Day 175 of 365

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.

¹Now the Philistines gathered together all their armies to Aphek: and the Israelites encamped by the spring which is in Jezreel.

²The lords of the Philistines passed on by hundreds, and by thousands; and David and his men passed on in the rear with Achish.

³Then the princes of the Philistines said, "What about these Hebrews?" Achish said to the princes of the Philistines, "Isn't this David, the servant of Saul the king of Israel, who has been with me these days, or rather these years, and I have found no fault in him since he fell away to this day?"

⁴But the princes of the Philistines were angry with him; and the princes of the Philistines said to him, "Make the man return, that he may go back to his place where you have appointed him, and let him not go down with us to battle, lest in the battle he become an adversary to us. For with what should this fellow reconcile himself to his lord? Should it not be with the heads of these men?

⁵Is not this David, of whom they sang one to another in dances, saying, 'Saul has slain his thousands, David his ten thousands?'"

⁶Then Achish called David, and said to him, "As the Lord lives, you have been upright, and your going out and your coming in with me in the army is good in my sight; for I have not found evil in you since the day of your coming to me to this day. Nevertheless, the lords do not favor you.

⁷Therefore now return, and go in peace, that you not displease the lords of the Philistines."

⁸David said to Achish, "But what have I done? What have you found in your servant so long as I have been before you to this day, that I may not go and fight against the enemies of my lord the king?"

⁹Achish answered David, "I know that you are good in my sight, as an angel of God. Notwithstanding the princes of the Philistines have said, 'He shall not go up with us to the battle.'

¹⁰Therefore now rise up early in the morning with the servants of your lord who have come with you; and as soon as you are up early in the morning, and have light, depart."

¹¹So David rose up early, he and his men, to depart in the morning, to return into the land of the Philistines. The Philistines went up to Jezreel.

¹ALEPH To you, Lord, do I lift up my soul.

²My God, I have trusted in you. Do not let me be shamed. Do not let my enemies triumph over me.

³Yes, no one who waits for you shall be shamed. They shall be shamed who deal treacherously without cause.

⁴Show me your ways, Lord. Teach me your paths.

⁵Guide me in your truth, and teach me, For you are the God of my salvation, I wait for you all day long.

⁶Lord, remember your tender mercies and your loving kindness, for they are from old times.

⁷Do not remember the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions. Remember me according to your loving kindness, for your goodness' sake, Lord.

⁸Good and upright is the Lord, therefore he will instruct sinners in the way.

⁹He will guide the humble in justice. He will teach the humble his way.

¹⁰All the paths of the Lord are loving kindness and truth to such as keep his covenant and his testimonies.

¹¹For your name's sake, Lord, pardon my iniquity, for it is great.

¹²What man is he who fears the Lord? He shall instruct him in the way that he shall choose.

¹³His soul shall dwell at ease. His seed shall inherit the land.

¹⁴The friendship of the Lord is with those who fear him. He will show them his covenant.

¹⁵My eyes are ever on the Lord, for he will pluck my feet out of the net.

¹⁶Turn to me, and have mercy on me, for I am desolate and afflicted.

¹⁷The troubles of my heart are enlarged. Oh bring me out of my distresses.

¹⁸Consider my affliction and my travail. Forgive all my sins.

¹⁹Consider my enemies, for they are many. They hate me with cruel hatred.

²⁰Oh keep my soul, and deliver me. Let me not be disappointed, for I take refuge in you.

²¹Let integrity and uprightness preserve me, for I wait for you.

²²Redeem Israel, God, from all of his troubles.

¹Wine is a mocker, and beer is a brawler. Whoever is led astray by them is not wise.

²The terror of a king is like the roaring of a lion. He who provokes him to anger forfeits his own life.

³It is an honor for a man to keep aloof from strife; but every fool will be quarreling.

⁴The sluggard will not plow by reason of the winter; therefore he shall beg in harvest, and have nothing.

⁵Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water; but a man of understanding will draw it out.

⁶Many men claim to be men of unfailing love, but who can find a faithful man?

⁷A righteous man walks in integrity. Blessed are his children after him.

⁸A king who sits on the throne of judgment scatters away all evil with his eyes.

⁹Who can say, "I have made my heart pure. I am clean and without sin?"

¹⁰Differing weights and differing measures, both of them alike are an abomination to the Lord.

¹¹Even a child makes himself known by his doings, whether his work is pure, and whether it is right.

¹²The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, The Lord has made even both of them.

¹³Do not love sleep, lest you come to poverty. Open your eyes, and you shall be satisfied with bread.

¹⁴"It's no good, it's no good," says the buyer; but when he is gone his way, then he boasts.

¹⁵There is gold and abundance of rubies; but the lips of knowledge are a rare jewel.

¹⁶Take the garment of one who puts up collateral for a stranger; and hold him in pledge for a wayward woman.

¹⁷Fraudulent food is sweet to a man, but afterwards his mouth is filled with gravel.

¹⁸Plans are established by advice; by wise guidance you wage war!

¹⁹He who goes about as a tale-bearer reveals secrets; therefore do not keep company with him who opens wide his lips.

²⁰Whoever curses his father or his mother, his lamp shall be put out in blackness of darkness.

²¹An inheritance quickly gained at the beginning, won't be blessed in the end.

²²Do not say, "I will pay back evil." Wait for the Lord, and he will save you.

²³The Lord detests differing weights, and dishonest scales are not pleasing.

²⁴A man's steps are from the Lord; how then can man understand his way?

²⁵It is a snare to a man to make a rash dedication, then later to consider his vows.

²⁶A wise king winnows out the wicked, and drives the threshing wheel over them.

²⁷The spirit of man is the Lord's lamp, searching all his innermost parts.

²⁸Love and faithfulness keep the king safe. His throne is sustained by love.

²⁹The glory of young men is their strength. The splendor of old men is their gray hair.

³⁰Wounding blows cleanse away evil, and beatings purge the innermost parts.