of Maon, in the plain on the south of Jeshimon. 25. It was told David that Saul and his men went to seek him. Therefore he came to a rock, and abode in the wilderness of Maon: And when Saul heard that, he pursued after David to the wilderness of Maon. 26. But Saul with his men went on this side of the mountain, and David and his men were ori that side. Now David hasted to get away from Saul, as Saul and his men surrounded David and his men to take them.

27. But now a messenger came to Saul, saying, Come speedily, for the Philistines have invaded the land. 28. So Saul returned from pursuing David, and went against the Philistines; therefore they called that place the Dividing Rock.

29. Now David went from thence, and abode in strong holds of En-gedi.

CHAP. XXIV:

DAVID MEETS SAUL, AND REASONS WITH HIM. Now when Saul returned from pursuing the Phi listines, it was told him, saying, David is in the wilderness of En-gedi. 2. Then Saul took three thouand chosen men out of all Israel, and went to seek David and his men among the rocks of the wild goats. 3. Then he came to the sheep-cotes, near where was a cave, and went in to repose a little; now David and his men remained in the sides of the cave. 4. Then David's men said to him, Behold the day of which the Eternal said to thee, I will deliver thine enemy into thine hand, to do to him as it seems good to thee. Then David went, and cut off the skirt of Saul's mantle privily. 5. But afterwards David's heart smote him for it. 6. Then he said to his men, The Eternal keep me from slaying my master, the Eternal's anointed, or stretching forth my hand against him, seeing he is the Eternal's anointed. 7. So David stayed his servants

with these words, from rising against Saul. when Saul rose up out of the cave, and went away,

But

8. David also arose, and went out of the cave, and cried after Saul, saying, My lord king. And when Saul looked behind him, David bowed himself with his face to the earth. 9. Then David said to Saul, Why hearkenest thou to mens' words, saying, David seeketh thy hurt? 10. Lo, thine eyes see how the Eternal delivered thee to-day into mine hand in the cave: and some advised me to kill thee, but I spared thee; for I said, I will not put forth my hand against my lord, for he is the Eternal's anointed. 11. Moreover, my father, behold, and see the skirt of thy robe in my hand! for in that I cut off the skirt of thy mantle, and killed thee not, know thou and see that I have no evil design, and I have not sinned against thee; yet thou huntest after me to take my life. 12. The Eternal judge between me and thee, and take my part to avenge me of thee; but mine hand shall not touch thee. 13.As saith the proverb of the antier's, Let wickedness proceed from the wicked, but mine hand shall not be upon thee. 14. After whom is the king of Israel come out? Whom doest thou pursue? a dead dog, a single flea. 15. The Eternal therefore be judge, and decide between me and thee, and see and support my cause, and defend me from thy power.

16. Now when David had spoken these words to Saul, Saul said, Is this thy voice, my son David? so Saul wept aloud. 17. Then he said to David, Thou art more righteous than I; for thou hast repayed evil with good. 18. And thou hast shewed this day how well thou art disposed to me; for when the Eternal delivered me into thine hand, thou killedst me not. 19. For if a man find his enemy, will he let him go well away? May the Eternal reward thee the good thou hast done to me this day. 20. And now, lo I know well that thou shalt surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be esta

blished in thine hand. 21. Swear now therefore to me by the Eternal, that thou wilt not cut off my posterity, nor blot out my name from my father's house. 22. So David sware to Saul. And Saul went home: but David and his men went back to the strong hold. ·

CHAP. XXV.

DAVID'S QUARREL WITH NABÁL.

Now Samuel died, and all Israel assembled and lamented him, and buried him in his house at Ramah. Then David arose, and went down to the wilderness of Paran. 2. Now there was a man in Maon, whose possessions were in Carmel; the man was very great, for he had three thousand sheep, and a thousand goats; and he was shearing his sheep in Carmel. 3. Now his name was Nabal, and his wife's Abigail; and she was a woman of great prudence, and of a beautiful aspect; but the man was churlish, ill mannered, and doggedly disposed.

4. Now David heard in the wilderness that Nabal did shear his sheep. 5. Then David sent out ten young men, to whom he said, Go up to Nabal at Carmel, and greet him in my name. 6. And say thus to him, Prosperity, thro' life, be to thee, and peace be to thine house, and to all that thou hast. 7. I have now heard that thou hast a shearing feast; thy shepherds that were with us we hurt not, neither was there ought missing to them, all the time they were in Carmel. 8. Ask thy young men, and they will tell thee; therefore let my young men find fayour in thine eyes, (for we come at a good time); give, I pray thee, whatever thou canst spare, to thy servants, and to thy son David. 9. David's men came to Carmel, and spake to Nabal all these words in David's name: and having finished,

10. Nabal answered David's servants, saying, Who is David? and who is the son of Jesse? Many servants in these days break loose from masters.

11. Shall I take my bread, and my water, and my flesh that I have killed for my shearers, and give it to men whom I know not whence they be? 12. So David's young men returned, and told him all those sayings. 13. Then David said to his men, Gird on every man his sword. And they did so; and David also girded on his sword: there went with David four hundred men, and two hundred abode by the baggage.

14. But one of Nabal's young men told Abigail, Nabal's wife, saying, David sent messengers out of the wilderness to salute our master, but he behaved rudely to them; 15. But the men were very good to us, we got no harm, neither missed we any thing, as long as we were conversant with them, in the fields: 16. They were a wall to us, both by night and day, all the while we were with them keeping the sheep. 17. So consider what thou wilt do, for evil is determined against our master, and all his household; for he is so violent that one cannot speak to him.

18. Then Abigail made haste, and took 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 clusters of figs, and laid them on asses. 19. And said to her servants, Go on before me, lo I come after you. But she told not her husband Nabal. 20. And as she rode on the ass thro' the covert of a hill, lo David and his men came opposite to them; and she met them. 21. (Now David had said, Surely in vain have I guarded all that this fellow hath in the wilderness, so that he lost nothing, if he thus requite me evil for good. 22. May God do so and more also to the enemies of David, if I leave to him even a single dog by the morning light.)

23. Now when Abigail saw David, she hastily lighted off the ass, and fell before him, with her face

to the ground; 24. And took hold of his feet, say. ing, Upon me, my lord, be the blame; let thine handmaid, I pray thee, speak in thine hearing, and hearken to her words. 25. Let not my lord, I pray thee, regard this lawless man Nabal, for he is like his name; Nabal the fool: but I, thine handmaid, saw not the young men of my lord whom thou didst send. 26. Now, iny lord, as the Eternal liveth, and as thy soul liveth, the Eternal hath with-held thee from coming to shed blood, and from avenging thy, self with thine own hand, let thine enemies, and they who wish thee eyil, be as insignificant as Nabal. 27. And now let this present, which thing handmaid hath brought, be given to the young men that follow my lord. 28. I pray thee, forgive this temerity of thine handmaid; when the Eternal shall have fully and finally established thy house, and thou shalt fight the Eternal's battles, may no evil befal thee. 29. And should any man rise to pur sue thee, and seek thy life, may the life of my lord be bound up in the bundle of life with the Eternal thy God; but let the souls of thine enemies be slung out as from the middle of a sling. 30. And when the Eternal shall have done to my lord all the good which he hath spoken concerning thee, and shall have made thee ruler over Israel; 31.This shall give no remorse or trouble of mind to my lord, either for having shed causeless blood, or with his own hands avenged himself; but when the Eternal shall have thus favoured my lord, then remember thine handmaid.

32. Then David said to Abigail, Blessed be the Eternal God of Israel, who sent thee this day to meet me: 33. And blessed be thy prudence; and blessed be thyself, who has kept me this day from shedding blood, and from avenging myself with mine own hand: 34. For in very deed, as the Eternal God of Israel liveth, who hath withheld me from hurting thee, except thou hadst hastily come