4 Then said Jonathan unto David, Whatsoever thy soul defireth, I will even do it for thee.

5 And David said unto Jonathan, Behold, to morrow is the new moon, and I mould not fail to sit with the king at meat: but let me go, that I may hide myself in the field unto the third day at even.

6 If thy father at all miss me, then fay, David earnestly aflced leave of me that he might run to Beth-lehem his city: for there is a yearly sacrifice there for all the family.

7 If he say thus, // is wc41; thy servant shall have peace: but if he be very wroth, then be sure that evil is determined by him.

8 Thereforethou shalt deal kindly with thy servant; for thoti halt brought thy servant into a covenant of the Lor D with thee: notwithstanding, istherebein me iniquity.staymc thyself; for why (houldest thou bring me to thy father?

9 And Jonathan said, Far be it from thee: for if I knew certainly that evil were determined by my father to come upon thee, then would not I tell it thee?

10 Then said David to Jonathan, Who (hall tellme? or what if thy father answer thee roughly?

11 fl And Jonathan said unto David, Come; and let us go out into the field. And they went out both of them into the field.

Ii And Jonathan said unto David, O Lo R D Gcd of Israel, when I have sounded my fatlier about to morrow any time, or the third day, and, behold, if there be good toward David, and I then (end not unto thee, and (hew it thee;

13 The Lorn do so and much more to Jonathan: but if it please my" father to do thee evil, then I will sliew it thee, and send thee away, that thou mayest go in peace: and the Load be with thee, as he hath been with my father.

14. And thou shalt not only while yet I live (hew me the kindness of the Lord, that X die not:

15 But also thou (halt not cut off thy kindness from my house for ever; no', not when the Lord hath cut off the enemies of David every one from the face of the earth.

16 So Jonathan made a covenant with tlie bouse of David, saying, Let the Lord even require it at the hand of David's enemies.

17 And Jonathan caused David to swear ;»gain, because lit loved him: for he loved him as he loved his own soul.

iS Then Jonathan said to David, To morrow /'/ the new moon: and thou (haft be milled, because thy seat will be empty.

19 And when thou hast stayed three days, then thou (halt go down quickly, and come to the place where thou didst hide thyself when the business was in hand, and (halt remain by-the stone Ezel.

20 And I will (hoot three arrows on the side thereof, as though I (hot at a mark.

Ii And, behold, I will semi a \zi,saying, Go find out the arrows. If I expreily fay unto the lad, Behold, the arrows are on this side of thee, take them; then come thou: for there is peace to thee, and no hurt; as the Lo R D liveth.

12 But if I (ay thus unto the young man, Behold, the arrows are beyond thee; go thy way: for the Lo R D hath sent thee away.

13 And as touching the matter which thou and I have spoken of, behold, the Lo R D be between thee arid me for ever.

1+ f So David hid himself in the field: .and when the new moon was come, the king fat him down to eat meat.

15 And the king fat upon his scat, as at other times, even upon a seat by the wall: and Jonathan arose, and Abner fat by Saul's side, and David's place was empty.

%G Nevertheless Saul spake not any thing that day: for he thought, Something hath befallen him, he is not dean; surely he is not clean.

»7 And it eame to pass on the morrow, vjhich ivas the second day of the month, that David's place was empty: and Saul laid unto Jonathan his ton, Wherefore coineth not the ion of Jesse to meat, neither yesterday, nor to day?

ii And Jonathan answered Saul, David earnestly alked leave of me to gt W Beth-lehem:

19 And he said, Let me go, I pray thee: for bur family hath a sacrifice in the city; and my brother, he hath commanded me to be there: and now, if I have found savour in thine eyes, let me get away, 1 pray thee, and see mj brethren. Therefore he cometh not unto the king's table. .

30 Then Saul's anger was kind1TM against Jonathan, and he said onto him, Thou son of the perverse rebellious woman, do not I know that thou hast chosen the son of Jesse to thine owr confusion, and unto the confusion of thy mother's nakedness 1 .

31 For as long as the son of Jesse h«"> upon the ground, thou (hastnot beeltablislied, nor thy kingdom. Wherefore Bow send and fetch him unto me, for he fiiall sorely die.

32 And Jonathan answered Saul his fuher, and did unto him, Wherefore &ill he be (lain ? what hath he done?

33 And Saul cast a javelin at him to some him: whereby Jonathan knew that it was determined of his father to slay Dwid.

34 So Jonathan arose from the table in fierce anger, and did eat no meat the iccom! day of the month: for he was grieved for David, because his father bad done him shame.

35 And it came to pass in the morning, that Jonathan went out into the teld at the time appointed with David, iind a little lad with him.

;« And he said unto his lad, Run, find cut now the arrows which I shoot. And a* the lad ran, he sliot an arrow beyond him.

37 And when the lad was come to the place of the arrow which Jonathan had (hot, Jonathan cried after,the lad, and laid, // not the arrow beyond thee?

?S And Jonathan cried after the lad, Make speed, haste, stay not. And Jonathan's lad gathered up the arrows, and cane to hi* matter.

39 But the lad knew not any thing: only Jonathan and David knew the matter.

40 And Jonathan gave his artillery '.vo his lad, and said unto him, Go, carry them to the city.

4.1 And as soon as the lad 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, ami wept one with laother, until David exceeded.

4s And Jonathan said to David, Go in peace, forasmuch as We have sworn both of us in the name of the Lord, saying, The I»o it D be between me and thee, and between my seed and thy seed for ever. And he arose and departed: and Jonati«an went into the city.

CHAP. XXI. 1 David at Nob ebtaineth of Ahimelech hallowed bread, i He taUlh Goliath.''s j<werd\ 10 and at Goth feigneth himself mad. 'jOHEN came David to Nob, to Ahi4 melech the priest 1 and Ahimelech - w afraid at the meeting of David, and lad onto him, Why art thou alone, and Do man with thee?

x And David said unto Ahimelech the priest, The king hath commanded me a Easiness, and hath said unto me, Let no man know any thing of the business *• -> u-about I send thee, and what I have'

commanded thee: and I have appointed my servants to such and such a place.

3 Now therefore what is under thine hand? give me five loaves of bread in mine hand, or what there is present.

4 And the priest answered David, and said, There it no common bread under mine hand, but there is hallowed bread $ if the young men have kept themselves at least from women.

5 And David answered the priest, and said unto him, Of a truth women have been kept from us about these three days, since I came out, and the vessels of the young men are holy, and the bread is in a manner common, yea, though it wer« sanctified this day in the vessel.

6 So the priest gave him hallowed bread: for there was no bread there but the sliewbrcad, that was taken from before the Lord, to put hot bread in the day when it was taken away.

7 Now a certain man of the servants of Saul vias there that day, detained before the Lo a 0 ; and his name ivas Doeg, an Edomite, the chiefest of the lierdinett that belonged to Saul.

8 »J And David said unto Ahimelech, And is there not here under thine hand spear or sword? for I have neither brought my sword nor mv weapons with me, because the king's business required haste.

9 And the priest said, The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom thou flewest in the valley of Elah, behold, it is here wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod: if thou wilt take that, take it: for there is no other save that here. And David said, There is none like that; give it me.

10 «J And David arose, and fled that day for fear of Saul, and went to Achisli the king of Gath.

it And the servants of Achisli said unto him, // not this David the king of the land? did they not sing one to another of him in dances, faying, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands?

Iz And David laid up these words in his heait, and was fore afraid of Achilh the king of Gath.

13 And he changed his behaviour before them, and feigned himself mad in their hands, and scrabbled on the doors of the gate, and let his spittle fall down upon his beard.

i+Then said Achisli unto his servants, Lo, ye see the man is mad: wherefore then have ye brought him to me?

15 Have I need of mad men, that ye have brought this fellotu to play the mad man in my presence? sliall this felbvj come into my house?

Sa CHAP.

CHAP. XXII.

Men resort to David at Adullam. 9 Doeg accuse th Ahimtlech. 11 Saul command eth to kill the priefts. so Abiathdr efcapeth to Da-jid.

DAVID therefore departed thence, and escaped to the cave Adullam: and when his brethren and all his father's house heard it, they went down thither to him.

s And every one that ivai in distress, and every one that <was in debt, and every one that was discontented, gathered themselves unto him; and he became a captain over them: and there were with him about four hundred men.

3 And David went thence to Mizpeh of Moab: and he said unto the king of Moab, Let my father and my mother, I pray thee, come forth, and be with you, till I know what God will do for me.

4 And he brought them before the king of Moab: and they dwelt with him all the while that David was in the hold.

5 And the prophet Gad said unto David, Abide not in the hold; depart, and get thee into the land of Judah. Then David departed, and came into the forest of Hareth.

6 When Saul heard that David was discovered, and the men that were with him, (now Saul abode in Gibeah under a tree in Ram ah, having his spear in his hand, and all his servants were stand ing about him;)

7 Then Saul laid unto his servants that stood about him, Hear now, ye Benjamites; will the fen of Jesse give every one of you fields and vineyards, and make you all captains of thousands, and captains of hundreds;

g That alf of you have conspired against me, and there is none that slieweth me that my son hath made a league with the son of Jesse, and there is none of you that is lorry for me, or fheweth unto me that my son hath stirred up my servant against me, to lie in wait, as at this day?

9 ^J Then answered Doeg the Edotnite, which was set over the servants of Saul, and said, I saw the son of Jesse coming to Nob, to Ahimelech tht son of Ahitub.

10 And he enquired of the Lord for him, and gave him victuals, and gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine.

11 *\ Then the king sent to call Ahimelech the priest, the son of Ahitub, and all hit father'* house, the priests that were in Nob 1 and they came all of them to the king.

11 And Saul laid, Hear now, thou son

of Ahitub. Aim! he answered, Here am, my lord. .

'-13 And Saul said unto him, Why hav ye conspired against me, thou and th son of Jesse, in that thou hast given hii bread, and a sword, and hast enquired c God for him, that he should rise again me. to lie in wait, as at this day?

14-Then Ahimelech answered the kins and said, And who is ft faithful among a thy servants as David, which is the king son in law, and goeth at thy biddinj and is honourable in thine house? 1

15 Did I then begin to enquire of Go for him? be it far from me: let nc the king impute any thing unto his ser vant, nor to all the house of my father for thy servant knew nothing of all this less or more.

16 And the king said, Thou dial surely die, Ahimelech, thou, and a thy father's house.

17 And the king said unto the foot men that stood about him, Turn, and lla the priests of the Lord; because thei hand also (/withDavid,and because the knew when he .fled, and did not (hew; to mt-. But the servants of the kin would not put forth their hand to fa upon the priests of the Lor D.

18 And the king said to Doeg, Tur thou, and fall upon the priests. An Doeg theEdomite turned, and he fe upon the priests, and slew on that da fourscore and five persons that did wea a linen epliod.

19 And Nob, the city of the priests smote he with the edge of the swore both men and women, children an sucklings, and oxen, and asses, and slices with the edge of the sword.

20 tj And one of the sons of Ahirne lech the son of Ahitub, named Abia thar," escaped and fled after David.

21 And Abia thar stiewed David th; Saul had llain the Lord's priests.

12 And David said unto Abiathar, knew it that day, when Doeg the Edc mite was there, that he would surely tc Saul: I have eccalioned the death of » the persons of thy father's house.

13 Abide thou with me, fear not: so he that seeketh my life seeketh thy hte but with me thou (halt be in safeguard

CHAP. XXIII.

1 David enquiring of the Lord, rescue!

Keilah. 7 God shewing him Saul'scm

ing, and the treachery of the Ketlitei

. he escapesh from Keilah, i^toZiph, »

to Maon. .,

THKNtheytoldDavid,saymg,Ben°w the Philistines, fight again* Kaian and they rgb the ttoestiinguoors. •

CHAP. XXIV.

I David in a cave at Bn-gedi fpareth Saul's life. 8 He pleadeth his innoceney. j 6 Saul acknoivledgeth his fault.

AND it came to pass, when Saul was returned from following the Philistines, that it was told him, saying, Behold, David is in the wilderness of En-gedi.

» Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went to seek David and his men upon the rocks of the wild goats.

3 And he came to the ftvccpcotes by the way, where was a cave; and Saul went in to cover his feet: and David and his men remained in the fides of the cave.

4 And the men of David said unto him, Behold the day of which the Lord laid unto thee, Behold, I will deliver thine enemy into thine hand, that thou mayest do to him as it (hall seem good unto thee. Then David arose, and cut oft' the (kirt of Saul's robe privily.

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

6 And he laid tmto his men, The Lor D forbid that I (hould do this thing unto my master, the Lo R D 's anointed, to stretch forth mine hand against him, seeing he is the anointed ofthe Lo R D . _

7 So David stayed his servants with these words, and suffered them not to rise against Saul. But Saul rose up out pf the cave, and went on his way.

8 ^f David also arose afterward, and went out of the cave, and cried after Saul, saying, My lord the king. And when Saul looked behind him, David stooped with his face to the earth, and bowed himself.

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

io Behold, this day thine eyes have seen how that the Lord had delivered thee to day into mine hand in the cave: rind/o?** bade me kill thee; but mine eye spared thee; and I laid, I will not put forth mine hand against my lord; for he is the I-OR D's anointed.

u Moreover, my rather, see, yea, see the (kirt of thy robe in my hand: for in tint I cut offth? tHrt of thy robe, and killed thee nor, know thru and see that there is neither evil nor transgression in mine hand, p.nd I have not sinned against thee j ye* thou lmnteft my soul to take it.

ji The I.or.d judge between me and tiice, <vid the Lord iivengt me of thee:

hut mine hand (hall not be upon thee.

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

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

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

16 % And it came to pass, when David had made an end of speaking these words unto Saul, that Saul said, Is thij thy voice, my son David? And Saul lifted up his voice, and wept.

17 And he said to David, Thou art more righteous than I: for thou hast rewarded me good, whereas I have rewarded thee evil.

18 And thou hast (hewed this day how that thou hast dealt well with me: forasmuch as when the Lord had delivered me into thine hand, thou killedst me not.

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

10 And now, behold, I know well that thou (halt surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel (hall be establistied in thine hand.'

?.i Swear now therefore unto me by the LoR D, that thou wilt not cut off mjr seed after me, and that thou wilt not destroy my n?me out of my father's house. 22 And David sware unto Saul. And Saul went home; but David and his men gat them up unto the hold.

CHAP. XXV. 1 Samuel dieth. 10 David provoked to destroy Nabal. 14 Abigail by her wisdom prever.tcth him. 36 Nabal dieth. 39 David taketh Abigail and Ahinoam to he his vAvcs.

AN D Samuel died; and all the Israelites were gathered together, and lamented him, and buried him in his house at Ramah. And David arose, and went down to the wilderness of Parnn.

x And there ivas a man in Maon, whose possessions were in Carmel; and the man ivas very great, and he had three thousand sheep, and a thousand goaty and be was (hearing his stieep in Cartnei

3 Now the name of the man ivas Nabal: and the name of his wife AbiSTM: andfieivasa woman of good understanding, and of a beautiful countenance: oni the'man ivas churlish and evil in his ac ings; and he-war ofthe house of t«e°j