that which she had brought him, and said to her, Return in peace to thy house; see, I have hearkened to thy voice, and have accepted thy person.

Before CHRIST, 1060.

came as a stone.

38 And it came to pass about ten days after, that the LORD smote Nabal, that he died.

39 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

b Josh. 15.

€ 2 Sam. 3. 14. 15.

40 And when the servants of David

of his host: and Saul lay in the 1 trench, and the people pitched around him.

6 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.

7 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 about him.

8 Then said Abishai to David, God hath 2 delivered thy enemy into thy 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.

9 And David said to Abishai, Destroy him not; for who can stretch forth his hand against the LORD's anointed and be guiltless?

10 David said furthermore, As the LORD liveth, the LORD will smite him; or his day will come to die; or he will descend into battle and perish.

11 The LORD forbid that I should

spoke to her, saying, David hath sent us to thee, to take thee to him for a wife.

41 And she arose, and bowed herself on her face to the earth, and said, Behold, let they handmaid be a servant to wash the feet of the servants of my lord.

42 And Abigail hasted, and arose, and rode upon an ass, with five damsels of hers that went 17 after her; and she went after the messengers of David, and became his wife.

43 David also took Ahinoam & of Jezreel; and they were also both of them his wives.

17.55.

1 or, midst of his car. riages.

2 Heb. shut up.

death.

anointed: but, I pray thee, take thou now the spear that is at his bolster, and the cruse of water, and let us go.

12 So David took the spear and the cruse of water from Saul's bolster; and they departed, and no man saw it, nor knew it, neither awaked: for they were all asleep: because a deep sleep from the LORD had fallen upon them.

13 Then David went over to the other side, and stood on the top of a hill afar off; a great space being between them:

14 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?

15 And David said to Abner, Art not thou a valiant man? and who is like to thee in Israel? why then hast thou not kept thy lord the king? for there came in one of the people to destroy the king thy lord.

16 This thing is not good that thon the sons of hast done. As the LORD liveth, ye are 3 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.

smell.

5 Heb.

17 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.

18 And he said, Why doth my lord thus pursue his servant? for what have I done? or what evil is in my hand?

19 Now therefore, I pray thee, let my lord the king hear the words of his servant. If the LORD hath stirred thee up against me, let him accept an offering: but if they are the children of men, cursed be they before the LORD; for they have driven me out this day from 5 abiding in

the inheritance of the LORD, saying, Go, serve other gods.

20 Now therefore, let not my blood fall to the earth before the face of the LORD for the king of Israel hath come out to seek a flea, as when one doth hunt a partridge in the mountains.

21 ¶ Then said Saul, I have sinned: return, my son David: for I will no more do thee harm, because my soul was precious in thy eyes this day: behold I have played the fool, and have erred exceedingly.

22 And David answered and said, Be-2 hold the king's spear! and let one of the young men come over and take it.

23 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 my hand against the LORD's anointed.

Before CHRIST,

1058.

1 Heb. be

consumed.

Heb. the num ber of days.

24 And behold, as thy life was pre-3 Heb. cious this day in my eyes, so let my life a year of be precious in the eyes of the LORD, and days. let him deliver me out of all tribulation.

25 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.

4 or, Gerzites.

you not

2 And David arose, and he passed 5 or, Did over with the six hundred men that were with him to Achish, the son of Maoch, king of Gath.

3 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.

4 And it was told to Saul that David had fled to Gath: and he sought no more again for him.

make a road, &c.

5 And David said to Achish, If I 6 Heb. have now found grace in thy eyes, let to stink. 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?

6 Then Achish gave him Ziklag that day: wherefore Ziklag pertaineth to the kings of Judah to this day.

7 And 2 the time that David dwelt in the country of the Philistines was 3 a full c. 25. 1. year and four months.

8 T 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 to the land of Egypt.

9 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.

10 And Achish said, s 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.

11 And David saved neither man nor woman alive, to bring tidings to Gath, saying, Lest they should inform against us, saying, So did David, and so will be his manner all the while he dwelleth in the country of the Philistines.

12 And Achish believed David, saying, He hath made his people Israel 6 utterly to abhor him; therefore he shall be my servant for ever.

CHAP. XXVIII.

1 Achish putteth confidence in David. 3 Saul having destroyed the witches, 4 and now in his fear being forsaken of God, 7 seeketh to a witch. 9 The witch encouraged by Saul, raiseth up Samuel. 15 Saul hearing his ruin, fainteth. 21 The woman with his servants refresh him with food.

AND it came to pass in those days,

that the Philistines collected their armies for warfare, to fight with Israel. And Achish said to David, Know thou assuredly, that thou shalt go out with me to battle, thou and thy men.

2 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 my head for ever.

3 ¶ Now a 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.

4 T And the Philistines assembled, and came and encamped in Shunem: and Saul collected all Israel, and they encamped in Gilboa.

5 And when Saul saw the host of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart greatly trembled.

6 And when Saul inquired of the LORD, the LORD answered him not, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets.

7 Then said Saul to his servants, seek me a woman that hath a familiar spirit, that I may go to her, and inquire of her. And his servants said to him, Behold, there is a woman that hath a familiar spirit at En-dor.

8 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 to me by the familiar spirit, and bring up for me whom I shall name to thee.

9 And the woman said to 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:

to cause me to die?

10 And Saul swore to her by the LORD, saying, As the LORD liveth, there shall no punishment happen to thee for this thing.

11 Then said the woman, whom shall I bring up to thee? And he said, Bring me up Samuel.

12 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.

13 And the king said to her be not afraid: for what sawest thou? And the woman said to Saul, I saw gods ascending out of the earth.

1056.

1 Heb. by the hand of prophets.

2 or, for himself.

bc. 15. 28.

14 And he said to her, What is his form? And she said, An old man cometh up; and he is covered with a mantle. And Saul perceived that it was Samuel, 3 Heb. and he stooped with his face to the ground, and bowed himself.

15 And Samuel said to Saul, Why hast thou disquieted me, to bring me up? And Saul answered, 1 am grievously distressed; for the Philistines make war against me, and God hath departed from me, and answereth me no more, neither 1 by prophets, nor by dreams: therefore I have called thee, that thou mayest make known to me what I shall do.

16 Then said Samuel, Why then dost thou ask of me, seeing the LORD hath departed from thee, and hath become thy enemy?

my hand.

Heb. made fell with the fullness of his stature.

haste and

a 1 Chr. 12.

17 And the LORD hath done 2 to him, as he spoke by 3 me: for the LORD hath rent the kingdom out of thy hand, and 19. given it to thy neighbor, even to David:

18 Because thou didst not obey the voice of the LORD, nor execute his fierce. wrath upon Amalek, therefore hath the LORD done this thing to thee this day.

24 And the woman had a fat calf in the house: and she hasted and killed it, and took flour, and kneaded it, and baked unleavened bread of it.

25 And she brought it before Saul, and before his servants; and they ate. Then they arose and went away that night.

CHAP. XXIX.

1 David marching with the Philistines, 3 is disallowed by their princes. 6 Achish dismisseth him with commendations of his fidelity.

Ntheir armies to Aphek: and the Is

OW the Philistines collected all

raelites encamped by a fountain which is in Jezreel.

2 And the lords of the Philistines passed on by hundreds, and by thousands: but David and his men passed on in the rear with Achish.

3 Then said the princes of the Philistines, What do these Hebrews here? And Achish said to the princes of the Philistines, Is not this David, the servant of Saul the king of Israel, who hath been with me these days, or these years, and I have found no fault in him since he fell to me to this day?

4 And the princes of the Philistines were wroth with him; and the princes of the Philistines said to him, & Make this man 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 should be an adversary to us: for with what would he reconcile himself to his master? would it not be with the heads of these men?

5 Is not this David, of whom they sung one to another in dances, saying, Saul slew his thousands, and David his ten thousands?

6 ¶ Then Achish called David, and said to him, Surely, as the LORD liveth,

liver 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.

21. 11.

20 Then Saul 4 fell immediately all along on the earth, and was exceedingly 1 Heb. afraid, because of the words of Samuel: thou art not and there was no strength in him; for good in the eyes of the he had eaten no bread all the day, nor lords. all the night.

21 T And the woman came to Saul, and saw that he was greatly troubled, and said to him, Behold, thy handmaid hath obeyed thy voice, and I have put my life in my hand, and have hearkened 2 Heb. do to thy words, which thou didst speak not evil in the eyes of

to me.

22 Now therefore, I pray thee, hearken thou also to the voice of thy handmaid, and let me set a morsel of bread before thee; and eat, that thou mayest have strength, when thou goest on thy way.

the lords.

23 But he refused, and said, I will not eat. But his servants, together with the 3 Heb. be. woman, compelled him; and he heark- fore thee. ened to their voice. So he arose from the earth, and sat upon the bed.

out and thy coming in with me in the host is good in my sight: for I have not found evil in thee from the day of thy coming to me to this day: nevertheless 1 the lords favor thee not.

7 Therefore now return, and go in peace, that thou 2 displease not the lords of the Philistines.

8 And David said to Achish, But what have I done? and what hast thou found in thy servant, so long as I have been 3 with thee to this day, that I may not go and fight against the enemies of my lord the king.

9 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.

10 Wherefore now rise early in the morning with thy master's servants that are come with thee: and as soon as ye shall have risen early in the morning, and have light, depart.

11 So David and his men rose early to depart in the morning, to return into the land of the Philistines. And the Philistines went up to Jezreel.

CHAP. XXX.

1 The Amalekites spoil Ziklag. 7 David asking counsel, is encouraged by God to pursue them. By the means of a revived Egyptian, he is brought to the enemies, and recov ereth all the spoil. 22 David's law to divide the spoil equally between them that fight, and them that keep the goods: 26 He sendeth presents to his friends.

AND it came to pass, when David and

his men were come to Ziklag on the third day, that the Amalekites had inva ded the south, and Ziklag, and smitten Ziklag, and burned it with fire;

2 And had taken the women captives that were in it, they slew not any, either great or small, but carried them away, and went on their way.

3 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.

Before CHRIST, 1056.

he said, Swear to me by God, that thou wilt neither kill me, nor deliver me into the hands of my master, and I will lead thee down to this company.

16 T And when he had conducted 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 from the land of the Philistines, and from the land of Judah.

17 And David smote them from the twilight even to the evening of 2 the next day: and there escaped not a man of them, save four hundred young men, who rode upon camels, and fled.

18 And David recovered all that the Amalekites had carried away: and David rescued his two wives.

19 And there was nothing lacking to them, neither small nor great, neither

were with him, lifted up their voice and wept, until they had no more power to

weep.

5 And David's two wives were taken captives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite.

6 And David was greatly distressed: for the people spoke of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was 1 grieved, every man for his sons, and for his daughters but David encouraged himself in the LORD his God.

7 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.

8 And David inquired of the LORD, saying, Shall I pursue this troop? shall I overtake them? And he answered him, 2 Heb. their Pursue; for thou shalt surely overtake morrow. them, and without fail recover all.

six hun

9 So David went, he and the came

dred men that were with him,

to the brook Besor, where those that were left behind remained.

10 But David pursued, he and four hundred men for two hundred abode 3 or, asked behind, who were so faint that they could not go over the brook Besor.

11 And they found an Egyptian in the field, and brought him to David, and gave him bread, and he ate; and they made him drink water;

12 And they gave him a piece of a

them how they did.

thing that they had taken to them: David recovered all.

20 And David took all the flocks and the herds, which they drove before those other cattle, and said, This is David's spoil.

21 ¶ And David came to the two bundred men, who 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 3 saluted them.

22 Then answered all the wicked men, and men of Belial, of 4 those that went with David, and said, Because they went not with us, we will not give them aught of the spoil that we have recovered, save to every man his wife and his children, that they may lead them away, and depart.

23 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.

24 For who will hearken to you in this matter? but as his part is that goeth down to the battle, so shall his part be that tarrieth by the goods: they shall part alike.

25 And it was so from that day 5 forward, that he made it a statute and an or

and when he had eaten, his spirit came again to him: for he had eaten no bread, nor drank any water, three days and three nights.

13 And David said to 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 ago I fell sick. 14 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 Źiklag with fire.

5 Heb. and forward.

6 Heb. bless.

15 And David said to him, Canst thou ing. conduct me down to this company? And

26 And when David came to Ziklag, he sent of the spoil to the elders of Judah, even to his friends, saying, Behold a 6 present for you, of the spoil of the enemies of the LORD;

27 To them who were in Beth-el, and to them who were in sonth Ramoth, and to them who were in Jattir,

28 And to them who were in Aroer, and to them who were in Siphmoth, and to them who were in Eshtemoa,

29 And to them who were in Rachal, and to them who were in the cities of the Jerahmeelites, and to them who were in the cities of the Kenites,

30 And to them who were in Hormah,