Abigail's wise conduct.

B. C.

B. C.

+ Heb. flew upon them.

15 But the men were very good unto us, and we were not hurt, neither Heb.shamed. missed we any thing, as long as we were conversant with them, when we were in the fields.

n ver. 7.

o Ex. 14. 22. Job 1. 10.

p ch. 20. 7.

q Deut. 13. 13. Judg. 19. 22.

Gen. 32. 13. Prov. 18. 16. & 21. 14.

|| Or, lumps.

s Gen. 32. 16, 20.

t Ps. 109. 5. Prov. 17. 13.

u Ruth 1. 17. ch. 3. 17. & 20. 13, 16.

16 They were "a wall unto us both by night and day, all the while we were with them keeping the sheep.

17 Now therefore know and consider what thou wilt do; for Pevil is determined against our master, and against all his household: for he is such a son of a Belial, that a man 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 a hundred clusters of raisins, and two hundred cakes of figs, and laid them on asses.

19 And she said unto her servants,
'Go on before me; behold, I come
after you.
But she told not her hus-

band Nabal.
20 And it was so, as she rode on
the ass, that she came down by the
covert of the hill, and, behold, Da-
vid and his men came down against
her; and she met them.

21 Now David had said, Surely in vain have I kept all that this fellow hath in the wilderness, so that nothing was missed of all that pertained unto him and he hath 'requited me evil for good.

22 So and more also do God unto the enemies of David, if I leave of all that pertain to him by the morn1 Kings 14. ing light any that pisseth against the wall.

x ver. 34.

10. & 21. 21. 2 Kings 9. 8.

z Josh. 15. 18. Judg. 1. 14.

+ Heb. ears.

+ Heb. lay it to his heart.

That is, Fool.

a 2 Kings 2. 2.

b Gen. 20. 6. ver. 33.

23 And when Abigail saw David, she hasted, and lighted off the ass, and fell before David on her face, and bowed herself to the ground,

24 And fell at his feet, and said, Upon me, my lord, upon me let this iniquity be: and let thine handmaid, I pray thee, speak in thine audience, and hear the words of thine handmaid.

25 Let not my lord, I pray thee, regard this man of Belial, even Nabal for as his name is, so is he; Nabal is his name, and folly is with him: but I thine handmaid saw not the young men of my lord, whom thou didst send.

b

26 Now therefore, my lord, as the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, seeing the LORD hath withholden Rom. 12. 19. thee from coming to shed blood, and thyself. from avenging thyself with thine

+ Heb, saving

34 For in very deed, as the LORD God of Israel liveth, which hath kept me back from hurting thee, except thou hadst hasted and come to meet me, surely there had not a ver. 22. been left unto Nabal by the morning light any that pisseth against the wall.

35 So David received of her hand that which she had brought him, and said unto her, Go up in peace to ch. 20. 12. thine house; see, I have hearkened to thy voice, and have Paccepted thy person.

39 And when David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, Blessed be the LORD, that hath pleaded the cause of my reproach from the hand of Nabal, and hath 'kept his servant from evil for the LORD hath "re44 P7.16. turned the wickedness of Nabal upon his own head. And David sent and communed with Abigail, to take her to him to wife.

t ver. 26, 34. ☐ 1 Kings 2.

Saul lay, and Abner the son of Ner, the captain of his host: and Saul lay about 1060. in the trench, and the people pitched round about him.

C

|| Or, midst of his carriages, ch. 17. 20.

b ch. 14. 50. & 17.55.

6 Then answered David and said to Ahimelech the Hittite, and to Abishai the son of Zeruiah, brother to Joab, e 1 Chr. 2. 16. saying, Who will go down with me to Saul to the camp? And Abishai said, I will go down with thee.

7 So David and Abishai came to the people by night and, behold, Saul lay sleeping within the trench, and his spear stuck in the ground at his bolster: but Abner and the people lay round about him.

d Judg. 7. 10,

11.

up, ch. 24. 18.

8 Then said Abishai to David, God hath delivered thine enemy into thine Heb. shut hand this day: now therefore let me smite him, I pray thee, with the spear even to the earth at once, and I will not smite him the second time.

9 And David said to Abishai, Destroy him not: for who can stretch forth his hand against the LORD's anointed, and be guiltless?

10 David said furthermore, As the LORD liveth, the LORD shall smite him; or his day shall come to die; or he shall descend into battle, and perish.

11 The LORD forbid that I should stretch forth mine hand against the LORD's anointed: but, I pray thee, take thou now the spear that is at his bolster, and the cruse of water, and let us go.

12 So David took the spear and the cruse of water from Saul's bolster; and they gat them away, and no man saw it, nor knew it, neither awaked: for they were all asleep; because a deep sleep from the LORD was fallen upon them.

13 Then David went over to the other side, and stood on the top of a hill afar off; a great space being between them:

14 And David cried to the people, and to Abner the son of Ner, saying, Answerest thou not, Abner? Then Abner answered and said, Who art thou that criest to the king?

15 And David said to Abner, Art not thou a valiant man? and who is like to thee in Israel? wherefore then hast thou not kept thy lord the king? for there came one of the people in to destroy the king thy lord.

e ch. 24. 6, 7. 2 Sam. 1. 16.

f ch. 25. 38. Ps. 94. 1, 2, 23. Luke 18. 7. Rom. 12. 19.

g See Gen. 47. 29. Deut. 31. 14.

Job 7. 1.

& 14. 5. Ps. 37. 13.

h ch. 31. 6.
i ch. 24. 6, 12.

k Gen. 2. 21. & 15. 12.

16 This thing is not good that thou hast done. As the LORD liveth, ye are worthy to die, because ye have + Heb. the not kept your master, the LORD'S anointed. And now see where the

sons of death, 2 Sam. 12. 5.

Saul acknowledgeth his sin.

B. C. about 1060.

1 chỉ 21. 16.

m ch. 24. 9. 11.

n 2 Sam. 16. 11. & 24. 1. + Heb. smell, Gen. 8. 21. Lev. 26. 31.

4 ch. 24. 14.

r ch. 15. 24. & 24. 17.

ch. 18. 30.

t Ps. 7. 8. & 18. 20.

u Gen. 32. 28.

about 1058.

+ Heb. be consumed.

king's spear is, and the cruse of water that was at his bolster.

17 And Saul knew David's voice, and said, 'Is this thy voice, my son David? And David said, It is my voice, my lord, O king.

18 And he said, m Wherefore doth my lord thus pursue after his servant? for what have I done? or what evil is in mine hand?

19 Now therefore, I pray thee, let my lord the king hear the words of his servant. If the LORD have "stirred thee up against me, let him accept an offering: but if they be the children of men, cursed be they before the LORD; for they have driven me out this day from abiding in the P inheritance of the LORD, saying, Go, serve other gods.

20 Now therefore, let not my blood fall to the earth before the face of the LORD for the king of Israel is come out to seek a flea, as when one doth hunt a partridge in the mountains.

21 ¶ Then said Saul, I have sinned: return, my son David; for I will no more do thee harm, because my soul was precious in thine eyes this day: behold, I have played the fool, and have erred exceedingly.

22 And David answered and said, Behold the king's spear! and let one of the young men come over and fetch it.

23 The LORD render to every man his righteousness and his faithfulness: for the LORD delivered thee into my hand to day, but I would not stretch forth mine hand against the LORD'S anointed.

24 And, behold, as thy life was much set by this day in mine eyes, so let my life be much set by in the eyes of the LORD, and let him deliver me out of all tribulation.

25 Then Saul said to David, Blessed be thou, my son David: thou shalt both do great things, and also shalt still prevail. So David went on his way, and Saul returned to his place.

David fleeth unto Achish.

2 And David arose, and he passed over with the six hundred men that were with him unto Achish, the son of Maoch, king of Gath.

с

3 And David dwelt with Achish at Gath, he and his men, every man with his household, even David with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the Carmelitess, Nabal's wife.

4 And it was told Saul that David was fled to Gath: and he sought no more again for him.

5¶ And David said unto Achish, If I have now found grace in thine eyes, let them give me a place in some town in the country, that I may dwell there for why should thy servant dwell in the royal city with thee?

B. C. about 1058.

a ch. 25, 13. b ch. 21. 10.

c ch. 25. 43.

31. & 19. 5.

6 Then Achish gave him Ziklag that day: wherefore Ziklag pertaineth See Josh, 15. | unto the kings of Judah unto this day.

7 And the time that David dwelt in the country of the Philistines was † a full year and four months.

8 And David and his men went up, and invaded the Geshurites, 'and the Gezrites, and the Amalekites: for those nations were of old the inhabitants of the land, has thou goest to Shur, even unto the land of Egypt.

9 And David smote the land, and left neither man nor woman alive, and took away the sheep, and the oxen, and the asses, and the camels, and the apparel, and returned, and came to Achish.

1

Heb. the number of days. + Heb. a year | of days. See ch. 29. S.

|| Or, Gerzites. Josh. 13. 2.

f Josh. 16. 10. Judg. 1. 29. 8 Ex. 17. 16.

See ch.15,7,8. h Gen. 25, 18.

not make a road, Sr.

10 And Achish said, "Whither have Or, Did you ye made a road to day? And David said, Against the south of Judah, and against the south of the Jerahmeelites, and against the south of the Judg. 1. 16. Kenites.

11 And David saved neither man nor woman alive, to bring tidings to Gath, saying, Lest they should tell on us, saying, So did David, and so will be his manner all the while he dwelleth in the country of the Philistines.

i See 1 Chr. 2 9. 25.

ceiveth Achish.

AND David said in his heart, I

shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul: there is nothing better for me than that I should speedily escape into the land of the Philistines; and Saul shall despair of me, to seek me any more in any coast

CHAPTER XXVIII.

Achish putteth confidence in David. 3 Saul, forsaken

of God, resorteth unto a witch at En-dor. 12 Samuel appeareth, and maketh known to Saul his approaching ruin.

stink.

a ch. 29. 1.

hand.

Saul resorteth unto a witch.

B. C.

fight with Israel. And Achish said about 1056. unto David, Know thou assuredly, that thou shalt go out with me to battle, thou and thy men.

b ch. 25. 1.

t ver. 9. Ex. 22. 18. Lev. 19.31. & 27. Deut 18. 10, 11.

2 And David said to Achish, Surely thou shalt know what thy servant can do. And Achish said to David, Therefore will I make thee keeper of mine head for ever.

3 Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had lamented him, and buried him in Ramah, even in his own city. And Saul had put away those that had familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land.

с

4 And the Philistines gathered themselves together, and came and pitched Josh. 19. 18. in d Shunem: and Saul gathered all Israel together, and they pitched in * Gilboa.

2 Kings 4. 8.

⚫ ch. 31. 1.

Num. 12. 6. by prophets.

Ex. 28. 50. Num. 27. 21. DeL 53. 8.

* Deut. 18. 11.

1 Chr. 10. 13. 18.8.19

Iver 3.

Ex. 22. 28.

7 Then said Saul unto his servants, Seek me a woman that hath a familiar spirit, that I may go to her, and inquire of her. And his servants said to him, Behold, there is a woman that hath a familiar spirit at En-dor.

8 And Saul disguised himself, and put on other raiment, and he went, and two men with him, and they came to the woman by night and * he said, I pray thee, divine unto me by the familiar spirit, and bring me him up, whom I shall name unto thee.

9 And the woman said unto him, Behold, thou knowest what Saul hath done, how he hath cut off those that have familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land: wherefore then layest thou a snare for my life, to cause me to die?

10 And Saul sware to her by the LORD, saying, As the LORD liveth, there shall no punishment happen to thee for this thing.

11 Then said the woman, Whom shall I bring up unto thee? And he said, Bring me up Samuel.

12 And when the woman saw Samuel, she cried with a loud voice: and the woman spake to Saul, saying, Why hast thou deceived me? for thou art Saul.

13 And the king said unto her, Be not afraid for what sawest thou? And the woman said unto Saul, I

Samuel appeareth to him.

B. C.

+ Heb. What is his form?

14 And he said unto her, + What form is he of? And she said, An old about 1056. man cometh up; and he is covered with a mantle. And Saul perceived that it was Samuel, and he stooped n ch. 15. 27. with his face to the ground, and bowed himself.

15 ¶ And Samuel said to Saul, Why hast thou disquieted me, to bring me up? And Saul answered, I am sore distressed; for the Philistines make war against me, and P God is departed from me, and answereth me no more, neither by prophets, nor by dreams: therefore I have called thee, that thou mayest make known unto me what I shall do.

16 Then said Samuel, Wherefore then dost thou ask of me, seeing the LORD is departed from thee, and is become thine enemy?

t

17 And the LORD hath done to him, as he spake by me: for the LORD hath rent the kingdom out of thine hand, and given it to thy neighbour, even to David:

18 Because thou obeyedst not the ch. 15. 9. voice of the LORD, nor executedst his fierce wrath upon Amalek, therefore hath the LORD done this thing unto thee this day.

19 Moreover the LORD will also deliver Israel with thee into the hand of the Philistines: and to morrow shalt thou and thy sons be with me: the LORD also shall deliver the host of Israel into the hand of the Philistines.

Jer.

haste, and fell with the fulness of his stature.

20 Then Saul fell straightway all + Heb. made along on the earth, and was sore afraid, because of the words of Samuel : and there was no strength in him; for he had eaten no bread all the day, nor all the night.

21 ¶ And the woman came unto Saul, and saw that he was sore troubled, and said unto him, Behold, thine handmaid hath obeyed thy voice, and I have put my life in my hand, and have hearkened unto thy words which thou spakest unto me.

22 Now therefore, I pray thee, hearken thou also unto the voice of thine handmaid, and let me set a morsel of bread before thee; and eat, that thou mayest have strength, when thou goest on thy way.

23 But he refused, and said, I will not eat. But his servants, together with the woman, compelled him; and he hearkened unto their voice. So he rose from the earth, and sat upon the bed.

24 And the woman had a fat calf in the house; and she hasted, and killed it, and took flour, and kneaded

t Judg. 12. 3. ch. 19. 5. Job 13. 14.

a ch. 28. 1.

b ch. 4. 1.

c ch. 28. 1, 2.

25 And she brought it before Saul, and before his servants; and they did eat. Then they rose up, and went away that night.

CHAPTER XXIX.

The lords of the Philistines mistrust David. 6

Achish dismisseth him, with commendations of his

fidelity.

NOW

OW the Philistines gathered together all their armies to Aphek and the Israelites pitched by a fountain which is in Jezreel.

2 And the lords of the Philistines passed on by hundreds, and by thousands but David and his men passed on in the rearward with Achish.

3 Then said the princes of the Philistines, What do these Hebrews here? And Achish said unto the princes of the Philistines, Is not this David, the servant of Saul the king of Israel, d See ch. 27.7. which hath been with me these days, or these years, and I have found no fault in him since he fell unto me unto this day?

e Dan. 6. 5.

e

4 And the princes of the Philistines were wroth with him; and the princes f 1 Chr. 12. 19. of the Philistines said unto him, 'Make this fellow return, that he may go again to his place which thou hast appointed him, and let him not go 5 As ch. 14. 21. down with us to battle, lest in the battle he be an adversary to us: for wherewith should he reconcile himself unto his master? should it not be with the heads of these men?

h ch. 18. 7. & 21. 11.

i 2 Sam. 3. 25. 2 Kings 19.

5 Is not this David, of whom they sang one to another in dances, saying, Saul slew his thousands, and David his ten thousands?

6 ¶ Then Achish called David, and said unto him, Surely, as the LORD liveth, thou hast been upright, and thy going out and thy coming in with me in the host is good in my sight: for I have not found evil in thee since the day of thy coming unto me unto this day nevertheless † the art not good lords favour thee not.

27.

k ver. 3.

+ Heb. thou

in the eyes of the lords.

7 Wherefore now return, and go in + Heb. do not peace, that thou cisplease not the lords of the Philistines.

evil in the eyes of the lords.

8 And David said unto Achish, But what have I done? and what hast thou found in thy servant so + Heb. before long as I have been with thee unto this day, that I may not go fight against the enemies of my lord the king?

thee.

2 And had taken the women captives, that were therein they slew not any, either great or small, but carried them away, and went on their way.

3T So David and his men came to the city, and, behold, it was burned with fire; and their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, were taken captives.

4 Then David and the people that were with him lifted up their voice and wept, until they had no more power to weep.

5 And David's two wives were taken captives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite.

& 27. 8.

8 'And David inquired at the LORD, ch. 23. 2, 4. saying, Shall I pursue after this troop? shall I overtake them? And he answered him, Pursue: for thou shalt surely overtake them, and without fail recover all.

9 So David went, he and the six hundred men that were with him, and came to the brook Besor, where those that were left behind stayed.