Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. He said, Neither has Yahweh chosen this. 016:009 Then Jesse made Shammah to pass by. He said, Neither has Yahweh chosen this. 016:010 Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel. Samuel said to Jesse, Yahweh has not chosen these. 016:011 Samuel said to Jesse, Are here all your children? He said, There remains yet the youngest, and behold, he is keeping the sheep. Samuel said to Jesse, Send and get him; for we will not sit down until he come here. 016:012 He sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and withal of a beautiful face, and goodly to look on. Yahweh said, Arise, anoint him; for this is he. 016:013 Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brothers: and the Spirit of Yahweh came mightily on David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah. 016:014 Now the Spirit of Yahweh departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from Yahweh troubled him. 016:015 Saul's servants said to him, See now, an evil spirit from God troubles you. 016:016 Let our lord now command your servants who are before you, to seek out a man who is a skillful player on the harp: and it shall happen, when the evil spirit from God is on you, that he shall play with his hand, and you shall be well. 016:017 Saul said to his servants, Provide me now a man who can play well, and bring him to me. 016:018 Then answered one of the young men, and said, Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, who is skillful in playing, and a mighty man of valor, and a man of war, and prudent in speech, and a comely person; and Yahweh is with him. 016:019 Therefore Saul sent messengers to Jesse, and said, Send me David your son, who is with the sheep. 016:020 Jesse took a donkey loaded with bread, and a bottle of wine, and a kid, and sent them by David his son to Saul. 016:021 David came to Saul, and stood before him: and he loved him greatly; and he became his armor bearer. 016:022 Saul sent to Jesse, saying, Please let David stand before me; for he has found favor in my sight. 016:023 It happened, when the [evil] spirit from God was on Saul, that David took the harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him. 017:001 Now the Philistines gathered together their armies to battle; and they were gathered together at Socoh, which belongs to Judah, and encamped between Socoh and Azekah, in Ephesdammim. 017:002 Saul and the men of Israel were gathered together, and encamped in the valley of Elah, and set the battle in array against the Philistines. 017:003 The Philistines stood on the mountain on the one side, and Israel stood on the mountain on the other side: and there was a valley between them. 017:004 There went out a champion out of the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath, of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span. 017:005 He had a helmet of brass on his head, and he was clad with a coat of mail; and the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of brass. 017:006 He had brass shin armor on his legs, and a javelin of brass between his shoulders. 017:007 The staff of his spear was like a weaver's beam; and his spear's head [weighed] six hundred shekels of iron: and his shield bearer went before him. 017:008 He stood and cried to the armies of Israel, and said to them, Why are you come out to set your battle in array? am I not a Philistine, and you servants to Saul? choose you a man for you, and let him come down to me. 017:009 If he be able to fight with me, and kill me, then will we be your servants; but if I prevail against him, and kill him, then shall you be our servants, and serve us. 017:010 The Philistine said, I defy the armies of Israel this day; give me a man, that we may fight together. 017:011 When Saul and all Israel heard those words of the Philistine, they were dismayed, and greatly afraid. 017:012 Now David was the son of that Ephrathite of Bethlehem Judah, whose name was Jesse; and he had eight sons: and the man was an old man in the days of Saul, stricken [in years] among men. 017:013 The three eldest sons of Jesse had gone after Saul to the battle: and the names of his three sons who went to the battle were Eliab the firstborn, and next to him Abinadab, and the third Shammah. 017:014 David was the youngest; and the three eldest followed Saul. 017:015 Now David went back and forth from Saul to feed his father's sheep at Bethlehem. 017:016 The Philistine drew near morning and evening, and presented himself forty days. 017:017 Jesse said to David his son, Take now for your brothers an ephah of this parched grain, and these ten loaves, and carry [them] quickly to the camp to your brothers; 017:018 and bring these ten cheeses to the captain of their thousand, and look how your brothers fare, and take their pledge. 017:019 Now Saul, and they, and all the men of Israel, were in the valley of Elah, fighting with the Philistines. 017:020 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 place of the wagons, as the army which was going forth to the fight shouted for the battle. 017:021 Israel and the Philistines put the battle in array, army against army. 017:022 David left his baggage in the hand of the keeper of the baggage, and ran to the army, and came and greeted his brothers. 017:023 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 spoke according to the same words: and David heard them. 017:024 All the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him, and were sore afraid. 017:025 The men of Israel said, Have you seen this man who is come up? surely to defy Israel is he come up: and it shall be, that the man who kills him, the king will enrich him with great riches, and will give him his daughter, and make his father's house free in Israel. 017:026 David spoke to the men who stood by him, saying, What shall be done to the man who kills this Philistine, and takes away the reproach from Israel? for who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God? 017:027 The people answered him after this manner, saying, So shall it be done to the man who kills him. 017:028 Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spoke to the men; and Eliab's anger was kindled against David, and he said, Why are you come down? and with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your pride, and the naughtiness of your heart; for you have come down that you might see the battle. 017:029 David said, What have I now done? Is there not a cause? 017:030 He turned away from him toward another, and spoke after the same manner: and the people answered him again after the former manner. 017:031 When the words were heard which David spoke, they rehearsed them before Saul; and he sent for him. 017:032 David said to Saul, Let no man's heart fail because of him; your servant will go and fight with this Philistine. 017:033 Saul said to David, You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him; for you are but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth. 017:034 David said to Saul, Your servant was keeping his father's sheep; and when there came a lion, or a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock, 017:035 I went out after him, and struck him, and delivered it out of his mouth; and when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and struck him, and killed him. 017:036 Your servant struck both the lion and the bear: and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he has defied the armies of the living God. 017:037 David said, Yahweh who 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. Saul said to David, Go, and Yahweh shall be with you. 017:038 Saul clad David with his clothing, and he put a helmet of brass on his head, and he clad him with a coat of mail. 017:039 David girded his sword on his clothing, and he tried to go; for he had not proved it. David said to Saul, I can't go with these; for I have not proved them. David put them off him. 017:040 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 wallet; and his sling was in his hand: and he drew near to the Philistine. 017:041 The Philistine came on and drew near to David; and the man who bore the shield went before him. 017:042 When the Philistine looked about, and saw David, he disdained him; for he was but a youth, and ruddy, and withal of a fair face. 017:043 The Philistine said to David, Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks? The Philistine cursed David by his gods. 017:044 The Philistine said to David, Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the sky, and to the animals of the field. 017:045 Then said David to the Philistine, You come to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a javelin: but I come to you in the name of Yahweh of Armies, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 017:046 This day will Yahweh deliver you into my hand; and I will strike you, and take your head from off you; and I will give the dead bodies of the army of the Philistines this day to the birds of the sky, and to the wild animals of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, 017:047 and that all this assembly may know that Yahweh doesn't save with sword and spear: for the battle is Yahweh's, and he will give you into our hand. 017:048 It happened, when the Philistine arose, and came and drew near to meet David, that David hurried, and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine. 017:049 David put his hand in his bag, and took there a stone, and slang it, and struck the Philistine in his forehead; and the stone sank into his forehead, and he fell on his face to the earth. 017:050 So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and struck the Philistine, and killed him; but there was no sword in the hand of David. 017:051 Then David ran, and stood over the Philistine, and took his sword, and drew it out of the sheath of it, and killed him, and cut off his head therewith. When the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they fled. 017:052 The men of Israel and of Judah arose, and shouted, and pursued the Philistines, until you come to Gai, and to the gates of Ekron. The wounded of the Philistines fell down by the way to Shaaraim, even to Gath, and to Ekron. 017:053 The children of Israel returned from chasing after the Philistines, and they plundered their camp. 017:054 David took the head of the Philistine, and brought it to Jerusalem; but he put his armor in his tent. 017:055 When Saul saw David go forth against the Philistine, he said to Abner, the captain of the army, Abner, whose son is this youth? Abner said, As your soul lives, O king, I can't tell. 017:056 The king said, "Inquire whose son the young man is!" 017:057 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. 017:058 Saul said to him, Whose son are you, you young man? David answered, I am the son of your servant Jesse the Bethlehemite. 018:001 It happened, when he had made an end of speaking to Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul. 018:002 Saul took him that day, and would let him go no more home to his father's house. 018:003 Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul. 018:004 Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was on him, and gave it to David, and his clothing, even to his sword, and to his bow, and to his sash. 018:005 David went out wherever Saul sent him, [and] behaved himself wisely: and Saul set him over the men of war, and it was good in the sight of all the people, and also in the sight of Saul's servants. 018:006 It happened 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 tambourines, with joy, and with instruments of music. 018:007 The women sang one to another as they played, and said, Saul has slain his thousands, David his ten thousands. 018:008 Saul was very angry, and this saying displeased him; and he said, They have ascribed to David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed but thousands: and what can he have more but the kingdom? 018:009 Saul eyed David from that day and forward. 018:010 It happened on the next day, that an evil spirit from God came mightily on Saul, and he prophesied in the midst of the house: and David played with his hand, as he did day by day. Saul had his spear in his hand; 018:011 and Saul cast the spear; for he said, I will strike David even to the wall. David avoided out of his presence twice. 018:012 Saul was afraid of David, because Yahweh was with him, and was departed from Saul. 018:013 Therefore Saul removed him from him, and made him his captain over a thousand; and he went out and came in before the people. 018:014 David behaved himself wisely in all his ways; and Yahweh was with him. 018:015 When Saul saw that he behaved himself very wisely, he stood in awe of him. 018:016 But all Israel and Judah loved David; for he went out and came in before them. 018:017 Saul said to David, Behold, my elder daughter Merab, her will I give you as wife: only be valiant for me, and fight Yahweh's battles. For Saul said, Don't let my hand be on him, but let the hand of the Philistines be on him. 018:018 David said to Saul, Who am I, and what is my life, [or] my father's family in Israel, that I should be son-in-law to the king? 018:019 But it happened at the time when Merab, Saul's daughter, should have been given to David, that she was given to Adriel the Meholathite as wife. 018:020 Michal, Saul's daughter, loved David: and they told Saul, and the thing pleased him. 018:021 Saul said, I will give her to him, that she may be a snare to him, and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him. Therefore Saul said to David, You shall this day be my son-in-law a second time. 018:022 Saul commanded his servants, [saying], Commune with David secretly, and say, Behold, the king has delight in you, and all his servants love you: now therefore be the king's son-in-law. 018:023 Saul's servants spoke those words in the ears of David. David said, Seems it to you a light thing to be the king's son-in-law, seeing that I am a poor man, and lightly esteemed? 018:024 The servants of Saul told him, saying, On this manner spoke David. 018:025 Saul said, Thus shall you tell David, The king desires no dowry except one 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. 018:026 When his servants told David these words, it pleased David well to be the king's son-in-law. The days were not expired; 018:027 and David arose and went, he and his men, and killed of the Philistines two hundred men; and David brought their foreskins, and they gave them in full number to the king, that he might be the king's son-in-law. Saul gave him Michal his daughter as wife. 018:028 Saul saw and knew that Yahweh was with David; and Michal, Saul's daughter, loved him. 018:029 Saul was yet the more afraid of David; and Saul was David's enemy continually. 018:030 Then the princes of the Philistines went forth: and it happened, as 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. 019:001 Saul spoke to Jonathan his son, and to all his servants, that they should kill David. But Jonathan, Saul's son, delighted much in David. 019:002 Jonathan told David, saying, Saul my father seeks to kill you: now therefore, please take care of yourself in the morning, and live in a secret place, and hide yourself: 019:003 and I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where you are, and I will commune with my father of you; and if I see anything, I will tell you. 019:004 Jonathan spoke good of David to Saul his father, and said to him, Don't let the king sin against his servant, against David; because he has not sinned against you, and because his works have been very good toward you: 019:005 for he put his life in his hand, and struck the Philistine, and Yahweh worked a great victory for all Israel: you saw it, and did rejoice; why then will you sin against innocent blood, to kill David without a cause? 019:006 Saul listened to the voice of Jonathan: and Saul swore, As Yahweh lives, he shall not be put to death. 019:007 Jonathan called David, and Jonathan showed him all those things. Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence, as before. 019:008 There was war again: and David went out, and fought with the Philistines, and killed them with a great slaughter; and they fled before him. 019:009 An evil spirit from Yahweh was on Saul, as he sat in his house with his spear in his hand; and David was playing with his hand. 019:010 Saul sought to strike David even to the wall with the spear; but he slipped away out of Saul's presence, and he struck the spear into the wall: and David fled, and escaped that night. 019:011 Saul sent messengers to David's house, to watch him, and to kill him in the morning: and Michal, David's wife, told him, saying, If you don't save your life tonight, tomorrow you will be slain. 019:012 So Michal let David down through the window: and he went, and fled, and escaped. 019:013 Michal took the teraphim, and laid it in the bed, and put a pillow of goats' [hair] at the head of it, and covered it with the clothes. 019:014 When Saul sent messengers to take David, she said, He is sick. 019:015 Saul sent the messengers to see David, saying, Bring him up to me in the bed, that I may kill him. 019:016 When the messengers came in, behold, the teraphim was in the bed, with the pillow of goats' [hair] at the head of it. 019:017 Saul said to Michal, Why have you deceived me thus, and let my enemy go, so that he is escaped? Michal answered Saul, He said to me, Let me go; why should I kill you? 019:018 Now David fled, and escaped, and came to Samuel to Ramah, and told him all that Saul had done to him. He and Samuel went and lived in Naioth. 019:019 It was told Saul, saying, Behold, David is at Naioth in Ramah. 019:020 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 on the messengers of Saul, and they also prophesied. 019:021 When it was told Saul, he sent other messengers, and they also prophesied. Saul sent messengers again the third time, and they also prophesied. 019:022 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? One said, Behold, they are at Naioth in Ramah. 019:023 He went there to Naioth in Ramah: and the Spirit of God came on him also, and he went on, and prophesied, until he came to Naioth in Ramah. 019:024 He also stripped off his clothes, and he also prophesied before Samuel, and lay down naked all that day and all that night. Therefore they say, "Is Saul also among the prophets?" 020:001 David fled from Naioth in Ramah, and came and said before Jonathan, "What have I done? What is my iniquity?" and "What is my sin before your father, that he seeks my life?" 020:002 He said to him, "Far from it; you shall not die: behold, my father does nothing either great or small, but that he discloses it to me; and why should my father hide this thing from me? It is not so." 020:003 David swore moreover, and said, "Your father knows well that I have found favor in your eyes; and he says, 'Don't let Jonathan know this, lest he be grieved:' but truly as Yahweh lives, and as your soul lives, there is but a step between me and death." 020:004 Then said Jonathan to David, "Whatever your soul desires, I will even do it for you." 020:005 David said to Jonathan, "Behold, tomorrow is the new moon, and I should not fail to dine with the king; but let me go, that I may hide myself in the field to the third day at evening. 020:006 If your father miss me at all, then say, 'David earnestly asked leave of me that he might run to Bethlehem his city; for it is the yearly sacrifice there for all the family.' 020:007 If he says, 'It is well;' your servant shall have peace: but if he be angry, then know that evil is determined by him. 020:008 Therefore deal kindly with your servant; for you have brought your servant into a covenant of Yahweh with you: but if there be in me iniquity, kill me yourself; for why should you bring me to your father?" 020:009 Jonathan said, "Far be it from you; for if I should at all know that evil were determined by my father to come on you, then wouldn't I tell you that?" 020:010 Then said David to Jonathan, "Who shall tell me if perchance your father answer you roughly?" 020:011 Jonathan said to David, "Come, and let us go out into the field." They both went out into the field. 020:012 Jonathan said to David, "Yahweh, the God of Israel, [be witness]: when I have sounded my father about this time tomorrow, [or] the third day, behold, if there be good toward David, shall I not then send to you, and disclose it to you? 020:013 Yahweh do so to Jonathan, and more also, should it please my father to do you evil, if I don't disclose it to you, and send you away, that you may go in peace: and Yahweh be with you, as he has been with my father. 020:014 You shall not only while yet I live show me the loving kindness of Yahweh, that I not die; 020:015 but also you shall not cut off your kindness from my house forever; no, not when Yahweh has cut off the enemies of David everyone from the surface of the earth." 020:016 So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, [saying], Yahweh will require it at the hand of David's enemies. 020:017 Jonathan caused David to swear again, for the love that he had to him; for he loved him as he loved his own soul. 020:018 Then Jonathan said to him, Tomorrow is the new moon: and you will be missed, because your seat will be empty. 020:019 When you have stayed three days, you shall go down quickly, and come to the place where you did hide yourself when the business was in hand, and shall remain by the stone Ezel. 020:020 I will shoot three arrows on the side of it, as though I shot at a mark. 020:021 Behold, I will send the boy, [saying], Go, find the arrows. If I tell the boy, Behold, the arrows are on this side of you; take them, and come; for there is peace to you and no hurt, as Yahweh lives. 020:022 But if I say thus to the boy, Behold, the arrows are beyond you; go your way; for Yahweh has sent you away. 020:023 As touching the matter which you and I have spoken of, behold, Yahweh is between you and me forever. 020:024 So David hid himself in the field: and when the new moon was come, the king sat him down to eat food. 020:025 The king sat on his seat, as at other times, even on the seat by the wall; and Jonathan stood up, and Abner sat by Saul's side: but David's place was empty. 020:026 Nevertheless Saul didn't say anything that day: for he thought, Something has happened to him. He is not clean. Surely he is not clean. 020:027 It happened on the next day after the new moon, [which was] the second [day], that David's place was empty: and Saul said to Jonathan his son, Why doesn't the son of Jesse come to meat, neither yesterday, nor today? 020:028 Jonathan answered Saul, David earnestly asked leave of me to go to Bethlehem: 020:029 and he said, Please let me go, for our family has a sacrifice in the city; and my brother, he has commanded me [to be there]: and now, if I have found favor in your eyes, let me get away, I pray you, and see my brothers. Therefore he is not come to the king's table. 020:030 Then Saul's anger was kindled against Jonathan, and he said to him, You son of a perverse rebellious woman, don't I know that you have chosen the son of Jesse to your own shame, and to the shame of your mother's nakedness? 020:031 For as long as the son of Jesse lives on the earth, you shall not be established, nor your kingdom. Therefore now send and bring him to me, for he shall surely die. 020:032 Jonathan answered Saul his father, and said to him, "Why should he be put to death? What has he done?" 020:033 Saul cast his spear at him to strike him. By this Jonathan knew that his father was determined to put David to death. 020:034 So Jonathan arose from the table in fierce anger, and ate no food the second day of the month; for he was grieved for David, because his father had done him shame. 020:035 It happened in the morning, that Jonathan went out into the field at the time appointed with David, and a little boy with him. 020:036 He said to his boy, Run, find now the arrows which I shoot. As the boy ran, he shot an arrow beyond him. 020:037 When the boy was come to the place of the arrow which Jonathan had shot, Jonathan cried after the boy, and said, Isn't the arrow beyond you? 020:038 Jonathan cried after the boy, Go fast! Hurry! Don't delay! Jonathan's boy gathered up the arrows, and came to his master. 020:039 But the boy didn't know anything: only Jonathan and David knew the matter. 020:040 Jonathan gave his weapons to his boy, and said to him, Go, carry them to the city. 020:041 As soon as the boy was gone, David arose out of [a place] toward the South, and fell on his face to the ground, and bowed himself three times: and they kissed one another, and wept one with another, until David exceeded. 020:042 Jonathan said to David, Go in peace, because we have sworn both of us in the name of Yahweh, saying, Yahweh shall be between me and you, and between my seed and your seed, forever. He arose and departed: and Jonathan went into the city. 021:001 Then came David to Nob to Ahimelech the priest: and Ahimelech came to meet David trembling, and said to him, Why are you alone, and no man with you? 021:002 David said to Ahimelech the priest, The king has commanded me a business, and has said to me, Let no man know anything of the business about which I send you, and what I have commanded you: and I have appointed the young men to such and such a place. 021:003 Now therefore what is under your hand? give me five loaves of bread in my hand, or whatever there is present. 021:004 The priest answered David, and said, There is no common bread under my hand, but there is holy bread; if only the young men have kept themselves from women. 021:005 David answered the priest, and said to him, Of a truth women have been kept from us about these three days; when I came out, the vessels of the young men were holy, though it was but a common journey; how much more then today shall their vessels be holy? 021:006 So the priest gave him holy [bread]; for there was no bread there but the show bread, that was taken from before Yahweh, to put hot bread in the day when it was taken away. 021:007 Now a certain man of the servants of Saul was there that day, detained before Yahweh; and his name was Doeg the Edomite, the best of the herdsmen who belonged to Saul. 021:008 David said to Ahimelech, Isn't there here under your hand spear or sword? for I have neither brought my sword nor my weapons with me, because the king's business required haste. 021:009 The priest said, The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom you killed in the valley of Elah, behold, it is here wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod: if you will take that, take it; for there is no other except that here. David said, There is none like that; give it me. 021:010 David arose, and fled that day for fear of Saul, and went to Achish the king of Gath. 021:011 The servants of Achish said to him, "Isn't this David the king of the land? Didn't they sing one to another about him in dances, saying, 'Saul has slain his thousands, David his ten thousands?'" 021:012 David laid up these words in his heart, and was very afraid of Achish the king of Gath. 021:013 He changed his behavior before them, and feigned himself mad in their hands, and scrabbled on the doors of the gate, and let his spittle fall down on his beard. 021:014 Then said Achish to his servants, Look, you see the man is mad; why then have you brought him to me? 021:015 Do I lack madmen, that you have brought this fellow to play the madman in my presence? shall this fellow come into my house? 022:001 David therefore departed there, and escaped to the cave of Adullam: and when his brothers and all his father's house heard it, they went down there to him. 022:002 Everyone who was in distress, and everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was discontented, gathered themselves to him; and he became captain over them: and there were with him about four hundred men. 022:003 David went there to Mizpeh of Moab: and he said to the king of Moab, Please let my father and my mother come forth, [and be] with you, until I know what God will do for me. 022:004 He brought them before the king of Moab: and they lived with him all the while that David was in the stronghold. 022:005 The prophet Gad said to David, Don't stay in the stronghold; depart, and get you into the land of Judah. Then David departed, and came into the forest of Hereth. 022:006 Saul heard that David was discovered, and the men who were with him: now Saul was sitting in Gibeah, under the tamarisk tree in Ramah, with his spear in his hand, and all his servants were standing about him. 022:007 Saul said to his servants who stood about him, Hear now, you Benjamites; will the son of Jesse give everyone of you fields and vineyards, will he make you all captains of thousands and captains of hundreds, 022:008 that all of you have conspired against me, and there is none who discloses to me when my son makes a league with the son of Jesse, and there is none of you who is sorry for me, or discloses to me that my son has stirred up my servant against me, to lie in wait, as at this day? 022:009 Then answered Doeg the Edomite, who stood by the servants of Saul, and said, I saw the son of Jesse coming to Nob, to Ahimelech the son of Ahitub. 022:010 He inquired of Yahweh for him, and gave him food, and gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine. 022:011 Then the king sent to call Ahimelech the priest, the son of Ahitub, and all his father's house, the priests who were in Nob: and they came all of them to the king. 022:012 Saul said, Hear now, you son of Ahitub. He answered, Here I am, my lord. 022:013 Saul said to him, Why have you conspired against me, you and the son of Jesse, in that you have given him bread, and a sword, and have inquired of God for him, that he should rise against me, to lie in wait, as at this day? 022:014 Then Ahimelech answered the king, and said, Who among all your servants is so faithful as David, who is the king's son-in-law, and is taken into your council, and is honorable in your house? 022:015 Have I today begun to inquire of God for him? be it far from me: don't let the king impute anything to his servant, nor to all the house of my father; for your servant knows nothing of all this, less or more. 022:016 The king said, You shall surely die, Ahimelech, you, and all your father's house. 022:017 The king said to the guard who stood about him, Turn, and kill the priests of Yahweh; because their hand also is with David, and because they knew that he fled, and didn't disclose it to me. But the servants of the king wouldn't put forth their hand to fall on the priests of Yahweh. 022:018 The king said to Doeg, Turn you, and fall on the priests. Doeg the Edomite turned, and he fell on the priests, and he killed on that day eighty-five persons who wore a linen ephod. 022:019 Nob, the city of the priests, struck he with the edge of the sword, both men and women, children and nursing babies, and oxen and donkeys and sheep, with the edge of the sword. 022:020 One of the sons of Ahimelech, the son of Ahitub, named Abiathar, escaped, and fled after David. 022:021 Abiathar told David that Saul had slain Yahweh's priests. 022:022 David said to Abiathar, I knew on that day, when Doeg the Edomite was there, that he would surely tell Saul: I have occasioned [the death] of all the persons of your father's house. 022:023 Abide you with me, don't be afraid; for he who seeks my life seeks your life: for with me you shall be in safeguard. 023:001 They told David, saying, Behold, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah, and are robbing the threshing floors. 023:002 Therefore David inquired of Yahweh, saying, Shall I go and strike these Philistines? Yahweh said to David, Go, and strike the Philistines, and save Keilah. 023:003 David's men said to him, Behold, we are afraid here in Judah: how much more then if we go to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines? 023:004 Then David inquired of Yahweh yet again. Yahweh answered him, and said, Arise, go down to Keilah; for I will deliver the Philistines into your hand. 023:005 David and his men went to Keilah, and fought with the Philistines, and brought away their livestock, and killed them with a great slaughter. So David saved the inhabitants of Keilah. 023:006 It happened, when Abiathar the son of Ahimelech fled to David to Keilah, that he came down with an ephod in his hand. 023:007 It was told Saul that David was come to Keilah. Saul said, God has delivered him into my hand; for he is shut in, by entering into a town that has gates and bars. 023:008 Saul summoned all the people to war, to go down to Keilah, to besiege David and his men. 023:009 David knew that Saul was devising mischief against him; and he said to Abiathar the priest, Bring here the ephod. 023:010 Then said David, O Yahweh, the God of Israel, your servant has surely heard that Saul seeks to come to Keilah, to destroy the city for my sake. 023:011 Will the men of Keilah deliver me up into his hand? will Saul come down, as your servant has heard? Yahweh, the God of Israel, I beg you, tell your servant. Yahweh said, He will come down. 023:012 Then said David, Will the men of Keilah deliver up to me and my men into the hand of Saul? Yahweh said, They will deliver you up. 023:013 Then David and his men, who were about six hundred, arose and departed out of Keilah, and went wherever they could go. It was told Saul that David was escaped from Keilah; and he gave up going there. 023:014 David abode in the wilderness in the strongholds, and remained in the hill country in the wilderness of Ziph. Saul sought him every day, but God didn't deliver him into his hand. 023:015 David saw that Saul had come out to seek his life: and David was in the wilderness of Ziph in the wood. 023:016 Jonathan, Saul's son, arose, and went to David into the wood, and strengthened his hand in God. 023:017 He said to him, Don't be afraid; for the hand of Saul my father shall not find you; and you shall be king over Israel, and I shall be next to you; and that also Saul my father knows. 023:018 They two made a covenant before Yahweh: and David abode in the wood, and Jonathan went to his house. 023:019 Then came up the Ziphites to Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doesn't David hide himself with us in the strongholds in the wood, in the hill of Hachilah, which is on the south of the desert? 023:020 Now therefore, O king, come down, according to all the desire of your soul to come down; and our part shall be to deliver him up into the king's hand. 023:021 Saul said, Blessed be you of Yahweh; for you have had compassion on me. 023:022 Please go make yet more sure, and know and see his place where his haunt is, [and] who has seen him there; for it is told me that he deals very subtly. 023:023 See therefore, and take knowledge of all the lurking places where he hides himself, and come you again to me of a certainty, and I will go with you: and it shall happen, if he be in the land, that I will search him out among all the thousands of Judah. 023:024 They arose, and went to Ziph before Saul: but David and his men were in the wilderness of Maon, in the Arabah on the south of the desert. 023:025 Saul and his men went to seek him. When David was told, he went down to the rock, and stayed in the wilderness of Maon. When Saul heard [that], he pursued after David in the wilderness of Maon. 023:026 Saul went on this side of the mountain, and David and his men on that side of the mountain: and David made haste to get away for fear of Saul; for Saul and his men compassed David and his men round about to take them. 023:027 But there came a messenger to Saul, saying, Haste you, and come; for the Philistines have made a raid on the land. 023:028 So Saul returned from pursuing after David, and went against the Philistines: therefore they called that place Sela Hammahlekoth. 023:029 David went up from there, and lived in the strongholds of En Gedi. 024:001 It happened, when Saul was returned from following the Philistines, that it was told him, saying, Behold, David is in the wilderness of En Gedi. 024:002 Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went to seek David and his men on the rocks of the wild goats. 024:003 He came to the sheep pens by the way, where was a cave; and Saul went in to relieve himself. Now David and his men were abiding in the innermost parts of the cave. 024:004 The men of David said to him, Behold, the day of which Yahweh said to you, Behold, I will deliver your enemy into your hand, and you shall do to him as it shall seem good to you. Then David arose, and cut off the skirt of Saul's robe secretly. 024:005 It happened afterward, that David's heart struck him, because he had cut off Saul's skirt. 024:006 He said to his men, Yahweh forbid that I should do this thing to my lord, Yahweh's anointed, to put forth my hand against him, seeing he is Yahweh's anointed. 024:007 So David checked his men with these words, and didn't allow them to rise against Saul. Saul rose up out of the cave, and went on his way. 024:008 David also arose afterward, and went out of the cave, and cried after Saul, saying, My lord the king. When Saul looked behind him, David bowed with his face to the earth, and did obeisance. 024:009 David said to Saul, Why listen you to men's words, saying, Behold, David seeks your hurt? 024:010 Behold, this day your eyes have seen how that Yahweh had delivered you today into my hand in the cave: and some bade me kill you; but [my eye] spared you; and I said, I will not put forth my hand against my lord; for he is Yahweh's anointed. 024:011 Moreover, my father, behold, yes, see the skirt of your robe in my hand; for in that I cut off the skirt of your robe, and didn't kill you, know you and see that there is neither evil nor disobedience in my hand, and I have not sinned against you, though you hunt after my life to take it. 024:012 Yahweh judge between me and you, and Yahweh avenge me of you; but my hand shall not be on you. 024:013 As says the proverb of the ancients, Out of the wicked comes forth wickedness; but my hand shall not be on you. 024:014 After whom is the king of Israel come out? after whom do you pursue? after a dead dog, after a flea. 024:015 Yahweh therefore be judge, and give sentence between me and you, and see, and plead my cause, and deliver me out of your hand. 024:016 It came to pass, when David had made an end of speaking these words to Saul, that Saul said, Is this your voice, my son David? Saul lifted up his voice, and wept. 024:017 He said to David, You are more righteous than I; for you have rendered to me good, whereas I have rendered to you evil. 024:018 You have declared this day how that you have dealt well with me, because when Yahweh had delivered me up into your hand, you didn't kill me. 024:019 For if a man finds his enemy, will he let him go away unharmed? Therefore may Yahweh reward you good for that which you have done to me this day. 024:020 Now, behold, I know that you shall surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in your hand. 024:021 Swear now therefore to me by Yahweh, that you will not cut off my seed after me, and that you will not destroy my name out of my father's house. 024:022 David swore to Saul. Saul went home; but David and his men got them up to the stronghold. 025:001 Samuel died; and all Israel gathered themselves together, and lamented him, and buried him in his house at Ramah. David arose, and went down to the wilderness of Paran. 025:002 There was a man in Maon, whose possessions were in Carmel; and the man was very great, and he had three thousand sheep, and a thousand goats: and he was shearing his sheep in Carmel. 025:003 Now the name of the man was Nabal; and the name of his wife Abigail; and the woman was of good understanding, and of a beautiful face: but the man was churlish and evil in his doings; and he was of the house of Caleb. 025:004 David heard in the wilderness that Nabal was shearing his sheep. 025:005 David sent ten young men, and David said to the young men, Go up to Carmel, and go to Nabal, and greet him in my name: 025:006 and thus shall you tell him who lives [in prosperity], Peace be to you, and peace be to your house, and peace be to all that you have. 025:007 Now I have heard that you have shearers: your shepherds have now been with us, and we did them no hurt, neither was there anything missing to them, all the while they were in Carmel. 025:008 Ask your young men, and they will tell you: therefore let the young men find favor in your eyes; for we come in a good day. Please give whatever comes to your hand, to your servants, and to your son David. 025:009 When David's young men came, they spoke to Nabal according to all those words in the name of David, and ceased. 025:010 Nabal answered David's servants, and said, Who is David? and who is the son of Jesse? there are many servants who break away from their masters these days. 025:011 Shall I then take my bread, and my water, and my meat that I have killed for my shearers, and give it to men who I don't know where they come from? 025:012 So David's young men turned on their way, and went back, and came and told him according to all these words. 025:013 David said to his men, Gird you on every man his sword. They girded on every man his sword; and David also girded on his sword: and there went up after David about four hundred men; and two hundred abode by the baggage. 025:014 But one of the young men told Abigail, Nabal's wife, saying, Behold, David sent messengers out of the wilderness to Greet our master; and he railed at them. 025:015 But the men were very good to us, and we were not hurt, neither missed we anything, as long as we went with them, when we were in the fields: 025:016 they were a wall to us both by night and by day, all the while we were with them keeping the sheep. 025:017 Now therefore know and consider what you will do; for evil is determined against our master, and against all his house: for he is such a worthless fellow that one can't speak to him. 025:018 Then Abigail made haste, and took two hundred loaves, and two bottles of wine, and five sheep ready dressed, and five measures of parched grain, and one hundred clusters of raisins, and two hundred cakes of figs, and laid them on donkeys. 025:019 She said to her young men, Go on before me; behold, I come after you. But she didn't tell her husband, Nabal. 025:020 It was so, as she rode on her donkey, and came down by the covert of the mountain, that behold, David and his men came down toward her; and she met them. 025:021 Now David had said, Surely in vain have I kept all that this fellow has in the wilderness, so that nothing was missed of all that pertained to him: and he has returned me evil for good. 025:022 God do so to the enemies of David, and more also, if I leave of all that belongs to him by the morning light so much as one who urinates on a wall.{or, male.} 025:023 When Abigail saw David, she hurried, and alighted from her donkey, and fell before David on her face, and bowed herself to the ground. 025:024 She fell at his feet, and said, On me, my lord, on me be the iniquity; and please let your handmaid speak in your ears. Hear the words of your handmaid. 025:025 Please don't let my lord regard this worthless fellow, even Nabal; for as his name is, so is he; Nabal is his name, and folly is with him: but I your handmaid didn't see the young men of my lord, whom you did send. 025:026 Now therefore, my lord, as Yahweh lives, and as your soul lives, seeing Yahweh has withheld you from blood guiltiness, and from avenging yourself with your own hand, now therefore let your enemies, and those who seek evil to my lord, be as Nabal. 025:027 Now this present which your servant has brought to my lord, let it be given to the young men who follow my lord. 025:028 Please forgive the trespass of your handmaid: for Yahweh will certainly make my lord a sure house, because my lord fights the battles of Yahweh; and evil shall not be found in you all your days. 025:029 Though men be risen up to pursue you, and to seek your soul, yet the soul of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of life with Yahweh your God; and the souls of your enemies, them shall he sling out, as from the hollow of a sling. 025:030 It shall come to pass, when Yahweh shall have done to my lord according to all the good that he has spoken concerning you, and shall have appointed you prince over Israel, 025:031 that this shall be no grief to you, nor offense of heart to my lord, either that you have shed blood without cause, or that my lord has avenged himself. When Yahweh shall have dealt well with my lord, then remember your handmaid. 025:032 David said to Abigail, Blessed be Yahweh, the God of Israel, who sent you this day to meet me: 025:033 and blessed be your discretion, and blessed be you, that have kept me this day from blood guiltiness, and from avenging myself with my own hand. 025:034 For in very deed, as Yahweh, the God of Israel, lives, who has withheld me from hurting you, except you had hurried and come to meet me, surely there wouldn't have been left to Nabal by the morning light so much as one who urinates on a wall.{or, male.} 025:035 So David received of her hand that which she had brought him: and he said to her, Go up in peace to your house; behold, I have listened to your voice, and have accepted your person. 025:036 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: therefore she told him nothing, less or more, until the morning light. 025:037 It happened 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 became as a stone. 025:038 It happened about ten days after, that Yahweh struck Nabal, so that he died. 025:039 When David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, Blessed be Yahweh, who has pleaded the cause of my reproach from the hand of Nabal, and has kept back his servant from evil: and the evil-doing of Nabal has Yahweh returned on his own head. David sent and spoke concerning Abigail, to take her to him as wife. 025:040 When the servants of David were come to Abigail to Carmel, they spoke to her, saying, David has sent us to you, to take you to him as wife. 025:041 She arose, and bowed herself with her face to the earth, and said, Behold, your handmaid is a servant to wash the feet of the servants of my lord. 025:042 Abigail hurried, and arose, and rode on a donkey, with five ladies of hers who followed her; and she went after the messengers of David, and became his wife. 025:043 David also took Ahinoam of Jezreel; and they became both of them his wives. 025:044 Now Saul had given Michal his daughter, David's wife, to Palti the son of Laish, who was of Gallim. 026:001 The Ziphites came to Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doesn't David hide himself in the hill of Hachilah, which is before the desert? 026:002 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 Ziph. 026:003 Saul encamped 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 wilderness. 026:004 David therefore sent out spies, and understood that Saul was come of a certainty. 026:005 David arose, and came to the place where Saul had encamped; and David saw the place where Saul lay, and Abner the son of Ner, the captain of his army: and Saul lay within the place of the wagons, and the people were encamped round about him. 026:006 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? Abishai said, I will go down with you. 026:007 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 him. 026:008 Then said Abishai to David, God has delivered up your enemy into your hand this day: now therefore please let me strike him with the spear to the earth at one stroke, and I will not strike him the second time. 026:009 David said to Abishai, Don't destroy him; for who can put forth his hand against Yahweh's anointed, and be guiltless? 026:010 David said, As Yahweh lives, Yahweh will strike him; or his day shall come to die; or he shall go down into battle and perish. 026:011 Yahweh forbid that I should put forth my hand against Yahweh's anointed: but now please take the spear that is at his head, and the jar of water, and let us go. 026:012 So David took the spear and the jar of water from Saul's head; and they got them away: and no man saw it, nor knew it, neither did any awake; for they were all asleep, because a deep sleep from Yahweh was fallen on them. 026:013 Then David went over to the other side, and stood on the top of the mountain afar off; a great space being between them; 026:014 and David cried to the people, and to Abner the son of Ner, saying, Don't you answer, Abner? Then Abner answered, Who are you who cries to the king? 026:015 David said to Abner, Aren't you a [valiant] man? and who is like you in Israel? why then have you not kept watch over your lord, the king? for there came one of the people in to destroy the king your lord. 026:016 This thing isn't good that you have done. As Yahweh lives, you are worthy to die, because you have not kept watch over your lord, Yahweh's anointed. Now see where the king's spear is, and the jar of water that was at his head. 026:017 Saul knew David's voice, and said, Is this your voice, my son David? David said, It is my voice, my lord, O king. 026:018 He said, Why does my lord pursue after his servant? for what have I done? or what evil is in my hand? 026:019 Now therefore, please let my lord the king hear the words of his servant. If it be Yahweh that has stirred you up against me, let him accept an offering: but if it be the children of men, cursed be they before Yahweh: for they have driven me out this day that I shouldn't cling to Yahweh's inheritance, saying, Go, serve other gods. 026:020 Now therefore, don't let my blood fall to the earth away from the presence of Yahweh: for the king of Israel is come out to seek a flea, as when one does hunt a partridge in the mountains. 026:021 Then said Saul, I have sinned: return, my son David; for I will no more do you harm, because my life was precious in your eyes this day: behold, I have played the fool, and have erred exceedingly. 026:022 David answered, Behold the spear, O king! let then one of the young men come over and get it. 026:023 Yahweh will render to every man his righteousness and his faithfulness; because Yahweh delivered you into my hand today, and I wouldn't put forth my hand against Yahweh's anointed. 026:024 Behold, as your life was much set by this day in my eyes, so let my life be much set by in the eyes of Yahweh, and let him deliver me out of all oppression. 026:025 Then Saul said to David, Blessed be you, my son David: you shall both do mightily, and shall surely prevail. So David went his way, and Saul returned to his place. 027:001 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. 027:002 David arose, and passed over, he and the six hundred men who were with him, to Achish the son of Maoch, king of Gath. 027:003 David lived 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. 027:004 It was told Saul that David was fled to Gath: and he sought no more again for him. 027:005 David said to Achish, If now I have found favor in your eyes, let them give me a place in one of the cities in the country, that I may dwell there: for why should your servant dwell in the royal city with you? 027:006 Then Achish gave him Ziklag that day: why Ziklag pertains to the kings of Judah to this day. 027:007 The number of the days that David lived in the country of the Philistines was a full year and four months. 027:008 David and his men went up, and made a raid on the Geshurites, and the Girzites, and the Amalekites; for those [nations] were the inhabitants of the land, who were of old, as you go to Shur, even to the land of Egypt. 027:009 David struck the land, and saved neither man nor woman alive, and took away the sheep, and the oxen, and the donkeys, and the camels, and the clothing; and he returned, and came to Achish. 027:010 Achish said, Against whom have you made a raid today? David said, Against the South of Judah, and against the South of the Jerahmeelites, and against the South of the Kenites. 027:011 David saved neither man nor woman alive, to bring them to Gath, saying, Lest they should tell of us, saying, So did David, and so has been his manner all the while he has lived in the country of the Philistines. 027:012 Achish believed David, saying, He has made his people Israel utterly to abhor him; therefore he shall be my servant forever. 028:001 It happened in those days, that the Philistines gathered their armies together for warfare, to fight with Israel. Achish said to David, Know you assuredly, that you shall go out with me in the army, you and your men. 028:002 David said to Achish, Therefore you shall know what your servant will do. Achish said to David, Therefore will I make you keeper of my head for ever. 028:003 Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had lamented him, and buried him in Ramah, even in his own city. Saul had put away those who had familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land. 028:004 The Philistines gathered themselves together, and came and encamped in Shunem: and Saul gathered all Israel together, and they encamped in Gilboa. 028:005 When Saul saw the army of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart trembled greatly. 028:006 When Saul inquired of Yahweh, Yahweh didn't answer him, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets. 028:007 Then said Saul to his servants, Seek me a woman who has a familiar spirit, that I may go to her, and inquire of her. His servants said to him, Behold, there is a woman who has a familiar spirit at Endor. 028:008 Saul disguised himself, and put on other clothing, and went, he and two men with him, and they came to the woman by night: and he said, Please divine to me by the familiar spirit, and bring me up whoever I shall name to you. 028:009 The woman said to him, Behold, you know what Saul has done, how he has cut off those who have familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land: why then lay you a snare for my life, to cause me to die? 028:010 Saul swore to her by Yahweh, saying, As Yahweh lives, there shall no punishment happen to you for this thing. 028:011 Then said the woman, Whom shall I bring up to you? He said, Bring me up Samuel. 028:012 When the woman saw Samuel, she cried with a loud voice; and the woman spoke to Saul, saying, Why have you deceived me? for you are Saul. 028:013 The king said to her, Don't be afraid: for what do you see? The woman said to Saul, I see a god coming up out of the earth. 028:014 He said to her, What form is he of? She said, An old man comes up; and he is covered with a robe. Saul perceived that it was Samuel, and he bowed with his face to the ground, and did obeisance. 028:015 Samuel said to Saul, Why have you disquieted me, to bring me up? Saul answered, I am sore distressed; for the Philistines make war against me, and God is departed from me, and answers me no more, neither by prophets, nor by dreams: therefore I have called you, that you may make known to me what I shall do. 028:016 Samuel said, Why then do you ask of me, seeing Yahweh is departed from you, and is become your adversary? 028:017 Yahweh has done to you, as he spoke by me: and Yahweh has torn the kingdom out of your hand, and given it to your neighbor, even to David. 028:018 Because you didn't obey the voice of Yahweh, and didn't execute his fierce wrath on Amalek, therefore has Yahweh done this thing to you this day. 028:019 Moreover Yahweh will deliver Israel also with you into the hand of the Philistines; and tomorrow shall you and your sons be with me: Yahweh will deliver the army of Israel also into the hand of the Philistines. 028:020 Then Saul fell immediately his full length on 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. 028:021 The woman came to Saul, and saw that he was sore troubled, and said to him, Behold, your handmaid has listened to your voice, and I have put my life in my hand, and have listened to your words which you spoke to me. 028:022 Now therefore, please listen also to the voice of your handmaid, and let me set a morsel of bread before you; and eat, that you may have strength, when you go on your way. 028:023 But he refused, and said, I will not eat. But his servants, together with the woman, constrained him; and he listened to their voice. So he arose from the earth, and sat on the bed. 028:024 The woman had a fattened calf in the house; and she hurried, and killed it; and she took flour, and kneaded it, and did bake unleavened bread of it: 028:025 and she brought it before Saul, and before his servants; and they ate. Then they rose up, and went away that night. 029:001 Now the Philistines gathered together all their armies to Aphek: and the Israelites encamped by the spring which is in Jezreel. 029:002 The lords of the Philistines passed on by hundreds, and by thousands; and David and his men passed on in the rearward with Achish. 029:003 Then said the princes of the Philistines, What [do] these Hebrews [here]? Achish said to the princes of the Philistines, Isn't this David, the servant of Saul the king of Israel, who has been with me these days, or [rather] these years, and I have found no fault in him since he fell away [to me] to this day? 029:004 But the princes of the Philistines were angry with him; and the princes of the Philistines said to him, Make the man return, that he may go back to his place where you have appointed him, and let him not go down with us to battle, lest in the battle he become an adversary to us: for with what should this [fellow] reconcile himself to his lord? should it not be with the heads of these men? 029:005 Is not this David, of whom they sang one to another in dances, saying, Saul has slain his thousands, David his ten thousands? 029:006 Then Achish called David, and said to him, As Yahweh lives, you have been upright, and your going out and your coming in with me in the army is good in my sight; for I have not found evil in you since the day of your coming to me to this day: nevertheless the lords don't favor you. 029:007 Therefore now return, and go in peace, that you not displease the lords of the Philistines. 029:008 David said to Achish, But what have I done? and what have you found in your servant so long as I have been before you to this day, that I may not go and fight against the enemies of my lord the king? 029:009 Achish answered David, I know that you are 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 battle. 029:010 Therefore now rise up early in the morning with the servants of your lord who have come with you; and as soon as you are up early in the morning, and have light, depart. 029:011 So David rose up early, he and his men, to depart in the morning, to return into the land of the Philistines. The Philistines went up to Jezreel. 030:001 It happened, when David and his men were come to Ziklag on the third day, that the Amalekites had made a raid on the South, and on Ziklag, and had struck Ziklag, and burned it with fire, 030:002 and had taken captive the women [and all] who were therein, both small and great: they didn't kill any, but carried them off, and went their way. 030:003 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 captive. 030:004 Then David and the people who were with him lifted up their voice and wept, until they had no more power to weep. 030:005 David's two wives were taken captive, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite. 030:006 David was greatly distressed; for the people spoke 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 Yahweh his God. 030:007 David said to Abiathar the priest, the son of Ahimelech, Please bring me here the ephod. Abiathar brought there the ephod to David. 030:008 David inquired of Yahweh, saying, If I pursue after this troop, shall I overtake them? He answered him, Pursue; for you shall surely overtake [them], and shall without fail recover [all]. 030:009 So David went, he and the six hundred men who were with him, and came to the brook Besor, where those who were left behind stayed. 030:010 But David pursued, he and four hundred men; for two hundred stayed behind, who were so faint that they couldn't go over the brook Besor. 030:011 They found an Egyptian in the field, and brought him to David, and gave him bread, and he ate; and they gave him water to drink. 030:012 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, three days and three nights. 030:013 David said to him, To whom belong you? and whence are you? He said, I am a young man of Egypt, servant to an Amalekite; and my master left me, because three days ago I fell sick. 030:014 We made a raid on the South of the Cherethites, and on that which belongs to Judah, and on the South of Caleb; and we burned Ziklag with fire. 030:015 David said to him, Will you bring me down to this troop? He said, Swear to me by God, that you will neither kill me, nor deliver me up into the hands of my master, and I will bring you down to this troop. 030:016 When he had brought him down, behold, they were spread abroad over all the ground, eating and drinking, and dancing, because of all the great spoil that they had taken out of the land of the Philistines, and out of the land of Judah. 030:017 David struck them from the twilight even to the evening of the next day: and there not a man of them escaped, except four hundred young men, who rode on camels and fled. 030:018 David recovered all that the Amalekites had taken; and David rescued his two wives. 030:019 There was nothing lacking to them, neither small nor great, neither sons nor daughters, neither spoil, nor anything that they had taken to them: David brought back all. 030:020 David took all the flocks and the herds, [which] they drove before those [other] livestock, and said, This is David's spoil. 030:021 David came to the two hundred men, who 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 who were with him: and when David came near to the people, he greeted them. 030:022 Then answered all the wicked men and base fellows, of those who went with David, and said, Because they didn't go with us, we will not give them anything of the spoil that we have recovered, except to every man his wife and his children, that he may lead them away, and depart. 030:023 Then said David, You shall not do so, my brothers, with that which Yahweh has given to us, who has preserved us, and delivered the troop that came against us into our hand. 030:024 Who will listen to you in this matter? for as his share is who goes down to the battle, so shall his share be who tarries by the baggage: they shall share alike. 030:025 It was so from that day forward, that he made it a statute and an ordinance for Israel to this day. 030:026 When David came to Ziklag, he sent of the spoil to the elders of Judah, even to his friends, saying, Behold, a present for you of the spoil of the enemies of Yahweh: 030:027 To those who were in Bethel, and to those who were in Ramoth of the South, and to those who were in Jattir, 030:028 and to those who were in Aroer, and to those who were in Siphmoth, and to those who were in Eshtemoa, 030:029 and to those who were in Racal, and to those who were in the cities of the Jerahmeelites, and to those who were in the cities of the Kenites, 030:030 and to those who were in Hormah, and to those who were in Borashan, and to those who were in Athach, 030:031 and to those who were in Hebron, and to all the places where David himself and his men used to stay. 031:001 Now the Philistines fought against Israel: and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell down slain on Mount Gilboa. 031:002 The Philistines followed hard on Saul and on his sons; and the Philistines killed Jonathan, and Abinadab, and Malchishua, the sons of Saul. 031:003 The battle went sore against Saul, and the archers overtook him; and he was greatly distressed by reason of the archers. 031:004 Then said Saul to his armor bearer, Draw your sword, and thrust me through therewith, lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and abuse me. But his armor bearer would not; for he was sore afraid. Therefore Saul took his sword, and fell on it. 031:005 When his armor bearer saw that Saul was dead, he likewise fell on his sword, and died with him. 031:006 So Saul died, and his three sons, and his armor bearer, and all his men, that same day together. 031:007 When the men of Israel who were on the other side of the valley, and those who were beyond the Jordan, saw that the men of Israel fled, and that Saul and his sons were dead, they forsook the cities, and fled; and the Philistines came and lived in them. 031:008 It happened on the next day, when the Philistines came to strip the slain, that they found Saul and his three sons fallen on Mount Gilboa. 031:009 They cut off his head, and stripped off his armor, and sent into the land of the Philistines round about, to carry the news to the house of their idols, and to the people. 031:010 They put his armor in the house of the Ashtaroth; and they fastened his body to the wall of Beth Shan. 031:011 When the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead heard concerning him that which the Philistines had done to Saul, 031:012 all the valiant men arose, and went all night, and took the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Beth Shan; and they came to Jabesh, and burnt them there. 031:013 They took their bones, and buried them under the tamarisk tree in Jabesh, and fasted seven days. Book 10 2 Samuel 001:001 It happened after the death of Saul, when David was returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites, and David had abode two days in Ziklag; 001:002 it happened on the third day, that behold, a man came out of the camp from Saul, with his clothes torn, and earth on his head: and so it was, when he came to David, that he fell to the earth, and did obeisance. 001:003 David said to him, From whence come you? He said to him, Out of the camp of Israel am I escaped. 001:004 David said to him, How went the matter? Please tell me. He answered, The people are fled from the battle, and many of the people also are fallen and dead; and Saul and Jonathan his son are dead also. 001:005 David said to the young man who told him, How know you that Saul and Jonathan his son are dead? 001:006 The young man who told him said, As I happened by chance on Mount Gilboa, behold, Saul was leaning on his spear; and behold, the chariots and the horsemen followed hard after him. 001:007 When he looked behind him, he saw me, and called to me. I answered, Here am I. 001:008 He said to me, Who are you? I answered him, I am an Amalekite. 001:009 He said to me, Stand, I pray you, beside me, and kill me; for anguish has taken hold of me, because my life is yet whole in me. 001:010 So I stood beside him, and killed him, because I was sure that he could not live after that he was fallen: and I took the crown that was on his head, and the bracelet that was on his arm, and have brought them here to my lord. 001:011 Then David took hold on his clothes, and tore them; and likewise all the men who were with him: 001:012 and they mourned, and wept, and fasted until even, for Saul, and for Jonathan his son, and for the people of Yahweh, and for the house of Israel; because they were fallen by the sword. 001:013 David said to the young man who told him, Whence are you? He answered, I am the son of a foreigner, an Amalekite. 001:014 David said to him, How were you not afraid to put forth your hand to destroy Yahweh's anointed? 001:015 David called one of the young men, and said, Go near, and fall on him. He struck him, so that he died. 001:016 David said to him, Your blood be on your head; for your mouth has testified against you, saying, I have slain Yahweh's anointed. 001:017 David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son 001:018 (and he bade them teach the children of Judah [the song of] the bow: behold, it is written in the book of Jashar): 001:019 Your glory, Israel, is slain on your high places! How the mighty have fallen! 001:020 Don't tell it in Gath. Don't publish it in the streets of Ashkelon, lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph. 001:021 You mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew nor rain on you, neither fields of offerings; For there the shield of the mighty was vilely cast away, The shield of Saul was not anointed with oil. 001:022 From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the mighty, Jonathan's bow didn't turn back. Saul's sword didn't return empty. 001:023 Saul and Jonathan were lovely and pleasant in their lives. In their death, they were not divided. They were swifter than eagles. They were stronger than lions. 001:024 You daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you in scarlet delicately, who put ornaments of gold on your clothing. 001:025 How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle! Jonathan is slain on your high places. 001:026 I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan. You have been very pleasant to me. Your love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women. 001:027 How are the mighty fallen, and the weapons of war perished! 002:001 It happened after this, that David inquired of Yahweh, saying, Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah? Yahweh said to him, Go up. David said, Where shall I go up? He said, To Hebron. 002:002 So David went up there, and his two wives also, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite. 002:003 His men who were with him did David bring up, every man with his household: and they lived in the cities of Hebron. 002:004 The men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. They told David, saying, The men of Jabesh Gilead were those who buried Saul. 002:005 David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh Gilead, and said to them, Blessed be you of Yahweh, that you have shown this kindness to your lord, even to Saul, and have buried him. 002:006 Now Yahweh show loving kindness and truth to you: and I also will requite you this kindness, because you have done this thing. 002:007 Now therefore let your hands be strong, and be you valiant; for Saul your lord is dead, and also the house of Judah have anointed me king over them. 002:008 Now Abner the son of Ner, captain of Saul's army, had taken Ishbosheth the son of Saul, and brought him over to Mahanaim; 002:009 and he made him king over Gilead, and over the Ashurites, and over Jezreel, and over Ephraim, and over Benjamin, and over all Israel. 002:010 Ishbosheth, Saul's son, was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and he reigned two years. But the house of Judah followed David. 002:011 The time that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months. 002:012 Abner the son of Ner, and the servants of Ishbosheth the son of Saul, went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon. 002:013 Joab the son of Zeruiah, and the servants of David, went out, and met them by the pool of Gibeon; and they sat down, the one on the one side of the pool, and the other on the other side of the pool. 002:014 Abner said to Joab, Please let the young men arise and play before us. Joab said, Let them arise. 002:015 Then they arose and went over by number: twelve for Benjamin, and for Ishbosheth the son of Saul, and twelve of the servants of David. 002:016 They caught everyone his fellow by the head, and [thrust] his sword in his fellow's side; so they fell down together: therefore that place was called Helkath Hazzurim, which is in Gibeon. 002:017 The battle was very severe that day: and Abner was beaten, and the men of Israel, before the servants of David. 002:018 The three sons of Zeruiah were there, Joab, and Abishai, and Asahel: and Asahel was as light of foot as a wild gazelle. 002:019 Asahel pursued after Abner; and in going he didn't turn to the right hand nor to the left from following Abner. 002:020 Then Abner looked behind him, and said, Is it you, Asahel? He answered, It is I. 002:021 Abner said to him, Turn you aside to your right hand or to your left, and lay you hold on one of the young men, and take you his armor. But Asahel would not turn aside from following him. 002:022 Abner said again to Asahel, Turn you aside from following me: why should I strike you to the ground? how then should I hold up my face to Joab your brother? 002:023 However he refused to turn aside: therefore Abner with the hinder end of the spear struck him in the body, so that the spear came out behind him; and he fell down there, and died in the same place: and it happened, that as many as came to the place where Asahel fell down and died stood still. 002:024 But Joab and Abishai pursued after Abner: and the sun went down when they were come to the hill of Ammah, that lies before Giah by the way of the wilderness of Gibeon. 002:025 The children of Benjamin gathered themselves together after Abner, and became one band, and stood on the top of a hill. 002:026 Then Abner called to Joab, and said, "Shall the sword devour forever? Don't you know that it will be bitterness in the latter end? How long shall it be then, before you bid the people return from following their brothers?" 002:027 Joab said, As God lives, if you had not spoken, surely then in the morning the people had gone away, nor followed everyone his brother. 002:028 So Joab blew the trumpet; and all the people stood still, and pursued after Israel no more, neither fought they any more. 002:029 Abner and his men went all that night through the Arabah; and they passed over the Jordan, and went through all Bithron, and came to Mahanaim. 002:030 Joab returned from following Abner: and when he had gathered all the people together, there lacked of David's servants nineteen men and Asahel. 002:031 But the servants of David had struck of Benjamin, and of Abner's men, [so that] three hundred sixty men died. 002:032 They took up Asahel, and buried him in the tomb of his father, which was in Bethlehem. Joab and his men went all night, and the day broke on them at Hebron. 003:001 Now there was long war between the house of Saul and the house of David: and David grew stronger and stronger, but the house of Saul grew weaker and weaker. 003:002 To David were sons born in Hebron: and his firstborn was Amnon, of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess; 003:003 and his second, Chileab, of Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite; and the third, Absalom the son of Maacah the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur; 003:004 and the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith; and the fifth, Shephatiah the son of Abital; 003:005 and the sixth, Ithream, of Eglah, David's wife. These were born to David in Hebron. 003:006 It happened, while there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David, that Abner made himself strong in the house of Saul. 003:007 Now Saul had a concubine, whose name was Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah: and [Ishbosheth] said to Abner, Why have you gone in to my father's concubine? 003:008 Then was Abner very angry for the words of Ishbosheth, and said, Am I a dog's head that belongs to Judah? This day do I show kindness to the house of Saul your father, to his brothers, and to his friends, and have not delivered you into the hand of David; and yet you charge me this day with a fault concerning this woman. 003:009 God do so to Abner, and more also, if, as Yahweh has sworn to David, I don't do even so to him; 003:010 to transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul, and to set up the throne of David over Israel and over Judah, from Dan even to Beersheba. 003:011 He could not answer Abner another word, because he feared him. 003:012 Abner sent messengers to David on his behalf, saying, Whose is the land? saying [also], Make your league with me, and behold, my hand shall be with you, to bring about all Israel to you. 003:013 He said, Well; I will make a league with you; but one thing I require of you: that is, you shall not see my face, except you first bring Michal, Saul's daughter, when you come to see my face. 003:014 David sent messengers to Ishbosheth, Saul's son, saying, Deliver me my wife Michal, whom I pledged to be married to me for one hundred foreskins of the Philistines. 003:015 Ishbosheth sent, and took her from her husband, even from Paltiel the son of Laish. 003:016 Her husband went with her, weeping as he went, and followed her to Bahurim. Then said Abner to him, Go, return: and he returned. 003:017 Abner had communication with the elders of Israel, saying, In times past you sought for David to be king over you: 003:018 now then do it; for Yahweh has spoken of David, saying, By the hand of my servant David I will save my people Israel out of the hand of the Philistines, and out of the hand of all their enemies. 003:019 Abner also spoke in the ears of Benjamin: and Abner went also to speak in the ears of David in Hebron all that seemed good to Israel, and to the whole house of Benjamin. 003:020 So Abner came to David to Hebron, and twenty men with him. David made Abner and the men who were with him a feast. 003:021 Abner said to David, I will arise and go, and will gather all Israel to my lord the king, that they may make a covenant with you, and that you may reign over all that your soul desires. David sent Abner away; and he went in peace. 003:022 Behold, the servants of David and Joab came from a foray, and brought in a great spoil with them: but Abner was not with David in Hebron; for he had sent him away, and he was gone in peace. 003:023 When Joab and all the army who was with him had come, they told Joab, saying, Abner the son of Ner came to the king, and he has sent him away, and he is gone in peace. 003:024 Then Joab came to the king, and said, What have you done? behold, Abner came to you; why is it that you have sent him away, and he is quite gone? 003:025 You know Abner the son of Ner, that he came to deceive you, and to know your going out and your coming in, and to know all that you do. 003:026 When Joab was come out from David, he sent messengers after Abner, and they brought him back from the well of Sirah: but David didn't know it. 003:027 When Abner was returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside into the midst of the gate to speak with him quietly, and struck him there in the body, so that he died, for the blood of Asahel his brother. 003:028 Afterward, when David heard it, he said, I and my kingdom are guiltless before Yahweh forever of the blood of Abner the son of Ner: 003:029 let it fall on the head of Joab, and on all his father's house; and let there not fail from the house of Joab one who has an issue, or who is a leper, or who leans on a staff, or who falls by the sword, or who lacks bread. 003:030 So Joab and Abishai his brother killed Abner, because he had killed their brother Asahel at Gibeon in the battle. 003:031 David said to Joab, and to all the people who were with him, Tear your clothes, and gird you with sackcloth, and mourn before Abner. King David followed the bier. 003:032 They buried Abner in Hebron: and the king lifted up his voice, and wept at the grave of Abner; and all the people wept. 003:033 The king lamented for Abner, and said, Should Abner die as a fool dies? 003:034 Your hands were not bound, nor your feet put into fetters. As a man falls before the children of iniquity, so you fell. All the people wept again over him. 003:035 All the people came to cause David to eat bread while it was yet day; but David swore, saying, God do so to me, and more also, if I taste bread, or anything else, until the sun be down. 003:036 All the people took notice of it, and it pleased them; as whatever the king did pleased all the people. 003:037 So all the people and all Israel understood that day that it was not of the king to kill Abner the son of Ner. 003:038 The king said to his servants, "Don't you know that there a prince and a great man has fallen this day in Israel? 003:039 I am this day weak, though anointed king; and these men the sons of Zeruiah are too hard for me. May Yahweh reward the evil-doer according to his wickedness." 004:001 When [Ishbosheth], Saul's son, heard that Abner was dead in Hebron, his hands became feeble, and all the Israelites were troubled. 004:002 [Ishbosheth], Saul's son, [had] two men who were captains of bands: the name of the one was Baanah, and the name of the other Rechab, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, of the children of Benjamin (for Beeroth also is reckoned to Benjamin: 004:003 and the Beerothites fled to Gittaim, and have lived as foreigners there until this day). 004:004 Now Jonathan, Saul's son, had a son who was lame of his feet. He was five years old when the news came of Saul and Jonathan out of Jezreel; and his nurse took him up, and fled: and it happened, as she made haste to flee, that he fell, and became lame. His name was Mephibosheth. 004:005 The sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rechab and Baanah, went, and came about the heat of the day to the house of Ishbosheth, as he took his rest at noon. 004:006 They came there into the midst of the house, as though they would have fetched wheat; and they struck him in the body: and Rechab and Baanah his brother escaped. 004:007 Now when they came into the house, as he lay on his bed in his bedchamber, they struck him, and killed him, and beheaded him, and took his head, and went by the way of the Arabah all night. 004:008 They brought the head of Ishbosheth to David to Hebron, and said to the king, Behold, the head of Ishbosheth, the son of Saul, your enemy, who sought your life; and Yahweh has avenged my lord the king this day of Saul, and of his seed. 004:009 David answered Rechab and Baanah his brother, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, and said to them, As Yahweh lives, who has redeemed my soul out of all adversity, 004:010 when one told me, saying, Behold, Saul is dead, thinking to have brought good news, I took hold of him, and killed him in Ziklag, which was the reward I gave him for his news. 004:011 How much more, when wicked men have slain a righteous person in his own house on his bed, shall I not now require his blood of your hand, and take you away from the earth? 004:012 David commanded his young men, and they killed them, and cut off their hands and their feet, and hanged them up beside the pool in Hebron. But they took the head of Ishbosheth, and buried it in the grave of Abner in Hebron. 005:001 Then came all the tribes of Israel to David to Hebron, and spoke, saying, Behold, we are your bone and your flesh. 005:002 In times past, when Saul was king over us, it was you who led out and brought in Israel: and Yahweh said to you, You shall be shepherd of my people Israel, and you shall be prince over Israel. 005:003 So all the elders of Israel came to the king to Hebron; and king David made a covenant with them in Hebron before Yahweh: and they anointed David king over Israel. 005:004 David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years. 005:005 In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months; and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty-three years over all Israel and Judah. 005:006 The king and his men went to Jerusalem against the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land, who spoke to David, saying, Except you take away the blind and the lame, you shall not come in here; thinking, David can't come in here. 005:007 Nevertheless David took the stronghold of Zion; the same is the city of David. 005:008 David said on that day, Whoever strikes the Jebusites, let him get up to the watercourse, and [strike] the lame and the blind, who are hated of David's soul. Therefore they say, There are the blind and the lame; he can't come into the house. 005:009 David lived in the stronghold, and called it the city of David. David built round about from Millo and inward. 005:010 David grew greater and greater; for Yahweh, the God of Armies, was with him. 005:011 Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and cedar trees, and carpenters, and masons; and they built David a house. 005:012 David perceived that Yahweh had established him king over Israel, and that he had exalted his kingdom for his people Israel's sake. 005:013 David took him more concubines and wives out of Jerusalem, after he was come from Hebron; and there were yet sons and daughters born to David. 005:014 These are the names of those who were born to him in Jerusalem: Shammua, and Shobab, and Nathan, and Solomon, 005:015 and Ibhar, and Elishua, and Nepheg, and Japhia, 005:016 and Elishama, and Eliada, and Eliphelet. 005:017 When the Philistines heard that they had anointed David king over Israel, all the Philistines went up to seek David; and David heard of it, and went down to the stronghold. 005:018 Now the Philistines