feed his father's sheep at Beth-lehem. 16 And the Philistine drew near morning and evening, and presented himself 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 carry them quickly to 18 the camp to thy brethren; and bring! 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, 1were in the vale of Elah, 20 fighting with the Philistines. 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 21 place of the wagons, as the host which was going forth to the fight (21 shouted for the battle. And1 Israel

and the Philistines put the battle in 22 array, army against army. °And David left his baggage in the hand of the keeper of the baggagel, and ran to the army, and came and 23 saluted his brethren. And as he talked with them, behold, there came up the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, out of the ranks of the Philistines, and spake according to the same words: and David 24 heard them. And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from 25 him, and were sore afraid. 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. 26 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 27 the armies of the living God? And the people answered him after this manner, saying, So shall it be done to (28 the man that killeth him. And Eliab

his eldest brother heard when he spake unto the men; and Eliab's anger was kindled against David, and he said, Why art thou come down? 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. 29 And David said, What have I now 30 done? Is there not a cause? And he turned away from him 'toward' another, and spake after the same manner: and the people answered him again after the former manner. 31 And when the words were heard which David spake, they rehearsed them before Saul; and he sent for 32 him. And David said to Saul, Let no man's heart fail because of him; thy servant will go and fight with this 33 Philistine. 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 34 from his youth. And David said unto Saul, Thy servant kept his father's sheep; and when there came a lion, or a bear, and took (35 a lamb out of the flock, 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 36 him. Thy servant Ismotel both the lion and the bear: and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the 37 living God. And David said, 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 38 shall be with thee. "And Saul 'clad David with his 'apparel, and he put lan helmet of brass upon his head, and he 'clad' him with a coat of mail. 39 And David girded his sword upon his 'apparel, 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 "brook, and put them in the shepherd's bag which he had, even in 'his' scrip; and his sling was in his hand: and he drew near to the Philistine. 41 °And the Philistine came on and drew near unto David; and the man that 42 bare the shield went before him. And when the Philistine looked about, and saw David, he disdained him for he

7 Or, and there came a lion and a bear... and I went out &c. Or, reproachedī 9 Or, torrent bed

was but a youth, and ruddy, and 43 withal' of a fair countenance. °And the Philistine said unto David, Am I a dog, that thou comest to me with staves? And the Philistine cursed 44 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 45 of the field. Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a javelin' but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, 'which thou 46 hast 1defied. This day will the LORD Ideliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from off 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 47 a God in Israel: and that all this

assembly may know that the LORD saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the LORD's, and he will 48 give you into our hand. 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 49 the Philistine. "And David put his hand in his bag, and took thence a stone, and slang it, and smote the Philistine in his forehead; land' the stone sank into his forehead, and he fell upon his face to the 50 earth. 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 51 the hand of David. Then David ran, and stood over 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 that their 52 2champion was dead, they fled.

And the men of Israel and of Judah arose, and shouted, and pursued the Philistines, until thou comest to Gail, and to the gates of Ekron. And the wounded of the Philistines fell down by the way to Shaaraim, even unto 53 Gath, and unto Ekron. And the children of Israel returned from chasing after the Philistines, and they 54 spoiled their 'camp'. 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 said, As thy soul liveth, O king, I can56 not tell. And the king said, Inquire 57 thou 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 Philistine in his hand. 58 And Saul said to him, Whose son art thou, thou young man ? And David answered, I am the son of thy 181 servant Jesse the Beth-lehemite. 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 2 him as his own soul. 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 4 his own soul. And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was upon him, and gave it to David, and his 'apparel', even to his sword, and to his bow, and 5 to his girdle. And David "went out whithersoever Saul sent him, and behaved himself wisely: and Saul set him over the men of war, and lit was 'good' in the sight of all the people, and also in the sight of Saul's

(6

servants.

And it came to pass as they came, when David 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 timbrels, with joy, and 7 with instruments of music. And the women sang one to another 'in their play', and said,

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

8 °And Saul was very wroth, and 'this' 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? 9 And Saul eyed David from that day and forward.

10

And it came to pass on the morrow, that an evil spirit from God came

• Or, prospered

7 Or, Philistines

8 Or, Itrianglesi Or, \three-stringed\ instruments

• Or, answered one another

'mightily upon Saul, and he 1prophesied in the midst of the house : and David played with his hand, as The did day by day': and 'Saul had (11 his spear in his hand. And Saul cast the spear; for he said, I will smite David even to the wall. And David avoided out of his presence 12 twice. And Saul was afraid of David, because the LORD was with him, and 13 was 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 14 people. And David behaved him

self wisely in all his ways; and the 15 LORD was with him. And when Saul saw that he behaved himself very wisely, he stood in awe of him. 16 °But all Israel and Judah loved David; 'for 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 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 18 Philistines be upon him. 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 19 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 Mehol20 athite to wife. And Michal Saul's daughter loved David: and they told 21 Saul, and the thing 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 said to David, Thou shalt this day be my son in law 22 la second time!. 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. 23 And Saul's servants spake those

words in the ears of David. And David said, Seemeth it to you a light thing to be the king's son in law, seeing that I am a poor man, and 24 lightly esteemed? And the servants

of Saul told him, saying, On this 25 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. Now Saul thought to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines. 26 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 expired; and 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 (28 Michal his daughter to wife. And

Saul saw and knew that the LORD was with David; and Michal Saul's 29 daughter loved him. And Saul was yet the more afraid of David; and Saul was David's enemy continually.

30

191

Then the princes of the Philistines went forth and it came to pass, las often as they went forth, that David 'behaved himself more wisely than all the servants of Saul; so that his name was much "set by.

And Saul spake to Jonathan his son, and to all his servants, that they 2 should 'slay! David. But Jonathan Saul's son delighted much in David. And Jonathan told David, saying, Saul my father seeketh to slay thee: now therefore, I pray thee, take heed to thyself in the morning, and abide in (3 a secret place, and hide 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 if I see laught, 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(5 ward very good: for he put his life

in his hand, and 'smote' the Philistine, and the LORD wrought a great victory for all Israel: thou sawest it, and didst rejoice: wherefore then wilt thou sin against innocent blood, to 6 slay David without a cause? And Saul hearkened unto the voice of Jonathan and Saul sware, As the LORD liveth, he shall not be put to 7 death'. And Jonathan called David, and Jonathan shewed him all those things. And Jonathan brought David

8

to Saul, and he was in his presence, as 'beforetime'.

And there was war again and David went out, and fought with the Philistines, and slew them with a great slaughter; and they fled before him. 9 °And 1an evil spirit from the LORD was upon Saul, as he sat in his house with his 'spear in his hand; and Da10 vid played with his hand. °And Saul

sought to smite David even to the wall with the 'spear; but he slipped away out of Saul's presence, and he smote the spear into the wall: and David fled, and escaped that night. 11 And Saul 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 12 thou shalt be slain. So Michal let David down through the window: and he went, and fled, and escaped. 13 And Michal took the teraphim', and laid it in the bed, and put a 'pillow of goats' hair at the head thereof, and 14 covered it with the clothes. And when Saul sent messengers to take (15 David, she said, He is sick. °And

Saul sent the messengers to see David, saying, Bring him up to me in the 16 bed, that I may slay him. And when the messengers 'came in, behold, 'the teraphim was in the bed, with the 2pillow of goats' hair at the head 17 thereof. And Saul said unto Michal, Why hast thou deceived me thus, and let mine enemy 'gol, that he is escaped? And Michal answered Saul, He said unto me, Let me go: why should I kill thee?

18

Now 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 19 in Naioth. And it was told Saul, saying, Behold, David is at Naioth in 20 Ramah. And Saul sent messengers to take David: and when they saw the company of the prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing as 'head' over them, the spirit of God 'came upon the messengers of Saul, and 21) they also prophesied. And when it was told Saul, he sent other messengers, and they alsoꞌ prophesied. And Saul sent messengers again the third

1 Or, the spirit of the LORD was evil toward Saul

Or, quilti Or, Inetwork

22 time, and they also prophesied. Then went he also to Ramah, and came to

the great well that is in Secu: and he asked and said, Where are Samuel and David? And one said, Behold, 23 they be at Naioth in Ramah. And he went thither to Naioth in Ramah : and the spirit of God came upon him also, and he went on, and prophesied, until he came to Naioth in Ra24) mah. And he also stripped off his clothes, and he also prophesied before Samuel, and lay down naked all that day and all that night. Wherefore they say, Is Saul also among the prophets?

201

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 *2 life? And he said unto him, God forbid; thou shalt not die: behold, my father doeth nothing either great or small, but that he discloseth it Junto me: and why should my father hide this thing from me? it is not so. 3 °And David sware moreover, and said, Thy father knoweth 'well' 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 4 death. Then said Jonathan unto David, 'Whatsoever thy soul desireth, 5 I will even do it for thee. ° 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 6) at even. If thy father miss me at all, then say, David earnestly asked leave of me that he might run to Beth-lehem his city: for it is 'thel yearly sacrifice there for all the (7 family. If he say thus, It is well; thy servant shall have peace: but if he be wroth, then know that evil is (8 determined by him. Therefore deal kindly with thy servant; for thou hast brought thy servant into a covenant of the LORD with thee: 'but if there be in me iniquity, slay me thyself; for why shouldest thou bring me to 9 thy father? And Jonathan said, Far

be it from thee: for if I should at all know that evil were determined by my father to come upon thee, then 10 would not I tell it thee? Then said David to Jonathan, Who shall tell me if 'perchance thy father answer thee 11 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.

(12) And Jonathan said unto David, The LORD, the God of Israel, be witness'; when I have sounded my father about this time to-morrow, or the third day, behold, if there be good toward David, 'shall I not then send unto thee, and 'disclose it unto thee? 13) The LORD 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 mayes go in peace: and the LORD be with thee, as he hath been 14 with my father. 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 when the LORD hath cut off the enemies of David every one from 16 the face of the earth. So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, 'And the LORD 'shall' require it at the hand of David's ene17 mies. And Jonathan caused David to swear again, "for the love that' he had to him: for he loved him as he 18 loved his own soul. Then Jonathan said 'unto him', To-morrow is the new moon: and thou shalt be missed, be(19 cause 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 20 stone Ezel. And I will shoot three

arrows on the side thereof, as though (21 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, 22 as the LORD liveth. But if I say thus unto the boy', Behold, the arrows are beyond thee: go thy way; for the LORD hath sent thee away.

1 Or, by his love toward him

Heb. missed. Heb. greatly.

23 °And as touching the matter which thou and I have spoken of, behold, the LORD is 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. 25 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 26 David's place was empty. °Nevertheless Saul spake not any thing that day: for he thought, Something hath befallen him, he is not clean: surely 27) 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 28 to-day? And Jonathan answered

ren.

Saul, David earnestly asked leave of 29 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 brethTherefore he is not come 30 unto the king's table. Then Saul's anger was kindled against Jonathan, and he said unto him, Thou son of la 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 na31 kedness? For as long as the son of Jesse liveth upon the ground, thou shalt not be stablished, nor thy kingdom. Wherefore now send and fetch him unto me, for he shall surely 32 die. And Jonathan answered Saul his father, and said unto him, Wherefore should he be put to death? 33 what hath he done? And Saul cast This spear at him to smite him: whereby Jonathan knew that it was determined of his father to 'put' Da34 vid to death. 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.

• Or, thim

Heb. not any thing.

8 Or, is worthy to die Heb. is a son of death.