil intentions. ⁸ Deal kindly with^[b] your servant, for you have brought me into a covenant with you before the Lord.^(H) If I have done anything wrong,^(I) then kill me yourself; why take me to your father?”

⁹ “No!” Jonathan responded. “If I ever find out my father has evil intentions against you, wouldn’t I tell you about it?”

¹⁰ So David asked Jonathan, “Who will tell me if your father answers you harshly?”

¹¹ He answered David, “Come on, let’s go out to the countryside.” So both of them went out to the countryside. ¹² “By the Lord, the God of Israel, I will sound out my father by this time tomorrow or the next day. If I find out that he is favorable toward you, will I not send for you and tell you? ¹³ If my father intends to bring evil on you, may the Lord punish Jonathan and do so severely^(J) if I do not tell you and send you away so you may leave safely. May the Lord be with you,^(K) just as he was with my father. ¹⁴ If I continue to live, show me kindness^[c] from the Lord, but if I die, ¹⁵ don’t ever withdraw your kindness from my household—not even when the Lord cuts off every one of David’s enemies from the face of the earth.”^{(L) 16} Then Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David,^(M) saying, “May the Lord hold David’s enemies accountable.”^{[d](N) 17} Jonathan once again swore to David^[e] in his love for him, because he loved him as he loved himself.^(O)

¹⁸ Then Jonathan said to him, “Tomorrow is the New Moon;^(P) you’ll be missed because your seat will be empty. ¹⁹ The following day hurry down and go to the place where you hid on the day this incident began and stay beside the rock Ezel. ²⁰ I will shoot three arrows beside it as if I’m aiming at a target. ²¹ Then I will send a servant and say, ‘Go and find the arrows!’ Now, if I expressly say to the servant, ‘Look, the arrows are on this side of you—get them,’ then come, because as the Lord lives, it is safe for you and there is no problem. ²² But if I say this to the youth, ‘Look, the arrows are beyond you!’ ^(Q) then go, for the Lord is sending you away. ²³ As for the matter you and I have spoken about,^(R) the Lord will be a witness^[f] between you and me forever.”^{(S) 24} So David hid in the countryside.

At the New Moon, the king sat down to eat the meal. ²⁵ He sat at his usual place on the seat by the wall. Jonathan sat facing him^[g] and Abner took his place beside Saul, but David’s place was empty.^{(T) 26} Saul did not say anything that day because he thought, “Something unexpected has happened; he must be ceremonially unclean—yes, that’s it, he is unclean.”^(U)

²⁷ However, the day after the New Moon, the second day, David’s place was still empty, and Saul asked his son Jonathan, “Why didn’t Jesse’s son come to the meal either yesterday or today?”

²⁸ Jonathan answered, “David asked for my permission to go to Bethlehem.^{(V) 29} He said, ‘Please let me go because our clan is holding a sacrifice in the town, and my brother has told me to be there. So now, if I have found favor with you, let me go so I can see my brothers.’ That’s why he didn’t come to the king’s table.”

³⁰ Then Saul became angry with Jonathan and shouted, “You son of a perverse and rebellious woman! Don’t I know that you are siding with Jesse’s son to your own shame and to the disgrace of your mother?^{[h] 31} Every day Jesse’s son lives on earth you and your kingship are not secure. Now send for him and bring him to me—he must die!” ^(W)

³² Jonathan answered his father back, “Why is he to be killed? What has he done?” ^(X)

³³ Then Saul threw his spear at Jonathan to kill him,^(Y) so he knew that his father was determined to kill David.^{(Z) 34} He got up from the table fiercely angry and did not eat any food that second day of the New Moon, for he was grieved because of his father’s shameful behavior toward David.

³⁵ In the morning Jonathan went out to the countryside for the appointed meeting with David. A young servant was with him. ³⁶ He said to the servant, “Run and find the arrows I’m shooting.”^(AA) As the servant ran, Jonathan shot an arrow beyond him. ³⁷ He came to the location of the arrow that Jonathan had shot, but Jonathan called to him and said, “The arrow is beyond you, isn’t it?” ^{(AB) 38} Then Jonathan called to him, “Hurry up and don’t stop!” Jonathan’s servant picked up the arrow and returned to his master. ³⁹ He did not know anything; only Jonathan and David knew the arrangement. ⁴⁰ Then Jonathan gave his equipment to the servant who was with him and said, “Go, take it back to the city.”

⁴¹ When the servant had gone, David got up from the south side of the stone Ezel, fell facedown to the ground, and paid homage three times.^(AC) Then he and Jonathan kissed each other and wept with each other, though David wept more.^(AD)

⁴² Jonathan then said to David, “Go in the assurance the two of us pledged in the name of the Lord when we said, ‘The Lord will be a witness between you and me and between my offspring and your offspring forever.’”^(AE) Then David left, and Jonathan went into the city.

David Flees to Nob

21 David went to the priest Ahimelech^(AF) at Nob.^(AG) Ahimelech was afraid to meet David, so he said to him, “Why are you alone and no one is with you?”

² David answered the priest Ahimelech, “The king gave me a mission, but he told me, ‘Don’t let anyone know anything about the mission I’m sending you on or what I have ordered you to do.’ I have stationed my young men at a certain place. ³ Now what do you have on hand? Give me five loaves of bread or whatever can be found.”

⁴ The priest told him, “There is no ordinary bread on hand. However, there is consecrated bread,^(AH) but the young men may eat it^[i] only if they have kept themselves from women.”^(AI)

⁵ David answered him, “I swear that women are being kept from us, as always when I go out to battle.^(AJ) The young men’s bodies^[j] are consecrated^(AK) even on an ordinary mission, so of course their bodies are consecrated today.” ⁶ So the priest gave him the consecrated bread,^(AL) for there was no bread there except the Bread of the Presence^(AM) that had been removed from the presence of the Lord. When the bread was removed, it had been replaced with warm bread.

⁷ One of Saul’s servants, detained before the Lord, was there that day. His name was Doeg the Edomite,^(AN) chief of Saul’s shepherds.

⁸ David said to Ahimelech, “Do you have a spear or sword on hand? I didn’t even bring my sword or my weapons since the king’s mission was urgent.”

⁹ The priest replied, “The sword of Goliath the Philistine,^(AO) whom you killed in the Valley of Elah, is here, wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod. If you want to take it for yourself, then take it, for there isn’t another one here.”

“There’s none like it!” David said. “Give it to me.”

David Flees to Gath

¹⁰ David fled that day from Saul’s presence and went to King Achish of Gath.^{(AP) 11} But Achish’s servants said to him, “Isn’t this David, the king of the land? Don’t they sing about him during their dances:

¹² David took this to heart and became very afraid of King Achish of Gath, ¹³ so he pretended to be insane in their presence.^(AR) He acted like a madman around them,^[k] scribbling^[l] on the doors of the city gate and letting saliva run down his beard.

¹⁴ “Look! You can see the man is crazy,” Achish said to his servants. “Why did you bring him to me? ¹⁵ Do I have such a shortage of crazy people that you brought this one to act crazy around me? Is this one going to come into my house?” ^(AS)

The Sixth Sign: Healing a Man Born Blind

9 As he was passing by, he saw a man blind from birth. ² His disciples asked him, “Rabbi,^(A) who sinned, this man^(B) or his parents,^(C) that he was born blind?”

³ “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” Jesus answered. “This came about so that God’s works^(D) might be displayed in him. ⁴ We^[a] must do the works^(E) of him who sent me^[b] while it is day.^(F) Night is coming when no one can work. ⁵ As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”^(G)

⁶ After he said these things he spit on the ground, made some mud^(H) from the saliva, and spread the mud on his eyes. ⁷ “Go,” he told him, “wash in the pool of Siloam”^(I) (which means “Sent”). So he left, washed, and came back seeing.^(J)

⁸ His neighbors and those who had seen him before as a beggar said, “Isn’t this the one who used to sit begging?” ⁹ Some said, “He’s the one.” Others were saying, “No, but he looks like him.”

He kept saying, “I’m the one.”

¹⁰ So they asked him, “Then how were your eyes opened?”

¹¹ He answered, “The man called Jesus made mud, spread it on my eyes, and told me, ‘Go to Siloam^(K) and wash.’ So when I went and washed I received my sight.”^(L)

¹² “Where is he?” they asked.

“I don’t know,” he said.

The Healed Man’s Testimony

¹³ They brought the man who used to be blind to the Pharisees.^{(M) 14} The day that Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes was a Sabbath.^{(N) 15} Then the Pharisees asked him again how he received his sight.

“He put mud on my eyes,” he told them. “I washed and I can see.”

¹⁶ Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God,^(O) because he doesn’t keep the Sabbath.” But others were saying, “How can a sinful man^(P) perform such signs?” And there was a division^(Q) among them.

¹⁷ Again they asked the blind man, “What do you say about him, since he opened your eyes?”

“He’s a prophet,”^(R) he said.

¹⁸ The Jews did not believe this about him—that he was blind and received sight—until they summoned the parents of the one who had received his sight.

¹⁹ They asked them, “Is this your son, the one you say was born blind? How then does he now see?”

²⁰ “We know this is our son and that he was born blind,” his parents answered. ²¹ “But we don’t know how he now sees, and we don’t know who opened his eyes. Ask him; he’s of age. He will speak for himself.” ²² His parents said these things because they were afraid of the Jews, since the Jews had already agreed that if anyone confessed him as the Messiah,^(S) he would be banned from the synagogue. ²³ This is why his parents said, “He’s of age; ask him.”

²⁴ So a second time they summoned the man who had been blind and told him, “Give glory^(T) to God.^(U) We know that this man is a sinner.”

²⁵ He answered, “Whether or not he’s a sinner, I don’t know. One thing I do know: I was blind, and now I can see!”

²⁶ Then they asked him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?”

²⁷ “I already told you,” he said, “and you didn’t listen. Why do you want to hear it again? You don’t want to become his disciples too, do you?”

²⁸ They ridiculed him: “You’re that man’s disciple, but we’re Moses’s^(V) disciples. ²⁹ We know that God has spoken to Moses. But this man—we don’t know where he’s from.”^(W)

³⁰ “This is an amazing thing!” the man told them. “You don’t know where he is from, and yet he opened my eyes. ³¹ We know that God doesn’t listen to sinners,^(X) but if anyone is God-fearing and does his will,^(Y) he listens to him.^{(Z) 32} Throughout history^[c] no one has ever heard of someone opening the eyes of a person born blind.^{(AA) 33} If this man were not from God, he wouldn’t be able to do anything.”^(AB)

³⁴ “You were born entirely in sin,”^(AC) they replied, “and are you trying to teach us?” Then they threw him out.^(AD)

Spiritual Blindness

³⁵ Jesus heard that they had thrown the man out, and when he found him, he asked, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?”^[d](AE)

³⁶ “Who is he, Sir,^(AF) that I may believe in him?” he asked.

³⁷ Jesus answered, “You have seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you.”

³⁸ “I believe, Lord!” he said, and he worshiped him.

³⁹ Jesus said, “I came into this world^(AG) for judgment,^(AH) in order that those who do not see will see and those who do see will become blind.”^(AI)

⁴⁰ Some of the Pharisees who were with him heard these things and asked him, “We aren’t blind too, are we?”

⁴¹ “If you were blind,” Jesus told them, “you wouldn’t have sin.^(AJ) But now that you say, ‘We see,’ your sin remains.

Psalm 113

Praise to the Merciful God

Psalm 114

God’s Deliverance of Israel

⁵ David marched out with the army and was successful in everything Saul sent him to do. Saul put him in command of the fighting men, which pleased all the people and Saul’s servants as well.

⁶ As the troops were coming back, when David was returning from killing the Philistine, the women came out from all the cities of Israel to meet King Saul,^(A) singing and dancing with tambourines, with shouts of joy, and with three-stringed instruments. ⁷ As they danced, the women sang:

⁸ Saul was furious and resented this song. “They credited tens of thousands to David,” he complained, “but they only credited me with thousands. What more can he have but the kingdom?” ^{(C) 9} So Saul watched David jealously from that day forward.

Saul Attempts to Kill David

¹⁰ The next day an evil spirit sent from God came powerfully on Saul,^(D) and he began to rave^[a] inside the palace. David was playing the lyre as usual,^(E) but Saul was holding a spear,^{(F) 11} and he threw it, thinking, “I’ll pin David to the wall.”^(G) But David got away from him twice.

¹² Saul was afraid of David,^(H) because the Lord was with David^(I) but had left Saul.^{(J) 13} Therefore, Saul sent David away from him and made him commander over a thousand men. David led the troops^{(K) 14} and continued to be successful in all his activities because the Lord was with him.^{(L) 15} When Saul observed that David was very successful, he dreaded him. ¹⁶ But all Israel and Judah loved David^(M) because he was leading their troops. ¹⁷ Saul told David, “Here is my oldest daughter Merab. I’ll give her to you as a wife^(N) if you will be a warrior for me and fight the Lord’s battles.”^(O) But Saul was thinking, “I don’t need to raise a hand against him; let the hand of the Philistines be against him.”^(P)

¹⁸ Then David responded, “Who am I,^(Q) and what is my family or my father’s clan in Israel that I should become the king’s son-in-law?” ¹⁹ When it was time to give Saul’s daughter Merab to David, she was given to Adriel the Meholathite as a wife.^(R)

David’s Marriage to Michal

²⁰ Now Saul’s daughter Michal^(S) loved David, and when it was reported to Saul, it pleased him. ²¹ “I’ll give her to him,” Saul thought. “She’ll be a trap for him, and the hand of the Philistines will be against him.”^(T) So Saul said to David a second time, “You can now be my son-in-law.”^(U)

²² Saul then ordered his servants, “Speak to David in private and tell him, ‘Look, the king is pleased with you, and all his servants love you. Therefore, you should become the king’s son-in-law.’”

²³ Saul’s servants reported these words directly to David, but he replied, “Is it trivial in your sight to become the king’s son-in-law? I am a poor commoner.”^(V)

²⁴ The servants reported back to Saul, “These are the words David spoke.”

²⁵ Then Saul replied, “Say this to David: ‘The king desires no other bride-price^(W) except a hundred Philistine foreskins, to take revenge on his enemies.’”^(X) Actually, Saul intended to cause David’s death at the hands of the Philistines.^(Y)

²⁶ When the servants reported these terms to David, he was pleased to become the king’s son-in-law. Before the wedding day arrived, ²⁷ David and his men went out and killed two hundred^[b] Philistines. He brought their foreskins and presented them as full payment to the king to become his son-in-law. Then Saul gave his daughter Michal to David as his wife.^{(Z) 28} Saul realized^[c] that the Lord was with David and that his daughter Michal loved him, ²⁹ and he became even more afraid of David. As a result, Saul was David’s enemy from then on.

³⁰ Every time the Philistine commanders came out to fight,^(AA) David was more successful than all of Saul’s officers.^(AB) So his name became well known.

David Delivered from Saul

19 Saul ordered his son Jonathan and all his servants to kill David.^(AC) But Saul’s son Jonathan liked David very much,^{(AD) 2} so he told him, “My father, Saul, intends to kill you. Be on your guard in the morning and hide in a secret place and stay there. ³ I’ll go out and stand beside my father in the field where you are and talk to him about you. When I see what he says, I’ll tell you.”^(AE)

⁴ Jonathan spoke well of David to his father, Saul. He said to him, “The king should not sin against his servant David.^(AF) He hasn’t sinned against you; in fact, his actions have been a great advantage to you. ⁵ He took his life in his hands when he struck down the Philistine,^(AG) and the Lord brought about a great victory for all Israel.^(AH) You saw it and rejoiced, so why would you sin against innocent blood by killing David for no reason?” ^(AI)

⁶ Saul listened to Jonathan’s advice and swore an oath: “As surely as the Lord lives, David will not be killed.” ⁷ So Jonathan summoned David and told him all these words. Then Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he served him as he did before.^(AJ)

⁸ When war broke out again, David went out and fought against the Philistines. He defeated them with such great force that they fled from him.

⁹ Now an evil spirit sent from the Lord^(AK) came on Saul as he was sitting in his palace holding a spear.^(AL) David was playing the lyre,^{(AM) 10} and Saul tried to pin David to the wall with the spear.^(AN) As the spear struck the wall, David eluded Saul, ran away, and escaped that night. ¹¹ Saul sent agents to David’s house to watch for him and kill him in the morning.^(AO) But his wife Michal^(AP) warned David, “If you don’t escape tonight, you will be dead tomorrow!” ¹² So she lowered David from the window, and he fled and escaped.^{(AQ) 13} Then Michal took the household idol and put it on the bed, placed some goat hair on its head, and covered it with a garment. ¹⁴ When Saul sent agents to seize David, Michal said, “He’s sick.”^(AR)

¹⁵ Saul sent the agents back to see David and said, “Bring him on his bed so I can kill him.” ¹⁶ When the agents arrived, to their surprise, the household idol was on the bed with some goat hair on its head.

¹⁷ Saul asked Michal, “Why did you deceive me like this? You sent my enemy away, and he has escaped!”

She answered him, “He said to me, ‘Let me go! Why should I kill you?’”

¹⁸ So David fled and escaped and went to Samuel at Ramah^(AS) and told him everything Saul had done to him. Then he and Samuel left and stayed at Naioth.^(AT)

¹⁹ When it was reported to Saul that David was at Naioth in Ramah, ²⁰ he sent agents to seize David.^(AU) However, when they saw the group of prophets prophesying^(AV) with Samuel leading them, the Spirit of God came on Saul’s agents, and they also started prophesying. ²¹ When they reported to Saul, he sent other agents, and they also began prophesying.^(AW) So Saul tried again and sent a third group of agents, and even they began prophesying. ²² Then Saul himself went to Ramah. He came to the large cistern at Secu and asked, “Where are Samuel and David?”

“At Naioth in Ramah,” someone said.

²³ So he went to Naioth in Ramah. The Spirit of God also came on him,^(AX) and as he walked along, he prophesied until he entered Naioth in Ramah. ²⁴ Saul then removed his clothes and also prophesied before Samuel; he collapsed and lay naked^(AY) all that day and all that night. That is why they say, “Is Saul also among the prophets?” ^(AZ)

³¹ Then Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you continue in my word,^[a](A) you really are my disciples. ³² You will know the truth,^(B) and the truth will set you free.”

³³ “We are descendants^[b] of Abraham,”^(C) they answered him, “and we have never been enslaved to anyone. How can you say, ‘You will become free’?”

³⁴ Jesus responded, “Truly I tell you, everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin.^{(D) 35} A slave does not remain in the household forever,^(E) but a son does remain forever.^{(F) 36} So if the Son sets you free, you really will be free. ³⁷ I know you are descendants of Abraham,^(G) but you are trying to kill me because my word has no place among you. ³⁸ I speak what I have seen^(H) in the presence of the Father; ^[c](I) so then, you do what you have heard from your father.”

³⁹ “Our father is Abraham,” they replied.

“If you were Abraham’s children,” Jesus told them, “you would do what Abraham did.^{(J) 40} But now you are trying to kill me, a man who has told you the truth^(K) that I heard from God. Abraham did not do this. ⁴¹ You’re doing what your father does.”^(L)

“We weren’t born^(M) of sexual immorality,”^(N) they said. “We have one Father—God.”^(O)

⁴² Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me,^(P) because I came from God^(Q) and I am here. For I didn’t come on my own, but he sent me. ⁴³ Why don’t you understand what I say? Because you cannot listen to^[d] my word.^{(R) 44} You are of your father the devil,^(S) and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer^(T) from the beginning^(U) and does not stand in the truth,^(V) because there is no truth in him. When he tells a lie, he speaks from his own nature,^[e] because he is a liar and the father of lies. ⁴⁵ Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe me. ⁴⁶ Who among you can convict me of sin?^(W) If I am telling the truth, why don’t you believe me? ⁴⁷ The one who is from God listens to God’s words. This is why you don’t listen, because you are not from God.”

Jesus and Abraham

⁴⁸ The Jews responded to him, “Aren’t we right in saying that you’re a Samaritan^(X) and have a demon?” ^(Y)

⁴⁹ “I do not have a demon,” Jesus answered. “On the contrary, I honor my Father and you dishonor me. ⁵⁰ I do not seek my own glory; ^(Z) there is one who seeks it and judges. ⁵¹ Truly I tell you, if anyone keeps my word,^(AA) he will never see death.”

⁵² Then the Jews said, “Now we know you have a demon. Abraham died and so did the prophets. You say, ‘If anyone keeps my word, he will never taste death.’ ⁵³ Are you greater than our father Abraham who died? And the prophets died. Who do you claim to be?”

⁵⁴ “If I glorify myself,” Jesus answered, “my glory is nothing. My Father—about whom you say, ‘He is our God’—he is the one who glorifies me. ⁵⁵ You do not know him, but I know him. If I were to say I don’t know him,^(AB) I would be a liar like you. But I do know him,^(AC) and I keep his word. ⁵⁶ Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day; he saw it^(AD) and was glad.”

⁵⁷ The Jews replied, “You aren’t fifty years old yet, and you’ve seen Abraham?” ^[f]

⁵⁸ Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, before Abraham was, I am.”^(AE)

⁵⁹ So they picked up stones^(AF) to throw at him.^(AG) But Jesus was hidden^[g](AH) and went out of the temple.^[h](AI)

Psalm 112

The Traits of the Righteous

David versus Goliath

17 The Philistines^(A) gathered their forces for war at Socoh in Judah and camped between Socoh^(B) and Azekah^(C) in Ephes-dammim.^{(D) 2} Saul and the men of Israel gathered and camped in the Valley of Elah;^(E) then they lined up in battle formation to face the Philistines.

³ The Philistines were standing on one hill, and the Israelites were standing on another hill with a ravine between them. ⁴ Then a champion named Goliath, from Gath,^(F) came out from the Philistine camp. He was nine feet, nine inches^[a][b] tall ⁵ and wore a bronze helmet and bronze scale armor that weighed one hundred twenty-five pounds.^{[c] 6} There was bronze armor on his shins, and a bronze javelin^(G) was slung between his shoulders. ⁷ His spear shaft^(H) was like a weaver’s beam, and the iron point of his spear weighed fifteen pounds.^[d] In addition, a shield-bearer^(I) was walking in front of him.

⁸ He stood and shouted to the Israelite battle formations, “Why do you come out to line up in battle formation?” He asked them, “Am I not a Philistine and are you not servants of Saul?^(J) Choose one of your men and have him come down against me. ⁹ If he wins in a fight against me and kills me, we will be your servants. But if I win against him and kill him, then you will be our servants and serve us.”^{(K) 10} Then the Philistine said, “I defy the ranks of Israel today.^(L) Send me a man so we can fight each other!” ¹¹ When Saul and all Israel heard these words from the Philistine, they lost their courage and were terrified.

¹² Now David was the son of the Ephrathite^(M) from Bethlehem of Judah named Jesse. Jesse had eight sons^(N) and during Saul’s reign was already an old man. ¹³ Jesse’s three oldest sons had followed Saul to the war, and their names^(O) were Eliab, the firstborn, Abinadab, the next, and Shammah, the third, ¹⁴ and David was the youngest.^(P) The three oldest had followed Saul, ¹⁵ but David kept going back and forth from Saul^(Q) to tend his father’s flock in Bethlehem.

¹⁶ Every morning and evening for forty days the Philistine came forward and took his stand. ¹⁷ One day Jesse had told his son David, “Take this half-bushel^[e] of roasted grain along with these ten loaves of bread^(R) for your brothers and hurry to their camp. ¹⁸ Also take these ten portions of cheese to the field commander.^[f] Check on the well-being of your brothers^(S) and bring a confirmation from them. ¹⁹ They are with Saul and all the men of Israel in the Valley of Elah fighting with the Philistines.”

²⁰ So David got up early in the morning, left the flock with someone to keep it, loaded up, and set out as Jesse had charged him.

He arrived at the perimeter of the camp^(T) as the army was marching out to its battle formation shouting their battle cry. ²¹ Israel and the Philistines lined up in battle formation facing each other. ²² David left his supplies in the care of the quartermaster^(U) and ran to the battle line. When he arrived, he asked his brothers how they were. ²³ While he was speaking with them, suddenly the champion named Goliath, the Philistine from Gath, came forward from the Philistine battle line and shouted his usual words,^(V) which David heard. ²⁴ When all the Israelite men saw Goliath, they retreated from him terrified.

²⁵ Previously, an Israelite man had declared, “Do you see this man who keeps coming out? He comes to defy Israel. The king will make the man who kills him very rich and will give him his daughter.^(W) The king will also make the family of that man’s father exempt from paying taxes in Israel.”^(X)

²⁶ David spoke to the men who were standing with him: “What will be done for the man who kills that Philistine and removes this disgrace from Israel?^(Y) Just who is this uncircumcised Philistine^(Z) that he should defy the armies^(AA) of the living God?” ^(AB)

²⁷ The troops told him about the offer, concluding, “That is what will be done for the man who kills him.”^(AC)

²⁸ David’s oldest brother Eliab listened as he spoke to the men, and he became angry with him.^(AD) “Why did you come down here?” he asked. “Who did you leave those few sheep with in the wilderness? I know your arrogance and your evil heart—you came down to see the battle!”

²⁹ “What have I done now?” protested David. “It was just a question.” ³⁰ Then he turned from those beside him to others in front of him and asked about the offer. The people gave him the same answer as before.^(AE)

³¹ What David said was overheard and reported to Saul, so he had David brought to him. ³² David said to Saul, “Don’t let anyone be discouraged by him;^(AF) your servant will go^(AG) and fight this Philistine!”

³³ But Saul replied, “You can’t go fight this Philistine. You’re just a youth, and he’s been a warrior since he was young.”

³⁴ David answered Saul, “Your servant has been tending his father’s sheep. Whenever a lion or a bear came and carried off a lamb from the flock, ³⁵ I went after it, struck it down, and rescued the lamb from its mouth.^(AH) If it reared up against me, I would grab it by its fur,^[g] strike it down, and kill it. ³⁶ Your servant has killed lions and bears; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, for he has defied the armies of the living God.” ³⁷ Then David said, “The Lord who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine.”^(AI)

Saul said to David, “Go, and may the Lord be with you.”^(AJ)

³⁸ Then Saul had his own military clothes put on David. He put a bronze helmet on David’s head and had him put on armor. ³⁹ David strapped his sword on over the military clothes and tried to walk, but he was not used to them. “I can’t walk in these,” David said to Saul, “I’m not used to them.” So David took them off. ⁴⁰ Instead, he took his staff in his hand^(AK) and chose five smooth stones from the wadi and put them in the pouch, in his shepherd’s bag. Then, with his sling in his hand, he approached the Philistine.

⁴¹ The Philistine came closer and closer to David, with the shield-bearer in front of him. ⁴² When the Philistine looked and saw David, he despised him^(AL) because he was just a youth, healthy^[h](AM) and handsome. ⁴³ He said to David, “Am I a dog^(AN) that you come against me with sticks?” ^[i] Then he cursed David by his gods.^{(AO) 44} “Come here,” the Philistine called to David, “and I’ll give your flesh to the birds of the sky and the wild beasts!” ^(AP)

⁴⁵ David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with a sword, spear, and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord of Armies, the God of the ranks of Israel—you have defied him.^{(AQ) 46} Today, the Lord will hand you over to me. Today, I’ll strike you down, remove your head, and give the corpses^[j] of the Philistine camp to the birds of the sky and the wild creatures of the earth. Then all the world will know that Israel has a God,^{(AR) 47} and this whole assembly will know that it is not by sword or by spear that the Lord saves,^(AS) for the battle is the Lord’s.^(AT) He will hand you over to us.”

⁴⁸ When the Philistine started forward to attack him, David ran quickly to the battle line to meet the Philistine.^{(AU) 49} David put his hand in the bag, took out a stone, slung it, and hit the Philistine on his forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell facedown to the ground. ⁵⁰ David defeated the Philistine with a sling and a stone. David overpowered the Philistine and killed him without having a sword. ⁵¹ David ran and stood over him. He grabbed the Philistine’s sword,^(AV) pulled it from its sheath, and used it to kill him. Then he cut off his head. When the Philistines saw that their hero was dead, they fled.^{(AW) 52} The men of Israel and Judah rallied, shouting their battle cry, and chased the Philistines to the entrance of the valley and to the gates of Ekron.^[k](AX) Philistine bodies were strewn all along the Shaaraim road^(AY) to Gath and Ekron.

⁵³ When the Israelites returned from the pursuit of the Philistines, they plundered their camps. ⁵⁴ David took Goliath’s^[l] head and brought it to Jerusalem, but he put Goliath’s weapons in his own tent.

^55 [m] When Saul had seen David going out to confront the Philistine, he asked Abner the commander of the army, “Whose son is this youth, Abner?” ^(AZ)

“Your Majesty, as surely as you live, I don’t know,” Abner replied.

⁵⁶ The king said, “Find out whose son this young man is!”

⁵⁷ When David returned from killing the Philistine, Abner took him and brought him before Saul with the Philistine’s head still in his hand.^{(BA) 58} Saul said to him, “Whose son are you, young man?”

“The son of your servant Jesse of Bethlehem,”^(BB) David answered.

David’s Success

18 When David had finished speaking with Saul, Jonathan was bound to David in close friendship,^[n] and loved him as much as he loved himself.^{(BC) 2} Saul kept David with him from that day on and did not let him return to his father’s house.

³ Jonathan made a covenant with David^(BD) because he loved him as much as himself. ⁴ Then Jonathan removed the robe he was wearing and gave it to David,^(BE) along with his military tunic, his sword, his bow, and his belt.

Jesus Predicts His Departure

²¹ Then he said to them again, “I’m going away; ^(A) you will look for me, and you will die in your sin.^(B) Where I’m going, you cannot come.”^(C)

²² So the Jews said again, “He won’t kill himself, will he, since he says, ‘Where I’m going, you cannot come’^(D)?”

²³ “You are from below,” he told them, “I am from above.^(E) You are of this world; ^(F) I am not of this world.^{(G) 24} Therefore I told you that you will die in your sins. For if you do not believe that I am he, you will die in your sins.”

²⁵ “Who are you?” they questioned.

“Exactly what I’ve been telling you from the very beginning,” Jesus told them. ²⁶ “I have many things to say and to judge about you, but the one who sent me^(H) is true, and what I have heard from him—these things I tell the world.”^(I)

²⁷ They did not know he was speaking to them about the Father. ²⁸ So Jesus said to them, “When you lift up the Son of Man,^(J) then you will know that I am^(K) he, and that I do nothing on my own.^(L) But just as the Father taught me, I say these things. ²⁹ The one who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone,^(M) because I always do what pleases him.”

Truth and Freedom

³⁰ As he was saying these things, many believed in him.

Psalm 111

Praise for the Lord’s Works

The Lord Rejects Saul as King

15 Samuel said to Saul, “I am the one the Lord sent to anoint^(A) you king over his people Israel; so listen now to the message from the Lord. ² This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘I will punish the Amalekites^(B) for what they did to Israel when they waylaid them as they came up from Egypt. ³ Now go, attack the Amalekites and totally^(C) destroy^[a] all that belongs to them. Do not spare them; put to death men and women, children and infants, cattle and sheep, camels and donkeys.’”

⁴ So Saul summoned the men and mustered them at Telaim—two hundred thousand foot soldiers and ten thousand from Judah. ⁵ Saul went to the city of Amalek and set an ambush in the ravine. ⁶ Then he said to the Kenites,^(D) “Go away, leave the Amalekites so that I do not destroy you along with them; for you showed kindness to all the Israelites when they came up out of Egypt.” So the Kenites moved away from the Amalekites.

⁷ Then Saul attacked the Amalekites^(E) all the way from Havilah to Shur,^(F) near the eastern border of Egypt. ⁸ He took Agag^(G) king of the Amalekites alive,^(H) and all his people he totally destroyed with the sword. ⁹ But Saul and the army spared^(I) Agag and the best of the sheep and cattle, the fat calves^[b] and lambs—everything that was good. These they were unwilling to destroy completely, but everything that was despised and weak they totally destroyed.

¹⁰ Then the word of the Lord came to Samuel: ¹¹ “I regret^(J) that I have made Saul king, because he has turned^(K) away from me and has not carried out my instructions.”^(L) Samuel was angry,^(M) and he cried out to the Lord all that night.

¹² Early in the morning Samuel got up and went to meet Saul, but he was told, “Saul has gone to Carmel.^(N) There he has set up a monument^(O) in his own honor and has turned and gone on down to Gilgal.”

¹³ When Samuel reached him, Saul said, “The Lord bless you! I have carried out the Lord’s instructions.”

¹⁴ But Samuel said, “What then is this bleating of sheep in my ears? What is this lowing of cattle that I hear?”

¹⁵ Saul answered, “The soldiers brought them from the Amalekites; they spared the best of the sheep and cattle to sacrifice to the Lord your God, but we totally destroyed the rest.”

¹⁶ “Enough!” Samuel said to Saul. “Let me tell you what the Lord said to me last night.”

“Tell me,” Saul replied.

¹⁷ Samuel said, “Although you were once small^(P) in your own eyes, did you not become the head of the tribes of Israel? The Lord anointed you king over Israel. ¹⁸ And he sent you on a mission, saying, ‘Go and completely destroy those wicked people, the Amalekites; wage war against them until you have wiped them out.’ ¹⁹ Why did you not obey the Lord? Why did you pounce on the plunder^(Q) and do evil in the eyes of the Lord?”

²⁰ “But I did obey^(R) the Lord,” Saul said. “I went on the mission the Lord assigned me. I completely destroyed the Amalekites and brought back Agag their king. ²¹ The soldiers took sheep and cattle from the plunder, the best of what was devoted to God, in order to sacrifice them to the Lord your God at Gilgal.”

²² But Samuel replied:

²⁴ Then Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned.^(V) I violated^(W) the Lord’s command and your instructions. I was afraid^(X) of the men and so I gave in to them. ²⁵ Now I beg you, forgive^(Y) my sin and come back with me, so that I may worship the Lord.”

²⁶ But Samuel said to him, “I will not go back with you. You have rejected^(Z) the word of the Lord, and the Lord has rejected you as king over Israel!”

²⁷ As Samuel turned to leave, Saul caught hold of the hem of his robe,^(AA) and it tore.^{(AB) 28} Samuel said to him, “The Lord has torn^(AC) the kingdom^(AD) of Israel from you today and has given it to one of your neighbors—to one better than you.^{(AE) 29} He who is the Glory of Israel does not lie^(AF) or change^(AG) his mind; for he is not a human being, that he should change his mind.”

³⁰ Saul replied, “I have sinned.^(AH) But please honor^(AI) me before the elders of my people and before Israel; come back with me, so that I may worship the Lord your God.” ³¹ So Samuel went back with Saul, and Saul worshiped the Lord.

³² Then Samuel said, “Bring me Agag king of the Amalekites.”

Agag came to him in chains.^[c] And he thought, “Surely the bitterness of death is past.”

³³ But Samuel said,

And Samuel put Agag to death before the Lord at Gilgal.

³⁴ Then Samuel left for Ramah,^(AK) but Saul went up to his home in Gibeah^(AL) of Saul. ³⁵ Until the day Samuel^(AM) died, he did not go to see Saul again, though Samuel mourned^(AN) for him. And the Lord regretted^(AO) that he had made Saul king over Israel.

Samuel Anoints David

16 The Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you mourn^(AP) for Saul, since I have rejected^(AQ) him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil^(AR) and be on your way; I am sending you to Jesse^(AS) of Bethlehem. I have chosen^(AT) one of his sons to be king.”

² But Samuel said, “How can I go? If Saul hears about it, he will kill me.”

The Lord said, “Take a heifer with you and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.’ ³ Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show^(AU) you what to do. You are to anoint^(AV) for me the one I indicate.”

⁴ Samuel did what the Lord said. When he arrived at Bethlehem,^(AW) the elders of the town trembled^(AX) when they met him. They asked, “Do you come in peace?^(AY)”

⁵ Samuel replied, “Yes, in peace; I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. Consecrate^(AZ) yourselves and come to the sacrifice with me.” Then he consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.

⁶ When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab^(BA) and thought, “Surely the Lord’s anointed stands here before the Lord.”

⁷ But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance,^(BB) but the Lord looks at the heart.”^(BC)

⁸ Then Jesse called Abinadab^(BD) and had him pass in front of Samuel. But Samuel said, “The Lord has not chosen this one either.” ⁹ Jesse then had Shammah^(BE) pass by, but Samuel said, “Nor has the Lord chosen this one.” ¹⁰ Jesse had seven of his sons pass before Samuel, but Samuel said to him, “The Lord has not chosen these.” ¹¹ So he asked Jesse, “Are these all^(BF) the sons you have?”

“There is still the youngest,” Jesse answered. “He is tending the sheep.”^(BG)

Samuel said, “Send for him; we will not sit down until he arrives.”

¹² So he^(BH) sent for him and had him brought in. He was glowing with health and had a fine appearance and handsome^(BI) features.

Then the Lord said, “Rise and anoint him; this is the one.”

¹³ So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed^(BJ) him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the Lord^(BK) came powerfully upon David.^(BL) Samuel then went to Ramah.

David in Saul’s Service

¹⁴ Now the Spirit of the Lord had departed^(BM) from Saul, and an evil^[d] spirit^(BN) from the Lord tormented him.^(BO)

¹⁵ Saul’s attendants said to him, “See, an evil spirit from God is tormenting you. ¹⁶ Let our lord command his servants here to search for someone who can play the lyre.^(BP) He will play when the evil spirit from God comes on you, and you will feel better.”

¹⁷ So Saul said to his attendants, “Find someone who plays well and bring him to me.”

¹⁸ One of the servants answered, “I have seen a son of Jesse^(BQ) of Bethlehem who knows how to play the lyre. He is a brave man and a warrior.^(BR) He speaks well and is a fine-looking man. And the Lord is with^(BS) him.”

¹⁹ Then Saul sent messengers to Jesse and said, “Send me your son David, who is with the sheep.^(BT)” ²⁰ So Jesse took a donkey loaded with bread,^(BU) a skin of wine and a young goat and sent them with his son David to Saul.

²¹ David came to Saul and entered his service.^(BV) Saul liked him very much, and David became one of his armor-bearers. ²² Then Saul sent word to Jesse, saying, “Allow David to remain in my service, for I am pleased with him.”

²³ Whenever the spirit from God came on Saul, David would take up his lyre and play. Then relief would come to Saul; he would feel better, and the evil spirit^(BW) would leave him.

8 ¹ but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.^(A)

² At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them.^{(B) 3} The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group ⁴ and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. ⁵ In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women.^(C) Now what do you say?” ⁶ They were using this question as a trap,^(D) in order to have a basis for accusing him.^(E)

But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. ⁷ When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone^(F) at her.”^{(G) 8} Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.

⁹ At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. ¹⁰ Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”

¹¹ “No one, sir,” she said.

“Then neither do I condemn you,”^(H) Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”^(I)

---

Dispute Over Jesus’ Testimony

¹² When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am^(J) the light of the world.^(K) Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”^(L)

¹³ The Pharisees challenged him, “Here you are, appearing as your own witness; your testimony is not valid.”^(M)

¹⁴ Jesus answered, “Even if I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is valid, for I know where I came from and where I am going.^(N) But you have no idea where I come from^(O) or where I am going. ¹⁵ You judge by human standards;^(P) I pass judgment on no one.^{(Q) 16} But if I do judge, my decisions are true, because I am not alone. I stand with the Father, who sent me.^{(R) 17} In your own Law it is written that the testimony of two witnesses is true.^{(S) 18} I am one who testifies for myself; my other witness is the Father, who sent me.”^(T)

¹⁹ Then they asked him, “Where is your father?”

“You do not know me or my Father,”^(U) Jesus replied. “If you knew me, you would know my Father also.”^{(V) 20} He spoke these words while teaching^(W) in the temple courts near the place where the offerings were put.^(X) Yet no one seized him, because his hour had not yet come.^(Y)

Psalm 110

Of David. A psalm.

14 ¹ One day Jonathan son of Saul said to his young armor-bearer, “Come, let’s go over to the Philistine outpost on the other side.” But he did not tell his father.

² Saul was staying^(A) on the outskirts of Gibeah^(B) under a pomegranate tree^(C) in Migron.^(D) With him were about six hundred men, ³ among whom was Ahijah, who was wearing an ephod. He was a son of Ichabod’s^(E) brother Ahitub^(F) son of Phinehas, the son of Eli,^(G) the Lord’s priest in Shiloh.^(H) No one was aware that Jonathan had left.

⁴ On each side of the pass^(I) that Jonathan intended to cross to reach the Philistine outpost was a cliff; one was called Bozez and the other Seneh. ⁵ One cliff stood to the north toward Mikmash, the other to the south toward Geba.^(J)

⁶ Jonathan said to his young armor-bearer, “Come, let’s go over to the outpost of those uncircumcised^(K) men. Perhaps the Lord will act in our behalf. Nothing^(L) can hinder the Lord from saving, whether by many^(M) or by few.^(N)”

⁷ “Do all that you have in mind,” his armor-bearer said. “Go ahead; I am with you heart and soul.”

⁸ Jonathan said, “Come on, then; we will cross over toward them and let them see us. ⁹ If they say to us, ‘Wait there until we come to you,’ we will stay where we are and not go up to them. ¹⁰ But if they say, ‘Come up to us,’ we will climb up, because that will be our sign^(O) that the Lord has given them into our hands.^(P)”

¹¹ So both of them showed themselves to the Philistine outpost. “Look!” said the Philistines. “The Hebrews^(Q) are crawling out of the holes they were hiding^(R) in.” ¹² The men of the outpost shouted to Jonathan and his armor-bearer, “Come up to us and we’ll teach you a lesson.^(S)”

So Jonathan said to his armor-bearer, “Climb up after me; the Lord has given them into the hand^(T) of Israel.”

¹³ Jonathan climbed up, using his hands and feet, with his armor-bearer right behind him. The Philistines fell before Jonathan, and his armor-bearer followed and killed behind him. ¹⁴ In that first attack Jonathan and his armor-bearer killed some twenty men in an area of about half an acre.

Israel Routs the Philistines

¹⁵ Then panic^(U) struck the whole army—those in the camp and field, and those in the outposts and raiding^(V) parties—and the ground shook. It was a panic sent by God.^[a]

¹⁶ Saul’s lookouts^(W) at Gibeah in Benjamin saw the army melting away in all directions. ¹⁷ Then Saul said to the men who were with him, “Muster the forces and see who has left us.” When they did, it was Jonathan and his armor-bearer who were not there.

¹⁸ Saul said to Ahijah, “Bring^(X) the ark^(Y) of God.” (At that time it was with the Israelites.)^{[b] 19} While Saul was talking to the priest, the tumult in the Philistine camp increased more and more. So Saul said to the priest,^(Z) “Withdraw your hand.”

²⁰ Then Saul and all his men assembled and went to the battle. They found the Philistines in total confusion, striking^(AA) each other with their swords. ²¹ Those Hebrews who had previously been with the Philistines and had gone up with them to their camp went^(AB) over to the Israelites who were with Saul and Jonathan. ²² When all the Israelites who had hidden^(AC) in the hill country of Ephraim heard that the Philistines were on the run, they joined the battle in hot pursuit. ²³ So on that day the Lord saved^(AD) Israel, and the battle moved on beyond Beth Aven.^(AE)

Jonathan Eats Honey

²⁴ Now the Israelites were in distress that day, because Saul had bound the people under an oath,^(AF) saying, “Cursed be anyone who eats food before evening comes, before I have avenged myself on my enemies!” So none of the troops tasted food.

²⁵ The entire army entered the woods, and there was honey on the ground. ²⁶ When they went into the woods, they saw the honey oozing out; yet no one put his hand to his mouth, because they feared the oath. ²⁷ But Jonathan had not heard that his father had bound the people with the oath, so he reached out the end of the staff that was in his hand and dipped it into the honeycomb.^(AG) He raised his hand to his mouth, and his eyes brightened.^{[c] 28} Then one of the soldiers told him, “Your father bound the army under a strict oath, saying, ‘Cursed be anyone who eats food today!’ That is why the men are faint.”

²⁹ Jonathan said, “My father has made trouble^(AH) for the country. See how my eyes brightened when I tasted a little of this honey. ³⁰ How much better it would have been if the men had eaten today some of the plunder they took from their enemies. Would not the slaughter of the Philistines have been even greater?”

³¹ That day, after the Israelites had struck down the Philistines from Mikmash^(AI) to Aijalon,^(AJ) they were exhausted. ³² They pounced on the plunder^(AK) and, taking sheep, cattle and calves, they butchered them on the ground and ate them, together with the blood.^{(AL) 33} Then someone said to Saul, “Look, the men are sinning against the Lord by eating meat that has blood^(AM) in it.”

“You have broken faith,” he said. “Roll a large stone over here at once.” ³⁴ Then he said, “Go out among the men and tell them, ‘Each of you bring me your cattle and sheep, and slaughter them here and eat them. Do not sin against the Lord by eating meat with blood still^(AN) in it.’”

So everyone brought his ox that night and slaughtered it there. ³⁵ Then Saul built an altar^(AO) to the Lord; it was the first time he had done this.

³⁶ Saul said, “Let us go down and pursue the Philistines by night and plunder them till dawn, and let us not leave one of them alive.”

“Do whatever seems best to you,” they replied.

But the priest said, “Let us inquire^(AP) of God here.”

³⁷ So Saul asked God, “Shall I go down and pursue the Philistines? Will you give them into Israel’s hand?” But God did not answer^(AQ) him that day.

³⁸ Saul therefore said, “Come here, all you who are leaders of the army, and let us find out what sin has been committed^(AR) today. ³⁹ As surely as the Lord who rescues Israel lives,^(AS) even if the guilt lies with my son Jonathan,^(AT) he must die.”^(AU) But not one of them said a word.

⁴⁰ Saul then said to all the Israelites, “You stand over there; I and Jonathan my son will stand over here.”

“Do what seems best to you,” they replied.

⁴¹ Then Saul prayed to the Lord, the God of Israel, “Why have you not answered your servant today? If the fault is in me or my son Jonathan, respond with Urim, but if the men of Israel are at fault,^[d] respond with Thummim.” Jonathan and Saul were taken by lot, and the men were cleared. ⁴² Saul said, “Cast the lot^(AV) between me and Jonathan my son.” And Jonathan was taken.

⁴³ Then Saul said to Jonathan, “Tell me what you have done.”^(AW)

So Jonathan told him, “I tasted a little honey^(AX) with the end of my staff. And now I must die!”

⁴⁴ Saul said, “May God deal with me, be it ever so severely,^(AY) if you do not die, Jonathan.^(AZ)”

⁴⁵ But the men said to Saul, “Should Jonathan die—he who has brought about this great deliverance in Israel? Never! As surely as the Lord lives, not a hair^(BA) of his head will fall to the ground, for he did this today with God’s help.” So the men rescued^(BB) Jonathan, and he was not put to death.

⁴⁶ Then Saul stopped pursuing the Philistines, and they withdrew to their own land.

⁴⁷ After Saul had assumed rule over Israel, he fought against their enemies on every side: Moab,^(BC) the Ammonites,^(BD) Edom,^(BE) the kings^[e] of Zobah,^(BF) and the Philistines. Wherever he turned, he inflicted punishment on them.^{[f] 48} He fought valiantly and defeated the Amalekites,^(BG) delivering Israel from the hands of those who had plundered them.

Saul’s Family

⁴⁹ Saul’s sons were Jonathan, Ishvi and Malki-Shua.^(BH) The name of his older daughter was Merab, and that of the younger was Michal.^{(BI) 50} His wife’s name was Ahinoam daughter of Ahimaaz. The name of the commander of Saul’s army was Abner^(BJ) son of Ner, and Ner was Saul’s uncle.^{(BK) 51} Saul’s father Kish^(BL) and Abner’s father Ner were sons of Abiel.

⁵² All the days of Saul there was bitter war with the Philistines, and whenever Saul saw a mighty or brave man, he took^(BM) him into his service.

³¹ Still, many in the crowd believed in him.^(A) They said, “When the Messiah comes, will he perform more signs^(B) than this man?”

³² The Pharisees heard the crowd whispering such things about him. Then the chief priests and the Pharisees sent temple guards to arrest him.

³³ Jesus said, “I am with you for only a short time,^(C) and then I am going to the one who sent me.^{(D) 34} You will look for me, but you will not find me; and where I am, you cannot come.”^(E)

³⁵ The Jews said to one another, “Where does this man intend to go that we cannot find him? Will he go where our people live scattered^(F) among the Greeks,^(G) and teach the Greeks? ³⁶ What did he mean when he said, ‘You will look for me, but you will not find me,’ and ‘Where I am, you cannot come’?”^(H)

³⁷ On the last and greatest day of the festival,^(I) Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink.^{(J) 38} Whoever believes^(K) in me, as Scripture has said,^(L) rivers of living water^(M) will flow from within them.”^{[a](N) 39} By this he meant the Spirit,^(O) whom those who believed in him were later to receive.^(P) Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.^(Q)

⁴⁰ On hearing his words, some of the people said, “Surely this man is the Prophet.”^(R)

⁴¹ Others said, “He is the Messiah.”

Still others asked, “How can the Messiah come from Galilee?^{(S) 42} Does not Scripture say that the Messiah will come from David’s descendants^(T) and from Bethlehem,^(U) the town where David lived?” ⁴³ Thus the people were divided^(V) because of Jesus. ⁴⁴ Some wanted to seize him, but no one laid a hand on him.^(W)

Unbelief of the Jewish Leaders

⁴⁵ Finally the temple guards went back to the chief priests and the Pharisees, who asked them, “Why didn’t you bring him in?”

⁴⁶ “No one ever spoke the way this man does,”^(X) the guards replied.

⁴⁷ “You mean he has deceived you also?”^(Y) the Pharisees retorted. ⁴⁸ “Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed in him?^{(Z) 49} No! But this mob that knows nothing of the law—there is a curse on them.”

⁵⁰ Nicodemus,^(AA) who had gone to Jesus earlier and who was one of their own number, asked, ⁵¹ “Does our law condemn a man without first hearing him to find out what he has been doing?”

⁵² They replied, “Are you from Galilee, too? Look into it, and you will find that a prophet does not come out of Galilee.”^(AB)

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[The earliest manuscripts and many other ancient witnesses do not have John 7:53—8:11. A few manuscripts include these verses, wholly or in part, after John 7:36, John 21:25, Luke 21:38 or Luke 24:53.]

⁵³ Then they all went home,

Psalm 109

For the director of music. Of David. A psalm.

Samuel’s Farewell Speech

12 Samuel said to all Israel, “I have listened^(A) to everything you said to me and have set a king^(B) over you. ² Now you have a king as your leader.^(C) As for me, I am old and gray, and my sons^(D) are here with you. I have been your leader from my youth until this day. ³ Here I stand. Testify against me in the presence of the Lord and his anointed.^(E) Whose ox have I taken? Whose donkey^(F) have I taken? Whom have I cheated? Whom have I oppressed? From whose hand have I accepted a bribe^(G) to make me shut my eyes? If I have done^(H) any of these things, I will make it right.”^(I)

⁴ “You have not cheated or oppressed us,” they replied. “You have not taken anything from anyone’s hand.”

⁵ Samuel said to them, “The Lord is witness^(J) against you, and also his anointed is witness this day, that you have not found anything^(K) in my hand.^(L)”

“He is witness,” they said.

⁶ Then Samuel said to the people, “It is the Lord who appointed Moses and Aaron and brought^(M) your ancestors up out of Egypt. ⁷ Now then, stand^(N) here, because I am going to confront^(O) you with evidence before the Lord as to all the righteous acts^(P) performed by the Lord for you and your ancestors.

⁸ “After Jacob^(Q) entered Egypt, they cried^(R) to the Lord for help, and the Lord sent^(S) Moses and Aaron, who brought your ancestors out of Egypt and settled them in this place.

⁹ “But they forgot^(T) the Lord their God; so he sold them^(U) into the hand of Sisera,^(V) the commander of the army of Hazor,^(W) and into the hands of the Philistines^(X) and the king of Moab,^(Y) who fought against them. ¹⁰ They cried^(Z) out to the Lord and said, ‘We have sinned; we have forsaken^(AA) the Lord and served the Baals and the Ashtoreths.^(AB) But now deliver us from the hands of our enemies, and we will serve you.’ ¹¹ Then the Lord sent Jerub-Baal,^[a](AC) Barak,^[b](AD) Jephthah^(AE) and Samuel,^[c](AF) and he delivered you from the hands of your enemies all around you, so that you lived in safety.

¹² “But when you saw that Nahash^(AG) king^(AH) of the Ammonites was moving against you, you said to me, ‘No, we want a king to rule^(AI) over us’—even though the Lord your God was your king. ¹³ Now here is the king^(AJ) you have chosen, the one you asked^(AK) for; see, the Lord has set a king over you. ¹⁴ If you fear^(AL) the Lord and serve and obey him and do not rebel^(AM) against his commands, and if both you and the king who reigns over you follow the Lord your God—good! ¹⁵ But if you do not obey the Lord, and if you rebel against^(AN) his commands, his hand will be against you, as it was against your ancestors.

¹⁶ “Now then, stand still^(AO) and see^(AP) this great thing the Lord is about to do before your eyes! ¹⁷ Is it not wheat harvest^(AQ) now? I will call^(AR) on the Lord to send thunder^(AS) and rain.^(AT) And you will realize what an evil^(AU) thing you did in the eyes of the Lord when you asked for a king.”

¹⁸ Then Samuel called on the Lord,^(AV) and that same day the Lord sent thunder and rain. So all the people stood in awe^(AW) of the Lord and of Samuel.

¹⁹ The people all said to Samuel, “Pray^(AX) to the Lord your God for your servants so that we will not die,^(AY) for we have added to all our other sins the evil of asking for a king.”

²⁰ “Do not be afraid,” Samuel replied. “You have done all this evil;^(AZ) yet do not turn away from the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart. ²¹ Do not turn away after useless^(BA) idols.^(BB) They can do you no good, nor can they rescue you, because they are useless. ²² For the sake^(BC) of his great name^(BD) the Lord will not reject^(BE) his people, because the Lord was pleased to make^(BF) you his own. ²³ As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by failing to pray^(BG) for you. And I will teach^(BH) you the way that is good and right. ²⁴ But be sure to fear^(BI) the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart;^(BJ) consider^(BK) what great^(BL) things he has done for you. ²⁵ Yet if you persist^(BM) in doing evil, both you and your king^(BN) will perish.”^(BO)

Samuel Rebukes Saul

13 Saul was thirty^[d] years old when he became king, and he reigned over Israel forty-^[e] two years.

² Saul chose three thousand men from Israel; two thousand^(BP) were with him at Mikmash^(BQ) and in the hill country of Bethel, and a thousand were with Jonathan at Gibeah^(BR) in Benjamin. The rest of the men he sent back to their homes.

³ Jonathan attacked the Philistine outpost^(BS) at Geba,^(BT) and the Philistines heard about it. Then Saul had the trumpet^(BU) blown throughout the land and said, “Let the Hebrews hear!” ⁴ So all Israel heard the news: “Saul has attacked the Philistine outpost, and now Israel has become obnoxious^(BV) to the Philistines.” And the people were summoned to join Saul at Gilgal.

⁵ The Philistines assembled^(BW) to fight Israel, with three thousand^[f] chariots, six thousand charioteers, and soldiers as numerous as the sand^(BX) on the seashore. They went up and camped at Mikmash,^(BY) east of Beth Aven.^{(BZ) 6} When the Israelites saw that their situation was critical and that their army was hard pressed, they hid^(CA) in caves and thickets, among the rocks, and in pits and cisterns.^{(CB) 7} Some Hebrews even crossed the Jordan to the land of Gad^(CC) and Gilead.

Saul remained at Gilgal, and all the troops with him were quaking^(CD) with fear. ⁸ He waited seven^(CE) days, the time set by Samuel; but Samuel did not come to Gilgal, and Saul’s men began to scatter. ⁹ So he said, “Bring me the burnt offering and the fellowship offerings.” And Saul offered^(CF) up the burnt offering. ¹⁰ Just as he finished making the offering, Samuel^(CG) arrived, and Saul went out to greet^(CH) him.

¹¹ “What have you done?” asked Samuel.

Saul replied, “When I saw that the men were scattering, and that you did not come at the set time, and that the Philistines were assembling at Mikmash,^{(CI) 12} I thought, ‘Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal,^(CJ) and I have not sought the Lord’s favor.^(CK)’ So I felt compelled to offer the burnt offering.”

¹³ “You have done a foolish thing,^(CL)” Samuel said. “You have not kept^(CM) the command the Lord your God gave you; if you had, he would have established your kingdom over Israel for all time.^{(CN) 14} But now your kingdom^(CO) will not endure; the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart^(CP) and appointed^(CQ) him ruler^(CR) of his people, because you have not kept^(CS) the Lord’s command.”

¹⁵ Then Samuel left Gilgal^[g] and went up to Gibeah^(CT) in Benjamin, and Saul counted the men who were with him. They numbered about six hundred.^(CU)

Israel Without Weapons

¹⁶ Saul and his son Jonathan and the men with them were staying in Gibeah^[h](CV) in Benjamin, while the Philistines camped at Mikmash. ¹⁷ Raiding^(CW) parties went out from the Philistine camp in three detachments. One turned toward Ophrah^(CX) in the vicinity of Shual, ¹⁸ another toward Beth Horon,^(CY) and the third toward the borderland overlooking the Valley of Zeboyim^(CZ) facing the wilderness.

¹⁹ Not a blacksmith^(DA) could be found in the whole land of Israel, because the Philistines had said, “Otherwise the Hebrews will make swords or spears!^(DB)” ²⁰ So all Israel went down to the Philistines to have their plow points, mattocks, axes and sickles^[i] sharpened. ²¹ The price was two-thirds of a shekel^[j] for sharpening plow points and mattocks, and a third of a shekel^[k] for sharpening forks and axes and for repointing goads.

²² So on the day of the battle not a soldier with Saul and Jonathan^(DC) had a sword or spear^(DD) in his hand; only Saul and his son Jonathan had them.

Jonathan Attacks the Philistines

²³ Now a detachment of Philistines had gone out to the pass^(DE) at Mikmash.^(DF)