Scroll to the bottom for thoughts/discussion questions!
One-sentence summary: Saul has 85 priests killed in his pursuit of David, David flees from Saul, and David has a chance to kill Saul but refuses to "touch the Lord's anointed," only cutting off a corner of his robe, which causes Saul to seemingly repent and relent from his pursuit.
David goes to see Ahimelech the priest. Ahimelech is afraid, but David tells him the king has ordered him on some secret business, and he asks him for five loaves of bread or whatever food he can find. There is no regular bread, only the holy bread, and the priest asks if David and his men have been kept from women, and David answers that they have, so the priest gives them the holy bread. One of Saul's servants is there, detained before the Lord (important information for later), and David asks the priest for a spear or sword, saying he left in a hurry and could not bring any weapons. The priest shows him the sword of Goliath wrapped in the cloth of the ephod, so David takes it and flees. He goes Achish, to the king of Gath, and the people recognize him. David "[takes] these words to heart" and is afraid of the king, so he changes his behavior before them and pretends madness by scratching on doors and drooling. The king tells his servants he is insane and asks why they have brought a mad man to his house. David leaves there and escapes to the cave of Adullam. When his father's house hears, they go to him, and anyone who is distressed and discontented goes to him, and it is about 400 men total, and he becomes captain over them. He goes there to Mizpah of Moab and asks the king that his family may go there with them, so he brings them all before the king, and they dwell with him there. The prophet Gad tells him not to stay in the stronghold but to go to Judah, so he goes there into a forest. When Sauls hears David and his men are discovered- Saul is staying in Gibeah under a tamarisk tree in Ramah with spear in his hand and his servants with him- he asks his servants what David can do for them and says they have all conspired against him in not telling him that Jonathan made a covenant with David. He says none of them feels sorry for him or told him his son has caused David to rise against him and seek his life. One of his servants (the one who was with Ahimelech) tells him about David's exploits with the priests, so Saul calls the priest and his house, and they come before him, and he asks them why they conspired against him in giving David bread and a sword and inquiring of God for him. Ahimelech responds that David is the most faithful of all Saul's servants, and says far be it from him to do this, and he asks Saul not to hold him or his household guilty because he didn't know anything. However, Saul says he and his household will all die, and he tells the guards to kill the priests, because "their hand also is with David," yet they refuse. The king tells his other servant to do it, and he does, Doeg the Edomite. He kills 85 priests and strikes their city with the sword, killing absolutely everything in it. One of Ahimelech's sons escapes and flees after David and tells him what Saul has done, so David tells him that he knew the Edomite would tell Saul, and he says he is responsible for the death of his famiy. He tells the man to stay with him and not fear and that he will be safe with him.Then, David hears that the Philistines are fighting against the city Keilah and robbing the threshing floors. David asks the Lord if he should attack them, and the Lord tells him to go and save the city. But David's men tell him they are afraid, and that it will be worse if they go against the Philistines. So David asks the Lord again, and He tells him to go and that He will deliver the Philistines into his hand, so he and his men go and strike down the Philistines, and David saves the city. When Ahimelech's son had fled, he had brought an ephod with him. Saul is told David has Keilah, and he thinks David has shut himself in by entering a town with gates and bars. Saul calls his men to besiege the city with David and his men. When David hears, he tells Ahimelech's son to bring the ephod, and he prays to God and asks God to tell him what will happen. God says Saul will come down and that the men of the city will deliver him into Saul's hands, so David and his 600 men flee. Saul hears he has escaped, so he stays put, and David stays in strongholds in the wilderness. Saul seeks him every day, but God does not deliver him into his hands. On day, David is in the wilderness in a forest, and Jonathan goes to him there and encourages him. He tells him that Saul will not find him and that he will be king, with Jonathan next to him. He says Saul knows that, and they make a covenant again. The Ziphites come to Saul in Gibeah and tell him David is hiding and that Saul should come and they will deliver David into his hands, and Saul blesses them for "[having] compassion on [him]." He asks them to make sure and find out where David is. Saul and his men go to seek him, and David is warned, and then Saul hears of his whereabouts and pursues him, but they are on opposing sides of the mountain. A messenger comes to Saul and tells him the Philistines have invaded, so he must return to fight. When Saul returns from the Philistines, he hears David is in the wilderness of Engedi, so he takes 3,000 chosen men to seek David and his men. Saul goes in to a cave where David and his men are staying, and his men tell him that this is the day when Saul will be delivered to David, and David arises and secretly cuts off a corner of Saul's robe, but his heart troubles him because of this, so he tells the men that he will not stretch out his hand against the Lord's anointed, and he doesn't let them rise against Saul. Saul gets up and goes on his way. Then, David arises and calls out to Saul, "My lord, the king!" When Saul looks, David stoops with his face to the earth and bows down and tells him it is a lie that he seeks his harm. He shows him the corner of the robe and says that he has refused to harm him, though he was delivered into his hands. He says this is proof that "evil and rebellion" are not "in [his] hand." He says may the Lord judge between them, but his own hand will not be against him. He mentions a "proverb of the ancients" that talks about the reward of wickedness. He asks him if he is pursuing "a dead dog or a flea" and that the Lord will plead his case and deliver him. After he finishes speaking, Saul says, "Is this your voice, my son, David?" And he weeps and says that David is more righteous than himself, since he rewarded him with good although he has rewarded David with evil. He recognizes what David has done for him in not killing him, and he says may the Lord reward him with good, that he knows David will surely be king, and Israel will be established in his hand. He asks him to swear not to cut off Saul's descendants or destroy his name, and David swears. Then, Saul goes home, and David and his men go up to the stronghold.
Thoughts/discussion questions:
Jealousy is a beast! It is interesting how God was making a way to transfer the kingdom from Saul to David peacefully in a way that would even bless him, but Saul raged against it. Maybe the tormenting spirit was sent because he was refusing the Lord and His ways.