Today's Reading

¹David fled from Naioth in Ramah, and came and said before Jonathan, "What have I done? What is my iniquity? What is my sin before your father, that he seeks my life?"

²He said to him, "Far from it; you shall not die. Behold, my father does nothing either great or small, but that he discloses it to me; and why should my father hide this thing from me? It is not so."

³David swore moreover, and said, "Your father knows well that I have found favor in your eyes; and he says, 'Do not let Jonathan know this, lest he be grieved:' but truly as the Lord lives, and as your soul lives, there is but a step between me and death."

⁴Then Jonathan said to David, "Whatever your soul desires, I will even do it for you."

⁵David said to Jonathan, "Behold, tomorrow is the new moon, and I should not fail to dine with the king; but let me go, that I may hide myself in the field to the third day at evening.

⁶If your father miss me at all, then say, 'David earnestly asked leave of me that he might run to Bethlehem his city; for it is the yearly sacrifice there for all the family.'

⁷If he says, 'It is well;' your servant shall have peace: but if he be angry, then know that evil is determined by him.

⁸Therefore deal kindly with your servant; for you have brought your servant into a covenant of the Lord with you: but if there is iniquity in me, kill me yourself; for why should you bring me to your father?"

⁹Jonathan said, "Far be it from you; for if I should at all know that evil were determined by my father to come on you, then wouldn't I tell you that?"

¹⁰Then David said to Jonathan, "Who shall tell me if perchance your father answers you roughly?"

¹¹Jonathan said to David, "Come, and let us go out into the field." They both went out into the field.

¹²Jonathan said to David, "By the Lord, the God of Israel, when I have sounded my father about this time tomorrow, or the third day, behold, if there is good toward David, shall I not then send to you, and disclose it to you?

¹³The Lord do so to Jonathan, and more also, should it please my father to do you evil, if I do not disclose it to you, and send you away, that you may go in peace: and the Lord be with you, as he has been with my father.

¹⁴You shall not only while yet I live show me the loving kindness of the Lord, that I not die;

¹⁵but also you shall not cut off your kindness from my house forever; no, not when the Lord has cut off the enemies of David everyone from the surface of the earth."

¹⁶So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, "The Lord will require it at the hand of David's enemies."

¹⁷Jonathan caused David to swear again, for the love that he had to him; for he loved him as he loved his own soul.

¹⁸Then Jonathan said to him, "Tomorrow is the new moon: and you will be missed, because your seat will be empty.

¹⁹When you have stayed three days, you shall go down quickly, and come to the place where you hid yourself when this started, and shall remain by the stone Ezel.

²⁰I will shoot three arrows on its side, as though I shot at a mark.

²¹Behold, I will send the boy, saying, 'Go, find the arrows!' If I tell the boy, 'Behold, the arrows are on this side of you. Take them;' then come; for there is peace to you and no hurt, as the Lord lives.

²²But if I say this to the boy, 'Behold, the arrows are beyond you;' then go your way; for the Lord has sent you away.

²³Concerning the matter which you and I have spoken of, behold, the Lord is between you and me forever."

²⁴So David hid himself in the field: and when the new moon had come, the king sat him down to eat food.

²⁵The king sat on his seat, as at other times, even on the seat by the wall; and Jonathan stood up, and Abner sat by Saul's side: but David's place was empty.

²⁶Nevertheless Saul did not say anything that day: for he thought, "Something has happened to him. He is not clean. Surely he is not clean."

²⁷It happened on the next day after the new moon, the second day, that David's place was empty. Saul said to Jonathan his son, "Why doesn't the son of Jesse come to eat, neither yesterday, nor today?"

²⁸Jonathan answered Saul, "David earnestly asked leave of me to go to Bethlehem.

²⁹He said, 'Please let me go, for our family has a sacrifice in the city. My brother has commanded me to be there. Now, if I have found favor in your eyes, please let me go away and see my brothers.' Therefore he has not come to the king's table."

³⁰Then Saul's anger was kindled against Jonathan, and he said to him, "You son of a perverse rebellious woman, do I not know that you have chosen the son of Jesse to your own shame, and to the shame of your mother's nakedness?

³¹For as long as the son of Jesse lives on the earth, you shall not be established, nor your kingdom. Therefore now send and bring him to me, for he shall surely die!"

³²Jonathan answered Saul his father, and said to him, "Why should he be put to death? What has he done?"

³³Saul cast his spear at him to strike him. By this Jonathan knew that his father was determined to put David to death.

³⁴So Jonathan arose from the table in fierce anger, and ate no food the second day of the month; for he was grieved for David, because his father had done him shame.

³⁵It happened in the morning, that Jonathan went out into the field at the time appointed with David, and a little boy with him.

³⁶He said to his boy, "Run, find now the arrows which I shoot." As the boy ran, he shot an arrow beyond him.

³⁷When the boy had come to the place of the arrow which Jonathan had shot, Jonathan cried after the boy, and said, "Isn't the arrow beyond you?"

³⁸Jonathan cried after the boy, "Go fast! Hurry! Do not delay!" Jonathan's boy gathered up the arrows, and came to his master.

³⁹But the boy did not know anything. Only Jonathan and David knew the matter.

⁴⁰Jonathan gave his weapons to his boy, and said to him, "Go, carry them to the city."

⁴¹As soon as the boy was gone, David arose out of the south, and fell on his face to the ground, and bowed himself three times. They kissed one another, and wept one with another, and David wept the most.

⁴²Jonathan said to David, "Go in peace, because we have both sworn in the name of the Lord, saying, 'The Lord shall be between me and you, and between my seed and your seed, forever.'" He arose and departed; and Jonathan went into the city.

¹Then came David to Nob to Ahimelech the priest. Ahimelech came to meet David trembling, and said to him, "Why are you alone, and no man with you?"

²David said to Ahimelech the priest, "The king has commanded me a business, and has said to me, 'Let no man know anything of the business about which I send you, and what I have commanded you; and I have appointed the young men to such and such a place.'

³Now therefore what is under your hand? Give me five loaves of bread in my hand, or whatever there is present."

⁴The priest answered David, and said, "There is no common bread under my hand, but there is holy bread; if only the young men have kept themselves from women."

⁵David answered the priest, and said to him, "Truly, women have been kept from us about these three days. When I came out, the vessels of the young men were holy, though it was but a common journey. How much more then today shall their vessels be holy?"

⁶So the priest gave him holy bread; for there was no bread there but the show bread, that was taken from before the Lord, to put hot bread in the day when it was taken away.

⁷Now a certain man of the servants of Saul was there that day, detained before the Lord; and his name was Doeg the Edomite, the best of the herdsmen who belonged to Saul.

⁸David said to Ahimelech, "Isn't there here under your hand spear or sword? For I have neither brought my sword nor my weapons with me, because the king's business required haste."

⁹The priest said, "The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom you killed in the valley of Elah, behold, it is here wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod. If you will take that, take it; for there is no other except that here." David said, "There is none like that. Give it to me."

¹⁰David arose, and fled that day for fear of Saul, and went to Achish the king of Gath.

¹¹The servants of Achish said to him, "Isn't this David the king of the land? Did they not sing one to another about him in dances, saying, 'Saul has slain his thousands, David his ten thousands?'"

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

¹³He changed his behavior before them, and pretended to be mad in their hands, and scrabbled on the doors of the gate, and let his spittle fall down on his beard.

¹⁴Then Achish said to his servants, "Look, you see the man is mad. Why then have you brought him to me?

¹⁵Do I lack madmen, that you have brought this fellow to play the madman in my presence? Shall this fellow come into my house?"

¹David therefore departed there, and escaped to the cave of Adullam. When his brothers and all his father's house heard it, they went down there to him.

²Everyone who was in distress, and everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was discontented, gathered themselves to him; and he became captain over them: and there were with him about four hundred men.

³David went there to Mizpeh of Moab, and he said to the king of Moab, "Please let my father and my mother come out with you, until I know what God will do for me."

⁴He brought them before the king of Moab; and they lived with him all the while that David was in the stronghold.

⁵The prophet Gad said to David, "Do not stay in the stronghold. Depart, and go into the land of Judah." Then David departed, and came into the forest of Hereth.

⁶Saul heard that David was discovered, and the men who were with him. Now Saul was sitting in Gibeah, under the tamarisk tree in Ramah, with his spear in his hand, and all his servants were standing about him.

⁷Saul said to his servants who stood about him, "Hear now, you Benjamites! Will the son of Jesse give everyone of you fields and vineyards, will he make you all captains of thousands and captains of hundreds,

⁸that all of you have conspired against me, and there is none who discloses to me when my son makes a treaty with the son of Jesse, and there is none of you who is sorry for me, or discloses to me that my son has stirred up my servant against me, to lie in wait, as at this day?"

⁹Then Doeg the Edomite, who stood by the servants of Saul, answered and said, "I saw the son of Jesse coming to Nob, to Ahimelech the son of Ahitub.

¹⁰He inquired of the Lord for him, gave him food, and gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine."

¹¹Then the king sent to call Ahimelech the priest, the son of Ahitub, and all his father's house, the priests who were in Nob: and they came all of them to the king.

¹²Saul said, "Hear now, you son of Ahitub." He answered, "Here I am, my lord."

¹³Saul said to him, "Why have you conspired against me, you and the son of Jesse, in that you have given him bread, and a sword, and have inquired of God for him, that he should rise against me, to lie in wait, as at this day?"

¹⁴Then Ahimelech answered the king, and said, "Who among all your servants is so faithful as David, who is the king's son-in-law, and is taken into your council, and is honorable in your house?

¹⁵Have I today begun to inquire of God for him? Be it far from me! Do not let the king impute anything to his servant, nor to all the house of my father; for your servant knows nothing of all this, less or more."

¹⁶The king said, "You shall surely die, Ahimelech, you, and all your father's house."

¹⁷The king said to the guard who stood about him, "Turn, and kill the priests of the Lord; because their hand also is with David, and because they knew that he fled, and did not disclose it to me." But the servants of the king wouldn't put forth their hand to fall on the priests of the Lord.

¹⁸The king said to Doeg, "Turn and attack the priests!" Doeg the Edomite turned, and he attacked the priests, and he killed on that day eighty-five people who wore a linen ephod.

¹⁹He struck Nob, the city of the priests, with the edge of the sword, both men and women, children and nursing babies, and cattle and donkeys and sheep, with the edge of the sword.

²⁰One of the sons of Ahimelech, the son of Ahitub, named Abiathar, escaped, and fled after David.

²¹Abiathar told David that Saul had slain the Lord's priests.

²²David said to Abiathar, "I knew on that day, when Doeg the Edomite was there, that he would surely tell Saul. I am responsible for the death of all the persons of your father's house.

²³Stay with me, do not be afraid; for he who seeks my life seeks your life. For with me you shall be in safeguard."

¹When Jesus had spoken these words, he went out with his disciples over the brook Kidron, where there was a garden, into which he and his disciples entered.

²Now Judas, who betrayed him, also knew the place, for Jesus often met there with his disciples.

³Judas then, having taken a detachment of soldiers and officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, came there with lanterns, torches, and weapons.

⁴Jesus therefore, knowing all the things that were happening to him, went forth, and said to them, "Who are you looking for?"

⁵They answered him, "Jesus of Nazareth." Jesus said to them, "I AM." Judas also, who betrayed him, was standing with them.

⁶When therefore he said to them, "I AM," they went backward, and fell to the ground.

⁷Again therefore he asked them, "Who are you looking for?" They said, "Jesus of Nazareth."

⁸Jesus answered, "I told you that I AM. If therefore you seek me, let these go their way,"

⁹that the word might be fulfilled which he spoke, "Of those whom you have given me, I have lost none."

¹⁰Simon Peter therefore, having a sword, drew it, and struck the high priest's servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant's name was Malchus.

¹¹Jesus therefore said to Peter, "Put the sword into its sheath. The cup which the Father has given me, shall I not surely drink it?"

¹²So the detachment, the commanding officer, and the officers of the Jewish leaders, seized Jesus and bound him,

¹³and led him to Annas first, for he was father-in-law to Caiaphas, who was high priest that year.

¹⁴Now it was Caiaphas who advised the Jewish leaders that it was expedient that one man should perish for the people.

¹⁵Simon Peter followed Jesus, as did another disciple. Now that disciple was known to the high priest, and entered in with Jesus into the court of the high priest;

¹⁶but Peter was standing at the door outside. So the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to her who kept the door, and brought in Peter.

¹⁷Then the maid who kept the door said to Peter, "Are you also one of this man's disciples?" He said, "I am not."

¹⁸Now the servants and the officers were standing there, having made a fire of coals, for it was cold. They were warming themselves. Peter was with them, standing and warming himself.

¹⁹The high priest therefore asked Jesus about his disciples, and about his teaching.

²⁰Jesus answered him, "I spoke openly to the world. I always taught in synagogues, and in the temple, where all the Jewish people come together. I said nothing in secret.

²¹Why do you ask me? Ask those who have heard me what I said to them. Behold, these know the things which I said."

²²When he had said this, one of the officers standing by slapped Jesus with his hand, saying, "Do you answer the high priest like that?"

²³Jesus answered him, "If I have spoken evil, testify of the evil; but if well, why do you beat me?"

²⁴Annas sent him bound to Caiaphas, the high priest.

²⁵Now Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. They said therefore to him, "You are not also one of his disciples, are you?" He denied it, and said, "I am not."

²⁶One of the servants of the high priest, being a relative of him whose ear Peter had cut off, said, "Did not I see you in the garden with him?"

²⁷Peter therefore denied it again, and immediately the rooster crowed.

²⁸They led Jesus therefore from Caiaphas into the Praetorium. It was early, and they themselves did not enter into the Praetorium, that they might not be defiled, but might eat the Passover.

²⁹Pilate therefore went out to them, and said, "What accusation do you bring against this man?"

³⁰They answered him, "If this man weren't an evildoer, we would not have delivered him up to you."

³¹Pilate therefore said to them, "Take him yourselves, and judge him according to your law." Therefore the Jewish leaders said to him, "It is not lawful for us to put anyone to death,"

³²that the word of Jesus might be fulfilled, which he spoke, signifying by what kind of death he should die.

³³Pilate therefore entered again into the Praetorium, called Jesus, and said to him, "Are you the King of the Jews?"

³⁴Jesus answered him, "Do you say this by yourself, or did others tell you about me?"

³⁵Pilate answered, "I'm not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests delivered you to me. What have you done?"

³⁶Jesus answered, "My Kingdom is not of this world. If my Kingdom were of this world, then my servants would fight, that I would not be delivered to the Jewish leaders. But now my Kingdom is not from here."

³⁷Pilate therefore said to him, "Are you a king then?" Jesus answered, "You say that I am a king. For this reason I have been born, and for this reason I have come into the world, that I should testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice."

³⁸Pilate said to him, "What is truth?" When he had said this, he went out again to the Jewish leaders, and said to them, "I find no basis for a charge against him.

³⁹But you have a custom, that I should release someone to you at the Passover. Therefore do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?"

⁴⁰Then they shouted again, saying, "Not this man, but Barabbas!" Now Barabbas was a robber.

¹ Hear, Lord, and answer me, for I am poor and needy.

²Preserve my soul, for I am godly. You, my God, save your servant who trusts in you.

³Be merciful to me, Lord, for I call to you all day long.

⁴Bring joy to the soul of your servant, for to you, Lord, do I lift up my soul.

⁵For you, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive; abundant in loving kindness to all those who call on you.

⁶Hear, Lord, my prayer. Listen to the voice of my petitions.

⁷In the day of my trouble I will call on you, for you will answer me.

⁸There is no one like you among the gods, Lord, nor any deeds like your deeds.

⁹All nations you have made will come and worship before you, Lord. They shall glorify your name.

¹⁰For you are great, and do wondrous things. You are God alone.

¹¹Teach me your way, Lord. I will walk in your truth. Make my heart undivided to fear your name.

¹²I will praise you, Lord my God, with my whole heart. I will glorify your name forevermore.

¹³For your loving kindness is great toward me. You have delivered my soul from the lowest Sheol.

¹⁴God, the proud have risen up against me. A company of violent men have sought after my soul, and they do not hold regard for you before them.

¹⁵But you, Lord, are a merciful and gracious God, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness and truth.

¹⁶Turn to me, and have mercy on me! Give your strength to your servant. Save the son of your handmaid.

¹⁷Show me a sign of your goodness, that those who hate me may see it, and be shamed, because you, Lord, have helped me, and comforted me.

¹Do not be envious of evil men; neither desire to be with them:

²for their hearts plot violence, and their lips talk about mischief.

³Through wisdom a house is built; by understanding it is established;

⁴by knowledge the rooms are filled with all rare and beautiful treasure.

⁵A wise man has great power; and a knowledgeable man increases strength;

⁶for by wise guidance you wage your war; and victory is in many advisors.

⁷Wisdom is too high for a fool: he doesn't open his mouth in the gate.

⁸One who plots to do evil will be called a schemer.

⁹The schemes of folly are sin. The mocker is detested by men.

¹⁰If you falter in the time of trouble, your strength is small.

¹¹Rescue those who are being led away to death! Indeed, hold back those who are staggering to the slaughter!

¹²If you say, "Behold, we did not know this;" doesn't he who weighs the hearts consider it? He who keeps your soul, doesn't he know it? Shall he not render to every man according to his work?

¹³My son, eat honey, for it is good; the droppings of the honeycomb, which are sweet to your taste:

¹⁴so you shall know wisdom to be to your soul; if you have found it, then there will be a reward, your hope will not be cut off.

¹⁵Do not lie in wait, wicked man, against the habitation of the righteous. Do not destroy his resting place:

¹⁶for a righteous man falls seven times, and rises up again; but the wicked are overthrown by calamity.

¹⁷Do not rejoice when your enemy falls. Do not let your heart be glad when he is overthrown;

¹⁸lest the Lord see it, and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him.

¹⁹Do not fret yourself because of evildoers; neither be envious of the wicked:

²⁰for there will be no reward to the evil man; and the lamp of the wicked shall be snuffed out.

²¹My son, fear the Lord and the king. Do not join those who are rebellious:

²²for their calamity will rise suddenly; the destruction from them both-who knows?

²³These also are sayings of the wise. To show partiality in judgment is not good.

²⁴He who says to the wicked, "You are righteous;" peoples shall curse him, and nations shall abhor him-

²⁵but it will go well with those who convict the guilty, and a rich blessing will come on them.

²⁶An honest answer is like a kiss on the lips.

²⁷Prepare your work outside, and get your fields ready. Afterwards, build your house.

²⁸Do not be a witness against your neighbor without cause. Do not deceive with your lips.

²⁹Do not say, "I will do to him as he has done to me; I will render to the man according to his work."

³⁰I went by the field of the sluggard, by the vineyard of the man void of understanding;

³¹Behold, it was all grown over with thorns. Its surface was covered with nettles, and its stone wall was broken down.

³²Then I saw, and considered well. I saw, and received instruction:

³³a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep;

³⁴so your poverty will come as a robber, and your want as an armed man.