Then David saw that Saul had come out to seek his life, David, being in the wilderness of Ziph, in the thicket.

So Jonathan, Saul's son, arose and went unto David in the thicket, - and strengthened his hand in God;

and said unto him, - Do not fear, for the hand of Saul my father shall not find thee, but, thou, shalt become king over Israel, and, I, shall be, next, unto thee, yea and, Saul my father, knoweth this.

Then came up the Ziphites unto Saul in Gibeah, saying, - Is not David hiding himself with us, in the strongholds in the thicket, in the hill of Hachilah, which is on the right of Jeshimon?

Now, therefore, according to all the desire of thy soul O king, to come down, come! and, ours, will it be to surrender him into the hand of the king.

Then said Saul, Blessed, be ye, of Yahweh, - because ye have taken pity upon me.

So they arose and departed to Ziph, before Saul, - but, David and his men, were in the wilderness of Maon, in the Arabah, to the right of Jeshimon.

Then Saul and his men departed, to seek him ; but it had been told David, and he had gone down the cliff, and taken up his abode in the wilderness of Maon, - and when Saul had, heard it, he pursued David in the wilderness of Maon.

And Saul went on this side of the mountain, and, David and his men, on that side of the mountain, - wherefore David became hurried, to get away from the presence of Saul, but, Saul and his men, were surrounding David and his men, to capture then:

when, a messenger, came unto Saul, saying, - Haste thee and come! for the Philistines have spread over the land.

Then returned Saul from pursuing David, and departed to meet the Philistines, - for which cause, they called that place Sela-hammahlekoth "the Cliff of Separation".

And it came to pass, when Saul had returned from following the Philistines, that it was told him, saying: Lo! David is in the wilderness of En-gedi.

Then Saul took three thousand chosen men, out of all Israel, - and went to seek David and his men, over the face of the rocks of the mountain-goats.

And he came into the sheep-folds by the way, there, being a cave, which Saul entered, to cover his feet, - David and his men, in the hinder part of the cave, having taken up their abode.

So David's men said unto him - Lo! the day of which Yahweh said unto thee - Lo! I am about to deliver up thine enemy, into thy hand: therefore shall thou do unto him, as shall be good in thine eyes. And David arose, and cut off the corner of the robe which belonged to Saul, by stealth.

And it came to pass afterwards that David's heart smote him, - because he had cut off the corner of the robe which belonged to Saul.

So David did chide his men with the words, and did not suffer them to rise up against Saul. And, Saul, rose up out of the cave, and went on his way.

Then David rose up, afterwards, and went forth out of the cave, and cried out after Saul, saying - My lord, O king! And, when Saul looked about behind him, David inclined his face to the earth, and bowed himself down.

Then said David to Saul, Wherefore shouldst thou hearken unto the words of the sons of earth, saying, - Lo! David is seeking thy hurt?

Lo! this day, have thine own eyes seen, how Yahweh had delivered thee up, to-day, into my hand in the cave, and, when one bade me slay thee, I looked with compassion upon thee, - and I said - I will not thrust forth my hand against my lord, for, the Anointed of Yahweh, is he!

But, my father, see, yea, see, the corner of thy robe in my hand, - for, in that I cut off the corner of thy robe, and yet did not slay thee, know thou, and see, that there is not in my hand either wrong or transgression, neither have I sinned against thee, yet art thou hunting my life, to take it.

And it came to pass, when David had made an end of speaking these words unto Saul, that Saul said, Thy voice, is this, my son David? And Saul lifted up his voice, and wept.

Thou, then, hast told to-day, how thou hast dealt with me, for good, - how, when Yahweh had surrendered me into thy hand, thou didst not slay me.

So David sware unto Saul, - and Saul departed unto his own house, but, David and his men, went up on the stronghold.

Now, therefore, my lord - By the life of Yahweh, and by the life of thine own soul, - seeing Yahweh hath withholden thee from coming in with bloodshed, and from saving thyself, with thine own hand, now, therefore, like Nabal, be thine enemies, and they who are making search for my lord, wrongfully.

Saul, indeed, had given his daughter Michal, David's wife, - to Palti, sun of Laish, who was of Gallim.

And the Ziphites came unto Saul in Gibeah, saying, - Is not David hiding himself in the hill of Hachilah, overlooking Jeshimon?

Then Saul arose, and went down into the wilderness of Ziph, and, with him, three thousand chosen men of Israel, - to seek David in the wilderness of Zip.

And Saul encamped in the hill of Hachilah, which overlooketh Jeshimon, by the way, - but, David, was staying in the wilderness, so he saw that Saul was coming after him into the wilderness.

David therefore sent runners, - and took knowledge that Saul had come, for a certainty.

So then David arose, and came to the place where Saul had encamped, and David saw the place where Saul was lying, with Abner, son of Ner, prince of his host, - and, Saul, was lying within the circular trench, with, the people, encamped round about him.

And David responded, and said unto Ahimelech the Hittite, and unto Abishai son of Zeruiah, brother of Joab, saying, Who will go down with me unto Saul, within the camp? And Abishai said, I, will go down with thee.

So David came, with Abishai, unto the people by night, and lo! Saul lying asleep, within the trench, and his spear stuck in the ground, at his head, - and Abner and the people lying round about him.

So David took the spear, and the cruse of water, from near the head of Saul, and they went their way, - and no man saw, and no man knew, and no man awoke, for all of them were sleeping, for, a deep sleep from Yahweh, had fallen upon them.

And Saul knew the voice of David, and said - Thy voice, is this, my son David? And David said, My voice, my lord O king!

Then said Saul - I have sinned, Return, my son David, for I will harm thee no more, because my life was precious in thine eyes, this day, - lo! I have acted foolishly and, greatly, erred.

Then said Saul unto David - Blessed, be thou, my son David, thou shalt both, do, and shalt, prevail. And David went on his way, but, Saul, returned unto his own place.

And David said, unto his own heart, Now, shall I be swept off, in a single day, by the hand of Saul, - there is nothing for me better than that I, escape, into the land of the Philistines, so shall Saul give up seeking for me any more, in any of the bounds of Israel, so shall I escape out of his hand.

And, when it was told Saul, that David had fled to Gath, he added no more, to seek him.

Now, Samuel, was dead, and all Israel had lamented him, and buried him in Ramah, even in his own city, - Saul, moreover had put away them who had familiar spirits and them who were oracles, out of the land.

So then the Philistines gathered themselves together, and came in, and encamped in Shunem, - and Saul gathered together all Israel, and they encamped in Gilboa.

And, when Saul saw the host of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart trembled exceedingly.

Then Saul enquired of Yahweh, but Yahweh answered him not, - neither by Dreams, nor by the Lights, nor by prophets.

Then said Saul unto his servants - Seek me out a woman that owneth a familiar spirit, that I may even go unto her, and enquire of her. And his servants said unto him, Lo! there is a woman that owneth a familiar spirit in En-dor.

Saul therefore disguised himself, and put on other raiment, and departed - he and two men with him, and they came to the woman by night, - and he said - Divine for me, I pray thee, by the familiar spirit, and bring up for me - whomsoever I shall name unto thee.

And the woman said unto him - Lo! thou, knowest what Saul hath done, how he hath cut off them who have familiar spirits and him who is an oracle, out of the land, - wherefore, then, art thou striking at my life, to put me to death?

So then Saul sware unto her by Yahweh, saying, - By the life of Yahweh, there shall no punishment befall thee for this thing.

And, when the woman saw Samuel, she made outcry with a loud voice, - and the woman spake unto Saul, saying - Wherefore hast thou deceived me, thou thyself being Saul?

And the king said unto her - Be not afraid, but what sawest thou? And the woman said unto Saul, A god, saw I, coming up out of the earth.

And he said to her - What was his form? And she said - An old man, coming up, he being wrapped about with a robe. Then Saul knew, that it was, Samuel, so he inclined his face to the earth, and bowed himself down.

And Samuel said unto Saul, Wherefore hast thou disquieted me, by bringing me up? And Saul said - I am in sore distress, for, the Philistines, are making war against me, and, God, hath turned away from me, and answereth me no more - either by means of the prophets, or by dreams, therefore have I even called for thee, to let me know, what I am to do.

Then Saul hastened, and fell prostrate - the whole length of him - to the earth, and was sore afraid, at the words of Samuel, and indeed, no, strength, was left in him, for he had not eaten food all the day and all the night.

And the woman came unto Saul, and, when she saw that he was greatly terrified, she said unto him - Lo! thy handmaid hearkened unto thy voice, and I put my life into my hand, and heard thy words which thou didst speak unto me.

and brought near before Saul and before his servants, and they did eat. Then rose they up and departed, the same night.

Then said the princes of the Philistines, What are these Hebrews doing ? And Achish said unto the princes of the Philistines - Is not this David, servant of Saul king of Israel, who hath been with me this year, or two, and I have found in him nothing, from the day of his coming over unto me unto this day?

Is not this David, of whom they made responses in the dances, saying, - Saul, hath smitten, his thousands, But, David, his, tens of thousands?

And the Philistines followed hard after Saul, and after his sons, - and the Philistines smote Jonathan and Abinadab and Malchishua, sons of Saul.

And the battle went sore against Saul, and the archers discovered him, - and he was terrified at the archers.

Then said Saul to his armour-bearer - Draw thy sword and pierce me through therewith, lest these uncircumcised come, and pierce me through, and abuse me. But his armour-bearer was not willing, for he was sore afraid. So Saul took his sword and fell thereon.

And, when his armour-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he also, fell upon his sword, and died with him.

Thus died Saul, and his three sons, and his armour-bearer, yea all his men, on that day, together.

And, when the men of Israel who were across the vale, and who were across the Jordan, saw that the men of Israel had fled, and that Saul and his sons were dead, they forsook the cities, and fled, and the Philistines entered, and took up their abode therein.

And it came to pass on the morrow, when the Philistines came to strip the slain, that they found Saul, and his three sons, lying prostrate in Mount Gilboa.

And, when the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead heard concerning him, what the Philistines had done unto Saul,

then arose all the men of valour, and journeyed all the night, and took the body of Saul, and the bodies of his sons, from the wall of Beth-shan, - and came to Jabesh, and burned them there;