And his harness bearer said unto him, "Do all that is in thine heart. Set thee forward; and see, I am with thee, as thine heart lusteth."

Then said Jonathan, "Behold, when we go over unto the men, and show ourselves unto them,

And when they had both showed themselves unto the garrison of the Philistines, the Philistines said, "See, the Hebrews come out of the holes where they had hid themselves in."

And the men of the garrison answered Jonathan and his harness bearer and said, "Come up to us, and we will show you a thing." Then said Jonathan unto his harness bearer, "Come up after me, for the LORD hath delivered them into the hands of Israel."

Then said Saul unto the people that was with him, "Number, and see who is gone away from us." And when they had told: behold, Jonathan and his harness bearer were not there.

And then Saul said unto Ahijah, "Bring hither the ark of God." For the ark of God was at the time with the children of Israel.

And while Saul talked unto the priest, the people that were in the host of the Philistines ran more and more. And Saul said unto the priest, "Withdraw thine hand."

But Jonathan heard not when his father adjured the people, wherefore he put forth the end of the staff that was in his hand, and dipped it in a honey comb, and put his hand to his mouth, and his eyes received sight.

Then spake one of the people, and said, "Thy father adjured the people, saying, 'Cursed be the man that eateth any sustenance this day.'" And yet the people were fainty.

Then said Jonathan, "My father hath troubled the land: for see, mine eyes hath received sight, because I tasted a little of this honey.

Then men told Saul, saying, "Behold, the people sin against the LORD, in that they eat with the blood." And he said, "Ye have trespassed. But roll a great stone unto me now,

And Saul said, "Let us go down after the Philistines by night, and let us make havoc among them until it be day in the morning, and let us not leave one of them." And the people answered, "Do whatsoever thou thinkest best." Then said the priest, "Let us come hither unto God."

Then said Saul, "Let the people come hither out of all quarters, and know and see, in whom this sin is chanced this day:

Then he said unto all Israel, "Be ye on one side, and I and Jonathan my son will be on another." And the people said unto Saul, "What thou thinkest best, that do."

And Saul said unto the LORD God of Israel, "Give perfect knowledge." And Saul and Jonathan were caught, and the people escaped free.

Then said Saul, "Cast lots between me and Jonathan my son." And Jonathan was caught.

Then Saul said to Jonathan, "Tell me what thou hast done." And Jonathan told him and said, "I tasted a little honey upon the end of my staff that was in mine hand, and see, I must die."

Then said Saul, "God do so and so to me, except that thou die Jonathan."

But the people said unto Saul, "Shall Jonathan die, which hath so mightily helped Israel? God forbid. As truly as the LORD liveth, there shall not one hair of his head fall to the ground: for he hath wrought with God this day." And so the people delivered Jonathan, that he died not.

And so Saul took the kingdom over Israel, and fought against all his enemies on every side: against the Moabites; against the children of Ammon; against the Edomites; against the kings of Zobah; and against the Philistines.

Then said Samuel unto Saul, "The LORD sent me to anoint thee king over his people Israel. Now therefore obey thou the voice of the words of the LORD.

But Saul said unto the Kenites, "Go and depart and get you down from among the Amalekites, lest I destroy you with them, for ye showed mercy with Israel when they came out of Egypt." And the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites.

And Samuel rose early, to meet Saul in the morning. And it was told Samuel that Saul was come to Carmel, and had set him up a pillar of triumph, and was turned and departed and gone to Gilgal.

And when Samuel was come to Saul, Saul said unto him, "Blessed be thou in the LORD. I have done the commandment of the LORD."

And Saul said, "They have brought them from the Amalekites. For the people spared the best of the sheep and of the oxen, to sacrifice unto the LORD thy God. And the remnant we have destroyed."

But Samuel said to Saul, "Cease, and let me tell thee what the LORD hath said to me this night." And he said unto him, "Say on."

And Samuel said, "When thou wast little in thine own sight, wast thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel? And the LORD anointed thee king over Israel.

And then the LORD sent thee on a journey, and said unto thee, 'See that thou utterly destroy those sinners, the Amalekites and fight against them until ye have utterly destroyed them.'

And wherefore hast thou now not obeyed the voice of the LORD: But didst turn to the prey and hast wrought wickedness in the sight of the LORD?"

And Saul said unto Samuel, "I have obeyed the voice of the LORD, and went the way which the LORD sent me; and have brought Agag the king of the Amalekites, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites.

Then said Samuel, "Hath the LORD as great pleasure in burnt sacrifices and offerings, as he hath that thou shouldest obey his voice? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to give heed is better than the fat of rams.

Then said Saul to Samuel, "I have sinned, for I have transgressed the mouth of the LORD, and thy words; because I feared the people and obeyed their voice.

Then said Samuel unto Saul, "I will not return with thee: for thou hast cast away the bidding of God, and therefore the LORD hath cast away thee also, that thou shalt not be king over Israel."

Then Samuel said, "The LORD hath rent the kingdom of Israel from thee this day, and hath given it to a neighbour of thine that is better than thou.

Then he said, "I have sinned. But yet honour me before the elders of my people, and before Israel, and turn again with me, that I may pray unto the LORD thy God."

Then said Samuel, "Bring ye hither to me, Agag the king of the Amalekites." And Agag came unto him delicately. And Agag said, "Truly the bitterness of death cometh on."

And Samuel said, "As thy sword hath made women childless, so shall thy mother be childless among other women." And so Samuel hewed Agag in pieces before the LORD in Gilgal.

And then the LORD said unto Samuel, "How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have cast him away from reigning over Israel? Fill a horn with ointment, and come: I will send thee to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have spied me a king among his sons."

But Samuel answered, "How shall I go? For Saul shall hear it and will kill me." And the LORD said, "Take a heifer with thee, and say thou goest to offer to the LORD.

And Samuel did as the LORD bade him. And when he came to Bethlehem, the elders of the town were astonished at his coming, and said, "Betokeneth thy coming peace?"

And he said "Yea, for I am come to offer unto the LORD. Cleanse yourselves and come with me to the offering." And he purified Jesse and his sons, and bade them to the offering.

And when they were come, he looked on Eliab and said, "The LORD's anointed is before him."

But the LORD said unto Samuel, "Look not on his fashion nor on the height of his stature, for I have refused him. Because it is not as man seeth. For man looketh on the outward appearance: but the LORD beholdeth the heart."

Then Jesse called Abinadab and made him come before Samuel. And he said, "Neither hath the LORD chosen this."

Then Jesse made Shammah come, and he said, "Neither hath the LORD chosen him."

Then made Jesse seven of his sons come before Samuel. And Samuel said, "The LORD hath chosen none of these."

Then said Samuel to Jesse, "Are here all thy children?" And he said, "The youngest is yet behind. Behold, he keepeth the sheep." Then Samuel said unto Jesse, "Send and fetch him for we will not sit down, till he be come hither."

And he sent and brought him in. And he was brown with goodly eyes, and well favoured in sight. And then the LORD said, "Up and anoint him: for this is he."

Then said his servants unto him, "Behold, an evil spirit sent of God vexeth thee.

And Saul said unto his servants, "Seek me a man that can well play, and bring him to me."

Then answered one of his servants and said, "Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, that can play upon instruments, and is an active fellow and a man of war and prudent and well made, and the LORD is with him."

Whereupon Saul sent messengers unto Jesse and said, "Send me David thy son which is with the sheep."

And Saul sent to Jesse saying, "Let David remain with me, for he hath found favour in my sight."

And the Philistines stood on a hill on the one side, and Israel stood on a hill on the other side; and a valley between them.

And he stood and called unto the host of Israel, and said unto them, "What needeth that ye should come out in array to battle? Am not I a Philistine, and you servants to Saul? Choose you a man, and let him come down to me:

And the Philistine said, "I have defied the host of Israel this day; give me a man and let us fight together."

And Jesse said unto David his son, "Take for thy brethren this ephah of parched corn, and these ten loaves, and run to the host, to thy brethren.

And carry these ten fresh cheeses unto the captain, and look how thy brethren fare, and set out their pledges."

And every man of Israel said, "See ye this man that is come forth; even to revile Israel is he come. And to him that beateth him will the king give great riches, and will give him his daughter thereto: yea and make his father's house free in Israel."

Then spake David to the men that stood by and said, "What shall be done to the man that beateth this Philistine and taketh away the shame from Israel? For what is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should revile the host of the living God?"

And Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spake unto the man and was angry with David and said, "Why camest thou away, and with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know thy pride and the malice of thine heart, that thou art come to see the battle."

And David said to Saul, "Let no man's heart fail him because of him. Thy servant will go and fight with his Philistine."

And Saul said to David again, "Thou art not able to go unto this Philistine, to fight with him. For thou art but a lad, and he hath been a man of war even from his youth."

Then said David unto Saul, "As thy servant kept his father's sheep, there came a Lion and likewise a Bear, and took a sheep out of the flock.

And David spake moreover, "The LORD that delivered me out of the hands of the Lion and out of the hands of the Bear, he shall deliver me also out of the hands of the Philistine." Then said Saul to David, "Go, and the LORD be with thee."

and gird David with his own sword upon his raiment. And he assayed to go, for he never proved it. Then said David unto Saul, "I cannot go in these, for I have not been used thereto." And put them off him,

And the Philistine said unto David, "Am I a dog, that thou comest to me with a staff?" And he cursed David in the name of his gods.

And he said to David, "Come to me and I will give thy flesh unto the fowls of the air, and to the beasts of the field."

Then said David to the Philistine, "Thou comest to me with a sword, a spear, and a shield: But I come to thee in the name of the LORD of Hosts, the God of the host of Israel whom thou hast railed upon.

When Saul saw David go forth against the Philistine, he said unto Abner the captain of his host, "Abner, whose son is this lad?" And Abner answered, "As truly as thy soul liveth, O king, I cannot tell."

Then said the king, "Enquire thou, whose son the youngling is."

And Saul said to him, "Whose son art thou, thou lad?" And David answered, "The son of thy servant Jesse the Bethlehemite."

And David went out whithersoever Saul sent him, and behaved himself wisely. And when Saul had set him over his men of war, he pleased all the people, and Saul's servants thereto.

And the women that played sang thereto, and said, "Saul hath slain his thousand, and David his ten thousand."

Then was Saul exceeding wroth and that saying displeased him, and he said, "They have ascribed unto David ten thousand, and to me but a thousand. And what more can he have, save the kingdom?"

Then said Saul to David, "Behold, my eldest daughter Merab: her I will give thee to wife; only play the man and fight the LORD's battles." For Saul thought, "Mine hand shall not be upon him, but the hand of the Philistines."

And he said, "I will give him her that she may be a snare to him, to bring the hand of the Philistines upon him." And Saul said to David, "Thou shalt this day be my son-in-law again."

Then said Saul, "This wise say to David: 'The king careth for no other dowry but for a hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to be avenged of the king's enemies." For Saul thought to make David fall into the hands of the Philistines.

And when the Philistines went out to war, David behaved himself wiselier than all the servants of Saul: so that his name was much set by.

And Jonathan spake the best of David unto Saul his father and said unto him, "Let not the king sin against his servant David, for he hath not sinned against thee, and his works are to thee ward very good.

And the evil spirit of the LORD was upon Saul as he sat in his house having a javelin in his hand, and David played with his hand.

And when Saul sent messengers to fetch David, she said that he was sick.

Then said Saul to Michal, "Why hast thou mocked me so, and sent away mine enemy, that he is escaped?" And Michal answered Saul, "He said unto me, 'Let me go, or else I will kill thee.'"

Then went he himself to Ramah, and when he came to a great well that is in Secu, he asked and said, "Where are Samuel and David?" And they said, "See, they be at Naioth in Ramah."

And David fled from Naioth in Ramah and went and said before Jonathan, "What have I done? Wherein am I faulty? What is the sin that I have committed before thy father that he seeketh my life?"

And David sware again and said, "Thy father knoweth that I have found grace in thine eyes and therefore he thinketh, 'Jonathan shall not know it, lest he be sorry.' For in very deed even as truly as the LORD liveth, and as truly as thy soul liveth, there is but a step between me and death."

Then said Jonathan unto David, "Whatsoever thy soul desireth, that I will do unto thee."

And David said unto Jonathan, "Behold, tomorrow is the first day of the month, and I should sit with the king at meat. But let me go that I may hide myself in the fields unto this day three days at evening.

Then said David, "Who shall tell me, if thy father answer cruelly?"

Then said Jonathan to David, "Come, and let us go out into the fields." And they went out both of them into the fields.

And Jonathan said unto David, "O LORD God of Israel, when I have groped my father's mind, one time or other within this three days, that it stand well with David: and I then send not unto thee and show it thee, the LORD do so and so unto Jonathan.

Then said Jonathan to David, "Tomorrow shall be the first day of the moon. And thou shalt be missed, because the place shall appear empty.

And I will shoot three arrows by the one side thereof, as though I shot at a mark, and will send after a lad, and bid him go seek the arrows.

If I say unto the lad, 'See the arrows are on this side of thee, bring them' - then come thou: for it is peace and nothing to do, as sure as the LORD liveth.

And so David hid himself in the field. And when the new moon was come, the king sat him down at meat, for to eat.

And the king sat him down after the old manner, in his seat by the wall. And Jonathan arose, and Abner sat by Saul's side, and David's place was empty.

Nevertheless, yet Saul said nothing at all that day. For he thought, 'Something has chanced him that he is not clean.'

But on the morrow which was the second day of the moon, when David's place appeared empty, Saul said unto Jonathan his son, "Wherefore cometh not the son of Jesse to meat, neither yesterday nor today?"

Then was Saul angry with Jonathan and said unto him, "O froward and rebellious, thinkest thou I know not how thou hast chosen the son of Jesse unto thine own rebuke, and unto the rebuke and shame of thy mother?

But Jonathan answered Saul his father and said to him, "Wherefore should he die? What hath he done?"