And he standeth and calleth unto the ranks of Israel, and saith to them, 'Why are ye come out to set in array the battle? am not I the Philistine, and ye servants to Saul? choose for you a man, and let him come down unto me;

And Saul heareth -- and all Israel -- these words of the Philistine, and they are broken down and greatly afraid.

and the three eldest sons of Jesse go, they have gone after Saul to battle; and the name of his three sons who have gone into battle are Eliab the first-born, and his second Abinadab, and the third Shammah.

And Saul, and they, and all the men of Israel are in the valley of Elah, fighting with the Philistines.

and Israel and the Philistines set in array rank to meet rank.

and all the men of Israel when they see the man flee from his presence, and are greatly afraid.

And David speaketh unto the men who are standing by him, saying, 'What is done to the man who smiteth this Philistine, and hath turned aside reproach from Israel? for who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he hath reproached the ranks of the living God?'

And the words which David hath spoken are heard, and they declare before Saul, and he receiveth him;

And Saul saith unto David, 'Thou art not able to go unto this Philistine, to fight with him, for a youth thou art, and he a man of war from his youth.'

and all this assembly do know that not by sword and by spear doth Jehovah save, that the battle is Jehovah's, and He hath given you into our hand.'

And David goeth out whithersoever Saul doth send him; he acted wisely, and Saul setteth him over the men of war, and it is good in the eyes of all the people, and also in the eyes of the servants of Saul.

And the servants of Saul speak in the ears of David these words, and David saith, 'Is it a light thing in your eyes to be son-in-law to the king -- and I a poor man, and lightly esteemed?'

and I -- I go out, and have stood by the side of my father in the field where thou art, and I speak of thee unto my father, and have seen what is coming, and have declared to thee.'

And Jonathan speaketh good of David unto Saul his father, and saith unto him, 'Let not the king sin against his servant, against David, because he hath not sinned against thee, and because his works for thee are very good;

And there addeth to be war, and David goeth out and fighteth against the Philistines, and smiteth among them -- a great smiting, and they flee from his face.

And the messengers come in, and lo, the teraphim are on the bed, and the mattress of goats' hair, for his pillows.

And he goeth -- he also -- to Ramath, and cometh in unto the great well which is in Sechu, and asketh, and saith, 'Where are Samuel and David?' and one saith, 'Lo, in Naioth in Ramah.'

And he saith to him, 'Far be it! thou dost not die; lo, my father doth not do anything great or small and doth not uncover mine ear; and wherefore doth my father hide from me this thing? this thing is not.'

And David saith unto Jonathan, 'Who doth declare to me? or what if thy father doth answer thee sharply?'

And Jonathan saith unto David, 'Jehovah, God of Israel -- when I search my father, about this time to-morrow or the third day, and lo, good is towards David, and I do not then send unto thee, and have uncovered thine ear --

thus doth Jehovah do to Jonathan, and thus doth He add; when the evil concerning thee is good to my father, then I have uncovered thine ear, and sent thee away, and thou hast gone in peace, and Jehovah is with thee, as he was with my father;

and on the third day thou dost certainly come down, and hast come in unto the place where thou wast hidden in the day of the work, and hast remained near the stone Ezel.

and lo, I send the youth: Go, find the arrows. If I at all say to the youth, Lo, the arrows are on this side of thee -- take them, -- then come thou, for peace is for thee, and there is nothing; Jehovah liveth.

And if thus I say to the young man, Lo, the arrows are beyond thee, -- go, for Jehovah hath sent thee away;

And it cometh to pass on the second morrow of the new moon, that David's place is looked after, and Saul saith unto Jonathan his son, 'Wherefore hath the son of Jesse not come in, either yesterday or to-day, unto the food?'

And he saith to his youth, 'Run, find, I pray thee, the arrows which I am shooting;' the youth is running, and he hath shot the arrow, causing it to pass over him.

And the youth cometh unto the place of the arrow which Jonathan hath shot, and Jonathan calleth after the youth, and saith, 'Is not the arrow beyond thee?'

and now, what is there under thy hand? five loaves give into my hand, or that which is found.'

And David answereth the priest, and saith to him, 'Surely, if women have been restrained from us as heretofore in my going out, then the vessels of the young men are holy, and it is a common way: and also, surely to-day it is sanctified in the vessel.'

And David saith to Ahimelech, 'And is there not here under thy hand spear or sword? for neither my sword nor my vessels have I taken in my hand, for the matter of the king was urgent.'

and gather themselves unto him do every man in distress, and every man who hath an exactor, and every man bitter in soul, and he is over them for head, and there are with him about four hundred men.

And Saul heareth that David hath become known, and the men who are with him, and Saul is abiding in Gibeah, under the grove in Ramah, and his spear is in his hand, and all his servants standing by him.

And Saul saith to his servants who are standing by him, 'Hear, I pray you, ye Benjamites; also to all of you doth the son of Jesse give fields and vineyards! all of you he doth appoint heads of thousands and heads of hundreds!

for ye have conspired all of you against me, and there is none uncovering mine ear about my son's covenanting with the son of Jesse, and there is none of you grieving for me, and uncovering mine ear, that my son hath raised up my servant against me, to lie in wait as at this day.'

And the king sendeth to call Ahimelech son of Ahitub, the priest, and all the house of his father, the priests, who are in Nob, and they come all of them unto the king;

To-day have I begun to ask for him at God? far be it from me! let not the king lay anything against his servant, against any of the house of my father, for thy servant hath known nothing of all this, less or more.'

And the king saith to runners, those standing by him, 'Turn round, and put to death the priests of Jehovah, because their hand also is with David, and because they have known that he is fleeing, and have not uncovered mine ear;' and the servants of the king have not been willing to put forth their hand to come against the priests of Jehovah.

And they declare to David, saying, 'Lo, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah, and they are spoiling the threshing-floors.'

And David's men say unto him, 'Lo, we here in Judah are afraid; and how much more when we go to Keilah, unto the ranks of the Philistines?'

And David riseth -- and his men -- about six hundred men, and they go out from Keilah, and go up and down where they go up and down; and to Saul it hath been declared that David hath escaped from Keilah, and he ceaseth to go out.

And Saul saith, 'Blessed are ye of Jehovah, for ye have pity on me;

go, I pray you, prepare yet, and know and see his place where his foot is; who hath seen him there? for one hath said unto me, He is very subtile.

And see and know of all the hiding-places where he hideth himself, and ye have turned back unto me prepared, and I have gone with you, and it hath been, if he is in the land, that I have searched him out through all the thousands of Judah.'

And they rise and go to Ziph before Saul, and David and his men are in the wilderness of Maon, in the plain, at the south of the desolate place.

And Saul goeth on this side of the mountain, and David and his men on that side of the mountain, and David is hastened to go from the face of Saul, and Saul and his men are compassing David and his men, to catch them.

and he cometh in unto folds of the flock, on the way, and there is a cave, and Saul goeth in to cover his feet; and David and his men in the sides of the cave are abiding.

And Samuel dieth, and all Israel are gathered, and mourn for him, and bury him in his house, in Ramah; and David riseth and goeth down unto the wilderness of Paran.

And Nabal answereth the servants of David and saith, 'Who is David, and who the son of Jesse? to-day have servants been multiplied who are breaking away each from his master;

and I have taken my bread, and my water, and my flesh, which I slaughtered for my shearers, and have given it to men whom I have not known whence they are!'

And to Abigail wife of Nabal hath one young man of the youths declared, saying, 'Lo, David hath sent messengers out of the wilderness to bless our lord, and he flieth upon them;

and the men are very good to us, and have not put us to shame, and we have not looked after anything all the days we have gone up and down with them, in our being in the field;

a wall they have been unto us both by night and by day, all the days of our being with them, feeding the flock.

And, now, know and consider what thou dost; for evil hath been determined against our lord, and against all his house, and he is too much a son of worthlessness to be spoken to.'

and it hath come to pass, she is riding on the ass and is coming down in the secret part of the hill-country, and lo, David and his men are coming down to meet her, and she meeteth them.

and falleth at his feet and saith, 'On me, my lord, the iniquity; and let, I pray thee, thy handmaid speak in thine ear, and hear the words of thy handmaid.

And, now, this blessing which thy maid-servant hath brought to my lord -- it hath been given to the young men who are going up and down at the feet of my lord.

that this is not to thee for a stumbling-block, and for an offence of heart to my lord -- either to shed blood for nought, or my lord's restraining himself; and Jehovah hath done good to my lord, and thou hast remembered thy handmaid.'

And Abigail cometh in unto Nabal, and lo, he hath a banquet in his house, like a banquet of the king, and the heart of Nabal is glad within him, and he is drunk unto excess, and she hath not declared to him anything, less or more, till the light of the morning.

And Abigail hasteth and riseth, and rideth on the ass; and five of her young women who are going at her feet; and she goeth after the messengers of David, and is to him for a wife.

And Ahinoam hath David taken from Jezreel, and they are -- even both of them -- to him for wives;

and David riseth, and cometh in unto the place where Saul hath encamped, and David seeth the place where Saul hath lain, and Abner son of Ner, head of his host, and Saul is lying in the path, and the people are encamping round about him.

And David cometh -- and Abishai -- unto the people by night, and lo, Saul is lying sleeping in the path, and his spear struck into the earth at his pillow, and abner and the people are lying round about him.

And David saith, 'Jehovah liveth; except Jehovah doth smite him, or his day come that he hath died, or into battle he go down, and hath been consumed --

And David taketh the spear, and the cruse of water at the pillow of Saul, and they go away, and there is none seeing, and there is none knowing, and there is none awaking, for all of them are sleeping, for a deep sleep from Jehovah hath fallen upon them.

Not good is this thing which thou hast done; Jehovah liveth, but ye are sons of death, in that ye have not watched over your lord, over the anointed of Jehovah; and now, see where the king's spear is, and the cruse of water which is at his bolster.'

And, now, let, I pray thee, my lord the king hear the words of his servant: if Jehovah hath moved thee against me, let Him accept a present; and if the sons of men -- cursed are they before Jehovah, for they have cast me out to-day from being admitted into the inheritance of Jehovah, saying, Go, serve other gods.

And Saul saith, 'I have sinned; turn back, my son David, for I do evil to thee no more, because that my soul hath been precious in thine eyes this day; lo, I have acted foolishly, and do err very greatly.'

And David riseth, and passeth over, he and six hundred men who are with him, unto Achish son of Maoch king of Gath;

and David goeth up and his men, and they push unto the Geshurite, and the Gerizite, and the Amalekite, (for they are inhabitants of the land from of old), as thou comest in to Shur and unto the land of Egypt,

And it cometh to pass in those days, that the Philistines gather their camps for the war, to fight against Israel, and Achish saith unto David, 'Thou dost certainly know that with me thou dost go out into the camp, thou and thy men.'

And the Philistines are gathered, and come in, and encamp in Shunem, and Saul gathereth all Israel, and they encamp in Gilboa,

and Saul asketh at Jehovah, and Jehovah hath not answered him, either by dreams, or by Urim, or by prophets.

And Samuel saith unto Saul, 'Why hast thou troubled me, to bring me up?' And Saul saith, 'I have great distress, and the Philistines are fighting against me, God hath turned aside from me, and hath not answered me any more, either by the hand of the prophets, or by dreams; and I call for thee to let me know what I do.'

yea, Jehovah giveth also Israel with thee into the hand of the Philistines, and tomorrow thou and thy sons are with me; also the camp of Israel doth Jehovah give into the hand of the Philistines.'

And the Philistines gather all their camps to Aphek, and the Israelites are encamping at a fountain which is in Jezreel,

and the princes of the Philistines are passing on by hundreds, and by thousands, and David and his men are passing on in the rear with Achish.

And the heads of the Philistines say, 'What are these Hebrews?' and Achish saith unto the heads of the Philistines, 'Is not this David servant of Saul king of Israel, who hath been with me these days or these years, and I have not found in him anything wrong from the day of his falling away till this day.'

And the heads of the Philistines are wroth against him, and the heads of the Philistines say to him, 'Send back the man, and he doth turn back unto his place whither thou hast appointed him, and doth not go down with us into battle, and is not to us for an adversary in battle; and wherewith doth this one reconcile himself unto his lord -- is it not with the heads of those men?'

and they take captive the women who are in it; from small unto great they have not put any one to death, and they lead away, and go on their way.

And David lifteth up -- and the people who are with him -- their voice and weep, till that they have no power to weep.

And David goeth on, he and six hundred men who are with him, and they come in unto the brook of Besor, and those left have stood still,

And he bringeth him down, and lo, they are spread out over the face of all the earth, eating, and drinking, and feasting, with all the great spoil which they have taken out of the land of the Philistines, and out of the land of Judah.

And David smiteth them from the twilight even unto the evening of the morrow, and there hath not escaped of them a man, except four hundred young men who have ridden on the camels, and are fled.

And David cometh in unto the two hundred men who were too faint to go after David, and whom they cause to abide at the brook of Besor, and they go out to meet David, and to meet the people who are with him, and David approacheth the people, and asketh of them of welfare.

And David saith, 'Ye do not do so, my brethren, with that which Jehovah hath given to us, and He doth preserve us, and doth give the troop which cometh against us into our hand;

and to those in Hebron, and to all the places where David had gone up and down, he and his men.

And the Philistines are fighting against Israel, and the men of Israel flee from the face of the Philistines, and fall wounded in mount Gilboa,

And they see -- the men of Israel, who are beyond the valley, and who are beyond the Jordan -- that the men of Israel have fled, and that Saul and his sons have died, and they forsake the cities and flee, and Philistines come in, and dwell in them.

and it cometh to pass, on the third day, that lo, a man hath come in out of the camp from Saul, and his garments are rent, and earth on his head; and it cometh to pass, in his coming in unto David, that he falleth to the earth, and doth obeisance.

And David saith unto the youth who is declaring it to him, 'How hast thou known that Saul and Jonathan his son are dead?'

And he saith unto me, Stand, I pray thee, over me, and put me to death, for seized me hath the arrow, for all my soul is still in me.

And David taketh hold on his garments, and rendeth them, and also all the men who are with him,

Saul and Jonathan! They are loved and pleasant in their lives, And in their death they have not been parted. Than eagles they have been lighter, Than lions they have been mightier!

Daughters of Israel! for Saul weep ye, Who is clothing you in scarlet with delights. Who is lifting up ornaments of gold on your clothing.

How have the mighty fallen, Yea, the weapons of war perish!'

and his men who are with him hath David brought up -- a man and his household -- and they dwell in the cities of Hebron.

And the men of Judah come, and anoint there David for king over the house of Judah; and they declare to David, saying, 'The men of Jabesh-Gilead are they who buried Saul.'

And David sendeth messengers unto the men of Jabesh-Gilead, and saith unto them, 'Blessed are ye of Jehovah, in that ye have done this kindness with your lord, with Saul, that ye bury him.

and now, are your hands strong, and be ye for sons of valour, for your lord Saul. is dead, and also -- me have the house of Judah anointed for king over them.'

And there are there three sons of Zeruiah, Joab, and Abishai, and Asahel, and Asahel is light on his feet, as one of the roes which are in the field,