1 

Samuel said to Saul, "The LORD sent me to anoint you to be king over his people, over Israel. Now therefore listen to the voice of The LORD's words.

2 

The LORD of Armies says, 'I remember what Amalek did to Israel, how he set himself against him on the way, when he came up out of Egypt.

3 

Now go and strike Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and don't spare them; but kill both man and woman, infant and nursing baby, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.'"

4 

Saul summoned the people, and counted them in Telaim, two hundred thousand footmen, and ten thousand men of Judah.

5 

Saul came to the city of Amalek, and set an ambush in the valley.

6 

Saul said to the Kenites, "Go, depart, go down from among the Amalekites, lest I destroy you with them; for you showed kindness to all the children of Israel, when they came up out of Egypt." So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites.

7 

Saul struck the Amalekites, from Havilah as you go to Shur, that is before Egypt.

8 

He took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive, and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword.

9 

But Saul and the people spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, of the cattle, and of the fat calves, and the lambs, and all that was good, and were not willing to utterly destroy them; but everything that was vile and refuse, that they destroyed utterly.

10 

Then The LORD's word came to Samuel, saying,

11 

"It grieves me that I have set up Saul to be king; for he has turned back from following me, and has not performed my commandments." Samuel was angry; and he cried to the LORD all night.

12 

Samuel rose early to meet Saul in the morning; and Samuel was told, saying, "Saul came to Carmel, and behold, he set up a monument for himself, and turned, and passed on, and went down to Gilgal."

13 

Samuel came to Saul; and Saul said to him, "You are blessed by The LORD! I have performed the commandment of The LORD."

14 

Samuel said, "Then what does this bleating of the sheep in my ears, and the lowing of the cattle which I hear mean?"

15 

Saul said, "They have brought them from the Amalekites; for the people spared the best of the sheep and of the cattle, to sacrifice to the LORD your God. We have utterly destroyed the rest."

16 

Then Samuel said to Saul, "Stay, and I will tell you what the LORD said to me last night."He said to him, "Say on."

17 

Samuel said, "Though you were little in your own sight, weren't you made the head of the tribes of Israel? the LORD anointed you king over Israel;

18 

and the LORD sent you on a journey, and said, 'Go, and utterly destroy the sinners the Amalekites, and fight against them until they are consumed.'

19 

Why then didn't you obey The LORD's voice, but took the plunder, and did that which was evil in The LORD's sight?"

20 

Saul said to Samuel, "But I have obeyed The LORD's voice, and have gone the way which the LORD sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites.

21 

But the people took of the plunder, sheep and cattle, the chief of the devoted things, to sacrifice to the LORD your God in Gilgal."

22 

Samuel said, "Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying The LORD's voice? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams.

23 

For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as idolatry and teraphim. Because you have rejected The LORD's word, he has also rejected you from being king."

24 

Saul said to Samuel, "I have sinned; for I have transgressed the commandment of The LORD, and your words, because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice.

25 

Now therefore, please pardon my sin, and turn again with me, that I may worship The LORD."

26 

Samuel said to Saul, "I will not return with you; for you have rejected The LORD's word, and the LORD has rejected you from being king over Israel."

27 

As Samuel turned around to go away, Saul grabbed the skirt of his robe, and it tore.

28 

Samuel said to him, "The LORD has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today, and has given it to a neighbor of yours who is better than you.

29 

Also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent; for he is not a man, that he should repent."

30 

Then he said, "I have sinned; yet please honor me now before the elders of my people, and before Israel, and come back with me, that I may worship the LORD your God."

31 

So Samuel went back with Saul; and Saul worshiped The LORD.

32 

Then Samuel said, "Bring Agag the king of the Amalekites here to me!"Agag came to him cheerfully. Agag said, "Surely the bitterness of death is past."

33 

Samuel said, "As your sword has made women childless, so your mother will be childless among women!" Then Samuel cut Agag in pieces before the LORD in Gilgal.

34 

Then Samuel went to Ramah; and Saul went up to his house to Gibeah of Saul.

35 

Samuel came no more to see Saul until the day of his death; for Samuel mourned for Saul: and the LORD grieved that he had made Saul king over Israel.

1 

The LORD said to Samuel, "How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him from being king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go. I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite; for I have provided a king for myself among his sons."

2 

Samuel said, "How can I go? If Saul hears it, he will kill me."The LORD said, "Take a heifer with you, and say, I have come to sacrifice to The LORD.

3 

Call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do. You shall anoint to me him whom I name to you."

4 

Samuel did that which the LORD spoke, and came to Bethlehem. The elders of the city came to meet him trembling, and said, "Do you come peaceably?"

5 

He said, "Peaceably; I have come to sacrifice to The LORD. Sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice." He sanctified Jesse and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice.

6 

When they had come, he looked at Eliab, and said, "Surely The LORD's anointed is before him."

7 

But the LORD said to Samuel, "Don't look on his face, or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for I don't see as man sees. For man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart."

8 

Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. He said, "The LORD has not chosen this one, either."

9 

Then Jesse made Shammah to pass by. He said, "The LORD has not chosen this one, either."

10 

Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel. Samuel said to Jesse, "The LORD has not chosen these."

11 

Samuel said to Jesse, "Are all your children here?"He said, "There remains yet the youngest. Behold, he is keeping the sheep."Samuel said to Jesse, "Send and get him, for we will not sit down until he comes here."

12 

He sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, with a handsome face and good appearance. the LORD said, "Arise! Anoint him, for this is he."

13 

Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the middle of his brothers. Then The LORD's Spirit came mightily on David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up and went to Ramah.

14 

Now The LORD's Spirit departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD troubled him.

15 

Saul's servants said to him, "See now, an evil spirit from God troubles you.

16 

Let our lord now command your servants who are in front of you to seek out a man who is a skillful player on the harp. Then when the evil spirit from God is on you, he will play with his hand, and you will be well."

17 

Saul said to his servants, "Provide me now a man who can play well, and bring him to me."

18 

Then one of the young men answered, and said, "Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite who is skillful in playing, a mighty man of valor, a man of war, prudent in speech, and a handsome person; and the LORD is with him."

19 

Therefore Saul sent messengers to Jesse, and said, "Send me David your son, who is with the sheep."

20 

Jesse took a donkey loaded with bread, and a bottle of wine, and a young goat, and sent them by David his son to Saul.

21 

David came to Saul, and stood before him. He loved him greatly; and he became his armor bearer.

22 

Saul sent to Jesse, saying, "Please let David stand before me; for he has found favor in my sight."

23 

When the spirit from God was on Saul, David took the harp, and played with his hand; so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.

1 

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.

2 

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.

3 

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.

4 

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

5 

He had a helmet of brass on his head, and he wore a coat of mail; and the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of brass.

6 

He had brass shin armor on his legs, and a brass javelin between his shoulders.

7 

The staff of his spear was like a weaver's beam; and his spear's head weighed six hundred shekels of iron. His shield bearer went before him.

8 

He stood and cried to the armies of Israel, and said to them, "Why have you come out to set your battle in array? Am I not a Philistine, and you servants to Saul? Choose a man for yourselves, and let him come down to me.

9 

If he is able to fight with me and kill me, then will we be your servants; but if I prevail against him and kill him, then you will be our servants and serve us."

10 

The Philistine said, "I defy the armies of Israel today! Give me a man, that we may fight together!"

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 Bethlehem Judah, whose name was Jesse; and he had eight sons. The man was an elderly old man in the days of Saul.

13 

The three oldest 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.

14 

David was the youngest; and the three oldest followed Saul.

15 

Now David went back and forth from Saul to feed his father's sheep at Bethlehem.

16 

The Philistine came near morning and evening, and presented himself forty days.

17 

Jesse said to David his son, "Now take for your brothers an ephah of this parched grain, and these ten loaves, and carry them quickly to the camp to your brothers;

18 

and bring these ten cheeses to the captain of their thousand, and see how your brothers are doing, and bring back news."

19 

Now Saul, and they, and all the men of Israel, were in the valley of Elah, fighting with the Philistines.

20 

David rose up early in the morning, and left the sheep with a keeper, and took and went, as Jesse had commanded him. He came to the place of the wagons, as the army which was going out to the fight shouted for the battle.

21 

Israel and the Philistines put the battle in array, army against army.

22 

David left his baggage in the hand of the keeper of the baggage, and ran to the army, and came and greeted his brothers.

23 

As he talked with them, behold, the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, came up out of the ranks of the Philistines, and said the same words; and David heard them.

24 

All the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him, and were terrified.

25 

The men of Israel said, "Have you seen this man who has come up? He has surely come up to defy Israel. The king will give great riches to the man who kills him, and will give him his daughter, and make his father's house free in Israel."

26 

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?"

27 

The people answered him in this way, saying, "So shall it be done to the man who kills him."

28 

Eliab his oldest brother heard when he spoke to the men; and Eliab's anger burned against David, and he said, "Why have you come down? 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."

29 

David said, "What have I now done? Is there not a cause?"

30 

He turned away from him toward another, and spoke like that again; and the people answered him again the same way.

31 

When the words were heard which David spoke, they rehearsed them before Saul; and he sent for him.

32 

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

33 

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."

34 

David said to Saul, "Your servant was keeping his father's sheep; and when a lion or a bear came, and took a lamb out of the flock,

35 

I went out after him, and struck him, and rescued it out of his mouth. When he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and struck him, and killed him.

36 

Your servant struck both the lion and the bear. This uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, since he has defied the armies of the living God."

37 

David said, "The LORD 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! the LORD will be with you."

38 

Saul dressed David with his clothing. He put a helmet of brass on his head, and he clad him with a coat of mail.

39 

David strapped his sword on his clothing, and he tried to move; for he had not tested it. David said to Saul, "I can't go with these; for I have not tested them." Then David took them off.

40 

He took his staff in his hand, and chose for himself five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in the pouch of his shepherd's bag which he had. His sling was in his hand; and he came near to the Philistine.

41 

The Philistine walked and came near to David; and the man who bore the shield went before him.

42 

When the Philistine looked around, and saw David, he disdained him; for he was but a youth, and ruddy, and had a good looking face.

43 

The Philistine said to David, "Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?" The Philistine cursed David by his gods.

44 

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."

45 

Then David said to the Philistine, "You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin; but I come to you in the name of the LORD of Hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.

46 

Today, the LORD will deliver you into my hand. I will strike you, and take your head from off you. I will give the dead bodies of the army of the Philistines today 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,

47 

and that all this assembly may know that the LORD doesn't save with sword and spear; for the battle is The LORD's, and he will give you into our hand."

48 

When the Philistine arose, and walked and came near to meet David, David hurried, and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine.

49 

David put his hand in his bag, took a stone, and slung it, and struck the Philistine in his forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell on his face to the earth.

50 

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.

51 

Then David ran, stood over the Philistine, took his sword, drew it out of its sheath, killed him, and cut off his head with it. When the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they fled.

52 

The men of Israel and of Judah arose and shouted, and pursued the Philistines as far as 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.

53 

The children of Israel returned from chasing after the Philistines and they plundered their camp.

54 

David took the head of the Philistine, and brought it to Jerusalem; but he put his armor in his tent.

55 

When Saul saw David go out 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."

56 

The king said, "Inquire whose son the young man is!"

57 

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.

58 

Saul said to him, "Whose son are you, you young man?"David answered, "I am the son of your servant Jesse the Bethlehemite."

1 

When he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.

2 

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

3 

Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul.

4 

Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was on him, and gave it to David, and his clothing, even including his sword, his bow, and his sash.

5 

David went out wherever Saul sent him, and behaved himself wisely; and Saul set him over the men of war. It was good in the sight of all the people, and also in the sight of Saul's servants.

6 

As they came, when David returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, 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.

7 

The women sang to one another as they played, and said,"Saul has slain his thousands,and David his ten thousands."

8 

Saul was very angry, and this saying displeased him. He said, "They have ascribed to David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed only thousands. What can he have more but the kingdom?"

9 

Saul watched David from that day and forward.

10 

On the next day, an evil spirit from God came mightily on Saul, and he prophesied in the middle of the house. David played with his hand, as he did day by day. Saul had his spear in his hand;

11 

and Saul threw the spear, for he said, "I will pin David even to the wall!" David escaped from his presence twice.

12 

Saul was afraid of David, because the LORD was with him, and had departed from Saul.

13 

Therefore Saul removed him from his presence, and made him his captain over a thousand; and he went out and came in before the people.

14 

David behaved himself wisely in all his ways; and the LORD was with him.

15 

When Saul saw that he behaved himself very wisely, he stood in awe of him.

16 

But all Israel and Judah loved David; for he went out and came in before them.

17 

Saul said to David, "Behold, my elder daughter Merab, I will give her to you as wife. Only be valiant for me, and fight The LORD's battles." For Saul said, "Don't let my hand be on him, but let the hand of the Philistines be on him."

18 

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?"

19 

But at the time when Merab, Saul's daughter, should have been given to David, she was given to Adriel the Meholathite as wife.

20 

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

21 

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 today be my son-in-law a second time."

22 

Saul commanded his servants, "Talk 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.'"

23 

Saul's servants spoke those words in the ears of David. David said, "Does it seem to you a light thing to be the king's son-in-law, since I am a poor man, and lightly esteemed?"

24 

The servants of Saul told him, saying, "David spoke like this."

25 

Saul said, "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 he would make David fall by the hand of the Philistines.

26 

When his servants told David these words, it pleased David well to be the king's son-in-law. Before the deadline,

27 

David arose and went, he and his men, and killed two hundred men of the Philistines. Then David brought their foreskins, and they gave them in full number to the king, that he might be the king's son-in-law. Then Saul gave him Michal his daughter as wife.

28 

Saul saw and knew that the LORD was with David; and Michal, Saul's daughter, loved him.

29 

Saul was even more afraid of David; and Saul was David's enemy continually.

30 

Then the princes of the Philistines went out; and as often as they went out, David behaved himself more wisely than all the servants of Saul, so that his name was highly esteemed.

1 

Saul spoke to Jonathan his son, and to all his servants, that they should kill David. But Jonathan, Saul's son, greatly delighted in David.

2 

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.

3 

I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where you are, and I will talk with my father about you; and if I see anything, I will tell you."

4 

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;

5 

for he put his life in his hand, and struck the Philistine, and the LORD worked a great victory for all Israel. You saw it, and rejoiced. Why then will you sin against innocent blood, to kill David without a cause?"

6 

Saul listened to the voice of Jonathan: and Saul swore, "As the LORD lives, he shall not be put to death."

7 

Jonathan called David, and Jonathan showed him all those things. Then Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence, as before.

8 

There was war again. David went out, and fought with the Philistines, and killed them with a great slaughter; and they fled before him.

9 

An evil spirit from the LORD was on Saul, as he sat in his house with his spear in his hand; and David was playing with his hand.

10 

Saul sought to pin David to the wall with the spear; but he slipped away out of Saul's presence, and he stuck the spear into the wall. David fled, and escaped that night.

11 

Saul sent messengers to David's house, to watch him, and to kill him in the morning. Michal, David's wife, told him, saying, "If you don't save your life tonight, tomorrow you will be killed."

12 

So Michal let David down through the window. He went away, fled, and escaped.

13 

Michal took the teraphim, and laid it in the bed, and put a pillow of goats' hair at its head, and covered it with clothes.

14 

When Saul sent messengers to take David, she said, "He is sick."

15 

Saul sent the messengers to see David, saying, "Bring him up to me in the bed, that I may kill him."

16 

When the messengers came in, behold, the teraphim was in the bed, with the pillow of goats' hair at its head.

17 

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?'"

18 

Now David fled and escaped, and came to Samuel at Ramah, and told him all that Saul had done to him. He and Samuel went and lived in Naioth.

19 

Saul was told, saying, "Behold, David is at Naioth in Ramah."

20 

Saul sent messengers to seize David: and when they saw the company of the prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing as head over them, God's Spirit came on Saul's messengers, and they also prophesied.

21 

When Saul was told, he sent other messengers, and they also prophesied. Saul sent messengers again the third time, and they also prophesied.

22 

Then he also went to Ramah, and came to the great well that is in Secu: and he asked, "Where are Samuel and David?"One said, "Behold, they are at Naioth in Ramah."

23 

He went there to Naioth in Ramah. Then God's Spirit came on him also, and he went on, and prophesied, until he came to Naioth in Ramah.

24 

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?"

1 

David fled from Naioth in Ramah, and came and said before Jonathan, "What have I done? What is my iniquity? What is my sin before your father, that he seeks my life?"

2 

He said to him, "Far from it; you will not die. Behold, my father does nothing either great or small, but that he discloses it to me. Why would my father hide this thing from me? It is not so."

3 

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 the LORD lives, and as your soul lives, there is but a step between me and death."

4 

Then Jonathan said to David, "Whatever your soul desires, I will even do it for you."

5 

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.

6 

If your father misses 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.'

7 

If he says, 'It is well;' your servant shall have peace: but if he is angry, then know that evil is determined by him.

8 

Therefore deal kindly with your servant; for you have brought your servant into a covenant of the LORD with you; but if there is iniquity in me, kill me yourself; for why should you bring me to your father?"

9 

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?"

10 

Then David said to Jonathan, "Who will tell me if your father answers you roughly?"

11 

Jonathan said to David, "Come, and let us go out into the field." They both went out into the field.

12 

Jonathan said to David, "By The LORD, the God of Israel, when I have sounded my father about this time tomorrow, or the third day, behold, if there is good toward David, won't I then send to you, and disclose it to you?

13 

The LORD 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. May the LORD be with you, as he has been with my father.

14 

You shall not only while yet I live show me the loving kindness of The LORD, that I not die;

15 

but you shall also not cut off your kindness from my house forever; no, not when the LORD has cut off every one of the enemies of David from the surface of the earth."

16 

So Jonathan made a covenant with David's house, saying, "The LORD will require it at the hand of David's enemies."

17 

Jonathan caused David to swear again, for the love that he had to him; for he loved him as he loved his own soul.

18 

Then Jonathan said to him, "Tomorrow is the new moon, and you will be missed, because your seat will be empty.

19 

When you have stayed three days, go down quickly, and come to the place where you hid yourself when this started, and remain by the stone Ezel.

20 

I will shoot three arrows on its side, as though I shot at a mark.

21 

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;' then come; for there is peace to you and no danger, as the LORD lives.

22 

But if I say this to the boy, 'Behold, the arrows are beyond you;' then go your way; for the LORD has sent you away.

23 

Concerning the matter which you and I have spoken of, behold, the LORD is between you and me forever."

24 

So David hid himself in the field. When the new moon had come, the king sat himself down to eat food.

25 

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.

26 

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."

27 

On the next day after the new moon, the second day, David's place was empty. Saul said to Jonathan his son, "Why doesn't the son of Jesse come to eat, either yesterday, or today?"

28 

Jonathan answered Saul, "David earnestly asked permission of me to go to Bethlehem.

29 

He said, 'Please let me go, for our family has a sacrifice in the city. My brother has commanded me to be there. Now, if I have found favor in your eyes, please let me go away and see my brothers.' Therefore he has not come to the king's table."

30 

Then Saul's anger burned 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?

31 

For as long as the son of Jesse lives on the earth, you will not be established, nor will your kingdom. Therefore now send and bring him to me, for he shall surely die!"

32 

Jonathan answered Saul his father, and said to him, "Why should he be put to death? What has he done?"

33 

Saul cast his spear at him to strike him. By this Jonathan knew that his father was determined to put David to death.

34 

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 treated him shamefully.

35 

In the morning, Jonathan went out into the field at the time appointed with David, and a little boy with him.

36 

He said to his boy, "Run, find now the arrows which I shoot." As the boy ran, he shot an arrow beyond him.

37 

When the boy had come to the place of the arrow which Jonathan had shot, Jonathan cried after the boy, and said, "Isn't the arrow beyond you?"

38 

Jonathan cried after the boy, "Go fast! Hurry! Don't delay!" Jonathan's boy gathered up the arrows, and came to his master.

39 

But the boy didn't know anything. Only Jonathan and David knew the matter.

40 

Jonathan gave his weapons to his boy, and said to him, "Go, carry them to the city."

41 

As soon as the boy was gone, David arose out of the south, and fell on his face to the ground, and bowed himself three times. They kissed one another, and wept one with another, and David wept the most.

42 

Jonathan said to David, "Go in peace, because we have both sworn in The LORD's name, saying, 'The LORD is between me and you, and between my offspring and your offspring, forever.'" He arose and departed; and Jonathan went into the city.

1 

Then David came to Nob to Ahimelech the priest. Ahimelech came to meet David trembling, and said to him, "Why are you alone, and no man with you?"

2 

David said to Ahimelech the priest, "The king has commanded me to do something, and has said to me, 'Let no one know anything about the business about which I send you, and what I have commanded you. I have sent the young men to a certain place.'

3 

Now therefore what is under your hand? Please give me five loaves of bread in my hand, or whatever is available."

4 

The priest answered David, and said, "I have no common bread, but there is holy bread; if only the young men have kept themselves from women."

5 

David answered the priest, and said to him, "Truly, women have been kept from us as usual these three days. When I came out, the vessels of the young men were holy, though it was only a common journey. How much more then today shall their vessels be holy?"

6 

So the priest gave him holy bread; for there was no bread there but the show bread 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 was there that day, detained before The LORD; and his name was Doeg the Edomite, the best of the herdsmen who belonged to Saul.

8 

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."

9 

The priest said, "Behold, the sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom you killed in the valley of Elah, is here wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod. If you would like to take that, take it; for there is no other except that here."David said, "There is none like that. Give it to me."

10 

David arose, and fled that day for fear of Saul, and went to Achish the king of Gath.

11 

The servants of Achish said to him, "Isn't this David the king of the land? Didn't they sing to one another about him in dances, saying,'Saul has slain his thousands,and David his ten thousands?'"

12 

David laid up these words in his heart, and was very afraid of Achish the king of Gath.

13 

He changed his behavior before them, and pretended to be insane in their hands, and scribbled on the doors of the gate, and let his spittle fall down on his beard.

14 

Then Achish said to his servants, "Look, you see the man is insane. Why then have you brought him to me?

15 

Do I lack madmen, that you have brought this fellow to play the madman in my presence? Should this fellow come into my house?"