1Samuel 18
18After David had finished talking with Saul, he met Jonathan, the king's son. There was an immediate bond between them, for Jonathan loved David.H3615H1696H7586H5315H3083H7194H5315H1732H3083H157H53152From that day on Saul kept David with him and wouldn't let him return home.H7586H3947H3117H5414H7725H1H10043And Jonathan made a solemn pact with David, because he loved him as he loved himself.H3083H1732H3772H1285H160H53154Jonathan sealed the pact by taking off his robe and giving it to David, together with his tunic, sword, bow, and belt.H3083H6584H4598H5414H1732H4055H2719H7198H22895Whatever Saul asked David to do, David did it successfully. So Saul made him a commander over the men of war, an appointment that was welcomed by the people and Saul's officers alike.H1732H3318H7586H7971H7919H7586H7760H582H4421H3190H5869H5971H5869H7586H56506When the victorious Israelite army was returning home after David had killed the Philistine, women from all the towns of Israel came out to meet King Saul. They sang and danced for joy with tambourines and cymbals.H935H1732H7725H5221H6430H802H3318H5892H3478H7891H4246H7125H4428H7586H8596H8057H79917This was their song: "Saul has killed his thousands, and David his ten thousands!"H802H6030H7832H559H7586H5221H505H1732H72338This made Saul very angry. "What's this?" he said. "They credit David with ten thousands and me with only thousands. Next they'll be making him their king!"H7586H3966H2734H1697H3415H5869H559H5414H1732H7233H5414H505H44109So from that time on Saul kept a jealous eye on David.H7586H5770H1732H3117H197310The very next day a tormenting spirit from God overwhelmed Saul, and he began to rave in his house like a madman. David was playing the harp, as he did each day. But Saul had a spear in his hand,H4283H7451H7307H430H6743H7586H5012H8432H1004H1732H5059H3027H3117H2595H7586H302711and he suddenly hurled it at David, intending to pin him to the wall. But David escaped him twice.H7586H2904H2595H559H5221H1732H7023H1732H5437H6440H647112Saul was then afraid of David, for the LORD was with David and had turned away from Saul.H7586H3372H6440H1732H3068H5493H758613Finally, Saul sent him away and appointed him commander over 1,000 men, and David faithfully led his troops into battle.H7586H5493H7760H8269H505H3318H935H6440H597114David continued to succeed in everything he did, for the LORD was with him.H1732H7919H1870H306815When Saul recognized this, he became even more afraid of him.H7586H7200H7919H3966H7919H1481H644016But all Israel and Judah loved David because he was so successful at leading his troops into battle.H3478H3063H157H1732H3318H935H644017One day Saul said to David, "I am ready to give you my older daughter, Merab, as your wife. But first you must prove yourself to be a real warrior by fighting the LORD's battles." For Saul thought, "I'll send him out against the Philistines and let them kill him rather than doing it myself."H7586H559H1732H1419H1323H4764H5414H802H1121H2428H3898H3068H4421H7586H559H3027H3027H643018"Who am I, and what is my family in Israel that I should be the king's son-in-law?" David exclaimed. "My father's family is nothing!"H1732H559H7586H2416H1H4940H3478H2860H442819So when the time came for Saul to give his daughter Merab in marriage to David, he gave her instead to Adriel, a man from Meholah.H6256H4764H7586H1323H5414H1732H5414H5741H4259H80220In the meantime, Saul's daughter Michal had fallen in love with David, and Saul was delighted when he heard about it.H4324H7586H1323H157H1732H5046H7586H1697H3474H586921"Here's another chance to see him killed by the Philistines!" Saul said to himself. But to David he said, "Today you have a second chance to become my son-in-law!"H7586H559H5414H4170H3027H6430H7586H559H1732H3117H2859H814722Then Saul told his men to say to David, "The king really likes you, and so do we. Why don't you accept the king's offer and become his son-in-law?"H7586H6680H5650H1696H1732H3909H559H4428H2654H5650H157H4428H285923When Saul's men said these things to David, he replied, "How can a poor man from a humble family afford the bride price for the daughter of a king?"H7586H5650H1696H1697H241H1732H1732H559H5869H7043H4428H2859H7326H376H703424When Saul's men reported this back to the king,H5650H7586H5046H559H1697H1696H173225he told them, "Tell David that all I want for the bride price is 100 Philistine foreskins! Vengeance on my enemies is all I really want." But what Saul had in mind was that David would be killed in the fight.H7586H559H559H1732H4428H2656H4119H3967H6190H6430H5358H4428H341H7586H2803H1732H5307H3027H643026David was delighted to accept the offer. Before the time limit expired,H5650H5046H1732H1697H3474H1697H5869H1732H4428H2859H3117H439027he and his men went out and killed 200 Philistines. Then David fulfilled the king's requirement by presenting all their foreskins to him. So Saul gave his daughter Michal to David to be his wife.H1732H6965H3212H582H5221H6430H3967H376H1732H935H6190H4390H4428H4428H2859H7586H5414H4324H1323H80228When Saul realized that the LORD was with David and how much his daughter Michal loved him,H7586H7200H3045H3068H1732H4324H7586H1323H15729Saul became even more afraid of him, and he remained David's enemy for the rest of his life.H7586H3254H3372H6440H1732H7586H1732H341H311730Every time the commanders of the Philistines attacked, David was more successful against them than all the rest of Saul's officers. So David's name became very famous.H8269H6430H3318H1767H3318H1732H7919H5650H7586H8034H3966H3365
1Samuel 19
19Saul now urged his servants and his son Jonathan to assassinate David. But Jonathan, because of his strong affection for David,H7586H1696H3129H1121H5650H4191H17322told him what his father was planning. "Tomorrow morning," he warned him, "you must find a hiding place out in the fields.H3083H7586H1121H2654H3966H1732H3083H5046H1732H559H7586H1H1245H4191H8104H1242H3427H5643H22443I'll ask my father to go out there with me, and I'll talk to him about you. Then I'll tell you everything I can find out."H3318H5975H3027H1H7704H1696H1H4100H7200H50464The next morning Jonathan spoke with his father about David, saying many good things about him. "The king must not sin against his servant David," Jonathan said. "He's never done anything to harm you. He has always helped you in any way he could.H3083H1696H2896H1732H7586H1H559H4428H2398H5650H1732H2398H4639H3966H28965Have you forgotten about the time he risked his life to kill the Philistine giant and how the LORD brought a great victory to all Israel as a result? You were certainly happy about it then. Why should you murder an innocent man like David? There is no reason for it at all!"H7760H5315H3709H5221H6430H3068H6213H1419H8668H3478H7200H8055H2398H5355H1818H4191H1732H26006So Saul listened to Jonathan and vowed, "As surely as the LORD lives, David will not be killed."H7586H8085H6963H3083H7586H7650H3068H2416H518H41917Afterward Jonathan called David and told him what had happened. Then he brought David to Saul, and David served in the court as before.H3083H7121H1732H3083H5046H1697H3083H935H1732H7586H6440H865H80328War broke out again after that, and David led his troops against the Philistines. He attacked them with such fury that they all ran away.H4421H3254H1732H3318H3898H6430H5221H1419H4347H5127H64409But one day when Saul was sitting at home, with spear in hand, the tormenting spirit from the LORD suddenly came upon him again. As David played his harp,H7451H7307H3068H7586H3427H1004H2595H3027H1732H5059H302710Saul hurled his spear at David. But David dodged out of the way, and leaving the spear stuck in the wall, he fled and escaped into the night.H7586H1245H5221H1732H7023H2595H6362H7586H6440H5221H2595H7023H1732H5127H4422H391511Then Saul sent troops to watch David's house. They were told to kill David when he came out the next morning. But Michal, David's wife, warned him, "If you don't escape tonight, you will be dead by morning."H7586H7971H4397H1732H1004H8104H4191H1242H4324H1732H802H5046H559H4422H5315H3915H4279H419112So she helped him climb out through a window, and he fled and escaped.H4324H3381H1732H3381H2474H3212H1272H442213Then she took an idol and put it in his bed, covered it with blankets, and put a cushion of goat's hair at its head.H4324H3947H8655H7760H4296H7760H3523H5795H4763H3680H89914When the troops came to arrest David, she told them he was sick and couldn't get out of bed.H7586H7971H4397H3947H1732H559H247015But Saul sent the troops back to get David. He ordered, "Bring him to me in his bed so I can kill him!"H7586H7971H4397H7200H1732H559H5927H4296H419116But when they came to carry David out, they discovered that it was only an idol in the bed with a cushion of goat's hair at its head.H4397H935H8655H4296H3523H5795H476317"Why have you betrayed me like this and let my enemy escape?" Saul demanded of Michal. "I had to," Michal replied. "He threatened to kill me if I didn't help him."H7586H559H4324H7411H7971H341H4422H4324H559H7586H559H7971H419118So David escaped and went to Ramah to see Samuel, and he told him all that Saul had done to him. Then Samuel took David with him to live at Naioth.H1732H1272H4422H935H8050H7414H5046H7586H6213H8050H3212H3427H512119When the report reached Saul that David was at Naioth in Ramah,H5046H7586H559H1732H5121H741420he sent troops to capture him. But when they arrived and saw Samuel leading a group of prophets who were prophesying, the Spirit of God came upon Saul's men, and they also began to prophesy.H7586H7971H4397H3947H1732H7200H3862H5030H5012H8050H5975H5324H7307H430H4397H7586H501221When Saul heard what had happened, he sent other troops, but they, too, prophesied! The same thing happened a third time.H5046H7586H7971H312H4397H5012H7586H7971H4397H3254H7992H501222Finally, Saul himself went to Ramah and arrived at the great well in Secu. "Where are Samuel and David?" he demanded. "They are at Naioth in Ramah," someone told him.H3212H7414H935H1419H953H7906H7592H559H375H8050H1732H559H5121H741423But on the way to Naioth in Ramah the Spirit of God came even upon Saul, and he, too, began to prophesy all the way to Naioth!H3212H5121H7414H7307H430H3212H1980H5012H935H5121H741424He tore off his clothes and lay naked on the ground all day and all night, prophesying in the presence of Samuel. The people who were watching exclaimed, "What? Is even Saul a prophet?"H6584H899H1571H5012H6440H8050H5307H6174H3117H3915H559H7586H5030
1Samuel 20
20David now fled from Naioth in Ramah and found Jonathan. "What have I done?" he exclaimed. "What is my crime? How have I offended your father that he is so determined to kill me?"H1732H1272H5121H7414H935H559H6440H3083H6213H5771H2403H6440H1H1245H53152"That's not true!" Jonathan protested. "You're not going to die. He always tells me everything he's going to do, even the little things. I know my father wouldn't hide something like this from me. It just isn't so!"H559H2486H4191H1H6213H6213H1697H1419H6996H1540H241H1H5641H16973Then David took an oath before Jonathan and said, "Your father knows perfectly well about our friendship, so he has said to himself, 'I won't tell Jonathan—why should I hurt him?' But I swear to you that I am only a step away from death! I swear it by the LORD and by your own soul!"H1732H7650H559H1H3045H3045H4672H2580H5869H559H3083H3045H6087H199H3068H2416H5315H2416H6587H41944"Tell me what I can do to help you," Jonathan exclaimed.H559H3083H1732H5315H559H62135David replied, "Tomorrow we celebrate the new moon festival. I've always eaten with the king on this occasion, but tomorrow I'll hide in the field and stay there until the evening of the third day.H1732H559H3083H4279H2320H3427H3427H4428H398H7971H5641H7704H7992H61536If your father asks where I am, tell him I asked permission to go home to Bethlehem for an annual family sacrifice.H1H6485H6485H559H1732H7592H7592H7323H1035H5892H3117H2077H49407If he says, 'Fine!' you will know all is well. But if he is angry and loses his temper, you will know he is determined to kill me.H559H2896H5650H7965H2734H2734H3045H7451H36158Show me this loyalty as my sworn friend—for we made a solemn pact before the LORD—or kill me yourself if I have sinned against your father. But please don't betray me to him!"H6213H2617H5650H935H5650H1285H3068H3426H5771H4191H935H19"Never!" Jonathan exclaimed. "You know that if I had the slightest notion my father was planning to kill you, I would tell you at once."H3083H559H2486H3045H3045H7451H3615H1H935H504610Then David asked, "How will I know whether or not your father is angry?"H559H1732H3083H5046H1H6030H718611"Come out to the field with me," Jonathan replied. And they went out there together.H3083H559H1732H3212H3318H7704H3318H8147H770412Then Jonathan told David, "I promise by the LORD, the God of Israel, that by this time tomorrow, or the next day at the latest, I will talk to my father and let you know at once how he feels about you. If he speaks favorably about you, I will let you know.H3083H559H1732H3068H430H3478H2713H1H4279H6256H7992H2895H1732H7971H1540H24113But if he is angry and wants you killed, may the LORD strike me and even kill me if I don't warn you so you can escape and live. May the LORD be with you as he used to be with my father.H3068H6213H3541H3254H3083H3190H1H7451H1540H241H7971H1980H7965H3068H114And may you treat me with the faithful love of the LORD as long as I live. But if I die,H518H2416H6213H2617H3068H419115treat my family with this faithful love, even when the LORD destroys all your enemies from the face of the earth."H3772H2617H1004H5704H5769H3068H3772H341H1732H376H6440H12716So Jonathan made a solemn pact with David, saying, "May the LORD destroy all your enemies!"H3083H3772H1004H1732H3068H1245H3027H1732H34117And Jonathan made David reaffirm his vow of friendship again, for Jonathan loved David as he loved himself.H3083H1732H7650H3254H160H157H160H531518Then Jonathan said, "Tomorrow we celebrate the new moon festival. You will be missed when your place at the table is empty.H3083H559H1732H4279H2320H6485H4186H648519The day after tomorrow, toward evening, go to the place where you hid before, and wait there by the stone pile.H8027H3381H3966H935H4725H5641H3117H4639H3427H681H68H23720I will come out and shoot three arrows to the side of the stone pile as though I were shooting at a target.H3384H7969H2671H6654H7971H430721Then I will send a boy to bring the arrows back. If you hear me tell him, 'They're on this side,' then you will know, as surely as the LORD lives, that all is well, and there is no trouble.H7971H5288H3212H4672H2671H559H559H5288H2671H3947H935H7965H1697H3068H241622But if I tell him, 'Go farther—the arrows are still ahead of you,' then it will mean that you must leave immediately, for the LORD is sending you away.H559H5958H2671H1973H3212H3068H797123And may the LORD make us keep our promises to each other, for he has witnessed them."H1697H1696H3068H5704H576924So David hid himself in the field, and when the new moon festival began, the king sat down to eat.H1732H5641H7704H2320H4428H3427H398H389925He sat at his usual place against the wall, with Jonathan sitting opposite him and Abner beside him. But David's place was empty.H4428H3427H4186H6471H4186H7023H3083H6965H74H3427H7586H6654H1732H4725H648526Saul didn't say anything about it that day, for he said to himself, "Something must have made David ceremonially unclean."H7586H1696H3972H3117H559H4745H1115H2889H288927But when David's place was empty again the next day, Saul asked Jonathan, "Why hasn't the son of Jesse been here for the meal either yesterday or today?"H4283H8145H2320H1732H4725H6485H7586H559H3083H1121H935H1121H3448H3899H8543H311728Jonathan replied, "David earnestly asked me if he could go to Bethlehem.H3083H6030H7586H1732H7592H7592H5978H103529He said, 'Please let me go, for we are having a family sacrifice. My brother demanded that I be there. So please let me get away to see my brothers.' That's why he isn't here at the king's table."H559H7971H4940H2077H5892H251H6680H4672H2580H5869H4422H7200H251H935H4428H797930Saul boiled with rage at Jonathan. "You stupid son of a whore!" he swore at him. "Do you think I don't know that you want him to be king in your place, shaming yourself and your mother?H7586H639H2734H3083H559H1121H5753H4780H3045H977H1121H3448H1322H1322H517H617231As long as that son of Jesse is alive, you'll never be king. Now go and get him so I can kill him!"H3117H1121H3448H2425H127H3559H4438H7971H3947H1121H419432"But why should he be put to death?" Jonathan asked his father. "What has he done?"H3083H6030H7586H1H559H4191H621333Then Saul hurled his spear at Jonathan, intending to kill him. So at last Jonathan realized that his father was really determined to kill David.H7586H2904H2595H5221H3083H3045H3617H1H4191H173234Jonathan left the table in fierce anger and refused to eat on that second day of the festival, for he was crushed by his father's shameful behavior toward David.H3083H6965H7979H2750H639H398H3899H8145H3117H2320H6087H1732H1H363735The next morning, as agreed, Jonathan went out into the field and took a young boy with him to gather his arrows.H1242H3083H3318H7704H4150H1732H6996H528836"Start running," he told the boy, "so you can find the arrows as I shoot them." So the boy ran, and Jonathan shot an arrow beyond him.H559H5288H7323H4672H2671H3384H5288H7323H3384H2678H567437When the boy had almost reached the arrow, Jonathan shouted, "The arrow is still ahead of you.H5288H935H4725H2678H3083H3384H3083H7121H310H5288H559H2678H197338Hurry, hurry, don't wait." So the boy quickly gathered up the arrows and ran back to his master.H3083H7121H310H5288H4120H2363H5975H3083H5288H3950H2671H2678H935H11339He, of course, suspected nothing; only Jonathan and David understood the signal.H5288H3045H3972H3083H1732H3045H169740Then Jonathan gave his bow and arrows to the boy and told him to take them back to town.H3083H5414H3627H5288H559H3212H935H589241As soon as the boy was gone, David came out from where he had been hiding near the stone pile. Then David bowed three times to Jonathan with his face to the ground. Both of them were in tears as they embraced each other and said good-bye, especially David.H5288H935H1732H6965H681H5045H5307H639H776H7812H7969H6471H5401H376H7453H1058H376H7453H1732H143142At last Jonathan said to David, "Go in peace, for we have sworn loyalty to each other in the LORD's name. The LORD is the witness of a bond between us and our children forever." Then David left, and Jonathan returned to the town.H3083H559H1732H3212H7965H7650H8147H8034H3068H559H3068H2233H2233H5704H5769H6965H3212H3083H935H5892
Psalms 83
83[A song. A psalm of Asaph.] O God, do not be silent! Do not be deaf. Do not be quiet, O God.H7892H4210H623H1824H430H2790H8252H4102Don’t you hear the uproar of your enemies? Don’t you see that your arrogant enemies are rising up?H341H1993H8130H5375H72183They devise crafty schemes against your people; they conspire against your precious ones.H6191H5475H5971H3289H68454“Come,” they say, “let us wipe out Israel as a nation. We will destroy the very memory of its existence.”H559H3212H3582H1471H8034H3478H21425Yes, this was their unanimous decision. They signed a treaty as allies against you—H3289H3162H3820H3772H12856these Edomites and Ishmaelites; Moabites and Hagrites;H168H123H3459H4124H19057Gebalites, Ammonites, and Amalekites; and people from Philistia and Tyre.H1381H5983H6002H6429H3427H68658Assyria has joined them, too, and is allied with the descendants of Lot. InterludeH804H3867H2220H1121H3876H55429Do to them as you did to the Midianites and as you did to Sisera and Jabin at the Kishon River.H6213H4080H5516H2985H5158H702810They were destroyed at Endor, and their decaying corpses fertilized the soil.H8045H5874H1828H12711Let their mighty nobles die as Oreb and Zeeb did. Let all their princes die like Zebah and Zalmunna,H7896H5081H6159H2062H5257H2078H675912for they said, “Let us seize for our own use these pasturelands of God!”H559H4999H430H342313O my God, scatter them like tumbleweed, like chaff before the wind!H430H7896H1534H7179H6440H730714As a fire burns a forest and as a flame sets mountains ablaze,H784H1197H3293H3852H3857H2022H385715chase them with your fierce storm; terrify them with your tempest.H7291H5591H926H549216Utterly disgrace them until they submit to your name, O Lord.H4390H6440H7036H1245H8034H306817Let them be ashamed and terrified forever. Let them die in disgrace.H954H926H5703H2659H618Then they will learn that you alone are called the Lord, that you alone are the Most High, supreme over all the earth.H3045H8034H3068H5945H776
Dublin, OH
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