There was war again, and David struck the Philistines with a great blow, so that they fled before him. When he returned, the harmful spirit returned, so David played the lyre. Saul tried to pin David to the wall with the spear in his hand, but he eluded Saul and fled and escaped that night.
Saul's messengers watched David at his house, plotting murder. Michal warned him to escape tonight and let him down the window, and he escaped to Samuel at Ramah and told him everything Saul had done to him. They both went and lived at Naioth. When Saul's messengers came after them, but when they saw the company of prophets prophesying, the Spirit of God came upon them, and they also prophesied. This happened to three groups of messengers. Saul himself went and he stripped off his clothes and prophesied before Samuel and lay naked all that day and all that night. (1 Samuel 19)
Jonathan's Arrows
David fled from Naioth and asked Jonathan why Saul seeks his life. Jonathan had heard nothing, but Saul wouldn't grieve his son by telling him. David planned with Jonathan to not come to the table with the king and to hide in the field. If Saul misses him, Jonathan should tell him he went to sacrifice in Bethlehem and gauge his reaction. But David asked if there is sin in him, for Jonathan to kill him himself. Jonathan asked for harm to be brought on him if he doesn't help David, otherwise to love his house forever when the LORD cuts off all David's enemies. On the third day, he planned to shoot 3 arrows to the side of his stone heap hiding place, send a boy after them, and call either to take the arrows or that the arrows are beyond him.
David hid himself at new moon.
On the third day, Jonathan shot his arrows and told his boy, "Is not the arrow beyond you?" and "Hurry! Be quick! Do not stay!" then sent the boy to town with the weapons. David rose, fell on his face, bowed three times, and they kissed and wept together, having sworn the LORD be between them and their offspring forever. David left and Jonathan went into the city.
(1 Samuel 20)
David came to Nob and asked Ahimelech the priest for five loaves of bread under the pretense of a secret matter on behalf of the king. There being no bread but the bread of the Presence, he took that. He also asked for a spear or sword, due to the haste of his task, and received the sword of Goliath the Philistine, which was wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod.
Then David fled and went to Achish the king of Gath. The servants asked if David was not the one who struck down his ten thousands, and David became afraid of Achish. He pretended to be insane, marking doors and letting spittle run down his beard. Achish thought he was mad. (1 Samuel 21)
Return to Judah
David departed and hid in the cave of Adullam. When his brothers and all his fathers house heard it, they joined him, as did everyone in distress, everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was bitter in soul, until he was captain of 400 men. Then David went to Mizpeh of Moab and left his father and mother with their king until the prophet Gad told him to return to Judah. He went to the forest of Hereth. As Doeg the Edomite slaughtered the priests, Abiathar escaped and fled after David. David knew Doeg would tell Saul, and that he occasioned the priests' deaths, so he told Abiathar he will keep him safe. (1 Samuel 22)
Rescues treacherous Keilah
When David heard the Philistines were fighting Keilah, he inquired of the LORD whether he should go and whether he would win, then he encouraged his men to strike them down with a great blow. Abiathar fled to Keilah, ephod in hand, and David, knowing Saul's plot, requested the ephod and learned Saul was coming and Keilah would surrender him to him. He and his now 600 men departed and went wherever they could go, remaining in the strongholds in the wilderness, in the hill country of the wilderness of Ziph, evading Saul every day.
David saw Saul was coming to kill him, but Jonathan went to David at Horesh and strengthened his hand in God. He told him not to fear as the future king of Israel whom even Saul acknowledges. They made a covenant, and Jonathan returned home. When David was in the wilderness of Maon in the Arabah to the south of Jeshimon, he was told Saul was coming, and he evaded Saul until he was closing in and suddenly interrupted by news of a Philistine raid. Therefore, the place was called the Rock of Escape. And David went up from there and lived in the strongholds of Engedi.
David and his men were hiding in the wilderness of Engedi at the Wildgoats' Rocks in a cave when Saul came in to relieve himself. His men told him it was the day the LORD gave his enemy into his hand to do as it shall seem good to him. David stealthily cut off a corner of Saul's robe, then his heart struck him for doing that to the LORD's anointed. He persuaded his men to not attack Saul. When Saul left, David called after him, bowing. He showed the robe corner and said may the LORD judge and avenge, but his hand was not going to be against him. Saul asked if he was his son David, and called him more righteous than him. He asked the LORD reward him. He knew David would be king, so he asked he not cut off his offspring nor destroy his name out of his father's house, and David swore it. Saul went home, and David went up to the stronghold. (1 Samuel 24)
Samuel died, was mourned by all Israel, and was buried in his house at Ramah. Then David went to the wilderness of Paran, where his men took nothing and protected the nearby shearers of Nabal, a rich man in Maon whose business was in Carmel. He sent ten men to greet Nabal in his name and to ask for what he had on hand, but he refused them rudely. David told his men to strap on their swords and 400 to follow while 200 stay back with the baggage. One of Nabal's men told Abigail about Nabal's unfair response and impending harm by David. She took 200 loaves, 2 skins of wine, 5 sheep already prepared, 5 seahs of parched grain, 100 clusters of raisins, and 200 cakes of figs on donkeys. When she met David, she bowed, took the guilt, affirmed his house, and asked him wait for the LORD so he has no bloodguilt. When the LORD deals well with him, remember her. David blessed her, took her gift, and sent her in peace. Abigail returned to Nabal feasting and drunk, so she told him in the morning. His heart died within in, he became as a stone, and 10 days later, he died. David sent for Abigail as a wife, and also Ahinoam of Jezreel. Saul gave Michal to Palti the son of Laish who was of Gallim. (1 Samuel 25)
David steals Saul's spear and jar of water
David hid in the wilderness of Ziph. Saul came and camped on the hill of Hachilah, which is beside the road on the east of Jeshimon. When he noticed, he sent spies to confirm Saul's presence. Out of Ahimelech the Hittite and Joab's brother Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Abishai went with him. David came to the camp at night and saw Saul sleeping with Abner the son of Ner and the army of 3000 around him, but the LORD had sent a deep sleep so no one noticed. Abishai saw the LORD had given Saul into their hands and said he could kill him in one hit. David told him guilt would be upon anyone who strikes the LORD's anointed, but regardless, the LORD would strike him or he would die in battle someday. Instead, they took the spear that was stuck in the ground near Saul's head and the jar of water.
From a great space, David called to Abner that he had not protected the LORD's anointed and deserved death. His spear and jar of water are missing. Saul recognized David, and David asked him that if he was stirred by the LORD that the LORD may accept an offering, but if he was stirred by men, that they may be cursed. They had driven David out so he had no share in the heritage of the LORD, telling him to serve other gods. Saul claimed to be in sin and asked David to return in peace. David offered his spear back to one of Saul's young men and asked the LORD to see his own life as precious like how he had viewed Saul's. Saul blessed him, and David went his way, and Saul returned to his place. (1 Samuel 26)
David said in his heart that Saul would kill him so he, Ahinoam of Jezreel, Abigail of Carmel, and his 600 men should flee to Philistia. They lived with Achish, king of Gath. David asked for his own place, and Achish gave him Ziklag, which still belonged to the Kings of Judah in the time of the book of Samuel. They lived in Philistia for a year and 4 months. David and his men raided the Geshurites, Girzites, Amalekites, the inhabitants of the land from of old, as far as Shur to the land of Egypt, killing every man and woman but taking the livestock and garments. When Achish asked, David explained he raided the Negeb of Judah, of the Jerahmeelites, the Kenites, and David knew no one lived to report otherwise. Achish trusted him, believing he became a stench to Israel and will always be his servant. (1 Samuel 27)
The Philistines gathered their forces for war against Israel. Achish told David, "Understand that you and your men are to go out with me in the army." David said, "Very well, you shall know what your servant can do." And Achish said to David, "Very well, I will make you my bodyguard for life." The Philistines encamped at Shunem, while all of Israel encamped at Gilboa. (1 Samuel 28:1-4)
The Philistines gathered all their forces at Aphek, by hundreds and thousands, while the Israelites were encamped by the spring in Jezreel. The lords of the Philistines asked why these Hebrews were here. Achish told the commanders David has been with them for days and years without fault. The Philistines insisted "ten thousands" David could become a threat to them in battle, so despite Achish viewing him as blameless as an angel of God, he had to send David and his servants back to Philistia early next morning, while the Philistines continued to Jezreel. (1 Samuel 29)
Ziklag burned, David's wives captured
David and his men returned to Ziklag the third day, and it was burned with everyone taken captive and no one killed. David and his men wept for their wives and daughters, including David's Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel. David was greatly distressed because the men spoke of stoning him, but he strengthened himself in the LORD his God.
David asked Abiathar for the ephod and asked whether to pursue this band. God affirmed him, so 600 men went out with him. 200 stayed by the brook Besor out of fatigue. The 400 continued with David and found an Egyptian, so they brought him to David. David gave him bread and water and a piece of cake of figs and two clusters of raisins. He had not eaten or had water in three days, so his spirit revived. David questioned him, and he introduced himself as a young man of Egypt, servant to an Amalekite. His master left him behind because he was sick. They had made a raid against the Negeb of the Cherethites and against that which belongs to Judah and against the Negeb of Caleb, and they burned Ziklag with fire. David asked to be taken to the band, and the Egyptian agreed, on the condition David not kill him or turn him over to his master.
They were celebrating their spoil, and David struck them down from twilight until evening the next day with no survivors but 400 camel riders. The thievery was completely recovered, including his wives. He also captured the flocks and herds, "David's spoil." David returned to the 200 tired men, and his 400 thought to not share the spoils, only give back family. David insisted the share was equal for those who go into battle and he who stays by the baggage. He made it a statute and a rule for Israel from that day forward to the time of writing. David returned to Ziklag and sent part of the spoil to his friends, the elders of Judah as a present from the spoil of enemies of the LORD, for those in Bethel, Ramoth of the Negeb, Jattir, Aroer, Siphmoth, Eshtemoa, Racal, the cities of the Jerahmeelites and Kenites, in Hormah, Borashan, Athach, Hebron, for all the places where David and his men had roamed.
(1 Samuel 30)