David's escape Early Judean David Narratives then if we go to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines. 4Then David inquired of Jehovah yet again. And Jehovah answered him, saying, Arise, go down to Keilah, for I will deliver the Philistines into thy hand. 5So David and his men went to Keilah, and fought with the Philistines and drove away their cattle and slew a great many of them. Thus David delivered the inhabitants of Keilah. "Now when Abiathar the son of Ahimelech fled to David to Keilah, he came down with the ephod in his hand. 7And when it was told Saul that David had come to Keilah, Saul said, God has sold him into my hand; for he has entrapped himselfs in entering into a town that has doors and bars. 8And Saul summoned all the people to war, to go down to Keilah, to besiege David and his men. 9And when David knew that Saul was devising evil against him, he said to Abiathar the priest, Bring here the ephod. 10And David said, O Jehovah, the God of Israel, thy servant hath surely heard that Saul is seeking to come to Keilah, to destroy the city because of me. 11 Will Saul come down, as thy servant hath heard ?" O Jehovah, God of Israel, I beseech thee, tell thy servant. And Jehovah said, He will come down. 12Then David said, Will the men of Keilah deliver me and my men into the hand of Saul? And Jehovah said, They will deliver thee up. 13Then David and his men, who were about six hundred, arose and departed from Keilah, and wandered hither and thither. And when it was reported to Saul that David had escaped from Keilah, he abandoned his expedition. 14So David dwelt in the wilderness Popular Judean David Stories deliver him into the king's hand. 21Then Saul said, Blessed may you be of Jehovah, for you have had compassion on me. 22Go, I pray, make yet more sure, and know and see the place where his haunt is and who has seen him there; for I am told that he is very cunning. 23See therefore, and gain knowledge of all the lurking-places where he hides, and return to me, with sure information, and I will go with you, and, if he be in the land, thousands of Judah.r I will search him out of all the 25 And 24So they arose and went to Ziph before Saul. But David and his men were in the Wilderness of Maon, in the Arabah to the south of the desert. when Saul and his men went to seek him, they told David and he went down to the rock which is in the Wilderness of Maon. And when Saul heard, he pursued aftert David in the Wilderness of Maon. 26And Saul went on the one side of the mountain and David and his men on the other side of the mountain; and David was anxiously trying to escape from Saul, for Saul and his men were about to surround David and his men, to seize them, 27when a messenger came to Saul, saying, Come quickly, for the Philistines have made a raid upon the land. 28So Saul returned from pursu a 23 Following the order of the Gk. and Luc. The verse was probably inserted in its present position by a later editor who recognized the omission in 2220 and wished to prepare the reader for the introduction of Abiathar with the ephod in 2. 2323 The verse has probably been expanded by a scribe. The Gk. has a much briefer text. 237 So Gk. and the restored Heb. text. 2325 Following the Gk., the Heb. text has been slightly changed, so that it reads, and dwelt in. 231 A scribe by mistake introduced the question in 12, also at the beginning of ". It is not found in the Gk. and has been omitted in the translation. Saul's of Da vid in the wil Early Judean David Narratives in the strongholds and remained in the Popular Judean David Stories ing after David and went against the Philistines; therefore they called that place, Rock of the Divisions. 29 And David went up thence, and dwelt in the strongholds of Engedi. 26 1Then the Ziphites came to Saul at Gibpursuit eah, saying, Is not David hiding in the hill of Hachilah, which is east of the desert? 2Acderness cordingly Saul arose, and went down to the Wilderness of Ziph, having three thousand men of Israel with him, to seek David in the Wilderness of Ziph. 3And Saul encamped in the hill of Hachilah, which is east of the desert on the way. But David remained in the wilderness. And when he saw that Saul was pursuing him into the wilderness, 4David sent out spies and learned that Saul had come from Keilah.a 5And David arose and came to the place where Saul had encamped. And David saw the place where Saul with Abner the son of Ner, the commander of his army lay, and Saul lay within the barricade, b and the people were encamped around about him. David's for life "Then David spoke and said to Ahimelech regard the Hittite and to Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Saul's Joab's brother, saying, Who will go down with me to Saul to the camp? And Abishai said, I will go down with you. 7So David and Abishai came to the people by night; and Saul was lying there asleep within the barricade, with his spear stuck into the earth at his head, with Abner and the people lying around about him. Then Abishai said to David, God has delivered your enemy into your hand to-day. Now therefore let me smite him with his spear to the earth at one stroke, and I will not need to smite him twice! 24 1And when Saul returned from following the Philistines, it was told him, saying, See, David is in the Wilderness of Engedi. 2Then Saul took three thousand men chosen from all Israel and went to seek David and his men upon the Wild Goats' Crags. 3 And he came to the sheepfolds by the way, and there was a cave. And Saul went in to cover his feet, while David and his men were staying in the recesses of the cave. 4a And the men of David said to him, See this is the day of which Jehovah said to you, Behold, I give thine enemy into thy hand and thou shalt do to him as thou pleasest.' 6And he said to his men, Jehovah forbid that I should do this thing to my lord, Jehovah's anointed, to put forth my hand against him, since 2328 The implication is that it was so called because the two forces separated from each other at this point. In connection with this rock the story was probably preserved, because, like many of the traditions of Gen., it gave the popular derivation of its name. 2314 So Gk. Heb., God. 2314b The direct continuation of 14a is found in 261. Vs. 14b planatory gloss. appears to be a general ex26 So Gk. The preceding verb demands the name of some place. The Heb. is evidently corrupt and gives no help. b 265 Cf. 1720, § 10, note i. 24-7 The original order has evidently been disarranged in transmission, or else 4b. 5 represent a later marginal expansion of the story which has been introduced in the wrong place. His words Early Judean David Narratives 9But David said to Abishai, Destroy him not; 13Then David went sance. Popular Judean David he is Jehovah's anointed. 7b And when Saul rose from the cave and went on his way, David also rose after him and went from the cave and cried after Saul, saying, My lord the king. And when Saul looked behind him, David bowed his face to the earth, and did obei9And David said to Saul, Why did you listen to the words of the men who said, 'See, David seeks your hurt?' 10To-day your eyes see that Jehovah gave you into my hand in the cave, but I refused to kill youf and had pity on you, and I said, 'I will not put forth my hand against my lord, for he is Jehovah's anointed.' 11Moreover, my father, see the skirt of your mantle in my hand, for in that I cut off the skirt of your mantle and did not kill you, know and see that there is neither evil nor guilt on my hands, and I have not sinned against you, though you are aiming to take my life. 12Jehovah judge between me and you; but my hand shall not be upon you. 13 As runs the proverb of the ancients, Out of the wicked cometh forth wickedness. d 247 Heb., tear, rend. Gk., persuaded. 2614 So Gk. The Heb. adds, to the king, but this is not supported by the context. f2410 Following the suggestion of the Gk. in restoring the otherwise incorrect Heb. Lat., and I thought to kill you. 2413 The infelicitous introduction of the proverb is further evidence of the popular embellishment of the story. h 2616 Heb., children of death. Saul's Early Judean David Narratives not kept watch over your lord, Jehovah's anointed. And now see where the king's spear is and the jug of water that was at his head. Popular Judean David Stories dog? After a flea? 15Jehovah therefore be judge and decide between me and you and see and plead my cause and obtain justice for me from you. 17Then Saul recognized David's voice and reply said, Is this your voice, my son David? And David said, It is my voice, my lord, O king. 18 And he said, Why is my lord pursuing his servant? For what have I done? Or of what kind of evil have I been guilty? 19Now therefore let my lord the king hear the words of his servant. If Jehovah hath stirred you up against me, let him accept an offering; but if they be men, cursed be they before Jehovah, for they have driven me out to-day, so that I have no part in the inheritance of Jehovah, saying, 'Go serve other gods.' 20Now therefore, may my blood not fall to the earth far away from the presence of Jehovah, for the king of Israel has come out to seek my life, as one hunts a partridgek on the mountains. 21Then Saul said, I have done wrong; return, my son David, for I will do you no more harm, because my life was regarded as sacred by your to-day. I have acted foolishly and have erred exceedingly. 22And David answered and said, There is the king's spear! Let one of the young men come over and take it. 23 And Jehovah will reward each man's righteousness and fidelity; for Jehovah delivered you into my hand to-day, but I would not raise my hand against Jehovah's anointed. 24 And just as your life was to-day of great value in my sight, so may my life be of great value in Jehovah's sight, and let him deliver me out of all affliction. 25 Then Saul said to David, Be blessed, my son David; you shall do great things and 16 Now when David had finished speaking these words to Saul, Saul said, Is this not your voice, my son David? Then Saul lifted up his voice and wept. 17And he said to David, You are more righteous than I, for you have done to me that which is good, while I have done to you that which is evil. 18 And you have done great good to me in that today, when Jehovah had shut me up in your hand, you did not kill me. 19 For when a man finds his enemy, does he send him on his way safe and sound? Therefore may Jehovah reward you richly for what you have done to me this day. 20And now see, I know that you will surely be king, and that through you the kingdom of Israel shall be established. 21Swear now therefore to me by Jehovah, that you will not cut off my descendants after me and that you will not destroy my name from my father's house. 22So David took oath to Saul. i 2418 Heb., And you have declared to-day. A slight emendation gives the above reading, which is much more intelligible and consonant with the context. 2619 Lit., inhale, i.e., be appeased by an offering. 2620 So Gk. texts. Heb. has, a flea, which hardly fits the context here. It was probably introduced from 2415. Or, making a slight change in the text, as the eagle hunts the partridge. 12419 Heb., on a good way. 2621 Heb., was precious in your eyes. Nabal the Calebite mes sage Early Judean David Narratives shall surely succeed! So David went his way, Popular Judean David And Saul went to his home; § 15. David and Abigail, I Sam. 251b-44 Early Judean David Narratives I Sam. 25 lbThen David arose and went into the Wilderness of Maon." 2And there was a man in Maon, whose business was in Carmel. And the man was very rich, and he had three thousand sheep and a thousand goats, and he was shearing his sheep in Carmel. 3Now the man's name was Nabal; and his wife's name was Abigail; and the woman was sensible and comely, but the man was rough and ill-mannered; and he was a Calebite. David's 4 And David heard in the wilderness that Nabal was shearing his sheep. 5And David sent ten young men, and David said to the young men, Go up to him to Carmel and enter Nabal's house and greet him in my name; and you shall say to him and to his clan,° 'Peace be to you and your house and all that you have. And now I have heard that you have shearers. Your shepherds were with us, and we did not jeer at them, and nothing of theirs was missing all the while they were in Carmel. Ask your young men and they will tell you. Therefore let the young men find favor in your eyes, for we have come on a feast day. Give, therefore, whatever you have at hand to your servants and to your son David.' And when David's young men came, they spoke to Nabal in the name of David and waited as directed. Nabal's insulting re David's geance 10 Then Nabal answered David's servants, and said, Who is David? And who is the son of Jesse? Many are the slaves these days who break away, ply and each from his master! 11Should I then take my bread and my water plans and my meat that I have slain for my shearers, and give it to men of whom for ven- I know not whence they are? 12So David's young men turned back on their way, and came and reported all these words to him. 13And David said to his men, Let every man gird on his sword. And they girded on each man his sword. And David also girded on his sword; and there went up after David about four hundred men; and two hundred remained with the baggage. Abigail's prompt action 14 But one of the young men had told Abigail, Nabal's wife, saying, David has just sent messengers from the wilderness to salute our master, and he $15 This account of how David acquired a wife and possessions is one of the most characteristic products of the early Judean school.. It gives an exceedingly realistic picture of David's life during his outlaw period. Excepting the opening words, which were evidently intended by the editor of I Sam. to connect it with the preceding editorial note regarding the death of Samuel, la, the story has apparently received little, if any, additions. n 251b So Gk. Heb., Paran. 256 Restoring the otherwise unintelligible Heb. in accordance with the exceedingly plausible suggestions of Smith (Sam., 223). P 259, 10 The Gk, and Luc. translate, possibly preserving an original text, Nabal jumped up and answered. a 2511 Gk., wine. But this was probably introduced by the translators from 18, because they did not appreciate the value of water in the wilderness of southern Judah. |