And Saul hearkened unto the voice of Jonathan, - and Saul sware, By the life of Yahweh, he shall not be put to death!

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.

And Saul sent messengers unto David's house, to watch him, and to put him to death, in the morning! And Michal his wife told David, saying, If thou do not deliver thyself to-night, to-morrow, art thou to be put to death.

And, when Saul sent messengers to take David, she said - He is, sick.

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.

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 they told Saul, and he sent other messengers, then were, they also, moved to prophesy. And, when Saul again sent messengers a third time, then were, they also, moved to prophesy.

Then went, he also himself, to Ramah, and came in as far as the well of the threshing-floor which is in Sephi, and asked and said, Where are Samuel and David? And one said - Lo! in Naioth, in Ramah.

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, 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 he said unto him - Far be it! thou shalt not die. Lo! my father doeth nothing, great or small, without unveiling mine ear, - wherefore, then, should my father hide from me, this thing? There is, nothing, in this.

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!

And Jonathan said unto David, - Whatsoever thy soul shall desire, I will do for thee.

And David said unto Jonathan - Lo! the new moon, is to-morrow, and, I, must not sit with the king, to eat, - let me go then, and hide myself in the field, until the evening.

If thy father, enquire, for me, then shalt thou say - David, did ask leave, of me, to run to Bethlehem, his own city, for, a yearly sacrifice, is to be held there for all the family.

Thus shalt thou do a lovingkindness for thy servant, for, into a covenant of Yahweh, hast thou brought thy servant, with thee, - But, if there is in me transgression, put me to death, thyself, for, unto thy father, wherefore shouldst thou bring me in?

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?

And Jonathan said unto David, Come! and let us go out into the field. And they two went out into the field.

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.

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

And again Jonathan sware unto David, by his love to him, - for, as he loved his own soul, so loved he him.

Then said Jonathan unto him - To-morrow, is the new moon, and thou wilt be missed, for thy seat will be empty;

and, when thou hast tarried three days, thou shalt come down quickly and enter the place, where thou didst hide thyself on the day of the deed, and shall remain by the side of this mound.

And, as for me - three arrows to the side, will I shoot, - as though I shot at a mark.

And lo! I will send the boy saying , Go, find the arrow! If I, say, to the boy - Lo! the arrows, are on this side of thee - take them, then come, for there is peace for thee, and no cause for fear , by the life of Yahweh.

But, if, thus, I say to the youth, Lo! the arrows are beyond thee, depart, for Yahweh hath sent thee away.

So David hid himself in the field - and, when the new moon had come, the king sat down to eat, food,

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 Jonathan answered Saul, - David, asked leave, of me, to go as far as Bethlehem;

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?

For, as long as, the son of Jesse, liveth on the ground, thou wilt not be established, thou nor thy kingdom, Now, therefore, send and fetch him unto me, for, doomed to death, is he!

And Jonathan responded to Saul his father, - and said unto him - Wherefore must he be put to death, What hath he done?

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.

Jonathan therefore rose up from the table, in a glow of anger, - and did eat no food on the second day of the month, for he was grieved for David, because his father had reviled him.

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.

And he said to his lad - Run, find, I pray thee, the arrows which I am about to shoot. The boy, ran, but, he, shot the arrow beyond him.

And Jonathan cried after the lad, Haste thee - be quick, do not stay! so Jonathan's lad picked up the arrows and brought them unto his master.

So Jonathan gave his weapons unto his lad, and said to him, Go carry them into the city.

As soon as, the lad, was gone, David, arose from beside the South, and fell on his face to the earth, and bowed himself down three times, - and they kissed each other, and wept over each other, until, David, exceeded.

Then came David to Nob, unto Ahimelech, the priest, - and Ahimelech trembled when he met David, and said unto him - Why art thou, alone, and, no man, with thee?

And David answered the priest and said to him - Of a truth, women, have been withheld from us, of late, through my coming out, and the wallets of the young men have become hallowed, - while the bread , itself, is in a manner common, and the more so since, to-day, there are other loaves to be hallowed, in the vessel.

So the priest gave him hallowed bread , - because there was there no bread, save the Presence-Bread, which had to be removed from before Yahweh, to put hot bread, on the day when it should be taken away.

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.

Then said David to Ahimelech, See whether there is here, under thy hand, a spear or a sword? for, neither my sword, nor my other weapons, did I take in my hand, for, the king's business, was, urgent.

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.

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.

then said Saul unto his servants who were stationed by him - Hear, I pray you, ye Benjamites! What! even to all of you, will the son of Jesse give fields and vineyards? All of you, will he appoint to be princes of thousands, and princes of hundreds?

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?

Then the king sent to call Ahimelech, son of Ahitub, the priest, and all the house of his father - the priests, who were in Nob, - and they came, all of them, unto the king.

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?

Then Ahimelech answered the king, and said, - But who, among all thy servants, like David, is, faithful, being son-in-law to the king, and, cometh near to have audience with thee, and is, honoured in thy household?

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: Thou shalt, die, Ahimelech, - thou and all the household of thy father.

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;

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.

Abide with me! do not fear, for, whoso seeketh my life, seeketh thy life, - for, in safeguard, shall thou be, with me.

But the men of David said unto him, Lo! we, here, in Judah, are afraid, - how much more, then, if we go to Keilah, against the ranks of the Philistines?

So David yet again enquired if Yahweh, and Yahweh answered him, - and said - Arise, go down to Keilah, for I am about to deliver the Philistines into thy hand.

David therefore went, with his men, to Keilah, and fought with the Philistines, and drave forth their cattle, and smote them, with a great smiting, so David saved the inhabitants of Keilah.

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.

So Saul summoned all the people to war, - to go down to Keilah, to besiege David, and his men.

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.

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.

And they two solemnised a covenant before Yahweh, - and David remained in the thicket, but, Jonathan, departed to his own house.

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.

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.

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:

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.

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!

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.

Let Yahweh do justice betwixt me and thee, and let Yahweh avenge me of thee, - but, mine own hand, shall not be upon thee.

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.

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.

David, therefore, sent ten young men, - and David said unto the young men, - Go up to Carmel, and enter in unto Nabal, and ye shall ask him, in my name, of his welfare;

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

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!