Thematic Bible
Thematic Bible
Amalekites » Defeated by saul
And Saul took the kingdom over Israel and fought against all his enemies on every side, with Moab, and with the sons of Ammon, and with Edom, and with the kings of Zobah, and with the Philistines. And wherever he turned himself, he troubled them. And he gathered an army and struck the Amalekites, and delivered Israel out of the hands of those who spoiled them.
And Samuel said to Saul, Jehovah sent me to anoint you to be king over His people, over Israel. And now listen to the voice of the words of Jehovah. So says Jehovah of Hosts, I will visit Amalek with what he did to Israel, how he set against him in the way when he came up from Egypt. Now go and strike Amalek, and completely destroy all that they have, and do not spare them. But kill both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass. read more.
And Saul gathered the people together and numbered them in Telaim, two hundred thousand footmen and ten thousand men of Judah. And Saul came to a city of Amalek and lay in wait in the valley. And Saul said to the Kenites, Go! Depart! Get down from among the Amalekites, lest I destroy you with them. For you showed kindness to all the sons of Israel when they came up out of Egypt. So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites. And Saul struck the Amalekites from Havilah, as you come to Shur, which is over across from Egypt. And he took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive. And he completely destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword. But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep and of the oxen and of the fatlings and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not completely destroy them. But everything that was vile and feeble they completely destroyed. And the Word of Jehovah came to Samuel saying, It repents Me that I have set up Saul to be king. For he has turned back from following Me and has not done My commands. And it grieved Samuel, and he cried out to Jehovah all night. And when Samuel rose up early in the morning to meet Saul, it was told to Samuel, saying, Saul came to Carmel, and behold, he set up a place for himself, and has gone around and passed on and gone down to Gilgal. And Samuel came to Saul. And Saul said to him, You are blessed of Jehovah. I have done the command of Jehovah. And Samuel said, What then is this bleating of the flock in my ears? And what is the sound of the herd which I hear? 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 to Jehovah your God. And the rest we have completely destroyed. And Samuel said to Saul, Stop! And I will tell you what Jehovah has said to me tonight. And he said to him, Speak. And Samuel said, When you were little in your own sight, did you not become the head of the tribes of Israel? And Jehovah anointed you king over Israel. And Jehovah sent you on the way and said, Go and completely destroy the sinners, Amalek, and fight against them until you destroy them. Why then did you not obey the voice of Jehovah? Why did you fly on the spoil and do evil in the sight of Jehovah? And Saul said to Samuel, Yes, I have obeyed the voice of Jehovah, and have gone the way which Jehovah sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have completely destroyed the Amalekites. But the people took from the spoil, of the flocks and herd, the best of the things devoted to sacrifice to Jehovah your God in Gilgal. And Samuel said, Does Jehovah delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of Jehovah? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice! To listen is better than the fat of rams! For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idol-worship. Because you have rejected the Word of Jehovah, He has also rejected you from being king! And Saul said to Samuel, I have sinned. For I have disobeyed the command of Jehovah, and your word, because I feared the people and obeyed their voice. And now please pardon my sin and turn again with me so that I may worship Jehovah. And Samuel said to Saul, I will not return with you, for you have rejected the Word of Jehovah, and Jehovah has rejected you from being king over Israel. And Samuel turned around to go, and he laid hold on the skirt of his robe, and it tore. And Samuel said to him, Jehovah has torn the kingdom of Israel from you this day, and has given it to a neighbor of yours who is better than you. And also the Glory of Israel will not lie nor repent, for He is not a man that He should repent. Then he said, I have sinned. Please honor me now before the elders of my people and before Israel, and turn again with me. And I shall worship Jehovah your God. And Samuel turned again after Saul, and Saul worshiped Jehovah. And Samuel said, Bring here to me Agag the king of the Amalekites. And Agag came to him daintily. And Agag said, Surely the bitterness of death is past. And Samuel said, As your sword has made women childless, so shall your mother be childless among women. And Samuel cut Agag in pieces before Jehovah in Gilgal.
And Saul gathered the people together and numbered them in Telaim, two hundred thousand footmen and ten thousand men of Judah. And Saul came to a city of Amalek and lay in wait in the valley. And Saul said to the Kenites, Go! Depart! Get down from among the Amalekites, lest I destroy you with them. For you showed kindness to all the sons of Israel when they came up out of Egypt. So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites. And Saul struck the Amalekites from Havilah, as you come to Shur, which is over across from Egypt. And he took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive. And he completely destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword. But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep and of the oxen and of the fatlings and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not completely destroy them. But everything that was vile and feeble they completely destroyed. And the Word of Jehovah came to Samuel saying, It repents Me that I have set up Saul to be king. For he has turned back from following Me and has not done My commands. And it grieved Samuel, and he cried out to Jehovah all night. And when Samuel rose up early in the morning to meet Saul, it was told to Samuel, saying, Saul came to Carmel, and behold, he set up a place for himself, and has gone around and passed on and gone down to Gilgal. And Samuel came to Saul. And Saul said to him, You are blessed of Jehovah. I have done the command of Jehovah. And Samuel said, What then is this bleating of the flock in my ears? And what is the sound of the herd which I hear? 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 to Jehovah your God. And the rest we have completely destroyed. And Samuel said to Saul, Stop! And I will tell you what Jehovah has said to me tonight. And he said to him, Speak. And Samuel said, When you were little in your own sight, did you not become the head of the tribes of Israel? And Jehovah anointed you king over Israel. And Jehovah sent you on the way and said, Go and completely destroy the sinners, Amalek, and fight against them until you destroy them. Why then did you not obey the voice of Jehovah? Why did you fly on the spoil and do evil in the sight of Jehovah? And Saul said to Samuel, Yes, I have obeyed the voice of Jehovah, and have gone the way which Jehovah sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have completely destroyed the Amalekites. But the people took from the spoil, of the flocks and herd, the best of the things devoted to sacrifice to Jehovah your God in Gilgal. And Samuel said, Does Jehovah delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of Jehovah? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice! To listen is better than the fat of rams! For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idol-worship. Because you have rejected the Word of Jehovah, He has also rejected you from being king! And Saul said to Samuel, I have sinned. For I have disobeyed the command of Jehovah, and your word, because I feared the people and obeyed their voice. And now please pardon my sin and turn again with me so that I may worship Jehovah. And Samuel said to Saul, I will not return with you, for you have rejected the Word of Jehovah, and Jehovah has rejected you from being king over Israel. And Samuel turned around to go, and he laid hold on the skirt of his robe, and it tore. And Samuel said to him, Jehovah has torn the kingdom of Israel from you this day, and has given it to a neighbor of yours who is better than you. And also the Glory of Israel will not lie nor repent, for He is not a man that He should repent. Then he said, I have sinned. Please honor me now before the elders of my people and before Israel, and turn again with me. And I shall worship Jehovah your God. And Samuel turned again after Saul, and Saul worshiped Jehovah. And Samuel said, Bring here to me Agag the king of the Amalekites. And Agag came to him daintily. And Agag said, Surely the bitterness of death is past. And Samuel said, As your sword has made women childless, so shall your mother be childless among women. And Samuel cut Agag in pieces before Jehovah in Gilgal.
Amalekites, the » Governed by kings
And Saul said to Samuel, Yes, I have obeyed the voice of Jehovah, and have gone the way which Jehovah sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have completely destroyed the Amalekites.
Verse Concepts
And Samuel said, Bring here to me Agag the king of the Amalekites. And Agag came to him daintily. And Agag said, Surely the bitterness of death is past.
Verse Concepts
Amalekites, the » Agag, king of, slain by samuel
And Samuel said, Bring here to me Agag the king of the Amalekites. And Agag came to him daintily. And Agag said, Surely the bitterness of death is past. And Samuel said, As your sword has made women childless, so shall your mother be childless among women. And Samuel cut Agag in pieces before Jehovah in Gilgal.
Captive » Cruelty to » Putting to death
And Samuel said, Bring here to me Agag the king of the Amalekites. And Agag came to him daintily. And Agag said, Surely the bitterness of death is past. And Samuel said, As your sword has made women childless, so shall your mother be childless among women. And Samuel cut Agag in pieces before Jehovah in Gilgal.
And he hanged the king of Ai on a tree until evening. And as soon as the sun was down, Joshua commanded that they should take his body down from the tree and throw it down at the entrance to the gate of the city, and raise on it a great heap of stones, to this day.
Verse Concepts
And Zebah and Zalmunna said, Rise and fall upon us. For as the man is, so is his strength. And Gideon arose and killed Zebah and Zalmunna, and took away the ornaments on their camels' necks.
Verse Concepts
And the sons of Israel took all the women of Midian captive, and their little ones, and the spoil of all their cattle, and all their flocks, and all their goods. And they burned with fire all their cities, their homes, and all their towers. And they took all the spoil and all the prey of men and animals. read more.
And they brought the captives, and the prey, and the spoil, to Moses and to Eleazar the priest, and to the congregation of the sons of Israel, to the camp at the plains of Moab, which are beside Jordan, at Jericho. And Moses and Eleazar the priest, and all the rulers of the congregation, went forth to meet them outside the camp. And Moses was angry with the officers of the army, the captains over thousands and captains over hundreds, who came from the battle. And Moses said to them, Have you saved all the women alive? Behold, these caused the sons of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to commit sin against Jehovah in the matter of Peor, and the plague was on the congregation of Jehovah. And now kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman that has known man by lying with him. But all the female children that have not known a man by lying with him, keep alive for yourselves. And stay outside the camp seven days. Whosoever has killed any person, and whoever has touched any dead one, purify yourselves and your captives on the third day and on the seventh day. And purify all clothing, and all that is made of skin, and all work of goats' hair, and all things made of wood.
And they brought the captives, and the prey, and the spoil, to Moses and to Eleazar the priest, and to the congregation of the sons of Israel, to the camp at the plains of Moab, which are beside Jordan, at Jericho. And Moses and Eleazar the priest, and all the rulers of the congregation, went forth to meet them outside the camp. And Moses was angry with the officers of the army, the captains over thousands and captains over hundreds, who came from the battle. And Moses said to them, Have you saved all the women alive? Behold, these caused the sons of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to commit sin against Jehovah in the matter of Peor, and the plague was on the congregation of Jehovah. And now kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman that has known man by lying with him. But all the female children that have not known a man by lying with him, keep alive for yourselves. And stay outside the camp seven days. Whosoever has killed any person, and whoever has touched any dead one, purify yourselves and your captives on the third day and on the seventh day. And purify all clothing, and all that is made of skin, and all work of goats' hair, and all things made of wood.
And when Jehovah your God has delivered it into your hands, you shall strike every male of it with the edge of the sword.
Verse Concepts
When you go forth to war against your enemies, and Jehovah your God has delivered them into your hands and you have taken them captive,
Verse Concepts
And Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to the camp to Gilgal. But these five kings fled and hid themselves in a cave at Makkedah. And it was told to Joshua, saying, The five kings have been found hidden in a cave at Makkedah. read more.
And Joshua said, Roll great stones on the mouth of the cave, and set men by it in order to keep them. And do not stay. Pursue your enemies and strike the ones who are behind. Do not allow them to enter into their cities. For Jehovah your God has delivered them into your hand. And it happened, when Joshua and the sons of Israel had made an end of killing them with a very great slaughter until they were gone, the rest of those who remained entered into fortified cities. And all the people returned in peace to the camp to Joshua at Makkedah. None moved his tongue against any of the sons of Israel. And Joshua said, Open the mouth of the cave, and bring those five kings out of the cave to me. And they did so, and brought those five kings out of the cave to him: the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, the king of Eglon. And it happened, when they brought out those kings to Joshua, Joshua called for all the men of Israel. And he said to the commanders of the men of war who had gone with him, Draw near, set your feet on the necks of these kings. And they drew near and put their feet on their necks. And Joshua said to them, Do not fear nor be dismayed. Be strong and of good courage. For so shall Jehovah do to all your enemies against whom you fight. And afterward Joshua struck them and killed them, and hanged them on five trees. And they were hanging on the trees until the evening. And it happened at the time of the going down of the sun, Joshua commanded, and they took them down off the trees and threw them into the cave in which they had been hidden, and laid great stones in the cave's mouth, which remain until this very day. And that day Joshua took Makkedah and struck it with the edge of the sword, and he utterly destroyed the king of it, them, and every soul in it. He let none remain. And he did to the king of Makkedah as he did to the king of Jericho. And Joshua passed from Makkedah, and all Israel with him, to Libnah, and fought against Libnah. And Jehovah delivered it also, and its king, into the hand of Israel. And he struck it with the edge of the sword, and every soul in it. He let none remain in it, but did to its king as he did to the king of Jericho. And Joshua passed from Libnah, and all Israel with him, to Lachish, and camped against it, and fought against it. And Jehovah delivered Lachish into the hand of Israel, who took it on the second day, and struck it with the edge of the sword, and every soul in it, according to all that he had done to Libnah. Then Horam, king of Gezer, came up to help Lachish. And Joshua struck him and his people until he had left him none remaining. And from Lachish Joshua passed to Eglon, and all Israel with him. And they camped against it and fought against it. And they took it in that day, and struck it with the edge of the sword; and every soul in it he completely destroyed that day, according to all that he had done to Lachish. And Joshua went on from Eglon, and all Israel with him, to Hebron. And they fought against it. And they took it, and struck it with the edge of the sword, and its king, and all its cities, and every soul in it. He left none remaining, according to all that he had done to Eglon, but destroyed it, and all the souls that were in it. And Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to Debir, and fought against it. And he took it, and its king, and all its cities. And they struck them with the edge of the sword, and destroyed every soul in it. He left none remaining. As he had done to Hebron, so he did to Debir, and to its king, as he had done also to Libnah, and to its king. And Joshua struck all the land, the hills, and the south, and the valley, and the springs, and all their kings. He left none remaining, but destroyed all that breathed, as Jehovah, the God of Israel commanded.
And Joshua said, Roll great stones on the mouth of the cave, and set men by it in order to keep them. And do not stay. Pursue your enemies and strike the ones who are behind. Do not allow them to enter into their cities. For Jehovah your God has delivered them into your hand. And it happened, when Joshua and the sons of Israel had made an end of killing them with a very great slaughter until they were gone, the rest of those who remained entered into fortified cities. And all the people returned in peace to the camp to Joshua at Makkedah. None moved his tongue against any of the sons of Israel. And Joshua said, Open the mouth of the cave, and bring those five kings out of the cave to me. And they did so, and brought those five kings out of the cave to him: the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, the king of Eglon. And it happened, when they brought out those kings to Joshua, Joshua called for all the men of Israel. And he said to the commanders of the men of war who had gone with him, Draw near, set your feet on the necks of these kings. And they drew near and put their feet on their necks. And Joshua said to them, Do not fear nor be dismayed. Be strong and of good courage. For so shall Jehovah do to all your enemies against whom you fight. And afterward Joshua struck them and killed them, and hanged them on five trees. And they were hanging on the trees until the evening. And it happened at the time of the going down of the sun, Joshua commanded, and they took them down off the trees and threw them into the cave in which they had been hidden, and laid great stones in the cave's mouth, which remain until this very day. And that day Joshua took Makkedah and struck it with the edge of the sword, and he utterly destroyed the king of it, them, and every soul in it. He let none remain. And he did to the king of Makkedah as he did to the king of Jericho. And Joshua passed from Makkedah, and all Israel with him, to Libnah, and fought against Libnah. And Jehovah delivered it also, and its king, into the hand of Israel. And he struck it with the edge of the sword, and every soul in it. He let none remain in it, but did to its king as he did to the king of Jericho. And Joshua passed from Libnah, and all Israel with him, to Lachish, and camped against it, and fought against it. And Jehovah delivered Lachish into the hand of Israel, who took it on the second day, and struck it with the edge of the sword, and every soul in it, according to all that he had done to Libnah. Then Horam, king of Gezer, came up to help Lachish. And Joshua struck him and his people until he had left him none remaining. And from Lachish Joshua passed to Eglon, and all Israel with him. And they camped against it and fought against it. And they took it in that day, and struck it with the edge of the sword; and every soul in it he completely destroyed that day, according to all that he had done to Lachish. And Joshua went on from Eglon, and all Israel with him, to Hebron. And they fought against it. And they took it, and struck it with the edge of the sword, and its king, and all its cities, and every soul in it. He left none remaining, according to all that he had done to Eglon, but destroyed it, and all the souls that were in it. And Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to Debir, and fought against it. And he took it, and its king, and all its cities. And they struck them with the edge of the sword, and destroyed every soul in it. He left none remaining. As he had done to Hebron, so he did to Debir, and to its king, as he had done also to Libnah, and to its king. And Joshua struck all the land, the hills, and the south, and the valley, and the springs, and all their kings. He left none remaining, but destroyed all that breathed, as Jehovah, the God of Israel commanded.
And they struck every soul in it with the edge of the sword, destroying them. And he left none breathing. And he burned Hazor with fire.
Verse Concepts
Then they took two princes of the Midianites, Oreb and Zeeb. And they killed Oreb upon the rock Oreb, and they killed Zeeb at the winepress of Zeeb. And they pursued Midian and brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon on the other side Jordan.
Verse Concepts
And this is the thing that you shall do. You shall utterly destroy every male and every woman who has lain with man.
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And he struck Moab, and measured them with a line, casting them down to the ground. Even with two lines he measured to put to death, and with one full line to keep alive. And the Moabites became David's servants, bringing gifts.
Verse Concepts
And Hazael said, Why does my lord weep? And he answered, Because I know the evil that you will do to the sons of Israel. You will set their strongholds on fire, and you will kill their young men with the sword, and will dash their children, and rip up their women with child.
Verse Concepts
Then the king of Babylon killed the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes in Riblah. Also the king of Babylon killed all the rulers of Judah.
Verse Concepts
Church and state » Ecclesiastical power superior to civil » Reproves rulers
And Samuel said, What then is this bleating of the flock in my ears? And what is the sound of the herd which I hear? 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 to Jehovah your God. And the rest we have completely destroyed. And Samuel said to Saul, Stop! And I will tell you what Jehovah has said to me tonight. And he said to him, Speak. read more.
And Samuel said, When you were little in your own sight, did you not become the head of the tribes of Israel? And Jehovah anointed you king over Israel. And Jehovah sent you on the way and said, Go and completely destroy the sinners, Amalek, and fight against them until you destroy them. Why then did you not obey the voice of Jehovah? Why did you fly on the spoil and do evil in the sight of Jehovah? And Saul said to Samuel, Yes, I have obeyed the voice of Jehovah, and have gone the way which Jehovah sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have completely destroyed the Amalekites. But the people took from the spoil, of the flocks and herd, the best of the things devoted to sacrifice to Jehovah your God in Gilgal. And Samuel said, Does Jehovah delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of Jehovah? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice! To listen is better than the fat of rams! For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idol-worship. Because you have rejected the Word of Jehovah, He has also rejected you from being king! And Saul said to Samuel, I have sinned. For I have disobeyed the command of Jehovah, and your word, because I feared the people and obeyed their voice. And now please pardon my sin and turn again with me so that I may worship Jehovah. And Samuel said to Saul, I will not return with you, for you have rejected the Word of Jehovah, and Jehovah has rejected you from being king over Israel. And Samuel turned around to go, and he laid hold on the skirt of his robe, and it tore. And Samuel said to him, Jehovah has torn the kingdom of Israel from you this day, and has given it to a neighbor of yours who is better than you. And also the Glory of Israel will not lie nor repent, for He is not a man that He should repent. Then he said, I have sinned. Please honor me now before the elders of my people and before Israel, and turn again with me. And I shall worship Jehovah your God. And Samuel turned again after Saul, and Saul worshiped Jehovah. And Samuel said, Bring here to me Agag the king of the Amalekites. And Agag came to him daintily. And Agag said, Surely the bitterness of death is past. And Samuel said, As your sword has made women childless, so shall your mother be childless among women. And Samuel cut Agag in pieces before Jehovah in Gilgal. And Samuel went to Ramah. And Saul went up to his house to Gibeah of Saul. And Samuel never again saw Saul until the day of his death, for Samuel mourned for Saul. And Jehovah repented that He had made Saul king over Israel.
And Samuel said, When you were little in your own sight, did you not become the head of the tribes of Israel? And Jehovah anointed you king over Israel. And Jehovah sent you on the way and said, Go and completely destroy the sinners, Amalek, and fight against them until you destroy them. Why then did you not obey the voice of Jehovah? Why did you fly on the spoil and do evil in the sight of Jehovah? And Saul said to Samuel, Yes, I have obeyed the voice of Jehovah, and have gone the way which Jehovah sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have completely destroyed the Amalekites. But the people took from the spoil, of the flocks and herd, the best of the things devoted to sacrifice to Jehovah your God in Gilgal. And Samuel said, Does Jehovah delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of Jehovah? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice! To listen is better than the fat of rams! For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idol-worship. Because you have rejected the Word of Jehovah, He has also rejected you from being king! And Saul said to Samuel, I have sinned. For I have disobeyed the command of Jehovah, and your word, because I feared the people and obeyed their voice. And now please pardon my sin and turn again with me so that I may worship Jehovah. And Samuel said to Saul, I will not return with you, for you have rejected the Word of Jehovah, and Jehovah has rejected you from being king over Israel. And Samuel turned around to go, and he laid hold on the skirt of his robe, and it tore. And Samuel said to him, Jehovah has torn the kingdom of Israel from you this day, and has given it to a neighbor of yours who is better than you. And also the Glory of Israel will not lie nor repent, for He is not a man that He should repent. Then he said, I have sinned. Please honor me now before the elders of my people and before Israel, and turn again with me. And I shall worship Jehovah your God. And Samuel turned again after Saul, and Saul worshiped Jehovah. And Samuel said, Bring here to me Agag the king of the Amalekites. And Agag came to him daintily. And Agag said, Surely the bitterness of death is past. And Samuel said, As your sword has made women childless, so shall your mother be childless among women. And Samuel cut Agag in pieces before Jehovah in Gilgal. And Samuel went to Ramah. And Saul went up to his house to Gibeah of Saul. And Samuel never again saw Saul until the day of his death, for Samuel mourned for Saul. And Jehovah repented that He had made Saul king over Israel.
Courage » Instances of personal bravery » Agag, in the indifference with which he faced death
And Samuel said, Bring here to me Agag the king of the Amalekites. And Agag came to him daintily. And Agag said, Surely the bitterness of death is past. And Samuel said, As your sword has made women childless, so shall your mother be childless among women. And Samuel cut Agag in pieces before Jehovah in Gilgal.
Kings » Who reigned over all israel » saul
And all the people went to Gilgal, and made Saul king before Jehovah in Gilgal, and there they sacrificed sacrifices of peace offerings before Jehovah. And there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly. And Samuel said to all Israel, Behold, I have listened to your voice in all that you said to me, and have made a king over you. And now, behold, the king walks before you. And I am old and gray-headed, and, behold, my sons are with you. And I have walked before you from my childhood to this day. read more.
Behold, here I am. Witness against me before Jehovah and before His anointed. Whose ox have I taken? Or whose ass have I taken? Or whom have I defrauded? Whom have I oppressed? Or from whose hand have I received a bribe, to blind my eyes with it? And I will restore it to you. And they said, You have not defrauded us nor oppressed us, neither have you taken from any man's hand. And he said to them, Jehovah is witness against you, and His anointed is witness this day, that you have not found anything in my hand. And they answered, He is witness. And Samuel said to the people, It is Jehovah who made Moses and Aaron, and who brought your fathers up out of the land of Egypt. And now stand still, so that I may reason with you before Jehovah of all the righteous acts of Jehovah which He did to you and to your fathers. When Jacob had come into Egypt, and your fathers cried to Jehovah, then Jehovah sent Moses and Aaron, who brought your fathers out of Egypt and made them live in this place. And they forgot Jehovah their God. And He sold them into the hand of Sisera, captain of the army of Hazor, and into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab, and they fought against them. And they cried to Jehovah, and said, We have sinned because we have forsaken Jehovah, and have served the Baals and Ashtoreths. But now deliver us out of the hand of our enemies, and we will serve You. And Jehovah sent Jerubbaal, and Bedan, and Jephthah, and Samuel, and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side, and you lived safely. And when you saw that Nahash the king of the sons of Ammon came against you, you said to me, No, but a king shall reign over us, even though Jehovah your God was your King. And now, behold the king whom you have chosen, whom you have desired! And behold, Jehovah has set a king over you! If you will fear Jehovah, and serve Him, and listen to His voice, and not rebel against the command of Jehovah, then both you and also the king who reigns over you shall continue following Jehovah your God. But if you will not listen to the voice of Jehovah, but rebel against the command of Jehovah, then the hand of Jehovah shall be against you as it was against your fathers. Also, now stand and see this great thing which Jehovah shall do before your eyes. Is it not wheat harvest today? I will call to Jehovah, and He shall send thunder and rain, so that you may perceive and see that your wickedness is great, that which you have done in the sight of Jehovah, in asking a king for you. And Samuel called to Jehovah, And Jehovah sent thunder and rain that day. And all the people greatly feared Jehovah and Samuel. And all the people said to Samuel, Pray for your servants to Jehovah your God, so that we will not die. For we have added evil to all our sins, to ask a king for us. And Samuel said to the people, Do not fear. You have done all this wickedness. Yet do not turn aside from following Jehovah, but serve Jehovah with all your heart. And do not turn aside to go after vanities, which cannot profit nor deliver. For they are vain. For Jehovah will not forsake His people for His great name's sake, because it has pleased Jehovah to make you His people. Also, I, far be it from me that I should sin against Jehovah from ceasing to pray for you. But I will teach you the good and the right way. Only fear Jehovah, and serve Him in truth with all your heart. For consider what great things He has done for you. But if you shall still do wickedly, both you and your king, will be swept away. Saul reigned one year, and when he had reigned two more years over Israel, then Saul chose for himself three thousand from Israel. Two thousand of these were with Saul in Michmash and in mount Bethel, and a thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin. And of the rest of the people he sent each man to his tent. And Jonathan struck the garrison of the Philistines in Geba, and the Philistines heard. And Saul blew the ram's horn throughout all the land, saying, Let the Hebrews hear. And all Israel heard, saying, Saul has struck a garrison of the Philistines, and also Israel has made himself stink to the Philistines. And the people were called to Gilgal after Saul. And the Philistines gathered to fight with Israel, thirty thousand chariots, and six thousand horsemen, and people like the sand on the seashore in multitude. And they came up and pitched in Michmash, eastward from Beth-aven. And the men of Israel saw that they were in a tight place (for the people were distressed). And the people hid themselves in caves, and in thickets, and in rocks, and in high places, and in pits. And the Hebrews went over Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead. And Saul was still in Gilgal, and all the people followed him, trembling. And he waited seven days, according to the set time with Samuel. But Samuel did not come to Gilgal. And the people were scattered from him. And Saul said, Bring a burnt offering here to me, and peace offerings. And he offered the burnt offering. And it happened as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came. And Saul went out to meet him and to kneel to him. And Samuel said, What have you done? And Saul said, Because I saw that the people were scattered from me, and you did not come in the days appointed, and the Philistines gathered themselves at Michmash, and I said, The Philistines will come down now on me to Gilgal, and I have not made supplication to Jehovah. And I forced myself and offered a burnt offering. And Samuel said to Saul, You have done foolishly. You have not kept the commandment of Jehovah your God, which He commanded you. For now Jehovah would have established your kingdom on Israel forever. But now your kingdom shall not stand. Jehovah has sought Him a man after His own heart, and Jehovah has appointed him to be leader over His people, because you have not kept what Jehovah commanded you. And Samuel arose and went up from Gilgal to Gibeah of Benjamin. And Saul numbered the people present with him, about six hundred men. And Saul, and his son Jonathan, and the people present with them, stayed in Gibeah of Benjamin. But the Philistines camped in Michmash. And the spoilers came out of the camp of the Philistines in three companies. One company turned to the way to Ophrah, to the land of Shual. And another company turned the way to Beth-horon. And one company turned the way of the border that looks toward the valley of Zeboim toward the wilderness. And there was no smith found throughout all the land of Israel. For the Philistines said, Lest the Hebrews make swords or spears. But all the Israelites went down to the Philistines, each man to sharpen his plowshare, and his mattock, and his axe, and his coulter. And there was the charge of a pim for the plowshares, and for the mattocks, and for the three-pronged forks, and for the axes, and to sharpen the plowshares. And it happened in the day of battle there was neither sword nor spear found in the hand of any of the people with Saul and Jonathan. But with Saul and with his son Jonathan there was found sword and spear. And the garrison of the Philistines went out to the passage of Michmash. And the day came that Jonathan the son of Saul said to the young man who bore his armor, Come and let us go over to the Philistines' garrison which is on the other side. But he did not tell his father. And Saul stayed in the edge of Gibeah under the pomegranate tree in Migron. And the people who were with him were about six hundred men. And Ahiah, the son of Ahitub, Ichabod's brother, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eli, Jehovah's priest in Shiloh, was wearing an ephod. And the people did not know that Jonathan was gone. And between the passages by which Jonathan sought to go over to the Philistines' garrison there was a rocky crag on the one side and a rocky crag on the other side. And the name of the one was Bozez, and the name of the other Seneh. The one crag was a pillar on the north in front of Michmash, and the other southward in front of Gibeah. And Jonathan said to the young man who bore his armor, Come, and let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised ones. It may be that Jehovah will work for us. For there is no restraint to Jehovah, to save by many or by few. And his armor-bearer said to him, Do all that is in your heart. Turn, for behold, I am with you according to your heart. And Jonathan said, Behold, we will go over to these men, and we will show ourselves to them. If they say this to us, Stand still until we come to you, then we will stand still in our place and will not go up to them. But if they say this, Come up to us, then we will go up, for Jehovah has delivered them up into our hand. And this shall be a sign to us. And both of them showed themselves to the garrison of the Philistines. And the Philistines said, Behold, the Hebrews come out of the holes where they have hidden themselves. And the men of the garrison answered Jonathan and his armor-bearer and said, Come up to us, and we will teach you a thing. And Jonathan said to his armor-bearer, Come up after me, for Jehovah has delivered them into the hand of Israel. And Jonathan climbed up on his hands and feet, and his armor-bearer after him. And they fell before Jonathan, and his armor-bearer killed after him. And this was the first blow, when Jonathan and his armor-bearer struck about twenty men in about half of a furrow of an acre of a field. And there was trembling in the army, in the field, and among all the people. The garrison and the spoilers also trembled, and the earth quaked, and it was a very great trembling. And the watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin looked, and behold, the multitude had melted away and went on here and there. And Saul said to the people with him, Number now and see who is gone from us. And when they had counted, behold, Jonathan and his armor-bearer were not there. And Saul said to Ahiah, Bring the ark of God here. For the ark of God was at that time with the sons of Israel. And it happened, while Saul talked to the priest, the noise in the army of the Philistines went on and grew greater. And Saul said to the priest, Withdraw your hand. And Saul and all the people with him gathered, and they went to the battle. And, behold, every man's sword was against his fellow, a very great panic. And the Hebrews that were with the Philistines before, who had gone up with them into the camp all around, even they also turned to be with the Israelites who were with Saul and Jonathan. And all the men of Israel who had hidden themselves in mount Ephraim heard that the Philistines had fled, even they also followed them in the battle. And Jehovah saved Israel that day, and the battle passed over to Beth-aven. And the men of Israel were distressed on that day. For Saul had commanded the people, saying, Cursed is the man that eats food until evening, so that I may be avenged on my enemies. So none of the people tasted any food. And all the men of the land came into a forest, and there was honey on the ground. And when the people had come into the woods, behold, a flow of honey! But no one put his hand to his mouth, for the people feared the oath. But Jonathan did not hear when his father made the people swear. And he put forth the end of the rod in his hand and dipped it in a honeycomb, and put his hand to his mouth. And his eyes were lightened. And one from the people answered and said, Your father strictly charged the people with an oath, saying, Cursed is the man who eats food this day. And the people were weary. Then Jonathan said, My father has troubled the land. Please see how my eyes have been lightened because I tasted a little of this honey. How much more if the people had happened to eat freely today of the spoil of their enemies which they found? For would not there have been a much greater slaughter among the Philistines? And they struck the Philistines that day from Michmash to Aijalon, and the people were very faint. And the people flew on the spoil, and took sheep and oxen and calves, and killed them on the ground. And the people ate with the blood. And they told Saul, saying, Behold, the people sin against Jehovah in that they eat with the blood. And he said, You have transgressed. Roll a great stone to me today. And Saul said, Disperse yourselves among the people and say to them, Let each one bring his ox here, and each man his sheep, and kill them here, and eat. And do not sin against Jehovah in eating with the blood. And each man of all the people brought his ox in his hand that night, and killed them there. And Saul built an altar to Jehovah. The same was the first altar that he built to Jehovah. And Saul said, Let us go down after the Philistines by night and spoil them until the morning light, and let us not leave a man of them. And they said, Do all that seems good to you. Then the priest said, Let us draw near here to God. And Saul asked counsel of God: Shall I go down after the Philistines? Will You deliver them into the hand of Israel? But He answered him not that day. And Saul said, Draw near here, all the chief of the people, and know and see what this sin has been today. For, as Jehovah lives, He who saves Israel, though it is in Jonathan my son, he shall surely die. But there was not a man among all the people who answered. Then he said to all Israel, You be on one side, and Jonathan my son and I will be on the other side. And the people said to Saul, Do what seems good to you. And Saul said to Jehovah, the God of Israel, Give a perfect lot. And Saul and Jonathan were taken, but the people escaped. And Saul said, Cast lots between me and my son Jonathan. And Jonathan was taken. Then Saul said to Jonathan, Tell me what you have done. And Jonathan told him and said, I did but taste a little honey with the end of the rod in my hand. Behold me, I must die. And Saul answered, God do so and more also, for you shall surely die, Jonathan. And the people said to Saul, Shall Jonathan die, who has worked out this great salvation in Israel? Far be it! As Jehovah lives, not one hair of his head shall fall to the ground, for he has worked with God this day. So the people rescued Jonathan, so that he did not die. Then Saul went up from following the Philistines. And the Philistines went to their own place. And Saul took the kingdom over Israel and fought against all his enemies on every side, with Moab, and with the sons of Ammon, and with Edom, and with the kings of Zobah, and with the Philistines. And wherever he turned himself, he troubled them. And he gathered an army and struck the Amalekites, and delivered Israel out of the hands of those who spoiled them. And the sons of Saul were Jonathan, and Ishui, and Melchishua. And the names of his two daughters: the first-born's name was Merab, and the name of the younger, Michal. And the name of Saul's wife was Ahinoam, the daughter of Ahimaaz. And the name of the commander of his army was Abner, the son of Ner, Saul's uncle. And Kish was the father of Saul. And Ner the father of Abner was the son of Abiel. And the war was heavy against the Philistines all the days of Saul. And when Saul saw any strong man, or any brave man, he took him to himself. And Samuel said to Saul, Jehovah sent me to anoint you to be king over His people, over Israel. And now listen to the voice of the words of Jehovah. So says Jehovah of Hosts, I will visit Amalek with what he did to Israel, how he set against him in the way when he came up from Egypt. Now go and strike Amalek, and completely destroy all that they have, and do not spare them. But kill both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass. And Saul gathered the people together and numbered them in Telaim, two hundred thousand footmen and ten thousand men of Judah. And Saul came to a city of Amalek and lay in wait in the valley. And Saul said to the Kenites, Go! Depart! Get down from among the Amalekites, lest I destroy you with them. For you showed kindness to all the sons of Israel when they came up out of Egypt. So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites. And Saul struck the Amalekites from Havilah, as you come to Shur, which is over across from Egypt. And he took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive. And he completely destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword. But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep and of the oxen and of the fatlings and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not completely destroy them. But everything that was vile and feeble they completely destroyed. And the Word of Jehovah came to Samuel saying, It repents Me that I have set up Saul to be king. For he has turned back from following Me and has not done My commands. And it grieved Samuel, and he cried out to Jehovah all night. And when Samuel rose up early in the morning to meet Saul, it was told to Samuel, saying, Saul came to Carmel, and behold, he set up a place for himself, and has gone around and passed on and gone down to Gilgal. And Samuel came to Saul. And Saul said to him, You are blessed of Jehovah. I have done the command of Jehovah. And Samuel said, What then is this bleating of the flock in my ears? And what is the sound of the herd which I hear? 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 to Jehovah your God. And the rest we have completely destroyed. And Samuel said to Saul, Stop! And I will tell you what Jehovah has said to me tonight. And he said to him, Speak. And Samuel said, When you were little in your own sight, did you not become the head of the tribes of Israel? And Jehovah anointed you king over Israel. And Jehovah sent you on the way and said, Go and completely destroy the sinners, Amalek, and fight against them until you destroy them. Why then did you not obey the voice of Jehovah? Why did you fly on the spoil and do evil in the sight of Jehovah? And Saul said to Samuel, Yes, I have obeyed the voice of Jehovah, and have gone the way which Jehovah sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have completely destroyed the Amalekites. But the people took from the spoil, of the flocks and herd, the best of the things devoted to sacrifice to Jehovah your God in Gilgal. And Samuel said, Does Jehovah delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of Jehovah? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice! To listen is better than the fat of rams! For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idol-worship. Because you have rejected the Word of Jehovah, He has also rejected you from being king! And Saul said to Samuel, I have sinned. For I have disobeyed the command of Jehovah, and your word, because I feared the people and obeyed their voice. And now please pardon my sin and turn again with me so that I may worship Jehovah. And Samuel said to Saul, I will not return with you, for you have rejected the Word of Jehovah, and Jehovah has rejected you from being king over Israel. And Samuel turned around to go, and he laid hold on the skirt of his robe, and it tore. And Samuel said to him, Jehovah has torn the kingdom of Israel from you this day, and has given it to a neighbor of yours who is better than you. And also the Glory of Israel will not lie nor repent, for He is not a man that He should repent. Then he said, I have sinned. Please honor me now before the elders of my people and before Israel, and turn again with me. And I shall worship Jehovah your God. And Samuel turned again after Saul, and Saul worshiped Jehovah. And Samuel said, Bring here to me Agag the king of the Amalekites. And Agag came to him daintily. And Agag said, Surely the bitterness of death is past. And Samuel said, As your sword has made women childless, so shall your mother be childless among women. And Samuel cut Agag in pieces before Jehovah in Gilgal. And Samuel went to Ramah. And Saul went up to his house to Gibeah of Saul. And Samuel never again saw Saul until the day of his death, for Samuel mourned for Saul. And Jehovah repented that He had made Saul king over Israel. And Jehovah said to Samuel, How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and go. I will send you to Jesse of Bethlehem. For I have seen a king for Me among his sons. And Samuel said, How can I go? If Saul hears, he will kill me. And Jehovah said, Take a heifer of the herd in your hand with you and say, I have come to sacrifice to Jehovah. And call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do. And you shall anoint for Me whomever I name to you. And Samuel did what Jehovah said, and came to Bethlehem. And the elders of the town trembled at his coming and said, Do you come peaceably? And he said, Peaceably. I have come to sacrifice to Jehovah. Sanctify yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice. And he sanctified Jesse and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice. And it happened as they came in, he saw Eliab and said, Surely Jehovah's anointed is before Jehovah. But Jehovah said to Samuel, Do not look on his face, nor on his height, because I have refused him. For He does not see as man sees. For man looks on the outward appearance, but Jehovah looks on the heart. And Jesse called Abinadab, and he passed him before Samuel, but he said, Also Jehovah has not chosen this one. And Jesse passed Shammah by, but he said, Also Jehovah has not chosen this one. And Jesse passed seven of his sons before Samuel, but Samuel said to Jesse, Jehovah has not chosen these. And Samuel said to Jesse, Are all the young men here? And he said, There remains yet the youngest, and behold, he keeps the sheep. And Samuel said to Jesse, Send and bring him, for we will not sit down until he comes here. And he sent and brought him in. And he was ruddy, with beautiful eyes and good form. And Jehovah said, Arise, anoint him. For this is he. And Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers. And the spirit of Jehovah came on David from that day forward. And Samuel rose up and went to Ramah. But the spirit of Jehovah departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from Jehovah terrified him. And Saul's servants said to him, Behold now, an evil spirit from God terrifies you. Let our lord now command his servants before you to seek out a man who knows to play on a harp. And it shall be, when the evil spirit from God is on you, then he shall play with his hand, and it shall be well with you. And Saul said to his servants, Now look for me a man who can play well, and bring him to me. And one of the servants answered and said, Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite who is skillful in playing, and a mighty warrior and a man of battle, and prudent in speech. And he is a person of good form, and Jehovah is with him. And Saul sent messengers to Jesse and said, Send me your son David, who is with the sheep. And Jesse took an ass loaded with bread and a skin of wine and a kid, and sent them by David his son to Saul. And David came to Saul and stood before him. And he loved him greatly, and he became his armor-bearer. And Saul sent to Jesse saying, Please let David stand before me, for he has found favor in my sight. And it happened when the spirit from God was on Saul, that David took a harp and played with his hand. And there was relief for Saul, and it was well with him, and the evil spirit departed from him. And the Philistines gathered their armies for battle, and gathered at Socoh of Judah, and pitched between Socoh and Azekah, in Ephes-dammim. And Saul and the men of Israel had gathered and pitched by the valley of Elah, and set the battle in order against the Philistines. And the Philistines stood on a mountain on the one side, and Israel stood on a mountain on the other side. And there was a valley between them. And a champion named Goliath came out of the Philistines camp; he was from Gath. His height was six cubits and a span. And a bronze helmet was on his head, and he was armed with scaled armor. And the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of bronze. And greaves of bronze were on his legs, and a bronze javelin was between his shoulders. And the staff of his spear was like a weaver's beam. And his spear's head weighed six hundred shekels of iron. And the shield bearer went in front of him. And he stood and cried to the armies of Israel, and said to them, Why have you come out to set your battle in order? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not servants to Saul? Choose a man for you, and let him come down to me. If he is able to fight with me and kill me, then we will be your slaves. But if I prevail against him and kill him, then you shall be our slaves and serve us. And the Philistine said, I defy the armies of Israel this day. Give me a man, and we will fight together. And Saul and all Israel heard those words of the Philistine, and they were dismayed and greatly afraid. And David was the son of an Ephrathite of Bethlehem-judah named Jesse. And to him were eight sons. And the man was old among men in the days of Saul. And the three oldest sons of Jesse went out, and followed Saul to the battle. And the names of his three sons that went to the battle were Eliab the first-born; and his second, Abinadab; and the third Shammah. And David was the youngest. And the three oldest followed Saul. And David went and returned from Saul to feed his father's sheep at Bethlehem. And the Philistine drew near morning and evening, and presented himself forty days. And Jesse said to his son David, Please take for your brothers an ephah of this parched grain, and these ten loaves, and run to the camp to your brothers. And carry these ten cuttings of cheeses to the commander of their thousand, and see how your brothers are faring, and take their pledge. And Saul, and they, and all the men of Israel, were in the valley of Elah fighting with the Philistines. And David rose up early in the morning and left the sheep with a keeper, and got up and went as Jesse had commanded him. And he came to the barricade, and to the army which was going out to fight, and shouted for the battle. For Israel and the Philistines had put the battle in order, rank to rank. And David left his baggage in the hand of the keeper of the baggage and ran into the army, and came and greeted his brothers. And he was speaking with them. And, behold, the champion man, named Goliath, the Philistine of Gath, came up out of the ranks of the Philistines, and spoke according to these words. And David heard. And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, they ran from him and were very much afraid. And the men of Israel said, Have you seen this man that has come up? Surely he has come up to defy Israel. And it shall be, the king will enrich the man who kills him with great riches, and will give him his daughter, and make his father's house free in Israel. And David spoke to the men who stood by him, saying, What shall be done to the man who kills this Philistine and takes away this shame from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God? And the people answered him in this way, saying, So shall it be done to the man who kills him. And his oldest brother Eliab heard when he spoke to the men. And Eliab's anger was kindled against David. And he said, Why have you come down? And with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your pride and the naughtiness of your heart. For you have come down to see the battle. And David said, What have I done now? Was it not only a word? And he turned from him toward another, and spoke according to this word. And the people answered him again in the same way. And the words which David spoke were heard. And they were told before Saul. And he sent for him. And David said to Saul, Let no man's heart fail because of him. Your servant will go and fight with this Philistine. And Saul said to David, You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him. For you are but a youth, and he is a man of war from his youth. And David said to Saul, Your servant kept his father's sheep, and there came a lion and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock. And I went out after it and struck it, and delivered the lamb out of its mouth. And when it rose against me, I caught it by the beard, and struck it and killed it. Your servant killed both the lion and the bear. And this uncircumcised Philistine shall be like one of them, since he has defied the armies of the living God. And David said, Jehovah who has delivered me out of the paw of the lion and out of the paw of the bear, He will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. And Saul said to David, Go, and may Jehovah be with you. And Saul armed David with his armor, and he put a helmet of bronze on his head. He also armed him with scaled armor. And David girded his sword on his armor, and he tried to go. But he had not tested it. And David said to Saul, I cannot go with these, for I have not tested them. And David put them off him. And he took his staff in his hand, and chose five smooth stones out of the brook for himself, and put them in a shepherd's vessel which he had, even in a bag. And his sling was in his hand. And he drew near the Philistine. And the Philistine came on and drew near David. And the man who bore the shield was before him. And the Philistine looked and saw David, and disdained him. For he was only a youth, and ruddy, with a handsome appearance. And the Philistine said to David, Am I a dog that you come to me with sticks? And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. And the Philistine said to David, Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and to the beasts of the field. And David said to the Philistine, You come to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of Jehovah of Hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. Jehovah will deliver you into my hand today, and I will strike you and take your head from you and give the bodies of the army of the Philistines to the birds of the air today, and to the wild beasts of the earth, so that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. And all this multitude shall know that Jehovah does not save with sword and spear; for the battle is Jehovah's, and He will give you into our hands. And it happened when the Philistine rose and went and drew near to meet David, David hurried and ran toward the ranks to meet the Philistine. And David put his hand into his bag and took a stone from there, and slung it and struck the Philistine in his forehead, so that the stone sank into his forehead. And he fell on his face to the earth. And David was stronger than the Philistine with a sling and with a stone. And he struck the Philistine, and killed him. But no sword was in the hand of David. And David ran and stood on the Philistine, and took out his sword and drew it out of its sheath, and killed him, and cut off his head with it. And the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, and fled. And the men of Israel rose up and shouted, and Judah pursued the Philistines until you come to the valley, and to the gates of Ekron. And the wounded of the Philistines fell down by the way to Shaaraim, even to Gath and to Ekron. And the sons of Israel returned from chasing after the Philistines, and they spoiled their tents. And David took the head of the Philistine and brought it to Jerusalem. But he put his armor in his tent. And when Saul saw David go forth against the Philistine, he said to Abner, the captain of the army, Abner, whose son is this young man? And Abner said, As your soul lives, O king, I cannot tell. And the king said, You go ask whose son the young man is. And as David returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, Abner took him and brought him before Saul, with the head of the Philistine in his hand. And Saul said to him, Whose son are you, young man? And David answered, I am the son of your servant Jesse of Bethlehem. And it happened when he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was joined with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as he did his own soul. And Saul took him that day and would not let him go home to his father's house any more. And Jonathan and David cut a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul. And Jonathan stripped off the robe was on him and gave it to David, and his apparel, even to his sword and to his bow and to his girdle. And David went out wherever Saul sent him, behaving himself wisely. And Saul set him over the men of war, and it was good in the sight of all the people, and also in the sight of Saul's servants. And it happened as they came in, as David returned from striking the Philistine, the women came out of all cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul with tabrets, with joy, and with instruments of music. And the women answered as they played, and said, Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands. And Saul was very angry, and this thing was evil in his eyes. And he said, They have given David ten thousands, and to me they have given only thousands. And what more can he have but the kingdom? And Saul eyed David from that day and forward. And it happened on the next day the evil spirit from God came on Saul, and he prophesied in the midst of the house. And David played with his hand, as at other times. And a spear was in Saul's hand. And Saul threw the spear. For he said, I will strike David even to the wall. And David drew back out of his presence twice. And Saul was afraid of David, because Jehovah was with him and had departed from Saul. And Saul moved him away from himself, and made him his commander over a thousand. And he went out and came in before the people. And David behaved himself wisely in all his ways. And Jehovah was with him. And when Saul saw that he behaved himself very wisely, he was afraid of him. But all Israel and Judah loved David, because he went out and came in before them. And Saul said to David, Behold I will give you my older daughter Merab for a wife. Only you be a brave son for me and fight Jehovah's battles. For Saul said, Let not my hand be on him, but let the hand of the Philistines be on him. And David said to Saul, Who am I, and what is my life, or my father's family in Israel, that I should be son-in-law to the king? And it happened at the time when Merab, Saul's daughter should have been given to David, she was given to Adriel the Meholathite to be his wife. And Saul's daughter Michal loved David. And they told Saul, and the thing pleased him. And Saul said, I will give her to him, so that she may be a trap to him, and so that the hand of the Philistines may be against him. And Saul said to David a second time, Today you shall be my son-in-law. And Saul commanded his servants, Talk with David secretly and say, Behold, the king delights in you, and all his servants love you. And now be the king's son-in-law. And Saul's servants spoke these words in the ears of David. And David said, Is it a light thing to be a king's son-in-law, since I am a poor man and of little worth? And the servants of Saul told him saying, This is the way David spoke. And Saul said, You shall say this to David, The king does not desire any dowry except a hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to be avenged of the king's enemies. But Saul thought to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines. And when his servants told David these words, it was right in the eyes of David to be the king's son-in-law. And the days were not fulfilled. And David arose and went forth, he and his men. And they killed two hundred men of the Philistines. And David brought their foreskins, and they gave them in full number to the king so that he might be the king's son-in-law. And Saul gave him his daughter Michal for a wife. And Saul saw and knew that Jehovah was with David, and that Michal, Saul's daughter, loved him. And Saul was still more afraid of David. And Saul became David's enemy continually. And the rulers of the Philistines came out. And it happened as often as they came out, David acted more wisely than all the servants of Saul, so that his name was very precious. And Saul said to his son Jonathan, and to all his servants, to kill David. But Jonathan, Saul's son, loved David very much. And Jonathan told David, saying, My father Saul seeks to kill you. And now please be careful until morning, and stay in a secret place, and hide yourself. And I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where you are, and I will talk about you with my father. And I will tell you what I see. And Jonathan spoke good of David to Saul his father, and said to him, Do not let the king sin against his servant, against David, because he has not sinned against you, and because his works are very good toward you. For he took his life in his hand and killed the Philistine, and Jehovah worked out a great salvation for all Israel. You saw and rejoiced! Why then will you sin against innocent blood, to kill David without a cause? And Saul listened to the voice of Jonathan. And Saul swore, As Jehovah lives, he shall not die. And Jonathan called David, and Jonathan showed him all those things. And Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence as in times past. And there was war again. And David went out and fought with the Philistines, and killed them with a great slaughter. And they fled from him. And the evil spirit from Jehovah was on Saul as he sat in his house with his spear in his hand. And David played with his hand. And Saul thought to strike David even to the wall with the spear. But he burst forth from Saul's presence, and he struck the spear into the wall. And David fled and escaped that night. Saul also sent messengers to David's house to watch him and to kill him in the morning. And David's wife Michal told him saying, If you do not save your life tonight, tomorrow you shall be killed. And Michal let David down through a window. And he left and hurried away, and escaped. And Michal took an image and laid it in the bed, and put a pillow of goats' hair at its head, and covered it with a cloth. And when Saul sent messengers to take David, she said, He is sick. And Saul sent the messengers to see David, saying, Bring him up to me in the bed so that I may kill him. And the messengers came in, and behold, the image was in the bed with a pillow of goats' hair at its head. And Saul said to Michal, Why have you deceived me so, and sent away my enemy so that he has escaped? And Michal answered Saul, He said to me, Let me go; why should I kill you? And David fled, and escaped, and came to Samuel, to Ramah, and told him all that Saul had done to him. And he and Samuel went and lived in Naioth. And it was told to Saul, saying, Behold, David is at Naioth in Ramah. And Saul sent messengers to take David. And when they saw the company of the prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing as appointed over them, the Spirit of God came on the messengers of Saul, and they also prophesied. And they told Saul, and he sent other messengers, and they also prophesied. And Saul sent messengers the third time, and they prophesied also. And he also went to Ramah, and came to a great well in Sechu. And he asked and said, Where are Samuel and David? And one said, Behold, at Naioth in Ramah. And he went there to Naioth in Ramah. And the Spirit of God was on him also, and going on he went and prophesied, until he came to Naioth in Ramah. And he stripped off his clothes also, and prophesied before Samuel, even he. And he lay down disrobed all that day and all that night. Because of this they say, Is Saul also among the prophets? And David fled from Naioth in Ramah, and came and said before Jonathan, What have I done? What is my iniquity, and what my sin before your father, that he seeks my life? And he said to him, Far be it. You shall not die! Behold, my father will do nothing either great or small that he will not show to me. And why should my father hide this thing from me? It is not so. And David swore again and said, Your father certainly knows that I have found grace in your eyes. And he said, Do not let Jonathan know this, lest he be full of sorrow. But truly as Jehovah lives, and as your soul lives, only a step is between me and death. And Jonathan said to David, Whatever your soul desires, I will even do for you. And David said to Jonathan, Behold, tomorrow is the new moon, and I should not fail to sit at table with the king. But let me go so that I may hide myself in the field until the third day at evening. If your father misses me at all, then say, David earnestly asked me that he might run to his city Bethlehem. For there is a yearly sacrifice there for all the family. If he says so, It is well, peace will be to your servant, but if he is very angry, be sure that evil is determined by him. And you shall deal kindly with your servant, for you have brought your servant into a covenant of Jehovah with you. But if there is any iniquity in me, kill me yourself. For why should you bring me to your father? And Jonathan said, Far be it from you. For if I knew certainly that evil was determined by my father to come on you, then would I not tell you? Then David said to Jonathan, Who shall tell me? Or what if your father answers you roughly? And Jonathan said to David, Come, and let us go into the field. And both of them went out into the field. And Jonathan said to David, By Jehovah, the God of Israel, when I search my father about this time tomorrow or the third day, behold, if there is good toward David, then shall I not send to you and reveal it in your ear? So may Jehovah do to Jonathan and more if it seem good to my father to do you evil, then I will reveal it in your ear and send you away, and you may go in peace. And may Jehovah be with you, as He was with my father. And you shall not only show me the kindness of Jehovah while I still live, so that I do not die, but you shall not cut off your kindness from my house forever, no, not when Jehovah has cut off the enemies of David, every one, from the face of the earth. So Jonathan covenanted with the house of David, saying, Let Jehovah even require it at the hand of David's enemies. And Jonathan caused David to swear again, because he loved him. For he loved him as he loved his own soul. And Jonathan said to David, Tomorrow is the new moon. And you shall be missed, because your seat will be empty. And on the third day you shall quickly come down and shall come there to the place where you were hidden in the day of the deed. And you shall remain near the stone Ezel. And I will shoot three arrows on the side, as though I shot at a mark. And behold, I will send a lad, saying, Go find the arrows. If I carefully say to the lad, Behold, the arrows are on this side of you, take them, then you may come, for there is peace to you, and no hurt, as Jehovah lives. But if I say this to the young man, Behold, the arrows are beyond you, go your way, for Jehovah has sent you away. And as to the matter which you and I have spoken of, behold, may Jehovah be between you and me forever. And David hid himself in the field. And when the new moon had come, the king sat down by the food to eat. And the king sat on his seat as at other times, on a seat by the wall. And Jonathan arose, and Abner sat by Saul's side, and David's place was empty. And Saul did not speak anything that day. For he thought, Something has happened to him; he is not clean. Surely he is not clean. And it happened on the next day, the second of the month, David's place was empty. And Saul said to his son Jonathan, Why does the son of Jesse not come to the meal, neither yesterday nor today? And Jonathan answered Saul, David earnestly asked of me to go to Bethlehem, and he said, Please send me away, for we have a family sacrifice in the city. And my brother commanded me to be there. And now, if I have found favor in your eyes, I pray you let me get away and see my brothers. And he does not come to the king's table. And Saul's anger was kindled against Jonathan, and he said to him, You son of a perverse, rebellious woman, do I not know that you have chosen the son of Jesse to your own confusion, and to the shame of your mother's nakedness? For as long as the son of Jesse lives on the earth, you shall not be established, nor your kingdom. And now send and bring him to me, for he shall surely die. And Jonathan answered Saul his father and said to him, Why shall he be killed? What has he done? And Saul threw a spear at him to strike him, and by this Jonathan knew that his father was determined to kill David. And Jonathan rose from the table in fierce anger, and did not eat food on the second day of the new moon. For he was grieved for David, because his father had put him to shame. And it happened, in the morning Jonathan went out into the field at the time appointed with David. And a little lad was with him. And he said to this lad, Run now, find the arrows which I shoot. As the lad ran, he shot an arrow, causing it to pass over him. And when the lad had come to the place of the arrow which Jonathan had shot, Jonathan cried after the lad and said, Is not the arrow beyond you? And Jonathan cried after the lad, Hurry, make haste, do not stand. And Jonathan's lad gathered the arrow and came to his master. But the lad did not know anything. Only Jonathan and David knew the matter. And Jonathan gave his weapons to his lad and said to him, Go, bring to the city. As soon as the lad had gone, David rose from the south, and fell on his face to the ground, and bowed himself three times. And they kissed one another, and wept with one another, until David exceeded. And Jonathan said to David, Go in peace because we have both sworn in the name of Jehovah, saying, The Lord shall be between me and you, and between my seed and your seed, forever. And he rose and went away. And Jonathan went into the city. And David came to Nob, to Ahimelech the priest. And Ahimelech was afraid at the meeting of David, and said to him, Why are you alone, and no man with you? And David said to Ahimelech the priest, The king has commanded me a business and has said to me, Let no man know anything of the business about which I send you, and what I have sent you. And I have sent servants to such and such a place. And therefore, what is under your hand? Give five loaves of bread in my hand, or what there is to be found. And the priest answered David and said, There is no common bread under my hand, but there is holy bread if the young men have kept themselves at least from women. And David answered the priest and said to him, Truly women have been kept from us for about three days, since I came out, and the vessels of the young men are holy, and in a way the holy bread is common. Also surely today it is sanctified in the vessels. And the priest gave him holy bread. For there was no bread there but the Bread of the Presence that was taken from before Jehovah, in order to put hot bread in on the day when it was taken away. And a man from the servants of Saul was there that day, held before Jehovah. And his name was Doeg, an Edomite, the chief of Saul's herdsmen. And David said to Ahimelech, And is there not here under your hand spear or sword? For I have not brought my sword nor my weapons with me, because the king's business needed haste. And the priest said, The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom you killed in the valley of Elah, behold, it is wrapped in a cloth under the ephod, if you will take, take it for yourself, for there is no other here except that one. And David said, There is none like that. Give it to me. And David arose and fled that day for fear of Saul, and went to Achish the king of Gath. And the servants of Achish said to him, Is not this David the king of the land? Did they not sing to one another of him in dances, saying, Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands? And David laid up these words in his heart, and was very much afraid of Achish the king of Gath. And he changed his behavior before them, and pretended himself to be mad in their hands, and marked on the doors of the gate and let his spittle fall down on his beard. Then Achish said to his servants, Lo, you see the man is mad. Why have you brought him to me? Do I have need of mad men, that you have brought this one to show madness in my presence? Shall this one come into my house? And David left there and escaped to the cave Adullam. And his brothers and all his father's house heard, and went down to him there. And every man in distress, and every man who had a creditor, and every man bitter of soul, gathered themselves to him. And he became commander over them. And about four hundred men were with him. And David went from there to Mizpeh of Moab. And he said to the king of Moab, Please let my father and my mother come forth and be with you until I know what God will do for me. And he brought them before the king of Moab. And they lived with him all the time that David was in the stronghold. And the prophet Gad said to David, Do not stay in the stronghold. Leave and go into the land of Judah. And David left and came into the forest of Hareth. And Saul heard that David and the men with him had been discovered. And Saul was staying in Gibeah under the tamarisk tree in Ramah, having his spear in his hand. And all his servants were standing about him. And Saul said to his servants standing by him, Now hear, Benjamites, will the son of Jesse give to any of you fields and vineyards, and make you all commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds? But all of you have conspired against me, and none of you was revealing in my ear when my son cut a covenant with the son of Jesse? And not one of you is sorry for me, even to reveal in my ear that my son has stirred up my servant against me, to lie in wait, as today. And answered Doeg the Edomite, who was set over the servants of Saul, and said, I saw the son of Jesse coming to Nob, to Ahimelech the son of Ahitub. And he asked of Jehovah for him and gave him food and gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine. And the king sent to call Ahimelech the priest, the son of Ahitub, and all his father's house, the priests in Nob. And they came, all of them, to the king. And Saul said, Hear now, you son of Ahitub. And he answered, Here I am, my lord. And Saul said to him, Why have you conspired against me, you and the son of Jesse, in that you have given him bread and a sword, and have asked of God for him, that he should rise against me to lie in wait, as at this day? And Ahimelech answered the king and said, And who is so faithful among all your servants as David, who is the king's son-in-law, and who goes at your bidding, and who is honorable in your house? Have I today begun to ask of God for him? Be it far from me. Do not let the king charge a thing to his servant, nor to all the house of my father. For your servant knew nothing of all this, more or less. And the king said, Ahimelech, you shall surely die, you and all your father's house. And the king said to the guard that stood around him, Turn and kill the priests of Jehovah, because their hand also is with David, and because they knew when he fled, and did not reveal it to me. But the servants of the king would not put forth their hand to fall on the priests of Jehovah. And the king said to Doeg, You turn and fall on the priests. And Doeg the Edomite turned and fell on the priests. And on that day he killed eighty-five persons who wore a linen ephod. And he struck Nob, the city of the priests, with the edge of the sword, both men and women, children and babes, and oxen, and asses, and sheep, with the edge of the sword. And one of the sons of Ahimelech the son of Ahitub, named Abiathar, escaped and fled after David. And Abiathar told David that Saul had slain Jehovah's priests. And David said to Abiathar, I knew that day, when Doeg the Edomite was there, that he would surely tell Saul. I have caused the death of all the persons of your father's house. Stay with me, and do not fear. For he who seeks my life seeks your life. But you shall be in safekeeping with me. And they told David, saying, Behold, the Philistines fight against Keilah, and they rob the threshing-floors. And David asked of Jehovah, saying, Shall I go? And shall I strike these Philistines? And Jehovah said to David, Go and strike the Philistines, and save Keilah. And David's men said to him, Behold, we are afraid here in Judah. How much more then if we come to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines? And David inquired of Jehovah once again. And Jehovah answered him and said, Arise, go down to Keilah. For I will deliver the Philistines into your hand. And David and his men went to Keilah and fought with the Philistines. And they led away their cattle and struck them with a great slaughter. And David saved the people of Keilah. And it happened when Abiathar the son of Ahimelech fled to David to Keilah, he came down with an ephod in his hand. And it was told Saul that David had come to Keilah. And Saul said, God has delivered him into my hands, for he is shut in by entering into a town that has gates and bars. And Saul called all the people together to war, to go down to Keilah to besiege David and his men. And David knew that Saul secretly planned evil against him. And he said to Abiathar the priest, Bring the ephod here. And David said, O Lord God of Israel, Your servant has surely heard that Saul seeks to come to Keilah, to destroy the city for my sake. Will the men of Keilah deliver me up into his hand? Will Saul come down as Your servant has heard? O Jehovah, the God of Israel, I beg of You, tell Your servant. And Jehovah said, He will come down. And David said, Will the men of Keilah shut up me and my men into the hand of Saul? And Jehovah said, They will shut you up. And David and his men, about six hundred, arose and departed out of Keilah and went wherever they could go. And it was told to Saul that David had escaped from Keilah. And he did not go forth. And David stayed in the wilderness in strongholds, and remained in the stronghold in the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul looked for him every day, but God did not deliver him into his hand. And David saw that Saul had come out to seek his life. And David was in the wilderness of Ziph in a woods. And Jonathan, Saul's son, arose and went to David into the woods, and strengthened his hand in God. And he said to him, Do not fear, for the hand of Saul my father shall not find you. And you shall be king over Israel, and I shall be next to you. And my father Saul knows that also. And the two of them cut a covenant before Jehovah. And David stayed in the forest, and Jonathan went to his house. And the men of Ziph came up to Saul, to Gibeah, saying, Does not David hide himself with us in strongholds in the forest, in the hill of Hachilah, which is on the south of the wilderness? And now, O king, come down according to all the desire of your soul. Come down, and it is for us to shut him up into the king's hand. And Saul said, Blessed are you from Jehovah, for you have pity on me. Please go, make more sure, and know and see the place where his foot is. Who has seen him there? For I am told that he is very subtle. And see and know of all the hiding places where he hides himself there, and return to me prepared. And I will go with you. And it shall be, if he is in the land, I will search him out throughout all the thousands of Judah. And they arose and went to Ziph before Saul. But David and his men were in the wilderness of Maon, in the plain, on the south of the desert. Saul and his men also went to look for him. And they told David. And he came down from the rock and stayed in the wilderness of Maon. And when Saul heard, he followed after 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. And David hurried to get away before Saul. For Saul and his men were encircling David and his men, to take them. And a messenger came to Saul, saying, Hurry and come! For the Philistines have invaded the land. And Saul returned from pursuing David, and went against the Philistines. Therefore they called that place, The Rock of the Division. And David went up from there and stayed in strongholds at En-gedi. And it happened when Saul had returned from following the Philistines, they told him, saying, Behold, David is in the wilderness of En-gedi. And Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went to seek David and his men on the front of the rocks of the wild goats. And he came to the folds of the flock on the way, where there was a cave. And Saul went in to cover his feet. And David and his men remained in the sides of the cave. And the men of David said to him, Behold, this is the day of which Jehovah said to you, Behold, I will deliver your enemy into your hand so that you may do to him as it shall seem good to you. And David arose and cut off the skirt of Saul's robe secretly. And it happened afterward David's heart struck him because he had cut off Saul's skirt. And he said to his men, Far be it from me, by Jehovah, if I will do this thing to my lord, Jehovah's anointed, to stretch forth my hand against him, since he is the anointed of Jehovah. And David held back his men with words, and did not allow them to rise against Saul. And Saul rose up out of the cave and went on his way. And David arose afterward and went out of the cave, and cried after Saul, saying, My lord the king! And Saul looked behind him. And David bowed his face to the earth and prostrated himself. And David said to Saul, Why do you hear man's words, saying, Behold, David seeks to do you evil? Behold, your eyes have seen today how Jehovah had delivered you today into my hand in the cave. And one said to kill you. But I had pity on you. And I said, I will not put forth my hand against my lord, for he is Jehovah's anointed. And, my father, behold! Yes, see the skirt of your robe in my hand. For in that I cut off the skirt of your robe and did not kill you, know and see that there is neither evil nor transgression in my hand, and I have not sinned against you. Yet you hunt my soul to take it. May Jehovah judge between me and you, and may Jehovah avenge me of you. But my hand shall not be on you. As the ancient proverb says, Wickedness proceeds from the wicked. But my hand shall not be on you. After whom has the king of Israel come out? After whom do you pursue? After a dead dog? After a flea? May Jehovah therefore be judge, and judge between you and me, and see, and plead my cause, and deliver me out of your hand. And it happened when David had made an end of speaking these words to Saul, Saul said, Is this your voice, my son David? And Saul lifted up his voice and wept. And he said to David, You are more righteous than I, for you have rewarded me with good, but I have rewarded you evil. And you have shown this day how you have dealt well with me, because when Jehovah shut me up into your hand, you did not kill me. For if a man finds his enemy, will he let him go completely away? And may Jehovah reward good for what you have done to me this day. And now, behold, I know well that you shall surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in your hand. And swear therefore to me before Jehovah that you will not cut off my seed after me, and that you will not destroy my name out of my father's house. And David swore to Saul. And Saul went home, but David and his men went up into the hold. And Samuel died. And all the Israelites were gathered, and lamented him and buried him in his house at Ramah. And David arose and went down to the wilderness of Paran. And a certain man was in Maon, and his work was in Carmel. And the man was very great, and had three thousand sheep and a thousand goats. And he was shearing his sheep in Carmel. And the man's name was Nabal, and his wife's name was Abigail. And she was a woman of good understanding, and of a beautiful form. But the man was cruel and evil in his dealings. And he was of Caleb. And David heard in the wilderness that Nabal was shearing his sheep. And David sent out ten young men. And David said to the young men, Go up to Carmel and go to Nabal, and greet him in my name. And you shall say this, Long life and peace be to you, and peace to your house, and peace to all that you have. And now I have heard that you have shearers. And we did not hurt your shepherds who were with us; neither was there anything missing to them all the while they were in Carmel. Ask your young men, and they will tell you. And let the young men find favor in your eyes, for we come in a good day. Please give whatever comes to your hand to your servants and to your son David. And David's young men came, they spoke to Nabal according to all these words in the name of David, and stopped. And Nabal answered David's servants and said, Who is David? And who is the son of Jesse? The servants who have broken away, each man from his master, have multiplied. Shall I then take my bread and my water and my meat that I have killed for my shearers, and give it to men about whom I know not where they come from? And David's young men turned their way and went again, and came and told him all those things. And David said to his men, Let each man gird on his sword. And they each one girded on his sword, and David also girded on his sword. And about four hundred men went up after David, and two hundred stayed by the stuff. And one of the young men told Abigail, Nabal's wife, saying, Behold! David sent messengers out of the wilderness to greet our master, and he screamed at them. But the men were very good to us, and we were not hurt, neither did we miss anything as long as we were going to and fro among them, when we were in the fields. They were a wall to us both by night and day all the while we were with them keeping the sheep. And now know and consider what you will do, for evil is determined against our master and against all his household. For he is a son of worthlessness, so that none can speak to him. And Abigail made haste and took two hundred loaves, and two skins of wine, and five sheep ready dressed, and five measures of roasted grain, and a hundred clusters of raisins, and laid them on asses. And she said to her servants, Go on before me. Behold, I am coming after you. But she did not tell her husband Nabal. And it happened, she was riding on the ass and coming down under cover of the mountain. And behold, David and his men came down across from her. And she met them. And David had said, Surely in vain I have kept all that belongs to this fellow in the wilderness, so that nothing was missed of all that was his. And he has requited me evil for good. So and more also may God do to the enemies of David, if I leave to the light of the morning any that is his of one who urinates against the wall. And Abigail saw David and hurried and dismounted from the ass, and fell before David on her face, and bowed herself to the ground. And she fell at his feet and said, On me, my lord, on me let this iniquity be. And please let your handmaid speak in your ears, and hear the words of your handmaid. Please do not let my lord regard this man of worthlessness, Nabal. For as his name is, so he is. Nabal is his name, and foolishness is with him. And I, your handmaid, did not see the young men of my lord, whom you sent. And now, my lord, as Jehovah lives and as your soul lives, since Jehovah has withheld you from coming to shed blood, and from avenging yourself with your own hand, now let your enemies, and those that seek to do evil to my lord, be as Nabal. And now this blessing which your handmaid has brought to my lord, let it even be given to the young men who follow my lord. Please forgive the trespass of your handmaid. For Jehovah will certainly make a sure house for my lord, because my lord fights the battles of Jehovah, and evil has not been found in you all your days. Yet a man has risen to pursue you and to seek your soul. But the soul of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of life with Jehovah your God. And the souls of your enemies, He shall sling them from the hollow of a sling. And it shall be, when Jehovah has done to my lord according to all the good that He has spoken concerning you, and commanded you to be ruler over Israel, this shall be no stumbling to you, nor offense of heart to my lord, either that you have shed blood for nothing, or that my lord has delivered himself. And may Jehovah deal well with my lord, and you remember your handmaid. And David said to Abigail, Blessed be Jehovah, the God of Israel, who sent you today to meet me. And blessed is your advice, and blessed are you who have kept me from coming to shed blood today, and from delivering myself with my own hand. And truly, as Jehovah, the God of Israel lives, who has kept me back from doing evil to you, for unless you had hurried and come to meet me, surely there would not have been left to Nabal by the morning light one who urinates against the wall. And David received from her hand that which she had brought him, and said to her, Go up in peace to your house. See, I have listened to your voice and have accepted your person. And Abigail came to Nabal. And behold, he held a feast in his house like the feast of a king. And Nabal's heart was merry within him, for he was very drunk. And she did not tell him anything, more or less, until the morning light. And it happened in the morning, when the wine had gone out of Nabal and his wife had told him these things, his heart died within him and he became like a stone. And it happened about ten days afterward Jehovah struck Nabal so that he died. And David heard that Nabal had died, and he said, Blessed is Jehovah who has pleaded the cause of my reproach from the hand of Nabal, and has kept His servant from evil. For Jehovah has returned the wickedness of Nabal on his own head. And David sent and spoke with Abigail, to take her to him for a wife. And David's servants came to Abigail at Carmel, and spoke to her, saying, David sent us to you to take you to him for a wife. And she arose and bowed herself on her face to the earth, and said, Behold, let your handmaid be a servant to wash the feet of the servants of my lord. And Abigail hurried and arose, and rode on an ass, with five of her maidens who went after her. And she followed the messengers of David and became his wife. David also took Ahinoam of Jezreel. And they became, both of them, his wives. And Saul gave his daughter Michal, David's wife, to Phalti the son of Laish, who was of Gallim. And the Ziphites came to Saul at Gibeah, saying, Is not David hiding himself in the hill of Hachilah, on the edge of the desert? And Saul arose and went down to the wilderness of Ziph to seek David in the wilderness of Ziph, having three thousand chosen men of Israel with him. And Saul pitched in the hill of Hachilah, which is on the edge of the desert, by the highway. And David was staying in the wilderness. And he saw that Saul came after him into the wilderness. And David sent out spies and knew that Saul had come indeed. And David arose and came to the place where Saul had pitched. And David saw the place where Saul lay. And Abner the son of Ner, the captain of his army, and Saul were lying within the barricade. And the people pitched all around him. And David answered and said to Ahimelech the Hittite, and to Abishai the son of Zeruiah, the brother of Joab, saying, Who will go down with me to the camp to Saul? And Abishai said, I will go down with you. So David and Abishai came to the people by night. And behold, Saul lay sleeping in the tent, and his spear stuck in the ground at his head. But Abner and the people lay around him. And Abishai said to David, God has shut up your enemy into your hand this day. And please let me strike him with the spear even to the earth at once, and I will not repeat it to him. And David said to Abishai, Do not destroy him. For who can stretch forth his hand against Jehovah's anointed and be guiltless? And David said, As Jehovah lives, except Jehovah strike him, or his day shall come, and he dies, or he goes down to battle and is consumed, far be it from me by Jehovah, from putting forth my hand against Jehovah's anointed. And now, please take the spear at his head and the cruse of water, and we will go. And David took the spear and the cruse of water from Saul's head. And they went away, and no one saw, and no one knew; and no one was awake; for all of them were sleeping, because a deep sleep from Jehovah had fallen on them. And David went over to the other side and stood on the top of a hill afar off, a great space between them. And David cried to the people and to Abner the son of Ner, saying, Do you not answer, Abner? And Abner answered and said, Who are you that cries to the king? And David said to Abner, Are you not a man? And who is like you in Israel? But why have you not watched over your lord the king? For one of the people came in to destroy your lord the king. This thing that you have done is not good. As Jehovah lives, because you have not watched over your master, Jehovah's anointed, you also are worthy to die. And now see where the king's spear is, and the cruse of water that was at his head. And Saul knew David's voice and said, Is this your voice, my son David? And David said, It is my voice, my lord, O king. And he said, Why does my lord pursue after his servant this way? For what have I done? Or what evil is in my hand? And now, please let my lord the king hear the words of his servant. If Jehovah has stirred you up against me, let Him accept an offering. But if it is the sons of men, they are cursed before Jehovah. For they have driven me out today from joining myself with the inheritance of Jehovah, saying, Go, serve other gods. And now, let not my blood fall to the earth before the face of Jehovah. For the king of Israel has come out to seek a flea, as when one hunts a partridge in the mountains. And Saul said, I have sinned. Return, my son David, for I will never do you harm any more, because my life was precious in your eyes this day. Behold, I have acted foolishly, and have greatly erred. And David answered and said, Behold the king's spear! And let one of the young men come over and get it. May Jehovah give to each his righteousness and his faithfulness. For Jehovah delivered you into my hand today, but I would not stretch forth my hand against Jehovah's anointed. And behold, as your life was precious in my eyes this day, so let my life be precious in the eyes of Jehovah, and let Him deliver me out of all tribulation. And Saul said to David, Blessed are you, my son David. You shall both do great things and also shall still prevail. So David went on his way, and Saul returned to his place. And David said in his heart, I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul. Nothing is better for me than that I should speedily escape into the land of the Philistines. And Saul shall despair of me, to seek me any more in any border of Israel, and so I shall escape out of his hand. And David arose and passed over, he and the six hundred men with him to Achish the son of Maoch, king of Gath. And David lived with Achish of Gath, he and his men, each one with his household; David with his two wives, Ahinoam of Jezreel, and Abigail of Carmel, Nabal's former wife. And Saul was told that David had fled to Gath. And he never again looked for him. And David said to Achish, If I have now found grace in your eyes, let them give me a place in some town in the country so that I may live there. For why should your servant live in the royal city with you? And Achish gave him Ziklag that day. And Ziklag belongs to the kings of Judah to this day. And the number of days that David lived in the field of the Philistines was a year of days and four months. And David and his men went up and invaded the Geshurites, and the Gezrites, and the Amalekites. For they were the inhabitants of the land from the past days, as you come into Shur, even into the land of Egypt. And David struck the land, and did not keep alive man nor woman, and took away the sheep and the oxen and the asses and the camels and the clothing, and returned and came to Achish. And Achish said, Where have you made a raid today? And David said, Against the south of Judah, and against the south of the Jerahmeelites, and against the south of the Kenites. And David did not keep alive man or woman to bring news to Gath, saying, Lest they should tell on us, saying, So David did, and so has been his custom all the days he lived in the fields of the Philistines. And Achish believed David, saying, He has made himself to be hated among his people Israel, and has become my servant forever. And in those days it happened that the Philistines gathered their armies for war, to fight with Israel. And Achish said to David, You surely know that you shall go with me to battle, you and your men. And David said to Achish, Surely you shall know what your servant can do. And Achish said to David, And I will make you keeper of my head forever. And Samuel was dead, and all Israel had mourned him and buried him in Ramah, even in his own city. And Saul had put away the mediums and the spirit-knowers out of the land. And the Philistines gathered themselves and came and pitched in Shunem. And Saul gathered all Israel and they pitched in Gilboa. And Saul saw the army of the Philistines, and he was afraid, and his heart greatly trembled. And when Saul inquired of Jehovah, Jehovah did not answer him, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets. And Saul said to his servants, Seek me a woman who is a medium, so that I may go to her and inquire of her. And his servant said to him, Behold, there is a woman who is a medium, at Endor. And Saul disguised himself and put on other clothing. And he went. And two men went with him. And they came to the woman by night. And he said, Please divine for me calling up the dead, and bring me up the man whom I shall name to you. And the woman said to him, Behold, you know what Saul has done, how he has cut off mediums, and the spirit-knowers, out of the land. Why then do you lay a snare for my life, to cause me to die? And Saul swore to her by Jehovah, saying, As Jehovah lives, there shall no punishment happen to you for this thing. And the woman said, Whom shall I bring up to you? And he said, Bring me up Samuel. And the woman saw Samuel, and cried with a loud voice. And the woman spoke to Saul, saying, Why have you deceived me? For you are Saul! And the king said to her, Do not be afraid. For what did you see? And the woman said to Saul, I saw gods coming up out of the earth. And he said to her, What is his form? And she said, An old man comes up, and he is covered with a cloak. And Saul saw that it was Samuel, and he bowed his face to the ground, and prostrated himself. And Samuel said to Saul, Why have you disturbed me, to bring me up? And Saul answered, I am grievously distressed, for the Philistines are warring against me. And God has left me and does not answer me any more, neither by prophets nor by dreams. And I have called you so that you may make known to me what I should do. And Samuel said, Why then do you ask me, since Jehovah has left you and has become your enemy? And Jehovah has done for Himself as He spoke by me. For Jehovah has torn the kingdom out of your hand and is giving it to your neighbor, to David. Because you did not obey the voice of Jehovah, nor execute his fierce wrath on Amalek, therefore Jehovah has done this thing to you now. And, Jehovah will also deliver Israel with you into the hand of the Philistines. And tomorrow you and your sons shall be with me. Jehovah also shall deliver the army of Israel into the hand of the Philistines. And Saul immediately fell headlong on the earth, and was sorely afraid because of the words of Samuel. And there was no strength in him, for he had eaten no bread all day nor all night. And the woman came to Saul and saw that he was sorely troubled, and said to him, Behold, your handmaid has obeyed your voice, and I have put my life in my hand, and have listened to your words which you spoke to me. And now please listen also to the voice of your handmaid, and let me set a bit of bread before you and eat, so that you may have strength when you go on your way. But he refused, and said, I will not eat. But his servants, forced him, and the woman also. And he listened to their voices and arose from the earth and sat on the bed. And the woman had a fat calf in the house. And she hurried and killed it, and took flour and kneaded it, and baked unleavened bread with it. And she brought it before Saul, and before his servants. And they ate, and rose up and went away that night. And the Philistines gathered all their armies to Aphek. And the Israelites pitched by a fountain in Jezreel. And the lords of the Philistines passed on by hundreds and by thousands. But David and his men passed on in the rear with Achish. And the rulers of the Philistines said, What are these Hebrews doing? And Achish said to the rulers of the Philistines, Is this not David the servant of Saul the king of Israel, who has been with me these days, or these years. And I have not found anything evil in him from the day he fell away until today? And the rulers of the Philistines were angry with him. And the Philistine rulers said to him, Send the man back, and he shall return to his place where you have appointed him. And he shall not go down with us to battle, and shall not become an enemy to us in battle. For with what should he reconcile himself to his master? Should it not be with the heads of these men? Is not this David, of whom they sang to one another in dances, saying, Saul killed his thousands, and David his ten thousands? And Achish called David and said to him, Surely, as Jehovah lives, you have been upright, and your going out and your coming in with me in the army is good in my sight. For I have not found evil in you since the day of your coming to me until today. But you are not good in the eyes of the lords. And return now, and go in peace so that you do not displease the lords of the Philistines. And David said to Achish, But what have I done? And what have you found in your servant so long as I have been with you to this day, that I may not go fight against the enemies of my lord the king? And Achish answered and said to David, I know that you are good in my sight, like an angel of God. But the princes of the Philistines have said, He shall not go up with us to the battle. And now, rise up early in the morning with your master's servants who have come with you. And as soon as you have light, depart. And David and his men rose up early to leave in the morning, to return into the land of the Philistines. And the Philistines went up to Jezreel. And it happened when David and his men had come to Ziklag on the third day, the Amalekites had invaded the south and Ziklag, and had struck Ziklag, and burned it with fire. And they had seized the women in it. They did not kill any, either small or great, but carried them away and went on their way. And David and his men came to the city, and behold, it was burned with fire, and their wives and their sons and their daughters had been taken captives. And David and the people with him lifted up their voice and wept, until they had no more power to weep. And David's two wives had been seized, Ahinoam of Jezreel, and Abigail, the former wife of Nabal of Carmel. And it greatly distressed David, for the people spoke of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, each one for his sons and for his daughters. But David encouraged himself in Jehovah his God. And David said to Abiathar the priest, Ahimelech's son, Please bring the ephod here to me. And Abiathar brought the ephod there to David. And David inquired of Jehovah, saying, Shall I go after this troop? Shall I overtake them? And He answered him, Go! For you shall surely overtake and will without fail recover all. So David went, he and the six hundred men that were with him, and came to the brook Besor, where those who were left behind stayed. But David pursued, he and four hundred men. For two hundred stayed behind, who were too exhausted to go over the brook Besor. And they found an Egyptian in the field and brought him to David and gave him bread, and he ate. And they made him drink water. And they gave him a piece of a cake of figs, and two clusters of raisins. And when he had eaten, his spirit came again to him. For he had eaten no bread nor drunk water for three days and three nights. And David said to him, Whose are you? And where do you come from? And he said, I am an Egyptian youth, servant to an Amalekite. And my master left me because three days ago I fell sick. We raided the south of the Cherethites, and on that belonging to Judah, and on the south of Caleb. And we burned Ziklag with fire. And David said to him, Can you bring me down to this company? And he said, Swear to me by God that you will neither kill me nor deliver me into the hands of my master, and I will bring you down to this company. And when he had brought him down, behold, they were spread abroad on all the earth, eating and drinking and dancing, because of all the great spoil that they had taken out of the land of the Philistines and out of the land of Judah. And David struck them from the twilight even to the evening of the next day. And not a man of them escaped, except four hundred young men who rode on camels and fled. And David recovered all that the Amalekites had carried away. And David rescued his two wives. And nothing was lacking to them, from the small to the great, even to sons and daughters, and from the spoil, even to all that they had taken to themselves. David recovered all. And David took all the flock, and the herd. They drove on before those cattle. And they said, This is David's spoil. And David came to the two hundred who were too exhausted to follow David, whom they had made also to stay at the brook Besor. And they went out to meet David, and to meet the people with him. And David came up to the people, and greeted them. And every evil and worthless man of the men who went with David answered and said, Because they did not go with us, we will not give them from a thing the spoil that we have seized, except to every man his wife and his sons. Let them take them, and go. And David said, My brothers, you shall not do so with that which Jehovah has given us. For He has protected us, and has delivered into our hand the company that came against us. For who will listen to you in this matter? But as his part is that goes down to the battle, so shall be his part that stays by the stuff. They shall divide alike. And it was so, from that day forward he made it a statute and an ordinance for Israel to this day. And David came to Ziklag, and sent some of the spoil to the elders of Judah, to his friends, saying, Behold, a present for you from the spoil of the enemies of Jehovah; to the ones in Bethel, and to the ones in Ramoth of the south, and to the ones in Jattir, and to the ones in Aroer, and to the ones in Siphmoth, and to the ones in Eshtemoa, and to the ones in Rachal, and to the ones in the cities of the Jerahmeelites, and to the ones in the cities of the Kenites, and to the ones in Hormah, and to the ones in Chorashan, and to the ones in Athach, and to the ones in Hebron, and to all the places where David had gone up and down, he and his men. And the Philistines fought against Israel. And the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell down wounded in Mount Gilboa. And the Philistines followed Saul and his sons. And the Philistines killed Jonathan and Abinadab and Malchishua, Saul's sons. And the battle went hard against Saul. And the archers hit him, and he was sorely wounded by the archers. And Saul said to his armor-bearer, Draw your sword and thrust me through with it, lest these uncircumcised ones come and thrust me through, and abuse me. But his armor-bearer would not, for he was very much afraid. So Saul took a sword and fell on it. And when his armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he also fell on his sword and died with him. And Saul died, and his three sons, and his armor-bearer, and all his men, that same day together. And the men of Israel beyond the valley, and who were on the other side Jordan, saw that the men of Israel fled and that Saul and his sons had died. And they abandoned the cities and fled. And the Philistines came and lived in them. And it happened on the next day, the Philistines came to strip the slain, and they found Saul and his three sons fallen in mount Gilboa. And they cut off his head and stripped off his armor, and sent into the land of the Philistines all around, to publish it in the house of their idols and among the people. And they put his armor in the house of Ashtaroth, and they fastened his body to the wall of Beth-shan. And when they heard about it, the people of Jabesh-gilead, what the Philistines had done to Saul, then all the brave men arose, and they traveled all night. And they took the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Beth-shan, and came to Jabesh, and burned them there. And they took their bones and buried them under the tamarisk tree at Jabesh. And they fasted seven days.
Behold, here I am. Witness against me before Jehovah and before His anointed. Whose ox have I taken? Or whose ass have I taken? Or whom have I defrauded? Whom have I oppressed? Or from whose hand have I received a bribe, to blind my eyes with it? And I will restore it to you. And they said, You have not defrauded us nor oppressed us, neither have you taken from any man's hand. And he said to them, Jehovah is witness against you, and His anointed is witness this day, that you have not found anything in my hand. And they answered, He is witness. And Samuel said to the people, It is Jehovah who made Moses and Aaron, and who brought your fathers up out of the land of Egypt. And now stand still, so that I may reason with you before Jehovah of all the righteous acts of Jehovah which He did to you and to your fathers. When Jacob had come into Egypt, and your fathers cried to Jehovah, then Jehovah sent Moses and Aaron, who brought your fathers out of Egypt and made them live in this place. And they forgot Jehovah their God. And He sold them into the hand of Sisera, captain of the army of Hazor, and into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab, and they fought against them. And they cried to Jehovah, and said, We have sinned because we have forsaken Jehovah, and have served the Baals and Ashtoreths. But now deliver us out of the hand of our enemies, and we will serve You. And Jehovah sent Jerubbaal, and Bedan, and Jephthah, and Samuel, and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side, and you lived safely. And when you saw that Nahash the king of the sons of Ammon came against you, you said to me, No, but a king shall reign over us, even though Jehovah your God was your King. And now, behold the king whom you have chosen, whom you have desired! And behold, Jehovah has set a king over you! If you will fear Jehovah, and serve Him, and listen to His voice, and not rebel against the command of Jehovah, then both you and also the king who reigns over you shall continue following Jehovah your God. But if you will not listen to the voice of Jehovah, but rebel against the command of Jehovah, then the hand of Jehovah shall be against you as it was against your fathers. Also, now stand and see this great thing which Jehovah shall do before your eyes. Is it not wheat harvest today? I will call to Jehovah, and He shall send thunder and rain, so that you may perceive and see that your wickedness is great, that which you have done in the sight of Jehovah, in asking a king for you. And Samuel called to Jehovah, And Jehovah sent thunder and rain that day. And all the people greatly feared Jehovah and Samuel. And all the people said to Samuel, Pray for your servants to Jehovah your God, so that we will not die. For we have added evil to all our sins, to ask a king for us. And Samuel said to the people, Do not fear. You have done all this wickedness. Yet do not turn aside from following Jehovah, but serve Jehovah with all your heart. And do not turn aside to go after vanities, which cannot profit nor deliver. For they are vain. For Jehovah will not forsake His people for His great name's sake, because it has pleased Jehovah to make you His people. Also, I, far be it from me that I should sin against Jehovah from ceasing to pray for you. But I will teach you the good and the right way. Only fear Jehovah, and serve Him in truth with all your heart. For consider what great things He has done for you. But if you shall still do wickedly, both you and your king, will be swept away. Saul reigned one year, and when he had reigned two more years over Israel, then Saul chose for himself three thousand from Israel. Two thousand of these were with Saul in Michmash and in mount Bethel, and a thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin. And of the rest of the people he sent each man to his tent. And Jonathan struck the garrison of the Philistines in Geba, and the Philistines heard. And Saul blew the ram's horn throughout all the land, saying, Let the Hebrews hear. And all Israel heard, saying, Saul has struck a garrison of the Philistines, and also Israel has made himself stink to the Philistines. And the people were called to Gilgal after Saul. And the Philistines gathered to fight with Israel, thirty thousand chariots, and six thousand horsemen, and people like the sand on the seashore in multitude. And they came up and pitched in Michmash, eastward from Beth-aven. And the men of Israel saw that they were in a tight place (for the people were distressed). And the people hid themselves in caves, and in thickets, and in rocks, and in high places, and in pits. And the Hebrews went over Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead. And Saul was still in Gilgal, and all the people followed him, trembling. And he waited seven days, according to the set time with Samuel. But Samuel did not come to Gilgal. And the people were scattered from him. And Saul said, Bring a burnt offering here to me, and peace offerings. And he offered the burnt offering. And it happened as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came. And Saul went out to meet him and to kneel to him. And Samuel said, What have you done? And Saul said, Because I saw that the people were scattered from me, and you did not come in the days appointed, and the Philistines gathered themselves at Michmash, and I said, The Philistines will come down now on me to Gilgal, and I have not made supplication to Jehovah. And I forced myself and offered a burnt offering. And Samuel said to Saul, You have done foolishly. You have not kept the commandment of Jehovah your God, which He commanded you. For now Jehovah would have established your kingdom on Israel forever. But now your kingdom shall not stand. Jehovah has sought Him a man after His own heart, and Jehovah has appointed him to be leader over His people, because you have not kept what Jehovah commanded you. And Samuel arose and went up from Gilgal to Gibeah of Benjamin. And Saul numbered the people present with him, about six hundred men. And Saul, and his son Jonathan, and the people present with them, stayed in Gibeah of Benjamin. But the Philistines camped in Michmash. And the spoilers came out of the camp of the Philistines in three companies. One company turned to the way to Ophrah, to the land of Shual. And another company turned the way to Beth-horon. And one company turned the way of the border that looks toward the valley of Zeboim toward the wilderness. And there was no smith found throughout all the land of Israel. For the Philistines said, Lest the Hebrews make swords or spears. But all the Israelites went down to the Philistines, each man to sharpen his plowshare, and his mattock, and his axe, and his coulter. And there was the charge of a pim for the plowshares, and for the mattocks, and for the three-pronged forks, and for the axes, and to sharpen the plowshares. And it happened in the day of battle there was neither sword nor spear found in the hand of any of the people with Saul and Jonathan. But with Saul and with his son Jonathan there was found sword and spear. And the garrison of the Philistines went out to the passage of Michmash. And the day came that Jonathan the son of Saul said to the young man who bore his armor, Come and let us go over to the Philistines' garrison which is on the other side. But he did not tell his father. And Saul stayed in the edge of Gibeah under the pomegranate tree in Migron. And the people who were with him were about six hundred men. And Ahiah, the son of Ahitub, Ichabod's brother, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eli, Jehovah's priest in Shiloh, was wearing an ephod. And the people did not know that Jonathan was gone. And between the passages by which Jonathan sought to go over to the Philistines' garrison there was a rocky crag on the one side and a rocky crag on the other side. And the name of the one was Bozez, and the name of the other Seneh. The one crag was a pillar on the north in front of Michmash, and the other southward in front of Gibeah. And Jonathan said to the young man who bore his armor, Come, and let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised ones. It may be that Jehovah will work for us. For there is no restraint to Jehovah, to save by many or by few. And his armor-bearer said to him, Do all that is in your heart. Turn, for behold, I am with you according to your heart. And Jonathan said, Behold, we will go over to these men, and we will show ourselves to them. If they say this to us, Stand still until we come to you, then we will stand still in our place and will not go up to them. But if they say this, Come up to us, then we will go up, for Jehovah has delivered them up into our hand. And this shall be a sign to us. And both of them showed themselves to the garrison of the Philistines. And the Philistines said, Behold, the Hebrews come out of the holes where they have hidden themselves. And the men of the garrison answered Jonathan and his armor-bearer and said, Come up to us, and we will teach you a thing. And Jonathan said to his armor-bearer, Come up after me, for Jehovah has delivered them into the hand of Israel. And Jonathan climbed up on his hands and feet, and his armor-bearer after him. And they fell before Jonathan, and his armor-bearer killed after him. And this was the first blow, when Jonathan and his armor-bearer struck about twenty men in about half of a furrow of an acre of a field. And there was trembling in the army, in the field, and among all the people. The garrison and the spoilers also trembled, and the earth quaked, and it was a very great trembling. And the watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin looked, and behold, the multitude had melted away and went on here and there. And Saul said to the people with him, Number now and see who is gone from us. And when they had counted, behold, Jonathan and his armor-bearer were not there. And Saul said to Ahiah, Bring the ark of God here. For the ark of God was at that time with the sons of Israel. And it happened, while Saul talked to the priest, the noise in the army of the Philistines went on and grew greater. And Saul said to the priest, Withdraw your hand. And Saul and all the people with him gathered, and they went to the battle. And, behold, every man's sword was against his fellow, a very great panic. And the Hebrews that were with the Philistines before, who had gone up with them into the camp all around, even they also turned to be with the Israelites who were with Saul and Jonathan. And all the men of Israel who had hidden themselves in mount Ephraim heard that the Philistines had fled, even they also followed them in the battle. And Jehovah saved Israel that day, and the battle passed over to Beth-aven. And the men of Israel were distressed on that day. For Saul had commanded the people, saying, Cursed is the man that eats food until evening, so that I may be avenged on my enemies. So none of the people tasted any food. And all the men of the land came into a forest, and there was honey on the ground. And when the people had come into the woods, behold, a flow of honey! But no one put his hand to his mouth, for the people feared the oath. But Jonathan did not hear when his father made the people swear. And he put forth the end of the rod in his hand and dipped it in a honeycomb, and put his hand to his mouth. And his eyes were lightened. And one from the people answered and said, Your father strictly charged the people with an oath, saying, Cursed is the man who eats food this day. And the people were weary. Then Jonathan said, My father has troubled the land. Please see how my eyes have been lightened because I tasted a little of this honey. How much more if the people had happened to eat freely today of the spoil of their enemies which they found? For would not there have been a much greater slaughter among the Philistines? And they struck the Philistines that day from Michmash to Aijalon, and the people were very faint. And the people flew on the spoil, and took sheep and oxen and calves, and killed them on the ground. And the people ate with the blood. And they told Saul, saying, Behold, the people sin against Jehovah in that they eat with the blood. And he said, You have transgressed. Roll a great stone to me today. And Saul said, Disperse yourselves among the people and say to them, Let each one bring his ox here, and each man his sheep, and kill them here, and eat. And do not sin against Jehovah in eating with the blood. And each man of all the people brought his ox in his hand that night, and killed them there. And Saul built an altar to Jehovah. The same was the first altar that he built to Jehovah. And Saul said, Let us go down after the Philistines by night and spoil them until the morning light, and let us not leave a man of them. And they said, Do all that seems good to you. Then the priest said, Let us draw near here to God. And Saul asked counsel of God: Shall I go down after the Philistines? Will You deliver them into the hand of Israel? But He answered him not that day. And Saul said, Draw near here, all the chief of the people, and know and see what this sin has been today. For, as Jehovah lives, He who saves Israel, though it is in Jonathan my son, he shall surely die. But there was not a man among all the people who answered. Then he said to all Israel, You be on one side, and Jonathan my son and I will be on the other side. And the people said to Saul, Do what seems good to you. And Saul said to Jehovah, the God of Israel, Give a perfect lot. And Saul and Jonathan were taken, but the people escaped. And Saul said, Cast lots between me and my son Jonathan. And Jonathan was taken. Then Saul said to Jonathan, Tell me what you have done. And Jonathan told him and said, I did but taste a little honey with the end of the rod in my hand. Behold me, I must die. And Saul answered, God do so and more also, for you shall surely die, Jonathan. And the people said to Saul, Shall Jonathan die, who has worked out this great salvation in Israel? Far be it! As Jehovah lives, not one hair of his head shall fall to the ground, for he has worked with God this day. So the people rescued Jonathan, so that he did not die. Then Saul went up from following the Philistines. And the Philistines went to their own place. And Saul took the kingdom over Israel and fought against all his enemies on every side, with Moab, and with the sons of Ammon, and with Edom, and with the kings of Zobah, and with the Philistines. And wherever he turned himself, he troubled them. And he gathered an army and struck the Amalekites, and delivered Israel out of the hands of those who spoiled them. And the sons of Saul were Jonathan, and Ishui, and Melchishua. And the names of his two daughters: the first-born's name was Merab, and the name of the younger, Michal. And the name of Saul's wife was Ahinoam, the daughter of Ahimaaz. And the name of the commander of his army was Abner, the son of Ner, Saul's uncle. And Kish was the father of Saul. And Ner the father of Abner was the son of Abiel. And the war was heavy against the Philistines all the days of Saul. And when Saul saw any strong man, or any brave man, he took him to himself. And Samuel said to Saul, Jehovah sent me to anoint you to be king over His people, over Israel. And now listen to the voice of the words of Jehovah. So says Jehovah of Hosts, I will visit Amalek with what he did to Israel, how he set against him in the way when he came up from Egypt. Now go and strike Amalek, and completely destroy all that they have, and do not spare them. But kill both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass. And Saul gathered the people together and numbered them in Telaim, two hundred thousand footmen and ten thousand men of Judah. And Saul came to a city of Amalek and lay in wait in the valley. And Saul said to the Kenites, Go! Depart! Get down from among the Amalekites, lest I destroy you with them. For you showed kindness to all the sons of Israel when they came up out of Egypt. So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites. And Saul struck the Amalekites from Havilah, as you come to Shur, which is over across from Egypt. And he took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive. And he completely destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword. But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep and of the oxen and of the fatlings and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not completely destroy them. But everything that was vile and feeble they completely destroyed. And the Word of Jehovah came to Samuel saying, It repents Me that I have set up Saul to be king. For he has turned back from following Me and has not done My commands. And it grieved Samuel, and he cried out to Jehovah all night. And when Samuel rose up early in the morning to meet Saul, it was told to Samuel, saying, Saul came to Carmel, and behold, he set up a place for himself, and has gone around and passed on and gone down to Gilgal. And Samuel came to Saul. And Saul said to him, You are blessed of Jehovah. I have done the command of Jehovah. And Samuel said, What then is this bleating of the flock in my ears? And what is the sound of the herd which I hear? 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 to Jehovah your God. And the rest we have completely destroyed. And Samuel said to Saul, Stop! And I will tell you what Jehovah has said to me tonight. And he said to him, Speak. And Samuel said, When you were little in your own sight, did you not become the head of the tribes of Israel? And Jehovah anointed you king over Israel. And Jehovah sent you on the way and said, Go and completely destroy the sinners, Amalek, and fight against them until you destroy them. Why then did you not obey the voice of Jehovah? Why did you fly on the spoil and do evil in the sight of Jehovah? And Saul said to Samuel, Yes, I have obeyed the voice of Jehovah, and have gone the way which Jehovah sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have completely destroyed the Amalekites. But the people took from the spoil, of the flocks and herd, the best of the things devoted to sacrifice to Jehovah your God in Gilgal. And Samuel said, Does Jehovah delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of Jehovah? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice! To listen is better than the fat of rams! For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idol-worship. Because you have rejected the Word of Jehovah, He has also rejected you from being king! And Saul said to Samuel, I have sinned. For I have disobeyed the command of Jehovah, and your word, because I feared the people and obeyed their voice. And now please pardon my sin and turn again with me so that I may worship Jehovah. And Samuel said to Saul, I will not return with you, for you have rejected the Word of Jehovah, and Jehovah has rejected you from being king over Israel. And Samuel turned around to go, and he laid hold on the skirt of his robe, and it tore. And Samuel said to him, Jehovah has torn the kingdom of Israel from you this day, and has given it to a neighbor of yours who is better than you. And also the Glory of Israel will not lie nor repent, for He is not a man that He should repent. Then he said, I have sinned. Please honor me now before the elders of my people and before Israel, and turn again with me. And I shall worship Jehovah your God. And Samuel turned again after Saul, and Saul worshiped Jehovah. And Samuel said, Bring here to me Agag the king of the Amalekites. And Agag came to him daintily. And Agag said, Surely the bitterness of death is past. And Samuel said, As your sword has made women childless, so shall your mother be childless among women. And Samuel cut Agag in pieces before Jehovah in Gilgal. And Samuel went to Ramah. And Saul went up to his house to Gibeah of Saul. And Samuel never again saw Saul until the day of his death, for Samuel mourned for Saul. And Jehovah repented that He had made Saul king over Israel. And Jehovah said to Samuel, How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and go. I will send you to Jesse of Bethlehem. For I have seen a king for Me among his sons. And Samuel said, How can I go? If Saul hears, he will kill me. And Jehovah said, Take a heifer of the herd in your hand with you and say, I have come to sacrifice to Jehovah. And call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do. And you shall anoint for Me whomever I name to you. And Samuel did what Jehovah said, and came to Bethlehem. And the elders of the town trembled at his coming and said, Do you come peaceably? And he said, Peaceably. I have come to sacrifice to Jehovah. Sanctify yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice. And he sanctified Jesse and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice. And it happened as they came in, he saw Eliab and said, Surely Jehovah's anointed is before Jehovah. But Jehovah said to Samuel, Do not look on his face, nor on his height, because I have refused him. For He does not see as man sees. For man looks on the outward appearance, but Jehovah looks on the heart. And Jesse called Abinadab, and he passed him before Samuel, but he said, Also Jehovah has not chosen this one. And Jesse passed Shammah by, but he said, Also Jehovah has not chosen this one. And Jesse passed seven of his sons before Samuel, but Samuel said to Jesse, Jehovah has not chosen these. And Samuel said to Jesse, Are all the young men here? And he said, There remains yet the youngest, and behold, he keeps the sheep. And Samuel said to Jesse, Send and bring him, for we will not sit down until he comes here. And he sent and brought him in. And he was ruddy, with beautiful eyes and good form. And Jehovah said, Arise, anoint him. For this is he. And Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers. And the spirit of Jehovah came on David from that day forward. And Samuel rose up and went to Ramah. But the spirit of Jehovah departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from Jehovah terrified him. And Saul's servants said to him, Behold now, an evil spirit from God terrifies you. Let our lord now command his servants before you to seek out a man who knows to play on a harp. And it shall be, when the evil spirit from God is on you, then he shall play with his hand, and it shall be well with you. And Saul said to his servants, Now look for me a man who can play well, and bring him to me. And one of the servants answered and said, Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite who is skillful in playing, and a mighty warrior and a man of battle, and prudent in speech. And he is a person of good form, and Jehovah is with him. And Saul sent messengers to Jesse and said, Send me your son David, who is with the sheep. And Jesse took an ass loaded with bread and a skin of wine and a kid, and sent them by David his son to Saul. And David came to Saul and stood before him. And he loved him greatly, and he became his armor-bearer. And Saul sent to Jesse saying, Please let David stand before me, for he has found favor in my sight. And it happened when the spirit from God was on Saul, that David took a harp and played with his hand. And there was relief for Saul, and it was well with him, and the evil spirit departed from him. And the Philistines gathered their armies for battle, and gathered at Socoh of Judah, and pitched between Socoh and Azekah, in Ephes-dammim. And Saul and the men of Israel had gathered and pitched by the valley of Elah, and set the battle in order against the Philistines. And the Philistines stood on a mountain on the one side, and Israel stood on a mountain on the other side. And there was a valley between them. And a champion named Goliath came out of the Philistines camp; he was from Gath. His height was six cubits and a span. And a bronze helmet was on his head, and he was armed with scaled armor. And the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of bronze. And greaves of bronze were on his legs, and a bronze javelin was between his shoulders. And the staff of his spear was like a weaver's beam. And his spear's head weighed six hundred shekels of iron. And the shield bearer went in front of him. And he stood and cried to the armies of Israel, and said to them, Why have you come out to set your battle in order? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not servants to Saul? Choose a man for you, and let him come down to me. If he is able to fight with me and kill me, then we will be your slaves. But if I prevail against him and kill him, then you shall be our slaves and serve us. And the Philistine said, I defy the armies of Israel this day. Give me a man, and we will fight together. And Saul and all Israel heard those words of the Philistine, and they were dismayed and greatly afraid. And David was the son of an Ephrathite of Bethlehem-judah named Jesse. And to him were eight sons. And the man was old among men in the days of Saul. And the three oldest sons of Jesse went out, and followed Saul to the battle. And the names of his three sons that went to the battle were Eliab the first-born; and his second, Abinadab; and the third Shammah. And David was the youngest. And the three oldest followed Saul. And David went and returned from Saul to feed his father's sheep at Bethlehem. And the Philistine drew near morning and evening, and presented himself forty days. And Jesse said to his son David, Please take for your brothers an ephah of this parched grain, and these ten loaves, and run to the camp to your brothers. And carry these ten cuttings of cheeses to the commander of their thousand, and see how your brothers are faring, and take their pledge. And Saul, and they, and all the men of Israel, were in the valley of Elah fighting with the Philistines. And David rose up early in the morning and left the sheep with a keeper, and got up and went as Jesse had commanded him. And he came to the barricade, and to the army which was going out to fight, and shouted for the battle. For Israel and the Philistines had put the battle in order, rank to rank. And David left his baggage in the hand of the keeper of the baggage and ran into the army, and came and greeted his brothers. And he was speaking with them. And, behold, the champion man, named Goliath, the Philistine of Gath, came up out of the ranks of the Philistines, and spoke according to these words. And David heard. And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, they ran from him and were very much afraid. And the men of Israel said, Have you seen this man that has come up? Surely he has come up to defy Israel. And it shall be, the king will enrich the man who kills him with great riches, and will give him his daughter, and make his father's house free in Israel. And David spoke to the men who stood by him, saying, What shall be done to the man who kills this Philistine and takes away this shame from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God? And the people answered him in this way, saying, So shall it be done to the man who kills him. And his oldest brother Eliab heard when he spoke to the men. And Eliab's anger was kindled against David. And he said, Why have you come down? And with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your pride and the naughtiness of your heart. For you have come down to see the battle. And David said, What have I done now? Was it not only a word? And he turned from him toward another, and spoke according to this word. And the people answered him again in the same way. And the words which David spoke were heard. And they were told before Saul. And he sent for him. And David said to Saul, Let no man's heart fail because of him. Your servant will go and fight with this Philistine. And Saul said to David, You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him. For you are but a youth, and he is a man of war from his youth. And David said to Saul, Your servant kept his father's sheep, and there came a lion and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock. And I went out after it and struck it, and delivered the lamb out of its mouth. And when it rose against me, I caught it by the beard, and struck it and killed it. Your servant killed both the lion and the bear. And this uncircumcised Philistine shall be like one of them, since he has defied the armies of the living God. And David said, Jehovah who has delivered me out of the paw of the lion and out of the paw of the bear, He will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. And Saul said to David, Go, and may Jehovah be with you. And Saul armed David with his armor, and he put a helmet of bronze on his head. He also armed him with scaled armor. And David girded his sword on his armor, and he tried to go. But he had not tested it. And David said to Saul, I cannot go with these, for I have not tested them. And David put them off him. And he took his staff in his hand, and chose five smooth stones out of the brook for himself, and put them in a shepherd's vessel which he had, even in a bag. And his sling was in his hand. And he drew near the Philistine. And the Philistine came on and drew near David. And the man who bore the shield was before him. And the Philistine looked and saw David, and disdained him. For he was only a youth, and ruddy, with a handsome appearance. And the Philistine said to David, Am I a dog that you come to me with sticks? And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. And the Philistine said to David, Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and to the beasts of the field. And David said to the Philistine, You come to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of Jehovah of Hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. Jehovah will deliver you into my hand today, and I will strike you and take your head from you and give the bodies of the army of the Philistines to the birds of the air today, and to the wild beasts of the earth, so that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. And all this multitude shall know that Jehovah does not save with sword and spear; for the battle is Jehovah's, and He will give you into our hands. And it happened when the Philistine rose and went and drew near to meet David, David hurried and ran toward the ranks to meet the Philistine. And David put his hand into his bag and took a stone from there, and slung it and struck the Philistine in his forehead, so that the stone sank into his forehead. And he fell on his face to the earth. And David was stronger than the Philistine with a sling and with a stone. And he struck the Philistine, and killed him. But no sword was in the hand of David. And David ran and stood on the Philistine, and took out his sword and drew it out of its sheath, and killed him, and cut off his head with it. And the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, and fled. And the men of Israel rose up and shouted, and Judah pursued the Philistines until you come to the valley, and to the gates of Ekron. And the wounded of the Philistines fell down by the way to Shaaraim, even to Gath and to Ekron. And the sons of Israel returned from chasing after the Philistines, and they spoiled their tents. And David took the head of the Philistine and brought it to Jerusalem. But he put his armor in his tent. And when Saul saw David go forth against the Philistine, he said to Abner, the captain of the army, Abner, whose son is this young man? And Abner said, As your soul lives, O king, I cannot tell. And the king said, You go ask whose son the young man is. And as David returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, Abner took him and brought him before Saul, with the head of the Philistine in his hand. And Saul said to him, Whose son are you, young man? And David answered, I am the son of your servant Jesse of Bethlehem. And it happened when he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was joined with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as he did his own soul. And Saul took him that day and would not let him go home to his father's house any more. And Jonathan and David cut a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul. And Jonathan stripped off the robe was on him and gave it to David, and his apparel, even to his sword and to his bow and to his girdle. And David went out wherever Saul sent him, behaving himself wisely. And Saul set him over the men of war, and it was good in the sight of all the people, and also in the sight of Saul's servants. And it happened as they came in, as David returned from striking the Philistine, the women came out of all cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul with tabrets, with joy, and with instruments of music. And the women answered as they played, and said, Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands. And Saul was very angry, and this thing was evil in his eyes. And he said, They have given David ten thousands, and to me they have given only thousands. And what more can he have but the kingdom? And Saul eyed David from that day and forward. And it happened on the next day the evil spirit from God came on Saul, and he prophesied in the midst of the house. And David played with his hand, as at other times. And a spear was in Saul's hand. And Saul threw the spear. For he said, I will strike David even to the wall. And David drew back out of his presence twice. And Saul was afraid of David, because Jehovah was with him and had departed from Saul. And Saul moved him away from himself, and made him his commander over a thousand. And he went out and came in before the people. And David behaved himself wisely in all his ways. And Jehovah was with him. And when Saul saw that he behaved himself very wisely, he was afraid of him. But all Israel and Judah loved David, because he went out and came in before them. And Saul said to David, Behold I will give you my older daughter Merab for a wife. Only you be a brave son for me and fight Jehovah's battles. For Saul said, Let not my hand be on him, but let the hand of the Philistines be on him. And David said to Saul, Who am I, and what is my life, or my father's family in Israel, that I should be son-in-law to the king? And it happened at the time when Merab, Saul's daughter should have been given to David, she was given to Adriel the Meholathite to be his wife. And Saul's daughter Michal loved David. And they told Saul, and the thing pleased him. And Saul said, I will give her to him, so that she may be a trap to him, and so that the hand of the Philistines may be against him. And Saul said to David a second time, Today you shall be my son-in-law. And Saul commanded his servants, Talk with David secretly and say, Behold, the king delights in you, and all his servants love you. And now be the king's son-in-law. And Saul's servants spoke these words in the ears of David. And David said, Is it a light thing to be a king's son-in-law, since I am a poor man and of little worth? And the servants of Saul told him saying, This is the way David spoke. And Saul said, You shall say this to David, The king does not desire any dowry except a hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to be avenged of the king's enemies. But Saul thought to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines. And when his servants told David these words, it was right in the eyes of David to be the king's son-in-law. And the days were not fulfilled. And David arose and went forth, he and his men. And they killed two hundred men of the Philistines. And David brought their foreskins, and they gave them in full number to the king so that he might be the king's son-in-law. And Saul gave him his daughter Michal for a wife. And Saul saw and knew that Jehovah was with David, and that Michal, Saul's daughter, loved him. And Saul was still more afraid of David. And Saul became David's enemy continually. And the rulers of the Philistines came out. And it happened as often as they came out, David acted more wisely than all the servants of Saul, so that his name was very precious. And Saul said to his son Jonathan, and to all his servants, to kill David. But Jonathan, Saul's son, loved David very much. And Jonathan told David, saying, My father Saul seeks to kill you. And now please be careful until morning, and stay in a secret place, and hide yourself. And I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where you are, and I will talk about you with my father. And I will tell you what I see. And Jonathan spoke good of David to Saul his father, and said to him, Do not let the king sin against his servant, against David, because he has not sinned against you, and because his works are very good toward you. For he took his life in his hand and killed the Philistine, and Jehovah worked out a great salvation for all Israel. You saw and rejoiced! Why then will you sin against innocent blood, to kill David without a cause? And Saul listened to the voice of Jonathan. And Saul swore, As Jehovah lives, he shall not die. And Jonathan called David, and Jonathan showed him all those things. And Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence as in times past. And there was war again. And David went out and fought with the Philistines, and killed them with a great slaughter. And they fled from him. And the evil spirit from Jehovah was on Saul as he sat in his house with his spear in his hand. And David played with his hand. And Saul thought to strike David even to the wall with the spear. But he burst forth from Saul's presence, and he struck the spear into the wall. And David fled and escaped that night. Saul also sent messengers to David's house to watch him and to kill him in the morning. And David's wife Michal told him saying, If you do not save your life tonight, tomorrow you shall be killed. And Michal let David down through a window. And he left and hurried away, and escaped. And Michal took an image and laid it in the bed, and put a pillow of goats' hair at its head, and covered it with a cloth. And when Saul sent messengers to take David, she said, He is sick. And Saul sent the messengers to see David, saying, Bring him up to me in the bed so that I may kill him. And the messengers came in, and behold, the image was in the bed with a pillow of goats' hair at its head. And Saul said to Michal, Why have you deceived me so, and sent away my enemy so that he has escaped? And Michal answered Saul, He said to me, Let me go; why should I kill you? And David fled, and escaped, and came to Samuel, to Ramah, and told him all that Saul had done to him. And he and Samuel went and lived in Naioth. And it was told to Saul, saying, Behold, David is at Naioth in Ramah. And Saul sent messengers to take David. And when they saw the company of the prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing as appointed over them, the Spirit of God came on the messengers of Saul, and they also prophesied. And they told Saul, and he sent other messengers, and they also prophesied. And Saul sent messengers the third time, and they prophesied also. And he also went to Ramah, and came to a great well in Sechu. And he asked and said, Where are Samuel and David? And one said, Behold, at Naioth in Ramah. And he went there to Naioth in Ramah. And the Spirit of God was on him also, and going on he went and prophesied, until he came to Naioth in Ramah. And he stripped off his clothes also, and prophesied before Samuel, even he. And he lay down disrobed all that day and all that night. Because of this they say, Is Saul also among the prophets? And David fled from Naioth in Ramah, and came and said before Jonathan, What have I done? What is my iniquity, and what my sin before your father, that he seeks my life? And he said to him, Far be it. You shall not die! Behold, my father will do nothing either great or small that he will not show to me. And why should my father hide this thing from me? It is not so. And David swore again and said, Your father certainly knows that I have found grace in your eyes. And he said, Do not let Jonathan know this, lest he be full of sorrow. But truly as Jehovah lives, and as your soul lives, only a step is between me and death. And Jonathan said to David, Whatever your soul desires, I will even do for you. And David said to Jonathan, Behold, tomorrow is the new moon, and I should not fail to sit at table with the king. But let me go so that I may hide myself in the field until the third day at evening. If your father misses me at all, then say, David earnestly asked me that he might run to his city Bethlehem. For there is a yearly sacrifice there for all the family. If he says so, It is well, peace will be to your servant, but if he is very angry, be sure that evil is determined by him. And you shall deal kindly with your servant, for you have brought your servant into a covenant of Jehovah with you. But if there is any iniquity in me, kill me yourself. For why should you bring me to your father? And Jonathan said, Far be it from you. For if I knew certainly that evil was determined by my father to come on you, then would I not tell you? Then David said to Jonathan, Who shall tell me? Or what if your father answers you roughly? And Jonathan said to David, Come, and let us go into the field. And both of them went out into the field. And Jonathan said to David, By Jehovah, the God of Israel, when I search my father about this time tomorrow or the third day, behold, if there is good toward David, then shall I not send to you and reveal it in your ear? So may Jehovah do to Jonathan and more if it seem good to my father to do you evil, then I will reveal it in your ear and send you away, and you may go in peace. And may Jehovah be with you, as He was with my father. And you shall not only show me the kindness of Jehovah while I still live, so that I do not die, but you shall not cut off your kindness from my house forever, no, not when Jehovah has cut off the enemies of David, every one, from the face of the earth. So Jonathan covenanted with the house of David, saying, Let Jehovah even require it at the hand of David's enemies. And Jonathan caused David to swear again, because he loved him. For he loved him as he loved his own soul. And Jonathan said to David, Tomorrow is the new moon. And you shall be missed, because your seat will be empty. And on the third day you shall quickly come down and shall come there to the place where you were hidden in the day of the deed. And you shall remain near the stone Ezel. And I will shoot three arrows on the side, as though I shot at a mark. And behold, I will send a lad, saying, Go find the arrows. If I carefully say to the lad, Behold, the arrows are on this side of you, take them, then you may come, for there is peace to you, and no hurt, as Jehovah lives. But if I say this to the young man, Behold, the arrows are beyond you, go your way, for Jehovah has sent you away. And as to the matter which you and I have spoken of, behold, may Jehovah be between you and me forever. And David hid himself in the field. And when the new moon had come, the king sat down by the food to eat. And the king sat on his seat as at other times, on a seat by the wall. And Jonathan arose, and Abner sat by Saul's side, and David's place was empty. And Saul did not speak anything that day. For he thought, Something has happened to him; he is not clean. Surely he is not clean. And it happened on the next day, the second of the month, David's place was empty. And Saul said to his son Jonathan, Why does the son of Jesse not come to the meal, neither yesterday nor today? And Jonathan answered Saul, David earnestly asked of me to go to Bethlehem, and he said, Please send me away, for we have a family sacrifice in the city. And my brother commanded me to be there. And now, if I have found favor in your eyes, I pray you let me get away and see my brothers. And he does not come to the king's table. And Saul's anger was kindled against Jonathan, and he said to him, You son of a perverse, rebellious woman, do I not know that you have chosen the son of Jesse to your own confusion, and to the shame of your mother's nakedness? For as long as the son of Jesse lives on the earth, you shall not be established, nor your kingdom. And now send and bring him to me, for he shall surely die. And Jonathan answered Saul his father and said to him, Why shall he be killed? What has he done? And Saul threw a spear at him to strike him, and by this Jonathan knew that his father was determined to kill David. And Jonathan rose from the table in fierce anger, and did not eat food on the second day of the new moon. For he was grieved for David, because his father had put him to shame. And it happened, in the morning Jonathan went out into the field at the time appointed with David. And a little lad was with him. And he said to this lad, Run now, find the arrows which I shoot. As the lad ran, he shot an arrow, causing it to pass over him. And when the lad had come to the place of the arrow which Jonathan had shot, Jonathan cried after the lad and said, Is not the arrow beyond you? And Jonathan cried after the lad, Hurry, make haste, do not stand. And Jonathan's lad gathered the arrow and came to his master. But the lad did not know anything. Only Jonathan and David knew the matter. And Jonathan gave his weapons to his lad and said to him, Go, bring to the city. As soon as the lad had gone, David rose from the south, and fell on his face to the ground, and bowed himself three times. And they kissed one another, and wept with one another, until David exceeded. And Jonathan said to David, Go in peace because we have both sworn in the name of Jehovah, saying, The Lord shall be between me and you, and between my seed and your seed, forever. And he rose and went away. And Jonathan went into the city. And David came to Nob, to Ahimelech the priest. And Ahimelech was afraid at the meeting of David, and said to him, Why are you alone, and no man with you? And David said to Ahimelech the priest, The king has commanded me a business and has said to me, Let no man know anything of the business about which I send you, and what I have sent you. And I have sent servants to such and such a place. And therefore, what is under your hand? Give five loaves of bread in my hand, or what there is to be found. And the priest answered David and said, There is no common bread under my hand, but there is holy bread if the young men have kept themselves at least from women. And David answered the priest and said to him, Truly women have been kept from us for about three days, since I came out, and the vessels of the young men are holy, and in a way the holy bread is common. Also surely today it is sanctified in the vessels. And the priest gave him holy bread. For there was no bread there but the Bread of the Presence that was taken from before Jehovah, in order to put hot bread in on the day when it was taken away. And a man from the servants of Saul was there that day, held before Jehovah. And his name was Doeg, an Edomite, the chief of Saul's herdsmen. And David said to Ahimelech, And is there not here under your hand spear or sword? For I have not brought my sword nor my weapons with me, because the king's business needed haste. And the priest said, The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom you killed in the valley of Elah, behold, it is wrapped in a cloth under the ephod, if you will take, take it for yourself, for there is no other here except that one. And David said, There is none like that. Give it to me. And David arose and fled that day for fear of Saul, and went to Achish the king of Gath. And the servants of Achish said to him, Is not this David the king of the land? Did they not sing to one another of him in dances, saying, Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands? And David laid up these words in his heart, and was very much afraid of Achish the king of Gath. And he changed his behavior before them, and pretended himself to be mad in their hands, and marked on the doors of the gate and let his spittle fall down on his beard. Then Achish said to his servants, Lo, you see the man is mad. Why have you brought him to me? Do I have need of mad men, that you have brought this one to show madness in my presence? Shall this one come into my house? And David left there and escaped to the cave Adullam. And his brothers and all his father's house heard, and went down to him there. And every man in distress, and every man who had a creditor, and every man bitter of soul, gathered themselves to him. And he became commander over them. And about four hundred men were with him. And David went from there to Mizpeh of Moab. And he said to the king of Moab, Please let my father and my mother come forth and be with you until I know what God will do for me. And he brought them before the king of Moab. And they lived with him all the time that David was in the stronghold. And the prophet Gad said to David, Do not stay in the stronghold. Leave and go into the land of Judah. And David left and came into the forest of Hareth. And Saul heard that David and the men with him had been discovered. And Saul was staying in Gibeah under the tamarisk tree in Ramah, having his spear in his hand. And all his servants were standing about him. And Saul said to his servants standing by him, Now hear, Benjamites, will the son of Jesse give to any of you fields and vineyards, and make you all commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds? But all of you have conspired against me, and none of you was revealing in my ear when my son cut a covenant with the son of Jesse? And not one of you is sorry for me, even to reveal in my ear that my son has stirred up my servant against me, to lie in wait, as today. And answered Doeg the Edomite, who was set over the servants of Saul, and said, I saw the son of Jesse coming to Nob, to Ahimelech the son of Ahitub. And he asked of Jehovah for him and gave him food and gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine. And the king sent to call Ahimelech the priest, the son of Ahitub, and all his father's house, the priests in Nob. And they came, all of them, to the king. And Saul said, Hear now, you son of Ahitub. And he answered, Here I am, my lord. And Saul said to him, Why have you conspired against me, you and the son of Jesse, in that you have given him bread and a sword, and have asked of God for him, that he should rise against me to lie in wait, as at this day? And Ahimelech answered the king and said, And who is so faithful among all your servants as David, who is the king's son-in-law, and who goes at your bidding, and who is honorable in your house? Have I today begun to ask of God for him? Be it far from me. Do not let the king charge a thing to his servant, nor to all the house of my father. For your servant knew nothing of all this, more or less. And the king said, Ahimelech, you shall surely die, you and all your father's house. And the king said to the guard that stood around him, Turn and kill the priests of Jehovah, because their hand also is with David, and because they knew when he fled, and did not reveal it to me. But the servants of the king would not put forth their hand to fall on the priests of Jehovah. And the king said to Doeg, You turn and fall on the priests. And Doeg the Edomite turned and fell on the priests. And on that day he killed eighty-five persons who wore a linen ephod. And he struck Nob, the city of the priests, with the edge of the sword, both men and women, children and babes, and oxen, and asses, and sheep, with the edge of the sword. And one of the sons of Ahimelech the son of Ahitub, named Abiathar, escaped and fled after David. And Abiathar told David that Saul had slain Jehovah's priests. And David said to Abiathar, I knew that day, when Doeg the Edomite was there, that he would surely tell Saul. I have caused the death of all the persons of your father's house. Stay with me, and do not fear. For he who seeks my life seeks your life. But you shall be in safekeeping with me. And they told David, saying, Behold, the Philistines fight against Keilah, and they rob the threshing-floors. And David asked of Jehovah, saying, Shall I go? And shall I strike these Philistines? And Jehovah said to David, Go and strike the Philistines, and save Keilah. And David's men said to him, Behold, we are afraid here in Judah. How much more then if we come to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines? And David inquired of Jehovah once again. And Jehovah answered him and said, Arise, go down to Keilah. For I will deliver the Philistines into your hand. And David and his men went to Keilah and fought with the Philistines. And they led away their cattle and struck them with a great slaughter. And David saved the people of Keilah. And it happened when Abiathar the son of Ahimelech fled to David to Keilah, he came down with an ephod in his hand. And it was told Saul that David had come to Keilah. And Saul said, God has delivered him into my hands, for he is shut in by entering into a town that has gates and bars. And Saul called all the people together to war, to go down to Keilah to besiege David and his men. And David knew that Saul secretly planned evil against him. And he said to Abiathar the priest, Bring the ephod here. And David said, O Lord God of Israel, Your servant has surely heard that Saul seeks to come to Keilah, to destroy the city for my sake. Will the men of Keilah deliver me up into his hand? Will Saul come down as Your servant has heard? O Jehovah, the God of Israel, I beg of You, tell Your servant. And Jehovah said, He will come down. And David said, Will the men of Keilah shut up me and my men into the hand of Saul? And Jehovah said, They will shut you up. And David and his men, about six hundred, arose and departed out of Keilah and went wherever they could go. And it was told to Saul that David had escaped from Keilah. And he did not go forth. And David stayed in the wilderness in strongholds, and remained in the stronghold in the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul looked for him every day, but God did not deliver him into his hand. And David saw that Saul had come out to seek his life. And David was in the wilderness of Ziph in a woods. And Jonathan, Saul's son, arose and went to David into the woods, and strengthened his hand in God. And he said to him, Do not fear, for the hand of Saul my father shall not find you. And you shall be king over Israel, and I shall be next to you. And my father Saul knows that also. And the two of them cut a covenant before Jehovah. And David stayed in the forest, and Jonathan went to his house. And the men of Ziph came up to Saul, to Gibeah, saying, Does not David hide himself with us in strongholds in the forest, in the hill of Hachilah, which is on the south of the wilderness? And now, O king, come down according to all the desire of your soul. Come down, and it is for us to shut him up into the king's hand. And Saul said, Blessed are you from Jehovah, for you have pity on me. Please go, make more sure, and know and see the place where his foot is. Who has seen him there? For I am told that he is very subtle. And see and know of all the hiding places where he hides himself there, and return to me prepared. And I will go with you. And it shall be, if he is in the land, I will search him out throughout all the thousands of Judah. And they arose and went to Ziph before Saul. But David and his men were in the wilderness of Maon, in the plain, on the south of the desert. Saul and his men also went to look for him. And they told David. And he came down from the rock and stayed in the wilderness of Maon. And when Saul heard, he followed after 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. And David hurried to get away before Saul. For Saul and his men were encircling David and his men, to take them. And a messenger came to Saul, saying, Hurry and come! For the Philistines have invaded the land. And Saul returned from pursuing David, and went against the Philistines. Therefore they called that place, The Rock of the Division. And David went up from there and stayed in strongholds at En-gedi. And it happened when Saul had returned from following the Philistines, they told him, saying, Behold, David is in the wilderness of En-gedi. And Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went to seek David and his men on the front of the rocks of the wild goats. And he came to the folds of the flock on the way, where there was a cave. And Saul went in to cover his feet. And David and his men remained in the sides of the cave. And the men of David said to him, Behold, this is the day of which Jehovah said to you, Behold, I will deliver your enemy into your hand so that you may do to him as it shall seem good to you. And David arose and cut off the skirt of Saul's robe secretly. And it happened afterward David's heart struck him because he had cut off Saul's skirt. And he said to his men, Far be it from me, by Jehovah, if I will do this thing to my lord, Jehovah's anointed, to stretch forth my hand against him, since he is the anointed of Jehovah. And David held back his men with words, and did not allow them to rise against Saul. And Saul rose up out of the cave and went on his way. And David arose afterward and went out of the cave, and cried after Saul, saying, My lord the king! And Saul looked behind him. And David bowed his face to the earth and prostrated himself. And David said to Saul, Why do you hear man's words, saying, Behold, David seeks to do you evil? Behold, your eyes have seen today how Jehovah had delivered you today into my hand in the cave. And one said to kill you. But I had pity on you. And I said, I will not put forth my hand against my lord, for he is Jehovah's anointed. And, my father, behold! Yes, see the skirt of your robe in my hand. For in that I cut off the skirt of your robe and did not kill you, know and see that there is neither evil nor transgression in my hand, and I have not sinned against you. Yet you hunt my soul to take it. May Jehovah judge between me and you, and may Jehovah avenge me of you. But my hand shall not be on you. As the ancient proverb says, Wickedness proceeds from the wicked. But my hand shall not be on you. After whom has the king of Israel come out? After whom do you pursue? After a dead dog? After a flea? May Jehovah therefore be judge, and judge between you and me, and see, and plead my cause, and deliver me out of your hand. And it happened when David had made an end of speaking these words to Saul, Saul said, Is this your voice, my son David? And Saul lifted up his voice and wept. And he said to David, You are more righteous than I, for you have rewarded me with good, but I have rewarded you evil. And you have shown this day how you have dealt well with me, because when Jehovah shut me up into your hand, you did not kill me. For if a man finds his enemy, will he let him go completely away? And may Jehovah reward good for what you have done to me this day. And now, behold, I know well that you shall surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in your hand. And swear therefore to me before Jehovah that you will not cut off my seed after me, and that you will not destroy my name out of my father's house. And David swore to Saul. And Saul went home, but David and his men went up into the hold. And Samuel died. And all the Israelites were gathered, and lamented him and buried him in his house at Ramah. And David arose and went down to the wilderness of Paran. And a certain man was in Maon, and his work was in Carmel. And the man was very great, and had three thousand sheep and a thousand goats. And he was shearing his sheep in Carmel. And the man's name was Nabal, and his wife's name was Abigail. And she was a woman of good understanding, and of a beautiful form. But the man was cruel and evil in his dealings. And he was of Caleb. And David heard in the wilderness that Nabal was shearing his sheep. And David sent out ten young men. And David said to the young men, Go up to Carmel and go to Nabal, and greet him in my name. And you shall say this, Long life and peace be to you, and peace to your house, and peace to all that you have. And now I have heard that you have shearers. And we did not hurt your shepherds who were with us; neither was there anything missing to them all the while they were in Carmel. Ask your young men, and they will tell you. And let the young men find favor in your eyes, for we come in a good day. Please give whatever comes to your hand to your servants and to your son David. And David's young men came, they spoke to Nabal according to all these words in the name of David, and stopped. And Nabal answered David's servants and said, Who is David? And who is the son of Jesse? The servants who have broken away, each man from his master, have multiplied. Shall I then take my bread and my water and my meat that I have killed for my shearers, and give it to men about whom I know not where they come from? And David's young men turned their way and went again, and came and told him all those things. And David said to his men, Let each man gird on his sword. And they each one girded on his sword, and David also girded on his sword. And about four hundred men went up after David, and two hundred stayed by the stuff. And one of the young men told Abigail, Nabal's wife, saying, Behold! David sent messengers out of the wilderness to greet our master, and he screamed at them. But the men were very good to us, and we were not hurt, neither did we miss anything as long as we were going to and fro among them, when we were in the fields. They were a wall to us both by night and day all the while we were with them keeping the sheep. And now know and consider what you will do, for evil is determined against our master and against all his household. For he is a son of worthlessness, so that none can speak to him. And Abigail made haste and took two hundred loaves, and two skins of wine, and five sheep ready dressed, and five measures of roasted grain, and a hundred clusters of raisins, and laid them on asses. And she said to her servants, Go on before me. Behold, I am coming after you. But she did not tell her husband Nabal. And it happened, she was riding on the ass and coming down under cover of the mountain. And behold, David and his men came down across from her. And she met them. And David had said, Surely in vain I have kept all that belongs to this fellow in the wilderness, so that nothing was missed of all that was his. And he has requited me evil for good. So and more also may God do to the enemies of David, if I leave to the light of the morning any that is his of one who urinates against the wall. And Abigail saw David and hurried and dismounted from the ass, and fell before David on her face, and bowed herself to the ground. And she fell at his feet and said, On me, my lord, on me let this iniquity be. And please let your handmaid speak in your ears, and hear the words of your handmaid. Please do not let my lord regard this man of worthlessness, Nabal. For as his name is, so he is. Nabal is his name, and foolishness is with him. And I, your handmaid, did not see the young men of my lord, whom you sent. And now, my lord, as Jehovah lives and as your soul lives, since Jehovah has withheld you from coming to shed blood, and from avenging yourself with your own hand, now let your enemies, and those that seek to do evil to my lord, be as Nabal. And now this blessing which your handmaid has brought to my lord, let it even be given to the young men who follow my lord. Please forgive the trespass of your handmaid. For Jehovah will certainly make a sure house for my lord, because my lord fights the battles of Jehovah, and evil has not been found in you all your days. Yet a man has risen to pursue you and to seek your soul. But the soul of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of life with Jehovah your God. And the souls of your enemies, He shall sling them from the hollow of a sling. And it shall be, when Jehovah has done to my lord according to all the good that He has spoken concerning you, and commanded you to be ruler over Israel, this shall be no stumbling to you, nor offense of heart to my lord, either that you have shed blood for nothing, or that my lord has delivered himself. And may Jehovah deal well with my lord, and you remember your handmaid. And David said to Abigail, Blessed be Jehovah, the God of Israel, who sent you today to meet me. And blessed is your advice, and blessed are you who have kept me from coming to shed blood today, and from delivering myself with my own hand. And truly, as Jehovah, the God of Israel lives, who has kept me back from doing evil to you, for unless you had hurried and come to meet me, surely there would not have been left to Nabal by the morning light one who urinates against the wall. And David received from her hand that which she had brought him, and said to her, Go up in peace to your house. See, I have listened to your voice and have accepted your person. And Abigail came to Nabal. And behold, he held a feast in his house like the feast of a king. And Nabal's heart was merry within him, for he was very drunk. And she did not tell him anything, more or less, until the morning light. And it happened in the morning, when the wine had gone out of Nabal and his wife had told him these things, his heart died within him and he became like a stone. And it happened about ten days afterward Jehovah struck Nabal so that he died. And David heard that Nabal had died, and he said, Blessed is Jehovah who has pleaded the cause of my reproach from the hand of Nabal, and has kept His servant from evil. For Jehovah has returned the wickedness of Nabal on his own head. And David sent and spoke with Abigail, to take her to him for a wife. And David's servants came to Abigail at Carmel, and spoke to her, saying, David sent us to you to take you to him for a wife. And she arose and bowed herself on her face to the earth, and said, Behold, let your handmaid be a servant to wash the feet of the servants of my lord. And Abigail hurried and arose, and rode on an ass, with five of her maidens who went after her. And she followed the messengers of David and became his wife. David also took Ahinoam of Jezreel. And they became, both of them, his wives. And Saul gave his daughter Michal, David's wife, to Phalti the son of Laish, who was of Gallim. And the Ziphites came to Saul at Gibeah, saying, Is not David hiding himself in the hill of Hachilah, on the edge of the desert? And Saul arose and went down to the wilderness of Ziph to seek David in the wilderness of Ziph, having three thousand chosen men of Israel with him. And Saul pitched in the hill of Hachilah, which is on the edge of the desert, by the highway. And David was staying in the wilderness. And he saw that Saul came after him into the wilderness. And David sent out spies and knew that Saul had come indeed. And David arose and came to the place where Saul had pitched. And David saw the place where Saul lay. And Abner the son of Ner, the captain of his army, and Saul were lying within the barricade. And the people pitched all around him. And David answered and said to Ahimelech the Hittite, and to Abishai the son of Zeruiah, the brother of Joab, saying, Who will go down with me to the camp to Saul? And Abishai said, I will go down with you. So David and Abishai came to the people by night. And behold, Saul lay sleeping in the tent, and his spear stuck in the ground at his head. But Abner and the people lay around him. And Abishai said to David, God has shut up your enemy into your hand this day. And please let me strike him with the spear even to the earth at once, and I will not repeat it to him. And David said to Abishai, Do not destroy him. For who can stretch forth his hand against Jehovah's anointed and be guiltless? And David said, As Jehovah lives, except Jehovah strike him, or his day shall come, and he dies, or he goes down to battle and is consumed, far be it from me by Jehovah, from putting forth my hand against Jehovah's anointed. And now, please take the spear at his head and the cruse of water, and we will go. And David took the spear and the cruse of water from Saul's head. And they went away, and no one saw, and no one knew; and no one was awake; for all of them were sleeping, because a deep sleep from Jehovah had fallen on them. And David went over to the other side and stood on the top of a hill afar off, a great space between them. And David cried to the people and to Abner the son of Ner, saying, Do you not answer, Abner? And Abner answered and said, Who are you that cries to the king? And David said to Abner, Are you not a man? And who is like you in Israel? But why have you not watched over your lord the king? For one of the people came in to destroy your lord the king. This thing that you have done is not good. As Jehovah lives, because you have not watched over your master, Jehovah's anointed, you also are worthy to die. And now see where the king's spear is, and the cruse of water that was at his head. And Saul knew David's voice and said, Is this your voice, my son David? And David said, It is my voice, my lord, O king. And he said, Why does my lord pursue after his servant this way? For what have I done? Or what evil is in my hand? And now, please let my lord the king hear the words of his servant. If Jehovah has stirred you up against me, let Him accept an offering. But if it is the sons of men, they are cursed before Jehovah. For they have driven me out today from joining myself with the inheritance of Jehovah, saying, Go, serve other gods. And now, let not my blood fall to the earth before the face of Jehovah. For the king of Israel has come out to seek a flea, as when one hunts a partridge in the mountains. And Saul said, I have sinned. Return, my son David, for I will never do you harm any more, because my life was precious in your eyes this day. Behold, I have acted foolishly, and have greatly erred. And David answered and said, Behold the king's spear! And let one of the young men come over and get it. May Jehovah give to each his righteousness and his faithfulness. For Jehovah delivered you into my hand today, but I would not stretch forth my hand against Jehovah's anointed. And behold, as your life was precious in my eyes this day, so let my life be precious in the eyes of Jehovah, and let Him deliver me out of all tribulation. And Saul said to David, Blessed are you, my son David. You shall both do great things and also shall still prevail. So David went on his way, and Saul returned to his place. And David said in his heart, I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul. Nothing is better for me than that I should speedily escape into the land of the Philistines. And Saul shall despair of me, to seek me any more in any border of Israel, and so I shall escape out of his hand. And David arose and passed over, he and the six hundred men with him to Achish the son of Maoch, king of Gath. And David lived with Achish of Gath, he and his men, each one with his household; David with his two wives, Ahinoam of Jezreel, and Abigail of Carmel, Nabal's former wife. And Saul was told that David had fled to Gath. And he never again looked for him. And David said to Achish, If I have now found grace in your eyes, let them give me a place in some town in the country so that I may live there. For why should your servant live in the royal city with you? And Achish gave him Ziklag that day. And Ziklag belongs to the kings of Judah to this day. And the number of days that David lived in the field of the Philistines was a year of days and four months. And David and his men went up and invaded the Geshurites, and the Gezrites, and the Amalekites. For they were the inhabitants of the land from the past days, as you come into Shur, even into the land of Egypt. And David struck the land, and did not keep alive man nor woman, and took away the sheep and the oxen and the asses and the camels and the clothing, and returned and came to Achish. And Achish said, Where have you made a raid today? And David said, Against the south of Judah, and against the south of the Jerahmeelites, and against the south of the Kenites. And David did not keep alive man or woman to bring news to Gath, saying, Lest they should tell on us, saying, So David did, and so has been his custom all the days he lived in the fields of the Philistines. And Achish believed David, saying, He has made himself to be hated among his people Israel, and has become my servant forever. And in those days it happened that the Philistines gathered their armies for war, to fight with Israel. And Achish said to David, You surely know that you shall go with me to battle, you and your men. And David said to Achish, Surely you shall know what your servant can do. And Achish said to David, And I will make you keeper of my head forever. And Samuel was dead, and all Israel had mourned him and buried him in Ramah, even in his own city. And Saul had put away the mediums and the spirit-knowers out of the land. And the Philistines gathered themselves and came and pitched in Shunem. And Saul gathered all Israel and they pitched in Gilboa. And Saul saw the army of the Philistines, and he was afraid, and his heart greatly trembled. And when Saul inquired of Jehovah, Jehovah did not answer him, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets. And Saul said to his servants, Seek me a woman who is a medium, so that I may go to her and inquire of her. And his servant said to him, Behold, there is a woman who is a medium, at Endor. And Saul disguised himself and put on other clothing. And he went. And two men went with him. And they came to the woman by night. And he said, Please divine for me calling up the dead, and bring me up the man whom I shall name to you. And the woman said to him, Behold, you know what Saul has done, how he has cut off mediums, and the spirit-knowers, out of the land. Why then do you lay a snare for my life, to cause me to die? And Saul swore to her by Jehovah, saying, As Jehovah lives, there shall no punishment happen to you for this thing. And the woman said, Whom shall I bring up to you? And he said, Bring me up Samuel. And the woman saw Samuel, and cried with a loud voice. And the woman spoke to Saul, saying, Why have you deceived me? For you are Saul! And the king said to her, Do not be afraid. For what did you see? And the woman said to Saul, I saw gods coming up out of the earth. And he said to her, What is his form? And she said, An old man comes up, and he is covered with a cloak. And Saul saw that it was Samuel, and he bowed his face to the ground, and prostrated himself. And Samuel said to Saul, Why have you disturbed me, to bring me up? And Saul answered, I am grievously distressed, for the Philistines are warring against me. And God has left me and does not answer me any more, neither by prophets nor by dreams. And I have called you so that you may make known to me what I should do. And Samuel said, Why then do you ask me, since Jehovah has left you and has become your enemy? And Jehovah has done for Himself as He spoke by me. For Jehovah has torn the kingdom out of your hand and is giving it to your neighbor, to David. Because you did not obey the voice of Jehovah, nor execute his fierce wrath on Amalek, therefore Jehovah has done this thing to you now. And, Jehovah will also deliver Israel with you into the hand of the Philistines. And tomorrow you and your sons shall be with me. Jehovah also shall deliver the army of Israel into the hand of the Philistines. And Saul immediately fell headlong on the earth, and was sorely afraid because of the words of Samuel. And there was no strength in him, for he had eaten no bread all day nor all night. And the woman came to Saul and saw that he was sorely troubled, and said to him, Behold, your handmaid has obeyed your voice, and I have put my life in my hand, and have listened to your words which you spoke to me. And now please listen also to the voice of your handmaid, and let me set a bit of bread before you and eat, so that you may have strength when you go on your way. But he refused, and said, I will not eat. But his servants, forced him, and the woman also. And he listened to their voices and arose from the earth and sat on the bed. And the woman had a fat calf in the house. And she hurried and killed it, and took flour and kneaded it, and baked unleavened bread with it. And she brought it before Saul, and before his servants. And they ate, and rose up and went away that night. And the Philistines gathered all their armies to Aphek. And the Israelites pitched by a fountain in Jezreel. And the lords of the Philistines passed on by hundreds and by thousands. But David and his men passed on in the rear with Achish. And the rulers of the Philistines said, What are these Hebrews doing? And Achish said to the rulers of the Philistines, Is this not David the servant of Saul the king of Israel, who has been with me these days, or these years. And I have not found anything evil in him from the day he fell away until today? And the rulers of the Philistines were angry with him. And the Philistine rulers said to him, Send the man back, and he shall return to his place where you have appointed him. And he shall not go down with us to battle, and shall not become an enemy to us in battle. For with what should he reconcile himself to his master? Should it not be with the heads of these men? Is not this David, of whom they sang to one another in dances, saying, Saul killed his thousands, and David his ten thousands? And Achish called David and said to him, Surely, as Jehovah lives, you have been upright, and your going out and your coming in with me in the army is good in my sight. For I have not found evil in you since the day of your coming to me until today. But you are not good in the eyes of the lords. And return now, and go in peace so that you do not displease the lords of the Philistines. And David said to Achish, But what have I done? And what have you found in your servant so long as I have been with you to this day, that I may not go fight against the enemies of my lord the king? And Achish answered and said to David, I know that you are good in my sight, like an angel of God. But the princes of the Philistines have said, He shall not go up with us to the battle. And now, rise up early in the morning with your master's servants who have come with you. And as soon as you have light, depart. And David and his men rose up early to leave in the morning, to return into the land of the Philistines. And the Philistines went up to Jezreel. And it happened when David and his men had come to Ziklag on the third day, the Amalekites had invaded the south and Ziklag, and had struck Ziklag, and burned it with fire. And they had seized the women in it. They did not kill any, either small or great, but carried them away and went on their way. And David and his men came to the city, and behold, it was burned with fire, and their wives and their sons and their daughters had been taken captives. And David and the people with him lifted up their voice and wept, until they had no more power to weep. And David's two wives had been seized, Ahinoam of Jezreel, and Abigail, the former wife of Nabal of Carmel. And it greatly distressed David, for the people spoke of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, each one for his sons and for his daughters. But David encouraged himself in Jehovah his God. And David said to Abiathar the priest, Ahimelech's son, Please bring the ephod here to me. And Abiathar brought the ephod there to David. And David inquired of Jehovah, saying, Shall I go after this troop? Shall I overtake them? And He answered him, Go! For you shall surely overtake and will without fail recover all. So David went, he and the six hundred men that were with him, and came to the brook Besor, where those who were left behind stayed. But David pursued, he and four hundred men. For two hundred stayed behind, who were too exhausted to go over the brook Besor. And they found an Egyptian in the field and brought him to David and gave him bread, and he ate. And they made him drink water. And they gave him a piece of a cake of figs, and two clusters of raisins. And when he had eaten, his spirit came again to him. For he had eaten no bread nor drunk water for three days and three nights. And David said to him, Whose are you? And where do you come from? And he said, I am an Egyptian youth, servant to an Amalekite. And my master left me because three days ago I fell sick. We raided the south of the Cherethites, and on that belonging to Judah, and on the south of Caleb. And we burned Ziklag with fire. And David said to him, Can you bring me down to this company? And he said, Swear to me by God that you will neither kill me nor deliver me into the hands of my master, and I will bring you down to this company. And when he had brought him down, behold, they were spread abroad on all the earth, eating and drinking and dancing, because of all the great spoil that they had taken out of the land of the Philistines and out of the land of Judah. And David struck them from the twilight even to the evening of the next day. And not a man of them escaped, except four hundred young men who rode on camels and fled. And David recovered all that the Amalekites had carried away. And David rescued his two wives. And nothing was lacking to them, from the small to the great, even to sons and daughters, and from the spoil, even to all that they had taken to themselves. David recovered all. And David took all the flock, and the herd. They drove on before those cattle. And they said, This is David's spoil. And David came to the two hundred who were too exhausted to follow David, whom they had made also to stay at the brook Besor. And they went out to meet David, and to meet the people with him. And David came up to the people, and greeted them. And every evil and worthless man of the men who went with David answered and said, Because they did not go with us, we will not give them from a thing the spoil that we have seized, except to every man his wife and his sons. Let them take them, and go. And David said, My brothers, you shall not do so with that which Jehovah has given us. For He has protected us, and has delivered into our hand the company that came against us. For who will listen to you in this matter? But as his part is that goes down to the battle, so shall be his part that stays by the stuff. They shall divide alike. And it was so, from that day forward he made it a statute and an ordinance for Israel to this day. And David came to Ziklag, and sent some of the spoil to the elders of Judah, to his friends, saying, Behold, a present for you from the spoil of the enemies of Jehovah; to the ones in Bethel, and to the ones in Ramoth of the south, and to the ones in Jattir, and to the ones in Aroer, and to the ones in Siphmoth, and to the ones in Eshtemoa, and to the ones in Rachal, and to the ones in the cities of the Jerahmeelites, and to the ones in the cities of the Kenites, and to the ones in Hormah, and to the ones in Chorashan, and to the ones in Athach, and to the ones in Hebron, and to all the places where David had gone up and down, he and his men. And the Philistines fought against Israel. And the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell down wounded in Mount Gilboa. And the Philistines followed Saul and his sons. And the Philistines killed Jonathan and Abinadab and Malchishua, Saul's sons. And the battle went hard against Saul. And the archers hit him, and he was sorely wounded by the archers. And Saul said to his armor-bearer, Draw your sword and thrust me through with it, lest these uncircumcised ones come and thrust me through, and abuse me. But his armor-bearer would not, for he was very much afraid. So Saul took a sword and fell on it. And when his armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he also fell on his sword and died with him. And Saul died, and his three sons, and his armor-bearer, and all his men, that same day together. And the men of Israel beyond the valley, and who were on the other side Jordan, saw that the men of Israel fled and that Saul and his sons had died. And they abandoned the cities and fled. And the Philistines came and lived in them. And it happened on the next day, the Philistines came to strip the slain, and they found Saul and his three sons fallen in mount Gilboa. And they cut off his head and stripped off his armor, and sent into the land of the Philistines all around, to publish it in the house of their idols and among the people. And they put his armor in the house of Ashtaroth, and they fastened his body to the wall of Beth-shan. And when they heard about it, the people of Jabesh-gilead, what the Philistines had done to Saul, then all the brave men arose, and they traveled all night. And they took the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Beth-shan, and came to Jabesh, and burned them there. And they took their bones and buried them under the tamarisk tree at Jabesh. And they fasted seven days.
Reproof » Faithfulness in » Samuel, of saul
And Samuel said, What then is this bleating of the flock in my ears? And what is the sound of the herd which I hear? 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 to Jehovah your God. And the rest we have completely destroyed. And Samuel said to Saul, Stop! And I will tell you what Jehovah has said to me tonight. And he said to him, Speak. read more.
And Samuel said, When you were little in your own sight, did you not become the head of the tribes of Israel? And Jehovah anointed you king over Israel. And Jehovah sent you on the way and said, Go and completely destroy the sinners, Amalek, and fight against them until you destroy them. Why then did you not obey the voice of Jehovah? Why did you fly on the spoil and do evil in the sight of Jehovah? And Saul said to Samuel, Yes, I have obeyed the voice of Jehovah, and have gone the way which Jehovah sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have completely destroyed the Amalekites. But the people took from the spoil, of the flocks and herd, the best of the things devoted to sacrifice to Jehovah your God in Gilgal. And Samuel said, Does Jehovah delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of Jehovah? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice! To listen is better than the fat of rams! For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idol-worship. Because you have rejected the Word of Jehovah, He has also rejected you from being king! And Saul said to Samuel, I have sinned. For I have disobeyed the command of Jehovah, and your word, because I feared the people and obeyed their voice. And now please pardon my sin and turn again with me so that I may worship Jehovah. And Samuel said to Saul, I will not return with you, for you have rejected the Word of Jehovah, and Jehovah has rejected you from being king over Israel. And Samuel turned around to go, and he laid hold on the skirt of his robe, and it tore. And Samuel said to him, Jehovah has torn the kingdom of Israel from you this day, and has given it to a neighbor of yours who is better than you. And also the Glory of Israel will not lie nor repent, for He is not a man that He should repent. Then he said, I have sinned. Please honor me now before the elders of my people and before Israel, and turn again with me. And I shall worship Jehovah your God. And Samuel turned again after Saul, and Saul worshiped Jehovah. And Samuel said, Bring here to me Agag the king of the Amalekites. And Agag came to him daintily. And Agag said, Surely the bitterness of death is past. And Samuel said, As your sword has made women childless, so shall your mother be childless among women. And Samuel cut Agag in pieces before Jehovah in Gilgal. And Samuel went to Ramah. And Saul went up to his house to Gibeah of Saul. And Samuel never again saw Saul until the day of his death, for Samuel mourned for Saul. And Jehovah repented that He had made Saul king over Israel.
And Samuel said, When you were little in your own sight, did you not become the head of the tribes of Israel? And Jehovah anointed you king over Israel. And Jehovah sent you on the way and said, Go and completely destroy the sinners, Amalek, and fight against them until you destroy them. Why then did you not obey the voice of Jehovah? Why did you fly on the spoil and do evil in the sight of Jehovah? And Saul said to Samuel, Yes, I have obeyed the voice of Jehovah, and have gone the way which Jehovah sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have completely destroyed the Amalekites. But the people took from the spoil, of the flocks and herd, the best of the things devoted to sacrifice to Jehovah your God in Gilgal. And Samuel said, Does Jehovah delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of Jehovah? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice! To listen is better than the fat of rams! For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idol-worship. Because you have rejected the Word of Jehovah, He has also rejected you from being king! And Saul said to Samuel, I have sinned. For I have disobeyed the command of Jehovah, and your word, because I feared the people and obeyed their voice. And now please pardon my sin and turn again with me so that I may worship Jehovah. And Samuel said to Saul, I will not return with you, for you have rejected the Word of Jehovah, and Jehovah has rejected you from being king over Israel. And Samuel turned around to go, and he laid hold on the skirt of his robe, and it tore. And Samuel said to him, Jehovah has torn the kingdom of Israel from you this day, and has given it to a neighbor of yours who is better than you. And also the Glory of Israel will not lie nor repent, for He is not a man that He should repent. Then he said, I have sinned. Please honor me now before the elders of my people and before Israel, and turn again with me. And I shall worship Jehovah your God. And Samuel turned again after Saul, and Saul worshiped Jehovah. And Samuel said, Bring here to me Agag the king of the Amalekites. And Agag came to him daintily. And Agag said, Surely the bitterness of death is past. And Samuel said, As your sword has made women childless, so shall your mother be childless among women. And Samuel cut Agag in pieces before Jehovah in Gilgal. And Samuel went to Ramah. And Saul went up to his house to Gibeah of Saul. And Samuel never again saw Saul until the day of his death, for Samuel mourned for Saul. And Jehovah repented that He had made Saul king over Israel.
Rulers' » Wicked » Instances of » Saul, sparing agag and the best of the booty
And he took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive. And he completely destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword. But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep and of the oxen and of the fatlings and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not completely destroy them. But everything that was vile and feeble they completely destroyed. And the Word of Jehovah came to Samuel saying, read more.
It repents Me that I have set up Saul to be king. For he has turned back from following Me and has not done My commands. And it grieved Samuel, and he cried out to Jehovah all night. And when Samuel rose up early in the morning to meet Saul, it was told to Samuel, saying, Saul came to Carmel, and behold, he set up a place for himself, and has gone around and passed on and gone down to Gilgal. And Samuel came to Saul. And Saul said to him, You are blessed of Jehovah. I have done the command of Jehovah. And Samuel said, What then is this bleating of the flock in my ears? And what is the sound of the herd which I hear? 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 to Jehovah your God. And the rest we have completely destroyed. And Samuel said to Saul, Stop! And I will tell you what Jehovah has said to me tonight. And he said to him, Speak. And Samuel said, When you were little in your own sight, did you not become the head of the tribes of Israel? And Jehovah anointed you king over Israel. And Jehovah sent you on the way and said, Go and completely destroy the sinners, Amalek, and fight against them until you destroy them. Why then did you not obey the voice of Jehovah? Why did you fly on the spoil and do evil in the sight of Jehovah? And Saul said to Samuel, Yes, I have obeyed the voice of Jehovah, and have gone the way which Jehovah sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have completely destroyed the Amalekites. But the people took from the spoil, of the flocks and herd, the best of the things devoted to sacrifice to Jehovah your God in Gilgal. And Samuel said, Does Jehovah delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of Jehovah? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice! To listen is better than the fat of rams! For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idol-worship. Because you have rejected the Word of Jehovah, He has also rejected you from being king! And Saul said to Samuel, I have sinned. For I have disobeyed the command of Jehovah, and your word, because I feared the people and obeyed their voice. And now please pardon my sin and turn again with me so that I may worship Jehovah. And Samuel said to Saul, I will not return with you, for you have rejected the Word of Jehovah, and Jehovah has rejected you from being king over Israel. And Samuel turned around to go, and he laid hold on the skirt of his robe, and it tore. And Samuel said to him, Jehovah has torn the kingdom of Israel from you this day, and has given it to a neighbor of yours who is better than you. And also the Glory of Israel will not lie nor repent, for He is not a man that He should repent. Then he said, I have sinned. Please honor me now before the elders of my people and before Israel, and turn again with me. And I shall worship Jehovah your God. And Samuel turned again after Saul, and Saul worshiped Jehovah. And Samuel said, Bring here to me Agag the king of the Amalekites. And Agag came to him daintily. And Agag said, Surely the bitterness of death is past. And Samuel said, As your sword has made women childless, so shall your mother be childless among women. And Samuel cut Agag in pieces before Jehovah in Gilgal. And Samuel went to Ramah. And Saul went up to his house to Gibeah of Saul. And Samuel never again saw Saul until the day of his death, for Samuel mourned for Saul. And Jehovah repented that He had made Saul king over Israel.
It repents Me that I have set up Saul to be king. For he has turned back from following Me and has not done My commands. And it grieved Samuel, and he cried out to Jehovah all night. And when Samuel rose up early in the morning to meet Saul, it was told to Samuel, saying, Saul came to Carmel, and behold, he set up a place for himself, and has gone around and passed on and gone down to Gilgal. And Samuel came to Saul. And Saul said to him, You are blessed of Jehovah. I have done the command of Jehovah. And Samuel said, What then is this bleating of the flock in my ears? And what is the sound of the herd which I hear? 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 to Jehovah your God. And the rest we have completely destroyed. And Samuel said to Saul, Stop! And I will tell you what Jehovah has said to me tonight. And he said to him, Speak. And Samuel said, When you were little in your own sight, did you not become the head of the tribes of Israel? And Jehovah anointed you king over Israel. And Jehovah sent you on the way and said, Go and completely destroy the sinners, Amalek, and fight against them until you destroy them. Why then did you not obey the voice of Jehovah? Why did you fly on the spoil and do evil in the sight of Jehovah? And Saul said to Samuel, Yes, I have obeyed the voice of Jehovah, and have gone the way which Jehovah sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have completely destroyed the Amalekites. But the people took from the spoil, of the flocks and herd, the best of the things devoted to sacrifice to Jehovah your God in Gilgal. And Samuel said, Does Jehovah delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of Jehovah? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice! To listen is better than the fat of rams! For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idol-worship. Because you have rejected the Word of Jehovah, He has also rejected you from being king! And Saul said to Samuel, I have sinned. For I have disobeyed the command of Jehovah, and your word, because I feared the people and obeyed their voice. And now please pardon my sin and turn again with me so that I may worship Jehovah. And Samuel said to Saul, I will not return with you, for you have rejected the Word of Jehovah, and Jehovah has rejected you from being king over Israel. And Samuel turned around to go, and he laid hold on the skirt of his robe, and it tore. And Samuel said to him, Jehovah has torn the kingdom of Israel from you this day, and has given it to a neighbor of yours who is better than you. And also the Glory of Israel will not lie nor repent, for He is not a man that He should repent. Then he said, I have sinned. Please honor me now before the elders of my people and before Israel, and turn again with me. And I shall worship Jehovah your God. And Samuel turned again after Saul, and Saul worshiped Jehovah. And Samuel said, Bring here to me Agag the king of the Amalekites. And Agag came to him daintily. And Agag said, Surely the bitterness of death is past. And Samuel said, As your sword has made women childless, so shall your mother be childless among women. And Samuel cut Agag in pieces before Jehovah in Gilgal. And Samuel went to Ramah. And Saul went up to his house to Gibeah of Saul. And Samuel never again saw Saul until the day of his death, for Samuel mourned for Saul. And Jehovah repented that He had made Saul king over Israel.