221 So David departed from there and escaped to the cave of Adullam ; and when his brothers and all his father's household heard of it, they went down there to him. 2 Everyone who was in distress , and everyone who was in debt , and everyone who was discontented e gathered to him; and he became captain over them. Now there were about four hundred men with him. 3 And David went from there to Mizpah of Moab ; and he said to the king of Moab , "Please let my father and my mother come and stay with you until e I know what God will do for me." 4 Then he left them with the king of Moab ; and they stayed with him all the time that David was in the stronghold . 5 The prophet Gad said to David , "Do not stay in the stronghold ; depart , and go into the land of Judah ." So David departed and went into the forest of Hereth .

Saul Kills the Priests of Nob

6 Then Saul heard that David and the men who were with him had been discovered . Now Saul was sitting in Gibeah , under the tamarisk tree on the height with his spear in his hand , and all his servants were standing around him. 7 Saul said to his servants who stood around him, "Hear now , O Benjamites ! Will the son of Jesse also give to all of you fields and vineyards ? Will he make you all commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds ? 8 "For all of you have conspired against me so that there is no one who discloses to me when my son makes a covenant with the son of Jesse , and there is none of you who is sorry for me or discloses to me that my son has stirred up my servant against me to lie in ambush , as it is this day ." 9 Then Doeg the Edomite , who was standing by the servants of Saul , said , " I saw the son of Jesse coming to Nob , to Ahimelech the son of Ahitub . 10 " He inquired of the Lord for him, gave him provisions , and gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine ." 11 Then the king sent someone to summon Ahimelech the priest , the son of Ahitub , and all his father's household , the priests who were in Nob ; and all of them came to the king . 12 Saul said , "Listen now , son of Ahitub ." And he answered , "Here I am, my lord ." 13 Saul then said to him, "Why have you and the son of Jesse conspired against me, in that you have given him bread and a sword and have inquired of God for him, so that he would rise up against me by lying in ambush as it is this day ?" 14 Then Ahimelech answered the king and said , "And who among all your servants is as faithful as David , even the king's son-in-law , who is captain over your guard , and is honored in your house ? 15 "Did I just begin to inquire of God for him today ? Far be it from me! Do not let the king impute anything to his servant or to any of the household of my father , for your servant knows nothing at all e of this whole affair ." 16 But the king said , "You shall surely die , Ahimelech , you and all your father's household !" 17 And the king said to the guards who were attending him, "Turn around and put the priests of the Lord to death , because their hand also is with David and because they knew that he was fleeing and did not reveal e it to me." But the servants of the king were not willing to put forth their hands to attack the priests of the Lord . 18 Then the king said to Doeg , "You turn around and attack the priests ." And Doeg the Edomite turned around and attacked the priests , and he killed that day eighty-five men who wore the linen ephod . 19 And he struck Nob the city of the priests with the edge of the sword , both men and women , children and infants ; also oxen , donkeys , and sheep he struck with the edge of the sword .

20 But one son of Ahimelech the son of Ahitub , named Abiathar , escaped and fled after David . 21 Abiathar told David that Saul had killed the priests of the Lord . 22 Then David said to Abiathar , "I knew on that day , when Doeg the Edomite was there , that he would surely tell Saul . I have brought about the death of every person in your father's household . 23 "Stay with me; do not be afraid , for he who seeks my life seeks your life , for you are safe with me."

David in the Wilderness

231 Then they told David , saying , "Behold , the Philistines are fighting against Keilah and are plundering the threshing floors ." 2 So David inquired of the Lord , saying , "Shall I go and attack these Philistines ?" And the Lord said to David , "Go and attack the Philistines and deliver Keilah ." 3 But David's men said to him, "Behold , we are afraid here in Judah . How much e more e then if we go to Keilah against the ranks of the Philistines ?" 4 Then David inquired of the Lord once e more e . And the Lord answered him and said , "Arise , go down to Keilah , for I will give the Philistines into your hand . 5 So David and his men went to Keilah and fought with the Philistines ; and he led away their livestock and struck them with a great slaughter . Thus David delivered the inhabitants of Keilah . 6 Now it came about, when Abiathar the son of Ahimelech fled to David at Keilah , that he came down with an ephod in his hand .

7 When it was told Saul that David had come to Keilah , Saul said , "God has delivered him into my hand , for he shut himself in by entering a city with double gates and bars ." 8 So Saul summoned all the people for war , to go down to Keilah to besiege David and his men . 9 Now David knew that Saul was plotting evil against him; so he said to Abiathar the priest , " Bring the ephod here ." 10 Then David said , "O Lord God of Israel , Your servant has heard for certain that Saul is seeking to come to Keilah to destroy the city on my account . 11 "Will the men of Keilah surrender me into his hand ? Will Saul come down just as Your servant has heard ? O Lord God of Israel , I pray , tell Your servant ." And the Lord said , "He will come down ." 12 Then David said , "Will the men of Keilah surrender me and my men into the hand of Saul ?" And the Lord said , " They will surrender you." 13 Then David and his men , about six hundred , arose and departed from Keilah , and they went wherever they could go . When it was told Saul that David had escaped from Keilah , he gave up the pursuit .

14 David stayed in the wilderness in the strongholds , and remained in the hill country in the wilderness of Ziph . And Saul sought him every day , but God did not deliver him into his hand 15 Now David became aware that Saul had come out to seek his life while David was in the wilderness of Ziph at Horesh . 16 And Jonathan , Saul's son , arose and went to David at Horesh , and encouraged e him in God . 17 Thus he said to him, " Do not be afraid , because the hand of Saul my father will not find you, and you will be king over Israel and I will be next to you; and Saul my father knows that also ." 18 So the two of them made a covenant before the Lord ; and David stayed at Horesh while Jonathan went to his house .

19 Then Ziphites came up to Saul at Gibeah , saying , "Is David not hiding with us in the strongholds at Horesh , on the hill of Hachilah , which is on the south of Jeshimon 20 "Now then, O king , come down according to all the desire of your soul to do so ; and our part shall be to surrender him into the king's hand ." 21 Saul said , "May you be blessed of the Lord , for you have had compassion on me 22 "Go now , make more sure , and investigate and see his place where e his haunt is, and who has seen him there ; for I am told that he is very cunning . 23 "So look , and learn about all the hiding places where e he hides himself and return to me with certainty , and I will go with you; and if he is in the land , I will search him out among all the thousands of Judah ." 24 Then they arose and went to Ziph before Saul . Now David and his men were in the wilderness of Maon , in the Arabah to the south of Jeshimon . 25 When Saul and his men went to seek him, they told David , and he came down to the rock and stayed in the wilderness of Maon . And when Saul heard it, he pursued David in the wilderness of Maon . 26 Saul went on one side of the mountain , and David and his men on the other side of the mountain ; and David was hurrying to get away from Saul , for Saul and his men were surrounding David and his men to seize them. 27 But a messenger came to Saul , saying , "Hurry and come , for the Philistines have made a raid on the land ." 28 So Saul returned from pursuing David and went to meet the Philistines ; therefore e they called that place the Rock of Escape . 29 David went up from there and stayed in the strongholds of Engedi .

David Spares Saul at Engedi

241 Now when Saul returned from pursuing the Philistines , he was told , saying , "Behold , David is in the wilderness of Engedi ." 2 Then Saul took three thousand chosen men from all Israel and went to seek David and his men in front of the Rocks of the Wild Goats . 3 He came to the sheepfolds e on the way , where there was a cave ; and Saul went in to relieve e himself. Now David and his men were sitting in the inner recesses of the cave . 4 The men of David said to him, "Behold , this is the day of which the Lord said to you, 'Behold ; I am about to give your enemy into your hand , and you shall do to him as it seems good to you.' " Then David arose and cut off the edge of Saul's robe secretly . 5 It came about afterward e that David's conscience bothered him because e he had cut off the edge of Saul's robe. 6 So he said to his men , " Far be it from me because of the Lord that I should do this thing to my lord , the Lord'S anointed , to stretch out my hand against him, since he is the Lord'S anointed ." 7 David persuaded his men with these words and did not allow them to rise up against Saul . And Saul arose , left the cave , and went on his way . 8 Now afterward e David arose and went out of the cave and called after Saul , saying , "My lord the king !" And when Saul looked behind him, David bowed with his face to the ground and prostrated himself.

9 David said to Saul , "Why do you listen to the words of men , saying , 'Behold , David seeks to harm you'? 10 " Behold , this day your eyes have seen that the Lord had given you today into my hand in the cave , and some said to kill you, but my eye had pity on you; and I said , 'I will not stretch out my hand against my lord , for he is the Lord'S anointed .' 11 "Now, my father , see ! Indeed , see the edge of your robe in my hand ! For in that I cut off the edge of your robe and did not kill you, know and perceive that there is no evil or rebellion in my hands , and I have not sinned against you, though you are lying in wait for my life to take it. 12 " May the Lord judge between you and me, and may the Lord avenge me on you; but my hand shall not be against you. 13 "As the proverb of the ancients says , ' Out of the wicked comes forth wickedness '; but my hand shall not be against you. 14 "After whom has the king of Israel come out? Whom are you pursuing ? A dead dog , a single flea ? 15 " The Lord therefore be judge and decide between you and me; and may He see and plead my cause and deliver me from your hand ."

16 When David had finished speaking these words to Saul , Saul said , " Is this your voice , my son David ?" Then Saul lifted up his voice and wept . 17 He said to David , "You are more righteous than I; for you have dealt well with me, while I have dealt wickedly with you. 18 "You have declared today that you have done good to me, that the Lord delivered me into your hand and yet you did not kill me. 19 "For if a man finds his enemy , will he let him go away safely e ? May the Lord therefore reward you with good in return for what you have done to me this day . 20 "Now , behold , I know that you will surely be king , and that the kingdom of Israel will be established in your hand . 21 "So now swear to me by the Lord that you will not cut off my descendants after me and that you will not destroy my name from my father's household ." 22 David swore to Saul . And Saul went to his home , but David and his men went up to the stronghold .

A Warning against Hypocrisy

121 Under these circumstances , after so many thousands of people had gathered together that they were stepping on one another , He began saying to His disciples first of all, " Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy . . 2 " But there is nothing covered up that will not be revealed , and hidden that will not be known . 3 "Accordingly , whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light , and what you have whispered e e in the inner rooms will be proclaimed upon the housetops .

Whom to Fear

4 "I say to you, My friends , do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that have no e more that they can do . 5 "But I will warn you whom to fear : fear the One who, after He has killed , has authority to cast into hell ; yes , I tell you, fear Him! 6 "Are not five sparrows sold for two cents ? Yet not one of them is forgotten before God . 7 " Indeed e , the very hairs of your head are all numbered . Do not fear ; you are more valuable than many sparrows .

Confessing Christ before Men

8 "And I say to you, everyone who confesses Me before men , the Son of Man will confess him also before the angels of God ; 9 but he who denies Me before men will be denied before the angels of God . 10 " And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man , it will be forgiven him; but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit , it will not be forgiven him. 11 "When they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities , do not worry about how or what you are to speak in your defense , or what you are to say ; 12 for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say ."

The Parable of the Rich Fool

13 Someone in the crowd said to Him, "Teacher , tell my brother to divide the family inheritance with me." 14 But He said to him, " Man , who appointed Me a judge or arbitrator over you?" 15 Then He said to them, " Beware , and be on your guard against every form of greed ; for not even when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions ." 16 And He told them a parable , saying , "The land of a rich man was very productive . 17 "And he began reasoning to himself , saying , 'What shall I do , since I have no place to store my crops ?' 18 "Then he said , 'This is what I will do : I will tear down my barns and build larger ones , and there I will store all my grain and my goods . 19 'And I will say to my soul , "Soul , you have many goods laid up for many years to come; take your ease , eat , drink and be merry ."' 20 "But God said to him, ' You fool ! This very night your soul is required of you; and now who will own what you have prepared ?' 21 "So is the man who stores up treasure for himself , and is not rich toward God ."

Care and Anxiety

22 And He said to His disciples , " For this reason I say to you, do not worry about your life , as to what you will eat ; nor for your body , as to what you will put on. 23 "For life is more than food , and the body more than clothing . 24 "Consider the ravens , for they neither sow nor reap ; they have no storeroom nor barn , and yet God feeds them; how much more valuable you are than the birds ! 25 "And which of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life's span ? 26 "If then you cannot e do even a very little thing , why do you worry about other matters ? 27 "Consider the lilies , how they grow : they neither toil nor spin ; but I tell you, not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these . 28 "But if God so clothes the grass in the field , which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace , how much more will He clothe you? You men of little faith ! 29 "And do not seek what you will eat and what you will drink , and do not keep worrying . 30 "For all these things the nations of the world eagerly seek ; but your Father knows that you need these things . 31 "But seek His kingdom , and these things will be added to you.

Matthew Henry's Commentary on Luke 12:1-31

Commentary on Luke 12:1-12

(Read Luke 12:1-12)

A firm belief of the doctrine of God's universal providence, and the extent of it, would satisfy us when in peril, and encourage us to trust God in the way of duty. Providence takes notice of the meanest creatures, even of the sparrows, and therefore of the smallest interests of the disciples of Christ. Those who confess Christ now, shall be owned by him in the great day, before the angels of God. To deter us from denying Christ, and deserting his truths and ways, we are here assured that those who deny Christ, though they may thus save life itself, and though they may gain a kingdom by it, will be great losers at last; for Christ will not know them, will not own them, nor show them favour. But let no trembling, penitent backslider doubt of obtaining forgiveness. This is far different from the determined enmity that is blasphemy against the Holy Ghost, which shall never be forgiven, because it will never be repented of.

Commentary on Luke 12:13-21

(Read Luke 12:13-21)

Christ's kingdom is spiritual, and not of this world. Christianity does not meddle with politics; it obliges all to do justly, but wordly dominion is not founded in grace. It does not encourage expectations of worldly advantages by religion. The rewards of Christ's disciples are of another nature. Covetousness is a sin we need constantly to be warned against; for happiness and comfort do not depend on the wealth of this world. The things of the world will not satisfy the desires of a soul. Here is a parable, which shows the folly of carnal worldling while they live, and their misery when they die. The character drawn is exactly that of a prudent, worldly man, who has no grateful regard to the providence of God, nor any right thought of the uncertainty of human affairs, the worth of his soul, or the importance of eternity. How many, even among professed Christians, point out similar characters as models for imitation, and proper persons to form connexions with! We mistake if we think that thoughts are hid, and thoughts are free. When he saw a great crop upon his ground, instead of thanking God for it, or rejoicing to be able to do more good, he afflicts himself. What shall I do now? The poorest beggar in the country could not have said a more anxious word. The more men have, the more perplexity they have with it. It was folly for him to think of making no other use of his plenty, than to indulge the flesh and gratify the sensual appetites, without any thought of doing good to others. Carnal worldlings are fools; and the day is coming when God will call them by their own name, and they will call themselves so. The death of such persons is miserable in itself, and terrible to them. Thy soul shall be required. He is loth to part with it; but God shall require it, shall require an account of it, require it as a guilty soul to be punished without delay. It is the folly of most men, to mind and pursue that which is for the body and for time only, more than that for the soul and eternity.

Commentary on Luke 12:22-40

(Read Luke 12:22-40)

Christ largely insisted upon this caution not to give way to disquieting, perplexing cares, Matthew 6:25-34. The arguments here used are for our encouragement to cast our care upon God, which is the right way to get ease. As in our stature, so in our state, it is our wisdom to take it as it is. An eager, anxious pursuit of the things of this world, even necessary things, ill becomes the disciples of Christ. Fears must not prevail; when we frighten ourselves with thoughts of evil to come, and put ourselves upon needless cares how to avoid it. If we value the beauty of holiness, we shall not crave the luxuries of life. Let us then examine whether we belong to this little flock. Christ is our Master, and we are his servants; not only working servants, but waiting servants. We must be as men that wait for their lord, that sit up while he stays out late, to be ready to receive him. In this Christ alluded to his own ascension to heaven, his coming to call his people to him by death, and his return to judge the world. We are uncertain as to the time of his coming to us, we should therefore be always ready. If men thus take care of their houses, let us be thus wise for our souls. Be ye therefore ready also; as ready as the good man of the house would be, if he knew at what hour the thief would come.