1 So David left Gath and took refuge in the cave of Adullam. When his brothers and the rest of his father’s household heard about it, they went down to him there. 2And all who were distressed or indebted or discontented rallied around him, and he became their leader. About four hundred men were with him.

3 From there David went to Mizpeh of Moab, where he said to the king of Moab, “Please let my father and mother stay with you until I learn what God will do for me.” 4So he left them in the care of the king of Moab, and they stayed with him the whole time David was in the stronghold.

5 Then the prophet Gad said to David, “Do not stay in the stronghold. Depart and go into the land of Judah.” So David left and went to the forest of Hereth.

6 Soon Saul learned that David and his men had been discovered. At that time Saul was sitting under the tamarisk tree on the hill at Gibeah, with his spear in hand and all his servants standing around him.

7 Then Saul said to his servants, “Listen, men of Benjamin! Is the son of Jesse giving all of you fields and vineyards and making you commanders of thousands or hundreds? 8Is that why all of you have conspired against me? Not one of you told me that my own son had made a covenant with the son of Jesse. Not one of you has shown concern for me or revealed to me that my son has stirred up my own servant to lie in wait against me, as is the case today.”

9 But Doeg the Edomite, who had stationed himself with Saul’s servants, answered: “I saw the son of Jesse come to Ahimelech son of Ahitub at Nob. 10Ahimelech inquired of the Lord for him and gave him provisions. He also gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine.”

11 Then the king sent messengers to summon Ahimelech the priest, the son of Ahitub, and his father’s whole family, who were priests at Nob. And all of them came to the king. 12“Listen now, son of Ahitub,” said Saul.

“Here I am, my lord,” he replied.

13 And Saul asked him, “Why have you and the son of Jesse conspired against me? You gave him bread and a sword and inquired of God for him so that he could rise up against me to lie in wait, as he is doing today.”

14 Ahimelech answered the king, “Who among all your servants is as faithful as David, the king’s son-in-law, the captain of your bodyguard and honored in your house? 15Was that day the first time I inquired of God for him? Far be it from me! Let not the king accuse your servant or any of my father’s household, for your servant knew nothing of this whole affair — not in part or in whole.”

16 But the king replied, “You will surely die, Ahimelech, you and all your father’s house!”

17 Then the king ordered the guards at his side, “Turn and kill the priests of the Lord, because they too sided with David. For they knew he was fleeing, but they did not tell me.”

But the king’s servants would not lift a hand to strike the priests of the Lord.

18 So the king ordered Doeg, “You turn and strike down the priests!”

And Doeg the Edomite turned and struck down the priests himself. On that day he killed eighty-five men who wore the linen ephod. 19He also put to the sword Nob, the city of the priests, with its men and women, children and infants, oxen, donkeys, and sheep.

20 But one of the sons of Ahimelech son of Ahitub escaped. His name was Abiathar, and he fled to David. 21And Abiathar told David that Saul had killed the priests of the Lord.

22 Then David said to Abiathar, “I knew that Doeg the Edomite was there that day, and that he was sure to tell Saul. I myself am responsible for the lives of everyone in your father’s house. 23Stay with me; do not be afraid, for he who seeks your life is seeking mine as well. You will be safe with me.”

1 Now it was reported to David, “Look, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah and looting the threshing floors.”

2 So David inquired of the Lord, “Should I go and attack these Philistines?”

And the Lord said to David, “Go and attack the Philistines and save Keilah.”

3 But David’s men said to him, “Look, we are afraid here in Judah; how much more if we go to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines?”

4 Once again, David inquired of the Lord, and the Lord answered him: “Go at once to Keilah, for I will deliver the Philistines into your hand.”

5 Then David and his men went to Keilah, fought against the Philistines, and carried off their livestock, striking them with a mighty blow. So David saved the people of Keilah.

6(Now Abiathar son of Ahimelech had brought the ephod with him when he fled to David at Keilah.)

7 When Saul was told that David had gone to Keilah, he said, “God has delivered him into my hand, for he has trapped himself by entering a town with gates and bars.”

8 Then Saul summoned all his troops to go to war at Keilah and besiege David and his men.

9 When David learned that Saul was plotting evil against him, he said to Abiathar the priest, “Bring the ephod.”

10 And David said, “O LORD, God of Israel, Your servant has heard that Saul intends to come to Keilah and destroy the city on my account. 11Will the citizens of Keilah surrender me into his hand? Will Saul come down, as Your servant has heard? O LORD, God of Israel, please tell Your servant.”

“He will,” said the Lord.

12 So David asked, “Will the citizens of Keilah surrender me and my men into the hand of Saul?”

“They will,” said the Lord.

13 Then David and his men, about six hundred strong, set out and departed from Keilah, moving from place to place. When Saul was told that David had escaped from Keilah, he declined to go forth.

14 And David stayed in the wilderness strongholds and in the hill country of the Wilderness of Ziph. Day after day Saul searched for him, but God would not deliver David into his hand.

15 While David was in Horesh in the Wilderness of Ziph, he saw that Saul had come out to take his life. 16And Saul’s son Jonathan came to David in Horesh and strengthened his hand in God, 17saying, “Do not be afraid, for my father Saul will never lay a hand on you. And you will be king over Israel, and I will be your second-in-command. Even my father Saul knows this is true.”

18 So the two of them made a covenant before the Lord. And David remained in Horesh, while Jonathan went home.

19 Then the Ziphites came up to Saul at Gibeah and said, “Is not David hiding among us in the strongholds at Horesh, on the hill of Hachilah south of Jeshimon? 20Now, O king, come down whenever your soul desires, and we will be responsible for delivering him into your hand.”

21“May you be blessed by the Lord,” replied Saul, “for you have had compassion on me. 22Please go and prepare further. Investigate and watch carefully where he goes and who has seen him there, for I am told that he is extremely cunning. 23Observe and find out all the places where he hides. Then come back to me with certainty, and I will go with you. If he is in the land, I will search him out among all the clans of Judah.”

24 So they set out and went to Ziph ahead of Saul. Now David and his men were in the Wilderness of Maon in the Arabah south of Jeshimon, 25and Saul and his men went to seek him. When David was told about it, he went down to the rock and stayed in the Wilderness of Maon. And when Saul heard of this, he pursued David there.

26 Saul was proceeding along one side of the mountain, and David and his men along the other side. Even though David was hurrying to get away, Saul and his men were closing in on David and his men to capture them.

27 Then a messenger came to Saul, saying, “Come quickly, for the Philistines have raided the land!” 28So Saul broke off his pursuit of David and went to meet the Philistines. That is why that place is called Sela-hammahlekoth. 29And David went up from there and lived in the strongholds of En-gedi.

1 “Truly, truly, I tell you, whoever does not enter the sheepfold by the gate, but climbs in some other way, is a thief and a robber. 2But the one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen for his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.

4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will flee from him because they do not recognize his voice.”

6 Jesus spoke to them using this illustration, but they did not understand what He was telling them. 7So He said to them again, “Truly, truly, I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. 8All who came before Me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. 9I am the gate. If anyone enters through Me, he will be saved. He will come in and go out and find pasture. 10The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I have come that they may have life, and have it in all its fullness.

11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. 12The hired hand is not the shepherd, and the sheep are not his own. When he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf pounces on them and scatters the flock. 13The man runs away because he is a hired servant and is unconcerned for the sheep.

14 I am the good shepherd. I know My sheep and My sheep know Me, 15just as the Father knows Me and I know the Father. And I lay down My life for the sheep. 16I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them in as well, and they will listen to My voice. Then there will be one flock and one shepherd.

17 The reason the Father loves Me is that I lay down My life in order to take it up again. 18No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of My own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from My Father.”

19 Again there was division among the Jews because of Jesus’ message. 20Many of them said, “He is demon-possessed and insane. Why would you listen to Him?”

21 But others replied, “These are not the words of a man possessed by a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”