Bible Commentary

When the wealthy fool Nabal insults David and refuses hospitality, his wise wife Abigail intervenes with food and diplomacy to prevent a massacre, leading to David sparing the household and God subsequently striking Nabal dead.

When King Saul accidentally enters the very cave where David is hiding, David resists his men’s urging to kill him and instead cuts off a piece of Saul’s robe, later using it to prove his loyalty and sparing of the king’s life, causing Saul to weep and acknowledge David’s future kingship.

David saves the city of Keilah but is forced to flee when God reveals the citizens will betray him to Saul; later, after a final encouraging meeting with Jonathan, David is narrowly saved from capture in the desert when a Philistine raid forces Saul to retreat.

While David gathers an army of outcasts at the Cave of Adullam and secures safety for his parents, a paranoid King Saul orders the slaughter of 85 priests at Nob for aiding David, a massacre carried out by Doeg the Edomite, leaving only Abiathar to escape to David.

Fleeing Saul, David lies to the priest Ahimelech at Nob to get holy bread and Goliath’s sword, then escapes to the Philistine city of Gath where he feigns madness to avoid being killed by King Achish.

After a failed test to see if King Saul’s anger had subsided, which results in Saul attempting to kill his own son Jonathan, the two friends meet secretly in a field to renew their covenant of loyalty before weeping and parting ways forever.

David escapes death three times—first through Jonathan’s intercession, then through Michal’s window escape, and finally at Ramah, where the Spirit of God overwhelms Saul and his soldiers with prophetic ecstasy, preventing David’s capture.

As David’s fame grows and he forms a covenant friendship with Jonathan, King Saul becomes consumed by jealousy, attempting to kill David with a spear and dangerous military assignments, all of which only increase David’s success and popularity.

While the armies of Israel cower before the giant Goliath, the young shepherd David, trusting in the name of the Lord and armed only with a sling, defeats the champion and secures a great victory for Israel.

God rejects the outward appearance of Jesse’s older sons and commands Samuel to anoint the youngest, David, as the future king; meanwhile, David enters Saul’s service as a musician to soothe the king’s tormenting spirit.