The "PJV" of 1 Samuel 24:1-22 (English)

1) So, it happened just after Saul returned from following after the Philistines and it was revealed to him saying: ‘Check it out! David is in the strongholds of En-gedi.’ 2) So, Saul took three battalions (lit. “thousands”) of men chosen from all of Israel and went to seek David and his men upon the face of the cliffs of the wild goats 3) and he (Saul) came to the sheepfolds along the way and there was a cave, and Saul went in to relieve himself (lit. to cover his feet), but David and his men were sitting in the recesses of the cave.

4) And the men of David said to him, ‘Check it out—the day when Yahweh said to you, ‘Check it out! I, I am giving your enemy into your hand and you will do to him just as it will be good in your eyes.’’ So, David stood up and he cut off the hem of the robe belonging to Saul in secret.

5) But it happened afterward that David’s heart struck him on account of his cutting off the hem belonging to Saul. 6) And so, he said to his men, ‘I have a restriction from Yahweh if I should do this thing to my lord, to the one Yahweh anointed—to stretch out my hand against him.’ 7) So, David restrained his men with the words and did not allow them to rise against Saul. So, Saul stood up, (went) out of the cave, and went on his (lit. "the”) way.

8) And David stood up after this and he went out from the cave and called after Saul saying, ‘My lord the king!’ And Saul looked behind him and David bowed down nose to the ground (or “land”) and forced himself prostrated himself. 9) Then David said to Saul, ‘Why do you pay attention (lit. “hear”) the words of men saying, ‘Check it out, David seeks evil against you (lit. “your evil”)?’ 10) Check it out, THIS DAY your eyes have seen what Yahweh has given today into my hand in the cave and (some) said to kill you but I took pity on you and said, ‘I will not stretch out my hand against my lord BECAUSE he is the anointed (“Messiah”) of Yahweh.’ 11) So, my father, see! Even see the hem of your robe in my hand BECAUSE when I cut off the hem of your robe and didn’t kill you, know and see (for yourself) THAT there is no evil or rebellion in my hand and I haven’t sinned against you, but YOU, YOU lie in ambush for my whole being (“soul”) in order to take it. 12) Let Yahweh judge between me and you and Yahweh get justice for me (lit. “avenge me”), but my hand shall not be against you. 13) Just as the proverb says: ‘Out of the wicked comes wickedness,’ but my hand shall not be against you. 14) After whom does the King of Israel come out? After whom do you chase down (“hunt,” “pursue”)? After a dead dog? After one flea? 15) So, it shall be that Yahweh shall discern and judge between me and you, and He will see and He will argue my suit (verb and noun “to sue” are from the same root) and will provide sentence (verb is “to judge”) out of your hand.

16) So it happened after all of David’s speaking of these words to Saul, Saul said, ‘Is this your voice, my son David?’ And Saul raised his voice and wept. 17) And he said to David, ‘You are more righteous than I am BECAUSE you have dealt positively (lit. “good”) with me and I, I dealt negatively (lit. “evil”) with you. 18) And you, you have revealed today that you will continue accomplishing positive (deeds) for me as Yahweh rescued me from your hand and you didn’t kill me 19) BECAUSE let a man find his enemy and will he send him positively away? So, let Yahweh reward you (idea of “booty” after battle won, peace restored) well (“good”) on this day (for) what you accomplished for me. 20) And now, check it out, I KNOW that you’ll really, really become king and the kingdom shall stand (or be “founded, established”) in your hand.  21) Now, swear to me by Yahweh if you will not cut off my seed after me and if you will not destroy my name from my father’s house.’

22) So, David swore to Saul and Saul went to his house but David and his men went up into the stronghold.

The P. Johnny Version of 1 Samuel 23:1-29

1) And they revealed to David, saying, ‘Check it out, the Philistines are battling against Keilah and they are looting the threshing floors.’ 2) So, David consulted (“sought” or “made inquiry”) with Yahweh saying, ‘Should I go and strike down these Philistines?’ And Yahweh said to David, ‘Go and strike down these Philistines and deliver (“save”) Keilah.’

3) But the men of David said to him, ‘Check it out, we’re fearful here in Judah and even more because we are going to Keilah against the formations of the Philistines.’ 4) So, David once again decided [lit. “David added again”] to consult with Yahweh and Yahweh answered him, saying, ‘Stand up! Go to Keilah BECAUSE I am giving them into your hand.’ 5) So, David and his men went to Keilah and battled the Philistines and drove off their cattle and struck them down in a great slaughter. So David delivered (“saved”) the residents of Keilah. 6) And it happened when Abiathar the son of Ahimelech fled to David at Keilah, an ephod came down in his hand.

7) And it was revealed to Saul that David was in Keilah. So, Saul said, ‘God has cut off his support [lit. “made him  a stranger”] [placing him] in my hand BECAUSE he is shut up in a city with gates and bars.’8) So, Saul summoned all the people to war to go down to Keilah to besiege David and his men. 9) But David knew that AGAINST HIM Saul was creating (“engraving” or “cutting”) evil so he said to Abiathar the priest, ‘Bring the ephod near.’ 10) So, David said, ‘Yahweh, God of Israel, your servant really, really heard [lit. “hearing, he heard”] that Saul is seeking to come to Keilah to destroy the city on my account. 11) Will the lords of Keilah hand me over into his hand? Will Saul just as your servant heard? Yahweh, God of Israel, please reveal this to your servant!’ And Yahweh said, ‘He will come down.’

12) Then David said, ‘Will the lords of Keilah hand me and my men over into Saul’s hand?’ And Yahweh said, ‘They will hand you over.’13) So David and his men stood up, about six hundred of them, and they departed from Keilah and they went in the direction which they went. And it was revealed to Saul that David had escaped and he held up his departure [lit. “ceased departing”].

14) So David lived in the wilderness in strongholds and he lived in the mountainous region of the Wilderness of Ziph. And Saul kept on seeking David every day, but God did not give him into his hand. 15) And David saw that Saul departed in order to seek his very being, but David was in the Wilderness of Ziph in the forest.  16) Then, Jonathan, son of Saul, stood up and went to David in the forest and he strengthened his hand by means of God. 17) And he said to him, ‘Don’t be afraid BECAUSE the hand of Saul, my father, shall not find you and you shall become king and I, I shall be second in command, and even Saul my father knows this!’ 18) And the two cut a covenant in the presence of Yahweh. And David lived in the forest and Jonathan went to his house.

19) Then, the Ziphites went up to Saul in Gibeah saying, ‘Isn’t David hiding alongside [lit. “with”] us in the strongholds of the forest? On the ridge of Hachilah which is south of the wasteland? 20) And now, according to the king’s innermost desires to come down, come down and for us, we will hand him over to the hand of the king.’ 21) So, Saul said, ‘Blessed are you belonging to Yahweh BECAUSE you took pity on me. 22) Please go and become yet more certain. Know and see his place where his feet are, who has seen him there BECAUSE it is said to me (that) he is really, really clever. 23) So, see and know every hiding place at which he hides himself and return to me, certain, and I will go out with you, and if it happens he is in the land I will dig him out from thousands in Judah.’

24) And they stood up and they went to Ziph in the presence of Saul, but David and his men were in the Wilderness of Maon (means “refuge”) In the Arabah, south of the wasteland 25) and Saul and his men went to seek him. And they revealed it to David so he went down to the crag and resided in the Wilderness of Maon. But when Saul heard, he pursued (idea of “running down,” “hunting prey”) David in the Wilderness of Maon. 26) And Saul walked on this side of the mountain, but David and his men on this other side of the mountain. And David hurried to go away from the presence of Saul but Saul and his men surrounded David and his men in order to dig him out.

27) But a messenger came to Saul saying, ’Hurry and come BECAUSE the Philistines raided the land.’ 28) So Saul returned from pursuing David and he went to meet the Philistines; therefore they called that place Selahammahlekoth (meaning “Crag of Divisions”). 29) [Heb 24:1] And David went up from there and he resided in the strongholds of En-Gedi.

The PJV of 1 Samuel 22:3-23

3) And so, David left there [to] Mizpeh (means “outlook point” or “watchtower”) of Moab and so, he said to the King of Moab, ‘Please let my father and my mother come out [of Judah] and be with you (“ya’all”) until when I know what God will accomplish for me. 4) And so, he brought them into the presence of the King of Moab and they resided (“dwelled”) with him all the days David was in the stronghold [lit. “hunting place”].

5) And then, Gad the prophet said to David, ‘Don’t stay in the stronghold; go and bring yourself to the land of Judah.’ So, David went and came to the Forest of Hereth [may suggest a forest where timber is harvested because the root suggests cutting, penetrating, slitting].

6) And Saul heard that David was discovered, as well [“and”] as the men with him; and Saul was sitting in Gibeah, underneath the tamarisk tree on the high place, and his spear was in his hand and all of his servants stationed around him. 7) And Saul said to his servants stationed around him, ‘Please hear me, sons of Benjamin, will the son of Jesse give to each and every one of you—fields and vineyards, will he appoint each and every one of you as officers (lit. “princes”) of battalions (thousands) and officers of divisions (hundreds)? 8) BECAUSE all of you have conspired against me and no one whispered [lit. “revealed”) into my ear when my son cut [a covenant] with the son of Jesse, and none of you are making yourselves sick concerning me or whispers [lit. “reveals”) in my ear THAT my son caused my servant to stand up against me, to lie in ambush as on this very day.’

9) And so Doeg the Edomite answered, he was stationed over the servants of Saul, and he said, ‘I have seen the son of Jesse come to Nob, to Ahimelech, son of Ahitub. 10) And he (Ahimelech) inquired of Yahweh for him (David) and he gave PROVISIONS to him and the SWORD OF GOLIATH, the Philistine, he gave him.’

11) And so, the King sent out to call Ahimelech, son of Ahitub the priest, and all the house of his father, the priests which were in Nob. And they came—all of them—to the king. 12) And Saul said, ‘Please now, hear me Son of Ahitub.’

And he (Ahimelech) said, ‘Check me out, my lord.’

13) And Saul said to him, ‘Why have all of you conspired against me, you and the son of Jesse when you gave to him, bread and a sword and inquired for him to God [in order to] stand up against me, to lie in ambush as on this very day?’

14) And Ahimelech answered the king and said, ‘And who, among all your servants, is as reliable as David, the son-in-law of the king, and turns [his attention] to what he hears from you [Greek translation reads, “an officer over your servants”] and has been glorified in your house? 15) Did I just TODAY begin to inquire of God for him? Don’t let the king place [the blame for] this thing upon his servant or all the house of my father BECAUSE your servant doesn’t know [anything] in all this thing, little or great.’

16) And the king said, ‘You shall die a vicious death [lit. “dying, you shall die”], you and all the house of your father.’ 17) And the king said to the guard stationed near him, ‘Turn and kill the priests of Yahweh BECAUSE their hand is also with David and BECAUSE they knew that he was fleeing and they didn’t reveal it to my ear!’ But the servants of the king refused to stretch out their hand to fall upon the priests of Yahweh.

18) And the king said to Doeg, ‘You turn and fall upon them!’ And Doeg the Edomite then fell upon the priests and killed eighty-five men wearing a linen ephod on that day. 19) And Nob, the city of the priests, he struck with his sword blade: men and women, children and even nursing babies, oxen, donkeys, sheep—with his sword blade.

20) But one of the sons of Ahimelech, the son of Ahitub, named Abiathar, escaped and fled after David. 21) And Abiathar revealed to David that Saul had cut down the priests of Yahweh. 22) And David said to Abiathar, ‘I knew that day that Doeg the Edomite was there because he would certainly reveal [these things] to Saul. I, I myself, was the cause of all [the loss of] the lives [“souls”] of the house of your father. 23) Live with me, don’t be afraid, because he who seeks my life seeks your life, BECAUSE you shall be under protection with me.’

Planting The Seed

Pastor Johnny and Pastor James have started a series of messages on the parables. Pastor Johnny has just completed three messages on Jesus' early parables: the sower and the soil, the lamp on the lampstand, and the wheat and the weeds). The close of those messages may be found at: https://youtu.be/P2QOM9XX6lQ (and the rest and more at the True North Fellowship YouTube channel).

On Wednesday nights, we will be finishing a study on creeds that began with playing an old game called Credo. In the game, you put together a version of the Nicene Creed (but because it is a game, this one may not be orthodox because the heresies are represented and the idea is to get your sections adopted to the creed). Amazingly, our version of the creed proved to be orthodox all the way through. That wasn't by design, but we had more power struggles over who controlled the emperor than who controlled the creed. It was, at least, a different introduction to the theme.

Building A Tabernacle!

At the conclusion of our Wednesday night series on the Book of Exodus, attendees assembled a scale model of the Tabernacle in the Wilderness. Pastor James Chung provided the model when he realized that Pastor Johnny intended the group to create a model based on a simple diagram, the appropriate chapters in Exodus and Leviticus, and a mass of styrofoam, cardboard, tile, and glue. Although the session degenerated into more of a Vacation Bible School style of crafts project with only a few words pointing to the text (both in Exodus and in Hebrews), the experience brought about some interesting observations.

First, the group hadn't really considered what it meant to transport the tabernacle from place to place. Even in a scale model, it is no easy proposition to break down and build up. Then, when one considers that they did this every time the cloud (Spirit of God) lifted from the tent and showed them where to go, it really shows the dependence upon God that we don't always allow in our lives regularly.

Second, the group hadn't really considered how awful the stench must have been with all of the sacrifices going on at once in the courtyard. There was an idea that the golden incense altar may have actually covered up some of the stench (at least, within the Holy Place). Of course, we also pointed out that Bible describes that smelly smoke (to us) as a "sweet-smelling savor" to God.

Third, we considered how the tabernacle was placed dead center in the camp with the 12 tribes camped in groups of three on the outside perimeter (with Judah in the pre-eminent position on the East) and Aaron's family camp on the East with three different groups of Levites on the north, south, and west. This would keep people from accidentally coming into contact with the holy ground/encampment.

Fourth, we thought about how impressive the structure would seem to people who saw it from the outside of the camp. The pillars were much higher (according to the scale) than we realized and it must have been amazing to other tribes that Israel carried the presence of God with her. Most ancient places of worship were tied to "sacred space," but Israel carried the "sacred space" with her.

All in all, it was a low-key "study" and provided us with a nice prop for this week's sermon that mentions the "Bread of the Presence." The interior view of the Holy Place (the larger interior area with the golden incense altar before the Holy of Holies, the candlestick, and the table of the Bread of the Presence) and the Holy of Holies (the smaller interior area with Ark of the Covenant) serve as a helpful understanding of what the ancient place of worship might have been.