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CHAPTER 58.

SAUL PERSECUTES DAVID AND IS RECONCILED.

AND David went to Nob, the City of the Priests, and Ahimelech the Priest gave him from the Temple the sword of Goliah the Philistine, and Doeg the chief of the herdmen of Saul saw it. Then David fled for fear of Saul, and went to Achish King of Gath, and being afraid of Achish, he feigned madness. And David escaped to the Cave Adullam, and when his brethren heard it, they went down to him, and every one that was in distress, or in debt, or discontented, gathered themselves unto him; and he became a Captain over them, about four hundred men.

Now Saul abode in Gibeah under a Tree in Ramah, having his spear in his hand, and all his servants were standing about him. And Saul said, Will the son of Jesse give every one of you Fields and Vineyards, and make you all Captains of Thousands, and Captains of Hundreds; that all of you have conspired, and there is none that sheweth me that my son hath made a league with the son of Jesse, to lie in wait as at this day ? Then Doeg told of the Priest delivering the sword, and Saul sent for Ahimelech and all the Priests of his house, and Saul commanded, and Doeg slew the Priests, fourscore and five persons. Saul had utterly forgotten his obedience to the Lord, but God had not forgotten or deserted him.

Then they told David, the Philistines fight against Keilah, and rob the Threshing Floors. And David having enquired of the Lord, fought with the Philistines, and saved the Inhabitants of Keilah,-And-Saul sought to surprise and take David in Keilah, but David fled and abode in the Wilderness of Ziph, in strong

holds in a wood. And Jonathan went to David in the wood, and strengthened his hand in God. And he said, Fear not, for Saul shall not find thee; and thou shalt be King over Israel, and I shall be next to thee, and that my Father knoweth. And they made a Covenant before the Lord, and David abode in the wood, and Jonathan went to his honse.

And

And when the Men of Ziph sought to deliver David into Saul's hands, David went up from thence, and dwelt in strong holds at Engedi. And Saul took three thousand chosen men, and went to seek David and his men upon the Rocks of the wild Goats. And he came to the Sheepcotes by the way, where was a Cave, and Saul went in to cover his feet, and David and his men remained in the sides of the Cave. And the men of David said, Behold the Lord hath delivered thine enemy into thy hand. Then David arose, and cut off the skirt of Saul's robe privily, and stayed his servants, and suffered them not to rise against Saul. But Saul rose up out of the Cave and went on his way. David arose, and cried after Saul, saying, My Lord the King. And when Saul looked behind him, David stooped with his face to the earth, and bowed himself. And David said, Wherefore hearest thou men's words, saying, David seeketh thy hurt? See, my Father, the skirt of thy robe in my hand, see there is neither evil or transgression in me, yet thou huntest my soul to take it. After whom is the King of Israel come out? The Lord be judge between me and thee, and plead my cause, and deliver me out of thy hand. And Saul said, Is this thy voice my son David? And Saul wept and said, Thou art more righteous than I,—I know well that thou shalt be King of Israel; swear now that thou wilt not cut off my Children after me,

-and David sware unto Saul. See how the mighty Prince was fallen, and learn to put your whole trust in God alone.

CHAPTER 59.

SAMUEL'S DEATH-NABAL AND ABIGAIL.

AND Samuel died, and all the Israelites lamented him, and buried him in his house at Ramah.

And David arose and went to the Wilderness of Paran. There was a man in Maon, whose possessions were in Carmel, and the man was very great, he had three thousand Sheep, and a thousand Goats; and he was shearing his Sheep in Carmel. The name of the man was Nabal, and the name of his Wife was Abigail, she was a Woman of good understanding and of a beautiful countenance, but he was churlish and evil in his doings.

And David sent an embassy to Nabal saying, Peace; thy Shepherds which were with us, we hurt them not, neither was there ought missing unto them, while they were in the fields-for David abode in the Wilderness near them. And they asked Nabal to give them of his plenty, that he was making ready for his shearers. But Nabal said, Who is David, and who is the Son of Jesse? And he turned them away; but one of the young men told Abigail, and said, the men were very good unto us and we were not hurt, neither missed we any thing, when we were in the field; they were a wall unto us both by day and night, all the while we were with them keeping the Sheep. Now consider what thou wilt do, for evil is determined against our master, and against all his household; for he is such a man of Belial that a man cannot speak to him. Then Abigail made haste and took two hundred Loaves, two bottles

of Wine, and five Sheep ready dressed, five measures of parched Corn, and an hundred clusters of Raisins, and two hundred cakes of Figs, and laid them ou Asses, and sent her servants before and followed on an Ass, but told not her husband Nabal. And it was so, as she rode on the Ass, and came down by the covert of the hill, behold David and his men came down against her, and she met them.

For David had come up with four hundred armed Men against Nabal; 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; and said, Let not my Lord regard this Nabal, and hear the words of thy handmaid. And seeing the Lord hath withholden thee from coming to shed innocent blood, and from avenging thyself with thy own hand, the Lord will make my Lord a sure house. And it shall come to pass when the Lord shall have appointed thee Ruler over Israel, that this shall be no grief to thee nor offence of heart, that thou hast shed blood causeless, or that my Lord hath avenged myself. And David said to Abigail, Blessed be the Lord God which hath sent thee this day to meet me, and blessed be thy advice. And David accepted of her hand that which she had brought and said, Go up in peace to thine house.

And Abigail came to Nabal, and behold he had a feast in his house, like a King, and Nabal's heart was merry within him, for he was very drunken; wherefore she told him nothing until the morning light. And in the morning, when she told him these things, his heart died within him, and in ten days he died.-Churlishness and ill humour can do you no good, and when indulged in, generally lead to more serious evils. Be kind and affable to all, so as you join not in company with

wicked men, or praise a wicked action. It may gain you valuable friends, and must conduce to peace.— And David sent to Abigail and took her to wife; for Saul had given Michal, David's wife, to another.

CHAPTER 60.

DAVID SPARES THE LIFE OF SAUL.

THE WITCH OF ENDOR.

AND Saul again went out with an Army to take David; and David and Abishai came into Saul's Camp by night, and Saul lay asleep in the trench, his spear stuck in the ground at his head, and the People lay asleep round about him; and Abishai would have killed Saul, but David would not, and only took away Saul's spear. And David went over on the other side, and stood on the top of a hill afar off.-And David cried to Abner and said, Art not thou a valiant man, wherefore then hast thou let one of the people in to destroy the King? See where the King's spear is, and the cruise of water that was at his bolster.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. And Saul said, I have sinned; blessed be thou my son David. So David went on his way, and Saul returned to his place.-And David went to dwell with Achish King of Gath, among the Philistines; and Achish gave him the City of Ziklag to dwell in.

Now the Philistines gathered their Armies together to fight against Israel.

'And Saul was afraid and enquired of the Lord, but the Lord answered him not. And Saul had put away those that had familiar spirits and wizards, out of the Land; yet now Saul disguised himself, and went to a

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