for if I should at all know 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 if perchance thy father answer thee roughly?" And Jonathan said unto David, "Come, and let us go out into the field." And they went out both of them into the field.

And Jonathan said unto David, "Jehovah, the God of Israel, be witness: when I have sounded my father about this time tomorrow, or the third day, behold, if there be good toward David, shall I not then send unto thee, and disclose it unto thee? Jehovah do so to Jonathan, and more also, should it please my father to do thee evil, if I disclose it not unto thee, and send thee away, that thou mayest go in peace: and Jehovah be with thee, as he hath been with my father. And thou shalt not only while yet I live show me the lovingkindness of Jehovah, that I die not; but also thou shalt not cut off thy kindness from my house for ever; no, not when Jehovah hath cut off the enemies of David every one from the face of the earth." So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, "And Jehovah will require it at the hand of David's enemies."

And Jonathan caused David to swear again, for the love that he had to him; for he loved him as he loved his own soul. Then Jonathan said unto him, "Tomorrow is the new moon: and thou wilt be missed, because thy seat will be empty. And when thou hast stayed three days, 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. And I will shoot three arrows on the side thereof, as though I shot at a mark. And, behold, I will send the lad, saying, 'Go, find the arrows.' If I say unto the lad, 'Behold, the

arrows are on this side of thee;' take them, and come; for there is peace to thee and no hurt, as Jehovah liveth. But if I say thus unto the boy, 'Behold, the arrows are beyond thee;' go thy way; for Jehovah hath sent thee away. And as touching the matter which thou and I have spoken of, behold, Jehovah is between thee and me for ever."

So David hid himself in the field; and when the new moon was come, the king sat him down to eat food. And the king sat upon his seat, as at other times, even upon the seat by the wall; and Jonathan stood up, and Abner sat by Saul's side: but David's place was empty. Nevertheless Saul spake not anything that day: for he thought, 66 Something hath befallen him, he is not clean; surely he is not clean." And it came to pass on the morrow after the new moon, which was the second day, 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 today?" And Jonathan answered Saul, "David earnestly asked 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 favor in thine eyes, let me get away, I pray thee, and see my brethren.' Therefore he is not come unto the king's table."

Then Saul's anger was kindled against Jonathan, and he said unto him, "Thou son of a perverse rebellious woman, do not I know that thou hast chosen the son of Jesse to thine own shame, and unto the shame of thy mother's nakedness? For as long as the son of Jesse

1. At a religious festival such as this, only those who were ceremonially clean could participate. Saul suspected that David had done something that by the Mosaic law would render him ceremonially unclean. (See Leviticus vii, 20, 21.)

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." And Jonathan answered Saul his father, and said unto him, "Wherefore should he be put to death? what hath he done?" And Saul cast his spear at him to smite him; whereby Jonathan knew that it was determined of his father to put David to death. So Jonathan arose from the table in fierce anger, and did eat no food the second day of the month; for he was grieved for David, because his father had done him shame.

And it came to pass in the morning, that Jonathan went out into the field at the time appointed with David, and a little lad with him. And he said unto his lad, "Run, find now the arrows which I shoot." And as the lad ran, he shot an arrow beyond him. And when the lad was come to the place of the arrow which Jonathan had shot, Jonathan cried after the lad, and said, "Is not the arrow beyond thee?" And Jonathan cried after the lad, "Make speed, haste, stay not." And Jonathan's lad gathered up the arrows, and came to his master. But the lad knew not anything: only Jonathan and David knew the matter. And Jonathan gave his weapons unto his lad, and said unto him, "Go, carry them to the city." And as soon as the lad was gone, David arose out of a place toward the 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.1 And Jonathan said to David, "Go in peace, forasmuch as we have sworn both of us in the name of Jehovah, saying, 'Jehovah shall be between me and thee, and between my seed and thy seed, forever."" And he arose and departed: and Jonathan went into the city.

1. Was overcome.

LXI

DAVID SPARES SAUL'S LIFE

(I Samuel xxiv: 1-22; xxvi: 2-7)

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 En-gedi." Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went to seek David and his men upon the rocks of the wild goats. And he came to the sheepcotes by the way, where was a cave: and Saul went in to cover his feet.1 Now David and his men were abiding in the innermost parts of the cave. And the men of David said unto him, "Behold, the day of which Jehovah said unto thee, 'Behold, I will deliver thine enemy into thy hand, and thou shalt do to him as it shall seem good unto thee."" Then David arose, and cut off the skirt of Saul's robe privily. And it came to pass afterward, that David's heart smote him, because he had cut off Saul's skirt. And he said unto his men, 66 Jehovah forbid that I should do this thing unto my lord, Jehovah's anointed, to put forth my hand against him, seeing he is Jehovah's anointed." So David checked his men with these words, and suffered them not to rise against Saul. And Saul rose up out of the cave, and went on his way.

David also arose afterward, and went out of the cave, and cried after Saul, saying, "My lord the king." And when Saul looked behind him, David bowed with his face to the earth, and did obeisance. And David said to Saul, "Wherefore hearkenest thou to men's words, saying, ‘Behold, David seeketh thy hurt?' Behold, this day thine eyes have seen how that Jehovah had delivered thee today into my hand in the cave: and some bade me kill

1. To sleep.

thee; but mine eye spared thee; and I said, 'I will not put forth my hand against my lord; for he is Jehovah's anointed.' 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 my hand, and I have not sinned against thee, though thou huntest after my life to take it. Jehovah judge between me and thee, and Jehovah avenge me of thee; but my hand shall not be upon thee. As saith the proverb of the ancients, 'Out of the wicked cometh forth wickedness;' but my hand shall not be upon thee. After whom is the king of Israel come out? after whom dost thou pursue? after a dead dog, after a flea. Jehovah therefore be judge, and give sentence between me and thee, and see, and plead my cause, and deliver me out of thy hand."

66

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. And he said to David, Thou art more righteous than I; for thou hast rendered unto me good, whereas I have rendered unto thee evil. And thou hast declared this day how that thou hast dealt well with me, forasmuch as when Jehovah had delivered me up into thy hand, thou killedst me not. For if a man find his enemy, will he let him go well away? wherefore Jehovah reward thee good for that which thou hast done unto me this day. And now, behold, I know that thou shalt surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in thy hand. Swear now therefore unto me by Jehovah, that thou wilt not cut off my seed after me, and that thou wilt not destroy my name out of my father's house." And David sware unto Saul. And Saul went home; but David and his men gat them up unto the stronghold.