From: "FamilyNet" 

Bible Reading for April 02

1 Samuel 25
[1] And Samuel died; and all the Israelites were gathered together, and
lamented him, and buried him in his house at Ramah. And David arose, and
went down to the wilderness of Paran. [2] And there was a man in Maon,
whose possessions were in Carmel; and the man was very great, and he had
three thousand sheep, and a thousand goats: and he was shearing his sheep
in Carmel. [3] Now the name of the man was Nabal; and the name of his wife
Abigail: and she was a woman of good understanding, and of a beautiful
countenance: but the man was churlish and evil in his doings; and he was of
the house of Caleb.
[4] And David heard in the wilderness that Nabal did shear his sheep. [5]
And David sent out ten young men, and David said unto the young men, Get
you up to Carmel, and go to Nabal, and greet him in my name: [6] And thus
shall ye say to him that liveth in prosperity, Peace be both to thee, and
peace be to thine house, and peace be unto all that thou hast. [7] And now
I have heard that thou hast shearers: now thy shepherds which were with us,
we hurt them not, neither was there ought missing unto them, all the while
they were in Carmel.
[8] Ask thy young men, and they will shew thee. Wherefore let the young men
find favour in thine eyes: for we come in a good day: give, I pray thee,
whatsoever cometh to thine hand unto thy servants, and to thy son David.
[9] And when David's young men came, they spake to Nabal according to all
those words in the name of David, and ceased. [10] And Nabal answered
David's servants, and said, Who is David? and who is the son of Jesse?
there be many servants now a days that break away every man from his
master.
[11] Shall I then take my bread, and my water, and my flesh that I have
killed for my shearers, and give it unto men, whom I know not whence they
be?
[12] So David's young men turned their way, and went again, and came and
told him all those sayings.
[13] And David said unto his men, Gird ye on every man his sword. And they
girded on every man his sword; and David also girded on his sword: and
there went up after David about four hundred men; and two hundred abode by
the stuff.
[14] But one of the young men told Abigail, Nabal's wife, saying, Behold,
David sent messengers out of the wilderness to salute our master; and he
railed on them.
[15] But the men were very good unto us, and we were not hurt, neither
missed we any thing, as long as we were conversant with them, when we were
in the fields:
[16] They were a wall unto us both by night and day, all the while we were
with them keeping the sheep.
[17] Now therefore know and consider what thou wilt do; for evil is
determined against our master, and against all his household: for he is
such a son of Belial, that a man cannot speak to him. [18] Then Abigail
made haste, and took two hundred loaves, and two bottles of wine, and five
sheep ready dressed, and five measures of parched corn, and an hundred
clusters of raisins, and two hundred cakes of figs, and laid them on asses.
[19] And she said unto her servants, Go on before me; behold, I come after
you. But she told not her husband Nabal. [20] And it was so, as she rode on
the ass, that she came down by the covert of the hill, and, behold, David
and his men came down against her; and she met them.
[21] Now David had said, Surely in vain have I kept all that this fellow
hath in the wilderness, so that nothing was missed of all that pertained
unto him: and he hath requited me evil for good. [22] So and more also do
God unto the enemies of David, if I leave of all that pertain to him by the
morning light any that pisseth against the wall. [23] And when Abigail saw
David, she hasted, and lighted off the ass, and fell before David on her
face, and bowed herself to the ground, [24] And fell at his feet, and said,
Upon me, my lord, upon me let this iniquity be: and let thine handmaid, I
pray thee, speak in thine audience, and hear the words of thine handmaid.
[25] Let not my lord, I pray thee, regard this man of Belial, even Nabal:
for as his name is, so is he; Nabal is his name, and folly is with him: but
I thine handmaid saw not the young men of my lord, whom thou didst send.
[26] Now therefore, my lord, as the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth,
seeing the LORD hath withholden thee from coming to shed blood, and from
avenging thyself with thine own hand, now let thine enemies, and they that
seek evil to my lord, be as Nabal.
[27] And now this blessing which thine handmaid hath brought unto my lord,
let it even be given unto the young men that follow my lord. [28] I pray
thee, forgive the trespass of thine handmaid: for the LORD will certainly
make my lord a sure house; because my lord fighteth the battles of the
LORD, and evil hath not been found in thee all thy days. [29] Yet a man is
risen to pursue thee, and to seek thy soul: but the soul of my lord shall
be bound in the bundle of life with the LORD thy God; and the souls of
thine enemies, them shall he sling out, as out of the middle of a sling.
[30] And it shall come to pass, when the LORD shall have done to my lord
according to all the good that he hath spoken concerning thee, and shall
have appointed thee ruler over Israel; [31] That this shall be no grief
unto thee, nor offence of heart unto my lord, either that thou hast shed
blood causeless, or that my lord hath avenged himself: but when the LORD
shall have dealt well with my lord, then remember thine handmaid.
[32] And David said to Abigail, Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, which
sent thee this day to meet me:
[33] And blessed be thy advice, and blessed be thou, which hast kept me
this day from coming to shed blood, and from avenging myself with mine own
hand. [34] For in very deed, as the LORD God of Israel liveth, which hath
kept me back from hurting thee, except thou hadst hasted and come to meet
me, surely there had not been left unto Nabal by the morning light any that
pisseth against the wall.
[35] So David received of her hand that which she had brought him, and said
unto her, Go up in peace to thine house; see, I have hearkened to thy
voice, and have accepted thy person.
[36] And Abigail came to Nabal; and, behold, he held a feast in his house,
like the feast of a king; and Nabal's heart was merry within him, for he
was very drunken: wherefore she told him nothing, less or more, until the
morning light.
[37] But it came to pass in the morning, when the wine was gone out of
Nabal, and his wife had told him these things, that his heart died within
him, and he became as a stone.
[38] And it came to pass about ten days after, that the LORD smote Nabal,
that he died.
[39] And when David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, Blessed be the
LORD, that hath pleaded the cause of my reproach from the hand of Nabal,
and hath kept his servant from evil: for the LORD hath returned the
wickedness of Nabal upon his own head, And David sent and communed with
Abigail, to take her to him to wife.
[40] And when the servants of David were come to Abigail to Carmel, they
spake unto her, saying, David sent us unto thee to take thee to him to
wife. [41] And she arose, and bowed herself on her face to the earth, and
said, Behold, let thine handmaid be a servant to wash the feet of the
servants of my lord.
[42] And Abigail hasted, and arose, and rode upon an ass, with five damsels
of hers that went after her; and she went after the messengers of David,
and became his wife.
[43] David also took Ahinoam of Jezreel; and they were also both of them his wives.
[44] But Saul had given Michal his daughter, David's wife, to Phalti the
son of Laish, which was of Gallim.

1 Samuel 26
[1] And the Ziphites came unto Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doth not David hide
himself in the hill of Hachilah, which is before Jeshimon? [2] Then Saul
arose, and went down to the wilderness of Ziph, having three thousand
chosen men of Israel with him, to seek David in the wilderness of Ziph.
[3] And Saul pitched in the hill of Hachilah, which is before Jeshimon, by
the way. But David abode in the wilderness, and he saw that Saul came after
him into the wilderness.
[4] David therefore sent out spies, and understood that Saul was come in very deed.
[5] And David arose, and came to the place where Saul had pitched: and
David beheld the place where Saul lay, and Abner the son of Ner, the
captain of his host: and Saul lay in the trench, and the people pitched
round about him.
[6] Then answered David and said to Ahimelech the Hittite, and to Abishai
the son of Zeruiah, brother to Joab, saying, Who will go down with me to
Saul to the camp? And Abishai said, I will go down with thee. [7] So David
and Abishai came to the people by night: and, behold, Saul lay sleeping
within the trench, and his spear stuck in the ground at his bolster: but
Abner and the people lay round about him. [8] Then said Abishai to David,
God hath delivered thine enemy into thine hand this day: now therefore let
me smite him, I pray thee, with the spear even to the earth at once, and I
will not smite him the second time. [9] And David said to Abishai, Destroy
him not: for who can stretch forth his hand against the LORD's anointed,
and be guiltless? [10] David said furthermore, As the LORD liveth, the LORD
shall smite him; or his day shall come to die; or he shall descend into
battle, and perish. [11] The LORD forbid that I should stretch forth mine
hand against the LORD's anointed: but, I pray thee, take thou now the spear
that is at his bolster, and the cruse of water, and let us go. [12] So
David took the spear and the cruse of water from Saul's bolster; and they
gat them away, and no man saw it, nor knew it, neither awaked: for they
were all asleep; because a deep sleep from the LORD was fallen upon them.
[13] Then David went over to the other side, and stood on the top of an
hill afar off; a great space being between them: [14] And David cried to
the people, and to Abner the son of Ner, saying, Answerest thou not, Abner?
Then Abner answered and said, Who art thou that criest to the king?
[15] And David said to Abner, Art not thou a valiant man? and who is like
to thee in Israel? wherefore then hast thou not kept thy lord the king? for
there came one of the people in to destroy the king thy lord. [16] This
thing is not good that thou hast done. As the LORD liveth, ye are worthy to
die, because ye have not kept your master, the LORD's anointed. And now see
where the king's spear is, and the cruse of water that was at his bolster.
[17] And Saul knew David's voice, and said, Is this thy voice, my son
David? And David said, It is my voice, my lord, O king. [18] And he said,
Wherefore doth my lord thus pursue after his servant? for what have I done?
or what evil is in mine hand? [19] Now therefore, I pray thee, let my lord
the king hear the words of his servant. If the LORD have stirred thee up
against me, let him accept an offering: but if they be the children of men,
cursed be they before the LORD; for they have driven me out this day from
abiding in the inheritance of the LORD, saying, Go, serve other gods. [20]
Now therefore, let not my blood fall to the earth before the face of the
LORD: for the king of Israel is come out to seek a flea, as when one doth
hunt a partridge in the mountains. [21] Then said Saul, I have sinned:
return, my son David: for I will no more do thee harm, because my soul was
precious in thine eyes this day: behold, I have played the fool, and have
erred exceedingly. [22] And David answered and said, Behold the king's
spear! and let one of the young men come over and fetch it. [23] The LORD
render to every man his righteousness and his faithfulness: for the LORD
delivered thee into my hand to day, but I would not stretch forth mine hand
against the LORD's anointed. [24] And, behold, as thy life was much set by
this day in mine eyes, so let my life be much set by in the eyes of the
LORD, and let him deliver me out of all tribulation.
[25] Then Saul said to David, Blessed be thou, my son David: thou shalt
both do great things, and also shalt still prevail. So David went on his
way, and Saul returned to his place.

1 Samuel 27
[1] And David said in his heart, I shall now perish one day by the hand of
Saul: there is nothing better for me than that I should speedily escape
into the land of the Philistines; and Saul shall despair of me, to seek me
any more in any coast of Israel: so shall I escape out of his hand. [2] And
David arose, and he passed over with the six hundred men that were with him
unto Achish, the son of Maoch, king of Gath. [3] And David dwelt with
Achish at Gath, he and his men, every man with his household, even David
with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the Carmelitess,
Nabal's wife. [4] And it was told Saul that David was fled to Gath: and he
sought no more again for him.
[5] And David said unto Achish, If I have now found grace in thine eyes,
let them give me a place in some town in the country, that I may dwell
there: for why should thy servant dwell in the royal city with thee? [6]
Then Achish gave him Ziklag that day: wherefore Ziklag pertaineth unto the
kings of Judah unto this day.
[7] And the time that David dwelt in the country of the Philistines was a
full year and four months.
[8] And David and his men went up, and invaded the Geshurites, and the
Gezrites, and the Amalekites: for those nations were of old the inhabitants
of the land, as thou goest to Shur, even unto the land of Egypt. [9] And
David smote the land, and left neither man nor woman alive, and took away
the sheep, and the oxen, and the asses, and the camels, and the apparel,
and returned, and came to Achish. [10] And Achish said, Whither have ye
made a road to day? And David said, Against the south of Judah, and against
the south of the Jerahmeelites, and against the south of the Kenites.
[11] And David saved neither man nor woman alive, to bring tidings to Gath,
saying, Lest they should tell on us, saying, So did David, and so will be
his manner all the while he dwelleth in the country of the Philistines.
[12] And Achish believed David, saying, He hath made his people Israel
utterly to abhor him; therefore he shall be my servant for ever.

1 Samuel 28
[1] And it came to pass in those days, that the Philistines gathered their
armies together for warfare, to fight with Israel. And Achish said unto
David, Know thou assuredly, that thou shalt go out with me to battle, thou
and thy men.
[2] And David said to Achish, Surely thou shalt know what thy servant can
do. And Achish said to David, Therefore will I make thee keeper of mine
head for ever.
[3] Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had lamented him, and buried him in
Ramah, even in his own city. And Saul had put away those that had familiar
spirits, and the wizards, out of the land. [4] And the Philistines gathered
themselves together, and came and pitched in Shunem: and Saul gathered all
Israel together, and they pitched in Gilboa.
[5] And when Saul saw the host of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his
heart greatly trembled.
[6] And when Saul inquired of the LORD, the LORD answered him not, neither
by dreams nor by Urim, nor by prophets. [7] Then said Saul unto his
servants, Seek me a woman that hath a familiar spirit, that I may go to
her, and inquire of her. And his servants said to him, Behold, there is a
woman that hath a familiar spirit at Endor. [8] And Saul disguised himself,
and put on other raiment, and he went, and two men with him, and they came
to the woman by night: and he said, I pray thee, divine unto me by the
familiar spirit, and bring me him up, whom I shall name unto thee.
[9] And the woman said unto him, Behold, thou knowest what Saul hath done,
how he hath cut off those that have familiar spirits, and the wizards, out
of the land: wherefore then layest thou a snare for my life, to cause me to
die?
[10] And Saul sware to her by the LORD, saying, As the LORD liveth, there
shall no punishment happen to thee for this thing. [11] Then said the
woman, Whom shall I bring up unto thee? And he said, Bring me up Samuel.
[12] And when the woman saw Samuel, she cried with a loud voice: and the
woman spake to Saul, saying, Why hast thou deceived me? for thou art Saul.
[13] And the king said unto her, Be not afraid: for what sawest thou? And
the woman said unto Saul, I saw gods ascending out of the earth. [14] And
he said unto her, What form is he of? And she said, An old man cometh up;
and he is covered with a mantle. And Saul perceived that it was Samuel, and
he stooped with his face to the ground, and bowed himself. [15] And Samuel
said to Saul, Why hast thou disquieted me, to bring me up? And Saul
answered, I am sore distressed; for the Philistines make war against me,
and God is departed from me, and answereth me no more, neither by prophets,
nor by dreams: therefore I have called thee, that thou mayest make known
unto me what I shall do. [16] Then said Samuel, Wherefore then dost thou
ask of me, seeing the LORD is departed from thee, and is become thine
enemy? [17] And the LORD hath done to him, as he spake by me: for the LORD
hath rent the kingdom out of thine hand, and given it to thy neighbour,
even to David:
[18] Because thou obeyedst not the voice of the LORD, nor executedst his
fierce wrath upon Amalek, therefore hath the LORD done this thing unto thee
this day.
[19] Moreover the LORD will also deliver Israel with thee into the hand of
the Philistines: and to morrow shalt thou and thy sons be with me: the LORD
also shall deliver the host of Israel into the hand of the Philistines.
[20] Then Saul fell straightway all along on the earth, and was sore
afraid, because of the words of Samuel: and there was no strength in him;
for he had eaten no bread all the day, nor all the night. [21] And the
woman came unto Saul, and saw that he was sore troubled, and said unto him,
Behold, thine handmaid hath obeyed thy voice, and I have put my life in my
hand, and have hearkened unto thy words which thou spakest unto me.
[22] Now therefore, I pray thee, hearken thou also unto the voice of thine
handmaid, and let me set a morsel of bread before thee; and eat, that thou
mayest have strength, when thou goest on thy way. [23] But he refused, and
said, I will not eat. But his servants, together with the woman, compelled
him; and he hearkened unto their voice. So he arose from the earth, and sat
upon the bed. [24] And the woman had a fat calf in the house; and she
hasted, and killed it, and took flour, and kneaded it, and did bake
unleavened bread thereof: [25] And she brought it before Saul, and before
his servants; and they did eat. Then they rose up, and went away that
night.

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