The women who were playing the music sang, “Saul has struck down his thousands, but David his tens of thousands!”

and Saul threw the spear, thinking, “I’ll nail David to the wall!” But David escaped from him on two different occasions.

So Saul feared David, because the Lord was with him but had departed from Saul.

Jonathan said to him, “Tomorrow is the new moon, and you will be missed, for your seat will be empty.

So on that day David arose and fled from Saul. He went to King Achish of Gath.

David thought about what they said and was very afraid of King Achish of Gath.

He inquired of the Lord for him and gave him provisions. He also gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine.”

But one of the sons of Ahimelech son of Ahitub escaped and fled to David. His name was Abiathar.

He said to David, “You are more innocent than I, for you have treated me well, even though I have tried to harm you!

Both night and day they were a protective wall for us the entire time we were with them, while we were tending our flocks.

and said to her servants, “Go on ahead of me. I will come after you.” But she did not tell her husband Nabal.

Then David and the men who were with him wept loudly until they could weep no more.

The Philistines stayed right on the heels of Saul and his sons. They struck down Saul’s sons Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malki-Shua.

When his armor bearer saw that Saul was dead, he also fell on his own sword and died with him.

But when they got up early the following day, Dagon was again lying on the ground before the ark of the Lord. The head of Dagon and his two hands were sheared off and were lying at the threshold. Only Dagon’s body was left intact.

Afterward you will go to Gibeah of God, where there are Philistine officials. When you enter the town, you will meet a company of prophets coming down from the high place. They will have harps, tambourines, flutes, and lyres, and they will be prophesying.

David’s men said to him, “This is the day about which the Lord said to you, ‘I will give your enemy into your hand, and you can do to him whatever seems appropriate to you.’” So David got up and quietly cut off an edge of Saul’s robe.

So Samuel told him everything. He did not hold back anything from him. Eli said, “The Lord will do what he pleases.”

The Philistines were scared because they thought that gods had come to the camp. They said, “Too bad for us! We’ve never seen anything like this!

Be strong and act like men, you Philistines, or else you will wind up serving the Hebrews the way they have served you! Act like men and fight!”