He said to David, “You are more innocent ¹  than I, for you have treated me well, even though I have tried to harm you!

David promised Saul this on oath. ¹  Then Saul went to his house, and David and his men went up to the stronghold.

Samuel died, and all Israel assembled and mourned him. They buried him at his home in Ramah. Then David left and went down to the desert of Paran. ¹ 

he ¹  sent ten servants, ²  saying to them, ³  “Go up to Carmel to see Nabal and give him greetings in my name. ⁴ 

Now be aware of this, and see what you can do. For disaster has been planned for our lord and his entire household. ¹  He is such a wicked person ²  that no one tells him anything!”

So the servants of David went to Abigail at Carmel and said to her, “David has sent us to you to bring you back to be his wife.”

The Ziphites came to Saul at Gibeah and said, “Isn’t David hiding on the hill of Hakilah near ¹  Jeshimon?”

So Saul arose and went down to the desert of Ziph, accompanied by three thousand select men of Israel, to look for David in the desert of Ziph.

So David left and crossed over to King Achish son of Maoch of Gath accompanied by his six hundred men.

When David would attack a district, ¹  he would leave neither man nor woman alive. He would take sheep, cattle, donkeys, camels, and clothing and would then go back to Achish.

When Achish would ask, “Where ¹  did you raid today?” David would say, “The Negev of Judah” or “The Negev of Jeharmeel” or “The Negev of the Kenites.”

When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out loudly. ¹  The woman said to Saul, “Why have you deceived me? You are Saul!”

But he refused, saying, “I won’t eat!” Both his servants and the woman urged ¹  him to eat, so he gave in. ²  He got up from the ground and sat down on the bed.

So David and his men got up early in the morning to return ¹  to the land of the Philistines, but the Philistines went up to Jezreel.

Then they found an Egyptian in the field and brought him to David. They gave him bread to eat and water to drink.

When David came to Ziklag, he sent some of the plunder to the elders of Judah who were his friends, saying, “Here’s a gift ¹  for you from the looting of the Lord’s enemies!”

But the leaders of the Philistines became angry with him and said ¹  to him, “Send the man back! Let him return to the place that you assigned him! Don’t let him go down with us into the battle, for he might become ²  our adversary in the battle. What better way to please his lord than with the heads of these men? ³ 

Everyone who remains in your house will come to bow before him for a little money ¹  and for a scrap of bread. Each will say, ‘Assign me to a priestly task so I can eat a scrap of bread.’”

The Lord again called, “Samuel!” So Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But Eli ¹  said, “I didn’t call you, my son. Go back and lie down.”

Then the Lord called Samuel a third time. So he got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me!” Eli then realized that it was the Lord who was calling the boy.