When the time came for Merab, Saul’s daughter, to be given to David, she instead was given in marriage to Adriel, who was from Meholah.

Saul became even more afraid of him. Saul continued to be at odds with David from then on.

Then the leaders of the Philistines would march out, and as often as they did so, David achieved more success than all of Saul’s servants. His name was held in high esteem.

Now once again there was war. So David went out to fight the Philistines. He defeated them thoroughly and they ran away from him.

Then an evil spirit from the Lord came upon Saul. He was sitting in his house with his spear in his hand, while David was playing the lyre.

(24:2) When Saul returned from pursuing the Philistines, they told him, “Look, David is in the desert of En Gedi.”

Afterward David’s conscience bothered him because he had cut off an edge of Saul’s robe.

May the Lord be our judge and arbiter. May he see and arbitrate my case and deliver me from your hands!”

There was a man in Maon whose business was in Carmel. This man was very wealthy; he owned three thousand sheep and a thousand goats. At that time he was shearing his sheep in Carmel.

These men were very good to us. They did not insult us, nor did we sustain any loss during the entire time we were together in the field.

Riding on her donkey, she went down under cover of the mountain. David and his men were coming down to meet her, and she encountered them.

The Lord will do for my lord everything that he promised you, and he will make you a leader over Israel.

Then Abigail quickly went and mounted her donkey, with five of her female servants accompanying her. She followed David’s messengers and became his wife.

So Achish gave him Ziklag on that day. (For that reason Ziklag has belonged to the kings of Judah until this very day.)

Now it’s your turn to listen to your servant! Let me set before you a bit of bread so that you can eat. When you regain your strength, you can go on your way.”

The next day, when the Philistines came to strip loot from the corpses, they discovered Saul and his three sons lying dead on Mount Gilboa.

After the death of Saul, when David had returned from defeating the Amalekites, he stayed at Ziklag for two days.

Now be courageous and prove to be valiant warriors, for your lord Saul is dead. The people of Judah have anointed me as king over them.”

Now the battle was very severe that day; Abner and the men of Israel were overcome by David’s soldiers.

The three sons of Zeruiah were there – Joab, Abishai, and Asahel. (Now Asahel was as quick on his feet as one of the gazelles in the field.)