Ahimelech relieveth David.

I. SAMUEL.

the

Before haste, stay not. And Jonathan's lad gathered up arrows, and came to his master.

CHRIST

cir. 1002

1 Heb. wessels.

Heb. made

it great,

Before CHRIST

Doeg accuseth Ahimelech. 13 And he changed his behaviour before them, and feigned himself mad in their hands, and scrabbled on cir. 1062 39 But the lad knew not any thing: only Jona-the doors of the gate, and let his spittle fall down than and David knew the matter.

40 And Jonathan gave his † artillery unto his lad, P. 42, 1.& and said unto him, Go, carry them to the city.

94, 1, 3. & 144, 1, 2.

41 ¶ And as soon as the lad was gone, David arose out of a place towards the south, and fell on his face to the ground, and bowed himself three times: and Hosea 2,18. they kissed one another, and wept one with another, until David † exceeded.

Isa. 11, 6.

Luke 2, 11.

Acts 4, 32

Rom. 5. 1.
Phil. 4, 7.
Or, the

{

CHAPTER XXII.

Companies resort unto David at Adullam.

42 And Jonathan said to David, Go in peace,
I 2
forasmuch as we have sworn both of us in the

Lord of the LORD, saying, The LORD be between

of that

we have

sworn both of us.

name

thee, and between my sced and thy seed for ever.
And he arose and departed: and Jonathan went into

b. 23, 18, the city.

19.

a 1 Kings 1,

26.

b ch. 16, 4.

e Mat. 12,

3.

d 1 Kings 8,

46.

Ex.25, 30. Mat. 12, 4,

Lev. 24, 9.

7.

Ex. 10, 15.
Lev. 7, 19.

fe,
I Cor. 7,
Acts,15

Cor. 4, 7.

1 Thess. 4,

4.

b Lev. 14, 8. Luke 6, 3. 4.

CHAPTER XXI.

b

David at Nob obtaineth of Ahimelech hallowed bread.
HEN came David to a Nob to Ahimelech the
THE
priest: and Ahimelech was afraid at the meet-
ing of David, and said unto him, Why art thou alone,
and no man with thee?

2 And David said unto Ahimelech the priest, The
king hath_commanded me a business, and hath said
unto me, Let no man know any thing of the business
whereabout I send thee, and what I have commanded
thee and I have appointed my servants to such and
such a place.

51 And the prophet * Gad said unto David, Abide k 25am 24, 3 Now therefore what is under thine hand? give not in the hold; 'depart, and get thee in the " land me five loaves of bread in mine hand, or what thereof Judah. Then David departed, and came into the is present. forest of Hareth.

4 And the priest answered David, and said, There is no common bread under mine hand, but there is hallowed bread; if the young men have kept themselves at least from women.

5 And David answered the priest, and said unto him, Of a truth women have been kept from us about these three days, since I came out, and the vessels of the young men are holy, and the bread is in a manner common, yea, though it were sanctified this day in the vessel.

h

6 So the priest' gave him hallowed bread: for there ix. 25, was no bread there but the shew-bread, that was taken from before the LORD, to put hot bread in the day when it was taken away.

k Ler. 24, 8.

| Pr. 29, 12.

k

7 Now a certain man of the servants of Saul was 1,15. there that " day, detained before the LORD; and his Mat. 15, 8. name was Doeg, an " Edomite, the † chiefest of the Tius 1, 16. herdmen that belonged to Saul.

Jer. 7, 9.

T's. 52. title.

! Heb. mightiest

anong, P. 52, 1.

1 Chr. 21, 8. 1 Ps. 73, 24

Phil. 4, &

61 When Saul heard that David was discovered, m Deut 8,2 and the men that were with him, (now Saul abode in Gibeah under a tree in Ramah, having his spear in his hand, and all his servants were standing about him

D

o ch. 9, 1k

7 Then Saul said unto his servants that stood about him, Hear now, ye Benjamites; will the son of Jessen eh. 20,27 give every one of you fields and vineyards, and make you all captains of thousands, and captains of hundreds;

8 That all of you have conspired against me, and there is none that sheweth me that my son hath made Pa league with the son of Jesse, and there is none of Pch.14,3 you that is sorry for me, or sheweth unto me that my son hath stirred up my servant against me, to lie in Gen-1,14 wait, as at this day?

9 I Then answered Doeg the Edomite, which was set over the servants of Saul, and said, I saw the son of Jesse coming to Nob, to Ahimelech the son of Ahitub.

10 And he inquired of the LORD for him, and gave him victuals, and gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine.

8 And David said unto Ahimelech, And is there not here under thine hand spear or sword? for I have neither brought my sword nor my weapons with me, because the king's business required haste. 9 And the priest said, The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom thou slewest in the valley of Elah, 11 Then the king sent to call Ahimelech the behold, it is here wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod:priest, the son of Ahitub, and all his father's house, if thou wilt take that, take it: for there is no other the priests that were in Nob: and they came all of save that here. And David said, There is none like them to the king. Kings that; give it me.

11 And the servants of Achish said unto him, Ised against me, thou and the son of Jesse, in that thou not this David the king of the land? did they not sing hast given him bread, and a sword, and hast inquirone to another of him in dances, saying, Saul hathed of God for him, that he should rise against me, slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands?

12 And David laid up these words in his heart, and was sore afraid of Achish the king of Gath.

to lie in wait, as at this day?

14 Then Ahimelech answered the king, and said, And who is so faithful among all thy servants as David,

Saul's cruelty to the priests.

Before CHRIST

CHRIST cir. 1061.

which is the king's son-in-law, and goeth at thy bid- § servant † hath certainly heard that Saul seeketh to Before 12 ding, and is honourable in thine house? come to Keilah, to destroy the city for my sake. 11 Will the men of Keilah deliver me up into his hand? will Saul come down, as thy servant hath heard? O LORD God of Israel, I beseech thee, tell thy servant. And the LORD said, 'He will come down.

leb. de ng die,

x. 1, 12, 13. Esth. 3, 8, 9. Prov. 28, 15. Zeph. 3, 3.

hearing thr ch. 22.

Esther 3, 6 Ps. 44, 26 Prov. 28, 16

John 9, 2

15 Did I then begin to inquire of God for him? be 7 ch. 21, 2. it far from me. Let not the king impute any thing unto his servant, nor to all the house of my father: for thy servant knew nothing of all this, less or more. 16 And the king said, Thou shalt † surely die, Ahimelech, thou and all thy father's house. 17 And the king said unto the † footmen that stood Mat. 2, 16. about him, Turn, and slay the priests of the LORD; because their hand also is with David, and because 13 Then David and his men, which were about they knew when he fled, and did not shew it to me." six hundred, arose and departed out of Keilah, and But the servants of the king would not put forth their went whithersoever they could go. And it was told o hand to fall upon the priests of the LORD. Saul that David was escaped from Keilah: and he forbare to go forth.

Acts 12, 1, 2 2 ch. 2, 30.

Heb. TURNEYS

verse 13.* 1 Kings 21, 10, 15.

Rom. 13, 5. < P8.52, 1,4.

a

c

12 Then said David, Will the men of Keilah † deliver me and my men into the hand of Saul? And Acts, 41 the LORD said, They will deliver thee up.

14 And David abode in the wilderness in strong

I verse **

Mat. 7, 7

18 And the king said to Doeg, Turn thou, and fall upon the priests. And Doeg the Edomite turned, and Acts 4, 19 he fell upon the priests, and slew on that day four-holds, and remained in a " mountain in the wilderness n Josh. 15, score and five persons that did wear a linen ephod. of Ziph: and Saul sought him Pevery day; but God P. 11, 1. 19 And Nob, the city of the priests, smote he with delivered him not into his hand. Ex. 28, 42. the edge of the sword, both men and women, children and sucklings, and oxen, and asses, and sheep, with the edge of the sword.

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

3 And David's men said unto him, Behold, we be Iver. 25, 25. afraid here in Judah: "how much more then if we come to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines? 4 Then David inquired of the LORD yet again. And the LORD answered him, and said, Arise, go down to Keilah; for I will deliver the Philistines into thine hand.

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

6 And it came to pass, when Abiathar the son of ch. 22, 20. Ahimelech fled to David to Keilah, that he came Ex. 28, 30, down with an ephod in his hand. Num.27,21. 71 And it was told Saul that David was come to Ex. 15, 9. Keilah. And Saul said, God hath delivered him Ex. 14, 9. into mine hand; for he is shut in, by entering into a town that hath gates and bars.

h

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

men.

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

10 Then said David, O LORD God of Israel, thy

19 Then came up the " Ziphites to Saul touch. 227. Gibeah, saying, Doth not David hide himself with 2Chr. 6.42. us in strong holds in the wood, in the hill of Hachilah, which is on the south of Jeshimon? 20 Now therefore, O king, come down, according to all the desire of thy soul to come down; † and our part shall be to deliver him into the king's hand. 21 And Saul said, ' Blessed be ye of the LORD; for ye have compassion on me.

a

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

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

26 And Saul went on this side of the mountain, and David and his men on that side of the moun- di Chr. 27 tain: and David made haste to get away for fear of 2 Cor. 1.3. Saul; for Saul and his men compassed David and his men round about to take them.

J4.

e Gen. 22, Deut. 23, 4 Luke i, 29 itev. 12, 16

27 But there came a messenger unto Saul, saying, Haste thee, and come; for the Philistines have in- & 32, 38 vaded the land.

28 Wherefore Saul returned from pursuing after

a ch. 23, 27. Ezek. 22,

६.

liosea 7, 3.

c ch. 23, 29.

g

CHAPTER XXIV.

Nabal's churlishness. than I: for thou hast rewarded me good, whereas 1 Before have rewarded thee evil.

18 And thou hast shewed this day how that thou hast dealt well with me: forasmuch as, when the LORD had delivered me into thine hand, thou killedst

David in a cave at En-gedi, having cut off Saul's skirt, me not.
spareth his life

AND it came to pass, when Saul was returned
from following the Philistines, that it was told
him, saying, Behold, David is in the wilderness of
En-gedi.

c

d

2 Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out PL. 38, 12. of all Israel, and went to seek David and his men upon the rocks of the wild goats.

3 And he came to the sheep-cotes by the way, e Gen.where was a cave; and Saul went in to cover his Judg. 5, 24. feet: and David and his men remained in the sides of the cave.

10.

13.

IX.21, 15.
Pe. 7, 16. &
16.
Prov. 5, 22.

r

14. After whom is the king of Israel come out? K. 12, 13. after whom dost thou pursue? after "a dead dog, after a flea?

+ Prov. 51,4. 4 ch. 26, 20.

19 For if a man find his enemy, will he let him go well away? Wherefore the LORD reward thee good for that thou hast done unto me this day.

CHRIST cir. 1061.

b Mat. 5, 44.

c Ps. 118,

24.

20 And now, behold, I know well that thou shalt surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall d ch. 23, 17 be established in thine hand.

21 Swear now therefore unto me by the LORD, that thou wilt not cut off my seed after me, and that thou wilt not destroy my name out of my father's house. 22 And Davide sware unto Saul. And Saul went e 2 Sam. 21, home: but David and his men gat them up unto the f hold. CHAPTER XXV.

1 Samuel dieth....2 David in Paran sendeth to Nabal.

AND Samuel "died: and all the Israelites were a ch. 22, 3.
gathered together, and lamented him, and hu- b Gen. 50,
ried him in his house at Ramah. And David arose, Prov. 10, 7
and went down to the wilderness of Paran.
2 And there was a man in Maon whose e
sions were in Carmel; and the man was very great, dJosh- 15,
and he had three thousand sheep, and a thousand
goats: and he was shearing his sheep in Carmel.

d

f

posses

55.

e Ps. 17, 14. & 73, 5, 4. f Mark &

3 Now the name of the man was Nabal, and the name of his wife Abigail; and she was a woman of 45. good understanding, and of a beautiful countenance: but the man was churlish, and evil in his doings; and he was of the house of Caleb.

4 And David heard in the wilderness that Nabal did shear his sheep.

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

6 And thus shall ye say to him that liveth in prosperity, Peace be both to thee, and peace be to thine h Luke 10, house, and peace be unto all that thou hast.

5.

11 Pet. 3, & k ver. 15,21.

7 And now I have heard that thou hast shearers: now, thy shepherds which were with us, we 'hurt them not, neither was there*aught missing unto Rom. 12, 17. them, all the while they were in Carmel.

8 Ask thy young men, and they will shew thee. Wherefore let the young men find favour in thine eyes; for we come in a good day: give, I pray thee, whatsoever cometh to thine hand unto thy servants, and to thy son David.

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

10 And Nabal answered David's servants, and

13 As saith the proverb of the ancients, Wicked-said, "Who is David? and who is the son of Jesse? Ps.73 7. 8. ness proceedeth from the wicked: but mine hand There be many servants now a-days that break away shall not be upon thee. from his master. 11 Shall I then take my bread and my P water, Deut. 8, and my flesh that I have killed for my shearers, and Job 31, 27. a give it unto men whom I know not whence they be? pGen. 21. 12 So David's young men turned their way, and went again, and came and told him all those sayings. E 13 And David said unto his men, Gird ye on Gal. 6, 10. 16 And it came to pass, when David had made an every man his sword. And they girded on every rMat. 7, 6. end of speaking these words unto Saul, that Saul said,man his sword, and David also girded on his sword: Josh. 9,14 "Is this thy voice, my son David? And Saul lifted and there went up after David about four hundred ch25, 10 up his voice and wept. men; and two hundred abode by the stuff. 14 But one of the young men told Abigail, Nabal's

15 The LORD therefore be judge, and judge be2 Sam. 3,3. tween me and thee, and see, and plead my cause, x 2 Chr. 24, and deliver me out of thine hand.

Abigail by her wisdom pacifieth David:

CHRIST

CHAPTER XXVI.

Before wife, saying, Behold, David sent messengers out of er the wilderness to salute our master; and he railed on them.

t

15 But the men were very good unto us, and we were not hurt, neither missed we any thing, as long 18. as we were conversant with them, when we were in the fields:

t ver. 7, 11.

2, 15.

Col. 4, 5.

a Job 1, 10.

She becometh his wife.

Before CHRIST cir. 1060.

2 Sam. 12,

fence of heart unto my lord, either that thou hast shed
blood causeless, or that my lord hath avenged him-
self: but when the LORD shall have dealt well with
my lord, then remember thine handmaid.
32 And David said to Abigail, Blessed be the LORD 1324,13
God of Israel, which sent thee tuis day to meet me :
33 And blessed be thy advice, and blessed be thou,
which hast kept me this day from coming to shed blood,
and from avenging myself with mine own hand.

16 They were a wall unto us both by night and
day, all the while we were with them keeping sheep.
17 Now therefore know and consider what thou 34 For in very deed, as the LORD God of Israel
wilt do; for evil is determined against our master, liveth, which hath kept me back from hurting thee,
xtact. 18, and against all his household: for he is such a son of except thou hadst hasted, and come to meet me,
* Belial, that a man cannot speak to him.
surely there had not been left unto Nabal, by the
18 Then Abigail' made haste, and took two hun-morning light, any that pisseth against the wall.

13.

Judg. 19, 22.

Ps. 141, 5.

$ 2 Sam. 13,

t verse 11.

36 And Abigail came to Nabal: and, behold, he 23. held a feast in his house, like the feast of a king; and Luke 16, 19 Nabal's heart was merry within him, for he was very 2, 2 drunken: wherefore she told him "nothing, less or Rom. 13,1.4. more, until the morning light.

u Mat. 7, 6

37 But it came to pass in the morning, when the wine was gone out of Nabal, and his wife had told x verses 10, him these things, that his heart' died within him, and he became as a stone.

11, 21, 34. y Deut. 28, 23.

38 And it came to pass, about ten days after, that Job 15, 21. the LORD smote Nabal, that he died.

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

b

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

c

41 And she arose, and bowed herself on her face to the earth, and said, Behold, let thine handinaid be a servant to wash the feet of the servants of my lord. 42 And Abigail hasted, and arose, and rode upon an ass, with five damsels of hers that went † after her; and she went after the messengers of David, and

26 Now therefore, my lord, as the LORD liveth, 10 and as thy soul liveth, seeing the LORD hath with-became his wife. holden thee from coming † to shed blood, and from avenging thyself with thine own hand, now let thine k verse 25. enemics, and they that seek evil to my lord, be as * Nabal.

19.

Ps. 93, 13. & 132, 8.

27 And now this 'blessing, which thine handmaid hath brought unto my lord, let it even be given unto the young men that † follow my lord.

Ps. 53, 19.

Pro24, 13.

a 41.

1 Kings 2 Esth. 7. 10 James2, 13

Ps. 52, 7.

b Prov. 31,

10.

43 David also took Ahinoam of Jezreel; and they donde is were also both of them his wives.

e

+ 2 Sam. 3

44 But Saul had given Michal his daughter, David's wife, to Phalti the son of Laish, which was of 11,15. Gallim.

f Isa 19,30.

3

55.

23 I pray thee, forgive the trespass of thine hand- AND the Ziphites came unto Saul to Gibeah & Joh. 15,

Judg. 4, 10. sure house; because my lord fighteth the battles of ch. 15,28. the LORD, and evil hath not been found in thee all thy days.

2 Sam. 7,16.

n ch. 18, 17. 29 Yet a man is risen to pursue thee, and to seek ch. 24, 17. thy soul: but the soul of my lord shall be P bound in chap. 2, the bundle of life with the LORD thy God; and the Mt. 10, 30. souls of thine enemies, them shall he sling out, as Jer. 10, out of the middle of a sling.

Ps. 116. 15.

13

Heh, no stumbling,

saying, Doth not David hide himself in the hill of Hachilah, which is before Jeshimon ?

c

b ch. 23, 21. Rom. 3, 15 c Ps. 141, 3.

2 Then Saul arose, and went down to the wilderness of Ziph, having three thousand chosen men of Israel with him, to seek David in the wilderness of ch. 21, 17 Ziph.

d

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

Ps. 15. L.

e Ps. 12, 5.

30 And it shall come to pass, when the LORD shall have done to my lord according to all the good that he 4 David therefore sent out spies, and understood St. 10, 18 Pov. 5, 12 hath spoken concerning thee, and shall have appoint-that Saul was come in very deed. Rom. 14,21. ed thee ruler over Israel, 5 And David arose, and came to the place where

Alat. 27, 4.

2 Cor. 1, 12.

31 That this shall bet no grief unto thee, nor of-Saul had pitched: and David beheld the place where

10 David said furthermore, As the LORD liveth, AND David said in his heart, I shall now perish