1. SAMUEL. the challenge. Daord accepts Saul? choose you a man for you, and let give him his daughter, and make his fahim come down to me. ther's house free in Israel. 9 If he be able to fight with me, and to 26 And David spake to the men that kill me, then will we be your servants: stood by him, saying, What shall be done but if I prevail against him, and kill him, to the man that killeth this Philistine, and then shall ye be our servants, and serve us. taketh away the reproach from Israel? for 10 And the Philistine said, I defy the who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that armies of Israel this day; give me a man, he should defy the armies of the living God? that we may fight together. 27 And the people answered him after 11 When Saul and all Israel heard those this manner, saying, So shall it be done words of the Philistine, they were dismay- to the man that killeth him. ed, and greatly afraid. 28 And Eliab hiseldest brother heard 12 Now David was the son of that when he spake unto the men; and Eliab's Ephrathite of Beth-lehem-judah, whose anger was kindled against David, and he name was Jesse; and he had eight sons: said, Why camest thou down hither? and and the man went among men for an old with whom hast thou left those few sheep man in the days of Saul. in the wilderness? I know thy pride, and 13 And the three eldest sons of Jesse the naughtiness of thine heart; for thouart went and followed Saul to the battle: and come down that thou mightest see the battle. the names of his three sons that went to the 29 And David said, What have I now battle were Eliab the first-born, and next done? Is there not a cause? untohim Abinadab, and the third Shammah. 30 And he turned from him toward 14 And David was the youngest: and another, and spake after the same manner: the three eldest followed Saul. and the people answered him again after 15 But David went and returned from the former manner. Saul to feed his father's sheep at Beth- 31 And when the words were heard lehem. which David spake, they rehearsed them 16 And the Philistine drew near morn-before Saul: and he sent for him. ing and evening, and presented himself 32 And David said to Saul, Let no forty days. 17 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 to thy brethren : 18 And carry these ten cheeses unto the captain of their thousand, and look how thy brethren fare, and take their pledge. 19 Now Saul, and they, and all the men of Israel, were in the valley of Elah, fighting with the Philistines. man's heart fail because of him; thy servant will go and fight with this Philistine. 33 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. 34 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: 35 And I went out after him, and smote 20 And David rose up early in the him, and delivered it out of his mouth: morning, and left the sheep with a keeper, and when he arose against me, I caught him and took, and went, as Jesse had com- by his beard, and smote him, and slewhim. manded him; and he came to the trench, 36 Thy servant slew both the lion and as the host was going forth to the fight, the bear: and this uncircumcised Philis and shouted for the battle, 21 For Israel and the Philistines had put the battle in array, army against army. 22 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. tine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God. 37 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, 23 And as he talked with them, behold, Go, and the Lord be with thee. there came up the champion, the Philistine 38 ↑ And Saul armed David with his of Gath, Goliath by name, out of the ar-armour, and he put a helmet of brass upmies of the Philistines, and spake according on his head; also he armed him with to the same words: and David heard them. coat of mail. a 24 And all the men of Israel, when 39 And David girded his sword upon they saw the man, fled from him, and were his armour, and he assayed to go; for he sore afraid. 25 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 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. 40 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 He slays Goliath. CHAP. XVIII. Jonathan loves David. bag which he had, even in a scrip; and listine, and brought it to Jerusalem; but his sling was in his hand: and he drew he put his armour in his tent. near to the Philistine. 55 And when Saul saw David go 41 And the Philistine came on, and forth against the Philistine, he said unto drew near unto David; and the man that Abner the captain of the host, Abner, bare the shield went before him. whose son is this youth? And Abner said, 42 And when the Philistine looked As thy soul liveth, O king, I cannot tell. about, and saw David, he disdained him: 56 And the king said, Inquire thou for he was but a youth, and ruddy, and of whose son the stripling is. a fair countenance. 57 And as David returned from the 43 And the Philistine said unto David, slaughter of the Philistine, Abner took Am I a dog, that thou comest to me with him, and brought him before Saul with the staves? and the Philistine cursed David head of the Philistine in his hand. by his gods. 58 And Saul said to him, Whose son 44 And the Philistine said to David, art thou, thou young man? And David Come to me, and I will give thy flesh unto answered, I am the son of thy servant Jesse the fowls of the air, and to the beasts of the Beth-lehemite. the field. A ND it CHAP. XVIII. came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking unto Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit with him as his own soul. 45 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 the soul of David, and Jonathan loved God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied. 46 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 carcasses of the host of the Philistine 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. 2 And Saul took him that day, and would let him go no more home to his father's house. 3 Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul. 4 And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was upon him, and gave it to David, and his garments, even to his 47 And all this assembly shall know sword, and to his bow, and to his girdle. that the LORD saveth not with sword and 5 And David went out whithersoever spear: for the battle is the Lord's, and Saul sent him, and behaved himself wisehe will give you into our hands. ly: and Saul set him over the men of war, 48 And it came to pass, when the Phi- and he was accepted in the sight of all listine arose, and came and drew nigh to the people, and also in the sight of Saul's meet David, that David hasted, and ran servants. toward the army to meet the Philistine. 6 And it came to pass as they came, 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 he fell upon his face to the earth. when David was returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, that the women came out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet king Saul, with tabrets, with joy, and with instruments of music. 50 So David prevailed over the Philis- 7 And the women answered one another tine with a sling and with a stone, and as they played, and said, Saul hath slain smote the Philistine, and slew him; but his thousands, and David his ten thousands. there was no sword in the hand of David. 8 And Saul was very wroth, and the 51 Therefore David ran and stood upon saying displeased him; and he said, They the Philistine, and took his sword, and have ascribed unto David ten thousands, drew it out of the sheath thereof, and slew and to me they have ascribed but thouhim, and cut off his head therewith. And sands: and what can he have more but when the Philistines saw their champion the kingdom? was dead, they fled. 9 And Saul eyed David from that day 52 And the men of Israel and of Ju- and forward. dah arose, and shouted, and pursued the 10 And it came to pass on the morPhilistines, until thou come to the val-row, that the evil spirit from God came ley, and to the gates of Ekron. And the upon Saul, and he prophesied in the midst wounded of the Philistines fell down by of the house : and David played with his the way to Shaaraim, even unto Gath, and hand, as at other times: and there was a unto Ekron. 53 And the children of Israel returned from chasing after the Philistines, and they spoiled their tents. javelin in Saul's hand. 11 And Saul cast the javelin; for he said, I will smite David even to the wall with it. And David avoided out of his 54 And David took the head of the Phi- presence twice. Saul conspires against David. 1. SAMUEL. Jonathan discloses it to him. 12 And Saul was afraid of David, be-king's son-in-law. And Saul gave him cause the LORD was with him, and was Michal his daughter to wife. departed from Saul. 28 And Saul saw and knew that the 13 Therefore Saul removed him from LORD was with David, and that Michal him, and made him his captain over a Saul's daughter loved him. thousand; and he went out and came in 29 And Saul was yet the more afraid of before the people. 14 And David behaved himself wisely in all his ways; and the LORD was with him. 15 Wherefore when Saul saw that he behaved himself very wisely, he was afraid of him. David; and Saul became David's enemy continually. 30 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: CHAP. XIX. 16. But all Israel and Judah loved Da- so that his name was much set by. vid, because he went out and came in before them. A ND Saul spake to Jonathan his son, and to all his servants, that they 17 And Saul said to David, Behold, my elder daughter Merab, her will I give should kill David. thee to wife: only be thou valiant for me, 2 But Jonathan Saul's son delighted and fight the LORD's battles. For Saul much in David: and Jonathan told David, said, Let not mine hand be upon him, but saying, Saul my father seeketh to kill thee: let the hand of the Philistines be upon him. now therefore, I pray thee, take heed to 18 And David said unto Saul, Who air I? and what is my life, or my father's family in Israel, that I should be son-inlaw to the king? thyself until the morning, and abide in a secret place, and hide thyself: 3 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 19 But it came to pass at the time when Merab Saul's daughter should have been what I see, that I will tell thee. 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 pleased him. 4 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: 21 And Saul said, I will give him her, that she may be a snare to him, and that 5 For he did put his life in his hand, and the hand of the Philistines may be against slew the Philistine, and the LORD wrought him. Wherefore Saul said to David, a great salvation for all Israel: thou sawest Thou shalt this day be my son-in-law, in it, and didst rejoice: wherefore then wilt the one of the twain. thou sin against innocent blood, to slay 22 And Saul commanded his servants, David without a cause? saying, Commune with David secretly, 6 And Saul hearkened unto the voice of and say, Behold, the king hath delight in Jonathan: and Saul sware, As the LORD thee, and all his servants love thee: now liveth, he shall not be slain. therefore be the king's son-in-law. 7 And Jonathan called David, and Jo 23 And Saul's servants spake those nathan shewed him all those things. And words in the ears of David. And David Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he said, Seemeth it to you a light thing to be was in his presence, as in times past. a king's son-in-law, seeing that I am a poor man, and lightly esteemed? 8 And there was war again: and David went out, and fought with the Philis 24 And the servants of Saul told him, tines, and slew them with a great slaughsaying, On this manner spake David. ter; and they fled from him. 25 And Saul said, Thus shall ye say to 9 And the evil spirit from the LORD was David, the king desireth not any dowry, upon Saul, as he sat in his house with his but a hundred foreskins of the Philistines, javelin in his hand: and David played with to be avenged of the king's enemies. But his hand. Saul thought to make David fall by the 10 And Saul sought to smite David even hand of the Philistines. to the wall with the javelin; but he slipped 26 And when his servants told David away out of Saul's presence, and he smote these words, it pleased David well to be the javelin into the wall: and David fled, the king's son-in-law: and the days were and escaped that night. not expired. 11 Saul also sent messengers unto Da 27 Wherefore David arose and went, vid's house, to watch him, and to slay him he and his men, and slew of the Philistines in the morning: and Michal David's wife two hundred men; and David brought told him, saying, If thou save not thy life their foreskins, and they gave them in to-night, to-morrow thou shalt be slain. full tale to the king, that he might be the 12 So Michal let David down through David and Jonathan consult. CHAP. XX. They renew their covenant. a window: and he went, and fled, and and as thy soul liveth, there is but a step escaped. between me and death. 13 And Michal took an image, and laid 4 Then said Jonathan unto David, it in the bed, and put a pillow of goats' hair Whatsoever thy soul desireth, I will even for his bolster, and covered it with a do it for thee. cloth. 5 And David said unto Jonathan, Be14 And when Saul sent messengers to hold, to-morrow is the new-moon, and I take David, she said, He is sick. should not fail to sit with the king at meat: 15 And Saul sent the messengers again but let me go, that I may hide myself in to see David, saying, Bring him up to me the field unto the third day at even. in the bed, that I may slay him. 6 If thy father at all miss me, then say, David earnestly asked leave of me, that he might run to Beth-lehem his city: for there is a yearly sacrifice there for all the family. 16 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 7 If he say thus, It is well; thy servant hast thou deceived me so, and sent away shall have peace: but if he be very wroth, mine enemy, that he is escaped? And Mi- then be sure that evil is determined by him. chal answered Saul, He said unto me, Let 8 Therefore thou shalt deal kindly with thy servant; for thou hast brought thy ser me go; why should I kill thee? 18 So David fed, and escaped, and vant into a covenant of the LORD with came to Samuel to Ramah, and told him thee: notwithstanding, if there be in me all that Saul had done to him. And he and iniquity, slay me thyself; for why shouldSamuel went and dwelt in Naioth. est thou bring me to thy father? 19 And it was told Saul, saying, Behold, David is at Naioth in Ramah. 9 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? 20 And Saul sent messengers to take David: and when they saw the company of the prophets prophesying, and Samuel 10 Then said David to Jonathan, Who standing as appointed over them, the Spi- shall tell me? or what if thy father answer rit of God was upon the messengers of thee roughly? Saul, and they also prophesied. 11 And Jonathan said unto David, 21 And when it was told Saul, he sent Come, and let us go out into the field. And other messengers, and they prophesied they went out both of them into the field. likewise. And Saul sent messengers again 12 And Jonathan said unto David, O the third time, and they prophesied also. LORD God of Israel, when I have sounded 22 Then went he also to Ramah, and my father about to-morrow any time, or came to a great well that is in Sechu: and the third day, and behold, if there be good he asked and said, Where are Samuel and toward David, and I then send not unto David? And one said, Behold, they be at Naioth in Ramah. 23 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. 24 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? CHAP. XX. A thee, and shew it thee; 13 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. 14 And thou shalt not only while yet I live shew me the kindness of the LORD, that I die not: 15 But also thou shalt not cut off thy kindness from my house for ever: no, not ND David fled from Naioth in Ramah, when the LORD hath cut off the enemies of and came and said before Jonathan, David every one from the face of the earth. What have I done? what is mine iniquity? 16 So Jonathan made a covenant with and what is my sin before thy father, that the house of David, saying, Let the LORD he seeketh my life? even require it at the hand of David's enemies. 17 And Jonathan caused David to swear again, because he loved him: for he 18 Then Jonathan said to David, To 2 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 loved him as he loved his own soul. hide this thing from me? it is not so. 3 And David sware moreover, and said, morrow is the new-moon: and thou shalt Thy father certainly knoweth that I have be missed, because thy seat will be empty. found grace in thine eyes; and he saith, 19 And when thou hast stayed three Let not Jonathan know this, lest he be days, then thou shalt go down quickly, grieved: But truly as the LORD liveth, and come to the place where thou didst 245 I. SAMUEL. David goes to Ahimelech. Saul seeks to kill Jonathan. hide thyself when the business was in for David, because his father had done hand, and shalt remain by the stone Ezel. him shame. 20 And I will shoot three arrows on the 35 And it came to pass in the mornside thereof, as though I shot at a mark. ing, that Jonathan went out into the field 21 And behold, I will send a lad, say- at the time appointed with David, and a ing, Go, find out the arrows. If I ex-little lad with him. pressly say unto the lad, Behold, the ar- 36 And he said unto his lad, Run, find rows are on this side of thee, take them; out now the arrows which I shoot. And as then come thou: for there is peace to thee, the lad ran, he shot an arrow, beyond him. and no hurt; as the Lord liveth. 37 And when the lad was come to the 22 But if I say thus unto the young man, place of the arrow which Jonathan had Behold, the arrows are beyond thee; go shot, Jonathan cried after the lad, and thy way: for the Lord hath sent thee away. said, Is not the arrow beyond thee? 23 And as touching the matter which 38 And Jonathan cried after the lad, 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 king sat him down to eat meat. 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 25 And the king sat upon his seat, as at other times, even upon a seat by the his lad, and said unto him, Go, carry them wall: and Jonathan arose, and Abner sat by to the city. Saul's side, and David's place was empty. 41 And as soon as the lad was gone, 26 Nevertheless Saul spake not any David arose out of a place toward the thing that day: for he thought, Something south, and fell on his face to the ground, hath befallen him, he is not clean; surely and bowed himself three times: and they he is not clean. kissed one another, and wept one with 27 And it came to pass on the morrow, another, until David exceeded. which was the second day of the month, 42 And Jonathan said to David, Go in that David's place was empty: and Saul peace, forasmuch as we have sworn both said unto Jonathan his son, Wherefore of us in the name of the LORD, saying, cometh not the son of Jesse to meat, neither yesterday, nor to-day? 28 And Jonathan answered Saul, David earnestly asked leave of me to go to Beth-lehem: 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. CHAP. XXI. THEN came David to Nob to Ahime 29 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 afraid at the meeting of David, and said be there: and now if I have found favour unto him, Why art thou alone, and no man in thine eyes, let me get away, I pray thee, with thee? and see my brethren. Therefore he co- 2 And David said unto Ahimelech the meth not unto the king's table. priest, The king hath commanded me a 30 Then Saul's anger was kindled business, and hath said unto me, Let no against Jonathan, and he said unto him, man know any thing of the business whereThou son of the perverse rebellious wo- about I send thee, and what I have comman, do not I know that thou hast chosen manded thee and I have appointed my the son of Jesse to thine own confusion, servants to such and such a place. and unto the confusion of thy mother's 3 Now therefore what is under thine nakedness? hand? give me five loaves of bread in mine 31 For as long as the son of Jesse liveth hand, or what there is present. upon the ground, thou shalt not be esta- 4. And the priest answered David, and blished, nor thy kingdom. Wherefore now said, There is no common bread under send and fetch him unto me, for he shall mine hand, but there is hallowed bread; if surely die. the young men have kept themselves at 32 And Jonathan answered Saul his fa- least from women. ther, and said unto him, Wherefore shall 5 And David answered the priest, and he be slain? what hath he done? 33 And Saul cast a javelin at him to smite him: whereby Jonathan knew that it was determined of his father to slay Da vid. said unto him, Of a truth women have been sancti 34 So Jonathan arose from the table in fierce anger, and did eat no meat the se- 6 So the priest gave him hallowed bread: cond day of the month: for he was grieved for there was no bread there but the shew 246 |