And all the people went to Gilgal, and there they made Saul king before the LORD in Gilgal, and there they sacrificed sacrifices of peace offerings before the LORD, and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly. And Samuel said unto all Israel, Behold, I have hearkened unto your voice in all that ye said unto me and have made a king over you. And now, behold, your king walks before you. I am old and grayheaded, and, behold, my sons are with you, and I have walked before you from my childhood unto this day. read more.
Behold, here I am; witness against me before the LORD and before his anointed. If I have taken anyone's ox or if I have taken anyone's ass or if I have defrauded anyone or if I have oppressed anyone or if I have received a bribe from anyone to blind my eyes, I will restore it you. And they said, Thou hast not defrauded us nor oppressed us; neither hast thou taken anything of any man's hand. And he said unto them, The LORD is witness against you, and his anointed is witness this day that ye have not found anything in my hand. And they answered, He is witness. Then Samuel said unto the people, The LORD is he who advanced Moses and Aaron and who brought your fathers up out of the land of Egypt. Now, therefore, stand still that I may contend with you before the LORD of all the righteousnesses of the LORD which he did to you and to your fathers. After Jacob had entered into Egypt and your fathers cried unto the LORD, then the LORD sent Moses and Aaron who brought forth your fathers out of Egypt and made them dwell in this place. And when they forgot the LORD their God, he sold them into the hand of Sisera, captain of the host 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 unto the LORD and said, We have sinned because we have forsaken the LORD and have served the Baalim and Ashtaroth, but now deliver us out of the hand of our enemies, and we will serve thee. Then the LORD sent Jerubbaal and Bedan and Jephthah and Samuel and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side, and ye dwelt safe. And when ye saw that Nahash, the king of the sons of Ammon, came against you, ye said unto me, No, but a king shall reign over us when the LORD your God was your king. Now, therefore, behold the king whom ye have chosen and whom ye have desired! Behold, the LORD has set a king over you. If ye will fear the LORD and serve him and hear his voice and not rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then shall both ye and also the king that reigns over you continue following the LORD your God. But if ye will not hear the voice of the LORD but rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then the hand of the LORD shall be against you as it was against your fathers. Now, therefore, stand and see this great thing, which the LORD will do before your eyes. Is it not wheat harvest to day? I will call unto the LORD, and he shall send thunder and rain that ye may perceive and see that your wickedness is great which ye have done in the sight of the LORD in asking for a king over you. So Samuel called unto the LORD, and the LORD sent thunder and rain that day, and all the people greatly feared the LORD and Samuel. And all the people said unto Samuel, Pray for thy slaves unto the LORD thy God that we not die, for we have added unto all our sins this evil, to ask for a king over us. And Samuel said unto the people, Do not fear. Ye have done all this wickedness, yet do not turn aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart; do not turn aside after vain things which cannot profit nor deliver, for they are vain. For the LORD will not forsake his people for his great name's sake because it has pleased the LORD to make you his people. Moreover as for me, in no wise should I sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you, but I will teach you the good and the right way. Only fear the LORD and serve him in truth with all your heart, for consider what great things he has done with you. But if ye shall persevere in doing wickedly, both ye and your king shall perish. Saul was as a son of one year when he began to reign, and when he had reigned two years over Israel, Saul chose three thousand men of Israel, of which two thousand 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 one to his tent. And Jonathan smote the garrison of the Philistines that was in Geba, and the Philistines heard of it. And Saul caused the shofar to be blown throughout all the land, saying, Let the Hebrews hear. And all Israel heard it said that Saul had smitten a garrison of the Philistines and also that Israel had become a stench unto the Philistines. And the people were called together after Saul to Gilgal. Then the Philistines gathered themselves together to fight with Israel, thirty thousand chariots and six thousand horsemen and people as the sand which is on the sea shore in multitude; and they came up and pitched camp in Michmash, eastward from Bethaven. When the men of Israel saw that they were in a strait (for the people were distressed), then the people hid themselves in caves and in thickets and in rocks and in high places and in pits. And some of the Hebrews went over the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead. As for Saul, he was yet in Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling. And he tarried seven days, according to the set time that Samuel had appointed, but Samuel did not come to Gilgal, and the people were deserting from him. Then Saul said, Bring me a burnt offering and peace offerings. And he offered the burnt offering. And it came to pass that as soon as he had finished offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him that he might bless him. Then Samuel said, What hast thou done? And Saul said, Because I saw that the people were leaving me and that thou didst not come within the days appointed and that the Philistines gathered themselves together at Michmash, therefore, I said, The Philistines will come down now upon me to Gilgal, and I have not made supplication unto the LORD. I forced myself, therefore, and offered a burnt offering. Then Samuel said to Saul, Thou hast done foolishly; thou hast not kept the commandment of the LORD thy God, which he commanded thee, for now the LORD would have established thy kingdom over Israel for ever. But now thy kingdom shall not stand; the LORD has sought a man after his own heart unto whom the LORD has commanded that he be captain over his people because thou hast not kept that which the LORD commanded thee. And Samuel arose and went up from Gilgal unto Gibeah of Benjamin. And Saul numbered the people that were present with him, about six hundred men. And Saul and Jonathan, his son, and the people that were present with them, abode in Gibeah of Benjamin, but the Philistines encamped in Michmash. And three companies came out of the camp of the Philistines to destroy the land. One company turned unto the way that leads to Ophrah unto the land of Shual. Another company turned the way to Bethhoron, and another company turned to the way of the border that looks to the valley of Zeboim toward the wilderness. Now there was no smith found throughout all the land of Israel, for the Philistines had said, Lest peradventure the Hebrews make swords or spears. But all the Israelites went down to the Philistines to sharpen each man his share and his coulter and his axe and his mattock and when they had nicks in the mattocks and the coulters and the forks and the axes, or to fix a goad. So it came to pass in the day of battle that there was neither sword nor spear found in the hand of any of the people that were with Saul and Jonathan except with Saul and with Jonathan his son who had them. And the garrison of the Philistines went out to the passage of Michmash. Now it came to pass upon a day that Jonathan, the son of Saul, said unto the young man that bore his armour, Come and let us go over to the Philistines' garrison that is on the other side. But he did not tell his father. And Saul tarried in the uttermost part of Gibeah under a pomegranate tree which is in Migron, and the people that 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, the LORD's priest in Shiloh, was wearing the ephod. And the people did not know that Jonathan was gone. And between the passages by which Jonathan sought to go over unto the Philistines' garrison, there was a sharp rock on the one side and a sharp rock on the other side; and the name of the one was Bozez and the name of the other Seneh. The forefront of the one was situated northward over against Michmash and the other towards the Negev over against Gibeah. And Jonathan said to the young man that bore his armour, Come and let us go over unto the garrison of these uncircumcised; peradventure the LORD will work for us, for it is not difficult for the LORD to save by many or by few. And his armourbearer said unto him, Do all that is in thy heart; go. Behold, I am with thee according to thy will. Then Jonathan said, Behold, we will go over unto these men, and we will show ourselves unto them. If they say thus unto us, Tarry until we come to you, then we will stand still in our place and will not go up unto them. But if they say thus, Come up unto us, then we will go up, for the LORD has delivered them into our hand, and this shall be a sign unto us. And both of them showed themselves unto the garrison of the Philistines; and the Philistines said, Behold, the Hebrews come forth out of the holes where they had hid themselves. And the men of the garrison answered Jonathan and his armourbearer and said, Come up to us, and we will show you a thing. Then Jonathan said unto his armourbearer, Come up after me, for the LORD has delivered them into the hand of Israel. And Jonathan climbed up upon his hands and upon his feet and his armourbearer after him; and they fell before Jonathan, and his armourbearer slew after him. And that first slaughter which Jonathan and his armourbearer made was about twenty men within as it were a half acre of land, which a yoke of oxen might plow. And there was trembling in the host, in the field, and among all the people of the garrison; and those who had gone out to destroy the land, they also trembled, and the earth quaked, and there was fear of God. And the watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin looked, and, behold, the multitude melted away, and they went on beating down one another. Then Saul said unto the people that were with him, Number now and see who is gone from us. And when they had numbered, behold, Jonathan and his armourbearer were not there. And Saul said unto Ahiah, Bring the ark of God. For the ark of God was at that time with the sons of Israel. And it came to pass while Saul talked unto the priest, that the noise that was in the host of the Philistines went on and increased. Then Saul said unto the priest, Withdraw thy hand. And Saul and all the people that were with him assembled themselves, and they came to the battle; and, behold, each man's sword was against his fellow, and there was a very great discomfiture. Moreover, the Hebrews that had been with the Philistines before that time, who had gone up with them into the camp from the country round about, even they also turned to be with the Israelites that were with Saul and Jonathan. Likewise all the men of Israel who had hid themselves in Mount Ephraim, when they heard that the Philistines fled, they also followed hard after them in the battle. So the LORD saved Israel that day; and the battle passed over unto Bethaven. But the men of Israel were distressed that day, for Saul had adjured the people, saying, Cursed be the man that eats any food until evening that I may be avenged on my enemies. So none of the people tasted any food. And the army of all the land came to a wood, and there was honey upon the ground. And when the people were come into the wood, behold, the honey dropped, but no man put his hand to his mouth, for the people feared the oath. But Jonathan had not heard when his father charged the people with the oath, therefore, he put forth the end of the rod that was in his hand and dipped it in a honeycomb and put his hand to his mouth, and his eyes were enlightened. Then one of the people spoke and said, Thy father straitly charged the people with an oath, saying, Cursed be the man that eats any food this day. And the people were faint. Then Jonathan said, My father has troubled the land. See, I pray you, how my eyes have been enlightened because I tasted a little of this honey. How much more if haply the people had eaten freely today of the spoil of their enemies which they found? Would there not have been now a much greater slaughter among the Philistines? And they smote the Philistines that day from Michmash to Aijalon, but the people were very faint. Therefore, the people flew upon the spoil and took sheep and oxen and calves and slew them on the ground, and the people ate them with the blood. Then they told Saul, saying, Behold, the people sin against the LORD in that they eat with the blood. And he said, Ye have transgressed; roll a great stone unto me this day. And Saul said, Disperse yourselves among the people and tell each one to bring his ox and his sheep here unto me and slay them here and eat and do not sin against the LORD in eating with the blood. And of all the people, each one brought his ox with him that night and slew them there. And Saul built an altar unto the LORD; the same was the first altar that he built unto the LORD. 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 whatever seems good unto thee. Then the priest said, Let us draw near unto God here. And Saul asked counsel of God, Shall I go down after the Philistines? Wilt thou deliver them into the hand of Israel? But he did not answer him that day. Then Saul said, Bring here all the chief of the people and know and see by whom this sin has been this day. For, as the LORD lives, who saves Israel, though it be in Jonathan, my son, he shall surely die. But there was not a man among all the people that answered him. Then he said unto all Israel, Be ye on one side, and I and Jonathan my son will be on the other side. And the people said unto Saul, Do what seems good unto thee. Therefore, Saul said unto the LORD God of Israel, Show who is without blemish. And Saul and Jonathan were taken, but the people went out free. And Saul said, Cast lots between me and Jonathan my son. And Jonathan was taken. Then Saul said to Jonathan, Tell me what thou hast done. And Jonathan told him, and said, I did but taste a little honey with the end of the rod that was in my hand; must I die for this. And Saul answered, God do so and more also, for thou shalt surely die, Jonathan. Then the people said unto Saul, Shall Jonathan die, who has wrought this great saving health in Israel? No, in no wise: as the LORD lives, there shall not one hair of his head fall to the ground, for he has wrought with God this day. So the people rescued Jonathan that he did not die. Then Saul went up from following the Philistines, and the Philistines went to their own place. So Saul took the kingdom over Israel and fought against all his enemies on every side, against Moab and against the sons of Ammon and against Edom and against the kings of Zobah and against the Philistines; and wherever he turned himself, he troubled them. And he gathered a host and smote Amalek and delivered Israel out of the hands of those that spoiled them. Now the sons of Saul were Jonathan and Ishui and Melchishua. And the names of his two daughters were these: the name of the firstborn 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 captain of his host was Abner, the son of Ner, Saul's uncle. For Kish was the father of Saul, and Ner, the father of Abner, was the son of Abiel. And there was intense war against the Philistines all the days of Saul, and when Saul saw any strong man or any valiant man, he took him unto him. And Samuel said unto Saul, The LORD sent me to anoint thee to be king over his people, over Israel; now, therefore, hearken thou unto the voice of the words of the LORD. Thus hath said the LORD of the hosts, I remember that which Amalek did to Israel, how he laid wait for him in the way when he came up from Egypt. Now go and smite Amalek and utterly destroy all that they have and spare him not, but slay 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 laid wait in the valley. And Saul said unto the Kenite, Go, depart, go out from among those of Amalek lest I destroy you with them, for ye showed mercy to all the sons of Israel when they came up out of Egypt. So the Kenite departed from among those of Amalek. And Saul smote Amalek from Havilah until thou comest to Shur that is over against Egypt. And he took Agag, the king of the Amalekites, alive and utterly 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 utterly destroy them, but every thing that was vile and refuse, that they destroyed utterly. Then the word of the LORD came unto Samuel, saying, It grieves me that I have set up Saul to be king, for he has turned back from following me and has not performed my commandments. And it incensed Samuel, and he cried unto the LORD all night. And when Samuel rose early to meet Saul in the morning, it was told Samuel, saying, Saul came to Carmel, and, behold, he set himself up a monument and is gone about and passed on and gone down to Gilgal. And Samuel came to Saul, and Saul said unto him, Blessed be thou of the LORD; I have performed the commandment of the LORD. Then Samuel said, What means then this bleating of the sheep in my ears and the lowing of the oxen which I hear? And Saul said, They have brought them from Amalek, for the people spared the best of the sheep and of the oxen to sacrifice unto the LORD thy God, and the rest we have utterly destroyed. Then Samuel said unto Saul, Stay, and I will tell thee what the LORD hath said to me this night. And he said unto him, Say on. And Samuel said, When thou wast little in thine own sight, wast thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel, and the LORD anointed thee king over Israel? And the LORD sent thee on a journey and said, Go and utterly destroy the sinners of Amalek and fight against them until they are consumed. Why then didst thou not hear the voice of the LORD but didst fly upon the spoil and didst evil in the sight of the LORD? And Saul said unto Samuel, But I have obeyed the voice of the LORD and have gone the way which the LORD sent me and have brought Agag, the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites. But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the firstfruits of the anathema, to sacrifice them unto the LORD thy God in Gilgal. And Samuel said, Does the LORD have as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in hearing the voice of the LORD? Behold, to hear is better than sacrifice and to hearken than the fat of rams. For rebellion is the sin of witchcraft, and to break the word of the Lord is iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he has also rejected thee from being king. Then Saul said unto Samuel, I have sinned; for I have transgressed the commandment of the LORD and thy words because I feared the people and consented unto their voice. Now, therefore, I pray thee, pardon my sin and turn again with me that I may worship the LORD. And Samuel said unto Saul, I will not return with thee, for thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, and the LORD has rejected thee from being king over Israel. And as Samuel turned about to go away, he laid hold upon the skirt of his mantle, and it rent. And Samuel said unto him, The LORD has rent the kingdom of Israel from thee today and has given it to a neighbour of thine that is better than thou. And also the Overcomer of Israel will not lie nor repent concerning this, for he is not a man, that he should repent. Then he said, I have sinned; yet honour me now, I pray thee, before the elders of my people and before Israel and turn again with me that I may worship the LORD thy God. So Samuel turned again after Saul, and Saul worshipped the LORD. Then Samuel said, Bring me Agag, the king of Amalek. And Agag came unto him delicately. And Agag said, Surely the bitterness of death is near. And Samuel said, As thy sword has made women childless, so shall thy mother be childless among women. Then Samuel hewed Agag in pieces before the LORD in Gilgal. Then Samuel went to Ramah, and Saul went up to his house in Gibeah of Saul. And Samuel came no more to see Saul until the day of his death; nevertheless, Samuel mourned for Saul because the LORD had repented that he had made Saul king over Israel. And the LORD said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? Fill thy horn with oil and go; I will send thee to Jesse of Bethlehem for I have provided me a king among his sons. And Samuel said, How can I go? If Saul understands it, he will kill me. And the LORD said, Take a heifer with thee and say, I am come to sacrifice to the LORD. And call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show thee what thou shalt do, and thou shalt anoint unto me the one whom I name unto thee. And Samuel did as the LORD said and came to Bethlehem. And the elders of the town trembled at his coming and said, Comest thou peaceably? And he said, Peaceably; I am come to sacrifice unto the LORD; sanctify yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice. And he sanctified Jesse and his sons and called them to the sacrifice. And it came to pass, when they were come, that he looked on Eliab and said, Peradventure is the LORD's anointed before him? And the LORD replied unto Samuel, Do not look on his countenance or on the height of his stature because I have refused him, for it is not as man sees, for man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart. Then Jesse called Abinadab and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, Neither has the LORD chosen this one. Then Jesse made Shammah to pass by. And he said, Neither has the LORD chosen this one. Again, Jesse made his seven sons pass before Samuel, but Samuel said unto Jesse, The LORD has not chosen these. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are all thy young men here? And he said, There remains yet the youngest, and, behold, he keeps the sheep. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Send for him, for we will not sit down to the table until he comes here. And he sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy and of a beautiful countenance and handsome. And the LORD said, Arise, anoint him, for this is he. Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him from among his brethren; and the Spirit of the LORD prospered David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up and went to Ramah. But the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD troubled him. And Saul's slaves said unto him, Behold now, an evil spirit from God troubles thee. Let our lord now command thy slaves, which are before thee, to seek out a man who is a cunning player on a harp, and it shall come to pass, when the evil spirit from God is upon thee, that he shall play with his hand and thou shalt have relief. And Saul said unto his slaves, Provide me now a man that can play well and bring him to me. Then one of the servants answered and said, Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse of Bethlehem, that is cunning in playing and a mighty valiant man and a man of war and prudent in speech and handsome, and the LORD is with him. Therefore Saul sent messengers unto Jesse and said, Send me David, thy son, who is with the sheep. And Jesse took an ass laden with bread and a bottle of wine and a kid and sent them by David, his son, unto Saul. And David came to Saul and stood before him; and he loved him greatly, and he became his armourbearer. And Saul sent to Jesse, saying, Let David, I pray thee, stand before me, for he has found favour in my sight. And it came to pass, when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took a harp and played with his hand; so Saul was refreshed and was better, and the evil spirit departed from him. Now the Philistines gathered together their armies to battle and were gathered together at Shochoh, which belongs to Judah, and pitched camp between Shochoh and Azekah in Ephesdammim. And Saul and the men of Israel were gathered together and pitched camp by the valley of Elah and ordered the battle 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 man named Goliath, of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span, came out of the camp of the Philistines and stood between the two camps. And he had a helmet of brass upon his head, and he was clothed with a coat of mail of scales; and the weight of the coat of mail was five thousand shekels of brass. And he had greaves of brass upon his legs and a shield of brass 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 one bearing a shield went before him. And he stood and cried unto the armies of Israel and said unto them, Why are ye come out to set your battle in array? Am I not a Philistine, and ye slaves to Saul? Choose a man from among you, and let him come down to me. If he is able to fight with me and to overcome me, then will we be your slaves, but if I prevail against him and overcome him, then ye shall be our slaves and serve us. And the Philistine said, I have dishonoured the ranks of Israel today; give me a man that we may fight together. When Saul and all Israel heard those words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid. And David was the son of an Ephrathite man of Bethlehem of Judah, whose name was Jesse, and he had eight sons, and this man was old in the days of Saul and of advanced age among men. And the three eldest sons of Jesse had gone and followed Saul to the battle. And the names of his three sons that went to the battle were Eliab, the firstborn, and next unto him Abinadab and the third Shammah. And David was the youngest, the three eldest having gone after Saul. But David had gone and returned from being with Saul to feed his father's sheep in Bethlehem. And the Philistine drew near morning and evening and presented himself for forty days. And Jesse said unto David his son, Take now for thy brethren an ephah of this parched grain and these ten loaves and run to the camp to thy brethren and carry these ten cheeses unto the captain of their thousand and look how thy brethren fare and take their pledge. Now Saul and they and all the men of Israel were in the valley of Elah, fighting against the Philistines. And David rose up early in the morning and left the sheep with a keeper and took and went with his burden as Jesse had commanded him, and he came to the trench as the host was going forth in battle array, and they had already sounded the alarm for the battle. For Israel and the Philistines had ordered the battle, army against army. And David left his carriage in the hand of the keeper of the carriage and ran into the army and came and asked about his brethren, if they were well. And as he talked with them, behold, there came up that man, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, out of the armies of the Philistines, speaking the same words, and David heard them. And all the men of Israel when they saw the man fled from him and feared greatly. And each one of the men of Israel were saying, Have ye seen this man that is come up? He is come up to dishonour Israel. It shall be that the king will enrich the man who overcomes him with great riches and will give him his daughter and make his father's house free in Israel. Then David spoke to the men that stood by him, saying, What shall be done to the man that overcomes this Philistine and takes away the reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should dishonour the armies of the living God? And the people answered him after this manner, saying, So shall it be done to the man that overcomes him. And Eliab, his eldest brother, heard when he spoke unto the men, and Eliab's anger was kindled against David, and he said, Why didst thou come down here? And with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know thy pride and the malice of thy heart, for thou art come down that thou might see the battle. And David said, What have I now done? Is there not a cause? And he turned from him toward another and spoke after the same manner, and the people answered him again after the former manner. And the words which David had spoken were heard, and they were rehearsed before Saul, and he sent for him. And David said to Saul, Let no man's heart fail because of him; thy slave will go and fight with this Philistine. And Saul said to David, Thou art not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him, for thou art but a young man, and he a man of war from his youth. And David replied unto Saul, Thy slave was the pastor of his father's sheep, and if a lion or a bear came and took a lamb out of the flock, I went out after him and smote him and delivered it out of his mouth; and if he arose against me, I caught him by his beard and smote him and slew him. Whether it was a lion or a bear thy slave would kill it, and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he has dishonoured the armies of the living God. David said moreover, The LORD that 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 unto David, Go, and the LORD be with thee. And Saul clothed David with his clothing, and he put a helmet of brass upon his head; he also armed him with a coat of mail. And David girded Saul's sword upon Saul's clothing, and he undertook to go, for he had not proved them. And David said unto Saul, I cannot go with these, for I have not proved them. And putting them off, David took his staff in his hand and chose five smooth stones out of the brook and put them in a shepherd's bag which he had, even in a provision bag, and with his sling in his hand he drew near to the Philistine. And the Philistine came on and drew near unto David, and the man that bore the shield went before him. And when the Philistine looked about and saw David, he disdained him, for he was but a youth and ruddy and of a fair countenance. And the Philistine said unto David, Am I a dog that thou comest to me with staves? And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. And the Philistine said to David, Come to me, and I will give thy flesh unto the fowls of the heaven and to the beasts of the field. Then David said to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword and with a spear and with a shield, but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of the hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast dishonoured. This day the LORD will deliver thee into my hand, and I will smite thee and take thy head from thee, and I will give the carcasses of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the heaven and to the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. And all this congregation shall know that the LORD does not save with sword and spear, for the battle is the LORD's, and he will give you into our hands. And it came to pass when the Philistine arose and came and drew near to meet David that David hastened and ran to do battle against the Philistine. And David put his hand in his bag and took a stone from there and slang it and smote the Philistine in his forehead, that the stone remained sunk into his forehead, and he fell upon his face to the earth. So David overcame the Philistine with a sling and with a stone and smote the Philistine and slew him, but there was no sword in the hand of David. Therefore David ran and stood upon the Philistine and took his sword and drew it out of its sheath and slew him and cut off his head with it. And when the Philistines saw their giant was dead, they fled. And the men of Israel and of Judah arose and shouted and pursued the Philistines unto the valley and to the gates of Ekron. And the wounded of the Philistines fell down by the way to Shaaraim, even unto Gath and unto 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 weapons in his tent. And when Saul saw David go forth against the Philistine, he said unto Abner, the captain of the host, Abner, whose son is this youth? And Abner said, As thy soul lives, O king, I cannot tell. And the king said, Enquire 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 art thou, young man? And David answered, I am the son of thy slave Jesse of Bethlehem. And it came to pass when he had finished speaking unto Saul that the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul. And Saul took him that day and would not let him return to his father's house. Then Jonathan and David made a covenant because he loved him as his own soul. And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was upon him and gave it to David and his garments, even to his sword and to his bow and to his girdle. And David went out wherever Saul sent him and behaved himself prudently, and Saul set him over the men of war, and he was accepted in the sight of all the people and also in the sight of Saul's slaves. And it came to pass as they came, when David was returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, that the women came out of all cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul, with tambourines, with joy, and with instruments of music. And the women sang as they played and said, Saul has slain his thousands and David his ten thousands. And Saul was very wroth, and the saying displeased him, and he said, They have ascribed unto David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed but thousands; and what can he have more but the kingdom? And Saul eyed David from that day and forward. And it came to pass on the next day that the evil spirit from God came upon Saul, and he prophesied in the midst of the house, and David played with his hand as at other times, and there was a spear in Saul's hand. And Saul cast the spear, saying, I will smite David to the wall with it. And David avoided out of his presence twice. But Saul was afraid of David because the LORD was with him and had departed from Saul. Therefore, Saul removed him from him and made him captain over a thousand, and he went out and came in before the people. And David behaved himself prudently in all his ways, and the LORD was with him. Therefore, when Saul saw that he behaved himself very prudently, 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 thee my elder daughter Merab to wife; only be thou valiant for me, and fight the LORD's battles. For Saul said to himself, My hand shall not be against him, but the hand of the Philistines shall be against him. And David said unto 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 came to pass at the time when Merab, Saul's daughter, should have been given to David that she was given unto Adriel, the Meholathite, to wife. But Michal, Saul's other daughter, loved David, and they told Saul, and the thing pleased him. And Saul said, I will give her to him that she may be a snare to him and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him. Therefore, Saul said to David, Thou shalt this day be my son-in-law with the other one. And Saul commanded his slaves, saying, Speak with David secretly and say, Behold, the king has delight in thee, and all his slaves love thee; now, therefore, be the king's son-in-law. And Saul's slaves spoke those words in the ears of David. And David said, Does it seem to you a light thing to be a king's son-in-law, seeing that I am a poor man and lightly esteemed? And the slaves of Saul told him, saying, David spoke these words. And Saul said, Thus shall ye say to David, The desire of the king is not in any dowry, but one hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to be avenged of the king's enemies. For Saul thought to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines. And when his slaves told David these words, it pleased David well to be the king's son-in-law, and the days were not expired. Therefore David arose and went, he and his men, and slew of the Philistines two hundred men, and David brought their foreskins, and they gave them all to the king that he might be the king's son-in-law. And Saul gave him Michal, his daughter, to wife. But Saul, seeing and knowing that the LORD was with David and that his daughter Michal loved him, was yet the more afraid of David; and Saul became David's enemy continually. Then the princes of the Philistines went forth, and it came to pass after they went forth that David behaved himself more prudently than all the slaves of Saul so that his name was much set by. And Saul spoke to Jonathan, his son, and to all his slaves that they should kill David. But Jonathan, Saul's son, delighted much in David, and Jonathan told David, saying, Saul, my father, seeks to kill thee: now, therefore, I pray thee, take heed to thyself until the morning and abide in a secret place and hide thyself. And I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where thou art, and I will speak with my father of thee, and what I see, that I will tell thee. And Jonathan spoke good of David unto Saul, his father, and said unto him, Let not the king sin against his slave David, for he has not sinned against thee; on the other hand his works have been very good for thee, for he put his soul in his hand and slew the Philistine, and the LORD wrought a great salvation for all Israel. Thou didst see it and rejoice. Why then wilt thou sin against innocent blood to slay David without a cause? And Saul hearkened unto the voice of Jonathan, and Saul swore, As the LORD lives, he shall not be slain. And Jonathan called David, and Jonathan told 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 slew them with a great slaughter, and they fled from him. And the evil spirit from the LORD was upon Saul as he sat in his house with his spear in his hand, and David played with his hand. And Saul sought to smite David to the wall with the spear, but he slipped away out of Saul's presence, who smote the spear into the wall; and David fled and escaped that night. Saul also sent messengers unto David's house to watch him and to slay him in the morning. But Michal, David's wife told him, saying, If thou save not thy life tonight, tomorrow thou shalt be dead. So Michal let David down through a window, and he went and fled and escaped. Then Michal took an image and laid it in the bed and put a pillow of goats' hair at his 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 again to see David, saying, Bring him up to me in the bed that I may slay him. And when the messengers were come in, behold, there was an image in the bed with a pillow of goats' hair at his head. And Saul said unto Michal, Why hast thou deceived me so and sent away my enemy that he is escaped? And Michal answered Saul, He said unto me, Let me go; if not, I shall kill thee. So David fled and escaped and came to Samuel in Ramah and told him all that Saul had done to him. And he and Samuel went and dwelt in Naioth. And it was told 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 upon the messengers of Saul, and they also prophesied. And when it was told Saul, he sent other messengers, and they prophesied likewise. And Saul sent messengers again the third time, and they prophesied also. Then he also went to Ramah and came to a great well that is in Sechu, and he asked and said, Where are Samuel and David? And one said, Behold, they are at Naioth in Ramah. And he went there to Naioth in Ramah, and the Spirit of God came upon him also, and he went on and prophesied, until he came to Naioth in Ramah. And he stripped off his clothes also and prophesied before Samuel in like manner and lay down naked all that day and all that night. From here it was said, 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 or what is my sin before thy father that he seeks my life? And he said unto him, No, in no wise; thou shalt not die. Behold, my father will do nothing either great or small, but that he will show it me, and why should my father hide this thing from me? It shall not be so. And David swore moreover, and said, Thy father certainly knows that I have found grace in thine eyes, and he saith in himself, Let Jonathan not know this lest he be grieved; but truly as the LORD lives and as thy soul lives, there is but a step between me and death. Then Jonathan said unto David, Whatever thy soul saith, I will do it for thee. And David replied unto Jonathan, Behold, tomorrow is the new moon, and I should not fail to sit with the king at food, but thou shalt let me go and hide myself in the field until the evening of the third day. If thy father at all misses me, then say, David earnestly asked leave of me that he might run to Bethlehem, his city, for all those of his lineage have an anniversary sacrifice. If he should say, It is well; thy slave shall have peace; but if he is very wroth, then be sure that the evil is determined in him. Therefore, thou shalt deal in mercy with thy slave, for thou hast brought thy slave into a covenant of the LORD with thee; notwithstanding, if there is iniquity in me, slay me thyself, for why should thou bring me to thy father? And Jonathan said, Far be it from thee, for if I knew certainly that evil were determined by my father to come upon thee, then would I not be obliged to show it to thee? Then said David to Jonathan, Who shall tell me? Or what if thy father answers thee roughly? And Jonathan said unto David, Come, and let us go out into the field. And both of them went out into the field. Then Jonathan said unto David, O LORD God of Israel, when I shall have asked my father tomorrow at this time or after tomorrow and, behold, if there is good toward David and I then do not send unto thee and show it to thee, the LORD do so and much more to Jonathan. But if it pleases my father to do thee evil, then I will show it to thee and send thee away that thou may go in peace; and the LORD be with thee as he has been with my father. And if I live, thou shalt show me the mercy of the LORD, but if I am dead, thou shalt not cut off thy mercy from my house for ever. When the LORD has cut off one by one the enemies of David from the face of the earth, remove even Jonathan from thy house if I fail thee and require it at the hand of David's enemies. So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David. And Jonathan swore unto David again because he loved him, for he loved him as he loved his own soul. Then Jonathan said to David, Tomorrow is the new moon, and thou shalt be missed because thy seat will be empty. And when thou hast stayed three days, then thou shalt go down quickly and come to the place where thou didst hide thyself on the day of the work and shalt remain by the stone Ezel; and I will shoot three arrows on the side thereof as though I shot at a mark. And, behold, I will send a lad, saying, Go, find the arrows. If I expressly say unto the lad, Behold, the arrows are on this side of thee; take them, then come thou, for there is peace unto thee and no hurt, as the LORD lives. But if I say thus unto the young man, Behold, the arrows are beyond thee, then go away, for the LORD has sent thee away. And as touching the matter which thou and I have spoken of, behold, let the LORD be between thee and me for ever. So David hid himself in the field, and when the new moon was come, the king sat down to eat bread. And the king sat upon his seat as at other times, even upon a seat by the wall; and Jonathan arose, and Abner sat by Saul's side, and David's place was empty. Nevertheless, Saul said nothing that day, for he thought, Something has befallen him, he is not clean; surely he is not clean. And it came to pass on the next day, which was the second day of the new moon, that David's place was empty, and Saul said unto Jonathan his son, Why did not the son of Jesse come to food, neither yesterday nor today? And Jonathan answered Saul, David earnestly asked leave of me to go to Bethlehem. And he said, Let me go, I pray thee, for those of our lineage have a sacrifice in the city, and my brother, he has commanded me to be there, and now, if I have found grace in thine eyes, let me get away, I pray thee, and see my brethren. Therefore he has not come unto the king's table. Then Saul's anger was kindled against Jonathan, and he said unto him, Thou son of the perverse rebellious woman, do I not know that thou hast chosen the son of Jesse to thine own confusion and unto the confusion of thy mother's shame? For as long as the son of Jesse lives upon the land, thou shalt not be established nor thy kingdom. Therefore, now send and bring him unto me, for he shall surely die. And Jonathan answered Saul his father and said unto him, Why shall he be slain? What has he done? And Saul cast a spear at him to smite him whereby Jonathan knew that it was determined of his father to slay David. So Jonathan arose from the table in fierce anger and ate no food the second day of the new moon, for he was grieved for David and because his father had done him shame. And it came to pass in the morning that Jonathan went out into the field at the time appointed with David, and a little lad with him. And he said unto his lad, Run and find the arrows which I shoot. And as the lad ran, he shot an arrow beyond him. And when the lad was come to the place of the arrow which Jonathan had shot, Jonathan cried after the lad, and said, Is not the arrow beyond thee? And Jonathan cried after the lad, Make speed, haste, stay not. And Jonathan's lad gathered up the arrows and came to his master. But the lad did not understand anything; only Jonathan and David understood the matter. And Jonathan gave his weapons unto his lad and said unto him, Go, carry them to the city. And as soon as the lad was gone, David arose out of a place toward the Negev and fell on his face to the ground and bowed himself three times, and they kissed one another and wept one with another, although David exceeded. And Jonathan said to David, Go in peace, forasmuch as we have sworn both of us in the name of the LORD, saying, The LORD be between me and thee and between my seed and thy seed for ever. And he arose and departed, and Jonathan entered into the city. Then David came to Nob to Ahimelech, the priest, and Ahimelech was afraid at the meeting of David and said unto him, Why art thou alone, and no one with thee? And David said unto Ahimelech, the priest, The king has commanded me a business and has said unto me, Let no one know anything of this business about which I send thee and what I have commanded thee, and I have appointed my servants to a certain place. Now, therefore, what is under thy hand? Give me five loaves of bread in my hand or what there is present. And the priest answered David and said, There is no common bread under my hand; there is only sacred bread, which I will give thee if the young men have kept themselves at least from women. And David answered the priest and said unto him, Of a truth women have been kept from us since yesterday and the day before yesterday since I came out, and the vessels of the young men were holy although the way is profane; how much more that today it shall be sanctified with the vessels. So the priest gave him the sacred bread, for there was no bread there but the showbread that had been taken from before the LORD to put hot bread in the day when it was taken away. Now a certain man of the slaves of Saul was there that day, fulfilling a vow before the LORD, and his name was Doeg, an Edomite, the principal of the pastors of Saul. And David said unto Ahimelech, And is there not here under thy hand a spear or a sword? For I have neither brought my sword nor my weapons with me because the king's business required haste. And the priest replied, The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom thou didst overcome in the valley of Elah, behold, it is here wrapped in a veil behind the ephod; if thou wilt take that, take it, for there is none other except that here. And David said, There is none like that; give it to me. And David arose and fled that day from the presence of Saul and went to Achish, the king of Gath. And the slaves of Achish said unto him, Is this not David, the king of the land? Did they not sing one to 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 sore afraid of Achish, the king of Gath. And he changed his behaviour before them and feigned himself a fool in their hands and scrabbled on the doors of the gate and let his spittle fall down upon his beard. Then Achish said unto his slaves, Behold, ye see the man is mad; why then have ye brought him to me? Have I need of mad men that ye have brought this fellow to play the mad man in my presence? Shall this fellow come into my house? And David departed from there and escaped to the cave Adullam; ; and when his brethren and all his father's house heard it, they went down there to him. And every one that was in distress and every one that was in debt and all whose souls were bitter gathered themselves unto him, and he became the captain over them, and there were about four hundred men with him. And David went from there to Mizpeh of Moab, and he said unto the king of Moab, Let my father and my mother, I pray thee, come forth and be with you until I know what God will make of me. And he brought them before the king of Moab, and they dwelt with him all the while that David was in the fortress. And the prophet Gad said unto David, do not abide in this fortress; depart, and go into the land of Judah. Then David departed and came into the forest of Hareth. When Saul heard how David had appeared and the men that were with him (now Saul abode in Gibeah under a tree in Ramah, having his spear in his hand, and all his slaves were standing about him), then Saul said unto his slaves that stood about him, Hear now, ye sons of Jemini, will the son of Jesse give every one of you fields and vineyards and make you all captains of thousands and captains of hundreds that all of you have conspired against me, and there is no one that shows me that my son has made a league with the son of Jesse, and there is none of you that is sorry for me or shows unto me that my son has stirred up my slave against me, to lie in wait against me, as at this day? Then Doeg, the Edomite, who was set over the slaves of Saul, answered and said, I saw the son of Jesse coming to Nob to Ahimelech, the son of Ahitub. And he enquired of the LORD for him and gave him provision and gave him the sword of Goliath, the Philistine. Then the king sent to call Ahimelech, the priest, the son of Ahitub, and all his father's house, the priests that were in Nob; and they all came to the king. And Saul said, Hear now, thou son of Ahitub. And he answered, Here I am, my lord. And Saul said unto him, Why have ye conspired against me, thou and the son of Jesse, in that thou hast given him bread and a sword and hast enquired of God for him that he should rise against me, to lie in wait, as at this day? Then Ahimelech answered the king and said, And who is so faithful among all thy slaves as David, the king's son-in-law, who goes at thy bidding and is honourable in thy house? Did I begin to enquire of God for him today? Be it far from me; let not the king impute any thing unto his slave nor to all the house of my father, for thy slave knew nothing of all this, less or more. And the king said, Thou shalt surely die, Ahimelech, thou and all thy father's house. Then the king said unto the footmen that stood about him, Turn and slay the priests of the LORD because their hand also is with David and because they knew when he fled and did not show it to me. But the slaves of the king would not put forth their hands to fall upon the priests of the LORD. Then the king said to Doeg, Turn thou and fall upon the priests. And Doeg, the Edomite, turned and he fell upon the priests and slew on that day eighty-five men that wore a linen ephod. And Nob, the city of the priests, he smote with the edge of the sword, both men and women, children and sucklings 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 gave David the news that Saul had slain the LORD's priests. And David said unto Abiathar, I knew it that day when Doeg, the Edomite, was there that he would surely tell Saul. I have given cause before Saul against all the persons of thy father's house. Abide thou with me; do not fear, for he that seeks my life seeks thy life; it is good that thou shalt be kept with me. Then they told David, saying, Behold, the Philistines fight against Keilah, and they rob the threshingfloors. Therefore David enquired of the LORD, saying, Shall I go and smite these Philistines? And the LORD said unto David, Go and smite the Philistines and save Keilah. But David's men said unto him, Behold, we are afraid here in Judah, how much more than if we go to Keilah against the army of the Philistines? Then David enquired of the LORD yet again. And the LORD answered him and said, Arise, go down to Keilah, for I will deliver the Philistines into thy hand. So David and his men went to Keilah and fought with the Philistines and brought away their livestock and smote them with a great slaughter. So David saved the inhabitants of Keilah. And it came to pass when Abiathar, the son of Ahimelech, fled to David to Keilah that the ephod came in his hand. And it was told Saul how David had come to Keilah. And Saul said, God has delivered him into my hand, 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. But David understood that Saul devised evil against him, and he said to Abiathar, the priest, Bring here the ephod. Then David said, O LORD God of Israel, thy slave has certainly 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 thy slave has heard? O LORD God of Israel, I beseech thee, tell thy slave. And the LORD said, He will come down. Then David said, Will the men of Keilah deliver me and my men into the hand of Saul? And the LORD said, They will deliver thee up. So David and his men, who were about six hundred, arose and departed out of Keilah and went from one place to another. And it was told Saul that David was escaped from Keilah, and he forbare to go forth. And David abode in the wilderness in strong holds and remained in a mountain in the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him every day, but God did not deliver him into his hand. And David, seeing that Saul had come out to seek his soul, stayed in the woods in the wilderness of Ziph. Then Jonathan, Saul's son, arose and went to David in the woods and strengthened his hand in God. And he said unto him, Do not fear, for the hand of Saul, my father, shall not find thee, and thou shalt be king over Israel, and I shall be next unto thee; and even my father knows this. And the two made a covenant before the LORD, and David abode in the woods, and Jonathan returned to his house. Then those of Ziph came to Saul to Gibeah, saying, Does not David hide himself with us in strong holds in the woods in the hill of Hachilah, which is on the right hand side of the wilderness? Now, therefore, O king, come down according to all the desire of thy soul to come down, and our part shall be to deliver him into the king's hand. And Saul said, Blessed are ye of the LORD, for ye have compassion on me. Go, I pray you, prepare yet and know and see his place where he places his foot and who has seen him there, for it is told me that he deals with great prudence. See, therefore, and take knowledge of all the hiding places where he hides himself and come again to me with the certainty, and I will go with you; and it shall come to pass, if he is in the land that I will search him out with 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 right hand side of the wilderness. Saul also and his men went to seek him. And they told David, and he came down from there into a rock and abode in the wilderness of Maon. And when Saul heard that, he pursued 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 made haste to get away from the presence of Saul, for Saul and his men compassed David and his men round about to take them. But there came a messenger unto Saul, saying, Make haste and come, for the Philistines have invaded the land. Saul returned, therefore, from pursuing after David and went against the Philistines. For this reason they called that place Selahammahlekoth. And David went up from there and dwelt in strong holds at Engedi. And it came to pass when Saul was returned from following the Philistines, that it was told him, saying, Behold, David is in the wilderness of Engedi. Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel and went to seek David and his men upon the rocks of the wild goats. And he came to a flock of sheep by 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. Then the men of David said unto him, Behold the day of which the LORD said unto thee, Behold, I will deliver thy enemy into thy hand that thou may do to him as it shall seem good unto thee. Then David arose and silently cut off the skirt of Saul's robe. And it came to pass afterward that David's heart smote him because he had cut off Saul's skirt. And he said unto his men, The LORD keep me from doing this thing unto my master, the LORD's anointed, to stretch forth my hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the LORD. So David stayed his servants with these words and did not allow them to rise against Saul. But Saul rose up out of the cave and went on his way. David also arose afterward and went out of the cave and cried after Saul, saying, My lord the king. And when Saul looked behind him, David stooped with his face to the earth and worshipped. And David said to Saul, Why hearest thou men's words, saying, Behold, David seeks thy hurt? Behold, this day thine eyes have seen how that the LORD had delivered thee today into my hand in the cave, and some bade me kill thee, but I forgave thee, and I said, I will not put forth my hand against my lord, for he is the LORD's anointed. Moreover, my father, see; see the skirt of thy robe is even in my hand, for in that I cut off the skirt of thy robe and did not kill thee, know thou and see that there is neither evil nor transgression in my hand, and I have not sinned against thee; yet thou doest hunt my life to take it. The LORD judge between me and thee, and the LORD avenge me of thee, but my hand shall not be upon thee. As saith the proverb of the ancients, Wickedness proceeds from the wicked, but my hand shall not be upon thee. After whom is the king of Israel come out? After whom dost thou pursue? After a dead dog? After a flea? The LORD, therefore, shall judge, and he shall judge between me and thee. Let him see and plead my cause, and defend me from thy hand. And it came to pass, when David had finished speaking these words unto Saul, that Saul said, Is this thy voice, my son David? And Saul lifted up his voice and wept. And he said to David, Thou art more righteous than I, for thou hast repaid me with good, whereas I have repaid thee with evil. And thou hast showed this day how that thou hast dealt well with me; forasmuch as when the LORD had delivered me into thy hand, thou didst not kill me. For if a man finds his enemy, will he let him go away safe and sound? The LORD reward thee with good for that which thou hast done unto me this day. And now, behold, I know well that thou shalt surely be king and that the kingdom of Israel shall be firm and stable in thy hand. Swear now therefore unto me by the LORD that thou wilt not cut off my seed after me and that thou wilt not destroy my name out of my father's house. Then David swore unto Saul. And Saul went home, but David and his men went up unto the fortress. And Samuel died, and all Israel gathered together and lamented him and buried him in his house at Ramah. And David arose and went down to the wilderness of Paran. And there was a man in Maon whose possessions were in Carmel, and the man was very great, and he had three thousand sheep and a thousand goats, and he was shearing his sheep in Carmel. Now the name of the man was Nabal; and the name of his wife Abigail. And she was a woman of good understanding and of a beautiful countenance, but the man was hard and evil in his doings, and he was of the lineage of Caleb. And David heard in the wilderness that Nabal was shearing his sheep. And David sent out ten young men, and David said unto the young men, Climb up to Carmel and go to Nabal and greet him in my name. And thus shall ye say to him, May thou live and peace be unto thee and peace be unto thy house and peace be unto all that thou hast. I have recently heard that thou hast shearers. Now thy shepherds who were with us, we did not hurt them, neither was there anything missing unto them all the while they were in Carmel. Ask thy slaves, and they will tell thee. Therefore, let the young men find grace in thine eyes, for we come in a good day; give, I pray thee, whatever is in thy hand unto thy slaves and to thy son David. And when David's young men came, they spoke to Nabal according to all those words in the name of David and ceased. And Nabal answered David's slaves and said, Who is David? And who is the son of Jesse? There are many slaves nowadays that break from their masters. Shall I then take my bread and my water and my slaughtered meat that I have killed for my shearers and give it unto men that I do not know where they are from? So David's young men left and returned and came and told him all those words. Then David said unto his men, Gird ye on each man his sword. And each one girded on his sword, and David also girded on his sword; and about four hundred men went up after David, and they left two hundred with the stuff. And one of the servants told Abigail, Nabal's wife, saying, Behold, David sent messengers out of the wilderness to bless our master, and he railed on them. But the men were very good unto us and never hurt us, neither did we miss anything all the time that we have been conversant with them when we were in the fields. They were a wall unto us both by night and day all the time that we were feeding the sheep with them. Now, therefore, know and consider what thou must do, for evil is determined against our master and against all his household, for he is such a son of Belial that no one can speak to him. Then Abigail made haste and took two hundred loaves and two bottles of wine and five sheep ready dressed and five measures of parched flour and one hundred bunches of raisins and two hundred cakes of figs and laid them on asses. And she said unto her servants, Go on before me; behold, I come after you. But she told nothing to her husband Nabal. And it was so as she rode on the ass that she came down a secret part of the mountain, and, behold, David and his men came down against her, and she met them. Now David had said, Surely in vain have I kept all that this fellow has in the wilderness so that nothing was missed of all that pertained unto him, and he has returned unto me evil for good. Let God do so and more also unto the enemies of David if I leave of all that pertain to him by the morning light any that piss against the wall. And when Abigail saw David, she hastened and lighted off the ass and fell before David on her face and bowed herself to the ground and fell at his feet and said, Upon me, my lord, upon me let this iniquity be, and let thy handmaid, I pray thee, speak in thy audience; and hear the words of thy handmaid. Let not my lord, I pray thee, take to heart this man of Belial, even Nabal, for as his name is, so is he; Nabal is his name, and folly is with him; but I, thy handmaid, did not see the servants of my lord whom thou didst send. Now, therefore, my lord, as the LORD lives and as thy soul lives, seeing the LORD has withheld thee from coming to shed blood and from avenging thyself with thy own hand, now let thy enemies and those that seek evil to my lord be as Nabal. And now this blessing which thy handmaid has brought unto my lord, let it be given unto the servants that follow my lord. I pray thee, forgive the trespass of thy handmaid, for the LORD will certainly make my lord a sure house because my lord fights the battles of the LORD, and evil has not been found in thee all thy days. Yet a man is risen to pursue thee and to seek thy soul, but the soul of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of life with the LORD thy God, and he shall hurl forth the souls of thine enemies as out of the middle of a sling. And it shall come to pass when the LORD shall have done to my lord according to all the good that he has spoken concerning thee and shall have appointed thee ruler over Israel, that this shall be no stumblingblock unto thee nor grief of heart unto my lord, either that thou hast shed blood causeless or that my lord has avenged himself; but when the LORD shall have dealt well with my lord, then remember thy handmaid. Then David said to Abigail, Blessed be the LORD God of Israel who sent thee this day to meet me; and blessed be thy advice, and blessed be thou who hast kept me this day from coming to shed blood and from avenging myself with my own hand. For in very deed as the LORD God of Israel lives, who has kept me back from hurting thee, except thou hadst hastened and come to meet me, surely there had not been left unto Nabal by the morning light any that piss against the wall. So David received of her hand that which she had brought him and said unto her, Go up in peace to thy house; see, I have hearkened to thy voice and have accepted thy person. And Abigail came to Nabal, and, behold, he held a banquet in his house like the banquet of a king; and Nabal's heart was merry within him, for he was very drunken; therefore, she told him nothing, less or more, until the morning light. But it came to pass in the morning when the wine was gone out of Nabal, and his wife had told him these things, that his heart died within him, and he became as a stone. And it came to pass about ten days after, that the LORD smote Nabal, and he died. And when David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, Blessed be the LORD that judged the cause of my reproach from the hand of Nabal and has kept his slave from evil, for the LORD has returned the wickedness of Nabal upon his own head. And David sent word unto Abigail to take her to him to wife. And when the slaves of David were come to Abigail to Carmel, they spoke with her, saying, David sent us unto thee to take thee to him to wife. And she arose and bowed herself on her face to the earth and said, Behold, let thy handmaid be a slave to wash the feet of the slaves of my lord. And Abigail hastened and arose and rode upon an ass with five damsels of hers that went after her, and she went after the messengers of David and became his wife. David also took Ahinoam of Jezreel, and they were also both of them his wives. For Saul had given Michal, his daughter, David's wife, to Phalti, the son of Laish, who was of Gallim. And the Ziphites came unto Saul to Gibeah, saying, Does David not hide himself in the hill of Hachilah, which is before Jeshimon? Then Saul arose and went down to the wilderness of Ziph, having three thousand chosen men of Israel with him, to seek David in the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul pitched camp in the hill of Hachilah, which is before the wilderness by the way. But David abode in the wilderness, and he perceived that Saul came after him into the wilderness. David, therefore, sent out spies and understood that Saul was indeed come. And David arose and came to the place where Saul had pitched camp, and David beheld the place where Saul lay and Abner, the son of Ner, the captain of his host. And Saul lay in the trench, and the people pitched round about him. Then David spoke and said to Ahimelech, the Hittite, and to Abishai, the son of Zeruiah, brother to Joab, saying, Who will go down with me to Saul to the camp? And Abishai said, I will go down with thee. So David and Abishai came to the people by night, and, behold, Saul lay sleeping within the trench and his spear stuck in the ground at his head, but Abner and the people lay round about him. Then Abishai said to David, God has delivered thy enemy into thy hand today; now, therefore, let me smite him, I pray thee, with the spear and pin him to the earth at once, and I will not need a second opportunity. And David said to Abishai, Do not destroy him, for who has stretched forth his hand against the LORD's anointed, and remained innocent? David said furthermore, As the LORD lives, if the LORD does not smite him or his day comes to die or he descends into battle and perishes, the LORD forbid that I should stretch forth my hand against the LORD's anointed; but, I pray thee, take thou now the spear that is at his head and the cruse of water and let us go. So David took the spear and the cruse of water that were at Saul's head, and they went, and no one saw it nor knew it neither awaked, for they were all asleep because a deep sleep from the LORD had fallen upon them. Then David went over to the other side and stood out of the way on the top of the mountain, a great space being between them; and David cried to the people and to Abner, the son of Ner, saying, Dost thou not answer, Abner? Then Abner answered and said, Who art thou that dost cry to the king? And David said to Abner, Art not thou a man? And who is there like unto thee in Israel? Why then hast thou not kept thy lord the king? For one of the people came in to destroy the king thy lord. This thing is not good that thou hast done. As the LORD lives, ye are worthy to die because ye have not kept your master, the LORD's anointed. 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 thy voice, my son David? And David said, It is my voice, my lord, O king. And he said, Why does my lord thus pursue after his slave? What have I done? What evil is in my hand? Now, therefore, I pray thee, let my lord the king hear the words of his slave. If the LORD has stirred thee up against me, let him smell the fragrance of an offering, but if they were the sons of men, let them be cursed before the LORD, for they have driven me out this day from joining myself to the inheritance of the LORD, saying, Go, serve other gods. Now therefore, do not let my blood fall to the earth before the face of the LORD, for the king of Israel is come out to seek a flea as when one hunts a partridge in the mountains. Then Saul said, I have sinned; return, my son David; for I will do no more harm unto thee because my life was precious in thine eyes today. Behold, I have played the fool and have erred exceedingly. And David answered and said, Behold the king's spear! Let one of the servants come over and take it. The LORD render to each one his righteousness and his faithfulness, for the LORD delivered thee into my hand today, but I would not stretch forth my hand against the LORD's anointed. And, behold, as thy life has been esteemed today in my eyes, so let my life be esteemed in the eyes of the LORD and let him deliver me out of all affliction. Then Saul said to David, Blessed art thou, my son David; without a doubt thou shalt do great things and prevail. So David went on his way, and Saul returned to his place. And David said in his heart, In the end I shall be killed some day by the hand of Saul; there is nothing better for me than that I should escape once and for all into the land of the Philistines; and Saul shall despair of me, to seek me any more within the borders of Israel; so shall I escape out of his hand. And David arose, and he went over with the six hundred men that were with him unto Achish, the son of Maoch, king of Gath. And David dwelt with Achish at Gath, he and his men, each one with his household, David with his two wives, Ahinoam, the Jezreelitess, and Abigail, who had been the wife of Nabal of Carmel. And it was told Saul that David had fled to Gath, and he sought him no more. And David said unto Achish, If I have now found grace in thine eyes, let me be given a place in one of the cities of the land that I may dwell there, for why should thy slave dwell in the royal city with thee? Then Achish gave him Ziklag that day. Therefore, Ziklag pertains to the kings of Judah unto this day. And the number of days that David dwelt in the country of the Philistines was four months and some days. And David and his men went up and invaded the Geshurites and the Gezrites and the Amalekites, for these had inhabited the land for a long time, from as thou goest unto Shur even unto the land of Egypt. And David smote the land and left neither man nor woman alive and took away the sheep and the oxen and the asses and the camels and the apparel and returned and came to Achish. And Achish would say, Where have ye raided today? And David would say, Against the south of Judah and towards the Negev of the Jerahmeelites or towards the Negev of the Kenites. And David left neither man nor woman alive, to bring tidings to Gath, saying, Lest they should tell on us, saying, So did David. And this was his manner all the time he dwelt in the land of the Philistines. And Achish believed David, saying, He is making himself abominable unto his people of Israel; therefore, he shall be my slave for ever. And it came to pass in those days, that the Philistines gathered their armies together for warfare, to fight against Israel. And Achish said unto David, Know for certain, that thou shalt go out with me to battle, thou and thy men. And David said to Achish, Surely thou shalt know what thy slave can do. And Achish said to David, Therefore, I will make thee keeper of my head all the days. Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had lamented him, and buried him in Ramah in his own city. And Saul had removed the spiritists and the diviners out of the land. And the Philistines gathered themselves together and came and pitched camp in Shunem, and Saul gathered all Israel together, and they pitched camp in Gilboa. And when Saul saw the host of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart trembled greatly. And Saul enquired of the LORD, but the LORD did not answer him by dreams nor by Urim nor by prophets. Then Saul said unto his slaves, Seek me a woman that is a spiritist that I may go to her and enquire of her. And his slaves said to him, Behold, there is a woman that is a spiritist at Endor. And Saul disguised himself and put on other clothing, and he went with two men, and they came to the woman by night; and he said, I pray thee, divine unto me by spiritism and bring me him up whom I shall name unto thee. And the woman said unto him, Behold, thou knowest what Saul has done, how he has cut off the spiritists and the diviners out of the land; why then dost thou lay a snare for my life, to cause me to die? And Saul swore to her by the LORD, saying, As the LORD lives, no iniquity shall come upon thee for this thing. Then the woman said, Whom shall I bring up unto thee? And he said, Bring me up Samuel. And when the woman saw Samuel, she cried with a loud voice; and the woman spoke to Saul, saying, Why hast thou deceived me? For thou art Saul. And the king said unto her, Do not be afraid. What didst thou see? And the woman said unto Saul, I saw gods rising out of the land. And he said unto her, What form is he of? And she said, An old man comes, and he is covered with a mantle. And Saul perceived that it was Samuel, and he stooped with his face to the ground and worshipped. And Samuel said to Saul, Why hast thou disquieted me, to bring me up? And Saul answered, I am sore distressed, for the Philistines make war against me, and God is departed from me and no longer answers me neither by prophets nor by dreams; therefore, I have called thee that thou may make known unto me what I shall do. Then Samuel said, Why then dost thou ask of me, seeing the LORD is departed from thee, and is become thy enemy? The LORD, therefore, has done as he spoke by me! For the LORD has rent the kingdom out of thy hand and given it to thy neighbour, even to David. Because thou didst not hearken unto the voice of the LORD nor execute his fierce wrath upon Amalek; therefore, the LORD has done this thing unto thee today. And the LORD will also deliver Israel with thee into the hand of the Philistines, and tomorrow shalt thou and thy sons be with me; the LORD shall also deliver the camp of Israel into the hand of the Philistines. Then Saul, as great as he was, fell suddenly to the earth and was sore afraid because of the words of Samuel; and there was no strength in him, for he had eaten no bread all that day nor all that night. And the woman came unto Saul and saw that he was sore troubled and said unto him, Behold, thy handmaid has heard thy voice, and I have put my soul in my hand and have hearkened unto thy words which thou didst speak unto me. Now, therefore, I pray thee, hearken thou also unto the voice of thy handmaid and let me set a morsel of bread before thee; and eat, that thou may have strength, and go on thy way. But he refused and said, I will not eat. But his slaves, together with the woman, compelled him, and he hearkened unto their voice. So he arose from the ground and sat upon a bed. And the woman had a fat calf in the house, and she hastened and killed it and took flour and kneaded it and baked unleavened bread with it. And she brought it before Saul and before his slaves, and after they ate, they rose up and went away that night. Now the Philistines gathered together all their camps to Aphek, and the Israelites pitched camp by a fountain which is in Jezreel. And as the cardinals of the Philistines reviewed their companies of hundreds and of thousands, David and his men were in the rear with Achish. Then the princes of the Philistines said, What are these Hebrews doing here? And Achish replied unto the princes of the Philistines, Is not this David, the slave of Saul, the king of Israel, who has been with me these days or these years, and I have found no fault in him since he fell unto me unto this day? Then the princes of the Philistines were angry with him, and the princes of the Philistines said unto him, Make this fellow return that he may go again to his place which thou hast appointed him and not come with us to the battle lest in the battle he be an adversary to us, for with what should he return to the good graces of his master than with the heads of these men? Is not this David, of whom they sang one to another in dances, saying, Saul slew his thousands and David his ten thousands? Then Achish called David and said unto him, Surely, as the LORD lives, thou hast been upright, and thy going out and thy coming in with me in the camp is good in my sight; for I have not found evil in thee since the day of thy coming unto me unto this day; nevertheless, thou art not good in the eyes of the cardinals. Therefore, now return and go in peace that thou not do evil in the eyes of the cardinals of the Philistines. And David replied unto Achish, But what have I done? And what hast thou found in thy slave so long as I have been with thee unto 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 thou art good in my sight as an angel of God; notwithstanding, the princes of the Philistines have said, He shall not go up with us to the battle. Therefore, now rise up early in the morning with thy master's slaves that are come with thee, and as soon as ye are up early in the morning and it is light, depart. So David and his men rose up early to depart in the morning to return into the land of the Philistines. And the Philistines went up to Jezreel. And it came to pass when David and his men came to Ziklag on the third day that the Amalekites had invaded the Negev and Ziklag and had smitten Ziklag and burned it with fire. And they had taken the women captives that were therein, from the youngest to the oldest; they did not kill any but carried them away and went on their way. So David and his men came to the city, and, behold, it was burned with fire, and their wives and their sons and their daughters were taken captives. Then David and the people that were with him lifted up their voice and wept until they had no more power to weep. And David's two wives were taken captives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess and Abigail, who had been the wife of Nabal of Carmel. And David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him because the soul of all the people was bitter, each one for his sons and for his daughters; but David encouraged himself in the LORD his God. And David said to Abiathar, the priest, Ahimelech's son, I pray thee, bring the ephod here to me. And Abiathar brought the ephod to David. And David enquired at the LORD, saying, Shall I pursue after this troop? Shall I overtake them? And he answered him, Pursue; for thou shalt surely overtake them and without fail recover all. So David went, he and the six hundred men that were with him, and they came to the brook Besor, where some stayed behind. But David pursued, he and four hundred men, for two hundred stayed behind, who were so faint that they could not go over the brook Besor. And they found an Egyptian in the field and brought him to David and gave him bread to eat and water to drink, and they gave him a piece of a cake of figs and two bunches of raisins. And when he had eaten, his spirit came again to him, for he had eaten no bread, nor drunk any water, three days and three nights. And David said unto him, To whom dost thou belong and where art thou from? And the young Egyptian said, I am the slave to an Amalekite, and my master left me three days ago because I was sick. We made an invasion upon towards the Negev from the Chereth and upon Judah and towards the Negev from Caleb, and we burned Ziklag with fire. And David said to him, Wilt thou bring me down to this company? And he said, Swear unto me by God, that thou wilt neither kill me nor deliver me into the hands of my master, and I will bring thee down to this company. And so he brought him down, and behold, they were spread abroad upon all the earth, eating and drinking, and holding a feast 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 smote them from the morning twilight even unto the evening of the next day, and none of them escaped except four hundred young men who rode upon camels and fled. And David recovered all that the Amalekites had carried away, and David delivered his two wives. And there was nothing lacking to them, neither small nor great neither sons nor daughters, of the robbery and of all the things that had been taken from them; David recovered it all. And David took all the sheep and the cows, and bringing them with all the other livestock, they said, This is David's spoil. And David came to the two hundred men who were so faint that they could not follow David, whom they had made also to remain at the brook Besor, and they went forth to meet David and to meet the people that were with him, and when David came near to the people, he saluted them with peace. Then all the wicked men and men of Belial, of those that went with David, answered and said, Because they did not go with us, we will not give them of the spoil that we have recovered, except to each man his wife and his children, that they may lead them away, and depart. Then David said, Ye shall not do so, my brethren, with that which the LORD has given us, who has kept us, and delivered the company that came against us into our hand. For who will hearken unto you in this matter? For as his part is that goes down to the battle, so shall his part be that remains by the stuff; they shall part alike. And it was so from that day forward that he made it a statute and an ordinance for Israel unto this day. And when David came to Ziklag, he sent of the spoil unto the elders of Judah, his friends, saying, Behold a blessing for you of the spoil of the enemies of the LORD: to those who were in Bethel and to those who were in Ramoth towards the Negev and to those who were in Jattir and to those who were in Aroer and to those who were in Siphmoth and to those who were in Eshtemoa and to those who were in Rachal and to those who were in the cities of the Jerahmeelites and to those who were in the cities of the Kenites and to those who were in Hormah and to those who were in Chorashan and to those who were in Athach and to those who were in Hebron and in all the places where David had been with his men. Now the Philistines fought against Israel, and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines and fell down slain in Mount Gilboa. And the Philistines followed hard upon Saul and upon his sons, and the Philistines slew Jonathan and Abinadab and Malchishua, Saul's sons. And the battle went heavily against Saul, and the archers found him, and he was sore afraid of the archers. Then said Saul unto his armourbearer, Draw thy sword and thrust me through with it lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through and abuse me. But his armourbearer would not, for he was sore afraid. Therefore, Saul took his sword and fell upon it. And when his armourbearer saw that Saul was dead, he fell likewise upon his sword and died with him. So Saul died and his three sons and his armourbearer and all his men that same day together. And when the men of Israel that were on the other side of the valley and those that were on the other side of the Jordan saw that the men of Israel had fled and that Saul and his sons were dead, they forsook the cities and fled; and the Philistines came and dwelt in them. And it came to pass on the next day when the Philistines came to strip the slain, that they found Saul and his three sons fallen in Mount Gilboa. And they cut off his head and stripped off his weapons and sent them into the land of the Philistines round about to publish it in the house of their idols and among the people. And they put his weapons in the house of Ashtaroth, and they fastened his body to the wall of Bethshan. And when the inhabitants of Jabeshgilead heard of that which the Philistines had done to Saul, all the valiant men arose and went all night and took the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Bethshan and came to Jabesh and burnt them there. And they took their bones and buried them under a tree at Jabesh and fasted seven days.

And as the cardinals of the Philistines reviewed their companies of hundreds and of thousands, David and his men were in the rear with Achish. Then the princes of the Philistines said, What are these Hebrews doing here? And Achish replied unto the princes of the Philistines, Is not this David, the slave of Saul, the king of Israel, who has been with me these days or these years, and I have found no fault in him since he fell unto me unto this day? Then the princes of the Philistines were angry with him, and the princes of the Philistines said unto him, Make this fellow return that he may go again to his place which thou hast appointed him and not come with us to the battle lest in the battle he be an adversary to us, for with what should he return to the good graces of his master than with the heads of these men? read more.
Is not this David, of whom they sang one to another in dances, saying, Saul slew his thousands and David his ten thousands? Then Achish called David and said unto him, Surely, as the LORD lives, thou hast been upright, and thy going out and thy coming in with me in the camp is good in my sight; for I have not found evil in thee since the day of thy coming unto me unto this day; nevertheless, thou art not good in the eyes of the cardinals. Therefore, now return and go in peace that thou not do evil in the eyes of the cardinals of the Philistines.