David on the Run from Saul

1 Samuel 18:1-20

When he finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan became attached to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul. Saul took him on that very day and did not allow him to return to his father’s house. Then Jonathan made a covenant with David, because he loved him as his own soul. Jonathan stripped off the robe that he was wearing and gave it to David, along with his fighting attire, and even his sword, his bow, and his belt. David went out whenever Saul sent him, and he succeeded. So Saul appointed him over the men of the war, and it pleased all the people and even pleased the servants of Saul. When they were coming back after David had returned from striking down the Philistine, the women went out from all the cities of Israel singing and dancing to meet King Saul with tambourines, with joy, and with three-stringed instruments. And the women sang as they danced, and they said, “Saul has struck down his thousands, but David his ten thousands!” Saul became very angry, and this saying displeased him, and he thought, “They have attributed to David ten thousands, but to me they have attributed thousands! What more can he have but the kingdom?” So Saul was watching David with suspicion from that day onward. On the next day, the evil spirit from God rushed upon Saul, and he prophesied in the middle of the house. Now David was playing the lyre with his hand on that day as usual, and the spear was in Saul’s hand. Then Saul hurled the spear and thought, “I will pin David to the wall.” But David eluded him twice. Now Saul was threatened by the presence of David because Yahweh was with him, but had departed from Saul. So Saul removed him from his presence, and made him commander of a thousand, so he marched in and out at the front of the army. And David was achieving success in all his ways and Yahweh was with him, but when Saul saw that he was very successful, he was severely threatened by him. However, all of Israel and Judah were loving David, for he was going forth and marching ahead of them. Then Saul said to David, “Here is my older daughter Merab. I will give her to you as your wife. Only be a brave warrior for me and fight the battles of Yahweh.” For Saul thought, “My hand will not be against him, but let the hand of the Philistines be against him.” But David said to Saul, “Who am I, and who are my relatives, the clan of my father in Israel, that I should be a son-in-law to the king?” But at the time Saul’s daughter Merab was to be given to David, she was given instead to Adriel the Meholathite as wife. Now Saul’s daughter Michal loved David, so they told Saul, and the matter pleased him.

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1 Samuel 24:1-22

When Saul returned from pursuing the Philistines, they told him, “Look, David is in the wilderness of En Gedi.” So Saul took three thousand chosen men from all Israel, and he and his men went to search for David in the direction of the Rocks of the Mountain Goats. He came to the sheep pens beside the road, and a cave was there. Then Saul went in to relieve himself. Now David and his men were sitting in the innermost part of the cave. And David’s men said to him, “Look, today is the day about which Yahweh said to you, ‘See, I am giving your enemy into your hand, and you can do to him whatever seems good to you.’ ” So David got up and secretly cut the hem of Saul’s robe. And then afterward David felt guilty, because he had cut the hem of Saul’s robe. He said to his men, “Far be it from me in Yahweh, that I do this thing to my lord, to Yahweh’s anointed one, by stretching out my hand against him! For he is the anointed one of Yahweh.” So David rebuked his men with the words and did not allow them to rise against Saul. And Saul got up from the cave, and he went on his way. Then David got up afterward and went out of the cave and called after Saul, “My lord the king!” When Saul looked after him, David knelt down with his face to the ground and bowed down. Then David said to Saul, “Why do you listen to the words of people who say: ‘Look, David is seeking to do you harm’? Look, this day your eyes have seen that Yahweh gave you today into my hand in the cave, and some said to kill you. But I took pity on you and said, ‘I will not stretch out my hand against my lord, because he is Yahweh’s anointed one.’ Now, my father, see, yes, see, the hem of your robe in my hand! For when I cut the hem of your robe I did not kill you. Know and realize that there is no evil or rebellion in my hand. I did not sin against you, but you are hunting down my life to take it. May Yahweh judge between me and you, and may Yahweh avenge me on you, but my hand will not be against you! Just as the ancient proverb says, ‘From the wicked, wickedness goes out,’ but my hand will not be against you! After whom did the king of Israel go out? After whom are you pursuing? After a dead dog? After one flea? May Yahweh be the judge, and let him judge between me and you, and may he see and plead my case. May he vindicate me against you!” When David finished speaking these words to Saul, Saul said, “ Is this your voice, my son David?” And Saul lifted up his voice and wept. Then he said to David, “You are more righteous than I, for you have repaid me the good, but I have repaid you the evil. You have explained to me today that you have dealt well with me, how Yahweh delivered me into your hand but you did not kill me. For a man has found his enemy but sent him on his way safely. Now may Yahweh reward you with good in return for this day, for what you have done for me. So now then, look, I know that you will certainly be king and the kingdom of Israel will be established in your hand. So then, swear to me by Yahweh that you will not cut off my descendants after me and that you will not wipe out my name from my father’s house.” So David swore this on oath to Saul, and Saul went to his house, but David and his men went up to the stronghold.

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