So Saul sent messengers to take David, but, when they saw the assembly of prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing as head over them, then came the Spirit of God upon the messengers of Saul, and, they also, were, moved to prophesy.

And, when he departed from thence towards Naioth in Ramah, then came upon, him also, the Spirit of God, and he went on and on, and was moved to prophesy, until he entered Naioth in Ramah.

And Jonathan said - Far be it from thee! but, if I, get to know, that harm is determined by my father, to bring it upon thee, is not, that, the thing that I will tell thee?

Then said Jonathan unto David - Witness be Yahweh God of Israel, that I will sound my father about this time to-morrow or the third day, and lo! if there he good towards David, will I not, then, send unto thee, and unveil thine ear?

So, let Yahweh do unto Jonathan, and, so, let him add - when harm against thee seemeth good unto my father, then will I unveil thine ear, and let thee go, and thou shall depart in peace, - then Yahweh be with thee, as he hath been with my father.

but thou shalt not cut off thy lovingkindness from my house, unto times age-abiding, - no! not when Yahweh hath cut off the enemies of David, every one from off the face of the ground.

So he feigned himself mad, in their sight, and raged in their hand, - and struck against the doors of the gate, and let his spittle run down upon his beard.

And David departed thence, to Mizpah of Moab, - and said unto the king of Moab, I pray thee, let my father and my mother dwell with you, until that I know what God will do for me.

Then said Gad the prophet unto David - Thou must not abide in the fortress, go and get thee into the land of Judah. So David departed, and entered the forest of Hereth.

And Saul said unto him, Wherefore have ye conspired against me, thou, and the son of Jesse, - in that thou gavest him bread and a sword, and didst enquire for him of God, that he might rise up against me, that he might lie in wait, as at this day?

Did I, that day, begin to enquire for him of God? Far from me! Let not the king impute to his servant such a thing, nor to any of the household of my father, for thy servant knoweth nothing of all this, less or more.

And, when it was told Saul that David had entered Keilah, Saul said - God hath given him over into my hand, for he hath shut himself in by entering into a city with folding doors and bar.

Then said David: O Yahweh, God of Israel, thy servant, hath heard, that Saul is seeking to come unto Keilah, - to destroy the city, for my sake:

Will the owners of Keilah surrender me into his hand? Will Saul come down, as thy servant hath heard? O Yahweh, God of Israel, I pray thee, tell thy servant. And Yahweh said - He will come down.

Then David abode in the wilderness, in the fortresses, and he abode in the hill country, in the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him continually, but God delivered him not into his hand.

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

Go, I pray you, make ready yet further, and get to know and see his place, where may be his track, who hath seen him there, - for it hath been said unto me, Cunning indeed, is, he!

See, then, and get to know - of all the hiding places, where he hideth himself, and return unto me, for certainty, then will I go with you, - and it shall be, if he is in the land, that I will search him out, through all the thousands of Judah.

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:

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.

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 he said unto David, More righteous, art thou than I, for, thou, hast requited me, good, but, I, have requited thee, evil.

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.

Yet, when a man findeth his enemy, will he let him get easily away? Yahweh, then, give thee, good, reward for what, this day, thou hast done unto me.

Now, the name of the man, was Nabal, and, the name of his wife, Abigail, - and, the woman, was of good understanding, and of beautiful figure, - but, the man, was unfeeling and of evil practices, and he was a Calebite.

Ask thy young men, that they may tell thee, that so my young men may find favour in thine eyes, for, on a good day, have we come! Give, I pray thee, what thy hand findeth, to thy servants, and to thy son, to David!

But, the men, were exceeding good to us, - and we were not harmed, neither missed we, anything, all the days we went to and fro with them, while we were in the fields:

Now, David, had said - Surely, in vain, did I guard all that pertained to this man in the wilderness, so that there was, nothing, missed of all that he had, - seeing he hath returned to me evil for good.

So may God do to David and so may he add, if I leave remaining, of all that he hath, until the morning, - so much as a little boy.

yea, though there hath arisen a sun of earth to pursue thee, and to seek thy life, yet shall the life of my lord be bound up in the bundle of the living, with Yahweh thy God, but, as for the life of thine enemies, he shall sling it out with the middle of the hollow of the sling.

And it shall be, when Yahweh shall do for my lord, according to all the good that he hath spoken concerning thee, - and shall put thee in charge as leader over Israel,

Then said David unto Abigail, - Blessed, be Yahweh, the God of Israel, who hath sent thee this day, to meet me;

Nevertheless, by the life of Yahweh, God of Israel, who hath restrained me from harming, thee, surely, except thou hadst hastened and come to meet me, there had not been left unto Nabal, by the light of the morning, so much as a little boy.

Then said Abishai unto David, God hath surrendered, to-day, thine enemy, into thy hand: Now, therefore, let me smite him, I pray thee, with the spear to the earth, at one stroke, I, will not do it twice.

Not good, is this thing which thou hast done, by the life of Yahweh, verily, worthy of death, ye are, in that ye have not kept watch over your lord, over, the Anointed of Yahweh. Now, therefore, see where the spear of the king is, and the cruse of water, that was at his head?

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?

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 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 answered Achish, and said unto David, I acknowledge that, pleasing, thou art in mine eyes, as a messenger of God, - notwithstanding, the princes of the Philistines, have said, He shall not go up with us, into the battle.

And David was in sore distress, for the people had spoken of stoning him, because the souls of all the people were embittered, every man for his own sons and for his own daughters, - but David emboldened himself in Yahweh his God.

And David said unto him, Wilt thou bring me down unto this troop? And he said - Swear unto me by God, that thou wilt not put me to death, neither wilt thou surrender me into the hand of my lord, and I will bring thee down unto this troop.

So they cut off his head, and stripped off his armour, - and sent throughout the land of the Philistines round about, to publish it in the house of their idols, and unto the people.

Then said Joab - As God liveth, surely, if thou hadst not spoken, then in the morning, the people would of themselves have gone up, every man from pursuing his brother.

So, may God do unto Abner, and, so, may he add to him, - if, as Yahweh hath sworn unto David, even so, I deal not with him;

And he said - Good! I, will solemnise with thee a covenant, - but, one thing, must I ask of thee, saying - Thou shalt not see my face, except thou have brought in Michal, Saul's daughter, when thou comest to see my face.

So Abner returned to Hebron, and Joab took him aside into the midst of the gate, to speak with him quietly, - and then smote him there, in the belly, that he died, for the blood of Asahel the brother of Joab.

And, when all the people came near to get David to eat bread, while yet it was day, David sware, saying - So, let God do to me, and, so, let him add, if, before the sun go in, I taste bread, or anything else.

when he that brought tidings to me, saying, Lo! Saul is dead, though, he, was as one that bringeth good tidings, in his own eyes, yet I seized him, and slew him in Ziklag, - which was how I gave him reward for his tidings:

David therefore commanded the young men, and they slew them, and cut off their hands, and their feet, and hanged them up over the pool, in Hebron, - but, the head of Ish-bosheth, took they, and buried in the grave of Abner, in Hebron.

And David went on and on waxing great, - Yahweh, God of hosts, being with him.

So David enquired of Yahweh, and he said - Thou shalt not go up, - Get round behind them, and come in upon them, over against the mulberry-trees.

Then David, and all the people that were with him, arose and went beyond Baale Judah, - to bring up from thence, the ark of God, the name whereof is called by the name of Yahweh of hosts, who inhabiteth the cherubim thereupon.

So they carried the ark of God in a new waggon, and brought it out of the house of Abinadab, who was in Gibeah, - and, Uzza and Ahio, sons of Abinadab, were driving the new waggon.

So they brought it out of the house of Abinadab, which was in Gibeah, with the ark of God, - and, Ahio, was going before the ark.

And, when they came as far as the threshing-floor of Nachon, Uzzah thrust forth his hand unto the ark of God, and took hold of it, for the oxen were restive.

Then was kindled the anger of Yahweh, against Uzzah, and God smote him there, for the error, - so that he died there, by the ark of God.

And it was told King David, saying, Yahweh hath blessed the household of Obed-edom, and all that he hath, because of the ark of God. David therefore went and brought up the ark of God, out of the house of Obed-edom, unto the city of David, with rejoicing.

that the king said unto Nathan the prophet, See, I pray thee - I, have my abode in a house, of cedar, but, the ark of God, abideth in, the midst, of curtains.

and was with thee, whithersoever thou didst go, and have cut off all thine enemies, from before thee, - and will make thee a name, like the name of the great ones who are in the earth;

For this cause, hast thou magnified thyself, O Yahweh Elohim, - for there is none like unto, thee, yea there is no God besides thee, according to all that we have heard with our ears.

Who, then, is like thy people, like Israel, a nation alone in the earth? whom God went to redeem for himself as a people, so to make himself a name, and to do for you the great deed, fearful things also for thy land, to make way for thy people, whom thou hadst redeemed for thyself, out of Egypt, dealing with nations and their god's;

and hast established for thyself thy people Israel - for thyself as a people, unto times age-abiding, - thou thyself, also, O Yahweh, becoming their God.

that thy name may be age-abidingly magnified, saying, Yahweh of hosts, is God over Israel, and so, the house of thy servant David, be established before thee.

For, thou, O Yahweh of hosts, God of Israel, hast unveiled the ear of thy servant, saying - A house, will I build for thee. For this cause, hath thy servant found in his heart, to pray unto thee, this prayer.

Now, therefore, O My Lord, Yahweh, thou, art God, and, thy words, shall prove true, - therefore hast thou spoken unto thy servant this goodness.

Then said the king - Is there never a man remaining unto the house of Saul, that I may show him the lovingkindness of God? And Ziba said unto the king, There remaineth a son unto Jonathan, lame in his feet.

Wherefore Hanun took David's servants, and shaved off half their beards, and cut off their upper garments in the middle, as far as their buttocks, - and let them go.

And the sons of Ammon came out, and set in array for battle, at the entrance of the gate, - whereas, the Syrians of Zoba, and of Rehob, and the men of Tob and of Maacah, were by themselves, in the field.

Be strong, and let us put forth our strength, for the sake of our people, and for the sake of the cities of our God, - and, Yahweh, do what is good in his own eyes.

And the messenger said unto David, The men were too strong for us, and sallied forth against us, in the field, - so we were drawn against them as far as the opening of the gate.

Then said Nathan unto David: Thou, art the man! Thus, saith Yahweh, God of Israel - I, anointed thee to be king over Israel, and, I, delivered thee out of the hand of Saul;

David therefore earnestly sought God in behalf of the boy, - and David kept a fast, and used to go in and pass the night, and lie upon the ground.

And Absolom spake not with Amnon, either bad or good, - though Absolom hated Amnon, because he had forced Tamar his sister.

Then said she: Let the king, I pray thee, remember Yahweh thy God; so that the blood-redeemer may not make utter ruin, and that they destroy not my son. And he said - By the life of Yahweh, not one hair of thy son shall fall to the earth.

And the woman said, Wherefore, then, hast thou devised the like of this, for the people of God; and yet the king, in speaking this word, is verily guilty, unless the king, bring back his fugitive?

For, when we, die, we become as water poured on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again, - therefore doth God not take away the life, but deviseth plans so as not to thrust out from him, a fugitive.

For the king can hearken, to rescue his handmaid out of the power of the man who would seek to destroy both me and my son together, out of the inheritance of God.

So thy maidservant said, Pray let the word of my lord the king be comforting, - for, as the messenger of God, so is my lord the king, in hearing the good and the bad, Yahweh thy God, then, be with thee.

for the purpose of turning round the face of the matter, hath thy servant Joab done this thing, - my lord being wise, as with the wisdom of a messenger of God, in knowing all that is done in the land.

And Absolom used to rise up early, and take his stand beside the way of the gate, - and so it was - when any man who had a controversy would come unto the king for judgment, then Absalom called unto him, and said: Of what city, art, thou? And he said, Of one of the tribes of Israel, is thy servant. And Absolom said unto him,

See! thy cause, is good and right, - but, to hear it, thou hast no one, from the king.

And lo! Zadok also, and all the Levites with him, were bearing the ark of the covenant of God, and they set down the ark of God, and Abiathar went up, until all the people had made an end of passing over out of the city.

Then said the king unto Zadok, Take back the ark of God into the city, - if I find favour in the eyes of Yahweh, then will he bring me back, and let me see both him and his habitation,

but, if thus, he say, I have no delight in thee, here I am, let him do unto me as may be good in his eyes.

So Zadok and Abiathar took back the ark of God to Jerusalem, - and abode there.

And it came to pass, when David reached the summit, where he bowed himself down unto God, that lo! there met him, Hushai the Archite, his tunic rent, and earth upon his head.

It may be, that Yahweh will behold with his eye, - and that Yahweh will return me good, for his cursing this day.

Now, the counsel of Ahithophel which he counselled in those days, was as if a man had enquired at the oracle of God, - so, was all the counsel of Ahithophel, both to David, and also to Absolom.

Then said Hushai unto Absolom, - Not good, is the counsel that Ahithophel hath given - at this time.

And the king said unto them, Whatever is best in your eyes, I will do. And the king stood beside the gate, while, all the people, came out by hundreds and by thousands.

But, be what may, I will run. So he said to him - Run. Then ran Ahimaaz by the way of the plain, and got beyond the Cushite.

Now, David, was sitting between the two gates, - and the watchman went on to the top of the gate-house, upon the wall, and lifted up his eyes, and looked, and lo! a man, running alone.

Then said the watchman, It seemeth, to me, that, the running of the foremost, is like the running of Ahimaaz son of Zadok. And the king said, A good man, is he, and, with good tidings, he cometh.

Then called out Ahimaaz, and said unto the king, Peace! And he bowed himself down to the king, with his face to the earth, - and said - Blessed, be Yahweh thy God, who hath surrendered the men who were lifting up their hand, against my lord the king.

Then was the king deeply moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept, - and, thus, he said as he went - O my son Absolom, my son - my son - Absolom! could, I, but have died in thy stead, O Absolom, my son - my son!

So the king arose, and took his seat in the gate, - and, to all the people, was it told, saying - Lo! the king, is sitting in the gate. Then came all the people before the king, but, Israel, had fled every man to his home.

And, unto Amasa, shall ye say, Art not, thou, my bone and my flesh? So, let God do to me, and, so, let him add, if thou become not, prince of the army, before me continually, instead of Joab.

But the ferry-boat kept crossing, to bring over the household of the king, and to do what was good in his eyes. And, Shimei, son of Gera, fell down before the king, when he had passed over the Jordan;

And he hath slandered thy servant, unto my lord the king, - but, my lord the king, is as a messenger of God, do therefore what is good in thine own eyes.