The Bible (Old and New Testaments)

And then Sauls seruats brought him word againe, saying, Such wordes spake Dauid.

And Saul sayd, This wise shall ye say to Dauid, The King desireth no dowrie, but an hundred foreskinnes of the Philistims, to bee auenged of the Kings enemies: for Saul thought to make Dauid fall into the handes of the Philistims.

And when his seruantes tolde Dauid these wordes, it pleased Dauid well, to be the Kings sonne in law: and the dayes were not expired.

Afterwarde Dauid arose with his men, and went and slewe of the Philistims two hundreth men: and Dauid brought their foreskinnes, and they gaue them wholly to the King that hee might be the Kings sonne in lawe: therefore Saul gaue him Michal his daughter to wife.

Then Saul sawe, and vnderstoode that the Lord was with Dauid, and that Michal the daughter of Saul loued him.

Then Saul was more and more afrayde of Dauid, and Saul became alway Dauids enemie.

And when the Princes of the Philistims went forth, at their going forth Dauid behaued himselfe more wisely then all the seruants of Saul, so that his name was much set by.

Then Saul spake to Ionathan his sonne, and to all his seruantes, that they shoulde kill Dauid: but Ionathan Sauls sonne had a great fauour to Dauid.

And Ionathan told Dauid, saying, Saul my father goeth about to slay thee: nowe therefore, I pray thee, take heede vnto thy selfe vnto the morning, and abide in a secret place, and hide thy selfe.

And I will go out, and stand by my father in the fielde where thou art, and will commune with my father of thee, and I will see what he sayth, and will tell thee.

And Ionathan spake good of Dauid vnto Saul his father, and said vnto him, Let not the King sinne against his seruat, against Dauid: for he hath not sinned against thee, but his works haue bene to thee very good.

For he did put his life in daunger, and slew the Philistim, and the Lord wrought a great saluation for al Israel: thou sawest it, and thou reioycedst: wherefore then wilt thou sinne against innocent blood, and slay Dauid without a cause?

Then Saul hearkened vnto the voyce of Ionathan, and Saul sware, As the Lord liueth, he shall not dye.

So Ionathan called Dauid, and Ionathan shewed him all those words, and Ionathan brought Dauid to Saul, and hee was in his presence as in times past.

Againe the warre began, and Dauid went out and fought with the Philistims, and slew them with a great slaughter, and they fled from him.

And the euill spirit of the Lord was vpon Saul, as hee sate in his house hauing his speare in his hand, and Dauid played with his hand.

And Saul intended to smite Dauid to the wall with the speare: but hee turned aside out of Sauls presence, and he smote the speare against the wall: but Dauid fled, and escaped the same night.

Saul also sent messengers vnto Dauids house, to watch him, and to slay him in the morning: and Michal Dauids wife told it him, saying, If thou saue not thy selfe this night, to morowe thou shalt be slayne.

So Michal let Dauid downe through a window: and he went, and fled, and escaped.

Then Michal tooke an image, and layde it in the bed, and put a pillow stuffed with goates heare vnder the head of it, and couered it with a cloth.

And when Saul sent messengers to take Dauid, she sayd, He is sicke.

And Saul sent the messengers againe to see Dauid, saying, Bring him to me in the bed, that I may slay him.

And when the messengers were come in, behold, an image was in the bed, with a pillow of goates heare vnder the head of it.

And Saul said vnto Michal, Why hast thou mocked me so, and sent away mine enemie, that he is escaped? And Michal answered Saul, He said vnto me, Let me go, or els I will kill thee.

So Dauid 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.

But one tolde Saul, saying, Beholde, Dauid is at Naioth in Ramah.

And Saul sent messengers to take Dauid: and when they sawe a company of Prophets prophecying, and Samuel standing as appoynted ouer them, the Spirit of God fell vpon the messengers of Saul, and they also prophecied.

And when it was tolde Saul, he sent other messengers, and they prophecied likewise: againe Saul sent the third messengers, and they prophecied also.

Then went he himselfe to Ramah, and came to a great well that is in Sechu, and he asked, and sayd, Where are Samuel and Dauid? and one sayd, Behold, they be at Naioth in Ramah.

And he went thither, euen to Naioth in Ramah, and the Spirit of God came vpon him also, and he went prophecying vntill hee came to Naioth in Ramah.

And he stript off his clothes, and he prophesied also before Samuel, and fell downe naked all that day and all that night: therefore they say, Is Saul also among the Prophets?

And Dauid fled from Naioth in Ramah, and came and sayd before Ionathan, What haue I done? what is mine iniquitie? and what sinne haue I committed before thy father, that he seeketh my life?

And he sayde vnto him, God forbid, thou shalt not die: beholde, my father will do nothing great nor small, but he will shewe it me: and why should my father hide this thing from me? he will not doe it.

And Dauid sware againe and sayd, Thy father knoweth that I haue found grace in thine eyes: therefore he thinketh, Ionathan shall not knowe it, lest he be sorie: but in deede, as the Lord liueth, and as thy soule liueth, there is but a step betweene me and death.

Then said Ionathan vnto Dauid, Whatsoeuer thy soule requireth, that I wil do vnto thee.

And Dauid said vnto Ionathan, Behold, to morowe is the first day of the moneth, and I shoulde sit with the King at meate: but let me goe, that I may hide my selfe in the fieldes vnto the third day at euen.

If thy father make mention of me, then say, Dauid asked leaue of me, that he might goe to Beth-lehem to his owne citie: for there is a yeerely sacrifice for all that familie.

And if he say thus, It is well, thy seruant shall haue peace: but if he be angrie, be sure that wickednesse is concluded of him.

So shalt thou shew mercy vnto thy seruant: for thou hast ioyned thy seruant into a couenant of the Lord with thee, and if there be in me iniquitie, slay thou me: for why shouldest thou bring me to thy father?

And Ionathan answered, God keepe that from thee: for if I knewe that wickednesse were concluded of my father to come vpon thee, would not I tell it thee?

Then said Dauid to Ionathan, Who shall tell me? how shall I knowe, if thy father answere thee cruelly?

And Ionathan sayde to Dauid, Come and let vs goe out into the fielde: and they twaine went out into the fielde.

Then Ionathan sayde to Dauid, O Lord God of Israel, when I haue groped my fathers minde to morow at this time, or within this three dayes, and if it be well with Dauid, and I then send not vnto thee, and shewe it thee,

The Lord doe so and much more vnto Ionathan: but if my father haue minde to doe thee euill, I will shew thee also, and sende thee away, that thou mayest goe in peace: and the Lord be with thee as he hath bene with my father.

Likewise I require not whiles I liue: for I dout not but thou wilt shew me the mercy of the Lord, that I die not.

But I require that thou cut not off thy mercie from mine house for euer: no, not when the Lord hath destroyed the enemies of Dauid, euery one from the earth.

So Ionathan made a bond with the house of Dauid, saying, Let the Lord require it at the hands of Dauids enemies.

And againe Ionathan sware vnto Dauid, because he loued him (for he loued him as his owne soule)

Then said Ionathan to him, To morowe is the first day of the moneth: and thou shalt be looked for, for thy place shalbe emptie.

Therefore thou shalt hide thy selfe three dayes, then thou shalt goe downe quickely and come to the place where thou diddest hide thy selfe, when this matter was in hand, and shalt remayne by the stone Ezel.

And I will shoote three arrowes on the side thereof, as though I shot at a marke.

And after I wil sende a boy, saying, Goe, seeke the arrowes. If I say vnto the boy, See, the arrowes are on this side thee, bring them, and come thou: for it is well with thee and no hurt, as the Lord liueth.

But if I say thus vnto the boy, Behold, the arrowes are beyonde thee, goe thy way: for the Lord hath sent thee away.

As touching the thing which thou and I haue spoken of, beholde, the Lord be betweene thee and me for euer.

So Dauid hid him selfe in the field: and when the first day of the moneth came, the King sate to eate meate.

And the King sate, as at other times vpon his seate, euen vpon his seate by the wall: and Ionathan arose, and Abner sate by Sauls side, but Dauids place was emptie.

And Saul sayde nothing that day: for hee thought, Some thing hath befallen him, though he were cleane, or els becaus he was not purified.

But on the morowe which was the second day of the moneth, Dauids place was emptie againe: and Saul sayde vnto Ionathan his sonne, Wherefore commeth not the sonne of Ishai to meate, neither yesterday nor to day?

And Ionathan answered vnto Saul, Dauid required of me, that he might goe to Beth-lehem.

For he sayde, Let me goe, I pray thee: for our familie offreth a sacrifice in the citie, and my brother hath sent for me: therfore now if I haue found fauour in thine eyes, let me goe, I pray thee, and see my brethren: this is the cause that he commeth not vnto the Kings table.

Then was Saul angrie with Ionathan, and sayde vnto him, Thou sonne of the wicked rebellious woman, doe not I know, that thou hast chosen the sonne of Ishai to thy confusion, and to the confusion and shame of thy mother?

For as long as the sonne of Ishai liueth vpon the earth, thou shalt not be stablished, nor thy kingdome: wherefore now send and fet him vnto me, for he shall surely die.

And Ionathan answered vnto Saul his father, and said vnto him, Wherefore shall he die? what hath he done?

And Saul cast a speare at him to hit him, whereby Ionathan knew, that it was determined of his father to slay Dauid.

So Ionathan arose from the table in a great anger, and did eate no meate the seconde day of the moneth: for he was sorie for Dauid, and because his father had reuiled him.

On the next morning therefore Ionathan than went out into the fielde, at the time appoynted with Dauid, and a litle boy with him.

And he saide vnto his boy, Runne now, seeke the arrowes which I shoote, and as the boy ran, he shot an arrowe beyond him.

And when the boy was come to the place where the arrowe was that Ionathan had shot, Ionathan cryed after the boy, and sayde, Is not the arrowe beyond thee?

And Ionathan cryed after the boy, Make speede, haste and stand not still: and Ionathans boy gathered vp the arrowes, and came to his master,

But the boy knewe nothing: onely Ionathan and Dauid knew the matter.

Then Ionathan gaue his bowe and arrowes vnto the boy that was with him, and sayd vnto him, Goe, carrie them into the citie.

Assoone as the boy was gone, Dauid arose out of a place that was towarde the South, and fel on his face to the ground, and bowed him selfe three times: and they kissed one another, and wept both twaine, till Dauid exceeded.

Therefore Ionathan said to Dauid, Goe in peace: that which we haue sworne both of vs in the Name of the Lord, saying, The Lord be betweene me and thee, and betweene my seede and betweene thy seede, let it stand for euer.

And he arose and departed, and Ionathan went into the citie.

Then came Dauid to Nob, to Ahimelech the Priest, and Ahimelech was astonied at the meeting of Dauid, and saide vnto him, Why art thou alone, and no man with thee?

And Dauid saide to Ahimelech the Priest, The King hath commanded mee a certaine thing, and hath sayd vnto me, Let no man know whereabout I sende thee, and what I haue commanded thee: and I haue appointed my seruants to such and such places.

Nowe therefore if thou hast ought vnder thine hande, giue me fiue cakes of bread, or what commeth to hand.

And the Priest answered Dauid, and saide, There is no common bread vnder mine hande, but here is halowed bread, if the yong men haue kept themselues, at least from women.

Dauid then answered the Priest, and sayde vnto him, Certainely women haue bene separarate from vs these two or three dayes since I came out: and the vessels of the yong men were holy, though the way were prophane, and how much more then shall euery one be sanctified this day in the vessell?

So the Priest gaue him halowed bread: for there was no bread there, saue the shewe bread that was taken from before the Lord, to put hote bread there, the day that it was taken away.

(And there was the same day one of the seruants of Saul abiding before the Lord, named Doeg the Edomite, the chiefest of Sauls heardmen)

And Dauid said vnto Ahimelech, Is there not here vnder thine hand a speare or a sworde? for I haue neither brought my sworde nor mine harnesse with me, because the Kings businesse required haste.

And the Priest said, The sword of Goliath the Philistim, whom thou slewest in the valley of Elah, behold, it is wrapt in a cloth behinde the Ephod: if thou wilt take that to thee, take it: for there is none other saue that here: And Dauid sayd, There is none to that, giue it me.

And Dauid arose and fled the same day from the presence of Saul, and went to Achish the King of Gath.

And the seruants of Achish said vnto him, Is not this Dauid the King of the land? did they not sing vnto him in daunces, saying, Saul hath slayne his thousand, and Dauid his ten thousande?

And Dauid considered these wordes, and was sore afraide of Achish the King of Gath.

And hee changed his behauiour before them, and fayned him selfe mad in their handes, and scrabled on the doores of the gate, and let his spettel fall downe vpon his beard.

Then said Achish vnto his seruants, Lo, ye see the man is beside him selfe, wherefore haue ye brought him to me?

Haue I neede of mad men, that ye haue brought this fellowe to play the mad man in my presence? shall he come into mine house?

Dauid therefore departed thence, and saued him selfe in the caue of Adullam: and when his brethren and all his fathers house heard it, they went downe thither to him.

And there gathered vnto him all men that were in trouble and all men that were in dette, and all those that were vexed in minde, and he was their prince, and there were with him about foure hundreth men.

And Dauid went thence to Mizpeh in Moab, and said vnto the King of Moab, I pray thee, let my father and my mother come and abide with you, till I knowe what God wil doe for me.

And he brought them before the King of Moab, and they dwelt with him all the while that Dauid was in the holde.

And the Prophet Gad sayde vnto Dauid, Abide not in the holde, but depart and goe into the land of Iudah. Then Dauid departed and came into the forest of Hareth.

And Saul heard that Dauid was discouered, and the men that were with him, and Saul remayned in Gibeah vnder a tree in Ramah, hauing his speare in his hande, and all his seruants stoode about him.

And Saul said vnto his seruants that stood about him, Heare now, ye sonnes of Iemini, wil the sonne of Ishai giue euery one of you fields and vineyardes: will he make you all captaines ouer thousands, and captaines ouer hundreths:

That all ye haue conspired against me, and there is none that tellerh mee that my sonne hath made a couenant with the sonne of Ishai? and there is none of you that is sory for me, or sheweth mee, that my sonne hath stirred vp my seruant to lie in wayte against me, as appeareth this day?

Then answered Doeg the Edomite (who was appoynted ouer the seruants of Saul) and sayd, I saw the sonne of Ishai when he came to Nob, to Ahimelech the sonne of Ahitub,

Who asked counsell of the Lord for him and gaue him vitailes, and he gaue him also the sword of Goliath the Philistim.

Then the King sent to call Ahimelech the Priest the sonne of Ahitub, and all his fathers house, to wit, the Priests that were in Nob: and they came all to the King.