David Flees to the Philistines

1 Then David said in his heart, “Now I shall perish one day by the hand of Saul. There is nothing better for me than that I should escape to the land of the Philistines. Then Saul will despair of seeking me any longer within the borders of Israel, and I shall escape out of his hand.” 2 So David arose and went over, he and ^uthe six hundred men who were with him, ^vto Achish the son of Maoch, king of Gath. 3 And David lived with Achish at Gath, he and his men, every man with his household, and David with ^whis two wives, Ahinoam of Jezreel, and Abigail of Carmel, Nabal’s widow. 4 And when it was told Saul that David had fled to Gath, he no longer sought him.

5 Then David said to Achish, “If ^xI have found favor in your eyes, let a place be given me in one of the country towns, that I may dwell there. For why should your servant dwell in the royal city with you?” 6 So that day Achish gave him ^yZiklag. Therefore Ziklag has belonged to the kings of Judah to this day. 7 ^zAnd the number of the days that David lived in the country of the Philistines was a year and four months.

8 Now David ^aand his men went up and made raids against ^bthe Geshurites, ^cthe Girzites, and ^dthe Amalekites, for these were the inhabitants of the land from of old, ^eas far as Shur, to the land of Egypt. 9 And David would strike the land and would leave neither man nor woman alive, but would take away the sheep, the oxen, the donkeys, the camels, and the garments, and come back to Achish. 10 When Achish asked, “Where have you ^fmade a raid today?” David would say, “Against the Negeb of Judah,” or, “Against the Negeb of ^gthe Jerahmeelites,” or, “Against the Negeb of ^hthe Kenites.” 11 And David would leave neither man nor woman alive to bring news to Gath, thinking, “lest they should tell about us and say, ‘So David has done.’” Such was his custom all the while he lived in the country of the Philistines. 12 And Achish trusted David, thinking, “He has made himself an utter stench to his people Israel; therefore he shall always be my servant.”

The Mighty Men Join David

1 ^xNow these are the men who came to David at Ziklag, while he could not move about freely because of Saul the son of Kish. And they were among the mighty men who helped him in war. 2 They ^ywere bowmen and could shoot arrows and sling stones with either the right or the ^zleft hand; they were Benjaminites, ^aSaul’s kinsmen. 3 The chief was Ahiezer, then Joash, both sons of Shemaah of ^bGibeah; also Jeziel and Pelet, the sons of Azmaveth; Beracah, Jehu of ^cAnathoth, 4 Ishmaiah of ^dGibeon, a mighty man among the thirty and a leader over the thirty; Jeremiah,¹ Jahaziel, Johanan, Jozabad of Gederah, 5 Eluzai,² Jerimoth, Bealiah, Shemariah, Shephatiah the Haruphite; 6 Elkanah, Isshiah, Azarel, Joezer, and Jashobeam, the ^eKorahites; 7 And Joelah and Zebadiah, the sons of Jeroham of Gedor.

Saul and the Medium of En-dor

1 In those days ⁱthe Philistines gathered their forces for war, to fight against Israel. And Achish said to David, “Understand that you and your men are to go out with me in the army.” 2 David said to Achish, “Very well, you shall know what your servant can do.” And Achish said to David, “Very well, I will make you my bodyguard for life.”

3 Now ^jSamuel had died, and all Israel had mourned for him and buried him ^kin Ramah, his own city. And Saul had put ^lthe mediums and the necromancers out of the land. 4 The Philistines assembled and came and encamped ^mat Shunem. And Saul gathered all Israel, and they encamped ⁿat Gilboa. 5 When Saul saw the army of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart trembled greatly. 6 And when Saul inquired of the Lord, ^othe Lord did not answer him, either ^pby dreams, or ^qby Urim, or by prophets. 7 Then Saul said to his servants, ^r“Seek out for me a woman who is a medium, that I may go to her and inquire of her.” And his servants said to him, “Behold, there is a medium at ^sEn-dor.”

8 So Saul ^tdisguised himself and put on other garments and went, he and two men with him. And they came to the woman by night. And he said, ^u“Divine for me by a spirit and bring up for me whomever I shall name to you.” 9 The woman said to him, “Surely you know what Saul has done, ^lhow he has cut off the mediums and the necromancers from the land. Why then are you laying a trap for my life to bring about my death?” 10 But Saul swore to her by the Lord, ^v“As the Lord lives, no punishment shall come upon you for this thing.” 11 Then the woman said, “Whom shall I bring up for you?” He said, “Bring up Samuel for me.” 12 When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out with a loud voice. And the woman said to Saul, “Why have you deceived me? You are Saul.” 13 The king said to her, “Do not be afraid. What do you see?” And the woman said to Saul, “I see a god coming up out of the earth.” 14 He said to her, “What is his appearance?” And she said, “An old man is coming up, and he is wrapped ^win a robe.” And Saul knew that it was Samuel, and he bowed with his face to the ground and paid homage.

15 Then Samuel said to Saul, “Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?” Saul answered, “I am in great distress, for the Philistines are warring against me, and ^xGod has turned away from me and ^yanswers me no more, either by prophets or by dreams. Therefore I have summoned you to tell me what I shall do.” 16 And Samuel said, “Why then do you ask me, since the Lord has turned from you and become your enemy? 17 The Lord has done to you as he spoke by me, for ^zthe Lord has torn the kingdom out of your hand and given it to your neighbor, David. 18 ^aBecause you did not obey the voice of the Lord and did not carry out his fierce wrath against Amalek, therefore the Lord has done this thing to you this day. 19 Moreover, the Lord will give Israel also with you into the hand of the Philistines, and tomorrow you ^band your sons shall be with me. The Lord will give the army of Israel also into the hand of the Philistines.”

20 Then Saul fell at once full length on the ground, filled with fear because of the words of Samuel. And there was no strength in him, for he had eaten nothing all day and all night. 21 And the woman came to Saul, and when she saw that he was terrified, she said to him, “Behold, your servant has obeyed you. ^cI have taken my life in my hand and have listened to what you have said to me. 22 Now therefore, you also obey your servant. Let me set a morsel of bread before you; and eat, that you may have strength when you go on your way.” 23 He refused and said, “I will not eat.” But his servants, together with the woman, urged him, and he listened to their words. So he arose from the earth and sat on the bed. 24 Now the woman had a fattened calf in the house, and she quickly killed it, and she took flour and kneaded it and baked unleavened bread of it, 25 and she put it before Saul and his servants, and they ate. Then they rose and went away that night.

In You Do I Take Refuge

A ^lShiggaion¹ of David, which he sang to the Lord concerning the words of Cush, a Benjaminite.