limddq f revoke J Chap 4. And David heard in the wilderness that Nabal did shear his Iheep. 5 And David sent out ten young men, ami David laid unto the young men, Get you up to Carmel, and go to Nabal, and greet him in my name: . 6 And thus sliall ye fay to him that liveth its pro/ferity, Peace be both to thee, and peace it to thine house, and peace it unto all that thou hast. 7 And now I have heard that thou hast (hearers: now thy shepherds which were with us, we hurt them not, neither was there ought missing unto them, all the while they were in Carmel. i Ask thy young men, and they will (hew thee. Wherefore let the young men find favour in thine eyes: for we come in a good day: give, I pray thee, whatsoever cometh to thine hand unto thy servants, and to thy son David. 9 And whenDavid's young men came, they spake to Nabal according to all those words in the name of David, and ceased. Jo f And Nabal answered David's servants, and said, Who is David? and who is the (on of Jesse? there be many servants now a days that break away every man from his master. 11 Shall I then take my bread, and my water, and my flesh that I have killed for my shearers, and give it unto men whom I know not whence they be? is So David's young men turned their way, and went again, and came and told him all those sayings. 13 And David said unto his men, Gird ye on every man his sword. And they girded on every man hi. sword j and David ilso girded on his swordr. and there want up after David about four hundred men j and two hundred abode by the stuff. 1+ % But one os the young men told Abigail, Nabal's wife, saying, Behold, David sent messengers out of the wilderness to salute our master; and lie railed on them. 15 But the men <wtre very good unto I us, and we were not hurt, neither missed we any thing as. long as we were conversant with them, when we were ir. the fields: 16 They were a wall unto us both by night and day, all the while we werewith them keeping the (heep. 17 Now therefore know and consider what thou wilt do; for evil is determined against our master, and against all his heuihold: for he is such a son of Belial, that a man cannot speak to him. it The* AbigaAraade haste, .and teck . XXV. by Nabal's churlishness. two hundred loaves, and two bottles of wine, and five sheep ready dressed, and five measures of parched corn, and an hundred clusters of raisins, and two hundred cakes ofsijjs, and hid them en asses. 19 And she said unto her servants. Go on before me j behold, I come after you. But Ihc told not lien husband Nabal. 20 A nd it was/s, ar (he rode on the ass, that (he came down by the covert of the hill, and, behold,David and his men came down against her; and (he met them. 21 Now David had said, Surely in vain have I kept all that this fellow hath in the wilderness, so that nothing was missed of all that pertained unto him: and he hath requited me evil for good. is So and more also do God unto the enemies of David, if I leave of all that pertain to him by the morning light any that pisseth against the wall. 23 And when Abigail saw David, shf hasted and lighted off the ass, and fell before David on her face, and bowed herself to the ground, 24 And sell at his feet, and said, Upon me, my lord, upon me /.-/ this iniquity be: andlet thine handmaid, 1 pray thee, speak iiuthine audience, and hear the words of thine handmaid. 2< Let not my lord, I pray thee, regard this man of Belial, eiscn Nabal: for as his name is, so // lie; Nabal is his name, and folly is with him: but I thine handmaid saw not the young men of my lord, whom thou didst send. 26 Now therefore, my lord, as the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, feeing theLoRD hath withholden thee from coming to shed blood, and from avenging thyself with thine own hand, now let thine enemies, and they that seek evil to my lord, be as Nabal. 27 And now this blessing which thine handmaid hath brought unto my lord, let it even be given unto the young men that follow my lord. »8 I pray thee, forgive the trespass of thine handmaid: for the Lord will certainly make my lord a sure house; because iny lord sighted! the battles of the Lord, and evil hath not been found in thee all thy days. 29 Yet a man is risen to pursue thee, and to seek thy soul: but the soul of my lord (hall be bound in the bundle of life with the Lor D thy God; and the souls of thine enemies, them (hall he fling out, as out of the middle of a fling. 30 Aud it shall come to pass, when the Lor D shall have done to my lord according to all the goo4 that he hath spoken S 4 con Abigail pacifiitk David. I. SAMUEL concerning thee, and (hall have appointed thee ruler over Israel; 31 That this shall be no grief unto thee, nor offence of heart unto my lord, either that thou hast shed blood causeless, or that my lord hath avenged himself: but when the Lord shall have dealt well with my lord, then remember thine handmaid. 32 And David said to Abigail, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, which sent thee this day to meet me: 33 And blessed be thy advice, and blessed be thou, which halt kept me this day from coming to flicd blood, and from | avenging myself with mine own hand. 34 For in very deed, as the Lo R D God. of Israel liveth, which hath kept me back from hurting thee, except thou1 hadst hasted and come to meet me, surely there had not been left unto Nabal by the morning light any that, pisseth against the wall. 35 So David received of her hand, that which she had brought him, and said unto her, Go up in peace to thine house; see, I have hearkened to thy voice, and have accepted thy person. 36 s And Abigail cametoNabal; 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: wherefore she told him nothing, less or more, until the morning Kg". 37 But it came to pass in the morning, when the wine was gone out of Nabal, and his wife had told him these things, that his heart died within him, and he became as a stone. 38 And it came to pass about ten days after, that the Lord smote Nabal, that he died. 39 fl And when David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, Blessed be the Lo R D, that hath pleaded the cause of my reproach from the hand of Nabal, and ,hath kept his servant frem evil: for the Lord hath returned the wickedness of Nabal upon his own head. And David sent and communed with Abigail, to. take her to him to wife. 4.0 And when the servants of David ■were come to Abigail to Carmel, they spake unto her, saying, David sent us unto thee to take thee to him to wife. '+1 And me arose, and bowed herself on At/f.ice to the earth, and said, Behold, let thine handmaid be a servant to wash the sect of the servants of my lord. 42 And Abigail hasted, and arose, and rode upon an ass, with five damsels of her*s that went after her; and stie wem after the messengers of David, and be* came his wife. 43 David also took Ahinoam of Jezreeli and they were al so both of them his wives 44 But Saul had given Michal hii daughter, David's wife, to Phalti tb.< son of Laish, which ivas of Gallim. CHAP. XXVI. 1 Saul cometh to Hachilah against David 5 David in thetrenchstayeth Abistiaifren killing Saul,but taketh hissfearand cruse AND the Ziphites came unto Saul t< Gibeah, saying, Doth not Davit hide himself in the hill of Hachilah which is before Jeshimon? 2 Then Saul arose, and went down tc the wilderness of Ziph, having thret thousand chosen men of Israel with him to seek David in the wilderness of Ziph 3 And Saul pitched in the hill of Hachilah, which is before Jeshimon, by th< way. But David abode in the wilder nels, and he saw that Saul came aftei him into the wildsraesi. 4David therefore sent out spies,and un derstoed that Saul was come in veryde#d 5 ^f And David arose, and came to th« place whereSaul had pitched: andDavic beheld the place where Saul lay, anc Abner the ron of Ner, the captain of hi: host: and Saul lay in the trench, anc the people pitched round about him". 6 Then answered David and said t< Ahimelech the Hittite, and to Abifha the son of Zeruiah, brother to Joab saying, Who will go down with me t< Saul to the camp? And Abishai said,; will go down with thee. 7 So David and Abishai came to th< people by night: and, behold, Saul laj sleeping within the trench, and his spea; stuck in the ground at his bolster: bu Abner and the people lay round abou him. 8 Then said Abishai to David, Go< hath delivered thine enemy into thin hand this day: now therefore let m smite him, I pray thee, with the spea even to the earth at once, and I will no smite him the second time. 9 And David said to Abifha?, Destro; him not: for who can stretch forth hi hand against the Lord's anointed, an be guiltless? 10 David said furthermore, As th Lo R D liveth, the Lord shall smite him or his day shall come to die; ar he stia! descend into battle, and perish. 11 The Lord forbid that I shotil stretch forth mint hand against th Lord's anointed -. but^I priy thee, tak the DirviJtakrtk SauVsspearandcrust■:. Chap, xxvii. He fleeth to Cash. to day, but I would not stretch forth mine hand against the Lor n/s anointed. 24 And, behold, as thy life was much set by this day in mine eyes, so let mjr life be much (ut by in the eyes of the Lord, and let him deliver me out of all tribulation. 25 Then Saul said to David, Blessed it thou, my son David: thou (halt both do treat things, and also (halt still prevail. o David went on his way, and Saul returned to his place. CHAP, xxvir. 1 Saul hearing David to be in Gath feet. eth no more for him. 5 David beggeth ZUlag of Aehijh. AN D David said in his heart, I (hall now perilh one day by the hand of Saul: there is nothing better for me than that 1 should speedily escape into the land of the Philistines; and Saul shall despair of me, to seek me any more in any coast of Urael: so (hall I escape out of his hand. 1 And David arose, «nd he passed over, with the six hundred men that tuert with him unto Achiih, the son of Maoch, king of Gath. • 3 And David dwelt with Achisli at Gath, he and his men, every man with his houshold, even David with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the Carmelitess, Nabal's wife. 4 And it was told Saul, that David was fled to Gath: and he sought no more a^iin for him. 5 tj And David said unto Achisli, If I have now found grace in thine eyes, let them give me a place in some town in the country, that I may dwell there: for why should thy servant dwell in the royal city with thee? 6 Then Achisti gave him Ziklag that day: wherefore Ziklag pertaineth unto the kings of Judah unto this day. 7 And the time that David dwelt in the country of the Philistines was a full year and four months. 8 And David and his men went up, and invaded the- Gelhurites, and the Gezritcs, and the Amalekites: for thole nations ivere of old the inhabitants of the land, Hc r'aou goest to Shur, even unto the land of Egypt. p And David smote the land, and lest neither man nor woman alive, and took away the (heep, and the oxen, and-the afl'es, and the camels, and the apparel, and returned, and came to Achifh. 10 And Achiih (aid, Whither have ye made a road to day? And David said. Against the south of Judah, and againit thou now the spear that is at his bolster, md the cruse of water, and let us go. is So David took the spear, and the erase of water from Saul's bolster; and they gat them away, and no man saw it, nor knew it, neither awaked: for they <xere all asleep, because a deep steep from the Lo R. D was fallen upon them. 13 Then David went over to the other Sde, and stood on the top of an hill afar off j a great space being between them: 14 And David cried to the people, and to Abner the son of Ner, saying, Answerest thou not, Abner? Then Abner answered and said, Who art thou that crieft to the king? 15 And David said to Abner, Art not thou a ■valiant man? and who is like to thee in Israel ? wherefore then hast thou aot kept thy lord the king? for there came one of the people in to destroy the king thy lord. 16 This thing ii not good that thou haft done. As the Lor D liveth, yc are worthy to die, because ye have not kept your master, the Lord's anointed. And now see where the king's spear is, and the cruse of water that iuas at his bolster. 17 And Saul knew David's voice, and said, Is this thy voice, my son David? And David said, It is my voice, my lord, O king. 18 And he said, Wherefore doth my lord thus pursue after his servant? for what have I done? or what evil is in mine hand? 19 Now therefore, I pray thee, let my lord the king hear the words of his servant. If the Lo R D have stirred thee up against me, let him accept an offering: but if they be the children of men, curled he they before the Lord; for they have driven me out this day from abiding in the inheritance of the Lo R D, saying, Go, serve other gods. 20 Now therefore, let not my blood tall to the earth before the face of the Lo R D : for the king of Israel is come out to seek a flea, as when one doth hunt a partridge in the mountains. 21 Then said'Saul, I have sinned: return, my son David: for I will no more do thee harm, becauie my soul was precious in thine eyes this day: Behold, I have played the fool, and have erred exceedingly. 1 22 And David answered and said, Behold the king's spear! and let one of the young men come over and fetch it. 23 The Lo R D render to every man his righteousness and his faithfulness: for the Lou D delivered thee into my hand the south of the Jerahmcclites, and against the south of the Kenites. 11 And David saved neither man nor woman alive, to bring tidings to Gath, saying, Lest they shosld tell on us, faying, So did David, and so will be his manner all the while he dwelleth in the country of the Philistines. ■it And Achisti believed David, saying, He hath made his people Israel utterly to abhor him; therefore he (hall be my servant for ever. CHAP. XXVIII. j Saul having destroyed the •witches, 7 after^wardjeeketh to one; 9 <who being encouraged by him, raifeth up Samuel. 15 Saul'i ruin foreflunced. AN D it came to pass in those days, that the Philistines gathered their armies together for warfare, to fight with Israel. And Achifh said unto David, Know thou assuredly that thou shalt go out with me to battle, thou and thy men. 1 And David said to Aehilh, Surely thou shalt know what thy servant can do. And Achisli said to David, Therefore will I make thee keeper of mine head for ever. •j % Now Samuel was dead, and al] Israel had lamented him, and buried him in Ramah, even in his own city. And Saul had putawaythofe that had s.uniliar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land. 4 And the Philistines gathered themselves together, and came and pitched in Shunem: and Saul gathered all Israel together, and they pitched in Gilboa. 5 And when Saul saw the host of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart greatly trembled. 6 And when Saul enquired of the Lord, the Lord answered him not, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets. 7 fj Then said Saul unto his servants, Seek me a woman that hath a familiar spirit, that I may go to her, and enquire pf her. And hii servants said to him, Behold, there is a woman that hath a familiar spirit at En-dor. 8 And Saul disguiled himself, and put .on other raiment, and he went, and two men with him, and they carae to the woman by night: and he said, I pray thee, divine unto me hy the familiar spirit, and bring me him up whom I shall name unto thee. 9 % And the woman said unto him, Behold, thou knowest what Saul hath done, how he hatli cut off those that have familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land: wherefore then layest thou a snare for my life, to cause me to die? 10 And SaulswaretoherbytheLoRD, saying, As the Lou D liverh, there shall no punishment happen to thee for this thing. 11 Then said the woman, Whom shall I bring up unto thee ? And he said, Bring me up Samuel. Is And when the woman saw Samuel, she cried with a loud voice: and the woman spake to Saul, saying, Why haft thou deceived me? for thou art Saul. 11, And the king laid unto her, Be not afraid: for what sawest thou? And the woman said unto Saul, I saw gods ascending out of the earth. 14. And he said unto her, What form is he of? And she said, An old man Cometh up; and he is covered with a mantle. And Saul peceived that it tvas Samuel, and he stooped with his face to the ground, and bowed himself. 15 s And Samuel said to Saul, Why hast thou disquieted me to bring me up? And Saul answered, I am sore distressed: for the Philistines make war against me, and God is departed from me, and- answereth me no more, neither by prophets, nor by dreams: therefore I have called thee, that thou mayest make known unto me what I shall do. 16 Then said Samuel, Wherefore then dost thou alk of me, seeing the Lor D is departed from thee, and is become thine enemy? 17 And the Lord hathdonetohim, as he spake by me: for the Lo R D hath rent the kingdom out os thine hand, and given it to thy neighbour, even to David: 18 Because thou obeyedst not the voice of the Lord, nor executedst his fierce wrath upon Amalek, therefore hath the Lord done this thinguntotheethisday. 19 Moreover the Lord will also deliver Israel with thee into the hand of the Philistines: and to morrow /halt thou and thy sons be with me: the Lord also shall deliver the host of Israel into the hand of the Philistines. soThen Saul fell straightway all along 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. *t And the woman came unto Saul, and saw that he was sore troubled, and said unto him, Behold, thine handmaid hath obeyed thy voice, and I have put my life in my hand, and have hearkened unto thy words which thou spakrst un_ to me. . si Now therefore, I pray thee, hearten thou also unto the voice of wuw hand The PkiBsiintt fitspcS David. Chap, xxx handmaid, and let me set a morsel of bread before thee; and eat, that thou mayest have strength, when thou goest 90 thy way. ij But he refused, and said, I will not nt. But hi* servants, together witli the woman, compelled him, and he hearkened unto their voice. So he arose from the earth, and fat upon the bed. 14 Aud the woman had a fat calf in the house, and she hasted and killed it, mi took flour and kneaded it, and did bake unleavened bread thereof: 15 And she brought it before Saul, and before his servants; and they did eat. Then they rose up, and went away that night. CHAP. XXIX. 1 David marching vsith tht Philifi'.nes, 5 is difalUvued by their princes. C Achijh dismissth him. NOW the Philistines gathered together all their armies to Aphek: and the Israelites pitched by a fountain which Is in Jezreel. % And the lords of thePhilistines pasted on by hundreds, and by thousands: but David and his men pasted on in the rereward with Achisli. 3 «J Then said the princes of the Philistines, 'What do these Hebrews here? And Achisti said unto the princes of the Philistines, It not this David the servant of Saul the king of Israel, which hath been with me these days, or these years, and I have found no fault in him since he fell ata me unto this day f 4 And the princes of thePhilistines were wroth with him: and the princes of the Philistines said unto him, Make this fellow return, that he may go again to his pbcewhichthouhastappointedhim, and let him not go down with us to battle, left in the battle he be an adversary to u»-. for whei-cwith should he reconcile himself unto his master? should it ixotbe with the heads of these men > 5 // not this David, of whom they fang one to another in dances, faying, Saul stew hi.? thousands, and David his ten thousands? 6 *J Then Achisti called David, and said onto him, Surely, as the Lord liveth, thou hast been upright, and thy going oat and thy coming in with me in the host is good in my sight: for I have not found evil in thee, since the day of thy coming unto me unto this day: nevertherlew the lords favour rhee not. 7 Wherefore now return, and go in peace, that thou displease' not the lords «f the Phihstines. The Amalehitesspoil Ziklag. S And David said unto Achish, But what have I done f and what liart thou sound in thy servant, so long as I have been with thee unto this day, that I may not go fight againit the enemies of my lord the king? 9 And Achisti answered and said to David, I know that thou art 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. 10 Wherefore now rise up early in the morning, with thy master's servants that are come with thee; and as soon as ye be up early in the morning, and have light, depart. 11 So David and his men rose up early to depart in the morning, to return into the land of the Philistines. And the Philistines went up to Jezreel. CHAP. XXX. 1 The Amaitkites spoil Ziklag. 7 David en. cturaged by God, pursuetk them, 11 and overtaking them, recotureth all the spoil: AND it came to pass, when David and his men were come to Ziklag on the third day, that the Amalekites had invaded the south and Ziklag, and smitten Ziklag, and burned it with firej x Aud had taken the women captives that were therein: they slew not any, either great or small, but curried them away, and went on their way. 3 So David and his men came to the city, and, behold, itiuai burned with fire, and their wives and their sons and their daughters were taken captives. 4 Then David and the people that •were with him lifted up their voice and wept, until they had no more piwer to weep. 5 And David's two wives were taken captives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite. 6 And David was greatly distressed: for the people spake of stoning himj because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the Lord his God. f qf And David said to Abiathar the priest, Ahimelech's son, I pray thee, bring me hither the ephod. Ana Abiathar brought thither the ephod toDavid. S And David enquired at the Lord, saying, Shall I pursue after this troop f shall I overtake them i and he answered him, Pursue: for thou shalt surely overtake them, and without fail recover all. 9 So David went, he and the six hundred men that 'were-with him, and came to |