Saul seeks to kill Jonathan.

I. SAMUEL.

35¶ And it came to pass in the morning, that Jonathan went out into the field at the time appointed with David, and a little lad with him.

David goes to Ahimelech. hide thyself when the business was in for David, because his father had done hand, and shalt remain by the stone Ezel. him shame. 20 And I will shoot three arrows on the side thereof, as though I shot at a mark. 21 And behold, I will send a lad, saying, Go, find out the arrows. If I expressly say unto the lad, Behold, the ar- 36 And he said unto his lad, Run, find hows are on this side of thee, take them; out now the arrows which I shoot. And as then come thou: for there is peace to thee, the lad ran, he shot an arrow, beyond him. and no hurt; as the LORD liveth. 37 And when the lad was come to the 22 But if I say thus unto the young man, place of the arrow which Jonathan had Behold, the arrows are beyond thee; go shot, Jonathan cried after the lad, and thy way for the LORD hath sent thee away. said, Is not the arrow beyond thee? 23 And as touching the matter which thou and I have spoken of, behold, the LORD be between thee and me for ever.

24 ¶ So David hid himself in the field: and when the new-moon was come, the king sat him down to eat meat.

38 And Jonathan cried after the lad, Make speed, haste, stay not. And Jonathan's fad gathered up the arrows, and came to his master.

39 But the lad knew not any thing: only Jonathan and David knew the matter. 25 And the king sat upon his seat, as 40 And Jonathan gave his artillery unto at other times, even upon a seat by the his lad, and said unto him, Go, carry them wall: and Jonathan arose, and Abner sat by to the city.

Saul's side, and David's place was empty. 41 ¶ And as soon as the lad was gone, 26 Nevertheless Saul spake not any David arose out of a place toward the thing that day: for he thought, Something south, and fell on his face to the ground, hath befallen him, he is not clean; surely and bowed himself three times and they he is not clean. kissed one another, and wept one with

:

27 And it came to pass on the morrow, another, until David exceeded. which was the second day of the month, 42 And Jonathan said to David, Go in that David's place was empty and Saul peace, forasmuch as we have sworn both said unto Jonathan his son, Wherefore of us in the name of the LORD, saying, cometh not the son of Jesse to meat, nei- The LORD be between me and thee, and ther yesterday, nor to-day? between my seed and thy seed for ever. 28 And Jonathan answered Saul, Da-And he arose and departed: and Jonathan vid earnestly asked leave of me to go to went into the city.

Beth-lehem:

CHAP. XXI.

came David to Nob to Ahime

29 And he said, Let me go, I pray thee; THEN Ce priest: and Ahimelech was for our family hath a sacrifice in the city; and my brother he hath commanded me to afraid at the meeting of David, and said be there and now if I have found favour unto him, Why art thou alone, and no man in thine eyes, let me get away, I pray thee, with thee? and see my brethren.

Therefore he co- 2 And David said unto Ahimelech the meth not unto the king's table. priest, The king hath commanded me a 30 Then Saul's anger was kindled business, and hath said unto me, Let no against Jonathan, and he said unto him, man know any thing of the business whereThou son of the perverse rebellious wo- about I send thee, and what i have comman, do not I know that thou hast chosen manded thee and I have appointed my the son of Jesse to thine own confusion, servants to such and such a place. and unto the confusion of thy mother's 3 Now therefore what is under thy nakedness? hand? give me five loaves of bread in my

31 For as long as the son of Jesse liveth hand, or what there is present. upon the ground, thou shalt not be esta- 4 And the priest answered David, and blished, nor thy kingdom. Wherefore now said, There is no common bread under send and fetch him unto me, for he shall my hand, but there is hallowed bread; if surely die. the young men have kept themselves at 32 And Jonathan answered Saul his fa- least from women. ther, and said unto him, Wherefore shall 5 And David answered the priest, and he be slain? what hath he done? said unto him, Of a truth women have been

33 And Saul cast a javelin at him to kept from us about these three days, since smite him: whereby Jonathan knew that it I came out, and the vessels of the young was determined of his father to slay Da- men are holy, and the bread is in a manner common, yea, though it were sancti

vid.

34 So Jonathan arose from the table in fied this day in the vessel. fierce anger, and did eat no meat the se- 6 So the priest gave him hallowed bread: cond day of the month: for he was grieved for there was no bread there but the shew

David fergns himself mad.

CHAP. XXII.

Doeg accuses Ahimelech. pread, that was taken from before the departed, and came into the forest of HaLORD, to put hot bread in the day when it reth. was taken away.

6 When Saul heard that David was 7 Now a certain man of the servants of discovered, and the men that were with Saul was there that day, detained before him, (now Saul abode in Gibeah under a the LORD; and his name was Doeg, an tree in Ramah, having his spear in his Edomite, the chiefest of the herdmen that hand, and all his servants were standing belonged to Saul. about him ;)

8 And David said unto Ahimelech,| 7 Then Saul said unto his servants that And is there not here under thy hand stood about him, Hear now, ye Benjamites; spear or sword? for I have neither brought will the son of Jesse give every one of you my sword nor my weapons with me, be- fields and vineyards, and make you all cause the king's business required haste. captains of thousands, and captains of 9 And the priest said, The sword of hundreds ;

Goliath the Philistine, whom thou slewest 8 That all of you have conspired against in the valley of Elah, behold, it is here me, and there is none that sheweth me that wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod: if my son hath made a league with the son thou wilt take that, take it: for there is no of Jesse, and there is none of you that is other save that here. And David said, sorry for me, or sheweth unto me that my There is none like that; give it me. son hath stirred up my servant against me, 10 And David arose, and fled that day to lie in wait, as at this day? for fear of Saul, and went to Achish the king of Gath.

9 Then answered Doeg the Edomite, which was set over the servants of Saul, and said, I saw the son of Jesse coming to Nob, to Ahimelech the son of Ahitub.

11 And the servants of Achish said unto him, Is not this David the king of the land? did they not sing one to another of him in 10 And he inquired of the LORD for him, dances, saying, Saul hath slain his thou-and gave him victuals, and gave him the sands, and David his ten thousands?

12 And David laid up these words in his heart, and was sore afraid of Achish the king of Gath.

13 And he changed his behaviour before them, and feigned himself mad in their hands, and scrabbled on the doors of the gate, and let his spittle fall down upon his beard.

14 Then said Achish unto his servants, Lo, ye see the man is mad: wherefore then have ye brought him to me?

15 Have I need of mad-men, that ye have brought this fellow to play the madman in my presence? shall this fellow come into my house?

DA

CHAP. XXII.

sword of Goliath the Philistine.

11 Then the king sent to call Ahimelech the priest, the son of Ahitub, and all his father's house, the priests that were in Nob: and they came all of them to the king.

12 And Saul said, Hear now, thou son of Ahitub. And he answered, Here I am, my lord.

13 And Saul said unto him, Why have ye conspired against me, thou and the son of Jesse, in that thou hast given him bread, and a sword, and hast inquired of God for him, that he should rise against me, to lie in wait, as at this day?

14 Then Ahimelech answered the king, and said, And who is so faithful among all thy servants as David, which is the king's son-in-law, and goeth at thy bidding, and is honourable in thy house?

15 Did I then begin to inquire of God for him? be it far from me. Let not the

AVID therefore departed thence, and escaped to the cave Adullam: and when his brethren and all his father's house heard it, they went down thither to him. 2 And every one that was in distress, king impute any thing unto his servant, and every one that was in debt, and every nor to all the house of my father: for thy one that was discontented, gathered them- servant knew nothing of all this, less or selves unto him; and he became a captain more. over them: and there were with him about four hundred men.

3 And David went thence to Mizpeh of Moab and he said unto the king of Moab, Let my father and my mother, I pray thee, come forth, and be with you, till I know what God will do for me.

16 And the king said, Thou shalt surely die, Ahimelech, thou, and all thy father's house.

17 ¶ And the king said unto the footmen that stood about him, Turn, and slay the priests of the LORD; because their hand also is with David, and because they nd he brought them before the king knew when he fled, and did not shew it to of Moab and they dwelt with him all me. But the servants of the king would the while that David was in the hold. not put forth their hand to fall upon the And the prophet Gad said unto Da- priests of the LORD.

4

vid, Abide not in the hold; depart, and get 18 And the king said to Doeg, Turn thee into the land of Judah. Then David thou, and fall upon the priests. And Doeg

David escapes from Keilah

I. SAMUEL.

to Ziph and Maon. the Edomite turned, and he fell upon the Israel, I beseech thee, tell thy servant. priests, and slew on that day fourscore and And the LORD said, He will come down. five persons that did wear a linen ephod. 12 Then said David, Will the men of 19 And Nob, the city of the priests, Keilah deliver me and my men into the smote he with the edge of the sword, both hand of Saul? And the LORD said, they men and women, children and sucklings, will deliver thee up. and oxen, and asses, and sheep, with the edge of the sword.

20 ¶ And one of the sons of Ahimelech the son of Ahitub, named Abiathar, escaped, and fled after David.

21 And Abiathar shewed David that Saul had slain the LORD's priests.

22 And David said unto Abiathar, I knew it that day, when Doeg the Edomite was there, that he would surely tell Saul: I have occasioned the death of all the persons of thy father's house.

13 ¶ Then David and his men, which were about six hundred, arose and departed out of Keilah, and went whithersoever they could go. And it was told Saul that David was escaped from Keilah; and he forbare to go forth.

14 And David abode in the wilderness in strong holds, and remained in a mountain in the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him every day, but God delivered him not into his hand.

15 And David saw that Saul was come 23 Abide thou with me, fear not: for he out to seek his life: and David was in the that seeketh my life seeketh thy life: but wilderness of Ziph in a wood. with me thou shalt be in safe-guard. CHAP. XXIII.

THE

16 And Jonathan Saul's son arose, and went to David into the wood, and strengthBe-ened his hand in God.

HEN they told David, saying, hold, the Philistines fight against 17 And he said unto him, Fear not: for Keilah, and they rob the threshing-floors. the hand of Saul my father shall not find 2 Therefore David inquired of the LORD, thee; and thou shalt be king over Israel, saying, Shall I go and smite these Philis- and I shall be next unto thee; and that tines? And the LORD said unto David, Go, also Saul my father knoweth.

and smite the Philistines, and save Keilah. 18 And they two made a covenant be3 And David's men said unto him, Be-fore the LORD: and David abode in the hold, we be afraid here in Judah: how wood, and Jonathan went to his house. much more then if we come to Keilah 19 Then came up the Ziphites to Saul against the armies of the Philistines? to Gibeah, saying, Doth not David hide himself with us in strong holds in the wood, in the hill of Hachilah, which is on

4 Then David inquired of the LORD yet again. And the LORD answered him and said, Arise, go down to Keilah; for I will the south of Jeshimon? deliver the Philistines into thy hand.

20 Now therefore, O king, come down 5 So David and his men went to Keilah, according to all the desire of thy soul to and fought with the Philistines, and come down; and our part shall be to debrought away their cattle, and smote liver him into the king's hand. them with a great slaughter. So David 21 And Saul said, Blessed be ye of the saved the inhabitants of Keilah.

6 And it came to pass, when Abiathar the son of Ahimelech fled to David to Keilah, that he came down with an ephod in his hand.

LORD; for ye have compassion on me.

22 Go, I pray you, prepare yet, and know, and see his place where his haunt is, and who hath seen him there: for it is told me that he dealeth very subtilely. 7¶ And it was told Saul that David was 23 See therefore, and take knowledge come to Keilah. And Saul said, God hath of all the lurking-places where he hideth delivered him into my hand; for he is himself, and come ye again to me with the shut in, by entering into a town that hath certainty, and I will go with you and it gates and bars. shall come to pass, if he be in the land, 8 And Saul called all the people toge- that I will search him out throughout all ther to war, to go down to Keilah, to be- the thousands of Judah. siege David and his men. 24 And they arose, and went to Ziph 9¶ And David knew that Saul secretly before Saul: but David and his men were practised mischief against him; and he in the wilderness of Maon, in the plain on said to Abiathar the priest, Bring hither the south of Jeshimon. 25 Saul also and his men went to seek 10 Then said David, O LORD God of him. And they told David: wherefore he Israel, thy servant hath certainly heard came down into a rock, and abode in the that Saul seeketh to come to Keilah, to wilderness of Maon. And when Saul destroy the city for my sake. heard that, he pursued after David in the 11 Will the men of Keilah deliver me wilderness of Maon. up into his hand? will Saul come down, as 26 And Saul went on this side of the tby servant hath heard? O LORD God of mountain, and David and his men on that

the ephod.

David cuts Saul's skirt.

CHAP. XXIV XXV. Saul acknowledges as fault.

side of the mountain: and David made hand, and I have not sinned against thee; haste to get away for fear of Saul; for Saul yet thou huntest my soul to take it. and his men compassed David and his 12 The LORD judge between me and men round about to take them. thee, and the LORD avenge me of thee:

27 But there came a messenger unto but my hand shall not be upon thee. Saul, saying, Haste thee, and come; for 13 As saith the proverb of the ancients, the Philistines have invaded the land. Wickedness proceedeth from the wicked: 28 Wherefore Saul returned from pur- but my hand shall not be upon thee. suing after David, and went against the Philistines: therefore they called that place Sela-hammah-lekoth."

29 And David went up from thence, and dwelt in strong holds at En-gedi. CHAP. XXIV.

14 After whom is the king of Israel come out? after whom dost thou pursue? after a dead dog, after a flea?

15 The LORD therefore be judge and judge between me and thee, and see, and plead my cause, and deliver me out of

AND it came to pass, when Saul was thy hand.

returned from following the Philis- 16 And it came to pass when David tines, that it was told him, saying, Be- had made an end of speaking these words hold, David is in the wilderness of En-gedi. unto Saul, that Saul said, Is this thy voice, 2 Then Saul took three thousand chosen my son David? And Saul lifted up his men out of all Israel, and went to seek voice, and wept. David and his men upon the rocks of the 17 And he said to David,Thouart more wild goats. righteous than I: for thou hast rewarded me good, whereas I have rewarded thee evil.

3 And he came to the sheep-cotes by the way, where was a cave; and Saul went in to cover his feet: and David and his men remained in the sides of the cave.

18 And thou hast shewed this day how that thou hast dealt well with me; forasmuch as when the LORD had delivered me 4 And the men of David said unto him, into thy hand, thou killedst me not. Behold the day of which the LORD said 19 For if a man find his enemy, will he unto thee, Behold, I will deliver thine let him go well away? wherefore the enemy into thy hand, that thou mayest LORD reward thee good, for that thou hast do to him as it shall seem good unto thee. done unto me this day.

Then David arose, and cut off the skirt of 20 And now, behold, I know well that Saul's robe privily. thou shalt surely be king, and that the 5 And it came to pass afterward, that kingdom of Israel shall be established in David's heart smote him, because he had thy hand. cut off Saul's skirt.

21 Swear now therefore unto me by the 6 And he said unto his men, The LORD LORD, that thou wilt not cut off my seed forbid that I should do this thing unto my after me, and that thou wilt not destroy my master, the LORD's anointed, to stretch name out of my father's house. forth my hand against him, seeing he is 22 And David sware unto Saul. And the anointed of the LORD. Saul went home; but David and his men 7 So David stayed his servants with gat them up unto the hold. these words, and suffered them not to rise

CHAP. XXV.

against Saul. But Saul rose up out of the AND Samuel died: and all the Israel

cave, and went on his way.

ites were gathered together, and la8 David also rose afterward, and went mented him, and buried him in his house out of the cave, and cried after Saul, say-at Ramah. And David arose, and went ing, My lord the king. And when Saul down to the wilderness of Paran. looked behind him, David stooped with 2 And there was a man in Maon, whose his face to the earth, and bowed himself. possessions were in Carmel; and the man 9 ¶ And David said to Saul, Wherefore was very great, and he had three thousand hearest thou men's words, saying, Behold, sheep, and a thousand goats: and he was David seeketh thy hurt? shearing his sheep in Carmel. 10 Behold, this day thine eyes have seen 3 Now the name of the man was Nabal; how that the LORD hath delivered thee to- and the name of his wife Abigail: and she day into my hand in the cave: and some was a woman of good understanding, and bade me kill thee; but mine eye spared of a beautiful countenance: but the man thee; and I said, I will not put forth my was churlish and evil in his doings; and hand against my lord; for he is the LORD's he was of the house of Caleb. anointed.

4 T And David heard in the wilderness

11 Moreover, my father, see, yea, see that Nabal did shear his sheep. the skirt of thy robe in my hand: for in 5 And David sent out ten young men, that I cut off the skirt of thy robe, and killed and David said unto the young men, Get thee not, know thou and see that there is you up to Carmel, and go to Nabal, and neither evil nor transgression in my greet him in my name:

David provoked to kill Nabal.

I. SAMUEL.

Abigail prevents it.

6 And thus shall ye say to him that came down against her; and she met them. liveth in prosperity, Peace be both to thee,| 21 (Now David had said, Surely in and peace be to thy house, and peace be vain have I kept all that this fellow hath in unto all that thou hast. the wilderness, so that nothing was missed of all that pertained unto him: and he hath requited me evil for good.

7 And now I have heard that thou hast shearers: now thy shepherds which were with us, we hurt them not, neither was there aught missing unto them, all the while they were in Carmel.

22 So and more also do God unto the enemies of David, if I leave of all that pertain to him by the morning light any 8 Ask thy young men, and they will that pisseth against the wall.) shew thee. Wherefore let the young men 23 And when Abigail saw David, she find favour in thine eyes: for we come in hasted, and lighted off the ass, and fell bea good day: give, I pray thee, whatsoever fore David on her face, and bowed herself cometh to thy hand unto thy servants, to the ground,

and to thy son David.

24 And fell at his feet, and said, Upon

9 And when David's young men came, me, my lord, upon me let this iniquity be: they spake to Nabal according to all those and let thy handmaid, I pray thee, speak words in the name of David, and ceased. in thine audience, and hear the words of 10 ¶ And Nabal answered David's ser- thy handmid. vants, and said, Who is David? and who is the son of Jesse? there be many servants now-a-days that break away every man from his master.

11 Shall I then take my bread, and my water, and my flesh that I have killed for my shearers, and give it unto men, whom I know not whence they be?

25 Let not my lord, I pray thee, regard this man of Belial, even Nabal: for as his name is, so is he; Nabal is his name, and folly is with him: but I thy handmaid saw not the young men of my lord, whom thou didst send.

26 Now therefore, my lord, as the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, seeing 12 So David's young men turned their the LORD hath withholden thee from comway, and went again, and came and told ing to shed blood, and from avenging thyhim all those sayings. self with thine own hand, now let thine

13 And David said unto his men, Gird enemies, and they that seek evil to my ye on every man his sword. And they lord, be as Nabal.

girded on every man his sword; and Da- 27 And now this blessing which thy vid also girded on his sword: and there handmaid hath brought unto my lord, went up after David about four hundred let it even be given unto the young men men; and two hundred abode by the stuff. that follow my lord.

14 But one of the young men told 28 I pray thee, forgive the trespass of Abigail, Nabal's wife, saying, Behold, thy handmaid: for the LORD will cerDavid sent messengers out of the wilder-tainly make my lord a sure house; because ness to salute our master; and he railed my lord fighteth the battles of the LORD, on them. and evil hath not been found in thee all

15 But the men were very good unto thy days. us, and we were not hurt, neither missed 29 Yet a man is risen to pursue thee, we any thing, as long as we were conver- and to seek thy soul: but the soul of my sant with them, when we were in the fields: lord shall be bound in the bundle of life 16 They were a wall unto us both by with the LORD thy God; and the souls of night and day, all the while we were thine enemies, them shall he sling out, as with them keeping the sheep. out of the middle of a sling.

17 Now therefore know and consider 30 And it shall come to pass, when the what thou wilt do: for evil is determined LORD shall have done to my lord accordagainst our master, and against all his ing to all the good that he hath spoken conhousehold: for he is such a son of Belial, cerning thee, and shall have appointed that a man cannot speak to him. thee ruler over Israel;

18 ¶ Then Abigail made haste, and 31 That this shall be no grief unto thee, took two hundred loaves, and two bottles nor offence of heart unto my lord, either of wine, and five sheep ready dressed, and that thou hast shed blood causeless, or that five measures of parched corn, and a hun- my lord hath avenged himself: but when dred clusters of raisins, and two hundred the LORD shall have dealt well with my cakes of figs, and laid them on asses.

19 And she said unto her servants, Go on before me; behold, I come after you. But she told not her husband Nabal.

lord, then remember thy handmaid.

32¶ And David said to Abigail, Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, which sent thee this day to meet me:

20 And it was so, as she rode on the 33 And blessed be thy advice, and blessass, that she came down by the covert of ed be thou, which hast kept me this day the hill, and behold, David and his men from coming to shed blood, and from