36 him, and slew him. Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear: and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the 37 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.

38 And Saul armed David with his armour, and he put an helmet of brass upon 39 his head; also he armed him with a coat of mail. 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 40 David put them off him. And he took his staff in his hand, and chose him five smooth stones out of the 2 brook, and put them in a shepherd's 3 bag which he had, even in a scrip; and his sling was in his hand and he drew near to the 41 Philistine. And the Philistine came on and drew near unto David; and the man that bare the shield went before him.

42

And when the Philistine looked about, and saw David, he disdained him: for 43 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 44 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 air, and to the beasts of 45 the field. 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 46 LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied. This day will the LORD 4 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 47 the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. 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.

48 And it came to pass, when the Philistine arose, and came and drew nigh to meet David, that David hasted, and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine. 49 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 50 he fell upon his face to the earth. So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and smote the Philistine, and slew him; but there was 51 no sword in the hand of David. 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 52 champion was dead, they fled. 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 53 Shaaraim, even unto Gath, and unto Ekron. And the children of Israel returned 54 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 armour in his tent.

55 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 56 said, As thy soul liveth, O king, I cannot tell. And the king said, Inquire thou 57 whose son the stripling is. And as David returned from the slaughter of the

Philistine, Abner took him, and brought him before Saul with the head of the 58 Philistine in his hand. And Saul said to him, Whose son art thou, thou young man? And David answered, I am the son of thy servant Jesse the Beth-lehemite. 18 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 2 his own soul. And Saul took him that day, and would let him go no more home 3 to his father's house. Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he 4 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.

5.

And David went out whithersoever Saul sent him, and 5 behaved himself

1 Heb. clothed David with his
clothes.

2 Or, valley.

3 Heb. vessel.

4 Heb. shut thee up.

5 Or, prospered.

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.

6 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 72 instruments of music. And the women answered one another as they played, and said,

Saul hath slain his thousands,
And David his ten thousands.

3

8 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 9 thousands: and what can he have more but the kingdom? And Saul eyed David from that day and forward.

10

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 11 hand, as at other times: and there was a javelin in Saul's hand. 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.

12

And Saul was afraid of David, because the LORD was with him, and was 13 departed from Saul. Therefore Saul removed him from him, and made him his captain over a thousand; and he went out and came in before the people. 14 And David behaved himself wisely in all his ways; and the LORD was with 15 him. Wherefore when Saul saw that he behaved himself very wisely, he was 16 afraid of him. But all Israel and Judah loved David, because he went out and came in before them.

17 And Saul said to David, Behold my elder daughter Merab, her will I give thee to wife: only be thou 5 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 18 be upon him. And David said unto Saul, Who am I? and what is my life, or 19 my father's family in Israel, that I should be son-in-law to the king? 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.

20

And Michal Saul's daughter loved David: and they told Saul, and the thing 21 6 pleased him. 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 22 said to David, Thou shalt this day be my son-in-law in the one of the twain. 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 there23 fore be the king's son-in-law. 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 son24 in-law, seeing that am a poor man, and lightly esteemed? And the servants 25 of Saul told him, saying, 7 On this manner spake David. 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 26 make David fall by the hand of the Philistines. And when his servants told David these words, it pleased David well to be the king's son-in-law and the 27 days were not 8 expired. 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 28 son-in-law. And Saul gave him Michal his daughter to wife. And Saul saw and knew that the LORD was with David, and that Michal Saul's daughter loved 29 him. And Saul was yet the more afraid of David; and Saul became David's 30 enemy continually. 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 9 set by.

19

And Saul spake to Jonathan his son, and to all his servants, that they should kill David. But Jonathan Saul's son delighted much in David: and Jonathan 2 told David, saying, Saul my father seeketh to kill thee: now therefore, I pray

1 Or, Philistines.

2 Heb. three-stringed instru-
ments.

3 Heb. was evil in his eyes.

4 Or, prospered.

5 Heb. a son of valour.

6 Heb. was right in his
eyes.

7 Heb. According to these words.

8 Heb. fulfilled.

9 Heb. precious.

thee, take heed to thyself until the morning, and abide in a secret place, and hide 3 thyself: 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 4 thee. 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: 5 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 6 then wilt thou sin against innocent blood, to slay David without a cause? And Saul hearkened unto the voice of Jonathan: and Saul sware, As the LORD 7 liveth, he shall not be slain. And Jonathan called David, and Jonathan showed him all those things. And Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence, as in times past.

8

And there was war again: and David went out, and fought with the Philistines, 9 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 javelin in 10 his hand and David played with his hand. And Saul sought to smite David even to the wall with the javelin; but he slipped away out of Saul's presence, and he 11 smote the javelin 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 and Michal David's wife told him, saying, If thou save not thy life 12 to-night, to-morrow thou shalt be slain. So Michal let David down through a 13 window: and he went, and fled, and escaped. And Michal took an image, and laid it in the bed, and put a pillow of goats' hair for his bolster, and covered it 14 with a cloth. And when Saul sent messengers to take David, she said, He is 15 sick. And Saul sent the messengers again to see David, saying, Bring him up 16 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 for his bolster. 17 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?

૩

18 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. 19, 20 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 21 was 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 22 sent messengers again the third time, and they prophesied also. 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 23 in Ramah. 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 24 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. Wherefore they say, Is Saul also among the prophets?

20

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, 2 that he seeketh my life? 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 5 show 3 it me: and why should my father hide this thing from me? it is not so. 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 4 me and death. Then said Jonathan unto David, 6 Whatsoever thy soul 7 desireth, I will even do it for thee.

5

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 6 myself in the field unto the third day at even. If thy father at all miss me, then

1 Heb. yesterday third

day.
2 Heb. his face.

3 Heb. teraphim.

4 Heb. fell.

5 Heb. uncover mine ear.

6 Or, Say what is thy mind,

and I will do, &c.

7 Heb. speaketh, or, thinketh.

say, David earnestly asked leave of me that he might run to Beth-lehem his 7 city: for there is a yearly sacrifice there for all the family. If he say thus, It is well; thy servant shall have peace; but if he be very wroth, then be sure that evil 8 is determined by him. 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?

9

10

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?

Then said David to Jonathan, Who shall tell me? or what if thy father answer 11 thee roughly? And Jonathan said unto David, Come, and let us go out into the 12 field. And they went out both of them into the field. And Jonathan said unto David, O LORD God of Israel, when I have 2 sounded my father about tomorrow any time, or the third day, and, behold, if there be good toward David, 13 and I then send not unto thee, and 3 show it thee; the LORD do so and much more to Jonathan: but if it please my father to do thee evil, then I will show it thee, and send thee away, that thou mayest go in peace: and the LORD be with 14 thee, as he hath been with my father. And thou shalt not only while yet I live 15 show me the kindness of the LORD, that I die not: but also thou shalt not cut off thy kindness from my house for ever: no, not when the LORD hath cut off the 16 enemies of David every one from the face of the earth. So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, Let the LORD even require it at the 17 hand of David's enemies. And Jonathan caused David to swear again, 5 because he loved him: for he loved him as he loved his own soul.

18

Then Jonathan said to David, To-morrow is the new moon: and thou shalt 19 be missed, because thy seat will be empty. And when thou hast stayed three days, then thou shalt go down 78 quickly, and come to the place where thou didst hide thyself 9 when the business was in hand, and shalt remain by the stone 20 10 Ezel. And I will shoot three arrows on the side thereof, as though I shot at a 21 mark. 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 11 no hurt; as the LORD 22 liveth. But if I say thus unto the young man, Behold, the arrows are beyond 23 thee; go thy way: for the LORD hath sent thee away. And as touching the matter which thou and I have spoken of, behold, the LORD be between thee and me for ever.

24

So David hid himself in the field: and when the new moon was come, the 25 king sat him down to eat meat. 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 26 Saul's side, and David's place was empty. Nevertheless Saul spake not any thing that day: for he thought, Something hath befallen him, he is not clean; 27 surely he is not clean. 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 28 yesterday, nor to-day? And Jonathan answered Saul, David earnestly asked 29 leave of me to go to Beth-lehem: 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.

30

Then Saul's anger was kindled against Jonathan, and he said unto him, 12 13 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 31 mother's nakedness? For as long as the son of Jesse liveth upon the ground, thou shalt not be established, nor thy kingdom. Wherefore now send and 32 fetch him unto me, for he 14 shall surely die. And Jonathan answered Saul his father, and said unto him, Wherefore shall he be slain? what hath he done? 33 And Saul cast a javelin at him to smite him: whereby Jonathan knew that it

1 Or, feast.

2 Heb. searched.

3 Heb. uncover thine ear.

4 Heb. cut.

6 Heb. missed.

7 Or, diligently.

8 Heb. greatly,

9 Heb. in the day of the business.

5 Or, by his love toward him. 10 Or, that showeth the way.

11 Heb. not any thing.
12 Or, Thou perverse rebel.
13 Heb. Son of perverse re-
bellion.

14 Heb. is the son of death.

34 was determined of his father to slay David. 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.

35 And it came to pass in the morning, that Jonathan went out into the field at 36 the time appointed with David, and a little lad with him. And he said unto his lad, Run, find out now the arrows which I shoot. And as the lad ran, he 37 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 38 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. 39 But the lad knew not any thing: only Jonathan and David knew the matter. 40 And Jonathan gave his artillery unto 3 his lad, and said unto him, Go, carry them to the city.

4

41 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. 42 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.

21

Then came David to Nob to 5 Ahimelech the priest: and Ahimelech was afraid at the meeting of David, and said unto him, Why art thou alone, and no 2 man with thee? 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 3 I have appointed my servants to such and such a place. Now therefore what is under thine hand? give me five loaves of bread in mine hand, or what there is 46 present. 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 5 themselves at least from women. 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 6 a manner common, 7 yea, though it were sanctified this day in the vessel. So the priest gave him hallowed bread: for there was no bread there but the showbread, that was taken from before the LORD, to put hot bread in the day 7 when it was taken away. (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 8 chiefest of the herdmen that belonged to Saul.) 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 9 required haste. 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.

10

And David arose, and fled that day for fear of Saul, and went to 8 Achish the 11 king of Gath. 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, 12 Saul hath 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. 13 And he changed his behaviour before them, and feigned himself mad in their hands, and 9 scrabbled on the doors of the gate, and let his spittle fall down upon 14 his beard. Then said Achish unto his servants, Lo, ye see the man 10 is mad: 15 wherefore 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?

22

:

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

1 Heb. to pass over him.
2 Heb. instruments.

3 Heb. that was his.

4 Or, the LORD be witness
of that which, &c.

5 Ch. xiv. 3, called Ahiah:
called also Abiathar,

Mark ii. 26.

6 Heb. found.

day there is other sanctified in the vessel.

8 Or, Abimelech, Psalm 34, title. 9 Or, made marks.

7 Or, especially when this 10 Or, playeth the mad man.