away for fear of Saat: for Saul and his men "'ickedness proceedelh from the wicked ; compasse:1 David and his men round about but mine hand shall not be uron them. to take thein,

14 Alter wlion is the king of Israel come 71 Bul the 'e came a messenger unto out! after whom dost tliou pursue : aiter a Saul, saving. Haste thee, and come ; for the dead dog, aller a fea ? Philistines have invaded the land,

15 The Lord therefore be judge,and judge 3 Wherefore Saul returned from pursu- belween me and thee, and see, and plead my ing after David, and went agaiost the Plii- cause, and deliver me out of thine hand. istines: therefore they called iliat place Se: 36 C And it came to pass, when David liad a bainmal-Ickoth.

made an end of speaking these words umo 99 And David went up from thience, and Saul, that Saul saiel, Is this thy voice, my son dwell in strong holds at En-gedi.

David? AndSaullied up inis voice,and wepe CHAP. XXIV.

17 And he said to David, Thon art more A 1; we

Purned from following the Philistines, food, whereas I have rewarded t:ee evil. wat it was told him, saving, Behold, David 18 And thou last showed this day low is in the wilderness of En-gedi.

that thou bast dealt well with me: jorasTheu Saul took three thousand chosen much as, when the Lord had delivered one aco out of ail Israel, and went to seek David into thine hand, thou killedst me not. end bis men upon tive rocks of the wild goats. 19 For if a man find his eneiny, will be

3 And lie came to the sheep-cotes by the let him go well away? Wherefore the LORD way, where was a cave; and Saul weni in reward iliee good for that thou hast done p cover his feet: and David and liis men anto me this day. reinained in the sides of the care.

20 And now, behold, I know well that thou 4 And the men of David said unto him, shall surely be king, and that the kingdom Belox the day of which the LORD said urto of Israel slali be establicked in thine band. thee, Behold, I will deliver thine enemy into 2 Swear now ther fore unio ine by the thine hand, that thou mayest do to hiin as it LORD, that thou wilt not cut off my seed afshall seem good unto thee. Then David ter me, and that thou will not destroy my arose, and cul off the skirt of Saul's robe name out of my father's house. privily.

22 And David sware unto Saul. And 5 And it came to pass afterward, that Da.j Saul went home ; but David and his men rid's heart smote him, because he had cut off gat them up unto the hold. Saul's skirt.

CHAP. XXV. Giard le said unto his men, The LORO AND Samuelried; and all the Israeli.es forbid that I should do thing unto my were together, and waster, the Lord's anointed, to stretch forth him, and buried him in his house at Ramah. mine hand against bim, seeing he is the And David arose, and went down to the wilarointed of the Lord.

Jerness of Paran. 7 So David stayed his servants wi:h these 2 And there was a man in Maon, whose words, and suffered thein not to rise against possessions were in Carmel; anu the man Saul.' But Saul rose up out of the cave, and was very great, and lie had three thousand went on his way.

sheep, and a thousand goals : and lie was 84 David also arose aslerward, and went shearing liis sheep in Carmel. out of the cave, and cried after Saul, saying, 3 Now the name of the man rras Nala!, Dly lord the king. And when Saul looked and the name of his wile Abigail; and she beliind liim, David stvored with his face to was a woman of good understanding, and of the earth, and bowed limself.

a beau:iful countenance lotil the man was : And David said 10 Saul, Wherefore churlish, and evil in lois doings; and he was tocarest thou men's worus, saying, Beliold, of the house of Caleb. David seeketli thy hurt.

41 And David beard in the wilderness that 10 Belicid. this day thine eyes have seen Nahal did shear bis sleep. Low that the LORD bath delivered tliee to day 5 And David sent out ten young men ; and into nine hand in die cave; and some bade David said unto the young men, Get you "p me kill thee; bui mine eye spared thee: aud !o Carmel, and go tó Nabal, and greet bon I said, I wiil not put foren mine hand against in my name : my lord; for he is the Loru's anointed. 6 And thus shall ya say to him that liveth

11 Moreover, my failer, see; yea, see the in prosperity, Peace be both to die, and skirt of the role in my hand: for in that I peace be to thine house, and peace be umo cut off the skirt of thyrobe, and killed thee all tival thou hast. mm, know thod and see that there is neither 7 And now I have heard that thou last evil nor transgression in inine hand, and I shearers: now, thy shepherds which were have not sinned against thee ; yet thou hunt- with us, we hurt them noi, neither was there est my soul to take it.

oug!it missing unto thein all the while they 12 The LORD judge between me and thee, were in Carinel. and the Lord avenge me of thee; but mine 8 Ask thy young men, and they will shew band shall not be upon thee.

thee: wherefore let the young men tind tir 13 As sall the proverb of the ancients, vour in line eyes ; (for we come in a good 1. SAMUEL. day :) give, I pray thee, whatsoever cometli thine landınaid, I pray ther, speak in thine to iliine land unto thy servants, and to thy audience, and bear the words of thine handson David.

maid. 9 And when David's young men came, 25 Let not my lord, I pray thee, regard they spake to Nabal according to all those this man of Belial, eren Nahal: for as bis worrls in the nanie of David, and ceased. name is, so is lie; Nabal is lis name. and

191 And Nabal answered David's servants. Colly is with him: but I, thine liandmaid, and said, Who is David ? and who is the son saw not the young men of my lord, who of Jesse? There he many servants now a thou didst send. days that break away every man from bis 26 Now therefore, my lord, as the LORD master.

liveth, and as thy soul livelli, sering the 11 Shall I then take my breail, and my Loru hath withholden thee from coming to water, and my Mesh that I have killed for shed blood, and from avenging lliyself with my slearers, and give it unto nien whom I thine own hand, now let thine enemies, and know not whence they be?

they that seck evil to my lord, be as Nahal. 12 So David's young men turned their 27 And now this blessing, which thine way, and went again, and caine and lola handmaid hath brought unto my lord, let it him all those sayings.

even be given unto the young men that fol13 And David said unto luis men, Cird yellow my lord. on every man lis sword. And they girdled 28 I pray thee, forgive the trespass of on every man his sword; and David also thine liandinaid : for the Lord will certaingirdesi on liis sword: and there went up ally make my lord a sure house; because iny ier David about four hundred men, and two ford fightech the battles of the Lord, and hundred abode by the stuff.

evil bath not been found in thee all this 14 1 But one of the young men told Abi- days, gail. Nahal's wife, saving, Behold, David 2 l'el a man is risen to pursue thee, and sent messengers out of the wilderness to sa-lo seek thy soul : but the soul of my lord lute our master; and lie railed on them. shuail be bound in the bundle of life with thie

15 But the men were very good unto iis, LORD thy God; and the souls of thine ene. and we were not liurt, weither missed we any mies. thein shall be sling oul, as out of the thing, as long as we were conversant with middle of a sling. them, when we were in the fields.

30 And it shall come to pass, when the 16' They were a wall unto us, both by LORD shall have done to my lord according night and day, all the while we were with !o all the good that he ballı spoken concern. them keeping the sheep.

ling thee, and shall have appointed thee ruler 17 Now therefore know and consider what over Israel, thou wilt do; for evil is determined against 31 That this shall be no grief unto thee, vur master, and against all his house inold : nor offence of heart unto my lord, either for he is such a son of Belial, that a man can- that thou hast shed blood causeless, or that not speak to him.

iny lord liath avenged himself : but when the 18' Then Abigail made haste, and took LORD shall have dealt well with my lord, two hundred loaves, and two bottles of wine, then remember thine handmaid. and five sheep ready dressed, and five mea- 32 11 And David said to Abigail, Blessed sures of parchied corn, and an hundred clus- be the LORD God of Israel, wlich sent thee lers of raisins, and two hundred cakes of figs, this day to meet me. and laid hem on asses.

33 And blessed be thy advice, and blessed 19 And she said unto lier servants, Go on be thou, which liast kept me this day from before me ; behold, I come after you. But coming to shed blood, and from avenging slie told not lier husband Nabal.

myself with uning own hand.
20 And it was so, as she rode on the ass, 34 For in very deed, as the Lord God or
that she caine down hy the covert of the Israel livelli, which hati kept me back from
bill, and, bebold, David and his men came hurting thee, except thou hadst ivasted and
down against hier; and she met thein. come to meet me, surely there had not been

21 (Now David bad said, Surely in vain leti unto Nabal by the morning light any
have I kept all that this fellow bail in the ihal pisseth againsi the wall.
wilderness, so that nothing was missed of ali 35 So David received of her hand that
that periuired unto bin; and lie hath requi- which she had brought liin, and said unto
led me evil for good.

her, Go up in peace to thine house : see, I
.: So and more also do God unto the ene- have hearkened to thy voice, and have ac.
mies of David, if I leave of all that pertuin cepted this person.
to liin hy the morning liglit any that pisseth. 36 And Anigail came to Nabal; and.be.
against ihe wall.!

hold, he held a least in bis house like lise least 23 and wieni Abigail saw David, she of a king: and Nabal's heart wus merry willihasted, and liglited off the ass, and fell be lia liim. for lie wus very drunken: wherefore fore David on her face, and vowed herself to she told him noihing, less or more, unul that the ground,

morning light. 21 And fell at his feet, and said. Upon me, 37 Bilt it came to pass in the morning, may lord, upm me bel this iniquiry be; and leil.chen the wine was gone on of Nabal, and his

CHAP. XXVI. rre lad told liim these things, tliat his heart 10 David said furthermore, As tlie Lond

ed williin bin, and he became as a stone. livelli, the Lord shall smite him; or bis day

33. And it came to pass, about ten days af- shall come to die ; or he shall descend into ter thai the LORD Smiote Nabal, that he died. battle. and perish.

39 | And wlien David neard tha: Nabal 11 The Lord forhid that I should stretch was dead, lie said. Blessed be the LORD, that forth mine liand against the Lord's anointhath plea:led the cause of my reproach from'ed: hut, I pray thee, take thou now the spear le band up Nahal, avid baih kepe his ser- that is at liis boister, and the cruse of water,

ant froin evil : for the LORD hath returred and let us go. the wickedness of Nabal upon his own head. 12 So David took the spear and the cruse And David sent and coinmuned with Abigail, of water from Saul's bolster; and they gat to take hier to liim to wise.

them away, and no man saw it, nor knew iú Ana wnen ene servants of David were it, neither awaked: for they were all asleep, come to Abigail to Carmel, they spake unto because a deep sleep from the LORD was fal her, saving, David sent us unto thee, to take len mpon them. thee to lim to wile.

13. Then David went over to the other 4. And she arose, and bowed herself on side, and stood on the top of an bil asar off, her face to the earth, and said, Beliold, let a great space being between tiem. thine handnaid be a servant lo waslı tie see!! It And David cried to the people, and to of tie servants of my lord.

Abner the son of Ner, saying, Answeresi 12 And Abigail liasted, and arose, and rode thou not, Abner? Tlien Abner answer. anon an as, wit! five damsels of hers thailed and said, Whio art thou thut criest to went after her: and she went after the mes. the king? sengers of Davidl, and became his wife. 15 And David said to Abner, Art not thou

13 Daviei also look shinoam of Jezreel; a raliunt man and who is like to thee in I And they were also both of thein his wives. rael? wherefore then last thou not kept thy

4+1 B. 11 Saullail given Michal bis daugh- ford the king for there came one of the peo ter, David's wife, 16 Inalti, the son of Laisl, ple in to destroy the king ti.y lord. wirich was of Gallim.

16 This thing is not good that thou hast CHIP. XXIT. done. As the Lord liveth, ye are worthy 10

: heah, saying, Doth not Daviel liide the Lord's anointed, And now see where lainnseil in the bill of lacliilalı, which is be- the king's spear is, and the crise of water (ore Jeslimo! :

that wus at liis bolster. 2 Then Saul arose. and went down to the 17 And Saulknew David's voice and said, wilclorness of Ziph, having three thousand Is this thy voice, my son David: And David cimsta inrn of Israel with lim, to seek Da-said, It is my voice, my lord, O king. vid in die wilderness of Zipb.

13 And he said, Wherefore dolli my lord 3 And Saul piiclied in the bill of Hachilah, thus pursue after his servant ? for wliai have which is before Jeslimon, by the way: but I done? or what evil is in mine land? Daviel abode in the wilderness ; and he saw 19 Now therefore, I pray thee, let my lord thal Saul came after him inio the wilderness. the king near the words of lois servant. If

+ David therefore sent out spies, and un- the LORD have stirred thee up against ine, derstood that Saul was come in very deel. let liim accept an offering: but if they lie the

51 And David arose, and came to the children of inen, cursed be they before the place wiere Saui bad pitched ; and Davi: Lord; for they have driven me out tinis day beheld the place where Saul lav, and Abner from abiding in the iniieritance of the Lord, the son of Ner, the captain of his liost: and saying, Go serve other gods. Saul lay in the trench, and the people pitch- 20 Now therefore, let not my blood fall to ed round abou: bim.

the earth before the face of the Lord ; for 6 Then answered David, and said to Abi- tie king of Israel is come oui lo seek a flea, melech the Hittite, and to Abishai the son ol as when one doch luni a partridge in the Zeruiah, brother 10 Joah, saying, Who will mountains. go down with me to Saul to the camp? And 21 1 Tlien said Saul, I liave sinned. re. Abislai said, I will go down will thee. turn, my son David ; fur I will no more do

î So David and Abishai came to the peo-thee barm, because iny soul was precious in ple by night; and, behold, Saul lay sleep-thine eyes this day : behold, I love played ing within the trench, and his spear stuck in the fool, and have erred exceedingly

the ground at lois bolster: but Abner and the 22 and David answered and said, Beholt -, people lay round about him.

the king's spear! and let oue of inc young 8 Then said Abishai to David, God haih men come over and feleli il. delivered thine enemy into thine hand this 23 The LORD render to every man his righe day: now therefore lei me smite liim, I pray teolisness and his faithfulness : for the LuxD thee, with the spear even to the earth at once, delivered thee into my hand to day ; but I and I will not smite him the second time. would not sureteli forrá mive land agailice

9 And David said to hislai, Destroy luiiu'the LORD s anointed. Bol: for who can stretch forth bis haud against 21. And, belivld, as thy life was much ses the Lord's anointod, and be guilt!ess? by iliis day in mine eyes, so let my lile bo 27

ко

mucn set dy mine eyes of the LORD, and let 2 And David said to Achish, Surely thou hirn deliver me out of all tribulation. shalt know what thy servant can do. And

25 Then Soul said to David, Blessed be Achish said to David, Therefore will I make thou, my son David ; thou shall both do great thee keeper of mine head for ever. things, and also shak still prevail. So Da- 31 Now Samuel was dead, and a Israel vid went on his way, and Saul iclurned to bad lamented bim, and buried liim in Ra. liis place.

mab, even in his own city: and Saul had put CHAP. XXVII.

away those that had familiar spirits, and ilie AND David said in bis heart, I shall now: wizards,

one of the lando perish one by hand of Saul 4 I And the Philistines gathered them there is nothing betrer for me vian that I selves together, and caine and pitched ja should speedily escape into the land of the Shunem; and Saul gathered all Israel togePhilistines; and Saul shall despair of me, w ther, and they pitched in Gilloa. seek me any more in any coast of Israel: so 5 And when Saul saw the host of the Phi. shall I escape out of his hand.

listines, he was afraid, and his heart greatly 2 And David arose, and he passed over with treinhled. the six hundred men that were with him unto 6 Aud when Saul enquired of the Lord, this Nchish, the son of Maoch, king of Gath. Lord answered him noi, neither by dreams,

3 And David dwell with Achushi at Galli, nor by Crim, nor by propliets. he and his men, every man with his house- 7 Then said Saui unto his servants, Seek bold, even David with his twn wives, Ahi-me a woman that hath a familiar spirii, that nvan the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the Car- ! may go to lier, and enquire of lier. 'And melitesi. Nabal's wife.

his servant said io liim, Behold, there is a * And it was told Saulthat David was Ned to woman that ha:h a familiar spirit at En-dor Gath; and he sought no more again for liim. 8 And Saul disguised himsell, and put ou

5 And David said unto Achish, If I have other raiinent, and he went, and two mes now found grace in thine eyes, let them give with him, and they came to the woman hy me a place in some town in the country, that night; and be said, I pray thee, divine unia I may dwell there : for why should ty ser-me by the familiar spirit, and bring him van dwell in the royal city with thee? up whom I shall name unto thee.

6 Then Achish gave bim Ziklag that day; 9 And thic woman said unto him, Behold wherefore Ziklag pertaineth unto the kings thou knowest what Saul hath done, how h of Judah into this day.

batlı cut off those that have familiar spirits 7 And the time that David dwelt in the and the wizards, out of the land : wlierefor country of the Philistines was a full year and then lavest thou a snare for iny life to caus four nionths. 8 4 And David and bis men went up, and

10 And Saul sware to her by the Lord,say invaded the Gesliurites, and the Gezrites, ing, .As the Lord liveth, there shall no pun and the Amalekites : for those nations were ishment happen to thee for this thing. of oid the inhabitants of the land, as thou goo

11 Then said the woman, Whom shall 1 est in Shur, even unto the land of Egypt. bring up unto thee? And he said, Bring mo

9 And David smote the land, and left nei- up Samuel. ther man nor woman alive, and took away 12 And when the woman saw Samuel, she the sheep, and the oxen, and the asses, and cried with a loud voice: and the womar the camels, and the apparel, and returned, spake to Saul, saying, Wliy hast thou de and carne to Achish.

ceived me ? for thou art Saul. 10 And Achish said, Whither have ye 13 And the hing said unto hier, Be Dan made a road 10-day ? And David said, afraid : for whai sawest thou? And the wo Against the south of Judah, and against the man said umo Saul, I saw gods ascending ou svuih of the Jeral.meelites, and against the of the earth. Brull of the Kenites.

14 And le said unto her, What form is he 11 And David saved neither man nor wo-lof? And she said, An old mar, cometh up man alive 19. bring tidings to Gatlı, saying, and iie is covered with a mantle. And Sau Lesi tiey should iell on us, saying, So did perceived that it ros Samnel, and le stoop David, and so will be his manner all the ed with his lace to the ground, and bowce while he dwellesh in the country of the Phi-himseli. listines,

15 | And Samuel said to Saal, Wny has 1: And Achish pelieved David, saving, tlou disquieted me, to bring me up! And He liath made his people Israel utterly 10 Saul answered, I am sore distressed; for the abhor binn; therefore he shall be my servant Philistines inake war against me, avd Gud in for ever.

depaited from me, nnd answereth me no CHAP. XXVIII.

more, neither liv prophets, nor by dreams: NO) i came to pass in those days, that therefore I have called thee, that thou nayo

the Philisunes gathered their armies to. est make kown unto ine what I shall do. gether for warfare, to fight with Israel: and 16 Then said Samuel, Wherefore then dost Achish said un'o David, Know thou assured- tlıcu ask of me, seeing the Lord is departec yetliat thou shall go out with me to baille, sioni thee, and is become thine enemy?

me to die?

spake by me. for the Lord liath rent the 61 Then Acliish called David, and said us kingdom out of thine band, and given it to to bim, Surely, as the Lord liveth, thou hast thy neighbour, eren to David:

been upright, and thy going out and tby 18 Because thou obeyedst not the voice of coming in with me in the host is good in my the Lord, nor executedst bis fierce wrath sight: for I have not found evil in thee since upon Amalek, therefore hath the Lord done Wie day of thy coming unlo me unto this day : this thing unto thee this day.

nevertheless the lords favour ibee not. 19 Moreover, the LORD will also deliver Is-.7 Wherefore now return, and go in peace, rael withi thee into the hand of the Philistines; that thou displease not the lords of the Philise and to-moriow shalt thou and thy sons be with lines. the: the Lord also shall deliver the host of 8 And David said unto Achish, But what Israel into the land of the Philistines. bave I done? and what hast thou found in thy

20 Then Saul sell straightway all along on servant, so long as I bave been with thee unto the eartdı, and was sore afraid, because of the this day, that I may not go figlit agains: tła words of Samuel: and there was no strengthenemies of my Jord the king ? in him; for he liad eaten no bread all the 9 And Achish answered and said to Daviel, day, nor all the night.

I know that thou art good in my sight, as an 21 [ And the woman came unto Saul, and angel of God: notwithstanding, the princes saw that he was sore troubled, and said unto of the Philistines have said, He shall not go bim, Behold, thine handmaid hath obeyed up with us to the battle. thy voice, and I have put my life in my 10 Wherefore now rise up early in the band, and have hearkened unto thy words morning with thy master's servants that are which thou spakest unto me:

come with thee; and as soon as ye be up early 22 Now therefore, I pray thee, hearken in the morning, and have light, depart. thou also unto the voice of ibine handmaid, 11 So David and his men rose up early to and let ine set a morsel of bread before thee; depart in the morning, to return into the land and eat, that thou mayest have strength of the Philistines : and the Philistines went up when thou goest on thy way.

to Jezreel. 23 But he refused, and said, I will not eat.

CHAP. XXX. But liis servants, together with the woman, AND it came to pass, when David and livia compelled him; and be hearkened unto

were third their voice: so he arose from the carth, and day, that the Amalekites had invaded the sat upon the bed.

south, and Ziklag, and smitten Ziklag, and 24 And the woman had a fat calf in the burnt it with fire ; bouse; and she lasted, and killed it, and took 2 And had taken the women captives that Monr and kneaded it, and did bake unleaven- were therein: they show not any, either great ed bread thereof:

or small, but carried them away, and went 25 And she brought it before Saul, and be on their way. fore his servants ; and they did eat. Then 31 So David and luis men came to tho they rose up, and went away that night. cily, and, behold, it was burnt with fire : CHAP. XXIX.

and their wives, and their sons, and their NO TOW the Philistines gathered together al! daughters, were taken captives.

their armies to Aphek : and the Israel 4 Then David and the people that were iles pitched by a fourtain which is in Jezreel. with himn lifted up their voice aad wept, un.

'And the lords of the Philistines passed on .il they had no more power to weep: oy hundreds and by thousands; but David 5 And David's two wives were taken cap. and liis men passed on in the rere-ward with tives, Aninoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail Achish.

the wife of Nabal the Carmelite. 3 Tlien said the princes of the Philistines, 6 And David was greatly distressed : for What do these Hebrews here? And Achish the people spake of stoning him; because the said unto the princes of the Philistines, Is not soul of all the people was grieved, every man tiris David, the servant of Saul the king of for his sons and for bis daughters : but David Israel, which haili been with me these days, encouraged himself in the LORD his God. Oz these years, and I lave found no fani is 7 An David said to Abiaurar the priest, hiin since he fell renlo me unto this day? Alimelech's son, I pray thee, bring me his

4 And the princes of the Philistines were ther the ephiod. And Abiatlar brought thi wroth with lim, and the princes of the Phi-ther the ephod to David. listines said unto him, Make this fellow re- 8 And David enquired at the LORD, say mirn, that lie may go again to his place ing, Shall I pursue after this troop,? shall I which thou 'hast appointed Irim, and let him overtake mein? And lie answered him, Pur. not go down will us to battle, lest in the sue; for thou shalt surely overtake them, and battle he be ar: adversary to us: for where-without fail recover all. wiln should he reconcile himself unto his 91 So David went, he and the six liun. master? should it not be with the heads of dred men that were with him, and came to these inen?

the brook Besor, where those that were left 5 Is not this David, of whom they sang behind stayed. one to another in dances, saying, Saul slew 10 But David pursued, he and four hun his thousands, and David lis leo thousands? dred men : (for two hundred abode behind,