Saul acknowledges his fault.

CHAP. XXV.

The death of Samuel vid arose, and cut off the skirt of Saul's thou shalt surely be king, and that the kingrobe privily. dom of Israel shall be established in thine

5 And it came to pass afterward, that hand. David's heart smote him, because he had cut off Saul's skirt.

6 And he said unto his men, The LORD forbid that I should do this thing unto my master, the LORD's anointed, to stretch forth mine hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the LORD.

7 So David stayed his servants with these

21 Swear now therefore unto me by the LORD, that thou wilt not cut off my seed after me, and that thou wilt not destroy my name out of my father's house.

22 And David sware unto Saul. And Saul went home; but David and his men gat them up unto the hold.

CHAP. XXV.

words, and suffered them not to rise against A ND Samuel died: and all the IsraelSaul. But Saul rose up out of the cave, ites were gathered together, and laand went on his way. mented him, and buried him in his house at

8 ¶ David also rose afterward, and went Ramah. And David arose, and went down out of the cave, and cried after Saul, say- to the wilderness of Paran. ing, My lord the king. And when Saul

2 ¶ And there was a man in Maon, whose

looked behind him, David stooped with his possessions were in Carmel: and the man face to the earth, and bowed himself.

9 And David said to Saul, Wherefore hearest thou men's words, saying, Behold, David seeketh thy hurt?

was very great, and he had three thousand sheep, and a thousand goats: and he was shearing his sheep in Carmel.

3 Now the name of the man was Nabal; 10 Behold, this day thine eyes have seen and the name of his wife Abigail and she how that the LORD hath delivered thee to- was a woman of good understanding, and day into mine hand in the cave: and some of a beautiful countenance: but the man bade me kill thee; but mine eye spared thee; was churlish and evil in his doings; and and I said, I will not put forth mine hand he was of the house of Caleb. against my lord; for he is the LORD's 4 And David heard in the wilderness anointed. that Nabal did shear his sheep.

5 And David sent out ten young men, and David said unto the young men, Get you up to Carmel, and go to Nabal, and greet him in my name:

11 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 mine hand, and I 6 And thus shall ye say to him that liveth have not sinned against thee; yet thou hunt-in prosperity, Peace be both to thee, and est my soul to take it. peace be to thine house, and peace be unto

12 The LORD judge between me and all that thou hast. thee, and the LORD avenge me of thee: but mine hand shall not be upon thee.

13 As saith the proverb of the ancients, Wickedness proceedeth from the wicked: but mine hand shall not be upon thee.

a

14 After whom is the king of Israel come out? after whom dost thou pursue? after dead dog, after a flea?

15 The LORD therefore be judge, and judge between me and thee, and see, and plead my cause, and deliver me out of thine hand.

7 And now I have heard that thou hast shearers: now thy shepherds which were with us, we hurt them not, neither was there ought missing unto them, all the while they were in Carmel.

8 Ask thy young men, and they will shew thee. Wherefore let the young men find favour in thine eyes: for we come in a good day: give, I pray thee, whatsoever cometh to thine hand unto thy servants, and to thy son David.

9 And when David's young men came, 16 And it came to pass when David they spake to Nabal according to all those had made an end of speaking these words words in the name of David, and ceased. unto Saul, that Saul said, Is this thy voice, 10 ¶ And Nabal answered David's sermy son David? And Saul lifted up his vants, and said, Who is David? and who is voice, and wept. the son of Jesse? there be many servants 17 And he said to David, Thou art more now-a-days that break away every man righteous than I: for thou hast rewarded from his master.

me good, whereas I have rewarded thee. 11 Shall I then take my bread, and my evil. water, and my flesh that I have killed for 18 And thou hast shewed this day how my shearers, and give it unto men, whom I that thou hast dealt well with me; foras- know not whence they be? much as when the LORD had delivered me into thine hand, thou killedst me not.

19 For if a man find his enemy, will he let him go well away? wherefore the LORD reward thee good, for that thou hast done unto me this day.

12 So David's young men turned their way, and went again, and came and told him all those sayings.

13 And David said unto his men, Gird ye

on every man his sword. And they girded on every man his sword; and David also 20 And now, behold, I know well that girded on his sword: and there went up

I. SAMUEL.

Abigail prevents it. after David about four hundred men; and thine handmaid: for the LORD will certainly two hundred abode by the stuff. make my lord a sure house; because my

14 But one of the young men told lord fighteth the battles of the LORD, and Abigail, Nabal's wife, saying, Behold, Da- evil hath not been found in thee all thy vid sent messengers out of the wilderness days. to salute our master; and he railed on 29 Yet a man is risen to pursue thee, and to seek thy soul: but 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, as out of the middle of a sling,

25 Let not my lord, I pray thee, regard this man of Belial, even Nabal: for as his name is, so is he; Nabal is his name, and folly is with him: but I thine handmaid died. saw not the young men of my lord, whom 39 ¶ And when David heard that Nabal thou didst send. was dead, he said, Blessed be the LORD, 26 Now therefore, my lord, as the LORD that hath pleaded the cause of my reproach liveth, and as thy soul liveth, seeing the from the hand of Nabal, and hath kept his LORD hath withholden thee from coming to servant from evil: for the LORD hath reshed blood, and from avenging thyself with turned the wickedness of Nabal upon his thine own hand, now let thine enemies, and own head. And David sent and communed they that seek evil to my lord, be as Nabal. with Abigail, to take her to him to wife. 27 And now this blessing which thine handmaid hath brought unto my lord, let it even be given unto the young men that follow my lord.

David saves Saul's life.

CHAP. XXVI.

Saul acknowledges his sin. her face to the earth, and said, Behold, let nor knew it, neither awaked: for they were thine handmaid be a servant to wash the all asleep; because a deep sleep from the feet of the servants of my lord. LORD was fallen upon them.

42 And Abigail hasted, and arose, and 13 Then David went over to the rode upon an ass, with five damsels of hers other side, and stood on the top of an hill that went after her; and she went after the afar off; a great space being between them: messengers of David, and became his wife. 14 And David cried to the people, and 43 David also took Ahinoam of Jezreel; to Abner the son of Ner, saying, Answerand they were also both of them his wives. est thou not, Abner? Then Abner answer44 But Saul had given Michal his ed and said, Who art thou that criest to the daughter, David's wife, to Phalti the son of king? Laish, which was of Gallim.

CHAP. XXVI.

15 And David said to Abner, Art not thou a valiant man? and who is like to thee

AND the Ziphites came unto Saul to in Israel? Wherefore then hast thou not Gibeah, saying, Doth not David hide kept thy lord the king? for there came one himself in the hill of Hachilah, which is be- of the people in to destroy the king thy lord. fore Jeshimon? 16 This thing is not good that thou hast

2 Then Saul arose, and went down to done. As the LORD liveth, ye are worthy the wilderness of Ziph, having three thou- to die, because ye have not kept your sand chosen men of Israel with him, to seek master the LORD's anointed. And now David in the wilderness of Ziph. see where the king's spear is, and the

3 And Saul pitched in the hill of Hachi- cruse of water that was at his bolster. lah, which is before Jeshimon, by the way. 17 And Saul knew David's voice, and But David abode in the wilderness, and he said, Is this thy voice, my son David? saw that Saul came after him into the wil- and David said, It is my voice, my lord, derness. O king.

4 David therefore sent out spies, and 18 And he said, Wherefore doth my understood that Saul was come in very deed. lord thus pursue after his servant? for 5 And David arose, and came to the what have I done? or what evil is in mine place where Saul had pitched: and David hand? beheld the place where Saul lay, and Abner 19 Now therefore, I pray thee, let my the son of Ner, the captain of his host. lord the king hear the words of his servant. And Saul lay in the trench, and the people If the LORD have stirred thee up against pitched round about him. me, let him accept an offering: but if they

6 Then answered David and said to be the children of men, cursed be they beAhimelech the Hittite, and to Abishai the fore the LORD; for they have driven me son of Zeruiah, brother to Joab, saying, out this day from abiding in the inheritWho will go down with me to Saul to the ance of the LORD, saying, Go, serve other camp? And Abishai said, I will go down gods. with thee.

20 Now therefore, let not my blood fall

7 So David and Abishai came to the peo-to the earth before the face of the LORD: ple by night and behold, Saul lay sleep- for the king of Israel is come out to seek a ing within the trench, and his spear stuck flea, as when one doth hunt a partridge in in the ground at his bolster : but Abner and the mountains. the people lay round about him.

21 ¶ Then said Saul, I have sinned:

8 Then said Abishai to David, God hath return, my son David: for 1 will no more delivered thine enemy into thine hand this do thee harm, because my soul was preday: now therefore let me smite him, I pray cious in thine eyes this day: behold, I have thee, with the spear, even to the earth at played the fool, and have erred exceedingonce, and I will not smite him the second ly.

time.

22 And David answered and said, Be

9 And David said to Abishai, Destroy hold the king's spear! and let one of the him not: for who can stretch forth his hand young men come over and fetch it. against the LORD's anointed, and be guilt- 23 The LORD render to every man his less? righteousness and his faithfulness: for the 10 David said furthermore, As the LORD LORD delivered thee into my hand to-day, liveth, the LORD shall smite him; or his but I would not stretch forth mine hand day shall come to die; or he shall descend against the LORD's anointed. into battle, and perish.

24 And behold, as thy life was much

11 The LORD forbid that I should stretch set by this day in mine eyes, so let my life forth mine hand against the LORD's anoint-be much set by in the eyes of the LORD, ed: but, I pray thee, take thou now the and let him deliver me out of all tribulation. spear that is at his bolster, and the cruse 25 Then Saul said to David, Blessed of water, and let us go. be thou, my son David: thou shalt both

12 So David took the spear and the do great things, and also shalt still prevail. cruse of water from Saul's bolster; and So David went on his way, and Saul rethey gat them away, and no man saw it, turned to his place.

David dwells in Ziklag.

CHAP. XXVII.

fore will I make thee keeper of mine head

AND David said in his heart, I shall now for ever.

perish one day by the hand of Saul: 3¶ Now Samuel was dead, and all Isthere is nothing better for me than that I rael had lamented him, and buried him in should speedily escape into the land of the Ramah, even in his own city. And Saul Philistines; and Saul shall despair of me, to had put away those that had familiar spiseek me any more in any coast of Israel: rits, and the wizards, out of the land. so shall I escape out of his hand.

2 And David arose, and he passed over with the six hundred men that were with him unto Achish, the son of Maoch, king of Gath. 3 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.

4 And it was told Saul that David was fled to Gath: and he sought no more again for him.

4¶ And the Philistines gathered themselves together, and came and pitched in Shunem: and Saul gathered all Israel together, and they pitched in Gilboa.

5 And when Saul saw the host of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart greatly trembled.

6 And when Saul inquired of the LORD, the LORD answered him not, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets.

7 ¶ 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. 8 And Saul disguised himself, and put on

5 ¶ And David said unto Achish, If I have now found grace in thine eyes, let them give me a place in some town in the country, that I may dwell there for why should thy servant dwell in the royal city other raiment, and he went, and two men

with thee?

6 Then Achish gave him Ziklag that day wherefore Ziklag pertaineth unto the kings of Judah unto this day.

7 And the time that David dwelt in the country of the Philistines was a full year and four months.

8 ¶ And David and his men went up, and invaded the Geshurites, and the Gezrites, and the Amalekites: for those nations were of old the inhabitants of the land, as thou goest to Shur, even unto the land of Egypt.

with him, and they came to the woman by night: and he said, I pray thee, divine unto me, by the familiar spirit, and bring me him up whom I shall name unto thee.

9 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 for this thing. 9 And David smote the land, and left 11 Then said the woman, Whom shall I neither man nor woman alive, and took bring up unto thee? And he said, Bring me away the sheep, and the oxen, and the ass-up Samuel.

es, and the camels, and the apparel, and 12 And when the woman saw Samuel, returned, and came to Achish. she cried with a loud voice; and the woman spake to Saul, saying, Why hast thou deceived me? for thou art Saul.

10 And Achish said, Whither have ye made a road to-day? And David said, Against the south of Judah, and against the south of the Jerahmeelites, and against the south of the Kenites.

13 And the king said unto her, Be not afraid for what sawest thou? And the woman said unto Saul, I saw gods ascend

11 And David saved neither man nor ing out of the earth. woman alive, to bring tidings to Gath, say- 14 And he said unto her, What form is ing, Lest they should tell on us, saying, So he of? And she said, An old man cometh did David, and so will be his manner all up; and he is covered with a mantle. And the while he dwelleth in the country of the Saul perceived that it was Samuel, and he Philistines. stooped with his face to the ground, and bowed himself.

12 And Achish believed David, saying, He hath made his people Israel utterly to abhor him; therefore he shall be my servant for ever.

CHAP. XXVIII.

ND it came to pass in those days, that

15 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 answer

AND it came to he red their armies eth me no upe, neither by prophets, nor together for warfare, to fight with Israel. by dreams: therefore, I have called thee, And Achish said unto David, Know thou that thou mayest make known unto me assuredly, that thou shalt go out with me to what I shall do.

battle, thou and thy men.

16 Then said Samuel, Wherefore then

2 And David said to Achish, Surely dost thou ask of me, seeing the LORD is thou shalt know what thy servant can departed from thee, and is become thine do. And Achish said to David, There- enemy?

The witch gives Saul food.

CHAP. XXIX, XXX.

Ziklag is spoiled. 17 And the LORD hath done to him, as wherewith should he reconcile himself unhe spake by me for the LORD hath rent to his master? should it not be with the the kingdom out of thine hand, and given heads of these men?

it to thy neighbour, even to David: 5 Is not this David, of whom they sang 18 Because thou obeyedst not the voice one to another in dances, saying, Saul slew of the LORD, nor executedst his fierce wrath his thousands, and David his ten thousands? upon Amalek, therefore hath the LORD 6 ¶ Then Achish called David, and said done this thing unto thee this day. unto him, Surely, as the LORD liveth, thou 19 Moreover, the LORD will also deliver hast been upright, and thy going out and Israel with thee into the hand of the Philis- thy coming in with me in the host is good tines; and to-morrow shalt thou and thy in my sight: for I have not found evil in sons be with me: the LORD also shall deli- thee since the day of thy coming unto me ver the host of Israel into the hand of the unto this day nevertheless the lords faPhilistines. vour thee not. 20 Then Saul fell straightway all along 7 Wherefore now return, and go in on the earth, and was sore afraid, because peace, that thou displease not the lords of of the words of Samuel: and there was no the Philistines. strength in him; for he had eaten no bread 8 And David said unto Achish, But all the day, nor all the night. what have I done? and what hast thou

21 And the woman came unto Saul, found in thy servant, so long as I have been and saw that he was sore troubled, and with thee unto this day, that I may not go said unto him, Behold, thine handmaid fight against the enemies of my lord the king? hath obeyed thy voice, and I have put my 9 And Achish answered and said to Dalife in my hand, and have hearkened unto vid, I know that thou art good in my sight, thy words which thou spakest unto me. as an angel of God: notwithstanding, the 22 Now therefore, I pray thee, hearken princes of the Philistines have said, He thou also unto the voice of thine handmaid, shall not go up with us to the battle. and let me set a morsel of bread before 10 Wherefore now' rise up early in the thee; and eat, that thou mayest have morning with thy master's servants that are strength when thou goest on thy way. come with thee and as soon as ye be up early in the morning, and have light, de

11 So David and his men rose up early

23 But he refused, and said, I will not eat. But his servants, together with the part. woman, compelled him; and he hearkened unto their voice. So he arose from the to depart in the morning, to return into the earth, and sat upon the bed. land of the Philistines. And the Philistines

24 And the woman had a fat calf in the went up to Jezreel. house; and she hasted, and killed it, and

CHAP. XXX.

took flour, and kneaded it, and did bake AND it came to pass, when David and

unleavened bread thereof:

his men were come to Ziklag on the 25 And she brought it before Saul, and third day, that the Amalekites had invaded before his servants; and they did eat. the south, and Ziklag, and smitten Ziklag, Then they arose up, and went away that and burned it with fire; night.

CHAP. XXIX.

2 And had taken the women captives that were therein; they slew not any, either

NOW the Philistines gathered together great or small, but carried them away, and all their armies to Aphek: and the went on their way. Israelites pitched by a fountain which is in 3 So David and his men came to the Jezreel. city, and behold, it was burned with fire; and their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, were taken captives.

2 And the lords of the Philistines passed on by hundreds, and by thousands: but David and his men passed on in the rereward with Achish.

4 Then David and the people that were with him lifted up their voice and wept, 3 Then said the princes of the Philis- until they had no more power to weep. tines, What do these Hebrews here? And 5 And David's two wives were taken Achish said unto the princes of the Philis- captives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and tines, Is not this David, the servant of Saul Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite. the king of Israel, which hath been with 6 And David was greatly distressed: for me these days, or these years, and I have the people spake of stoning him, because found no fault in him since he fell unto me the soul of all the people was grieved, unto this day? every man for his sons, and for his daugh 4 And the princes of the Philistines were ters: But David encouraged himself in the wroth with him; and the princes of the LORD his God.

Philistines said unto him, Make this fellow 7 And David said to Abiathar the priest, return, that he may go again to his place Ahimelech's son, I pray thee bring me hiwhich thou hast appointed him, and let ther the ephod. And Abiathar brought him not go down with us to battle, lest in thither the ephod to David.

the battle he be an adversary to us: for 8 And David inquired at the LORD, say