1 SAMUEL CHAPTER 22 - 31

1 SAMUEL 22

1 So David left that place and fled
To the cave of Adullam led,
And when his brothers and all his
Father’s house heard it, like a whiz
They came down to him there for biz.
2 And everyone who was distressed,
And everyone by debt unblessed,
And everyone in discontent,
Gathered to him there where he went,
And he became their own captain,
In all about four hundred men.

I hope David was not discouraged by
The humble numbers of his army’s pie.
When Gideon went out to fight the foe
He gave them what for with three hundred’s blow.
Four hundred is too many for the fight
That lets Your glory take the place of right.
Even the Guided one will hardly spend
Much more than three hundred once come to send.
Beloved, I gaze upon the morning sky
And realize with me not armies’ cry,
Not three or four hundred, but three or four
At most join me to pound on heaven’s door.
Besides my spouse and spawn there’s only I,
And yet there is no I but You, not more.

3 David went from there to Mizpeh
And told the king of Moab’s way,
“Please let my dad and mom here stay
With you till I know what God will
Do for me and to foot the bill.”
4 And he brought them to Moab’s king,
And they lived with him there to sing
While David hid in fortressed wing.
5 The prophet Gad said to David,
“Do not stay in the stronghold hid,
Get out and go to Judah’s land”
Then David left and came in hand
Of Hereth’s forest with his band.”

It’s a good thing Gad’s book of prophecy
Has been lost to all his posterity.
He sends David back into lion’s jaw,
And he would send us today to the maw
Of Judah or some other enemy
From Rome to Shushan’s silken canopy.
Ah no! Beloved, not every prophet’s book
Is one into which I desire to look!
Your Decalogue seems sometimes more than I
Am able to acquire without a sigh,
And as I struggle with the Hebrew verb
To say nothing of Greek aspect superb
And cantillate in monotone each verse
Muhammad taught against the heathen curse,
I find there’s book enough, so let Gad go
And remain safe in my own dungeon crow
In Your presence alone behind stone’s glow.

6 And Saul heard that David was found,
And his men with him on the ground,
Now Saul was sitting on the hill
Under a tamarisk tree’s sill
In Ramah, with his spear in hand,
And all his servants stood in band.
7 And Saul said to his servants who
Stood all about him, “Hear now, you
Sons of Benjamin, will the son
Of Jesse indeed under sun
Give all of you the fields and vine,
And make you captains in the shrine
Of hundreds and of thousands’ wine?
8 “Yet all of you conspire for wrong
Against me, and none sang the song
To me when my son made a pact
With Jesse’s son so soon to act,
And there is none of you whose face
Is set in sorrow at my place,
Or tells me that my son has stirred
Up my servant against my word
For enemy, as now occurred?”

Poor Saul, he thought all men conspired to keep
Faith with Jonathan and David, nor weep
When Saul felt betrayed awake or asleep.
This is the way of presidents and kings.
They always expect loyalty, not rings
Of justice, truth, or support of the poor.
Love of the king’s the only thing that’s sure.
And so Saul points out how he has made rich
Every man there who’s grovelling in the ditch.
Beloved, wealth and security alone
Are found before the glory of Your throne,
Not in obedience to flesh and bone.
I rush to You for refuge, though I know
Doeg still waits beyond faith’s even glow.

9 And Edomite Doeg then said
In answer, who was set and led
The servants of Saul, “I saw son
Of Jesse coming to Nob’s run,
To Ahimelech who is son
Of Ahitub, 10 And it was done
The priest inquired of YHWH for him,
And gave him victuals and the grim
Sword of Goliath, Philistine.”
11 The king then called Ahimelech
The priest, son at Ahitub’s beck,
And all his father’s house, the priests
That were in Nob, both men and beasts,
And they all came to the king’s deck.
12 And Saul said “Hear now, you son of
Ahitub.” And he said for love,
“See, here I am, speak, my lord king.
13 And Saul said to him, “Say what thing
Made you and Jesse’s son conspire
Against me, in that you gave him
Bread and a sword, and went in trim
To enquire of Ælohim grim
On his behalf, and raise him up
Against me, lie in wait like tup
As is today?” 14 Ahimelech
Answered the king to save his neck,
“Who among all your servants is
So faithful as David, the whiz,
Who is the king’s son-in-law, and
Who goes at your word and command,
Honoured in your house and the land?
15 “Have I begun today to seek
Of Ælohim for him and peek?
Be it far from me, let not king
Impute to his servant this thing,
Nor to all of my father’s house,
For your servant knows not a louse
Of all of this in treasoning.”
16 And king Saul said “You’ll surely die,
Abimelech, you and the spy
In all your father’s house to cry.”

Watch this, Beloved, the king You Yourself chose
Is more evil than any could suppose.
He condemns the innocent one who knows
To hold him lord and master head to toes.
Who wield the sceptre never fail to give
Even to those who serve them drink from sieve.
If Your own king is so unjust as Saul,
Then what can be said of the ones in stall
Today to grant life and death under pall?
Beloved, keep me from bowing to the pope,
The priest, the senator, in state of hope,
The prime minister with his sandy rope.
Beloved, I flee to You from justice here
And choose rather Your punishment severe.

17 And the king said to Doeg, “Turn
And fall upon the priests to spurn.”
And Doeg the Edomite went
And fell upon the priests unspent
And killed that day eighty-five men
Who wore the linen ephod then.
19 He destroyed Nob, the priests’ own town
With the mouth of the sword and down
Both men and women, children, babes,
Oxen, donkeys for astrolabes,
And sheep with the sword’s mouth’s renown.

Who are not afraid with their own red hands
To kill, still have their mercenary bands
Of Syrian or Edomite in lands
Where they can persecute innocent men.
The airport in New York’s a place again
Dangerous to the innocent who stand
To be taken to Damascus to find
The rack and dungeon are no evil blind
Of Middle Ages for a time confined.
Beloved, the mercenary still awaits
With shock and prod before the silly gates
Of proud democracy. I seek Your own
Rule and the mercy of Your throne.
Beloved, save me from goddesses of stone.

20 And one son of Ahimelech
The son of Ahitub in peck,
Whose name was Abiathar, he
Escaped to David gone to flee.
21 Abiathar told David that
Saul had killed all the priests that sat
In presence of YHWH. 22 David said
To Abiathar, “With what dread
I knew it that day, Edomite
That Doeg is would tell for spite
Saul, I have brought about the death
Of all your dad’s house that drew breath.
23 “Stay with me then, and do not fear
For the one that like grenadier
Seeks my life also seeks your own.
With me you will be safe alone.

Protection is a thing rare to behold,
And few there be who can have it and gold.
The mass of rag-ass men have to be told
By barons where things can be bought and sold.
Whether Abiathar loved David or
Saul better, the thing plain upon the shore
Was he had no choice in his flight in store.
Not right but safety informs who is bold.
Beloved, I live and learn and yet I speak
Out for the bleakness of the rulers’ sneak.
Who love You still stand where chance places each
And silently they hear what others preach.
The common enemy makes friend of friend,
And justice is the product of their end.

1 SAMUEL 23

1 They told David, “See, Philistines
Are fighting in Keilah’s designs,
And robbing there the threshing floors.”
2 And David enquired on those scores
Of YHWH, saying “Shall I attack
These Philistines on front or back?”
And YHWH said to David, “Yes, go
Attack the Philistines a blow
And save Keilah and its chateau.”
3 And David’s men said to him, “See
How scared we are in Judah’s lea,
How much more then if we go down
To Keilah against Philistines?”
4 Then David inquired without frown
Of YHWH once more. And YHWH answered
Him saying “Get up and be stirred
To go down to Keilah’s designs,
For I’ll deliver Philistines
Into your hands.” 5 So David and
His men went down to Keilah’s land
And killed them with a slaughter grand.
So David saved all Keilah’s folk.
6 It happened Abiathar woke,
The son of Ahimelech fled
To David in Keilah, and he
Came down with an ephod in fee.
7 But someone told Saul David had
Come to Keilah, and Saul was glad
To say “God’s given him into
My hand, for he’s shut in for view
By going in a town with gates
And bars to shut him in with mates.

Whatever David or his like may do,
There’s someone telling Saul or some such crew
The secret of his passing. Let him strike
A blow for justice and against the shrike,
Lift off the chains of robbery that bind
The poor in the oppression of the kind,
And someone will whisper the word in stall
Of Pentagon or some senator’s hall.
Beloved, You Yourself told the man to go
And save the folk of Keilah from the show,
And put David in jeopardy to row.
Say a word to the king and the informer
Before they raise an army to the stormer,
Make prophets of the killer and good Joe.

8 And Saul called all the folk to war,
To go on down to Keilah’s shore,
To besiege David and his men.
9 And David knew that Saul again
Devised mischief against his den.
And he said to Abiathar
The priest, “Bring here the ephod star.”
10 Then David said “O YHWH the God
Of Israel, Your servant clod
Has surely heard that Saul now seeks
To come to Keilah where he wreaks
Destruction of the city for
My sake and on Your servant’s score.
11 “Will the men of Keilah give me
Into his hand, will Saul come free
As Your servant has heard decree?
O YHWH and Israel’s Ælohim,
I pray You tell Your servant scheme.”
And YHWH said “He’ll come down I deem.”
12 Then David said “Will Keilah’s men
Give me into Saul’s hand again?”
And YHWH said “They’ll do that, I ken.”
13 And David got up with his men
Four hundred in number and they
Went out of Keilah in the way
They could. And someone told Saul that
David escaped from Keilah’s fat,
And so he remained where he sat.
14 David stayed in the wilderness
Fastnesses, in the hills to bless,
In Wilderness of Ziph. And Saul
Looked for him each day to appal,
But Ælohim did not give him
Into his hand reckless and grim.

Will Keilah’s men give David to the king,
Despite the fact he saved them from the wing
Of Philistine? You bet your bottom shekel.
The saved are always there to jeer and heckle.
They did it in Keilah, and once again
They did it on Golgotha as free men.
They do it in the streets of Washington,
They do it in New York and in London.
Beloved, when any man sticks out his neck
To do a good deed, let him know the peck
Of cock and hen will soon fall on his head.
Atonement is the churchly lamb that bled,
Not gratitude nor free meals in the stalls
Of the Prytaneum or some such halls.

15 And David saw Saul did not come
Out to kill him. And so in sum
David stayed in the desert hold
Of Ziph and in the forest cold.
16 And Jonathan Saul’s son got up
And went to David for a scup
In the forest and strengthened hand
In Ælohim and in his band.
17 And he said to him, “Do not fear,
For Saul my father’s hand and ear
Will not find you, and you will be
King over Israel and free,
And I shall be next to you there,
Of that also he is aware,
Saul my father.” 18 So they both made
A promise before YHWH. He stayed,
Did David in the wood, but then
Jonathan went back to his den.

Oh Jonathan, my Jonathan, how oft
Have I wept at his fatal choice aloft
To return to his house and father’s fame
When he might have stayed there in David’s claim.
I doubt not any crevice or cold wood
Grieved his body so much when he withstood
The temptation to bide in David’s tent.
He came to weep and promise, then he went.
Beloved, I too come to Your holy place
And seek the tears of love upon Your face,
And after comforting my heart a while
I turn to bend the city with my guile.
Let me learn from Jonathan’s careless way
Not only to find You, but then to stay.

19 The Ziphites then came up to Saul
At Gibeah, and said withal,
“Does not David hide in the wood
In the strongholds as best he could
With us in the hill of Hachilah,
On Jeshimon’s south side and stiller?
20 “Therefore, O king, come down and do
According to your will and view,
And our part shall be to give him
Up into the king’s hand and grim.”
21 And Saul said “Blessed are you of YHWH,
Who have compassion on my lieu.

See how fast killers glorify Your name
And feed on compassion they find in blame!
Who killed the priests of Nob without a qualm
Is ready to appeal to You in psalm.
Who threw the spear at his own son at hand
Is ready to join with the angel band.
Who spread plutonium throughout the land
Of Basrah now comes to the church to stand
And sing Fanny Crosby’s words of praise to
You who look on what human beings do.
Beloved, save me from the hypocrisy
Of globalised faith that makes justice free.
Beloved, keep my mind, heart and tongue well put
On Your ten words to guide my hand and foot.

22 “Go and make sure his hiding place
And his haunt, and who’s seen his face,
I’ve heard he’s a crafty scapegrace.
23 “Take notice, knowledge of the holes
Where he hides, and come back with scrolls,
And I’ll go with you, if he’s there,
I’ll find him out from all the fair
Of Judah’s families in care.”
24 And they got up and went to Ziph
Before Saul, and David with skiff
Was in desert Maon with his men,
On plain south of Jeshamon’s glen.
25 And Saul and his men went to seek
Him, but someone told David meek,
So he came down beside the rock
To live there on the desert stock
Of Maon, and Saul heard and he came
Following after David’s name
To the desert of Maon with flock.
26 Saul went on one side of the hill,
And David and his men to fill
The mountain’s other side, and he,
David hurried and made to flee
For fear of Saul, for Saul and crew
Surrounded David and in view
His men to take them under screw.
27 But then a messenger came to
Saul saying “Hurry now, please do,
The Philistines have made a raid
Upon the land and all who stayed.”
28 So Saul turned back from his pursuit
Of David, and went on the route
Against the Philistines, that’s why
They called that place for alibi
Sela-hammahlekoth, the rock
Of the escape from the king’s squawk.
29 And David went up from that place
And lived in the strongholds of grace
Of En-gedi, goat’s well, a space.

Saved by the Philistine, once more the land
Is free before David’s face on the sand.
The rock of the escape like any chair
Between two boys at play to race and share
Tag with mutual advance and retreat
Saved David and his men from Saul’s complete
Rout. You, Beloved, my cunning mind would doubt
Looked on with hardly intervention’s spout
Unless the Philistines obey Your call.
They’re not the ones who softly in the stall
Await their master’s voice. The proof that lot
Of luck or providence that I have sought,
Though still faded, threadbare, remains aloof.
You are invisible beneath my roof.

1 SAMUEL 24

1 Now it happened, when Saul returned
From after the Philistines spurned,
That it was told him, saying “Take
Note! David’s in the desert wake
Of En Gedi.” 2 Then Saul took three
Thousand chosen men from all free
Israel, and went to seek his man,
David and his men on the span
Of rocks of the wild goats. 3 So he
Came to the sheepfolds by the lee
Road, where there was a cave, and Saul
Went in to attend his needs’ call.
David and his men were there staying
In the back of the cave’s outlaying.
4 And David’s men said to him then,
“This is the day of which YHWH then
Said to you, ‘Indeed, I will give
Your foe into your hand to live,
That you may do to him as it
Seems good to you, and as seems fit.’”
And David rose and secretly
Cut off a wing of Saul’s robe, see.
5 After that David’s conscience hurt
Him because he’d cut off Saul’s skirt.
6 And he said to his men, “May YHWH
Forbid that I should such things do
To my master and YHWH’s messiah,
To stretch hand against him pariah,
Seeing that he is YHWH’s messiah.”
7 So David persuaded his men
With words and did not let them then
Rise against Saul. And Saul arose
From the cave and went from his doze.

See here, Beloved, result of having kings.
Though all Israel knew Saul had broken wings
Of hundreds of innocent priests and killed
The righteous ones before You and unstilled,
They follow Saul against the pure in heart,
The shepherd boy, the driver of ox-cart,
The faithful servant of the king, because
The king calls them to fight against all laws.
Who fight today are blinded by the glare
Of government command, and timely stare
At bodies thrown against the street and wall
Before they go back to their whiskey stall
And jerk to Baal’s band music with no taint
Of conscience, still believing each a saint.

8 And David got up too and went
Out of the cave at Saul’s descent,
And shouted after Saul and said
“My lord the king.” And Saul instead
Looked back, and David bowed his face
Down to the ground and to abase.
9 And David said to Saul, “Why do
You listen to men’s words, those who
Say ‘Listen, David’s out for you?’
10 “See now, your very eyes see how
Today YHWH set you at my mow
In the cave, and I would not kill
You, but spared you, and said ‘I will
Not lift up my hand on my lord,
For he’s YHWH’s messiah restored.
11 “Moreover, my father, see here,
The skirt of your robe from the rear
Is in my hand, for it was I
Cut off the skirt of your robe sly,
But did not kill you, so you know
And see there’s no evil for show
In my hand, and I’ve done no wrong
Against you, though you have been long
Lying in wait to break my gong.
12 “Let YHWH judge between me and you,
YHWH avenge me of what you do,
But my hand shall not be on you.
13 “As says the word of ancient time,
‘From wicked ones comes out the crime,’
But my hand shall not touch your prime.
14 “After whom is Israel’s king come?
Whom does he pursue with such hum?
After a dead dog, flea and bum.
15 “YHWH therefore be judge and say right
Between me and you, see and fight
For my cause and rescue me out
Of your hand royal and redoubt.”

Note, my Beloved, how well David has learned
To flatter kings and forget all the spurned.
What about Abiathar’s dad and boys
All killed by Saul to enhance David’s joys?
Instead of grovelling upon the sand
David should demand justice for the manned.
Instead of speaking sweet words to the king,
David should be lifting oppression’s wing.
The institution of the state no matter
How small and good becomes at last the fatter
In injustice and in oppression’s wheel.
If there are kings then some are under heel.
All is usurped authority except
Submission to You only and such kept.

16 It happened when David had stopped
Speaking these words not overtopped,
That Saul said “Is this your own voice,
David my son?” To give invoice
Saul lifted voice and wept for choice.
17 And he said to David, “You’re more
Righteous than I, for you keep store
Of good to me, whereas I gave
You evil and wrong. 18 “At this cave
You have declared today how you
Have dealt well with me and my crew,
Since I was in your power by YHWH,
You did not kill me when in view.
19 “For any man who finds his foe
Will he let him escape and go?
May YHWH reward you for the good
You did to me today as should.
20 “And now see I know you will be
Certainly king of Israel’s fee,
And that Israel’s kingdom will be
Established by your hand’s decree.
21 “Swear now therefore by YHWH to me
That you will not destroy freely
My descendants come after me,
And not blot out my name at all
From the house of my dad and stall.”
22 So David swore to Saul and Saul
Went home, but David and his men
Got into the stronghold again.

The men of David did not go to Saul
To sleep again beneath his bin and stall.
They went back to the stronghold with their chief
So that the treaty with Saul, though relief,
Was not a thing to trust with life and limb.
A king may promise, but who trust in him
Lose safety of the desert cave and rock.
I look around me also and take stock.
The stillness of the morning on the trees
Brings me with birch and fir down to my knees,
Not to a king or president to please,
But before You alone, Beloved, to stay.
I make my peace with killers in the way,
And stand in Your word only for today.

1 SAMUEL 25

1 Then Samuel died, and all Israel
Gathered themselves to weep a while,
And bury him at his house at
Ramah. David from where he sat
Got up, went to the wilderness
Of Paran. 2 There a man from Maon
Had all his wealth in Carmel’s town,
And he was a very great man,
And had three thousand sheep to scan,
A thousand goats, and he was there
In Carmel shearing his sheep’s hair.
3 And the name of the man was Nabal,
And the name of his wife at table
Was Abigail, the woman was
Of good understanding as does,
And had a figure beautiful,
But the man was a cad and churl,
Evil in his doings like earl.
4 David heard in the wilderness
That Nabal sheared his sheep of dress.
5 And David sent ten young men, and
David told the young men at hand,
“Get up to Carmel, Nabal’s land
And greet him in my name and stand.

The death of Samuel barely gets a note,
While Nabal is a man that many quote.
I too am guilty, guilty as You are
In shunting aside righteous man for star.
I too complain about the wicked set
In every sonnet or ghazel I let
Flow from my keyboard. Still like You I find
My silent and my constant joys that bind
Those small conceits to moments pearl-entwined
In weathers marching with stealthy fox feet
Across the birchen sky of my retreat.
My calm is rarely ruffled by the sleet.
Instead I hum it simple hymns of grey
Along the gold and silver of my day.

6 “And say ‘May you and all your house
Prosper and be in peace like grouse.
7 ‘Now see, I’ve heard your shepherds who
Were with us in the wilderness
And whom we did not hurt nor was
There anything missing from claws
All the while they were in Carmel,
8 ‘Ask your servants and they will tell,
They’re shearing now. Let the young men
Find favour in your eyes again,
For we come here on a good day,
Give what you have in hand, we pray,
To your son David.’” 9 David’s men
Arrived and spoke these words again
To Nabal, as David had said,
All of his words as they were led.
10 And Nabal answered David’s boys,
And said, “Who’s David who employs,
And who the son of Jesse, too?
These days there are plenty in view
Who forsake their own master’s crew.
11 “Shall I then take water and bread
And flesh of my beasts that I’ve fed
And killed for my shearers and give
To men I don’t know where they live?”

Grant this, Beloved, if Saul had come along
Looking for donkeys time of evensong,
And asked a boon of Nabal for himself
Or for his servant, or for even elf,
Nabal would have kicked him outside and shut
Fast against him bowels of mercy and butt.
It’s not a grief in personal that makes
The crass of men unmerciful for shakes.
It’s rather their applauding of the great
That inspires stepping on the meek in state.
David’s rebellious proletariate
And nothing more, a servant out of step,
And that’s why Nabal’s churlish to his rep,
And answers haughtily and with such pep.

12 So David’s young men turned around
And went back and told what they’d found.
13 And David told his men “Gird on
Every man his sword and be gone.”
And every man put on his sword
And David too put on his sword,
And there went after David just
About four hundred men in lust,
And two hundred stayed behind to
Take care of the baggage in crew.
14 But one young man came out and told
Abigail, Nabal’s wife, “Behold,
David sent messengers out from
The desert, to our lord to come
And greet him, but he turned away
And spurned request for drink and hay.
15 “But the men were so good to us,
Did not hurt us or demand russ
As long as we were with them there.
16 “When we were in the field with care,
They were like a wall to us both
Night and day, every day of growth
In feeding the flock. 17 “Now just wait
And see what they will do to fate,
For evil is determined late
Against our master and his gate,
For he is such a churlish man
That no one speaks to him or can.”
18 And Abigail hurried and took
Two hundred loaves and in a rook
Two bottles of wine, and five sheep
Ready dressed and five more to keep
Measures of parched corn, and five score
Clusters of raisins, and two more
Hundred cakes of figs and put them
On donkeys’ backs in stratagem.

Two bottles of wine for six hundred men
Will not go far for song and drink again.
O my Beloved, the lady did not think
Bottles of wine should be used for their drink.
O my Beloved, what can six hundred do,
Two bottles of wine when they’re brought in view?
The wine in such amount could only stay
Lesions and such in a medicine’s way.
Enough of wine there’s not for even sip,
So let each drunkard give a finger dip.
With such tales of winebibbers all along
In David’s army, I sing my own song.
No wine to drink, but only for the few,
Enough for medicine in desert dew.

19 And she said to her servants, “Go
Before me and I shall come slow
After you.” But she did not tell
Her husband Nabal of the spell.
20 It happened as she rode her ass
And came down by the mountain pass,
That there came David and his men
Towards her, met her in the glen.
21 And David said, “Surely I’ve kept
Safe in the desert while he slept
All this fellow’s possession so
Nothing was lacking on the go,
And he’s paid my good with the show
Of evil. 22 “So God do to foe
Of David and do more also,
If I leave of what’s in his glow
Of morning light one male to stow.”

See here, Beloved, the origin of state.
Where herders face the robber band and wait
To find their protection from rival mate,
There is born the unspoken contract’s plate.
Who have the power to wrong, when they refrain,
Consider that a debt’s incurred for pain.
The only proper way to meet the wain
Is to bow and scrap to the robber’s stain.
When it’s in a man to be king, a man
After Your own heart, still whene’er he can,
He’ll be king even of six hundred band,
And against every shepherd make a stand.
Beloved, You lie behind the mark and stew,
Giving and retrieving strength as You do.

23 When Abigail saw David’s face,
She hurried and got down with grace
From her donkey and fell before
David upon her face and corps
Prostrating to the ground and floor.
24 And she fell at his feet and said
“On me, my lord, and on my head
Be the iniquity and let
Your handmaid, I pray, one word get
In your ear, hear your handmaid yet.
25 “Let not my lord, I pray, regard
This base fellow, Nabal, blackguard,
For as his name, so is his shame,
Nabal means scoundrel, that’s his game,
But I your handmaid did not see
The servants of my lord’s decree.
26 “Now therefore, my lord, as YHWH lives,
And as your soul lives and grace gives,
Seeing YHWH’s stopped you in the path
Of blood guiltiness born of wrath
To take vengeance for yourself from
Your own hand, so now therefore come
And let your enemies and those
That seek evil to my lord’s hose
Become as Nabal, withered rose.
27 “And so accept this token which
Your servant brought my lord in pitch,
Let it be given to the men
That follow my lord back again.
28 “Forgive, I pray, your handmaid’s sin,
For YHWH will surely make the bin
Of my lord a firm house, because
My lord fights YHWH’s battles sans pause,
And evil is not found in you
In all the days you drink the dew.
29 “And though a man may rise to seek
Your death, my lord’s soul is not weak
To be bound in bundle of life
With YHWH your Ælohim, while strife
Shall sling the souls of your foes out
As from a hollow sling in rout.
30 “And it shall come to pass when YHWH
Shall have done to my lord and crew
According to all the good He
Has promised to do in your fee,
And shall have set you Israel’s prince,
31 “That this shall be no stumbling wince
To you, nor offence of heart to
My lord, either that you would do
Such shedding of blood without cause,
Or that my lord should be in claws
Of vengeance. And when YHWH shall deal
Well with my lord, hold then my weal.”

See, my Beloved, the mix of motives here
That play on Abigail come out with fear
Before David to bow and beg a cheer.
She recognizes robber band’s employ
And the right of protector to enjoy
The benefits of labour to the boy
Who slinks among the desert rocks in ploy.
She recognizes David’s coming reign
And bets her life against the former pain.
In all this she finds only selfish need.
There’s nothing here of righteousness indeed.
And yet she notes that David’s hand is just
And that no wickedness yet mars his dust.
For that her faith’s greater than mustard seed.

32 And David said to Abigail,
“Blessed be YHWH and of Israel
Ælohim, who sent you today
To meet me here upon the way.
33 “And blessed be your discretion and
Blessed be you that you held my hand
To day from shedding blood on land
And finding vengeance for my stand.
34 “For indeed as YHWH Israel’s God
Lives, who has kept me with His prod
From hurting you, except you had
Hurried and come to meet my lad,
Surely there had not been left one
Male to Nabal at morning sun.”
35 So David took from her hand what
She had brought him to fill his gut,
And he told her, “Go up in peace
To your house, see, I’ve heard your lease,
Accepted your person’s increase.”

Noon or night, my Beloved, hear my appeal
Out of chill avenging desire I feel
Over the quest to seek Your face alone.
No satisfaction can beat Your bright steel.
Eternally, it seems, the human bone
Lingers along the cutting sword and stone,
Eternally a light comes to console
Fathoms above the pain beside Your throne.
The hope of vengeance turns to love in soul,
Now flickering, now burning at the heart
Across the shadows, dimming them with light.
Before the sting of hurt through skin and scroll,
Above the storm calmed by the sacred part,
Love rises to illuminate the night.

36 And Abigail came to Nabal,
And see he held a feast to hail
A king, and the heart of Nabal
Was merry in him, he was drunk.
And she said nothing till night sunk
In dawn. 37 It happened in the morn,
When Nabal woke up from wine’s scorn,
His wife told him of all these things,
And his heart died before the stings
And became as stone without wings.
38 It so happened after ten days
YHWH struck down Nabal from his ways.
So he died. 39 And when David heard
Nabal was dead, he said a word,
“Blessed be YHWH that pleaded the cause
Of my reproach from Nabal’s claws,
And kept back His own servant’s paws
From the hand of evil, and yet
The wickedness of Nabal set
YHWH on his own head.” David sent
And spoke of Abigail and meant
To take her to him as wife lent.
40 And when David’s servants had come
To Abigail on Carmel’s plum,
And spoke to her saying “David
Has sent us to you and to bid
You come to him to be his wife.”
41 And she got up and bowed her face
Down to the earth and then gave place
To speech, “See, your handmaid is but
A servant to wash feet that jut
From your slaves.” 42 And Abigail fast
Got up and rode and finely assed,
With five damsels of hers that came
After her, and she went in claim
After David’s messenger band
And became his own wife in hand.
43 David also took from Jezreel
Ahinoam, and they both deal
To become his wives and to heel.
44 For Saul had given Michal his own
Daughter and David’s wife alone
To Phalti son of Laish grown,
Who was of Gallim, flesh and bone.

Like Abigail, who pretended to be
Shy and demure, I stay the world to see
Your face that beckons promising to wed
My soul to Yours and in love to be fed.
Who would have washed the feet of slave instead
Of being bride to David, when she fled
Towards him she did not take lower road.
She took the fastest donkey and a goad.
Beloved, though I pretend that I am small,
Beneath your notice and beneath Your call,
As soon as You send but a breath of wind,
A ray of sunlight through a cloud, I’ve sinned
To find Your presence at my heart and door.
My donkey pants and wheezes what is more.

1 SAMUEL 26

The Ziphites came to Saul who sat
In Gibeah, a hill not flat,
And said “Is David not here hiding
In the hill of Hachilah biding,
Across from Jeshimon we’re guiding?”
2 So Saul got up and went down to
The wilderness of Ziph with crew
Of three thousand in chosen men
Of Israel with him again,
To Seek David in wilderness
Of Ziph. 3 Saul pitched at the aggress
Of Hachilah’s hill opposite
Jeshimon. But David saw fit
To stay in the desert and he
Saw Saul came after him in spree
Into the desert. 4 David sent
Out spies and found out Saul’s advent.
5 David got up, came to the place
Where Saul had pitched his tent in space,
And David saw where Saul lay down
And Abner son of Ner no clown
But captain of his army, and
Saul lay inside the barricade
The folk pitched round on every hand.
6 Then David answered and he said
To Ahimelech, Hittite paid
And to Abishai who was son
Of Zeruiah, brother won
To Joab, saying “Who will go
Down with me to Saul’s camp to show?”
And Abishai said “I will go.”
7 So David and Abishai came
To the folk at night to their shame
And Saul lay sleeping there inside
The barricade with spear to ride
Stuck in the ground beside his head,
And Abner and the folk he led
Lay round about him all out-spread.

Beloved, I creep about the camp of Saul,
The anointed who disappointed call,
Ordained the vicar of Christ but to fall
Denies Your law in word and deed and stall.
I creep about the golden altars and
Look on the images on every hand
And see the marbled pillars where they stand
And see the sacrificed lifted up high.
The worshippers in eager lust of eye
Turn to the flesh and blood of saviour’s cry.
Back, back I creep before the sleeping guards
And find my place among the dusty shards
Where in my poverty I seek and find
The veils of daily cup and bread resigned.

8 Then Abishai said to David,
“Ælohim delivered He did
Your enemy into your hand
Today, now therefore let me stand
To strike him, please with spear in hand
Down to the earth and at one stroke,
And I will strike again the bloke.”
9 And David said to Abishai,
“Do not destroy him though he’s nigh,
For who can lay a hand upon
YHWH’s anointed and guiltless drawn?”
10 And David said “As YHWH lives, no,
But YHWH shall strike him down not slow,
Or his day shall come once to die,
Or he’ll go down with battle cry
And perish. 11 “YHWH forbid that I
Should put forth hand against messiah
Of YHWH, but now take the pariah,
The spear that’s at his head and yet
The water bottle and let’s get.”
12 So David took the spear and jar
Of water from Saul’s head then far
Away they went and no man saw
Nor knew it, nor did any jaw
Wake up, for they were all asleep,
Because a trance sent down from YHWH
Had fallen on all of Saul’s crew.

The tardemah once fell on Adam and
The female side was taken from his hand,
And since that day a man has left his mom
And rushed to wear his wife’s ring and pompom.
The trance that fell on men of old was full
Of blessings and of revelation’s pull.
But by the time the sons of men had come
To Saul’s day, trances were more often rum
Than revelation. My Beloved, let me
Face day and night with eyes as clear to see
The glories and weights of reality.
I need no trance to find the wicked gleam
Of injustice, nor yet the steady stream
Of beauty and grace from Your unity.

13 Then David took the other side
And stood on the hill to deride,
A great space between them to bide.
14 And David shouted to the folk
And to Abner, Ner’s son, the bloke,
And said “Abner, don’t you reply?”
And Abner answered at a stroke,
“Who’s shouting at the king and why?”
15 And David said to Abner, “You
Are a brave man, isn’t that true?
Who in Israel’s like you, now who?
Why don’t you guard your lord the king?
Someone came in to snatch his wing.
16 “This thing’s not good that you have done.
As YHWH lives you deserve the gun,
And death because you did not guard
Your lord, YHWH’s messiah, your pard.
And now see where the king’s spear’s led
And water bottle by his head.”
17 And Saul knew David’s voice and said
“Is that your voice, David my son?”
And David said like paragon,
And David said “I’m your servant,
O lord king.” 18 And not arrogant,
He said “Why does my lord pursue
His servant? And what do I do?
What evil’s in my hand in view?
19 “Now therefore, please, let my lord king
Hear his servant’s words in a string.
If YHWH has stirred you against me,
Let Him accept offering in fee,
But if the sons of men, cursed be
Such ones before YHWH, for they drive
Me out today out of the hive
Of YHWH’s inheritance and say
‘Go serve other gods in the way.’
20 “Now therefore, do not let my blood
Fall to the earth away like flood
From YHWH’s presence, for Israel’s king
Has come out after one flea’s wing
As when one hunts bird on the wing
In the mountains above the spring.”

Ah, my Beloved, like David I am sent
From every temple, church and gospel tent
To serve as it were other gods and be
The guest of Bedouin, Hindu, Parsee.
Who claims Your own anointing in the see
Of Peter and of John has cast me out
Despite my love confessing without doubt
That You are God alone and Your command
Is ever at my ear and eye and hand.
Like David I give offering as I stand
If I have sinned against You in the land,
But curse the bishop and the mufti grand
Who thrusts me out to hermitage unmanned.
Beloved, You only hear my prayers devout.

21 And Saul said “I have sinned indeed,
Turn now, son David, and give heed,
For I will never more harm you,
Because my life in precious view
Today you saw, and see, I’ve played
The fool and erred greatly waylaid.”
22 David answered and said “See now,
The king’s spear, one servant allow
To come over and take the bough.
23 “And YHWH will render every man
According to his deeds as can
In righteousness and faithfulness,
Since YHWH gave you to my address
Today, and I would not lift hand
Against YHWH’s messiah to stand.
24 “And see, as your life here today
Was precious so that I’d not slay,
So let my life before YHWH be
Precious, and may He protect me
From all the troubles that I see.”
25 And Saul said to David, “Blessed be
You, my son David, valiantly
You shall do and prevail, I see.”
And David turned and went his way,
And Saul went to his place to stay.

Even though Saul repented and confessed
His sin, David did not trust in his vest,
But let a servant be the go between.
Willing to stand up, willing to be seen,
David was not willing to set aside
The arms and distance protecting his ride,
But kept his safety and security
And went back to the fastnesses still free.
The Christian people who wronged me and sent
Me to die of hunger if things so bent
Unlike Saul then do not relent, repent.
That’s why, Beloved, I place no trust in them
Who sully Your messiah’s seamless hem,
While I lift up Your word as ensign’s gem.

1 SAMUEL 27

1 And David said to himself, “I
Shall be killed one day by and by
By the hand of Saul, there is naught
Better for me than that I sought
Escape in the Philistines’ land,
Till Saul despair of me at hand
To seek me any more along
The borders of Israel for wrong,
So I shall escape from his hand.
2 So David got up and passed over,
He and the six hundred men rover
That were with him to Achish son
Of Maoch, king of Gath when done.
3 And David stayed with Achish there
At Gath, he and his men to share
Each with his household, David and
His two wives, Ahinoam bland
The Jezreelitess, Abigail
The Carmelitess, Nabal’s grail.
4 And it was told to Saul that he
David had fled to Gath to be,
And so he sought no more in spe.
5 And David said to Achish, “If
Now I have found favour and stiff
In your eyes, let them give me place
In one of the cities for space
In the country, for why should I
Live with you in the royal sty?”

I too live in a strange land from my prime
Until this day of grace and woeful time.
Beloved, I know the kings out to repair
The wealth of the oppressor with a care,
And how my heart is but a ball to kick
Out of the way to pick up Sabbath stick.
I dwell in Gath and bow down to the king,
And smile and pay taxes and everything,
But in my heart I know Your law above
Is true despite the dagger in his glove.
I close my doors about me and I sing
The cadence of commandments on the wing
Across the tough twigs that soon as the spring
Will burst in bird cherry blossom and swing.

6 So Achish gave him Ziklag then,
Which is why Ziklag with its men
To this day still belongs to kings
Of Judah. 7 And the days in strings
David stayed in Philistine land
Was four months. 8 And David in hand
With his men went up to attack
All the Geshurites and the back
Of Gizrites and Amelekites,
Since they lived in the land and sites
From ancient time as one enshipped
Might go toward Shur up to Egypt.
9 And David struck the land and left
Nor man nor woman live in cleft,
And they took flocks and herds and donkeys
And camels and clothing of honkeys,
And went to Achish with the heft.
10 And Achish said “Where have you made
A raid today?” And David said
Against the south of Judah and
Against south Jerahmeelites’ land,
And against south of Kenites band.”
11 And David left nor man to gal
Alive to bring them to Gath’s sal,
Saying “Lest they should tell on us,
Saying ‘So did David and thus
Has been his manner all the while
He’s lived in Philistines’ land’s stile.’”
12 And Achish believed David and
Said “He has made his people’s band
Of Israel utterly abhor
Him, therefore he’ll serve me the more.”

What desert is this world where honest men
Must lie and cheat to survive in the fen!
David could stay in Judah and in time
Be executed for a trumped up crime,
Or go to strange gods and their kings pretending
To help them in heathen temples defending.
David was taught to walk deceitful line
Living about the court of kings and swine.
I too see profit consume all the wine
Of human mercy and justice divine.
Beloved, I strut out to defend the way
And barter with Your word by night and day,
And cantillate the quaver still and low.
Beloved invisible, this for the show.

1 SAMUEL 28

1 It happened in those days they came
The Philistines did as in blame
To go out to fight Israel’s flame,
And Achish said to David, “You
Know certainly you’ll go to do
Battle with me, your men and you.”
2 And David said to Achish, “True
You know what your servant can do.”
And Achish said to David then,
“Therefore I’ll treat you as your due
One of the chiefs of my chief men.”
3 Now Samuel was dead and mourned by
All Israel, and buried by
Ramah his own city. And Saul
Had put away those that by call
Divined by ghost in spirit’s thrall
Out of the land and house and stall.
5 But when Saul saw the Philistine
Armies, he was afraid to whine,
And his heart trembled on the vine.
6 And Saul inquired of YHWH and YHWH
Did not answer for what he’d do,
Neither by dreams by Urim nor
By prophets called up from the door.
7 Then Saul said to his servants, “Seek
For me a woman that can speak
Divining by a spirit, that
I may go to her where she sat
And inquire of her.” And his men
Said to him, “See there is again
A woman that divines by ghost
At Endor, somewhere in that coast.”
8 And Saul disguised himself and put
On other clothing, hand and foot,
And went, he and two men with him,
And they came to the woman dim
By night, and he said “Divine me,
Please by the spirit and bring me
Up whom I name to you in fee.”
9 And the woman told him, “Now see,
You know what Saul has done, how he
Has cut off those who divine by
A ghost or spirit known or shy
Out of the land, so then say why
You set a trap to snare my life
And cause my death with whetted knife?”
10 But Saul swore to her by YHWH’s name,
And said “As YHWH lives, there’s no blame
Will fall on you for this thing’s shame.”
11 Then the woman said “Whom shall I
Bring up to you?” And he said “Why
Bring up Samuel for me or try.”
12 When the woman saw Samuel, she
Shouted with a loud voice freely
And said to Saul, “Why deceive me?
For you are Saul sure as can be.”
13 And the king told her, “Do not fear,
Tell me whom you have seen appear.”
The woman said to Saul, “I see
Ælohim coming from earth’s ley.”
And he said to her, “Of what form?”
And she said to him, “An old man
Coming up and with mantle scan.”
And Saul recognized Samuel’s norm,
And he bowed down there with his face
To the ground prostrate in that place.
15 And Samuel said to Saul, “Now why
Have you disturbed me on the sly
To bring me up?” And Saul’s reply
Was, “I am greatly distressed by
The Philistine war against me,
And God has departed from me,
And answers me no more, not by
Prophets nor dreams, so therefore I
Have called you to say what and why.”
16 And Samuel said “Why do you ask
Me, seeing that YHWH wears a mask
And’s taken up enemy’s task?
17 “And YHWH has done Him as He spoke
By me, and YHWH tore up and broke
The kingdom from your power to give
It to your neighbour fugitive,
David, 18 “because you’re a foul bloke
Not to hear voice of YHWH that spoke,
And did not execute His wrath
In fierceness on Amalek’s path,
That’s why YHWH’s done this thing to you
Today just giving you your due.
19 “Moreover YHWH shall give you up
And Israel to Philistine cup,
And tomorrow you and your sons
Will be with me upon your buns,
YHWH will deliver Israel’s host
Into the Philistines’ hands’ boast.”
20 And right away Saul fell full length
Upon the earth and lost his strength
For fear because of Samuel’s words,
For he’d put no food in his girds
All that day or night from his herds.
21 And the woman came up to Saul
And saw him afraid of the pall
And said to him, “See, your handmaid
Listened to your voice and obeyed,
And I’ve put my life in my hand
And obeyed your voice by command
That you spoke to me as I stand.
22 “Now listen, please, to the voice of
You handmaid, and I’ll set with love
Before you a morsel of bread,
And eat and so you shall be fed,
For it’s a long way you are led.”
23 But he refused, said “I’ll not eat.”
But his servants came to entreat
Along with the woman, till he
Obeyed their voice and got slowly
Up from the earth, sat on a bed.
24 The woman had a fatted calf
In the house, hurried on behalf
Of it and took some meal to knead,
And made unleavened cakes to feed.
25 She brought it and set before Saul
And his servants, and at the call
They ate and got up and went out
Departing in the night about.

The witch and medium today that sits
In trance and glory to compose her fits
Is like to offer a delicious feast
For everyone who ignores Christian priest
To come to her door seeking the released.
The New-Age power is not a thing that’s new
Upon the hard packed earth for earthy crew,
But longs to spread its wings above the view
Of centuries of human history.
The witch and medium are aye in fee.
Beloved, I follow neither moral feet
To find the answers to my bread and meat,
But stake my trust in the unknown retreat,
And sit with You in Your eternity.

1 SAMUEL 29

1 And so the Philistines and all
Their armies gathered at the call
To Aphek, and the Israelites
Encamped beside the spring’s delights
That’s found nearby Jezreel’s heights.
2 And the lords of the Philistines
Passed in hundreds and thousand’s signs,
And David and his men passed on
Behind with Achish and his spawn.
3 And so said the Philistine chiefs,
“Why are these Hebrews here in reefs?”
And Achish told the Philistine
Princes, “Is not this David fine,
The servant of Saul Israel’s king,
Who’s been with me days and years’ swing
And I have found no fault in him
Since he fell away on the rim
To this day.” 4 And the princes of
The Philistines and without love
Were angry with him and they said,
The princes of Philistines did,
“Make this fellow go back as led
To place appointed where he hid,
And let him not go down with us
To fight, lest in the blunderbuss
Of battle he turn enemy,
For how should he make himself free
To his master unless it be
With the heads of these men in fee?
5 “Is this not David whom they praised
In songs to one another raised
And dances saying ‘Saul has killed
His thousands and David has spilled
His ten thousands when others tilled?’”
6 Then Achish called David and said
To him, “Surely as YHWH’s not dead,
You have been upright and your going
Out and your coming without slowing
With me in the army is good
In my sight, for I’ve found there stood
No wickedness in you since when
You came to me to this day’s glen,
Yet the chiefs don’t like you, your men.
7 “So now return and go in peace,
Not to displease the chiefs in lease
Of the Philistines to increase.”

The innocent and honest Achish spent
His wisdom to reconcile armies lent
And make peace between David and the lords
Of Philistines come out bearing their swords.
His words are calm and kind and show with grace
The faith in You, Beloved, that grew in trace
Through his association with the one
You had anointed under Samuel’s sun.
But of the two, the lords on one hand and
The sweet Achish upon the other stand,
The wicked Philistine lords are the ones
Who see reality behind the tonnes
Of masks. Beloved, let me share in both peace
And in the cunning before my release.

8 And David asked Achish, “But what
Have I done to deserve the shut?
And what have you found in your servant
As long as I’ve been with you fervent
Until this day, that I may not
Go out to fight against the lot
Of my lord the king’s enemies?”
9 And Achish answered by degrees
And said to David, “I know that
You’re good before me where you sat,
Like an angel of Ælohim,
And yet the princes, it would seem,
Of the Philistines have said ‘He
Shall not go out with us to see
The battle.’ 10 “Now then rise up early
In the morning with servants burly
Of your master who’ve come with you,
And as soon as the light’s in view
In early morning take your leave.”
11 David and his men to relieve
Got up early to go their way
In the morning to go as may
Back to the land of Philistines.
The Philistines went to Jezreel.

I like to think that Achish mentions here
Not gods of common lands that all men fear,
But intends to speak Your name in the ear
Of David as he sees his angel face.
Beloved, as I look on the come and trace
Of men and women in this sacred place
Of earth, I pray to find in all I see
Reflection from the bright angelic tree.
All human faces are angels once sent
From You, Beloved, from You to represent
The one divine vision to all men lent.
No matter what David’s secret intent,
The message of Your oneness opens clear
To human hearts bowed at Your throne or near.

1 SAMUEL 30

1 It happened when David and crew
Arrived in Ziklag where they drew
On the third day, Amalekites
Had made a raid upon the sites
Of the south and on Ziklag’s shore,
Attacking Ziklag, what is more
Burning it with a blaze of lights.
2 Had taken women captive all
Who were there, killed them not at all,
Neither the great nor yet the small,
But carried them off in their thrall.
3 David and his men came into
The city and saw what was true,
How it was burned with fire and all
Their wives, sons, daughters were in thrall.
4 Then David and the folk with him
Raised their voices and wept not dim
Until they had no power to weep.
5 And David’s two wives were in deep
As captives, Ahinoam who
Was from Jezreel, and the wife too
Of Nabal Carmelite whose name
Was Abigail and beyond blame.
6 And David was greatly distressed,
Because the folk had left unguessed
Their intention of stoning him,
Because all the people were grim
With grief, and every man for sons
And daughters, but David for guns
Heartened himself in his God YHWH.

It should be heartening to me to see
That David suffered more than I to be
A king in Israel, so no complaint
Should mar my efforts to become a saint.
I’ve never lost a wife or two to fire
Nor grieve for stolen child, yet I retire
To lick my scratches while the good and great
Stitch up their broken bones to match their fate.
But seeing suffering just does not create
In me joy for my unsuffered estate.
Yet I follow suite and come to relate
My joy in You, Beloved, though eye is clear
To see how much suffering there is and fear.
Hearten me now before both clod and ire.

7 David said to Abiathar
The priest, Ahimelech’s son, star,
Please bring the ephod here to me.
Abiathar brought David, see,
The ephod to enquire freely.
8 And David enquired of YHWH saying
“Shall I pursue this troop repaying?
Shall I overtake them?” And He
Answered him, “Pursue them freely
For you shall surely overtake
And without fail take back the cake.”
9 So David went, he and the six
Hundred men with him and with tricks
Came to the brook Besor, where those
Left behind stayed with gear and clothes.
10 But David pursued, he and four
Hundred men, for two stayed in store
Who were so faint they could not go
Over the brook Besor in stow.
11 They found Egyptian in the field
And brought him to David for yield,
And gave him bread and he did eat,
And made him drink water for treat,
12 And they gave him some of a cake
Of figs, and two of raisin stake,
And when he’d eaten, he revived,
For he’d had no bread and survived
Without water three days and nights.
13 And David asked him, “To whom do
You belong?” And he said “I’m true
A young man of Egypt in crew
As servant to Amalekite,
And my master left me in site
Because three days ago I fell
Sick, so he let me go to hell.
14 “We made invasion on the south
Of Cherethites and on the mouth
Of Judah, and on Caleb’s south
And burned Ziklag with fire for drouth.”
15 And David asked him, “Can you bring
Me down to where these people sing?”
And he said “Swear by Ælohim
To me that you’ll not kill or seem
To give me to my master’s hand,
And I’ll bring you down to this band.”

Beloved, I’ve been abandoned by the hand
Of cruel masters come to ravage land
With the oppression of consumer band
And the free dealing of petroleum
And tinsel silver and uranium.
I’ve been abandoned with no drought to drink
That’s unpolluted lying on the brink
Of starvation beside the well-filled stores,
To die alone outside locked and closed doors.
Beloved, there’s only You, and yet You are
Greater than fame and wealth of john and star.
Take me up and with raisin cakes restore
My breath and I will give You secrets more,
If there is anything You wish in bar.

16 And when he’d brought him down, behold,
They were spread out on the earth cold,
Eating and drinking, dancing bold,
Because of all the spoil in state
They had removed in volumes great
From Philistine’s land and the land
Of Judah. 17 David led attack
From between evenings till the stack
Of evening of the next day come.
And not one man from out their sum
Escaped except four hundred young
Men on camels fleeing the dung.
18 And David got back all that they
The Amalekites took away,
And David rescued his two wives.
19 Nothing was lacking from their hives,
Neither small nor great, neither sons
Nor daughters neither spoil in tonnes
Nor anything they took to them.
David took back all things in hem.
20 David took all the flocks and herds
Driven before the cattle’s turds
And said “This is David’s spoil’s curds.”

The hero’s fit is no longer the plough
Since human beings lost the way somehow.
A brave man on a horse or camel once
Could smack the proud and lay in dust the dunce.
But now the proud and stupid have the guns
And bullets made of hard pellet that stuns
With depleted uranium in tonnes.
Where is the justice of brawn and the bow
That once saved sons, wives, and daughters in tow?
Democracy only creates a band
Big enough to consolidate the land
And produce weapons to eliminate
The good and brave from every sprawling state.
Arise, Beloved, intervene, don’t be late.

21 And David came back to the two
Hundred men who were a faint crew
Not able to follow David,
Whom they made stay there where they hid
Beside the brook Besor, and they
Went out to meet David a way
And the people with him that day,
And when David came near the folk
He greeted them to the last bloke.
22 Then all the wicked men and those
Of Belial whom David chose
To go with him said “Because they
Did not go with us, we’ll not lay
Out for them from the spoil that we
Have taken back, except in fee
To every man his wife and child,
And let them take them to the wild.”
23 Then David said “You’ll not do so,
My brothers, with what we’ve in tow
That YHWH has given us, who has
Preserved us from the rock and jazz
And given the band that came outright
Against us into our hands’ might.
24 “And who will listen to your words?
For as his share that stirs the curds
In battle, so shall be the share
Of those who stay beside the ware,
Their share shall be the same in there.”
25 And it was so that from that day
Forward that he made it a stay
And statute for Israel to keep
Until this very day in heap.
26 And when David came to Ziklag,
He sent of the spoil as a gag
To the elders of Judah, to
His friends, saying “See here a true
Gift for you of the spoil of those
Who rose up against YHWH as foes.”
27 To those who lived in Bethel and
To those who were in Ramoth’s band
To southward, and to those who dwelt
In Jattir, and to those the svelte
In Aroer, and to those who
Lived in Siphmoth, and to the crew
Who were in Eshtemoa’s view.
29 And to them who lived in Rachal,
And to those who made city hall
Of the Jerahmeelites, and all
Who lived by the Kenites’ towns’ call.
30 And to those who were in Hormah,
And to those living by the law
Of Chorashan, and to those which
Were in Atach to make a switch.
31 And to those who were in Hebron,
And all the places where the run
Of David and his men begun.

Beloved, no doubt I might have been of those
Who stayed beside the brook, not faint, but chose
To feint faintness because my coward’s pose
Would be too visible through my fine clothes.
No doubt I’d be one to let other men
More comely and more diligent again
And more ready to battle fight my wars
While I stayed safely behind closed, locked doors.
Beloved, I thank You that You made Your prince,
The brave and tender David not to wince
Before the tale of brave knaves, but to give
To such as me a corner where to live.
Beloved, I make peace with You and the lot
That parades in perennial complot.

1 SAMUEL 31

1 Now the Philistines would prevail
In their battle against Israel,
And Israel’s men fled from before
The Philistines and fell like spoor
Slain upon Mount Gilboa’s floor.
2 The Philistines came hard on Saul
And on his sons, and to appal
The Philistines killed Jonathan,
Abinadab, and every son
Of Saul, also Malchishua.
3 The battle went badly for Saul,
And archers struck him at the draw,
And he was wounded under rib.
4Then Saul said to his armourbearer,
“Take out your sword, and like a terror
Ram it through me, lest those who come
Uncircumcised hack off my bum
And abuse me. But he who held
His armour would not take the knelled,
Because he was afraid, and so
Saul took sword and fell on its blow.
5 When his armourbearer saw that
Saul was dead, he also fell flat
On his sword and died where he sat.
So Saul died, and his three sons, and
His armourbearer, and his band
On the same day to make a stand.
7 And the men of Israel that
On the valley’s other side sat,
And those on Jordan’s other side,
Saw that Israel fled and Saul died
With his sons, they forsook the towns
And fled, and the Philistine clowns
Came and lived in them with their pride.

The principle, it seems, of putting out
Of misery the sufferer in rout
Is Saul’s invention, while the servant’s note
To add his own life is a line of rote.
As I am no sweet Christian, I shall not
Sacrifice myself on the sacred plot,
As I have neither gift nor breath I own
To give as all I have is Yours alone.
Beloved, I live from breath to breath as You
Restore me with the kiss of life and dew.
Put me out of the misery of love,
Or let me stay in Your breast as Your dove.
I am Your own, and there’s no other way.
I flee to You by night, I come by day.

8 It happened on the next day, when
The Philistines came to the pen
To strip the slain, that they found Saul
And his three sons where they did fall
In Mount Gilboa by the wall.
9 And they cut off his head and took
His armour and sent for a look
Into the land of Philistines
All round about in their designs
To tell it in their idols’ shed
Among all the people instead.
They put his armour in the room
Of Ashtaroth and raised in gloom
His body to the wall to stay
In Bethshan on that fatal day.
11 When Jabish Gilead’s folk heard
What the Philistines did in word
To Saul, 12 they rose up every man
Of might and went all night in span
And took Saul’s body and the ones
From Bethshan’s wall, even his sons,
And came to Jabesh, burnt them there.
13 And they took their bones for their share
And buried them under a tree
At Jabesh, fasting faithfully
For seven days their grief to bear.

This frail example of cremation makes
Possible a verdict for burnings sakes.
Still I recoil at ovens and their fame
And tend to cast on cremators some blame.
Why did they cremate Saul and Jonathan?
Perhaps they did because the sacks in van
Contained the mutilated remains of
Saul and his three sons, sons the people love,
Who could not bear to think the severed heads
Should be forever witness in their beds.
Beloved I burn in longing love for You
Even before my death in morning dew
And in the evening fires of setting sun.
I burn and rise a spark for what I’ve won.

AUTHOR: THOMAS G. MCELWAIN

Copyright © 2007 Adams & McElwain Publishers and Thomas McElwain First Published in two volumes, The Beloved and I 2005, and Led of the Beloved, 2006. Second Edition, 2010 Third and revised edition, 2012 All rights reserved. No part of this verse commentary on the sacred Scriptures may be reproduced, transmitted, or stored in a retrieval system, in any form or by any means, without permission in writing from publisher.

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