to Jesse, and said, Send me David thy son. And David stood before Saul, and he loved him greatly, and he became his armour bearer.

CHAPTER 56.

DAVID AND GOLIAH.

AND there was a war between the Israelites and the Philistines, and the Philistines stood on a Mountain on one side, and Israel stood on the other side, and there was a Valley between. And there went out a Champion out of the Camp of the Philistines, named Goliah of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span,--and he had an Helmet of Brass upon his head, and a Coat of Mail, and Greaves of Brass upon his legs, and a Target of Brass between his shoulders. And the Staff of his Spear was like a Weaver's beam, and one bearing a Shield went before him. And he defied the Armies of Israel, saying, Give me a Man that we may fight together.

Now David's three elder Brothers followed Saul to to the battle, and David returned to feed his Father's Sheep at Bethlehem. And Jesse said unto David his son, Take now for thy Brethren an ephah of this parched Corn and these ten Loaves and run to the Camp to thy Brethren. And carry these ten Cheeses unto the Captain of their Thousand, and look how thy Brethren fare and take their pledge. And David rose up early in the morning, and left the Sheep with a Keeper, and came to the Camp, as the Host was going forth for the fight, and shouted for the battle.

And David ran into the Army and saluted his Brethren, and as he talked with them Goliah came forth and defied Israel. And the Men of Israel when

they saw the Man, fled from him and were sore afraid; and they said, Have ye seen this Man that is come up? Surely to defy Israel is he come, and it shall be that the Man who shall kill him, the King will enrich him with great riches, and will give him his daughter, and will make his father's house free in Israel; and David heard it and said, Who is this Philistine that he should defy the Armies of the Living God? And Eliab his brother was angry and said, Why camest thou hither? and with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the Wilderness? I know thy pride, and the naughtiness of thy heart, for thou art come down, that thou mightest see the battle. And they rehearsed the words that David spake to Saul, and he sent for him. And David said to Saul, Let no Man's heart fail, thy servant will go and fight with this Philistine, and Saul said, Thou art a youth, but David said, Thy servant kept his Father's Sheep, and there came a Lion and a Bear and took a Lamb out of the Flock, and I went out after them, and slew both the Lion and the Bear, and this Philistine shall be as one of them. The Lord delivered me out of the paws of the Lion and the Bear, he will deliver me out of the hands of this Philistine. And Saul said unto David, Go, and the Lord be with thee.

And Saul armed David with his Armour, and put an Helmet of Brass upon his head, and armed him with a Coat of Mail, and David girded on his sword, and assayed to go; but he said, I cannot go with these for I have not proved them. And David put them off, and he took his staff in his hand, and chose him five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in a shepherd's bag, and his sling was in his hand, and he drew near to the Philistine.

And the Philistine disdained David, for he was but

a youth, and ruddy and of a fair countenance. And the Philistine said, Am I a dog that thou comest to me with staves? And the Philistine cursed David by his Gods. And said, Come, and I will give thy flesh unto the fowls of the air, and to the beasts of the field. Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, a spear, and a shield, but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of Hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied; and all this assembly shall know, that the Lord saveth not with sword and spear, for the battle is the Lord's, and he will give you into our hands.

And David hasted and ran to meet the Philistine ; and he put his hand in his bag and took a Stone and slang it, and smote the Philistine in his forehead, and

the Stone sunk into his forehead, and he fell upon his face to the Earth. And David ran and stood the upon Philistine, and took out his Sword and cut off his head therewith, and when the Philistines saw their Champion was dead they fled. And Israel arose and shouted and pursued the Philistines, and the wounded fell down by the way, even unto Gath, and to the Gates of Ekron. And David took the head of the Philistine, and brought it to Jerusalem, but he put his armour in his tent.

CHAPTER 57.

DAVID AND JONATHAN.

AND Abner brought David unto Saul, and David dwelt with Saul, and Saul set him over the Men of War. And the soul of Jonathan the Son of Saul, was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul. And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was upon him, and gave it to David, and his garments, even

to his sword, and to his bow, and to his girdle. And when the women praised David in their songs, Saul became jealous of David, and the evil spirit came upon him, and David played before him as at other times. Now there was a javelin in Saul's hand, and he cast the javelin at David, but David avoided out of his presence twice.

Then Saul was afraid of David, and removed him, and made him Captain over a thousand. And David behaved himself wisely in.all his ways, and all Israel and Judah loved him. And Michal, Saul's daughter, loved David, and they told Saul, and the thing pleased him: for he said, She will be a snare to him. And Saul saw that the Lord was with David, and that Michal loved him; and he was yet the more afraid of David, and became his enemy continually. And Saul spake to Jonathan his son and to all his servants, that they should kill David, but Jonathan delighted much in David, and told David thereof. And Jonathan persuaded his Father Saul and brought David to him, and he was in his presence as in time past.— And the evil spirit from the Lord was upon Saul, and he again sought to smite David with a Javelin, and David escaped, and the Javelin went into the wall.

And David fled away, and he came to Jonathan and said, What have I done and what is my sin before thy Father that he seeketh my life? And Jonathan made a Covenant with David, for he loved him as he loved his own soul. And Jonathan said, To-morrow at the Feast the King shall miss thee, because thy seat will be empty, and you shall remain by the Stone Egel, and I will shoot three Arrows on the side thereof, as though I shot at a mark, and I will send a lad to find the Arrows. If I say, The Arrows are on this side of thee,

take them; then come thou for there is peace to thee and no hurt. But if I say, The Arrows are beyond thee, Go thy way, for the Lord hath sent thee away.

So the King sat at Meat as at other times, and Abner sat by Saul's 'side, and David's place was empty. And Saul said to Jonathan his son, Wherefore cometh not the son of Jesse to Meat? And Jonathan said, David earnestly asked leave of me to go to Bethlehem.

And Saul's anger was kindled against Jonathan, and he said, I know that thou hast chosen the son of Jesse, to thine own confusion. For as long as the son of Jesse liveth thou shalt not be established, nor thy Kingdom,wherefore send and fetch him unto me, for he shall surely die. And Jonathan said, Wherefore, what hath he done? And Saul cast a Javelin at Jonathan to smite him. And Jonathan went out into the Field at the time appointed with David, and said unto the Lad, Run, find out the Arrows which I shoot, and when the Lad was come to the place of the Arrow which Jonathan had shot, Jonathan cried after the Lad, Is not the Arrow beyond thee; make haste, stay not. And the Lad gathered up the Arrows and came to his Master, but the Lad knew not any thing, only Jonathan and David knew the matter. And as soon as the Lad was gone, David came out and met Jonathan, and they kissed one another and wept. And Jonathan said to David, Go in peace, and he returned to the City.

No man had more reason to be jealous of David than Jonathan. But Jonathan was content with whatever God had appointed; he saw the wickedness of Saul in seeking the life of an innocent man, and he would not suffer the ambitious motives which Saul had suggested, to tempt him even to wink at any evil whichi threatened his friend.