Saul feareth David.

BEFORE

CHRIST cir. 1063.

ver. 15, 29.

ch. 16.13,
18.

Pch. 16. 14.
& 23. 15.

a ver. 16.
Num.27.17.
2 Sam. 5.2.

Or, pros

pered. ver. 5. Gen. 39. 2, 3,23. Josh. 6. 27.

ver. 5.

ch. 17.25.

12 T And Saul was afraid of David, because the LORD was with him, and was departed from Saul.

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

14 And David 2 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.

17 ¶ And Saul said to David, Behold my elder daughter Merab, ther will I give thee to wife: only be thou 3 valiant for me, and fight the LORD's battles. For Saul said, Let not mine hand be upon him, but let ver., 25. the hand of the Philistines be upon 2 Sam. 12.9. him.

Heb. a son
Num. 32.

of valour.

20, 27, 29. ch. 25. 28.

See ver.23. ch.9.21.

X

18 And David said unto Saul, Who

2 Sam.7.18. 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 it came to pass at the time when Merab Saul's daughter should have been given to David, that she 2Sam.21.8. was given unto Adriel the a MehoJudg.7.22. lathite to wife.

b ver. 28.

4 Heb.was right in his eyes.

d ver. 17.

David marrieth Michal.

26 And when his servants told David these words, it pleased David well to be the king's son in law: and 'the days were not 2 expired.

1

27 Wherefore David arose and went, he and his men, and slew of the Philistines two hundred men ; and David brought their foreskins, and they gave them in full tale to the king, that he might be the king's son in law. And Saul gave him Michal his daughter to wife.

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

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.

3

CHAPTER XIX.

1 Jonathan discloseth his father's purpose to kill David. 4 He persuadeth his father to reconciliation. 8 By reason of David's good success in a new war, Saul's malicious ruge breaketh out against him. 12 Michal deceiveth her father with an image in David's bed. 18 David cometh to Samuel in Naioth. 20 Saul's messengers sent to take David, 22 and Saul himself, prophesy.

21 And Saul said, I will give him Ex. 10.7. her, that she may be a snare to him, and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him. Wherefore Saul See ver. 26. said to David, Thou shalt this day be my son in law in the one of the twain.

22 And Saul commanded his servants, saying, Commune with David secretly, and say, Behold, the king hath delight in thee, and all his servants love thee: now 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 a poor man, and lightly

son, and to all his servants, that they should kill David.

2 But Jonathan Saul's son a de- ch. 18. 1. lighted much in David: and Jonathan told David, saying, Saul my father seeketh to kill thee: now therefore, I pray thee, take heed to thyself until the morning, and abide in a secret place, and hide thyself:

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.

с

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:

5 For he did put his life in his hand, and slew the Philistine, and the LORD wrought a great salvation for all Israel: thou sawest it, and didst rejoice: 8 wherefore then wilt thou sin against innocent blood, to slay David without a cause?

6 And Saul hearkened unto the voice of Jonathan: and Saul sware, As the LORD liveth, he shall not be slain.

renew their covenant.

BEFORE CHRIST

cir. 1062.

fJosh. 2. 14.

8 ver. 16.

23. 18.

ch. 18. 3. & 3 Sam. 14.

32.

Heb. searched.

8 Heb. uncover thine car. ver. 2

1 Ruth 1.17.

8 Therefore thou shalt 'deal kindly with thy servant; for 8 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 determined by my father to come upon thee, then would not I tell it thee?

10 Then said David to Jonathan, Who shall tell me? or what if thy father answer thee roughly?

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

them into the field.

12 And Jonathan said unto David, O LORD God of Israel, when I have 2 sounded my father about to morrow any time, or the third day, and, behold, if there be good toward David, and I then send not unto thee, and 3 shew it thee;

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 1 Chr. 22.11, been with my father.

k Josh. 1.5. ch. 17.87.

16.

12 Sam.9.1, 8, 7. & 21.7.

4 Heb. cat.

14 And thou shalt not only while yet I live shew me the kindness of the LORD, that I die not:

15 But also 'thou shalt 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 the house of David, saying, Let the LORD even require it at See ch.31. 2. the hand of David's enemies.

mch. 25. 22.

2 Sam. 4.7. & 21. 8.

Or, by kis love toward him. a ch. 18. 1.

17 And Jonathan caused David to swear again, because he loved him: for he loved him as he loved his own soul.

18 Then Jonathan said to David, To morrow is the new moon: and thou shalt be missed, because thy seat will be empty.

19 And when thou hast stayed three days, then thou shalt go down quickly, and come to the place where thou didst hide thyself when the business was in hand, and shalt remain by the stone 2 Ezel.

9

20 And I will shoot three arrows on the side thereof, as though I shot at a mark.

21 And, behold, I will send a lad, saying, Go, find out the arrows. If I

23 And as touching the matter ver. 14, 15. which thou and I have spoken of, behold, the LORD be between thee and me for ever.

24 T So David hid himself in the field: and when the new moon was come, the king sat him down to eat meat.

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

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

27 And it came to pass on the morrow, which was the second day of the month, that David's place was empty and Saul said unto Jonathan his son, Wherefore cometh not the son of Jesse to meat, neither yesterday, nor to day?

• Lev. 7.21. & 15. 5, &c.

28 And Jonathan answered Saul, ver. 6. David earnestly asked leave of me to go to Beth-lehem :

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

30 Then Saul's anger was kindled against Jonathan, and he said unto him, 4 Thou son of the perverse rebellious woman, do not I know that thou hast chosen the son of Jesse to thine own confusion, and unto the confusion of thy mother's nakedness? 31 For as long as the son of Jesse liveth upon the ground, thou shalt not be established, nor thy kingdom. Wherefore now send and fetch him unto me, for he shall surely die.

David at Nob

BEFORE CHRIST cir. 1062.

2 Heb. to pass over him.

3 Heb. instruments. 4 Heb. that was his.

z ch. 1. 17.

5 Or, the LORD be witness of that which, &c. See ver. 23.

a ch. 14. 3, called

Ahiah.

Abiathar,

Mark 2. 26. b ch. 16. 4.

34 So Jonathan arose from the table in fierce anger, and did eat no meat the second day of the month: for he was grieved for David, because his father had done him shame. 35 ¶ And it came to pass in the morning, that Jonathan went out into the field at the time appointed with David, and a little lad with him. 36 And he said unto his lad, Run, find out now the arrows which I shoot. And as the lad ran, he shot an arrow 2 beyond him.

37 And when the lad was come to the place of the arrow which Jonathan had shot, Jonathan cried after the lad, and said, Is not the arrow beyond thee?

38 And Jonathan cried after the lad, Make speed, haste, stay not. And Jonathan's lad gathered up the arrows, and came to his master.

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

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

obtaineth hallowed bread.

BEFORE CHRIST cir. 1062.

4 And the priest answered David, and said, There is no common bread under mine hand, but there is hallowed bread; if the young men have kept themselves at least from Matt. 12. 4. 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 were sanctified this day in the vessel.

2

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

• Ex. 25. 30. Lev. 24. 5.

d Ex. 19.15. Zech. 7. 8.

. 1 Thess. 4. 4.

2 Or, especially when this day there is

other sanctified in the Lev. 8. 25. Matt. 12. Mark 2. 25,

vessel.

3, 4.

26. Luke 6.3, 4. hLev.21.8,9.

7 Now a certain man of the servants of Saul was there that day, detained before the LORD; and his name was Doeg, an Edomite, the chiefest ch. 22.9. of the herdmen that belonged to Saul.

i

41 ¶ And as soon as the lad was gone, David arose out of a place ward the south, and fell on his face to the ground, and bowed himself three times and they kissed one another, and wept one with another, until David exceeded.

Te Ahimelech the priest and Ahi melech was bafraid at the meeting Called also of David, and said unto him, Why art thou alone, and no man with thee? 2 And David said unto Ahimelech the priest, The king hath commanded me a business, and hath said unto me, Let no man know any thing of the business whereabout I send thee, and what I have commanded thee: and I have appointed my servants to such and such a place.

6 Heb. found.

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

k

Pa. 52, title.

1 See ch. 31.

10.

9 And the priest said, The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom thou slewest in the valley of Elah, 1be- ch.17.2,50. hold, 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 ¶ And David arose, and fled that day for fear of Saul, and went to 3 Achish the king of Gath.

11 And theservants of Achish said unto him, Is not this David the king of the land? did they not sing one to another of him in dances, saying, "Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands?

12 And David laid up these words

in his heart, and was sore afraid of Achish the king of Gath.

13 And Phe 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.

14 Then said Achish 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 fellow to play the mad man in my presence? shall this fellow come into my house?

Doeg accuseth Ahimelech.

BEFORE CHRIST cir. 1062.

P3.57,title. & 142, title.

13.

CHAPTER XXII.

1 Companies resort unto David at Adullam. 3 At Mixpeh he commendeth his parents unto the king of Moab. 5 Admonished by Gad, he cometh to Hareth. 6 Saul going to pursue

him, complaineth of his servants' unfaithfulness. 9 Doeg accuseth Ahimelech. 11 Saul commandeth to kill the priests. 17 The footmen refusing, Doeg executeth it. 20 Abiathar escaping, bringeth David the news.

b

DAVI AVID therefore departed thence, and escaped to the cave A2 Sam. 23. dullam: and when his brethren and all his father's house heard it, they went down thither to him.

2 And every one that was in distress, and every one that was in debt, and every one that was 3 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.

d

5 ¶ And the prophet a 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 Ramah, havhigh place. ing his spear in his hand, and all his servants were standing about him ;)

4 Or,

grove in a

4

7 Then Saul said unto his servants that stood about him, Hear now, ye Benjamites; will the son of Jesse ch.8.14.give every one of you fields and vineyards, and make you all captains of thousands,and captains ofhundreds; 8 That all of you have conspired against me, and there is none that sheweth me that my son hath made a league with the son of Jesse, and there is none of you that is sorry for me, or sheweth unto me that my son hath stirred up my servant against me, to lie in wait, as at this day?

5 Heb. uncovereth

mine ear.

ch. 20. 2. fch. 18.3. & 20.30.

8 ch. 21.7. Ps. 52, title,

9 Then answered & Doeg the & ver. 1,2,3 Edomite, which was set over the servants of Saul, and said, I saw the son of Jesse coming to Nob, to Ahimelech the son of Ahitub.

b ch. 21.1.

Ich. 14.3.

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

He killeth the priests.

11 Then the king sent to call Ahimelech the priest, the son of Ahitub, and all his father's house, the priests that were in Nob: and they came all of them to the king.

12 And Saul said, Hear now, thou son of Ahitub. And he answered, 2 Here I am, my lord.

13 And Saul said unto him, Why have ye conspired against me, thou and the son of Jesse, in that thou hast given him bread, and a sword, and hast enquired of God for him, that he should rise against me, to lie in wait, as at this day?

14 Then Ahimelech answered the

king, and said, And who is so faithful among all thy servants as David, which is the king's son in law, and goeth at thy bidding, and is honourable in thine house?

BEFORE CHRIST cir. 1062.

17 And the king said unto the 45 footmen that stood about him, Or, guard. Turn, and slay the priests of the LORD; because their hand also is with David, and because they knew when he fled, and did not shew it to me. But the servants of the king would not put forth their hand to fall upon the priests of the LORD.

18 And the king said to Doeg, Turn thou, and fall upon the priests. And Doeg the Edomite turned, and he fell upon the priests, and "slew on that day fourscore and five persons that did wear a linen ephod.

m See Ex. 1. 17.

n See ch. 2. 31.

19 And Nob, the city of the over. 9, 11. priests, smote he with the edge of the sword, both men and women, children and sucklings, and oxen, and asses, and sheep, with the edge of the sword.

20 TP And one of the sons of Ahi- P ch. 23. 6. melech the son of Ahitub, named Abiathar, escaped, and fled after a ch. 2. 23. David.

21 And Abiathar shewed David that Saul had slain the LORD's priests.

22 And David said unto Abiathar, I knew it that day, when Doeg the Edomite was there, that he would surely tell Saul: I have occasioned the death of all the persons of thy father's house.

23 Abide thou with me, fear not: