and were gathered together at Shochoh, which belongeth to Judah, and
pitched between Shochoh and Azekah, in Ephesdammim.
09:017:002 And Saul and the men of Israel were gathered together, and
pitched by the valley of Elah, and set the battle in array against the
Philistines.
09:017:003 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.
09:017:004 And there went out a champion out of the camp of the
Philistines, named Goliath, of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a
span.
09:017:005 And he had an helmet of brass upon his head, and he was armed
with a coat of mail; and the weight of the coat was five thousand
shekels of brass.
09:017:006 And he had greaves of brass upon his legs, and a target of
brass between his shoulders.
09:017:007 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.
09:017:008 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 not I a
Philistine, and ye servants to Saul? choose you a man for you, and let
him come down to me.
09:017:009 If he be able to fight with me, and to kill me, then will we
be your servants: but if I prevail against him, and kill him, then shall
ye be our servants, and serve us.
09:017:010 And the Philistine said, I defy the armies of Israel this
day; give me a man, that we may fight together.
09:017:011 When Saul and all Israel heard those words of the Philistine,
they were dismayed, and greatly afraid.
09:017:012 Now David was the son of that Ephrathite of Bethlehemjudah,
whose name was Jesse; and he had eight sons: and the man went among men
for an old man in the days of Saul.
09:017:013 And the three eldest sons of Jesse went 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.
09:017:014 And David was the youngest: and the three eldest followed
Saul.
09:017:015 But David went and returned from Saul to feed his father's
sheep at Bethlehem.
09:017:016 And the Philistine drew near morning and evening, and
presented himself forty days.
09:017:017 And Jesse said unto David his son, Take now for thy brethren
an ephah of this parched corn, and these ten loaves, and run to the camp
of thy brethren;
09:017:018 And carry these ten cheeses unto the captain of their
thousand, and look how thy brethren fare, and take their pledge.
09:017:019 Now Saul, and they, and all the men of Israel, were in the
valley of Elah, fighting with the Philistines.
09:017:020 And David rose up early in the morning, and left the sheep
with a keeper, and took, and went, as Jesse had commanded him; and he
came to the trench, as the host was going forth to the fight, and
shouted for the battle.
09:017:021 For Israel and the Philistines had put the battle in array,
army against army.
09:017:022 And David left his carriage in the hand of the keeper of the
carriage, and ran into the army, and came and saluted his brethren.
09:017:023 And as he talked with them, behold, there came up the
champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, out of the armies of
the Philistines, and spake according to the same words: and David heard
them.
09:017:024 And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from
him, and were sore afraid.
09:017:025 And the men of Israel said, Have ye seen this man that is
come up? surely to defy Israel is he come up: and it shall be, that the
man who killeth him, the king will enrich him with great riches, and
will give him his daughter, and make his father's house free in Israel.
09:017:026 And David spake to the men that stood by him, saying, What
shall be done to the man that killeth this Philistine, and taketh away
the reproach from Israel? for who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that
he should defy the armies of the living God?
09:017:027 And the people answered him after this manner, saying, So
shall it be done to the man that killeth him.
09:017:028 And Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spake unto the
men; and Eliab's anger was kindled against David, and he said, Why
camest thou down hither? and with whom hast thou left those few sheep in
the wilderness? I know thy pride, and the naughtiness of thine heart;
for thou art come down that thou mightest see the battle.
09:017:029 And David said, What have I now done? Is there not a cause?
09:017:030 And he turned from him toward another, and spake after the
same manner: and the people answered him again after the former manner.
09:017:031 And when the words were heard which David spake, they
rehearsed them before Saul: and he sent for him.
09:017:032 And David said to Saul, Let no man's heart fail because of
him; thy servant will go and fight with this Philistine.
09:017:033 And Saul said to David, Thou art not able to go against this
Philistine to fight with him: for thou art but a youth, and he a man of
war from his youth.
09:017:034 And David said unto Saul, Thy servant kept his father's
sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the
flock:
09:017:035 And I went out after him, and smote him, and delivered it out
of his mouth: and when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard,
and smote him, and slew him.
09:017:036 Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear: and this
uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied
the armies of the living God.
09:017:037 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.
09:017:038 And Saul armed David with his armour, and he put an helmet of
brass upon his head; also he armed him with a coat of mail.
09:017:039 And David girded his sword upon his armour, and he assayed to
go; for he had not proved it. And David said unto Saul, I cannot go with
these; for I have not proved them. And David put them off him.
09:017:040 And he took his staff in his hand, and chose him five smooth
stones out of the brook, and put them in a shepherd's bag which he had,
even in a scrip; and his sling was in his hand: and he drew near to the
Philistine.
09:017:041 And the Philistine came on and drew near unto David; and the
man that bare the shield went before him.
09:017:042 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.
09:017:043 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.
09:017:044 And the Philistine said to David, Come to me, and I will give
thy flesh unto the fowls of the air, and to the beasts of the field.
09:017:045 Then said David 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 hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou
hast defied.
09:017:046 This day will the LORD deliver thee into mine hand; and I
will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the
carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the
air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know
that there is a God in Israel.
09:017:047 And all this assembly shall know that the LORD saveth not
with sword and spear: for the battle is the LORD's, and he will give you
into our hands.
09:017:048 And it came to pass, when the Philistine arose, and came, and
drew nigh to meet David, that David hastened, and ran toward the army to
meet the Philistine.
09:017:049 And David put his hand in his bag, and took thence a stone,
and slang it, and smote the Philistine in his forehead, that the stone
sunk into his forehead; and he fell upon his face to the earth.
09:017:050 So David prevailed over 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.
09:017:051 Therefore David ran, and stood upon the Philistine, and took
his sword, and drew it out of the sheath thereof, and slew him, and cut
off his head therewith. And when the Philistines saw their champion was
dead, they fled.
09:017:052 And the men of Israel and of Judah arose, and shouted, and
pursued the Philistines, until thou come to 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.
09:017:053 And the children of Israel returned from chasing after the
Philistines, and they spoiled their tents.
09:017:054 And David took the head of the Philistine, and brought it to
Jerusalem; but he put his armour in his tent.
09:017:055 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 liveth, O king, I cannot tell.
09:017:056 And the king said, Enquire thou whose son the stripling is.
09:017:057 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.
09:017:058 And Saul said to him, Whose son art thou, thou young man? And
David answered, I am the son of thy servant Jesse the Bethlehemite.
09:018:001 And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking unto
Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and
Jonathan loved him as his own soul.
09:018:002 And Saul took him that day, and would let him go no more home
to his father's house.
09:018:003 Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him
as his own soul.
09:018:004 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.
09:018:005 And David went out whithersoever Saul sent him, and behaved
himself wisely: 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
servants.
09:018:006 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 tabrets,
with joy, and with instruments of musick.
09:018:007 And the women answered one another as they played, and said,
Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands.
09:018:008 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?
09:018:009 And Saul eyed David from that day and forward.
09:018:010 And it came to pass on the morrow, 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 javelin
in Saul's hand.
09:018:011 And Saul cast the javelin; for he said, I will smite David
even to the wall with it. And David avoided out of his presence twice.
09:018:012 And Saul was afraid of David, because the LORD was with him,
and was departed from Saul.
09:018:013 Therefore Saul removed him from him, and made him his captain
over a thousand; and he went out and came in before the people.
09:018:014 And David behaved himself wisely in all his ways; and the
LORD was with him.
09:018:015 Wherefore when Saul saw that he behaved himself very wisely,
he was afraid of him.
09:018:016 But all Israel and Judah loved David, because he went out and
came in before them.
09:018:017 And Saul said to David, Behold my elder daughter Merab, her
will I give thee to wife: only be thou valiant for me, and fight the
LORD's battles. For Saul said, Let not mine hand be upon him, but let
the hand of the Philistines be upon him.
09:018:018 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?
09:018:019 But 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.
09:018:020 And Michal Saul's daughter loved David: and they told Saul,
and the thing pleased him.
09:018:021 And Saul said, I will give him her, that she may be a snare
to him, and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him.
Wherefore Saul said to David, Thou shalt this day be my son in law in
the one of the twain.
09:018:022 And Saul commanded his servants, saying, Commune with David
secretly, and say, Behold, the king hath delight in thee, and all his
servants love thee: now therefore be the king's son in law.
09:018:023 And Saul's servants spake those words in the ears of David.
And David said, Seemeth it to you a light thing to be a king's son in
law, seeing that I am a poor man, and lightly esteemed?
09:018:024 And the servants of Saul told him, saying, On this manner
spake David.
09:018:025 And Saul said, Thus shall ye say to David, The king desireth
not any dowry, but an 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.
09:018:026 And when his servants told David these words, it pleased
David well to be the king's son in law: and the days were not expired.
09:018:027 Wherefore 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 in full tale to the king, that he might be the king's son
in law. And Saul gave him Michal his daughter to wife.
09:018:028 And Saul saw and knew that the LORD was with David, and that
Michal Saul's daughter loved him.
09:018:029 And Saul was yet the more afraid of David; and Saul became
David's enemy continually.
09:018:030 Then the princes of the Philistines went forth: and it came
to pass, after they went forth, that David behaved himself more wisely
than all the servants of Saul; so that his name was much set by.
09:019:001 And Saul spake to Jonathan his son, and to all his servants,
that they should kill David.
09:019:002 But Jonathan Saul's son delighted much in David: and Jonathan
told David, saying, Saul my father seeketh to kill thee: now therefore,
I pray thee, take heed to thyself until the morning, and abide in a
secret place, and hide thyself:
09:019:003 And I will go out and stand beside my father in the field
where thou art, and I will commune with my father of thee; and what I
see, that I will tell thee.
09:019:004 And Jonathan spake good of David unto Saul his father, and
said unto him, Let not the king sin against his servant, against David;
because he hath not sinned against thee, and because his works have been
to thee-ward very good:
09:019:005 For he did put his life in his hand, and slew the Philistine,
and the LORD wrought a great salvation for all Israel: thou sawest it,
and didst rejoice: wherefore then wilt thou sin against innocent blood,
to slay David without a cause?
09:019:006 And Saul hearkened unto the voice of Jonathan: and Saul
sware, As the LORD liveth, he shall not be slain.
09:019:007 And Jonathan called David, and Jonathan shewed him all those
things. And Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence,
as in times past.
09:019:008 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.
09:019:009 And the evil spirit from the LORD was upon Saul, as he sat in
his house with his javelin in his hand: and David played with his hand.
09:019:010 And Saul sought to smite David even to the wall with the
javelin: but he slipped away out of Saul's presence, and he smote the
javelin into the wall: and David fled, and escaped that night.
09:019:011 Saul also sent messengers unto David's house, to watch him,
and to slay him in the morning: and Michal David's wife told him,
saying, If thou save not thy life to night, to morrow thou shalt be
slain.
09:019:012 So Michal let David down through a window: and he went, and
fled, and escaped.
09:019:013 And Michal took an image, and laid it in the bed, and put a
pillow of goats' hair for his bolster, and covered it with a cloth.
09:019:014 And when Saul sent messengers to take David, she said, He is
sick.
09:019:015 And Saul sent the messengers again to see David, saying,
Bring him up to me in the bed, that I may slay him.
09:019:016 And when the messengers were come in, behold, there was an
image in the bed, with a pillow of goats' hair for his bolster.
09:019:017 And Saul said unto Michal, Why hast thou deceived me so, and
sent away mine enemy, that he is escaped? And Michal answered Saul, He
said unto me, Let me go; why should I kill thee?
09:019:018 So 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 dwelt
in Naioth.
09:019:019 And it was told Saul, saying, Behold, David is at Naioth in
Ramah.
09:019:020 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 was upon the messengers of Saul, and they
also prophesied.
09:019:021 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.
09:019:022 Then went he also 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 be at Naioth in Ramah.
09:019:023 And he went thither to Naioth in Ramah: and the Spirit of God
was upon him also, and he went on, and prophesied, until he came to
Naioth in Ramah.
09:019:024 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. Wherefore they say, Is Saul also among the prophets?
09:020:001 And David fled from Naioth in Ramah, and came and said before
Jonathan, What have I done? what is mine iniquity? and what is my sin
before thy father, that he seeketh my life?
09:020:002 And he said unto him, God forbid; thou shalt not die: behold,
my father will do nothing either great or small, but that he will shew
it me: and why should my father hide this thing from me? it is not so.
09:020:003 And David sware moreover, and said, Thy father certainly
knoweth that I have found grace in thine eyes; and he saith, Let not
Jonathan know this, lest he be grieved: but truly as the LORD liveth,
and as thy soul liveth, there is but a step between me and death.
09:020:004 Then said Jonathan unto David, Whatsoever thy soul desireth,
I will even do it for thee.
09:020:005 And David said unto Jonathan, Behold, to morrow is the new
moon, and I should not fail to sit with the king at meat: but let me go,
that I may hide myself in the field unto the third day at even.
09:020:006 If thy father at all miss me, then say, David earnestly asked
leave of me that he might run to Bethlehem his city: for there is a
yearly sacrifice there for all the family.
09:020:007 If he say thus, It is well; thy servant shall have peace: but
if he be very wroth, then be sure that evil is determined by him.
09:020:008 Therefore thou shalt deal kindly with thy servant; for thou
hast brought thy servant into a covenant of the LORD with thee:
notwithstanding, if there be in me iniquity, slay me thyself; for why
shouldest thou bring me to thy father?
09:020:009 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 not I tell it thee?
09:020:010 Then said David to Jonathan, Who shall tell me? or what if
thy father answer thee roughly?
09:020:011 And Jonathan said unto David, Come, and let us go out into
the field. And they went out both of them into the field.
09:020:012 And Jonathan said unto David, O LORD God of Israel, when I
have sounded my father about to morrow any time, or the third day, and,
behold, if there be good toward David, and I then send not unto thee,
and shew it thee;
09:020:013 The LORD do so and much more to Jonathan: but if it please my
father to do thee evil, then I will shew it thee, and send thee away,
that thou mayest go in peace: and the LORD be with thee, as he hath been
with my father.
09:020:014 And thou shalt not only while yet I live shew me the kindness
of the LORD, that I die not:
09:020:015 But also thou shalt not cut off thy kindness from my house
for ever: no, not when the LORD hath cut off the enemies of David every
one from the face of the earth.
09:020:016 So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying,
Let the LORD even require it at the hand of David's enemies.
09:020:017 And Jonathan caused David to swear again, because he loved
him: for he loved him as he loved his own soul.
09:020:018 Then Jonathan said to David, To morrow is the new moon: and
thou shalt be missed, because thy seat will be empty.
09:020:019 And when thou hast stayed three days, then thou shalt go down
quickly, and come to the place where thou didst hide thyself when the
business was in hand, and shalt remain by the stone Ezel.
09:020:020 And I will shoot three arrows on the side thereof, as though
I shot at a mark.
09:020:021 And, behold, I will send a lad, saying, Go, find out 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 to thee, and
no hurt; as the LORD liveth.
09:020:022 But if I say thus unto the young man, Behold, the arrows are
beyond thee; go thy way: for the LORD hath sent thee away.
09:020:023 And as touching the matter which thou and I have spoken of,
behold, the LORD be between thee and me for ever.
09:020:024 So David hid himself in the field: and when the new moon was
come, the king sat him down to eat meat.
09:020:025 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.
09:020:026 Nevertheless Saul spake not any thing that day: for he
thought, Something hath befallen him, he is not clean; surely he is not
clean.
09:020:027 And it came to pass on the morrow, which was the second day
of the month, that David's place was empty: and Saul said unto Jonathan
his son, Wherefore cometh not the son of Jesse to meat, neither
yesterday, nor to day?
09:020:028 And Jonathan answered Saul, David earnestly asked leave of me
to go to Bethlehem:
09:020:029 And he said, Let me go, I pray thee; for our family hath a
sacrifice in the city; and my brother, he hath commanded me to be there:
and now, if I have found favour in thine eyes, let me get away, I pray
thee, and see my brethren. Therefore he cometh not unto the king's
table.
09:020:030 Then Saul's anger was kindled against Jonathan, and he said
unto him, Thou son of the perverse rebellious woman, do not I know that
thou hast chosen the son of Jesse to thine own confusion, and unto the
confusion of thy mother's nakedness?
09:020:031 For as long as the son of Jesse liveth upon the ground, thou
shalt not be established, nor thy kingdom. Wherefore now send and fetch
him unto me, for he shall surely die.
09:020:032 And Jonathan answered Saul his father, and said unto him,
Wherefore shall he be slain? what hath he done?
09:020:033 And Saul cast a javelin at him to smite him: whereby Jonathan
knew that it was determined of his father to slay David.
09:020:034 So Jonathan arose from the table in fierce anger, and did eat
no meat the second day of the month: for he was grieved for David,
because his father had done him shame.
09:020:035 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.
09:020:036 And he said unto his lad, Run, find out now the arrows which
I shoot. And as the lad ran, he shot an arrow beyond him.
09:020:037 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?
09:020:038 And Jonathan cried after the lad, Make speed, haste, stay
not. And Jonathan's lad gathered up the arrows, and came to his master.
09:020:039 But the lad knew not any thing: only Jonathan and David knew
the matter.
09:020:040 And Jonathan gave his artillery unto his lad, and said unto
him, Go, carry them to the city.
09:020:041 And as soon as the lad was gone, David arose out of a place
toward the south, and fell on his face to the ground, and bowed himself
three times: and they kissed one another, and wept one with another,
until David exceeded.
09:020:042 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 went into the city.
09:021:001 Then came David 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 man with thee?
09:021:002 And David said unto Ahimelech the priest, The king hath
commanded me a business, and hath said unto me, Let no man know any
thing of the business whereabout I send thee, and what I have commanded
thee: and I have appointed my servants to such and such a place.
09:021:003 Now therefore what is under thine hand? give me five loaves
of bread in mine hand, or what there is present.
09:021:004 And the priest answered David, and said, There is no common
bread under mine hand, but there is hallowed bread; if the young men
have kept themselves at least from women.
09:021:005 And David answered the priest, and said unto him, Of a truth
women have been kept from us about these three days, since I came out,
and the vessels of the young men are holy, and the bread is in a manner
common, yea, though it were sanctified this day in the vessel.
09:021:006 So the priest gave him hallowed bread: for there was no bread
there but the shewbread, that was taken from before the LORD, to put hot
bread in the day when it was taken away.
09:021:007 Now a certain man of the servants of Saul was there that day,
detained before the LORD; and his name was Doeg, an Edomite, the
chiefest of the herdmen that belonged to Saul.
09:021:008 And David said unto Ahimelech, And is there not here under
thine hand spear or sword? for I have neither brought my sword nor my
weapons with me, because the king's business required haste.
09:021:009 And the priest said, The sword of Goliath the Philistine,
whom thou slewest in the valley of Elah, behold, it is here wrapped in a
cloth behind the ephod: if thou wilt take that, take it: for there is no
other save that here. And David said, There is none like that; give it
me.
09:021:010 And David arose and fled that day for fear of Saul, and went
to Achish the king of Gath.
09:021:011 And the servants of Achish said unto him, Is not this David
the king of the land? did they not sing one to another of him in dances,
saying, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands?
09:021:012 And David laid up these words in his heart, and was sore
afraid of Achish the king of Gath.
09:021:013 And he changed his behaviour before them, and feigned himself
mad in their hands, and scrabbled on the doors of the gate, and let his
spittle fall down upon his beard.
09:021:014 Then said Achish unto his servants, Lo, ye see the man is
mad: wherefore then have ye brought him to me?
09:021:015 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?
09:022:001 David therefore departed thence, and escaped to the cave
Adullam: and when his brethren and all his father's house heard it, they
went down thither to him.
09:022:002 And every one that was in distress, and every one that was in
debt, and every one that was discontented, gathered themselves unto him;
and he became a captain over them: and there were with him about four
hundred men.
09:022:003 And David went thence 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, till I know what God will do for me.
09:022:004 And he brought them before the king of Moab: and they dwelt
with him all the while that David was in the hold.
09:022:005 And the prophet Gad said unto David, Abide not in the hold;
depart, and get thee into the land of Judah. Then David departed, and
came into the forest of Hareth.
09:022:006 When Saul heard that David was discovered, 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 servants were standing about him;)
09:022:007 Then Saul said unto his servants that stood about him, Hear
now, ye Benjamites; will the son of Jesse give every one of you fields
and vineyards, and make you all captains of thousands, and captains of
hundreds;
09:022:008 That all of you have conspired against me, and there is none
that sheweth me that my son hath made a league with the son of Jesse,
and there is none of you that is sorry for me, or sheweth unto me that
my son hath stirred up my servant against me, to lie in wait, as at this
day?
09:022:009 Then answered Doeg the Edomite, which was set over the
servants of Saul, and said, I saw the son of Jesse coming to Nob, to
Ahimelech the son of Ahitub.
09:022:010 And he enquired of the LORD for him, and gave him victuals,
and gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine.
09:022:011 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 came all of them to the king.
09:022:012 And Saul said, Hear now, thou son of Ahitub. And he answered,
Here I am, my lord.
09:022:013 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?
09:022:014 Then Ahimelech answered the king, and said, And who is so
faithful among all thy servants as David, which is the king's son in
law, and goeth at thy bidding, and is honourable in thine house?
09:022:015 Did I then begin to enquire of God for him? be it far from
me: let not the king impute any thing unto his servant, nor to all the
house of my father: for thy servant knew nothing of all this, less or
more.
09:022:016 And the king said, Thou shalt surely die, Ahimelech, thou,
and all thy father's house.
09:022:017 And 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 shew it to me.
But the servants of the king would not put forth their hand to fall upon
the priests of the LORD.
09:022:018 And 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 fourscore and five persons that did wear a linen ephod.
09:022:019 And Nob, the city of the priests, smote he 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.
09:022:020 And one of the sons of Ahimelech the son of Ahitub, named
Abiathar, escaped, and fled after David.
09:022:021 And Abiathar shewed David that Saul had slain the LORD's
priests.
09:022:022 And David said unto Abiathar, I knew it that day, when Doeg
the Edomite was there, that he would surely tell Saul: I have occasioned
the death of all the persons of thy father's house.
09:022:023 Abide thou with me, fear not: for he that seeketh my life
seeketh thy life: but with me thou shalt be in safeguard.
09:023:001 Then they told David, saying, Behold, the Philistines fight
against Keilah, and they rob the threshingfloors.
09:023:002 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.
09:023:003 And David's men said unto him, Behold, we be afraid here in
Judah: how much more then if we come to Keilah against the armies of the
Philistines?
09:023:004 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 thine hand.
09:023:005 So David and his men went to Keilah, and fought with the
Philistines, and brought away their cattle, and smote them with a great
slaughter. So David saved the inhabitants of Keilah.
09:023:006 And it came to pass, when Abiathar the son of Ahimelech fled
to David to Keilah, that he came down with an ephod in his hand.
09:023:007 And it was told Saul that David was come to Keilah. And Saul
said, God hath delivered him into mine hand; for he is shut in, by
entering into a town that hath gates and bars.
09:023:008 And Saul called all the people together to war, to go down to
Keilah, to besiege David and his men.
09:023:009 And David knew that Saul secretly practised mischief against
him; and he said to Abiathar the priest, Bring hither the ephod.
09:023:010 Then said David, O LORD God of Israel, thy servant hath
certainly heard that Saul seeketh to come to Keilah, to destroy the city
for my sake.
09:023:011 Will the men of Keilah deliver me up into his hand? will Saul
come down, as thy servant hath heard? O LORD God of Israel, I beseech
thee, tell thy servant. And the LORD said, He will come down.
09:023:012 Then said David, Will the men of Keilah deliver me and my men
into the hand of Saul? And the LORD said, They will deliver thee up.
09:023:013 Then David and his men, which were about six hundred, arose
and departed out of Keilah, and went whithersoever they could go. And it
was told Saul that David was escaped from Keilah; and he forbare to go
forth.
09:023:014 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 delivered him not into his hand.
09:023:015 And David saw that Saul was come out to seek his life: and
David was in the wilderness of Ziph in a wood.
09:023:016 And Jonathan Saul's son arose, and went to David into the
wood, and strengthened his hand in God.
09:023:017 And he said unto him, Fear not: 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 that also Saul my father knoweth.
09:023:018 And they two made a covenant before the LORD: and David abode
in the wood, and Jonathan went to his house.
09:023:019 Then came up the Ziphites to Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doth not
David hide himself with us in strong holds in the wood, in the hill of
Hachilah, which is on the south of Jeshimon?
09:023:020 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.
09:023:021 And Saul said, Blessed be ye of the LORD; for ye have
compassion on me.
09:023:022 Go, I pray you, prepare yet, and know and see his place where
his haunt is, and who hath seen him there: for it is told me that he
dealeth very subtilly.
09:023:023 See therefore, and take knowledge of all the lurking places
where he hideth himself, and come ye again to me with the certainty, and
I will go with you: and it shall come to pass, if he be in the land,
that I will search him out throughout all the thousands of Judah.
09:023:024 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
Jeshimon.
09:023:025 Saul also and his men went to seek him. And they told David;
wherefore he came down into a rock, and abode in the wilderness of Maon.
And when Saul heard that, he pursued after David in the wilderness of
Maon.
09:023:026 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 for
fear of Saul; for Saul and his men compassed David and his men round
about to take them.
09:023:027 But there came a messenger unto Saul, saying, Haste thee, and
come; for the Philistines have invaded the land.
09:023:028 Wherefore Saul returned from pursuing after David, and went
against the Philistines: therefore they called that place
Selahammahlekoth.
09:023:029 And David went up from thence, and dwelt in strong holds at
Engedi.
09:024:001 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.
09:024:002 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.
09:024:003 And he came to the sheepcotes by the way, where was a cave;
and Saul went in to cover his feet: and David and his men remained in
the sides of the cave.
09:024:004 And the men of David said unto him, Behold the day of which
the LORD said unto thee, Behold, I will deliver thine enemy into thine
hand, that thou mayest do to him as it shall seem good unto thee. Then
David arose, and cut off the skirt of Saul's robe privily.
09:024:005 And it came to pass afterward, that David's heart smote him,
because he had cut off Saul's skirt.
09:024:006 And he said unto his men, The LORD forbid that I should do
this thing unto my master, the LORD's anointed, to stretch forth mine
hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the LORD.
09:024:007 So David stayed his servants with these words, and suffered
them not to rise against Saul. But Saul rose up out of the cave, and
went on his way.
09:024:008 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 bowed himself.
09:024:009 And David said to Saul, Wherefore hearest thou men's words,
saying, Behold, David seeketh thy hurt?
09:024:010 Behold, this day thine eyes have seen how that the LORD had
delivered thee to day into mine hand in the cave: and some bade me kill
thee: but mine eye spared thee; and I said, I will not put forth mine
hand against my lord; for he is the LORD's anointed.
09:024:011 Moreover, my father, see, yea, see the skirt of thy robe in
my hand: for in that I cut off the skirt of thy robe, and killed thee
not, know thou and see that there is neither evil nor transgression in
mine hand, and I have not sinned against thee; yet thou huntest my soul
to take it.
09:024:012 The LORD judge between me and thee, and the LORD avenge me of
thee: but mine hand shall not be upon thee.
09:024:013 As saith the proverb of the ancients, Wickedness proceedeth
from the wicked: but mine hand shall not be upon thee.
09:024:014 After whom is the king of Israel come out? after whom dost
thou pursue? after a dead dog, after a flea.
09:024:015 The LORD therefore be judge, and judge between me and thee,
and see, and plead my cause, and deliver me out of thine hand.
09:024:016 And it came to pass, when David had made an end of speaking
these words unto Saul, that Saul said, Is this thy voice, my son David?
And Saul lifted up his voice, and wept.
09:024:017 And he said to David, Thou art more righteous than I: for
thou hast rewarded me good, whereas I have rewarded thee evil.
09:024:018 And thou hast shewed this day how that thou hast dealt well
with me: forasmuch as when the LORD had delivered me into thine hand,
thou killedst me not.
09:024:019 For if a man find his enemy, will he let him go well away?
wherefore the LORD reward thee good for that thou hast done unto me this
day.
09:024:020 And now, behold, I know well that thou shalt surely be king,
and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in thine hand.
09:024:021 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.
09:024:022 And David sware unto Saul. And Saul went home; but David and
his men gat them up unto the hold.
09:025:001 And Samuel died; and all the Israelites were gathered
together, and lamented him, and buried him in his house at Ramah. And
David arose, and went down to the wilderness of Paran.
09:025:002 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.
09:025:003 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 churlish and evil in his doings; and he was
of the house of Caleb.
09:025:004 And David heard in the wilderness that Nabal did shear his
sheep.
09:025:005 And David sent out ten young men, and David said unto the
young men, Get you up to Carmel, and go to Nabal, and greet him in my
name:
09:025:006 And thus shall ye say to him that liveth in prosperity, Peace
be both to thee, and peace be to thine house, and peace be unto all that
thou hast.
09:025:007 And now I have heard that thou hast shearers: now thy
shepherds which were with us, we hurt them not, neither was there ought
missing unto them, all the while they were in Carmel.
09:025:008 Ask thy young men, and they will shew thee. Wherefore let the
young men find favour in thine eyes: for we come in a good day: give, I
pray thee, whatsoever cometh to thine hand unto thy servants, and to thy
son David.
09:025:009 And when David's young men came, they spake to Nabal
according to all those words in the name of David, and ceased.
09:025:010 And Nabal answered David's servants, and said, Who is David?
and who is the son of Jesse? there be many servants now a days that
break away every man from his master.
09:025:011 Shall I then take my bread, and my water, and my flesh that I
have killed for my shearers, and give it unto men, whom I know not
whence they be?
09:025:012 So David's young men turned their way, and went again, and
came and told him all those sayings.
09:025:013 And David said unto his men, Gird ye on every man his sword.
And they girded on every man his sword; and David also girded on his
sword: and there went up after David about four hundred men; and two
hundred abode by the stuff.
09:025:014 But one of the young men told Abigail, Nabal's wife, saying,
Behold, David sent messengers out of the wilderness to salute our
master; and he railed on them.
09:025:015 But the men were very good unto us, and we were not hurt,
neither missed we any thing, as long as we were conversant with them,
when we were in the fields:
09:025:016 They were a wall unto us both by night and day, all the while
we were with them keeping the sheep.
09:025:017 Now therefore know and consider what thou wilt do; for evil
is determined against our master, and against all his household: for he
is such a son of Belial, that a man cannot speak to him.
09:025:018 Then Abigail made haste, and took two hundred loaves, and two
bottles of wine, and five sheep ready dressed, and five measures of
parched corn, and an hundred clusters of raisins, and two hundred cakes
of figs, and laid them on asses.
09:025:019 And she said unto her servants, Go on before me; behold, I
come after you. But she told not her husband Nabal.
09:025:020 And it was so, as she rode on the ass, that she came down by
the covert on the hill, and, behold, David and his men came down against
her; and she met them.
09:025:021 Now David had said, Surely in vain have I kept all that this
fellow hath in the wilderness, so that nothing was missed of all that
pertained unto him: and he hath requited me evil for good.
09:025:022 So and more also do God unto the enemies of David, if I leave
of all that pertain to him by the morning light any that pisseth against
the wall.
09:025:023 And when Abigail saw David, she hasted, and lighted off the
ass, and fell before David on her face, and bowed herself to the ground,
09:025:024 And fell at his feet, and said, Upon me, my lord, upon me let
this iniquity be: and let thine handmaid, I pray thee, speak in thine
audience, and hear the words of thine handmaid.
09:025:025 Let not my lord, I pray thee, regard 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 thine handmaid saw not the young men of my lord, whom
thou didst send.
09:025:026 Now therefore, my lord, as the LORD liveth, and as thy soul
liveth, seeing the LORD hath withholden thee from coming to shed blood,
and from avenging thyself with thine own hand, now let thine enemies,
and they that seek evil to my lord, be as Nabal.
09:025:027 And now this blessing which thine handmaid hath brought unto
my lord, let it even be given unto the young men that follow my lord.
09:025:028 I pray thee, forgive the trespass of thine handmaid: for the
LORD will certainly make my lord a sure house; because my lord fighteth
the battles of the LORD, and evil hath not been found in thee all thy
days.
09:025:029 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 the souls of thine enemies, them shall he sling out, as out
of the middle of a sling.
09:025:030 And it shall come to pass, when the LORD shall have done to
my lord according to all the good that he hath spoken concerning thee,
and shall have appointed thee ruler over Israel;
09:025:031 That this shall be no grief unto thee, nor offence of heart
unto my lord, either that thou hast shed blood causeless, or that my
lord hath avenged himself: but when the LORD shall have dealt well with
my lord, then remember thine handmaid.
09:025:032 And David said to Abigail, Blessed be the LORD God of Israel,
which sent thee this day to meet me:
09:025:033 And blessed be thy advice, and blessed be thou, which hast
kept me this day from coming to shed blood, and from avenging myself
with mine own hand.
09:025:034 For in very deed, as the LORD God of Israel liveth, which
hath kept me back from hurting thee, except thou hadst hasted and come
to meet me, surely there had not been left unto Nabal by the morning
light any that pisseth against the wall.
09:025:035 So David received of her hand that which she had brought him,
and said unto her, Go up in peace to thine house; see, I have hearkened
to thy voice, and have accepted thy person.
09:025:036 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 drunken: wherefore she told him nothing, less or
more, until the morning light.
09:025:037 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.
09:025:038 And it came to pass about ten days after, that the LORD smote
Nabal, that he died.
09:025:039 And when David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, Blessed be
the LORD, that hath pleaded the cause of my reproach from the hand of
Nabal, and hath kept his servant from evil: for the LORD hath returned
the wickedness of Nabal upon his own head. And David sent and communed
with Abigail, to take her to him to wife.
09:025:040 And when the servants of David were come to Abigail to
Carmel, they spake unto her, saying, David sent us unto thee, to take
thee to him to wife.
09:025:041 And she arose, and bowed herself on her face to the earth,
and said, Behold, let thine handmaid be a servant to wash the feet of
the servants of my lord.
09:025:042 And Abigail hasted, 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.
09:025:043 David also took Ahinoam of Jezreel; and they were also both
of them his wives.
09:025:044 But Saul had given Michal his daughter, David's wife, to
Phalti the son of Laish, which was of Gallim.
09:026:001 And the Ziphites came unto Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doth not
David hide himself in the hill of Hachilah, which is before Jeshimon?
09:026:002 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.
09:026:003 And Saul pitched in the hill of Hachilah, which is before
Jeshimon, by the way. But David abode in the wilderness, and he saw that
Saul came after him into the wilderness.
09:026:004 David therefore sent out spies, and understood that Saul was
come in very deed.
09:026:005 And David arose, and came to the place where Saul had
pitched: 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.
09:026:006 Then answered David 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.
09:026:007 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 bolster: but Abner and the people lay round about him.
09:026:008 Then said Abishai to David, God hath delivered thine enemy
into thine hand this day: now therefore let me smite him, I pray thee,
with the spear even to the earth at once, and I will not smite him the
second time.
09:026:009 And David said to Abishai, Destroy him not: for who can
stretch forth his hand against the LORD's anointed, and be guiltless?
09:026:010 David said furthermore, As the LORD liveth, the LORD shall
smite him; or his day shall come to die; or he shall descend into
battle, and perish.
09:026:011 The LORD forbid that I should stretch forth mine hand against
the LORD's anointed: but, I pray thee, take thou now the spear that is
at his bolster, and the cruse of water, and let us go.
09:026:012 So David took the spear and the cruse of water from Saul's
bolster; and they gat them away, and no man saw it, nor knew it, neither
awaked: for they were all asleep; because a deep sleep from the LORD was
fallen upon them.
09:026:013 Then David went over to the other side, and stood on the top
of an hill afar off; a great space being between them:
09:026:014 And David cried to the people, and to Abner the son of Ner,
saying, Answerest thou not, Abner? Then Abner answered and said, Who art
thou that criest to the king?
09:026:015 And David said to Abner, Art not thou a valiant man? and who
is like to thee in Israel? wherefore then hast thou not kept thy lord
the king? for there came one of the people in to destroy the king thy
lord.
09:026:016 This thing is not good that thou hast done. As the LORD
liveth, 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 bolster.
09:026:017 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.
09:026:018 And he said, Wherefore doth my lord thus pursue after his
servant? for what have I done? or what evil is in mine hand?
09:026:019 Now therefore, I pray thee, let my lord the king hear the
words of his servant. If the LORD have stirred thee up against me, let
him accept an offering: but if they be the children of men, cursed be
they before the LORD; for they have driven me out this day from abiding
in the inheritance of the LORD, saying, Go, serve other gods.
09:026:020 Now therefore, let not 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 doth hunt a partridge in the mountains.
09:026:021 Then said Saul, I have sinned: return, my son David: for I
will no more do thee harm, because my soul was precious in thine eyes
this day: behold, I have played the fool, and have erred exceedingly.
09:026:022 And David answered and said, Behold the king's spear! and let
one of the young men come over and fetch it.
09:026:023 The LORD render to every man his righteousness and his
faithfulness; for the LORD delivered thee into my hand to day, but I
would not stretch forth mine hand against the LORD's anointed.
09:026:024 And, behold, as thy life was much set by this day in mine
eyes, so let my life be much set by in the eyes of the LORD, and let him
deliver me out of all tribulation.
09:026:025 Then Saul said to David, Blessed be thou, my son David: thou
shalt both do great things, and also shalt still prevail. So David went
on his way, and Saul returned to his place.
09:027:001 And David said in his heart, I shall now perish one day by
the hand of Saul: there is nothing 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 coast of Israel: so shall I escape out
of his hand.
09:027:002 And David arose, and he passed over with the six hundred men
that were with him unto Achish, the son of Maoch, king of Gath.
09:027:003 And David dwelt with Achish at Gath, he and his men, every
man with his household, even David with his two wives, Ahinoam the
Jezreelitess, and Abigail the Carmelitess, Nabal's wife.
09:027:004 And it was told Saul that David was fled to Gath: and he
sought no more again for him.
09:027:005 And David said unto Achish, If I have now found grace in
thine eyes, let them give me a place in some town in the country, that I
may dwell there: for why should thy servant dwell in the royal city with
thee?
09:027:006 Then Achish gave him Ziklag that day: wherefore Ziklag
pertaineth unto the kings of Judah unto this day.
09:027:007 And the time that David dwelt in the country of the
Philistines was a full year and four months.
09:027:008 And David and his men went up, and invaded the Geshurites,
and the Gezrites, and the Amalekites: for those nations were of old the
inhabitants of the land, as thou goest to Shur, even unto the land of
Egypt.
09:027:009 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.
09:027:010 And Achish said, Whither have ye made a road to day? And
David said, Against the south of Judah, and against the south of the
Jerahmeelites, and against the south of the Kenites.
09:027:011 And David saved neither man nor woman alive, to bring tidings
to Gath, saying, Lest they should tell on us, saying, So did David, and
so will be his manner all the while he dwelleth in the country of the
Philistines.
09:027:012 And Achish believed David, saying, He hath made his people
Israel utterly to abhor him; therefore he shall be my servant for ever.
09:028:001 And it came to pass in those days, that the Philistines
gathered their armies together for warfare, to fight with Israel. And
Achish said unto David, Know thou assuredly, that thou shalt go out with
me to battle, thou and thy men.
09:028:002 And David said to Achish, Surely thou shalt know what thy
servant can do. And Achish said to David, Therefore will I make thee
keeper of mine head for ever.
09:028:003 Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had lamented him, and
buried him in Ramah, even in his own city. And Saul had put away those
that had familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land.
09:028:004 And the Philistines gathered themselves together, and came
and pitched in Shunem: and Saul gathered all Israel together, and they
pitched in Gilboa.
09:028:005 And when Saul saw the host of the Philistines, he was afraid,
and his heart greatly trembled.
09:028:006 And when Saul enquired of the LORD, the LORD answered him
not, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets.
09:028:007 Then said Saul unto his servants, Seek me a woman that hath a
familiar spirit, that I may go to her, and enquire of her. And his
servants said to him, Behold, there is a woman that hath a familiar
spirit at Endor.
09:028:008 And Saul disguised himself, and put on other raiment, and he
went, and two men with him, and they came to the woman by night: and he
said, I pray thee, divine unto me by the familiar spirit, and bring me
him up, whom I shall name unto thee.
09:028:009 And the woman said unto him, Behold, thou knowest what Saul
hath done, how he hath cut off those that have familiar spirits, and the
wizards, out of the land: wherefore then layest thou a snare for my
life, to cause me to die?
09:028:010 And Saul sware to her by the LORD, saying, As the LORD
liveth, there shall no punishment happen to thee for this thing.
09:028:011 Then said the woman, Whom shall I bring up unto thee? And he
said, Bring me up Samuel.
09:028:012 And when the woman saw Samuel, she cried with a loud voice:
and the woman spake to Saul, saying, Why hast thou deceived me? for thou
art Saul.
09:028:013 And the king said unto her, Be not afraid: for what sawest
thou? And the woman said unto Saul, I saw gods ascending out of the
earth.
09:028:014 And he said unto her, What form is he of? And she said, An
old man cometh up; and he is covered with a mantle. And Saul perceived
that it was Samuel, and he stooped with his face to the ground, and
bowed himself.
09:028:015 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
answereth me no more, neither by prophets, nor by dreams: therefore I
have called thee, that thou mayest make known unto me what I shall do.
09:028:016 Then said Samuel, Wherefore then dost thou ask of me, seeing
the LORD is departed from thee, and is become thine enemy?
09:028:017 And the LORD hath done to him, as he spake by me: for the
LORD hath rent the kingdom out of thine hand, and given it to thy
neighbour, even to David:
09:028:018 Because thou obeyedst not the voice of the LORD, nor
executedst his fierce wrath upon Amalek, therefore hath the LORD done
this thing unto thee this day.
09:028:019 Moreover the LORD will also deliver Israel with thee into the
hand of the Philistines: and to morrow shalt thou and thy sons be with
me: the LORD also shall deliver the host of Israel into the hand of the
Philistines.
09:028:020 Then Saul fell straightway all along on 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 the day, nor all the night.
09:028:021 And the woman came unto Saul, and saw that he was sore
troubled, and said unto him, Behold, thine handmaid hath obeyed thy
voice, and I have put my life in my hand, and have hearkened unto thy
words which thou spakest unto me.
09:028:022 Now therefore, I pray thee, hearken thou also unto the voice
of thine handmaid, and let me set a morsel of bread before thee; and
eat, that thou mayest have strength, when thou goest on thy way.
09:028:023 But he refused, and said, I will not eat. But his servants,
together with the woman, compelled him; and he hearkened unto their
voice. So he arose from the earth, and sat upon the bed.
09:028:024 And the woman had a fat calf in the house; and she hasted,
and killed it, and took flour, and kneaded it, and did bake unleavened
bread thereof:
09:028:025 And she brought it before Saul, and before his servants; and
they did eat. Then they rose up, and went away that night.
09:029:001 Now the Philistines gathered together all their armies to
Aphek: and the Israelites pitched by a fountain which is in Jezreel.
09:029:002 And the lords of the Philistines passed on by hundreds, and
by thousands: but David and his men passed on in the rereward with
Achish.
09:029:003 Then said the princes of the Philistines, What do these
Hebrews here? And Achish said unto the princes of the Philistines, Is
not this David, the servant of Saul the king of Israel, which hath been
with me these days, or these years, and I have found no fault in him
since he fell unto me unto this day?
09:029:004 And the princes of the Philistines were wroth 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 let
him not go down with us to battle, lest in the battle he be an adversary
to us: for wherewith should he reconcile himself unto his master? should
it not be with the heads of these men?
09:029:005 Is not this David, of whom they sang one to another in
dances, saying, Saul slew his thousands, and David his ten thousands?
09:029:006 Then Achish called David, and said unto him, Surely, as the
LORD liveth, thou hast been upright, and thy going out and thy coming in
with me in the host 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 the
lords favour thee not.
09:029:007 Wherefore now return, and go in peace, that thou displease
not the lords of the Philistines.
09:029:008 And David said unto Achish, But what have I done? and what
hast thou found in thy servant 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?
09:029:009 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.
09:029:010 Wherefore now rise up early in the morning with thy master's
servants that are come with thee: and as soon as ye be up early in the
morning, and have light, depart.
09:029:011 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.
09:030:001 And it came to pass, when David and his men were come to
Ziklag on the third day, that the Amalekites had invaded the south, and
Ziklag, and smitten Ziklag, and burned it with fire;
09:030:002 And had taken the women captives, that were therein: they
slew not any, either great or small, but carried them away, and went on
their way.
09:030:003 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.
09:030:004 Then David and the people that were with him lifted up their
voice and wept, until they had no more power to weep.
09:030:005 And David's two wives were taken captives, Ahinoam the
Jezreelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite.
09:030:006 And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of
stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man
for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the
LORD his God.
09:030:007 And David said to Abiathar the priest, Ahimelech's son, I
pray thee, bring me hither the ephod. And Abiathar brought thither the
ephod to David.
09:030:008 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.
09:030:009 So David went, he and the six hundred men that were with him,
and came to the brook Besor, where those that were left behind stayed.
09:030:010 But David pursued, he and four hundred men: for two hundred
abode behind, which were so faint that they could not go over the brook
Besor.
09:030:011 And they found an Egyptian in the field, and brought him to
David, and gave him bread, and he did eat; and they made him drink
water;
09:030:012 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 any water, three days and three nights.
09:030:013 And David said unto him, To whom belongest thou? and whence
art thou? And he said, I am a young man of Egypt, servant to an
Amalekite; and my master left me, because three days agone I fell sick.
09:030:014 We made an invasion upon the south of the Cherethites, and
upon the coast which belongeth to Judah, and upon the south of Caleb;
and we burned Ziklag with fire.
09:030:015 And David said to him, Canst 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.
09:030:016 And when he had brought him down, behold, they were spread
abroad upon 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.
09:030:017 And David smote them from the twilight even unto the evening
of the next day: and there escaped not a man of them, save four hundred
young men, which rode upon camels, and fled.
09:030:018 And David recovered all that the Amalekites had carried away:
and David rescued his two wives.
09:030:019 And there was nothing lacking to them, neither small nor
great, neither sons nor daughters, neither spoil, nor any thing that
they had taken to them: David recovered all.
09:030:020 And David took all the flocks and the herds, which they drave
before those other cattle, and said, This is David's spoil.
09:030:021 And David came to the two hundred men, which were so faint
that they could not follow David, whom they had made also to abide 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.
09:030:022 Then answered all the wicked men and men of Belial, of those
that went with David, and said, Because they went not with us, we will
not give them ought of the spoil that we have recovered, save to every
man his wife and his children, that they may lead them away, and depart.
09:030:023 Then said David, Ye shall not do so, my brethren, with that
which the LORD hath given us, who hath preserved us, and delivered the
company that came against us into our hand.
09:030:024 For who will hearken unto you in this matter? but as his part
is that goeth down to the battle, so shall his part be that tarrieth by
the stuff: they shall part alike.
09:030:025 And it was so from that day forward, that he made it a
statute and an ordinance for Israel unto this day.
09:030:026 And when David came to Ziklag, he sent of the spoil unto the
elders of Judah, even to his friends, saying, Behold a present for you
of the spoil of the enemies of the LORD;
09:030:027 To them which were in Bethel, and to them which were in south
Ramoth, and to them which were in Jattir,
09:030:028 And to them which were in Aroer, and to them which were in
Siphmoth, and to them which were in Eshtemoa,
09:030:029 And to them which were in Rachal, and to them which were in
the cities of the Jerahmeelites, and to them which were in the cities of
the Kenites,
09:030:030 And to them which were in Hormah, and to them which were in
Chorashan, and to them which were in Athach,
09:030:031 And to them which were in Hebron, and to all the places where
David himself and his men were wont to haunt.
09:031:001 Now the Philistines fought against Israel: and the men of
Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell down slain in mount
Gilboa.
09:031:002 And the Philistines followed hard upon Saul and upon his
sons; and the Philistines slew Jonathan, and Abinadab, and Melchishua,
Saul's sons.
09:031:003 And the battle went sore against Saul, and the archers hit
him; and he was sore wounded of the archers.
09:031:004 Then said Saul unto his armourbearer, Draw thy sword, and
thrust me through therewith; lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me
through, and abuse me. But his armourbearer would not; for he was sore
afraid. Therefore Saul took a sword, and fell upon it.
09:031:005 And when his armourbearer saw that Saul was dead, he fell
likewise upon his sword, and died with him.
09:031:006 So Saul died, and his three sons, and his armourbearer, and
all his men, that same day together.
09:031:007 And when the men of Israel that were on the other side of the
valley, and they that were on the other side Jordan, saw that the men of
Israel fled, and that Saul and his sons were dead, they forsook the
cities, and fled; and the Philistines came and dwelt in them.
09:031:008 And it came to pass on the morrow, when the Philistines came
to strip the slain, that they found Saul and his three sons fallen in
mount Gilboa.
09:031:009 And they cut off his head, and stripped off his armour, and
sent into the land of the Philistines round about, to publish it in the
house of their idols, and among the people.
09:031:010 And they put his armour in the house of Ashtaroth: and they
fastened his body to the wall of Bethshan.
09:031:011 And when the inhabitants of Jabeshgilead heard of that which
the Philistines had done to Saul;
09:031:012 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.
09:031:013 And they took their bones, and buried them under a tree at
Jabesh, and fasted seven days.