Wherefore David arose, and went - he and his men, and smote among the Philistines two hundred men, and David brought in their foreskins, and gave them in full tale unto the king, that he might become son-in-law unto the king, and Saul gave him Michal his daughter, to wife.

And Saul saw and knew that, Yahweh, was with David, and that, all Israel, loved him.

So then Saul went on to fear because of David, yet more, - and it came to pass that Saul was hostile to David, all the days.

And, when the princes of the Philistines came forth, so it was, that, as often as they came forth, David was more circumspect than any of the servants of Saul, so that his name was, precious exceedingly.

Then spake Saul unto Jonathan his son, and unto all his servants, that they should put David to death;

So then Jonathan spake of David things that were good, unto Saul his father, - and said unto him - May the king not sin against his servant - against David; for he hath not sinned against, thee, nay, indeed, his doings have been good to theeward exceedingly.

Saul sought to smite David with the spear, even to the wall, but he slipped away from before Saul, who smote the spear into the wall, - whereas, David, fled and escaped, that night.

So Saul sent messengers to see David, saying, - Bring him up in the bed unto me, that I may put him to death.

And Saul said unto Michal - Wherefore, in this way, hast thou deceived me, and let go mine enemy, that he hath escaped? Then said Michal unto Saul, He, himself, said unto me - Let me go, wherefore should I put thee to death?

So, David, fled, and escaped, and came in unto Samuel in Ramah, and told him all that Saul had done to him, - and he and Samuel departed, and dwelt in Naioth.

And, even he, stripped off his upper garments, and, even he, was moved to prophesy before Samuel, and lay prostrate, disrobed, all that day, and all the night. For this cause, do they say, Is, even Saul, among the prophets?

And David fled from Naioth, in Ramah, - and came in, and said before Jonathan - What have I done? What is my transgression, and what my sin, before thy father, that he seeketh my life?

But David sware yet further, and said - Thy father, doth know, that I have found favour in thine eyes, therefore saith he, - Do not let Jonathan know this, lest he grieve; but, indeed, by the life of Yahweh, and by the life of thine own soul, surely there is but as it were a step betwixt me and death!

If, thus, he say - It is well, - thy servant shall have, peace, - but, if it, anger, him, know that harm hath been determined by him.

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 David unto Jonathan, Who shall tell me, - if thy father answer thee aught that is, harsh?

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?

And, not only while I yet live, shalt thou deal with me in the lovingkindness of Yahweh, that I die not:

Saul, however, spake nothing that day, - for he said to himself - It is, an accident, he is, not clean, because he hath not been cleansed.

And it came to pass, on the morrow, the second of the month, that David's place was empty, - and Saul said unto Jonathan his son, Wherefore hath not the son of Jesse come in, either yesterday or to-day, to meat?

and said - Let me go, I pray thee, for, a family sacrifice, have we in the city, and my brethren have commanded me, now, therefore, if I have found favour in thine eyes, let me slip away, I pray thee, that I may see my brethren. For this cause, hath he not come in unto the table of the king.

Then was Saul's anger kindled against Jonathan, and he said unto him, Thou son of rebellious perversity! do I not know that thou art, confederate, with the son of Jesse to thine own confusion, and to the confusion of the shame of thy mother?

And Saul hurled his spear at him, to smite him. So Jonathan knew that it was, determined, of his father, to put David to death.

And it came to pass in the morning, that Jonathan went forth into the field, to the place appointed with David, - a little lad, being with him.

Then said Jonathan unto David - Go in peace, - remembering that, we, have both sworn in the name of Yahweh, saying, Yahweh shall be between me and thee, and between my seed and thy seed, unto times age-abiding. And he arose, and departed, - and, Jonathan, entered the city.

Now, in that very place, was a man of the servants of Saul, on that day, detained before Yahweh, whose name, was Doeg the Edomite, - chief of the shepherds that belonged unto Saul.

And the priest said: The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom thou didst smite in the vale of Elah, lo! that, is wrapped up in a cloth, behind the ephod, if, that, thou wilt take to thee, take it, for there is no other, save that, here. And David said - There is none, like it, give it me.

Then arose David, and fled, that day, from the face of Saul, - and came in unto Achish, king of Gath.

And the servants of Achish said unto him, Is not, this, David, king of the land? Was it not, of this man, that they kept responding in the dances, saying, Saul, hath smitten his, thousands, but, David, his, tens of thousands?

Lacking of madmen, am I that ye should bring in this one to play his mad pranks, unto me? Shall, this, one enter my household?

And there gathered themselves unto him - every one that was in distress, and every one that had a creditor, and every one embittered in soul, and he came to be over them as a prince, - and there were with him, about four hundred men.

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.

So he set them before the king of Moab, - and they dwelt with him, all the days that David was in the fortress.

And, when Saul heard that David was discovered, and the men that were with him - Saul, being seated in Gibeah under the tamarisk-tree in Ramah, with his spear in his hand, and all his servants stationed by him, -

That ye have conspired, all of you, against me, and there is none to uncover mine ear as to the covenanting of my son with the son of Jesse? And none from among you that taketh pity upon me, and that uncovereth mine ear to this , - that, mine own son, hath stirred up, my servants, against me, to lie in wait, as at this day?

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 the king said unto the runners that were stationed by him - Turn ye round and put to death the priests of Yahweh, because, their hand also, is with David, and because they knew that he was, in flight, and unveiled not mine ear. But the servants of the king were not willing to thrust forth their hand, to fall upon the priests of Yahweh.

Then said the king to Doeg, Turn, thou, and fall upon the priests. So Doeg the Edomite turned, and, himself, fell upon the priests, and put to death, that day, four score and five men bearing an ephod of linen;

So Abiathar told David, - that Saul had slain the priests of Yahweh.

Then said David to Abiathar - I knew, that day, when Doeg the Edomite was, there, that he would, surely tell, Saul. I, am chargeable with all the lives of the house of thy father.

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

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.

And David ascertained that, against him, Saul was contriving mischief, - so he said unto Abiathar the priest, Bring hither the ephod.

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:

Then arose David and his men, about six hundred, and went forth out of Keilah, and went to and fro, whithersoever they could, - and, unto Saul, it was told that David had escaped out of Keilah, so he forbare to go forth.

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

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:

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.

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.

And he said unto his men - Far be it from me, of Yahweh, that I should do this thing unto my lord, unto the Anointed of Yahweh, to thrust forth my hand against him, - 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.

Therefore shall, Yahweh, become, judge, and do justice betwixt me and thee, - that he may see, and plead my cause, and justly deliver me out of thy hand.

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.

Now, therefore, lo! I know that thou, shalt indeed become king, - and that the kingdom of Israel, shall be established in thy hand.

Now, therefore, swear unto me by Yahweh, that thou wilt not eat off my seed, after me, - and wilt not destroy my name out of the house my father.

Now there was, a man, in Maon, whose cattle were in Carmel, and, the man, was exceeding great, and, he, had three thousand sheep, and a thousand goats, - and so it was, that he was shearing his sheep in Carmel.

So then David heard in the wilderness, - that Nabal was shearing his sheep.

and say thus - Long life to thee! Mayest, thou, prosper, And, thy household, prosper, And, all that thou hast, prosper!

Now, therefore, have I heard that thou hast shearers, - Well, the shepherds that thou hast, have been with us, we reproached them not, neither missed they, anything, all the days they were in Carmel.

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!

Then Nabal answered the servants of David, and said, Who is David? And who is the son of Jesse? Nowadays, many are the servants that have broken away, every one from the presence of his lord:

Shall I, then, take my bread, and my wine, and my slain beasts, that I have slaughtered for my shearers, - and give unto men of whom I know not whence they are?

Now, therefore, know thou, and see, what thou canst do, for mischief is determined against our lord, and against all his household, - but, he, is such an abandoned man, that one cannot speak unto him.

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.

Let it not be, I pray thee, that my lord regard this abandoned man - Nabal; For, as his name is, so, is he. Nabal, is his name, and, baseness, is with him, - But, I, thy handmaid, saw not the young men of my lord, whom thou didst send.

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 shall this not become to thee a staggering and stumbling of heart, unto my lord - that thou didst either shed blood without need, or that the hand of my lord saved himself. And, when Yahweh hath dealt well with my lord, then remember thou thy handmaid.

So David received at her hand, that which she had brought him, - and, unto herself, he said - Go up, in peace, unto thy house, see! I have hearkened unto thy voice, and accepted thy person.

And it came to pass, in the morning, when the wine had gone out of Nabal, and his wife told him these things, that his heart died within him, and he became like a stone.

And it came to pass, in about ten days, that Yahweh smote Nabal, that he died.

And, when David heard that Nabal was dead, he said - Blessed, be Yahweh, who hath maintained the plea of my reproach, at the hand of Nabal, and hath restrained, his servant, from wrong, yea, the wrong of Nabal, hath Yahweh turned back on his own head. Then sent David, and spake with Abigail, to take her to himself wife.

And Abigail hastened, and mounted, and rode upon her ass, with her five damsels that used to journey at her feet, - and she went her way after the messengers of David, and became his wife.

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.

But David said unto Abishai, Do not destroy him, - for who that hath thrust forth his hand against the Anointed of Yahweh, shall be guiltless?

And David said - By the life of Yahweh, surely, Yahweh himself, must smite him, - or, his day, must come that he die, or, into battle, must he go down, and be swept away.

Far be it from me, of Yahweh, that I should thrust forth my hand against the anointed of Yahweh! Now, therefore, take, I pray thee, the spear that is at his head, and the cruse of water, and let us go our way.

And David cried aloud unto the people, and unto Abner son of Ner, saying, Wilt thou not answer, Abner? Then answered Abner, and said, Who art thou, that hast cried aloud unto the king?

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 he said, Wherefore is it, that my lord is in pursuit of his servant? For what have I done? or what is in my hand that is wrong?

And let, Yahweh, give back to each man, his righteousness, and his faithfulness, - in that Yahweh delivered thee, to-day, into my hand, but I would not thrust forth my hand against the Anointed of Yahweh.

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 David arose, and he and the six hundred men that were with him passed over, unto Achish son of Maoch, king of Gath.

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

Then said David unto Achish - If, I pray thee, I have found favour in thine eyes, let them give me a place in one of the cities in the country, that I may dwell there, - for why should thy servant dwell in the royal city, with thee?

So Achish gave him, on that day, Ziklag, - wherefore Ziklag hath pertained unto the kings of Judah, unto this day.

And the number of the days that David dwelt in the country of the Philistines became a year and four months.

But, neither man nor woman, used David to save alive, to bring into Gath, for he said, Lest they tell of us, saying, - So, hath David done, and, such, his manner, all the days that he hath dwelt in the country of the Philistines.

And it came to pass, in those days, when the Philistines gathered together their hosts for war, to fight with Israel, that Achish said unto David, Thou must, know, that, with me, shalt thou go forth in the host, thou and thy men.

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.

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.

that Yahweh may deliver, Israel also, with thee, into the hand of the Philistines, and, to-morrow, thou and thy sons with thee are about to fall, - the host of Israel also, will Yahweh deliver, into the hand of the Philistines.

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.

Now, therefore, I pray thee, hearken, thou also, unto the voice of thy handmaid, and let me set before thee a morsel of food, and eat thou, - that there may be in thee strength, when thou goest on thy journey.

Now the Philistines gathered together all their hosts, towards Aphek, - and, the Israelites, were encamping by the fountain, that is in Jezreel.

But the princes of the Philistines raged against him, and the princes of the Philistines said unto him - Let the man go back, that he may return unto the place which thou didst appoint him, and let him not go down with us, into battle, so shall he not become to us a traitor, in the battle, - for, wherewith, should this fellow gain favour with his lord? Would it not be with the heads of those men?