Day 132 of 730

¹David said in his heart, "I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul. There is nothing better for me than that I should escape into the land of the Philistines; and Saul will despair of me, to seek me any more in all the borders of Israel. So shall I escape out of his hand."

²David arose, and passed over, he and the six hundred men who were with him, to Achish the son of Maoch, king of Gath.

³David lived with Achish at Gath, he and his men, every man with his household, even David with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the Carmelitess, Nabal's wife.

⁴It was told Saul that David was fled to Gath: and he sought no more again for him.

⁵David said to Achish, "If now I have found favor in your eyes, let them give me a place in one of the cities in the country, that I may dwell there. For why should your servant dwell in the royal city with you?"

⁶Then Achish gave him Ziklag that day: why Ziklag pertains to the kings of Judah to this day.

⁷The number of the days that David lived in the country of the Philistines was a full year and four months.

⁸David and his men went up, and made a raid on the Geshurites, and the Girzites, and the Amalekites; for those were the inhabitants of the land, who were of old, as you go to Shur, even to the land of Egypt.

⁹David struck the land, and saved neither man nor woman alive, and took away the sheep, and the cattle, and the donkeys, and the camels, and the clothing; and he returned, and came to Achish.

¹⁰Achish said, "Against whom have you made a raid today?" David said, "Against the Negev of Judah, against the Negev of the Jerahmeelites, and against the Negev of the Kenites."

¹¹David saved neither man nor woman alive, to bring them to Gath, saying, "Lest they should tell of us, saying, 'David has done this, and this has been his way all the time he has lived in the country of the Philistines.'"

¹²Achish believed David, saying, "He has made his people Israel utterly to abhor him. Therefore he shall be my servant forever."

¹It happened in those days, that the Philistines gathered their armies together for warfare, to fight with Israel. Achish said to David, "Know assuredly that you shall go out with me in the army, you and your men."

²David said to Achish, "Therefore you shall know what your servant will do." Achish said to David, "Therefore will I make you my bodyguard for ever."

³Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had lamented him, and buried him in Ramah, even in his own city. Saul had put away those who had familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land.

⁴The Philistines gathered themselves together, and came and encamped in Shunem: and Saul gathered all Israel together, and they encamped in Gilboa.

⁵When Saul saw the army of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart trembled greatly.

⁶When Saul inquired of the Lord, The Lord did not answer him, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets.

⁷Then Saul said to his servants, "Seek me a woman who has a familiar spirit, that I may go to her, and inquire of her." His servants said to him, "Behold, there is a woman who has a familiar spirit at Endor."

⁸Saul disguised himself, and put on other clothing, and went, he and two men with him, and they came to the woman by night: and he said, "Please divine to me by the familiar spirit, and bring me up whomever I shall name to you."

⁹The woman said to him, "Behold, you know what Saul has done, how he has cut off those who have familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land. Why then do you lay a snare for my life, to cause me to die?"

¹⁰Saul swore to her by the Lord, saying, "As the Lord lives, no punishment shall happen to you for this thing."

¹¹Then the woman said, "Whom shall I bring up to you?" He said, "Bring Samuel up for me."

¹²When the woman saw Samuel, she cried with a loud voice; and the woman spoke to Saul, saying, "Why have you deceived me? For you are Saul!"

¹³The king said to her, "Do not be afraid. For what do you see?" The woman said to Saul, "I see a god coming up out of the earth."

¹⁴He said to her, "What does he look like?" She said, "An old man comes up. He is covered with a robe." Saul perceived that it was Samuel, and he bowed with his face to the ground, and showed respect.

¹⁵Samuel said to Saul, "Why have you disturbed me, to bring me up?" Saul answered, "I am very distressed; for the Philistines make war against me, and God has departed from me, and answers me no more, neither by prophets, nor by dreams. Therefore I have called you, that you may make known to me what I shall do."

¹⁶Samuel said, "Why then do you ask of me, since the Lord has departed from you and has become your adversary?

¹⁷The Lord has done to you as he spoke by me. The Lord has torn the kingdom out of your hand, and given it to your neighbor, even to David.

¹⁸Because you did not obey the voice of the Lord, and did not execute his fierce wrath on Amalek, therefore the Lord has done this thing to you this day.

¹⁹Moreover the Lord will deliver Israel also with you into the hand of the Philistines; and tomorrow you and your sons will be with me. The Lord will deliver the army of Israel also into the hand of the Philistines."

²⁰Then Saul fell immediately his full length on the earth, and was terrified, because of the words of Samuel. There was no strength in him; for he had eaten no bread all the day, nor all the night.

²¹The woman came to Saul, and saw that he was very troubled, and said to him, "Behold, your handmaid has listened to your voice, and I have put my life in my hand, and have listened to your words which you spoke to me.

²²Now therefore, please listen also to the voice of your handmaid, and let me set a morsel of bread before you; and eat, that you may have strength, when you go on your way."

²³But he refused, and said, I will not eat. But his servants, together with the woman, constrained him; and he listened to their voice. So he arose from the earth, and sat on the bed.

²⁴The woman had a fattened calf in the house. She hurried and killed it; and she took flour, and kneaded it, and baked unleavened bread of it.

²⁵She brought it before Saul, and before his servants; and they ate. Then they rose up, and went away that night.

¹Lord, remember David and all his affliction,

²how he swore to the Lord, and vowed to the Mighty One of Jacob:

³"Surely I will not come into the structure of my house, nor go up into my bed;

⁴I will not give sleep to my eyes, or slumber to my eyelids;

⁵until I find out a place for the Lord, a dwelling for the Mighty One of Jacob."

⁶Behold, we heard of it in Ephrathah. We found it in the field of Jaar:

⁷"We will go into his dwelling place. We will worship at his footstool.

⁸Arise, Lord, into your resting place; you, and the ark of your strength.

⁹Let your priest be clothed with righteousness. Let your holy ones shout for joy!"

¹⁰For your servant David's sake, do not turn away the face of your anointed one.

¹¹The Lord has sworn to David in truth. He will not turn from it: "I will set the fruit of your body on your throne.

¹²If your children will keep my covenant, my testimony that I will teach them, their children also will sit on your throne forevermore."

¹³For the Lord has chosen Zion. He has desired it for his habitation.

¹⁴"This is my resting place forever. Here I will live, for I have desired it.

¹⁵I will abundantly bless her provision. I will satisfy her poor with bread.

¹⁶Her priests I will also clothe with salvation. Her holy ones will shout aloud for joy.

¹⁷There I will make the horn of David to bud. I have ordained a lamp for my anointed.

¹⁸I will clothe his enemies with shame, but on himself, his crown will be resplendent."

¹Doesn't wisdom cry out? Doesn't understanding raise her voice?

²On the top of high places by the way, where the paths meet, she stands.

³Beside the gates, at the entry of the city, at the entry doors, she cries aloud:

⁴"To you men, I call! I send my voice to the sons of mankind.

⁵You simple, understand prudence. You fools, be of an understanding heart.

⁶Hear, for I will speak excellent things. The opening of my lips is for right things.

⁷For my mouth speaks truth. Wickedness is an abomination to my lips.

⁸All the words of my mouth are in righteousness. There is nothing crooked or perverse in them.

⁹They are all plain to him who understands, right to those who find knowledge.

¹⁰Receive my instruction rather than silver; knowledge rather than choice gold.

¹¹For wisdom is better than rubies. All the things that may be desired can't be compared to it.

¹²"I, wisdom, have made prudence my dwelling. Find out knowledge and discretion.

¹³The fear of the Lord is to hate evil. I hate pride, arrogance, the evil way, and the perverse mouth.

¹⁴Counsel and sound knowledge are mine. I have understanding and power.

¹⁵By me kings reign, and princes decree justice.

¹⁶By me princes rule; nobles, and all the righteous rulers of the earth.

¹⁷I love those who love me. Those who seek me diligently will find me.

¹⁸With me are riches, honor, enduring wealth, and prosperity.

¹⁹My fruit is better than gold, yes, than fine gold; my yield than choice silver.

²⁰I walk in the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of justice;

²¹That I may give wealth to those who love me. I fill their treasuries.

²²"The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his work, before his deeds of old.

²³I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, before the earth existed.

²⁴When there were no depths, I was brought forth, when there were no springs abounding with water.

²⁵Before the mountains were settled in place, before the hills, I was brought forth;

²⁶while as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the beginning of the dust of the world.

²⁷When he established the heavens, I was there; when he set a circle on the surface of the deep,

²⁸when he established the clouds above, when the springs of the deep became strong,

²⁹when he gave to the sea its boundary, that the waters should not violate his commandment, when he marked out the foundations of the earth;

³⁰then I was the craftsman by his side. I was a delight day by day, always rejoicing before him,

³¹Rejoicing in his whole world. My delight was with the sons of men.

³²"Now therefore, my sons, listen to me, for blessed are those who keep my ways.

³³Hear instruction, and be wise. Do not refuse it.

³⁴Blessed is the man who hears me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at my door posts.

³⁵For whoever finds me, finds life, and will obtain favor from the Lord.

³⁶But he who sins against me wrongs his own soul. All those who hate me love death."