Sauls malicious rage. Chap. x. 7 And Jonathan called David, and Jonathan fhewed him all thofe things: and Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was in his prefence as in times paft. 8 And there was war again: and David went out and fought with the Philiftines, and Rew them with a great flaughter; and they fled from him. 9 And the evil fpirit from the LORD was upon Saul as he fat in his houfe with his javelin in his hand: and David played with bis hand. 10 And Saul fought to fmite David even to the wall with the javelin; but he flipped away out of Saul's prefence, and he fmote the javelin into the wall: and David fled, and efcaped that night. 11 Saul alfo fent meffengers unto David's houfe to watch him, and to lay him in the morning: and Michal, David's wife, told him, faying, If thou fave not thy life to-night, to-morrow thou shalt be flain. 12 So Michal let David down through a window: and he weat, and fled, and escaped. 13 And Michal took an image, and laid it in the bed, and put a pillow of goats' bair for his bolfter, and covered it with a cloth. 14 And when Saul fent meffengers to take David, the said, He is fick. 15 And Saul fent the meifengers again to fee David, faying, Bring him up to me in the bed, that I may lay him. 16 And when the meffengers were come in, behold, there was an image in the bed, with a pillow of goats bair for his bolter. 17 And Saul faid unto Michal, Why haft thou deceived me fo, and fent away mine enemy, that he is efcaped? And Michal anfwered Saul, He faid unto me, Let me go; why thould I kill thee! 18 So David fled, and efcaped, and came to Samuel to Ramah, and told him all that Saul had done to him: and he and Samuel went and dwelt in Naioth. 19 And it was told Saul, faying, Behold David is at Naioth in Ramah. 20 And Saul fent meffengers to take David: and when they faw the company of the prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing as appointed over them, the Spirit of God was upon the metlengers of Saul, and they also prophefied. 21 And when it was told Saul, he fent other meffengers, and they prophefied likewife. And Saul fent meffengers again the third time, and they prophefied alfo. 22 Then went he also to Ramah, and came to a great well that is in Sechu; and he asked, and faid, Where are Samuel and David? And one faid, Behold they be at Naioth in Ramah. 23 And he went thither to Naioth in Ramah: and the Spirit of God was upon him alfo, and he went on and prophefied, until he came to Naioth in Ramah. 24 And he ftripped off his clothes arfo, and prophefied before Samuel in like manner, and lay down naked all that day, and all that night. Wherefore they fay, Is Saul alfo among the prophets? СНАР. ХХ. and came and faid before Jonathan, What David confulteth Jonathan. What have I done! What is mine iniquity and what is my fin before thy father, that he feeketn my life? 2 And he said unto him, God forbid; thou fhalt not die: behold, my father will do nothing, either great or mail, but that he will fhew it me: and why thould my father hide this thing from me? It is not fo. 3 And David fware morcover, and faid, Thy father certainly knoweth that I have found grace in thine eyes; and he faith, Let not Jonathan know this, left he be grieved: but tru ly, as the LORD liveth, and as thy foul liveth, there is but a ftep between me and death. 4 Then faid Jonathan unto David, Whatfoever thy foul defireth, I will even do it for thee. 5 And David faid unto Jonathan, Behold, to-morrow is the new moon, and I thould not fail to fit with the king at meat: but let me go, that I may hide myfelf in the field unto the third day at even. 5 If thy father at all miss me, then say, David earnestly asked leave of me, that he might run to Beth-ichem his city; tor there is a yearly facrifice there for all the family. 7 If he fay thus, It is well; thy fervant fhall have peace: but if he be very wroth, then be fure that evil is determined by him. 8 Therefore thou shalt deal kindly with thy fervant; for thou haft brought thy fervant into a covenant of the LORD with thee: notwithstanding, if there be in me iniquity, flay me thy felt; for why thouldeft thou bring me to thy father? 9 And Jonathan faid, Far be it from thee: for if I knew certainly that evil were deter. mined by my father to come upon thee, then would not I tell it thee? 10 Then faid David to Jonathan, Who fhall tell me? or what if thy father answer thee roughly? And Jonathan faid unto David, Come, and let us go out into the field. And they went out both of them into the field. 12 And Jonathan faid unto David, O LORD God of Ifrael, when I have founded my father about to-morrow any time, or the third day, and, behold, if there be good toward David, and I then fend not unto thee, and thew it thee; 13 The LORD do fo, and much more to Jona han; but if it please my father to do thee evil, then I will thew it thee, and fend thee away, that thou mayeft go in peace; and the LORD be with thee, as he hath been with my father. 14 And thou shalt not only, while yet I live, fhew me the kindness of the LORD, that I die not; 15 But also thou shalt not cut off thy kind. nefs from my houfe for ever; no, not when the LORD hath cut off the enemies of David every one from the face of the earth. 16 So Jonathan made a covenant with the houfe of David, faying, Let the LORD even require it at the hand of David's enemies. 17 And Jonathan caufed David to fwear again, because he loved him: for he loved him as he loved his own foul. 18 Then Jonathan faid to David, To-morrow is the new moon; and thou thalt be misfed, because thy feat will be empty. 19 And when thou haft ftayed three days, then thou shalt go down quickly, and come than cried after the lad, and faid, Is not the Abimelech relieveth David. arrow beyond thee? Saul Jecketh to kill Jonathan. 1. SAMUEL. 20 And I will thoot three arrows on the fide 21 And, behold, I will fend a iad, faying, Go, find out the arrows. if I exprefsly fay unto the lad, Behold, the arrows are on this fide of thee, take them; then come thou: for there is peace to thee, and no hurt, as the LORD liveth. 22 But if I fay thus unto the young man, Behold, the arrows are beyond thee; go thy way for the LORD hath sent thee away. 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 nimfelt in the field; and when the new moon was come, the king fat him down to eat meat. 25 And the king fat upon his feat, as at other times, even upon a feat by the wall: and Jonathan arofe, and Abner fat by soul's fide, and David's place was empty. 26 Nevertheless, Saul (pake not any thing that day: for he thought, Something hath befallen him: he is not clean; furely he is not clean. 27 And it came to pafs on the morrow, which was the fecond day of the month, that David's place was empty; and Saul faid unto Jonathan his fon, Wherefore cometh not the fon of Jeffe to meat, neither yetterday nor to-day i 28 And Jonathan answered Saul, David earneftly aiked leave of me to go to Beth lehem : 29 And he faid, Let me go, I pray thee for our family hath a facrifice in the city, and my brother he hath commanded me to be there; and now, if I have found favour in thine eyes, let me get away, I pray thee, and fee my brethren: therefore he cometh not unto the king's table. 30 Then Saul's anger was kindled againft Jonathan, and he faid unto him, Thou fon of the perverfe rebellious woman, do not I know that thou naft chofen the fon of Jeffe to thine Own contufion, and unto the confufion of thy mother's nakedness? 31 For as long as the fon of Jeffe liveth upon the ground, thon fhalt not be eftablithed, nor thy kingdom: wherefore now fend and fetch him unto me, for he thall furely die. 32 And Jonathan anfwered Saul his father, and faid unto him, Wherefore thail he be flain? What hath he done? 33 And Saul caft a javelin at him to fmite him; whereby Jonathan knew that it was determined of his father to flay David. 34 So Jonathan arofe from the table in fierce anger, and did eat no meat the fecond day of the month: for he was grieved for David, because his father had done him hame. 35¶ And it came to pafs in the morning, that Jonathan went out into the field, at the time appointed with David, and a little lad with him 36 And he faid unto his lad, Run, find out now the arrows which I shoot. fad ran, he shot an arrow beyond him. And as the 37 And when the lad was come to the place of the arrow which Jonathan had hot, jona fpeed, hafte, ftay not. nathan and David knew the matter. his lad, and aid unto him, Go, carry them to vid arofe out of a place toward the fouth, and peace, forafmuch as we have fworn both of T the meeting of David, and faid unto him, the prieft: and Ahimelech was afraid at Why art thou alone, and no man with thee? 2 And David faid unto Ahimelech the nefs, and hath faid unto me, Let no man know prieft, The king hath commanded me a bufiany thing of the bufiaefs whereabout I fend thee, and what I have commanded thee: and I place." have appointed my fervants to fuch and fuch a Give me five loaves of bread in mine hand, or 3 Now therefore what is under thine hand? what there is prefent. 4 And the priest answered David, and faid, but there is hallowed bread; it the young men There is no conimon bread under mine hand, have kept themselves at leaft from women. unto him, Ofa truth women have been kept 5 And David anfwered the priest, and faid from us about these three days fince I came out, and the bread is in a manner common, yea, and the veffels of the young men are holy, though it were fanctified this day in the vessel. So the priest gave him hallowed bread: bread, that was taken from before the LORD, for there was no bread there but the shew. to put hot bread in the day when it was taken away. 7 Now a certain man of the fervants of Saul was there that day, detained before the the chiefeft of the herdmen that belonged to LORD; and his name was Doeg, an Edomite, Saul. there not here under thine hand fpear or 8 And David faid unto Ahimelech, And is nor my weapons with me, because the king's fword? For I have neither brought my fword business required hate. 9 And the priest faid, The fword of Goliath ley of Elah, behold, it is here wrapped in a the Philiftine, whom thou fleweft in the val cloth behind the ephod: if thou wilt take that, And David faid, There is none like that; give take it for there is no other fave that here. it me. Boeg accufeth Abimelech. Chap. xxii, xxiii. To¶ And David arofe, and fled that day for fear of Saul, and went to Achith the king of Gath. II And the fervants of Achifh faid unto him, is not this David the king of the land? Did they not fing one to another of him in dances, faying, Saul hath flain his thousands, and David his ten thousands? 12 And David laid up thefe words in his heart, and was fore afraid of Achish the king of Gath. 13 And he changed his behaviour before them, and feigned himself mad in their hands, and fcrabbled on the doors of the gate, and let his spittle fall down upon his beard. 14 Then faid Achish unto his fervants, Lo, ye fee the man is mad: wherefore then have ye brought him to me? 15 Have I need of madmen, that ye have brought this fellow to play the madman in my prefence? Shall this fellow come into my houfe? CHA P. XXI. 1 Companies refort to David at Adullam. 9 Doeg accufeth Abimelech, 17 Saul commandeth to kill the priefis. AVID therefore departed thence, and Saul's cruelty to the priests. father's house, the priefts that were in Nob and they came all of them to the king. 12 And Saul taid, Hear now, thou son of Ahltub. And he anfwerea, Here I am, my lord. 13 And Saul faid unto him, Why have ye confpired against me, thou and the fon of Jeffe, in that thou hart given him bread, and a fword, and haft er quired of God for him, that he should rife againit me to lie in wait, as at this day? 14 Then Ahimelech answered the king, and faid, And whe is fe faithful among all thy fervants as David, which is the king's fon-inlaw, and goeth ar thy bidding, and is ho nourable in thine houfe? 15 Did I then begin to enquire of God for him? Be it tar from me: let not the king impute any thing unto his fervant, or to all the house of my father: for thy fervant knew nothing of all this, lefs or more. 16 And the king faid, Thou shalt furely die, Ahimelech, thou, and all thy father's houfe. 17 And the king faid unto the footmen that food about him, Turn and flay the priefts of the LORD; becaufe their hand allo is with David, and becaufe they knew. when he fled, and did not fhew it to me. But the Defcaped to the cave, Adullam; and fervants of the king would not put forth when his brethren and all his father's houfe heard it, they went down thither to him. 2 And every one that was in diftrefs, and every one that was in debt, and every one that was difcontented, gathered then feves unto him; and he became a captain over them and there were with him about four hundred men. 3 And David went thence to Mizpeh of Moab: and he laid 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 tor me. 4 And he brought them before the king of Moab and they dwelt with him all the while that David was in the hold. 5And the prophet Gad faid unto David, Abide not in the hold; depart, and get thee into the land of Judah. Then David departed, and came into the foreft of Hareth. * 6 When Sau! heard that David was difcovered, and the men that were with him, (now Saul abode in Gibeah under a tree in Ramah, having his fpear in his hand, and all his fervants were ftanding about him ;) 7 Then Saul faid unto his fervants that flood about him, Hear now, ye Benjamites; Will the fon of Jefe give every one of you fields and vineyards, and make you all captains of thousands, and captains of hundreds; That all of you have confpired againft me, and there is none that fheweth me that my fon hath made a league with the fon of Jeffe, and there is none of you that is forry for me, or fheweth unto me that my fon hath ftirred up my fervant against me, to lie in wait, as at this day? Then anfwered Doeg the Edomite, (which was fet over the fervants of Saul,) and faid, I faw the fon of Jeffe coming to Nob, to Ahimelech the fon of Ahitub. 10 And he enquired of the LORD for him, and gave him victuals, and gave him the fword of Goliath the Philistine. 11 Then the king fent to call Ahimelech the priest, the foň of Ahitub, and all his their hand to fall upon the priests of the LORD. 18 And the king faid to Doeg, Turn thou, and fall upon the priefts. And Doeg the Fdomite turned, and he fell upon the priests, and flew on that day fourfcore and Ave perfons that did wear a linen ephod. 19 And Nob, the city of the priests, smote he with the edge of the fword, both men and wo❤ men, children and fucklings, and oxen, and affes, and theep, with the edge of the fword. 20 And one of the fons of Ahimelech the fon of Ahitub, named Abiathar, efcaped, and fled aster David. 21 And Abiathar fhewed David that- Saul had flain the LORD'S priefts. 22 And David said unto Abiathar, I knew it that day, when Doeg the Fdomite as there, that he would furely tell Saul: I have occa fioned the death of all the perfons of thy ta ther's house. 23 Abide thou with me, fear not: for he that feeketh my lite feeketh thy life: but with me thou fall be in fateguard. CHAP. XXIII. David, enquiring of the Lord, refcueth Reilab: God fheweth him Saul's coming, and the treachery of the Keilites: 13 he efca peth from Keilah. THEN they told David, faying, Behold, the Philiftines fight against Keilah, and they rob the threshing-floors. 2 Therefore David enquired of the LORD, faying, Shall I go and fmite thefe Philistines? And the LORD faid unto David, Go ana fmite the Philiftines, and fave Keilah. 3 Ani David's men faid unto him, Behold, we be afraii here in Judah: how much more then if we come to Keilah against the armies of the Philiftines? 4 Then David enquired of the LORD yet again. And the LORD anfwered him and faid, Arife, go down to Keilah; for I will deliver the Philistines into thine hand. 5 So David and his men went to Keilah, and fought with the Philiftines, and brought away their cattle, and fmote them with a great David efcapeth from Keilah: I. SAMUEL. great flaughter, So David faved the inhabitants of Keilah. 6 And it came to pass, when Abiathar the fon of Ahimelech fled to David to Keilah, that he came down with an ephod in his hand. 7 And it was told Saul that David was come to Keilah. And Saul faid, God hath delivered him into mine hand; for he is thut in, by entering into a town that hath gates and bars. 8 And Saul called all the people together to war, to go down to Keilah, to befiege David. and his men. 9 And David knew that Saul fecretly practifed mifchief against him; and he faid to Abiathar the priest, Bring hither the ephod. 10 Then faid David, O LORD God of Ifrael, thy fervant hath certainly heard that Saul feeketh to come to Keilah, to deftroy the city for my fake. 11 Will the men of Keilah deliver me up into his hand? Will Saul come down, as thy fervant hath heard? O LORD God of Ifrael, I hefeech thee, tell thy fervant. And the LORS faid, He will come down. 12 Then faid David, Will the men of Keilah deliver me and my men into the hand of Saul? And the LORD faid, They will deliver thee up. 13 Then David and his men, which were about fix hundred, arofe and departed out of Keilah, and went whetherfoever they could go. And it was told Saul that David was efcaped from Keilah; and he torbare to go forth. 14 And David abode in the wilderness in ftrong holds, and remained in a mountain in the wilderness of Ziph and Saul fought him every day; but God delivered him not into his hand. 15 And David faw that Saul was come out to feek his life and David was in the wil. dernefs of Ziph in a wood. 16 And Jonathan Saul's fon arofe, and went to Davil into the wood, and strengthened his hand in God. 17 And he said unto him, Fear not; for the hand of Saul my father shall not find thee: and thou shalt be king over Ifrael, and I fhall be next unto thee; and that alfo Saul my fa ther knoweth. 18 And they two made a covenant before the LORD. And David abode in the wood, and Jonathan went to his house. 19 Then came up the Ziphites to Saul to Gibeah, faying, Doth not David hide him. felf with us in trong holds in the wood, in the hill of Hachilah, which is on the fouth of Jeshimon? 20 Now therefore, O king, come down, according to all the defire of thy foul to come down; and our part shall be to deliver him into the king's hand. 21 And Saul faid, Bleffed be ye of the LORD; for ye have compaifion on me. 22 Go, I pray you, prepare yet, and know and fee his place where his haunt is, and who hath feen him there: for it is told me that he dealeth very fubtilly. 23 See therefore, and take knowledge of all the lurking pla es where he hideth himfelf, and come ye again to me with the certainty, and I will go with you: and it thall come to pafs, if he be in the land, that I will fearch him out throughout all the thousands of Judah. He cutteth of Saul's firt. 24 And they arofe, and went to Ziph be. fore Saul: but David and his men were in the wilderness of Maon, in the plain on the fouth of lethimon. 25 Saul alfo and his men went to feek him. And they told David: wherefore he came down into a rock, and abode in the wildernefs of Maon. And when Saul heard that, he purfued after David in the wilderness of Maon. 26 And Saul went on this fide of the moun tain: and David and his men on that fide of the mountain: and David made hafte to get away tor tear of Saul; for Saul and his men compaffed David and his men round about to take them. 27 But there came a meffenger unto Saul, faying, Haste thee, and come; for the Philif tines have invaded the land. 28 Wherctore Saul returned from pursuing 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 ftrong holds at En-gedi. CHAP. XXIV. 4 David, in a cave at En-gedi, fpareth Saul's life: 8 hefbeweth thereby his innocency. AND it came to pafs, when Saul was re turned from following the Philiftines, that it was told him, faying, Behold, David is in the wildernefs of En-gedi. 2 Then Saul took three thoufand chofen men out of all Ifrael, and went to feek David and his men upon the rocks of the wild goats. 3 And he came to the theepcotes by the way, where was a cave; and Saul went in to cover his feet: and David and his men remained in the fides of the cave. 4 And the men of David faid unto him, Be hold the day of which the LORD faid unto thee, Behold, I will deliver thine enemy into thine hand, that thou mayeft do to him as it hall feem good unto thee. Then David arose, and cut off the skirt of Saul's robe privily. 5 And it came to pafs afterward, that Da vid's heart fmote him, because he had cut off Saul's skirt. 6 And he faid unto his men, The LORD for bid that I should do this thing unto my mafter, the LORD's anointed, to ftretch forth mine hand against him, feting he is the anointed of the LORD. 7 So David ftayed his fervants with thefe words, and futtered them not to rife agenft Saul. But Saul rofe up out of the cave, and went on his way. 8 David alfo arofe afterward, and went out of the cave, and cried after Saul, faying, My lord the king, And when Saul looked be hind him, David ftooped with his face to the earth, and bowed himself. 9 And David faid to Saul, Wherefore heareft thou men's words, faying, Behold, Da. vid feeketh thy hurt? 10 Behold, this day thine eyes have seen how that the LORD had delivered thee to-day into mine hand in the cave: and fonte bade me kill thee: but mine eye fpared thee; and I faid, I will not put forth mine hand against my lord; for he is the LORD'S anointed. 11 Moreover, my father, fee, yea, fee the skirt of thy robe in my hand: for in that I cut off the skirt of thy robe, and killed thee thee not, know thou and fee that there is neither evil nor tranfgreifion in mine hand, and I have not finned against thee; yet thou buntest my foul to take it. 12 The LORD judge between me and thee, and the LORD avenge me of thee; but mine hand fhall not be upon thee. 13 As faith the proverb of the ancients, Wickedness proceedeth from the wicked; but mine hand thall not be upon thee. 14 After whom is the king of Ifrael come out! After whom dost thou purfue? After a dead dog, after a flea? 15 The LORD therefore be judge, and judge between me and thee, and fee, and plead my cause, and deliver me out of thine hand. 16 And it came to pass, when David had made an end of fpeaking thefe words unto Saul, that Saul faid, Is this thy voice, my fon David? And Saul lifted up his voice, and wept. 17 And he faid to David, Thou art more righteous than I: for thou haft rewarded me good, whereas I have rewarded thee evil. 18 And thou hart hewed this day how that thou haft dealt well with me: torafmuch as when the LORD had delivered me into thine hand, thou killed ft me not. 19 For if a man find his enemy, will he let him go well away: Wherefore, the LORD reward thee good for that thou haft done unto me this day. 20 And now, behold, I know well that thou falt furely be king, and that the kingdom of Ifrael shall be established in thine hand, 21 Swear now therefore uato me by the LORD, that thou wilt not cut off my feed atter me, and that thou wilt not deftroy my name ou of my father's house. 22 And David fware unto Saul. And Saul went home; but David and his men gat them up unto the bold. Nabal's churlißnej. 8 Aik thy young men, and they will thew thee. Wheretore, let the young men fird fa vour in thine eyes: for we come in a good day: give, I pray thee, whatsoever cometh to thine hand unto thy fervants, and to thy fon David. And when David's young men came, they fpake to Nabal according to all thofe words in the name of David, and crafed. 10 And Nabal anfwered David's fervants, and faid, Who is David? and who is the fon of Jeffe? There be many fervants now a days that break away every man from his matter. 11 Shall I then take my bread, and my water, and my flesh that I have killed for my fhearers, and give it unto men whom I know not whence they be? 12 So David's young men turned their way, and went again, and came and told him all thofe fayings. 13 And David faid unto his men, Gird ye on every man his fword. And they girded on every man his fword; and David alfo girded on his fword: and there went up after David about four hundred men; and two hundred abode by the stuff. 14 But one of the young men told Abigail, Nabal's wife, faying, Behold, David fent meffengers out of the wilderness to falute our mafter; and he railed on them. 15 But the men were very good unto us, and we were not hurt, neither miffed we any thing, as long as we were converfant with them, when we were in the fields: 16 They were a wall unto us both by night and day, all the while we were with them keeping the sheep. 17 Now therefore know and confider what thou wilt do: for evil is determined against our mafter, and againit all his household: for he is fuch a fon of Belial, that a man cannot fpeak to him. 18 Then Abigail made hafte, and took two hundred loaves, and two bottles of wine, and five sheep ready dreffed, and five mea were gathered together, and lamented him, and buried him in his house at Ramah. And David arofe, and went down to the wildernefs of Paran. 2 And there was a man in Maon, whofe poffettions were in Carmel; and the man was very great, and he had three thoufand theep, ani a thoufand goats: and he was thearing his theep in Carmel. 3 Now the name of the man was Nabal; and the name of his wife Abigail: and he was a woman of good understanding, and of a beautiful countenance: but the man was churlish and evil in his doings: and he was of the houfe of Caleb. 4 And David heard in the wilderness that Nabal did fhear his sheep. 5 And David fent out ten young men, and David faid unto the young men, Get you up to Carmel, and go to Nabal, and greet him in my name: of raifins, and two hundred cakes of figs, and laid them on affes. 19 And the faid unto her fervants, Go on before me; behold come after you. But the told not her husband Nabal. 20 And it was fo, as the rode on the afs, that the came down by the covert of the hill, and, behold, David and his men came down against her; and the met them. 21 Now David had faid, Surely in vain have I kept all that this fellow hath in the wilderness, fo that nothing was miffed of all that pertained unto him: and he hath requited me evil for good. 22 So and more alfo do God unto the ene mies of David, if I leave of all that pertain to him, by the morning light, any that piffeth against the wall. 23 And when Abigail faw David, the hafted, and alighted off the afs, and fell before David on her face, and bowed herfelt to the ground, 24 And fell at his reet, and faid, Upon me, my lord, upon me let this iniquity be and let thine handmaid, I pray thee, speak in thine audience, and hear the words of thine handmaid. 25 Let not my lord, I pray thee, regard this man of Belial, even Nabal: for as his name is, fo is he; Nabal is his name, and folly |