day that I should not cleave unto the inheritance of Jehovah, saying, 'Go, serve other gods.' Now therefore, let not my blood fall to the earth away from the presence of Jehovah: for the king of Israel is come out to seek a flea, as when one doth hunt a partridge in 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." And David answered and said, "Behold the spear, O king! let then one of the young men come over and fetch it. And Jehovah will render to every man his righteousness and his faithfulness; forasmuch as Jehovah delivered thee into my hand today, and I would not put forth my hand against Jehovah's 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 Jehovah, and let him deliver me out of all tribulation." 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.

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 will despair of me, to seek me any more in all the borders of Israel: so shall 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 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 Carmelitess, Nabal's wife. And it was told Saul that David was fled to Gath: and he sought no more again for him.

LXIII

SAUL'S VISIT TO THE WITCH OF ENDOR (I Samuel xxviii:3-25)

1

Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had lamented him, and buried him in Ramah, even in his own city. And Saul had put away those that had familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land. And the Philistines gathered themselves together, and came and encamped in Shunem ; and Saul gathered all Israel together, and they encamped in Gilboa. And when Saul saw the host of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart trembled greatly. And when Saul inquired of Jehovah, Jehovah answered him not, neither by dreams, nor by Urim,2 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 familiar spirit at En-dor."

And 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 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?" And Saul sware to her by Jehovah, saying, "As Jehovah liveth, there shall no punishment happen to thee for this thing." Then said the woman, "Whom shall I bring up unto thee?" And he said, "Bring me up Samuel." And when the

1. Persons claiming power to communicate with departed spirits. 2. See note on page 141.

woman saw Samuel, she cried with a loud voice; and the woman spake to Saul, saying, "Why hast thou deceived me? for thou 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 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 robe." And Saul perceived that it was Samuel, and he bowed with his face to the ground, 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." And Samuel said, "Wherefore then dost thou ask of me, seeing Jehovah is departed from thee, and is become thine adversary? And Jehovah hath done unto thee, as he spake by me: and Jehovah hath rent the kingdom out of thy hand, and given it to thy neighbor, even to David. Because thou obeyedst not the voice of Jehovah, and didst not execute his fierce wrath upon Amalek, therefore hath Jehovah done this thing unto thee this day. Moreover Jehovah will deliver Israel also with thee into the hand of the Philistines; and tomorrow shalt thou and thy sons be with me:1 Jehovah will deliver the host of Israel also into the hand of the Philistines."

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, nor all the night. And the woman came unto Saul, and saw that he was sore troubled, and said unto him, "Behold, thy handmaid hath hearkened

1. In the state of the dead.

unto thy voice, and I have put my life in my hand, and have hearkened unto thy words which thou spakest unto me. Now therefore, I pray thee, hearken thou also unto the voice of thy handmaid, and let me set a morsel of bread before thee; and eat, that thou mayest have strength, 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 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 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.

LXIV

THE DEATH OF SAUL AND OF HIS THREE

SONS

(I Samuel xxxi: 1–6)

Now the Philistines fought against Israel: and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell down slain in mount Gilboa. And the Philistines followed hard upon Saul and upon his sons; and the Philistines slew Jonathan, and Abinadab, and Malchi-shua, the sons of Saul. And the battle went sore against Saul, and the archers overtook him; and he was greatly distressed by reason of the archers. Then said Saul to his armorbearer, "Draw thy sword, and thrust me through therewith, lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and abuse me." But his armorbearer would not; for he was sore afraid. Therefore Saul took his sword, and fell upon it. And when his armorbearer saw

that Saul was dead, he likewise fell upon his sword, and Idied with him. So Saul died, and his three sons, and his armorbearer, and all his men, that same day together.

LXV

DAVID'S LAMENT FOR SAUL AND JONATHAN

(II Samuel i: 17-27)

And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son (and he bade them teach the children of Judah the song of the bow: behold, it is written in the book of Jashar):

Thy glory, O Israel, is slain upon thy high places!
How are the mighty fallen!

Tell it not in Gath,

Publish it not in the streets of Ashkelon:

Lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice,

Lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph.
Ye mountains of Gilboa,

Let there be no dew nor rain upon you, neither fields of offerings:

For there the shield of the mighty was vilely cast away, The shield of Saul, not anointed with oil.

From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the mighty, The bow of Jonathan turned not back,

And the sword of Saul returned not empty.

Saul and Jonathan were lovely and pleasant in their lives, And in their death they were not divided:

They were swifter than eagles,

They were stronger than lions.

Ye daughters of Israel, weep over Saul,
Who clothed you in scarlet delicately,

Who put ornaments of gold upon your apparel.