The Daily Audio Bible

David Keeps from Killing Saul the Second Time

26 Then the Ziphites came to Saul at Gibeah, saying, “Is not David hiding on the hill of Hachilah, east of Jeshimon?” ² So Saul got ready and went down to the desert of Ziph. He had 3,000 chosen men of Israel with him, to look for David in the desert of Ziph. ³ Saul stayed on the hill of Hachilah, beside the road east of Jeshimon. And David was staying in the desert. When he saw that Saul came after him in the desert, ⁴ David sent out spies and learned that Saul was coming for sure. ⁵ Then David got ready and came to the place where Saul was staying. He saw the place where Saul lay, with Abner the son of Ner, the captain of his army. Saul was lying in the center of the tents, and the people were sleeping around him.

⁶ Then David said to Ahimelech the Hittite and to Joab’s brother Abishai the son of Zeruiah, “Who will go down with me to the tents of Saul?” Abishai said, “I will go down with you.” ⁷ So David and Abishai came to the people during the night. Saul lay sleeping in the center of the tents, with his spear in the ground at his head. Abner and the people were lying around him. ⁸ Abishai said to David, “Today God has given the one who hates you into your hand. Now let me nail him to the earth with the spear, hitting him just once. I will not hit him a second time.” ⁹ But David said to Abishai, “Do not destroy him. For who can put his hand out against the Lord’s chosen one and not be guilty?” ¹⁰ David said, “As the Lord lives, He will destroy him. Or his day will come to die. Or he will be killed in battle. ¹¹ May the Lord keep me from putting out my hand against the Lord’s chosen one. But take the spear that is at his head and the bottle of water, and let us go.” ¹² So David took the spear and the bottle of water from beside Saul’s head, and they went away. But no one saw it, or knew it, and no one woke, for they were all sleeping. A deep sleep from the Lord had come upon them.

¹³ Then David crossed over to the other side and stood far away on top of the mountain, with much land between them. ¹⁴ David called to the army and to Ner’s son Abner, saying, “Will you not answer, Abner?” Abner answered, “Who are you who calls to the king?” ¹⁵ David said to Abner, “Are you not a man? Who is like you in Israel? Why have you not watched over your lord the king? For one of the people came to destroy the king your lord. ¹⁶ This thing you have done is not good. As the Lord lives, all of you must die for sure. Because you did not watch over your lord, the Lord’s chosen one. Now see where the king’s spear is, and the bottle of water that was beside his head.”

¹⁷ Saul knew David’s voice, and said, “Is this your voice, my son David?” And David said, “It is my voice, my lord the king. ¹⁸ Why is my lord coming after his servant? What have I done? What am I guilty of? ¹⁹ Now I beg you, let my lord the king listen to the words of his servant. If the Lord has made you come against me, let Him receive a gift. But if men have done this, may bad come to them before the Lord. For they have driven me out this day, that I should have no share of what the Lord has given. They say, ‘Go, worship other gods.’ ²⁰ So do not let my blood fall to the ground away from the Lord. For the king of Israel has come out to look for one little bug, just as one looks for a partridge in the mountains.”

²¹ Then Saul said, “I have sinned. Return, my son David, for I will not hurt you again. Because my life was of great worth in your eyes this day. See, I have played the fool, and have made a big mistake.” ²² David answered, “See the spear of the king! Let one of the young men come over and take it. ²³ The Lord will pay each man for being right and good and faithful. For the Lord gave you into my hand today. But I would not put out my hand against the Lord’s chosen one. ²⁴ Now see, as your life was of great worth in my eyes today, so may my life be of great worth in the eyes of the Lord. May He save me from all trouble.” ²⁵ Then Saul said to David, “May good come to you, my son David. You will do many things and do them well.” So David went on his way, and Saul returned to his place.

David with the Philistines

27 David said to himself, “Some day Saul will kill me. There is nothing better for me than to run to the land of the Philistines. Then Saul will become tired of looking for me any more in the land of Israel. And I will get away from him.” ² So David got up and crossed over with his 600 men to Achish the son of Maoch, king of Gath. ³ David lived with Achish at Gath, he and his men. Each man had those of his family with him. David had with him his two wives, Ahinoam of Jezreel, and Abigail of Carmel, who had been Nabal’s wife. ⁴ When Saul was told that David had run to Gath, he looked for him no more.

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

⁸ Now David and his men went up to fight the Geshurites, the Girzites and the Amalekites. For they had been living in the land a long time, as you come to Shur, even as far as the land of Egypt. ⁹ David destroyed the land and did not leave a man or a woman alive. He took away the sheep, the cattle, the donkeys, the camels, and the clothing. Then he returned and came to Achish. ¹⁰ Achish said, “Where have you gone to battle today?” And David said, “Against the Negev of Judah, the Negev of the Jerahmeelites, and the Negev of the Kenites.” ¹¹ David did not leave a man or woman alive to bring news to Gath, thinking, “They might tell about us. They might say, ‘This is what David has done all the time he has lived in the country of the Philistines.’” ¹² And Achish believed David, saying, “He has made the people of Israel hate him. So he will become my servant forever.”

Saul and the Woman of Endor

28 In those days the Philistines gathered their armies for war against Israel. Achish said to David, “Understand that you and your men are to go out with me to battle.” ² David said to Achish, “Very well, you will know what your servant can do.” And Achish said to David, “Very well, I will make you the soldier who stands by me and keeps me safe for life.”

³ Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had been filled with sorrow for him. They buried him in his own city of Ramah. And Saul had put out of the land those who spoke with spirits by using their secret ways. ⁴ The Philistines gathered together and came and stayed at Shunem. Saul gathered all Israel together and they stayed at Gilboa. ⁵ When Saul saw the Philistine army, he was afraid. His heart shook with much fear. ⁶ Saul asked the Lord what he should do. But the Lord did not answer him, by dreams or by Urim or by those who speak for God. ⁷ Then Saul said to his servants, “Find a woman for me who can speak with spirits, that I may go to her and ask her what I should do.” His servants said to him, “See, there is a woman at Endor who can speak with spirits.”

⁸ So Saul dressed up to look like somebody else and went with two other men to the woman during the night. He said, “Use your secret ways for me, I beg you, and bring up for me whom I will name to you.” ⁹ But the woman said to him, “See, you know what Saul has done. He has put out of the land those who speak with spirits by using their secret ways. Why do you lay a trap for my life to cause my death?” ¹⁰ But Saul promised her by the Lord, saying, “As the Lord lives, you will not be punished for this.” ¹¹ Then the woman said, “Whom should I bring up for you?” And he said, “Bring up Samuel for me.” ¹² When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out with a loud voice. She said to Saul, “Why have you fooled me? For you are Saul!” ¹³ The king said to her, “Do not be afraid. What do you see?” The woman said to Saul, “I see a god coming up out of the earth.” ¹⁴ He said to her, “What does he look like?” And she said, “An old man is coming up. He is dressed in a long piece of clothing.” Saul knew that it was Samuel, and he put his face to the ground to show honor.

¹⁵ Then Samuel said to Saul, “Why have you troubled my rest by bringing me up?” Saul answered, “I am very troubled. The Philistines are making war against me. And God has left me and answers me no more, by those who speak for Him or by dreams. So I have called you to tell me what I should do.” ¹⁶ Samuel said, “Why then do you ask me, since the Lord has left you and has turned against you? ¹⁷ The Lord has done what He said He would do through me. The Lord has torn the rule of Israel out of your hand and given it to your neighbor, David. ¹⁸ You did not obey the Lord and bring His burning anger upon Amalek. So the Lord has done this to you now. ¹⁹ What is more, the Lord will give Israel and you into the hands of the Philistines. So tomorrow you and your sons will be with me. The Lord will give the army of Israel to the Philistines.”

²⁰ At once Saul fell to the ground with his whole body. He was very afraid because of Samuel’s words. And there was no strength in him, for he had eaten no food all day and all night. ²¹ The woman came to Saul and saw that he was filled with fear. She said to him, “See, your woman servant has obeyed you. I have put my life in danger and have listened to what you said to me. ²² So now I beg you, let me give you a piece of bread. Eat, so you may have strength when you go on your way.” ²³ But he said, “I will not eat.” But his servants together with the woman begged him, and he listened to them. He got up from the ground and sat on the bed. ²⁴ The woman had a fat calf in the house and was quick to kill it. She took flour, made it into dough, and made bread without yeast. ²⁵ She brought it to Saul and his servants, and they ate. Then they got up and went away that night.

Jesus Hears about Lazarus

11 A man named Lazarus was sick. He lived in the town of Bethany with his sisters, Mary and Martha. ² This was the Mary who put perfume on the Lord and dried His feet with her hair. It was her brother Lazarus who was sick. ³ The sisters sent word to Jesus, saying, “Lord, your friend is sick!” ⁴ When Jesus heard this, He said, “This sickness will not end in death. It has happened so that it will bring honor to God. And the Son of God will be honored by it also.”

Jesus Tells of the Death of Lazarus

⁵ Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. ⁶ But when He heard that Lazarus was sick, He stayed where He was two more days. ⁷ Then He said to His followers, “Let us go into the country of Judea again.” ⁸ The followers said to Him, “Teacher, the Jews tried to throw stones at You to kill You not long ago. Are You going there again?” ⁹ Jesus said, “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If a man walks during the day, he will not fall. He sees the light of this world. ¹⁰ If a man walks during the night, he will fall. The light is not in him.”

¹¹ After Jesus had said this, He spoke again and said, “Our friend Lazarus is sleeping. I will go and wake him up.” ¹² The followers said to Him, “If he is sleeping, he will get well.” ¹³ But Jesus meant Lazarus was dead. They thought He meant Lazarus was resting in sleep. ¹⁴ Then Jesus said to them, “Lazarus is dead. ¹⁵ Because of you I am glad I was not there so that you may believe. Come, let us go to him.”

¹⁶ Thomas, who was called the Twin, said to the other followers, “Let us go also so we may die with Jesus.”

Jesus Tells That the Grave Will Not Hold the Dead

¹⁷ When Jesus got there, He heard that Lazarus had been in the grave four days. ¹⁸ Bethany was about one-half hour walk from Jerusalem. ¹⁹ Many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to give words of comfort about their brother.

²⁰ Martha heard that Jesus was coming and went to meet Him. Mary stayed in the house. ²¹ Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. ²² I know even now God will give You whatever You ask.” ²³ Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” ²⁴ Martha said to Him, “I know that he will rise again when the dead are raised from the grave on the last day.”

²⁵ Jesus said to her, “I am the One Who raises the dead and gives them life. Anyone who puts his trust in Me will live again, even if he dies. ²⁶ Anyone who lives and has put his trust in Me will never die. Do you believe this?” ²⁷ She answered, “Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God. You are the One Who was to come into the world.”

Lazarus Is Raised from the Dead

²⁸ After Martha said this, she went and called her sister Mary. She said without anyone else hearing, “The Teacher is here and has sent for you.” ²⁹ When Mary heard this, she got up and went to Him. ³⁰ Jesus had not yet come into their town. He was still where Martha had met Him.

³¹ The Jews had been in the house comforting Mary. They saw her get up and hurry out. They followed her and said, “She is going to the grave to cry there.” ³² Mary went to the place where Jesus was. When she saw Him, she got down at His feet. She said to Him, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.” ³³ Jesus saw her crying. The Jews who came with her were crying also. His heart was very sad and He was troubled. ³⁴ He said, “Where did you lay Lazarus?” They said, “Lord, come and see.” ³⁵ Then Jesus cried. ³⁶ The Jews said, “See how much He loved Lazarus.” ³⁷ Some of them said, “This Man opened the eyes of the blind man. Could He not have kept this man from dying?”

³⁸ Jesus went to the grave with a sad heart. The grave was a hole in the side of a hill. A stone covered the door. ³⁹ Jesus said, “Take the stone away.” The dead man’s sister, Martha, said to Him, “Lord, by now his body has a bad smell. He has been dead four days.” ⁴⁰ Jesus said to her, “Did I not say that if you would believe, you would see the shining-greatness of God?”

⁴¹ They took the stone away. Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank You for hearing Me. ⁴² I know You always hear Me. But I have said this for the people standing here, so they may believe You have sent Me.”

⁴³ When He had said this, He called with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” ⁴⁴ The man who had been dead came out. His hands and feet were tied in grave clothes. A white cloth was tied around his face. Jesus said to the people, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go!”

The Proud Religious Law-Keepers Try to Think of a Way to Kill Jesus

⁴⁵ Many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary and had seen what Jesus had done put their trust in Him. ⁴⁶ Some of them went to the proud religious law-keepers and told them what Jesus had done. ⁴⁷ The religious leaders of the Jews and the proud religious law-keepers gathered a court together. They said, “What will we do? This Man is doing many powerful works. ⁴⁸ If we let Him keep doing these things, all men will put their trust in Him. The Romans will come and take away the house of God and our nation.” ⁴⁹ Caiaphas was the head religious leader that year. He said to them, “You know nothing about this. ⁵⁰ Do you not see it is better for one man to die for the people than for the whole nation to be destroyed?”

⁵¹ Caiaphas did not think of these words himself. He spoke what God had said would happen. He was telling before it happened that Jesus must die for the nation. ⁵² He must die not only for the nation, but also to bring together into one group the children of God who were living in many places.

⁵³ From that day on they talked together about how they might kill Jesus. ⁵⁴ For this reason Jesus did not walk out in the open among the Jews. He went to a town called Ephraim. It was near a desert. He stayed there with His followers.

A Psalm of Praise

117 Praise the Lord, all nations! Praise Him, all people! ² For His loving-kindness toward us is great. And the truth of the Lord lasts forever. Praise the Lord!

²² Plans go wrong without talking together, but they will go well when many wise men talk about what to do.

²³ To give a good answer is a joy to a man, and how pleasing is a word given at the right time!