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David's wife, told him, saying, If thou save not thy life to-night, to-morrow thou shalt be slain.

12. So Michal let David down through a window; and he fled, and escaped, 13. And Michal took the teraphsan image, and laid it in the bed, and put a pillow of goats hair for its bolster, and covered it with the clothes. 14. And when Saul, sent messengers to take David, she said, He is sick. 15. But Saul sent the messengers again to seek David, saying, Bring him up to me in the bed, that I slay him. 16. But when the messengers came in, behold, there was an image in the bed, with a pillow of goats hair for its bolster. 17. But Saul said to Michal, Why hast thou so deceived me, by let' ting mine enemy get away and escape? And Michal answered Saul, He said, Let me go; why should I kill thee?

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

19. But it was told Saul, saying, Behold, David is at Naioth in Ramah. 20. Then Saul sent messengers to take David: but when they saw the society of the prophets prophesying, and Samuel presiding over them, the spirit of God was upon Saul's messengers, and they prophesied. 21. When this was told Saul, he sent other messengers, but they prophesied also. Then Saul sent messengers the third time, and they prophesied likewise. 22. Then he went also to Ramah, and came to a great cistern well in Sechu, and asked, saying, Where are Samuel and David? Then one said, Behold they are at Naioth in Ramah. 23. Then he went thither; and the Spirit of God was upon him also, and he went on prophesying, until he came to Naioth in Ramah. 24. He put off his robe also, and continued to prophesy before Samuel, and lay down without it all that day, and all that night. Whence the saying, Is Saul also among the prophets?

CHAP. XX.

DAVID'S APPEAL TO JONATHAN, &c.

THEN David fled from Naioth in Ramah, and came and said to Jonathan, What have I done? what is mine iniquity? and what is my crime before thy father, that he seeketh my life? 2. But he said, God forbid; thou shalt not die: behold my father useth to do nothing, great or small, but he tells to me; and why should my father hide this from me? it is not so. 3. But David sware moreover, saying, Thy father certainly knoweth that I have obtained thy favour, and he saith, Let not Jonathan know this, lest he be grieved: but truly, as the Eternal liveth, and as thy soul liveth, there is but a step between me and death.

4. Then said Jonathan to David, Whatever thou desirest I will do it for thee. 5. David replied to Jonathan, Behold, to-morrow is the new-moon festival,and I should not fail to be with the king at meat; but let me go, that I may hide myself in the field until the third day at even. 6. If thy father at all miss me, then say, David earnestly asked leave of me to run to Bethlehem his city, for there is a yearly sacrifice there for all the family. 7. If he say, It is well, thy servant shall have peace; but if he be angry, then be sure that evil is determined by him. 8. Deal kindly with thy servant, as thou hast brought thy servant into a solemn covenant with thee; or if I have done any iniquity, slay me thyself; for why shouldest thou bring me to thy father?

9. God forbid, said Jonathan; for if I knew certainly that evil were determined by my father against thee, I would tell it thee. 10. But David said to Jonathan, Who shall tell me if thy father answer thee roughly?

11. Then Jonathan said to David, Come, let us go out into the fields: so they went both out into

the field. 12. Then Jonathan said to David, The Eternal God of Israel be witness, if, when I have sounded my father to-morrow at any time, or on the third day, and lo, if there be good-will toward David, if I then send not to tell thee; 13. May the Eternal do so, and much more to me: and if my father be disposed to do thee evil, then I will shew it thee, and send thee away safely: and the Eternal be with thee, as he has been with my father. 14. While I yet live, thou shalt not only shew me the kindness of the Eternal, that I die not; 15. But also thou shalt not cut off thy kindness from my house for ever; not even when the Eternal hath cut off thine enemies every one from the face of the earth. 16. So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, Let the Eternal even require it at the hand of me and mine, if we be David's enemies. 17. Then Jonathan sware to David again, by his love toward him; for he loved him as he loved himself.

18. And Jonathan said to David, To-morrow is the new-moon festival; and thou shalt be missed, because thy seat will be empty. 19. And when thou hast stayed three days, thou shalt go quickly to the place where thou didst hide thyself on the day of thine escape, and shalt remain by that stone. 20. Then I will shoot three arrows that way, as tho' I shot at a mark. 21. Then, lo, I will send a lad to find the arrows; and if I expressly say to him, Lo, the arrows are on this side of thee, take them up; then come out: for there is no hurt, but to thee, as the Eternal liveth. 22. But if I say to the young man, Behold, the arrows are beyond thee; go away; for the Eternal sendeth thee away. 23. As to what thou and I have spoken of, let the Eternal be witness between thee and me for ever.

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24. So David hid himself in the field; and when the new-moon festival was come, the king sat down to the feast, 25. On his own seat as usual, on a

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seat placed by the wall; and Jonathan sat on one side, and Abner on his other side, and David's place was empty. 26. Nevertheless, Saul spake nothing that day; for he thought some accident had befallen him, or perhaps, said he, he is not clean.

27. But on the morrow, being the second day of the new-moon festival, David's place being still empty, Saul said to Jonathan, Why cometh not the son of Jesse to the feast, neither yesterday nor today? 28. Then Jonathan answered Saul, David earn"estly asked leave of me to go to Bethlehem; 29. Saying, Let me Go, I pray thee; for our family hath a sacrifice in the city; and my eldest brother cómmanded me to be there; and now, if I have obtained thy favour, let me go away, I pray thee, and visit my brethren, therefore he cometh not to the king's table.

30. Then Saul being angry at Jonathan, said to him, Degenerate, perverse man, do I not know that thou hast chosen the son of Jesse to thine own con'fusion, and to thy mother's shame. 31. For as long as the son of Jesse liveth upon the earth, thou shalt not be safe, nor thy kingdom be established; therefore now send and fetch him to me, for he shall surely die.

32. Then Jonathan answered Saul his father, Why shall he be slain? what hath he done? 33. Then Saul cast a javelin at him to smite him; whereby Jonathan knew that it was determined of his father to slay David.

34. So Jonathan arose from the table in fierce anger, and ate no meat the second day of the feast; for he was grieved both for David, and because his - father had affronted him.

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35. So next morning, Jonathan went out into the field with a little lad, at the time appointed with David. $6. Then he said to his lad, Run, find now the arrows I shoot. And, as the lad ran, he shot an arrow beyond him. 37. And the lad being come

to the place of the arrow, Jonathan cried after him, The arrows are beyond thee? 38. He cried also, Make haste, delay not. So Jonathan's lad gathered up the arrows, and came to his master. 39. But the lad knew nothing; only Jonathan and David knew the matter. 40. Then Jonathan gave his weapons to his lad, and said, Carry them to the city.

41. When the lad departed, David arose from be hind the stone, and bowed himself three times, with his face to the ground, and they embraced one a nother, and wept together, with great lamentation; but David exceeded.

42. Then Jonathan said to David, Go in peace, since we have both sworn by the Eternal's name, saying, May the Eternal be witness between me and. thee, and between my seed and thy seed, forever. So he arose and departed; and Jonathan went into. the city.

CHAP. XXI.

DAVID FLEES TO VARIOUS PLACES.

THEN David came to Ahimelech the priest at Nob; who was astonished at meeting David, and said to him, Why art thou alone? 2. Then David said to him, The King hath charged me with a business, and said to me, Let no man know any thing of the matter whereabout I send thee, or what I have commanded thee; so I have appointed my servants for a certain place. 3. Now, therefore, give me whatever thou hast, were it only five loaves of bread, or whatever else is at hand. 4. But the priest answered David, There is no common bread under mine hand; but there is hallowed bread, if the young men have duly abstained from women. (Exod. xix. 15.) 5.Then David answered the priest, Truly women have been kept from us these three days, since I came out, and the young men were then clean, and the vessels of the young men are pu

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