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Samuel anoints David.

CHAP. XVI.

CHAP. XVI, XVII. The challenge of Goliath.
16 Let our lord now command thy ser-

AND the LORD said unto Samuel, How vants, which are before thee, to seek out a
long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing man who is a cunning player on a harp;
I have rejected him from reigning over Is- and it shall come to pass, when the evil
rael? fill thy_horn with oil, and go, I will spirit from God is upon thee, that he shall
send thee to Jesse the Beth-lehemite: for play with his hand, and thou shalt be well.
I have provided me a king among his sons. 17 And Saul said unto his servants, Pro-
2 And Samuel said, How can I go? if vide me now a man that can play well,
Saul hear it, he will kill me. And the LORD and bring him to me.
said, Take a heifer with thee, and say, I
am come to sacrifice to the LORD.

18 Then answered one of the servants, and said, Behold, I have seen a son of Jes3 And call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I se the Beth-lehemite, that is cunning in will shew thee what thou shalt do: and playing, and a mighty valiant man, and a thou shalt anoint unto me him whom I name unto thee.

4 And Samuel did that which the LORD spake, and came to Beth-lehem. And the elders of the town trembled at his coming, and said, Comest thou peaceably?

5 And he said, Peaceably: I am come to sacrifice unto the LORD: sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice. And he sanctified Jesse and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice.

man of war, and prudent in matters, and a comely person, and the LORD is with him.

19 Wherefore Saul sent messengers unto Jesse, and said, Send me David thy son, which is with the sheep.

20 And Jesse took an ass laden with bread, and a bottle of wine, and a kid, and sent them by David his son unto Saul.

21 And David came to Saul, and stood before him and he loved him greatly; and he became his armour-bearer.

And it came to pass when they were 22 And Saul sent to Jesse, saying, Let come, that he looked on Eliab, and said, David, I pray thee, stand before me; for Surely the LORD's anointed is before him. he hath found favour in my sight.

7 But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look 23 And it came to pass, when the evil not on his countenance, or on the height of spirit from God was upon Saul, that David his stature; because I have refused him: took a harp, and played with his hand : for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and man looketh on the outward appearance, the evil spirit departed from him. but the LORD looketh on the heart.

8 Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, Neither hath the LORD chosen this. 9 Then Jesse made Shammah to pass by. And he said, Neither hath the LORD chosen this.

TOW

CHAP. XVII.

Now the Philistines gathered together their armies to battle, and were gathered together at Shochoh, which belongeth to Judah, and pitched between Shochoh and Azekah, in Ephes-dammim.

2 And Saul and the men of Israel were 10 Again Jesse made seven of his sons gathered together, and pitched by the valto pass before Samuel. And Samuel said ley of Elah, and set the battle in array unto Jesse, The LORD hath not chosen against the Philistines. these.

3 And the Philistines stood on a moun11 And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are tain on the one side, and Israel stood on a here all thy children? And he said, There mountain on the other side: and there was remaineth yet the youngest, and behold, a valley between them. he keepeth the sheep. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Send and fetch him: for we will not sit down till he come hither.

4 ¶ And there went out a champion out of the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath, of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span.

5 And he had a helmet of brass upon his head, and he was armed with a coat of mail; and the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of brass.

12 And he sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to. And the LORD said, Arise, anoint him: for this is he. 13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil, 6 And he had greaves of brass upon his and anointed him in the midst of his breth- legs, and a target of brass between his ren: and the Spirit of the LORD came upon shoulders.

David from that day forward. So Samuel 7 And the staff of his spear was like a rose up, and went to Ramah. weaver's beam; and his spear's head weigh14 But the Spirit of the LORD depart- ed six hundred shekels of iron and one ed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the bearing a shield went before him. LORD troubled him.

8 And he stood and cried unto the armies of Israel, and said unto them, Why God are ye come out to set your battle in array? am not I a Philistine, and ye servants to

15 And Saul's servants said unto him, Behold now, an evil spirit from troubleth thee.

David accepts

I. SAMUEL.

the challenge. Saul? choose you a man for you, and let give him his daughter, and make his fahim come down to me. ther's house free in Israel.

9 If he be able to fight with me, and to 26 And David spake to the men that kill me, then will we be your servants: stood by him, saying, What shall be done but if I prevail against him, and kill him, to the man that Killeth this Philistine, and then shall ye be our servants, and serve us. taketh away the reproach from Israel? for 10 And the Philistine said, I defy the who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that armies of Israel this day; give me a man, he should defy the armies of the living God? that we may fight together. 27 And the people answered him after this manner, saying, So shall it be done to the man that killeth him.

11 When Saul and all Israel heard those words of the Philistine, they were dismayed, and greatly afraid.

12 Now David was the son of that Ephrathite of Beth-lehem-judah, whose name was Jesse; and he had eight sons: and the man went among men for an old man in the days of Saul.

28 And Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spake unto the men; and Eliab's anger was kindled against David, and he said, Why camest thou down hither? and with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know thy pride, and 13 And the three eldest sons of Jesse the naughtiness of thy heart; for thou art went and followed Saul to the battle: and come down that thou mightest see the battle. the names of his three sons that went to the 29 And David said, What have I now battle were Eliab the first-born, and next done? Is there not a cause? unto him Abinadab, and the third Shammah. 14 And David was the youngest: and the three eldest followed Saul.

30 And he turned from him toward another, and spake after the same manner: and the people answered him again after 15 But David went and returned from the former manner. Saul to feed his father's sheep at Beth- 31 And when the words were heard lehem. which David spake, they rehearsed them 16 And the Philistine drew near morn-before Saul: and he sent for him. ing and evening, and presented himself forty days.

17 And Jesse said unto David his son, Take now for thy brethren an ephah of this parched corn, and these ten loaves, and run to the camp to thy brethren:

32 And David said to Saul, Let no man's heart fail because of him; thy servant will go and fight with this Philistine.

33 And Saul said to David, Thou art not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him: for thou art but a youth, 18 And carry these ten cheeses unto the and he a man of war from his youth. captain of their thousand, and look how 34 And David said unto Saul, Thy serthy brethren fare, and take their pledge. vant kept his father's sheep, and there 19 Now Saul, and they, and all the men came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb of Israel, were in the valley of Elah, fight-out of the flock: ing with the Philistines.

35 And I went out after him and smote

20 And David rose up early in the him, and delivered it out of his mouth: morning, and left the sheep with a keeper, and when he arose against me, I caught him and took, and went, as Jesse had com- by his beard, and smote him, and slew him. manded him; and he came to the trench, 36 Thy servant slew both the lion and as the host was going forth to the fight, and shouted for the battle,

the bear: and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he 21 For Israel and the Philistines had put hath defied the armies of the living God. the battle in array, army against army. 37 David said moreover, The LORD 22 And David left his carriage in the that delivered me out of the paw of the hand of the keeper of the carriage, and ran lion, and out of the paw of the bear, be into the army, and came and saluted his will deliver me out of the hand of this brethren. Philistine. And Saul said unto David, 23 And as he talked with them, behold, Go, and the LORD be with thee. there came up the champion, the Philistine 38 T And Saul armed David with his of Gath, Goliath by name, out of the ar-armour, and he put a helmet of brass upmies of the Philistines, and spake according on his head; also he armed him with a to the same words: and David heard them. coat of mail.

24 And all the men of Israel, when 39 And David girded his sword upon they saw the man, fled from him, and were his armour, and he assayed to go; for he sore afraid. had not proved it. And David said unto 25 And the men of Israel said, Have ye Saul, I cannot go with these, for I have not seen this man that is come up? surely to proved them. And David put them off him. defy Israel is he come up and it shall be,| 40 And he took his staff in his hand, that the man who killeth him, the king and chose him five smooth stones out of will enrich him with great riches, and will the brook and put them in a shepherd's

He slays Goliath.

CHAP. XVIII.

Jonathan loves David.

bag which he had, even in a scrip; and listine, and brought it to Jerusalem; but his sling was in his hand: and he drew he put his armour in his tent. near to the Philistine. 55 And when Saul saw David go 41 And the Philistine came on, and forth against the Philistine, he said unto drew near unto David; and the man that Abner the captain of the host, Abner, bare the shield went before him. whose son is this youth? And Abner said, 42 And when the Philistine looked As thy soul liveth, O king, I cannot tell. about, and saw David, he disdained him: 56 And the king said, Inquire thou for he was but a youth, and ruddy, and of whose son the stripling is.

a fair countenance. 57 And as David returned from the 43 And the Philistine said unto David, slaughter of the Philistine, Abner took Am I a dog, that thou comest to me with him, and brought him before Saul with the staves? and the Philistine cursed David head of the Philistine in his hand.

by his gods.

58 And Saul said to him, Whose son

44 And the Philistine said to David, art thou, thou young man? And David Come to me, and I will give thy flesh unto answered, I am the son of thy servant Jesse the fowls of the air, and to the beasts of the Beth-lehemite.

the field.

45 Then said David to the Philistine,

CHAP. XVIII.

Thou comest to me with a sword, and with AND it came to pass, when he had

made an end of speaking unto Saul, a spear, and with a shield: but I come to that the soul of Jonathan was knit with thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the the soul of David, and Jonathan loved God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast him as his own soul. defied.

2 And Saul took him that day, and would let him go no more home to his father's house.

46 This day will the LORD deliver thee into my hand; and I will smite thee, and take thy head from thee; and I will give 3 Then Jonathan and David made a covethe carcasses of the host of the Philistines nant, because he loved him as his own soul. this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the 4 And Jonathan stripped himself of the wild beasts of the earth: that all the earth robe that was upon him, and gave it to may know that there is a God in Israel. David, and his garments, even to his 47 And all this assembly shall know sword, and to his bow, and to his girdle. that the LORD saveth not with sword and spear for the battle is the LORD's, and he will give you into our hands.

48 And it came to pass, when the Philistine arose, and came and drew nigh to meet David, that David hasted, and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine.

49 And David put his hand in his bag, and took thence a stone, and slang it, and smote the Philistine in his forehead, that the stone sunk into his forehead; and he fell upon his face to the earth.

5 And David went out whithersoever Saul sent him, and behaved himself wisely and Saul set him over the men of war, and he was accepted in the sight of all the people, and also in the sight of Saul's servants.

6 And it came to pass as they came, when David was 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 tabrets, with joy, and with instruments of music. 50 So David prevailed over the Philis- 7 And the women answered one another tine with a sling and with a stone, and as they played, and said, Saul hath slain smote the Philistine and slew him; but his thousands, and David his ten thousands. there was no sword in the hand of David. 8 And Saul was very wroth, and the 51 Therefore David ran and stood upon saying displeased him; and he said, They the Philistine, and took his sword, and have ascribed unto David ten thousands, drew it out of the sheath thereof, and slew and to me they have ascribed but thouhim and cut off his head therewith. And sands: and what can he have more but when the Philistines saw their champion the kingdom? was dead, they fled.

9 And Saul eyed David from that day 52 And the men of Israel and of Ju- and forward. dah arose, and shouted, and pursued the 10 And it came to pass on the morFhilistines, until thou come to the val-row, that the evil spirit from God came ley, and to the gates of Ekron. And the upon Saul, and he prophesied in the midst wounded of the Philistines fell down by of the house: and David played with his the way to Shaaraim, even unto Gath, and hand, as at other times: and there was a unto Ekron. javelin in Saul's hand.

53 And the children of Israel returned 11 And Saul cast the javelin; for he from chasing after the Philistines, and they said, I will smite David even to the wall spoiled their tents. with it. And David avoided out of his

54 And David took the head of the Phi-presence twice.

Saul conspires against David.

1. SAMUEL.

Jonathan discloses it to him, 12 ¶ And Saul was afraid of David, be- king's son-in-law. And Saul gave him cause the LORD was with him, and was Michal his daughter to wife. departed from Saul. 28 And Saul saw and knew that the 13 Therefore Saul removed him from LORD was with David, and that Michal, him, and made him his captain over a Saul's daughter, loved him. thousand; and he went out and came in before the people.

14 And David behaved himself wisely in all his ways; and the LORD was with him. 15 Wherefore when Saul saw that he behaved himself very wisely, he was afraid of him.

16 But all Israel and Judah loved David, because he went out and came in before them.

29 And Saul was yet the more afraid of David; and Saul became David's enemy continually.

30 Then the princes of the Philistines went forth: and it came to pass, after they went forth, that David behaved himself more wisely than all the servants of Saul: so that his name was much set by. CHAP. XIX.

17 ¶ And Saul said to David, Behold, AND Saul spake to Jonathan his son, and to all his servants, that they my elder daughter Merab, her will I give should kill David. thee to wife only be thou valiant for me, 2 But Jonathan, Saul's son, delighted and fight the LORD's battles. For Saul much in David: and Jonathan told David, said, Let not my hand be upon him, but saying, Saul my father seeketh to kill thee: let the hand of the Philistines be upon him. now therefore, I pray thee, take heed to 18 And David said unto Saul, Who a thyself until the morning, and abide in a I? and what is my life, or my father's secret place, and hide thyself: family in Israel, that I should be son-inlaw to the king?

19 But it came to pass at the time when Merab, Saul's daughter, should have been given to David, that she was given unto Adriel the Meholathite to wife.

20 And Michal, Saul's daughter, loved David and they told Saul, and the thing pleased him.

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3 And I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where thou art, and I will commune with my father of thee; and what I see, that I will tell thee.

4 ¶ And Jonathan spake good of David unto Saul his father, and said unto him, Let not the king sin against his servant, against David; because he hath not sinned against thee, and because his works have been to thee-ward very good :

21 And Saul said, I will give him her, that she may be a snare to him, and that 5 For he did put his life in his hand, and the hand of the Philistines may be against slew the Philistine, and the LORD wrought him. Wherefore Saul said to David, a great salvation for all Israel: thou sawest Thou shalt this day be my son-in-law, in it, and didst rejoice: wherefore then wilt the one of the twain. thou sin against innocent blood, to slay

22 ¶ And Saul commanded his servants, David without a cause? saying, Commune with David secretly, 6 And Saul hearkened unto the voice of and say, Behold, the king hath delight in Jonathan: and Saul sware, As the LORD thee, and all his servants love thee: now liveth, he shall not be slain. therefore be the king's son-in-law.

23 And Saul's servants spake those words in the ears of David. And David said, Seemeth it to you a light thing to be a king's son-in-law, seeing that I am poor man, and lightly esteemed?

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7 And Jonathan called David, and Jonathan shewed him all those things. And Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence, as in times past.

8 And there was war again: and David went out, and fought with the Philis24 And the servants of Saul told him, tines, and slew them with a great slaughsaying, On this manner spake David. ter; and they fled from him.

25 And Saul said, Thus shall ye say to 9 And the evil spirit from the LORD was David, the king desireth not any dowry, upon Saul, as he sat in his house with his cut a hundred foreskins of the Philistines, javelin in his hand : and David played with to be avenged of the king's enemies. But his hand.

hand of the Philistines.

Saul thought to make David fall by the 10 And Saul sought to smite David even to the wall with the javelin; but he slipped 26 And when his servants told David away out of Saul's presence, and he smote these words, it pleased David well to be the Javelin into the wall: and David fled, the king's son-in-law: and the days were and escaped that night. not expired. 11 Saul also sent messengers unto Da

27 Wherefore David arose and went, vid's house, to watch him, and to slay him Le and his men, and slew of the Philistines in the morning: and Michal, David's wife, two hundred men; and David brought told him, saying, If thou save not thy life their foreskins, and they gave them in to-night to-morrow thou shalt be slain. full talc to the king, that he might be the 12 T So Michal let David down through

David and Jonathan consult.

CHAP. XX. They renew their covenant.

a window and he went, and fled, and escaped.

and as thy soul liveth, there is but a step between me and death.

13 And Michal took an image, and laid 4 Then said Jonathan unto David, it in the bed, and put a pillow of goats' hair Whatsoever thy soul desireth, I will even for his bolster, and covered it with a do it for thee. cloth.

14 And when Saul sent messengers to take David, she said, He is sick.

15 And Saul sent the messengers again to see David, saying, Bring him up to me in the bed, that I may slay him.

5 And David said unto Jonathan, Behold, to-morrow is the new-moon, and I should 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 say, 16 And when the messengers were come David earnestly asked leave of me, that he in, behold, there was an image in the bed, might run to Beth-lehem his city: for there with a pillow of goats' hair for his bolster. is a yearly sacrifice there for all the family. 17 And Saul said unto Michal, Why 7 If he say thus, It is well; thy servant hast thou deceived me so, and sent away shall have peace: but if he be very wroth, mine enemy, that he is escaped? And Mi-then be sure that evil is determined by him. chal answered Saul, He said unto me, Let 8 Therefore thou shalt deal kindly with me go; why should I kill thee?

18 So David fled, and escaped, and came to Samuel to Ramah, and told him all that Saul had done to him. And he and Samuel went and dwelt in Naioth.

19 And it was told Saul, saying, Behold, David is at Naioth in Ramah.

thy servant; for thou hast brought thy servant into a covenant of the LORD with thee: notwithstanding, if there be in me iniquity, slay me thyself; for why shouldest thou bring me to thy father?

9 And Jonathan said, Far be it from thee: for if I knew certainly that evil were 20 And Saul sent messengers to take determined by my father to come upon David: and when they saw the company thee, then would not I tell it thee? of the prophets prophesying, and Samuel, 10 Then said David to Jonathan, Who standing as appointed over them, the Spi- shall tell me? or what if thy father answer rit of God was upon the messengers of thee roughly? Saul, and they also prophesied.

11 ¶ And Jonathan said unto David,

21 And when it was told Saul, he sent Come, and let us go out into the field. And other messengers, and they prophesied they went out both of them into the field. likewise. And Saul sent messengers again 12 And Jonathan said unto David, O the third time, and they prophesied also. LORD God of Israel, when I have sounded 22 Then went he also to Ramah, and my father about to-morrow any time, or came to a great well that is in Sechu: and the third day, and behold, if there be good he asked and said, Where are Samuel and toward David, and I then send not unto David? And one said, Behold, they be at thee, and shew it thee; Naioth in Ramah.

23 And he went thither to Naioth in Ramah: and the Spirit of God was upon him also, and he went on, and prophesied, until he came to Naioth in Ramah.

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

24 And he stripped off his clothes also, and prophesied before Samuel in like man- 14 And thou shalt not only while yet I ner, and lay down naked all that day and live shew me the kindness of the LORD, all that night. Wherefore they say, Is that I die not. Saul also among the prophets?

CHAP. XX.

15 But also thou shalt not cut off thy kindness from my house for ever: no, not

AND David fled from Naioth in Ramah, when the LORD hath cut off the enemies of

and came and said before Jonathan, David every one from the face of the earth. What have I done? what is mine iniquity? 16 So Jonathan made a covenant with and what is my sin before thy father, that the house of David, saying, Let the LORD he seeketh my life? even require it at the hand of David's ene

2 And he said unto him, God forbid; mies. thou shalt not die: behold, my father will 17 And Jonathan caused David to do nothing either great or small, but that he swear again, because he loved him: for be will shew it me: and why should my father loved him as he loved his own soul. Fide this thing from me? it is not so.

18 Then Jonathan said to David, To

3 And David sware morcover, and said, morrow is the new-moon: and thou shalt Thy father certainly knoweth that I have be missed, because thy seat will be empty. found grace in thine eyes; and he saith, 19 And when thou hast stayed three Let not Jonathan know this, lest he be days, then thou shalt go down quickly, grieved: But truly as the LORD liveth, and come to the place where thou didst

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