thy soul, yet the soul of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of life with the LORD thy God; and the souls of thine enemies, them shall he sling out, 30 as 'from the 'hollow of a sling. And it shall come to pass, when the LORD shall have done to my lord according to all the good that he hath spoken concerning thee, and shall have ap31 pointed thee 'prince' over Israel; that

this shall be no grief unto thee, nor offence of heart unto my lord, either that thou hast shed blood causeless, or that my lord hath avenged himself: land' when the LORD shall have dealt well with my lord, then remember 32 thine handmaid. "And David said to Abigail, Blessed be the LORD, 'the' God of Israel, which sent thee this 33 day to meet me: and blessed be thy #wisdom, and blessed be thou, which hast kept me this day from bloodguiltiness', and from avenging myself 34 with mine own hand. "For in very deed, as the LORD, the God of Israel, liveth, which hath withholden' me from hurting thee, except thou hadst hasted and come to meet me, surely there had not been left unto Nabal by the morning light 'so much 35 as one man child'. So David received of her hand that which she had brought him and he said unto her, Go up in peace to thine house; see, I have hearkened to thy voice, and have 36 accepted thy person. And Abigail came to Nabal; and, behold, he held a feast in his house, like the feast of a king; and Nabal's heart was merry within him, for he was very drunken: wherefore she told him nothing, less or more, until the morning light. (37) And it came to pass in the morning, when the wine was gone out of Nabal, that his wife told him these things, and his heart died within him, and he 38 became as a stone. 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 'back' his servant from evil: and the 'evil-doing of Nabal hath the LORD returned upon his own head. And David sent and "spake

concerning Abigail, to take her to 40 him to wife. And when the servants of David were come to Abigail to Carmel, they spake unto her, saying, David hath sent us unto thee, to 41 take thee to him to wife. And she arose, and bowed herself with her face to the earth, and said, Behold, thine handmaid is 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 followed her; and she went after the messengers of David, 43 and became his wife. David also took Ahinoam of Jezreel; and they 'became both of them his wives. 44 Now! Saul had given Michal his daughter, David's wife, to iPalti1 the son of Laish, which was of Gallim.

261 And the Ziphites came unto Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doth not David hide himself in the hill of Hachilah, 2 which is before the desert'? Then

Saul arose, and went down to the wilderness of Ziph, having three thousand chosen men of Israel with him, to seek David in the wilderness of 3 Ziph. And Saul pitched in the hill of Hachilah, which is before the desert', by the way. But David abode in the wilderness, and he saw that Saul came after him into the wilder4 ness. David therefore sent out spies, and understood that Saul was come 5 of a certainty'. And David arose, and came to the place where Saul had pitched and David beheld the place where Saul lay, and Abner the son of Ner, the captain of his host and Saul lay within the "place of the wagons, and the people pitched round 6 about him. 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 7 thee. So David and Abishai came to the people by night: and, behold, Saul lay sleeping within the place of the wagons, with his spear stuck in the ground at his head: and Abner and the people lay round about (8 him. Then said Abishai to David, God hath delivered up' thine enemy into thine hand this day: now there

fore let me smite him, I pray thee, with the spear to the earth at lone stroke', and I will not smite him the 9 second time. And David said to Abishai, Destroy him not: for who can put forth his hand against the LORD'S anointed, and be guiltless? 10 And David said, As the LORD liveth, the LORD shall smite him; 1or his day shall come to die; or he shall go down' into battle, and perish. (11) The LORD forbid that I should 'put' forth mine hand against the LORD'S anointed but now take, I pray thee, the spear that is at his 'head', and the 12 cruse of water, and let us go. °So David took the spear and the cruse of water from Saul's 'head'; and they gat them away, and no man saw it, nor knew it, neither did any awakel: for they were all asleep; because a deep sleep from the LORD was fallen 13 upon them. "Then David went over

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to the other side, and stood on the top of the mountain' afar off; a great 14 space being between them: 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 15 that criest to the king? And David said to Abner, Art not thou a valiant man? and who is like to thee in Israel? wherefore then hast thou not kept watch over thy lord the king? for there came one of the people in to 16 destroy the king thy lord.

°This

thing is not good that thou hast done. As the LORD liveth, ye are 2worthy to die, because ye have not kept watch over your lord', the LORD'S anointed. And now, see, where the king's spear is, and the cruse of water 17 that was at his head'. 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, Wherefore doth my lord pursue after his servant? for what have I done? or what evil is 19 in mine hand? "Now therefore, I pray thee, let my lord the king hear the words of his servant. If it bel the LORD that hath stirred thee up against me, let him accept an offering: but if it be the children of men, cursed be they before the LORD; for they have driven me out this day that

I should not cleave unto the inheritance of the LORD, saying, Go, serve 20 other gods. Now therefore, let not my blood fall to the earth laway from the 'presence of the LORD: for the king of Israel is come out to seek a flea, as when one doth hunt a partridge in 21 the mountains. "Then said Saul, I have sinned: return, my son David: for I will no more do thee harm, because my life was precious in thine eyes this day behold, I have played the fool, and have erred exceedingly. 22 And David answered and said, Be

hold the spear, O king! let 'then' one of the young men come over and 23 fetch it. And the LORD shall' render to every man his righteousness and his faithfulness: forasmuch as the LORD delivered thee into my hand to-day, and I would not put forth mine hand against the LORD'S 24 anointed. And, behold, as thy life was much set by this day in mine eyes, so let my life be much set by in the eyes of the LORD, and let him deliver me out of all tribulation. (25 °Then Saul said to David, Blessed be thou, my son David: thou shalt both do mightily, and shalt surely! prevail. So David went his way, and Saul returned to his place.

27(1 And David said in his heart, I shall

now perish one day by the hand of Saul: there is nothing better for me than that I should escape into the land of the Philistines; and Saul shall despair of me, to seek me any more in all the borders of Israel: so shall 2) I escape out of his hand. ° And David arose, and passed over, he

and the six hundred men that were with him, unto Achish the son of 3 Maoch, king of Gath. 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 4 Carmelitess, Nabal's wife. And it was told Saul that David was fled to Gath: and he sought no more again for him.

5)

And David said unto Achish, If now I have found grace in thine eyes, let them give me a place in lone of the cities 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 unto the kings of Judah unto this day. 7 And the number of the days! that David dwelt in the country of the Philistines was a full year and four 8) months. And David and his men went up, and 'made a raid upon the Geshurites, and the Girzites', and the Amalekites: for those nations were the inhabitants of the land, 3 which were of old, as thou goest to Shur, even unto the land of Egypt. 9 And David smote the land, and Isaved neither man nor woman alive, and took away the sheep, and the oxen, and the asses, and the camels, and the apparel; and he returned, 10 and came to Achish. And Achish said, 'Whither have ye made a 'raid' 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 them!' to Gath, saying, Lest they should tell on us, saying, So did David, and so hath been his manner all the while he hath dwelt in the country of the 12 Philistines. "And Achish believed David, saying, He hath made his people Israel utterly to abhor him; therefore he shall be my servant for

listines, he was afraid, and his heart 6 trembled greatly. And when Saul inquired of the LORD, the LORD answered him not, neither by dreams, 7 nor by Urim, nor by prophets. Then said Saul unto 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 8) familiar spirit at En-dor. oAnd Saul disguised himself, and put on other raiment, and went, he and two men with him, and they came to the woman by night: and he said, Divine unto me, I pray thee, by the familiar spirit, and bring me up whomsoever! 9 I shall name unto thee. And the woman said unto 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: wherefore then layest thou a snare for my life, to cause me to die? 10 And Saul sware to her by the LORD, saying, As the LORD liveth, there shall no punishment happen to thee 11 for this thing. Then said the woman, Whom shall I bring up unto thee? And he said, Bring me up 12 Samuel. And when the woman saw Samuel, she cried with a loud voice: and the woman spake to Saul, saying, Why hast thou deceived me? for thou 13 art Saul. And the king said unto her, Be not afraid: for what 'seest! thou? And the woman said unto Saul, I see a god coming up! out of 14 the earth. And he said unto her, What form is he of? And she said, An old man cometh up; and he is covered with a 'robel. And Saul perceived that it was Samuel, and he bowed with his face to the ground, 15 and did obeisance!. And Samuel said to Saul, Why hast thou disquieted me, to bring me up? And Saul answered, I am sore distressed; for the Philistines make war against me, and God is departed from me, and answereth me no more, neither by prophets, nor by dreams: therefore I have called thee, that thou mayest make known unto me what I shall do. 16)° And Samuel said, Wherefore then dost thou ask of me, seeing the LORD is departed from thee, and is become 17 thine adversary1? And the LORD

Or, guilt come upon thee
Or, gods

The Sept. has, is on the side of thy neighbour.

hath wrought for himself', as he spake by me: and the LORD hath rent the kingdom out of thine hand, and given it to thy neighbour, even 18 to David. "Because thou obeyedst not the voice of the LORD, 'and didst "not execute his fierce wrath upon Amalek, therefore hath the LORD done this thing unto thee this day. 19) Moreover the LORD will deliver Israel also with thee into the hand of the Philistines: and to-morrow shalt thou and thy sons be with me: the LORD shall deliver the host of Israel also into the hand of the Philistines. 20 Then Saul fell straightway 'his full length upon the earth, and was sore afraid, because of the words of Samuel: and there was no strength in him; for he had eaten no bread all the day, 21 nor all the night. And the woman came unto Saul, and saw that he was sore troubled, and said unto him, Behold, thine handmaid hath hearkened unto thy voice, and I have put my life in my hand, and have hearkened unto thy words which thou 22 spakest unto me. "Now therefore, I pray thee, hearken thou also unto the voice of thine handmaid, and let me set a morsel of bread before thee; and eat, that thou mayest have strength, 23 when thou goest on thy way. °But he refused, and said, I will not eat. But his servants, together with the woman, constrained him; and he hearkened unto their voice. So he arose from the earth, and sat upon 24 the bed. "And the woman had a fatted calf in the house; and she hasted, and killed it; and she took flour, and kneaded it, and did bake 25 unleavened bread thereof and she brought it before Saul, and before his servants; and they did eat. Then they rose up, and went away that night.

291 Now the Philistines gathered together all their 'hosts to Aphek: and the Israelites pitched by the fountain 2 which is in Jezreel. And the lords of the Philistines passed on by hundreds, and by thousands: 'and' David and his men passed on in the rear3 ward with Achish. Then said the princes of the Philistines, What do these Hebrews here? And Achish said unto the princes of the Philistines, Is not this David, the servant of Saul the king of Israel, which hath

been with me these days or these years, and I have found no fault in him since he fell away unto me unto 4 this day? But the princes of the Philistines were wroth with him; and the princes of the Philistines said unto him, Make the man' return, that he may go back to his place where thou hast appointed him, and let him not go down with us to battle, lest in the battle he 'become an adversary to us for wherewith should this fellow reconcile himself unto his lord? should it not be with the 5 heads of these men? Is not this David, of whom they sang one to another in dances, saying,

Saul hath slain' his thousands,

And David his ten thousands?

(6 °Then Achish called David, and said unto him, As the LORD liveth, thou hast been upright, and thy going out and thy coming in with me in the host is good in my sight: for I have not found evil in thee since the day of thy coming unto me unto this day: nevertheless the lords favour thee 7 not. Wherefore now return, and go in peace, that thou displease not the 8 lords of the Philistines. And David said unto Achish, But what have I done? and what hast thou found in thy servant so long as I have been 'before thee unto this day, that I may not go and fight against the enemies 9 of my lord the king? 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 bat10) tle. Wherefore now rise up early in the morning with the servants of thy lord that are come with thee: and as soon as ye be up early in the 11) morning, and have light, depart. °So David rose up early, he and his men, to depart in the morning, to return into the land of the Philistines. And the Philistines went up to Jezreel. 301 And it came to pass, when David and his men were come to Ziklag on the third day, that the Amalekites had made a raid upon the South, and upon Ziklag, and 'had' smitten (2) Ziklag, and 'burned it with fire; and had taken captivel the women 'and all that were therein, 'both small 'and' great: they slew not any, but carried them off, and went their way.

3)°And 'when' David and his men came to the city, behold, it was 'burned' with fire; and their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, were taken 4 captives. Then David and the people that were with him lifted up their voice and wept, until they had no 5 more power to weep. And David's two wives were taken captives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the 6 wife of Nabal the Carmelite. And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters but David 'strengthened' himself in the LORD his God.

7

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And David said to Abiathar the priest, the son of Ahimelech, I pray thee, bring me hither the ephod. And Abiathar brought thither the 8 ephod to David. And David inquired of the LORD, saying, "If I pursue after this troop, shall I overtake them? And he answered him, Pursue: for thou shalt surely overtake them, and 'shalt without fail re9 cover all. So David went, he and the six hundred men that were with him, and came to the brook Besor, where those that were left behind 10 stayed. But David pursued, he and four hundred men: for two hundred Istayed behind, which were so faint that they could not go over the brook 11) Besor: and they found an Egyptian in the field, and brought him to David, and gave him bread, and he did eat; and they gave him water Itol 12 drink: and they gave him a piece of a cake of figs, and two clusters of raisins; and when he had eaten, his spirit came again to him: for he had eaten no bread, nor drunk any water, 13 three days and three nights. And David said unto 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 14 days agone I fell sick. We made la raid! upon the South of the Cherethites, and upon 'that' which belongeth to Judah, and upon the South of Caleb; and we burned' Ziklag with 15 fire. And David said to him, 'Wilt thou bring me down to this troop'? And he said, Swear unto me by God, that thou wilt neither kill me, nor

1 Or, Shall I pursue 3 Or, Iwith 2 Or, lamidstĺ

о

deliver me up into the hands of my master, and I will bring thee down 16 to this troop'. And when he had brought him down, behold, they were spread abroad lover all the ground', eating and drinking, and feasting", 2because of all the great spoil that they had taken out of the land of the Philistines, and out of the land 17 of Judah. And David smote them from the twilight even unto the evening of the next day: and there escaped not a man of them, save four hundred young men, which rode upon 18 camels and fled. "And David recovered all that the Amalekites had Itaken and David rescued his two 19 wives. And there was nothing lacking to them, neither small nor great, neither sons nor daughters, neither spoil, nor any thing that they had taken to them: David brought back' 20 all. And David took all the flocks and the herds, which they drave before those other cattle, and said, 21) This is David's spoil. And David came to the two hundred men, which were so faint that they could not follow David, whom also they had made 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 22 the people, he 'saluted them. Then answered all the wicked men and "men of Belial, of 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 23 them away, and depart. Then said David, Ye shall not do so, my brethren, with that which the LORD hath given unto us, who hath preserved us, and delivered the troop that came 24 against us into our hand. And who will hearken unto you in this matter? 'for as his 'share' is that goeth down to the battle, so shall his 'share' be that tarrieth by the stuff: they shall 25 share alike. And it was so from that day forward, that he made it a statute and an ordinance for Israel, unto this day.

26

And when David came to Ziklag, he sent of the spoil unto the elders of Judah, even to his friends, saying, Behold a 'present for you of the spoil of the

5