LAWTON CHURCH OF GOD, LAWTON, OKLAHOMA

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1^st SAMUEL

Chapter 1

1 There was a man of Ramathaim Sophim of mount Ephraim , whose name was Elcana ye sonne of Ieroham, ye sonne of Elihu, ye sonne of Tohu, ye sonne of Zuph, yt was an Ephrate.
2 And he had two wyues, ye one was called Anna, ye other Peninna. As for Peninna, she had children, but Anna had no childre.
3 And ye same man wete vp fro his cite at his tyme, to worshippe and to offer vnto the LORDE Zebaoth at Silo. There were the prestes of the LORDE Ophni and Phineas, the two sonnes of Eli.
4 Now whan it came vpon a daye that Elcana offred, he gaue partes vnto his wife Peninna, and to all his sonnes and doughters.
5 But vnto Anna he gaue one deale heuely, for he loued Anna. Neuertheles the LORDE had closed hir wombe,
6 & hir aduersary cast her in the tethe with hir vnfrutefulnes, because the LORDE had closed hir wombe:
7 thus dyd she euery yeare, whan they wente vp to the house of the LORDE, and thus she prouoked her. So she wepte, and ate nothinge.
8 But Elcana hir husbande sayde vnto her: Wherfore wepest thou? and why eatest thou not? And wherfore is thine hert so greued? Am not I better vnto the then ten sonnes?
9 Then stode Anna vp, whan she had eaten and dronken at Silo. But Eli the prest sat vpon a stole by the poste of the temple of the LORDE.
10 And she was full of heuynes in hir herte, and prayed vnto the LORDE, and wepte,
11 and vowed a vowe, and sayde: O LORDE Zebaoth, yf thou wilt loke vpon the aduersite of thy handmayden, and thynke vpon me, and not forget thy handmayden, and wilt geue thy handmayden a sonne, I wil geue him vnto the LORDE all his life longe, and there shal no rasoure come vpon his heade.
12 And wha she had prayed longe before ye LORDE, Eli toke hede to hir mouth,
13 for Anna spake in hir hert, hir lippes onely moued, but hir voyce was not herde. Then thoughte Eli she had bene dronken,
14 and sayde vnto her: How longe wilt thou be dronken? Let come from the the wyne that thou hast by the.
15 Neuertheles Anna answered and sayde: No my lorde, I am a soroufull woman, wyne and stronge drynke haue I not dronken but haue poured out my hert before ye LORDE.
16 Counte not thy handmayden a doughter of Belial: for out of my heuy thoughte and sorow haue I spoken hitherto.
17 Eli answered her, and sayde: Go yi waye in peace, the God of Israel shal graunte ye thy peticion that thou hast desyred of him.
18 She sayde: Let thy handmayden fynde fauoure in thy sighte. So the woman wente hir waye and ate, and loked nomore so soroufully:
19 and on ye morow they gat them vp by tymes. And whan they had worshipped before ye LORDE, they returned, and came home vnto Ramatha. And Elcana laye with Anna his wife, and the LORDE remembred her.
20 And after certayne dayes, she coceaued and bare a sonne, and called his name Samuel, for I haue desyred him (sayde she) of the LORDE.
21 And whan the man Elcana wente vp with all his housholde to offre sacrifice and his vowe vnto the LORDE at soch tyme as ye custome was,
22 Anna wente not vp, but sayde vnto hir husbande: (I wil not go vp) tyll ye childe be weened: then will I brynge him, that he maye appeare before the LORDE, and cotynue there for euer.
23 Elcana hir husbande sayde vnto her: The do as thou thynkest best, tary tyll thou haue weened him: but the LORDE perfourme that he hath spoken. So the woman abode, and gaue hir sonne sucke, tyll she weened him.
24 And whan she had weened him, she broughte him vp with her, with thre bullockes, with an Ephi of fyne floure, and a bottell of wyne, and broughte him in to ye house of the LORDE at Silo. Neuertheles the childe was yet but yonge.
25 And they slewe a bullocke, and broughte the childe vnto Eli.
26 And she sayde: O my lorde, as truly as thy soule lyueth my lorde, I am the woman that stode here by ye, and made intercession vnto the LORDE,
27 whan I prayed for this childe. Now hath ye LORDE graunted me my peticion, which I desyred of him,
28 therfore haue I geuen him ouer vnto the LORDE, as longe as he is lent vnto the LORDE. And they worshipped ye LORDE there.

Chapter 2

1 And Anna prayed, and sayde: My hert reioyseth in the LORDE, & my horne is exalted in the LORDE. My mouth is opened wyde vpo myne enemies, for I am glad of thy saluacion.
2 There is no man holy as the LORDE, for without the is nothinge, and there is no coforte like vnto oure God.
3 Let go yor greate boostinge of hye thynges, let go out of youre mouth that olde byworde: for the LORDE is a God yt knoweth all thinges, & he hath set all workes in order.
4 The bowe of the mightie is broken, and the weake are gyrded aboute with strength.
5 They that were fylled afore, are solde for bred: and they that were hongrie, are satisfied: vntyll the baren bare seuen, and tyll she that had many childre, was become weake.
6 The Lorde slayeth, and geueth life: he ledeth vnto hell, and bryngeth out agayne.
7 The LORDE maketh poore and maketh riche: He bryngeth lowe and exalteth.
8 He taketh vp the neady out of the dust, and lifteth vp ye poore out of the myre, that he maye set them amonge the prynces, and to let them inheret the seate of honoure: for the foundacions and corners of the worlde are the LORDES, and he hath set the compase of the earth theron.
9 He shall preserue the fete of his sayntes, but ye vngodly shal be put to sylece in darcnesse. For there is no ma that can do oughte of his owne power.
10 The LORDES enemies shal be put in feare before him, he shal thoder vpo the in heaue. The LORDE shall iudge the endes of the worlde, & shal geue stregth vnto his kynge, & shall exalte the horne of his anoynted.
11 Elcana wente his waye to Ramath vnto his house. And the childe became the LORDES mynister before Eli the prest.
12 But Elis sonnes were the childre of Belial, and knewe not the LORDE,
13 ner the dutye of the prestes vnto the people: but whan eny man wolde offre oughte, the prestes boye came, whyle the flesh was seethinge, and had a thre forked fleshoke in his hande,
14 and thrust it in to the cauldron, or ketell, or panne, or pot: and loke what he drue forth with the fleshoke, that toke the prest therof. Thus dyd they vnto all Israel , which came thither vnto Silo.
15 Like wyse, or euer they burned the fatt, the prestes lad came, and sayde vnto him that broughte the offerynge: Geue me the flesh, that I maye roste it for the prest, for he wyl receaue no sodden flesh of ye, but rawe.
16 Yf eny man sayde then vnto him: Let the fat burne as it oughte to do this daye, and afterwarde take what thine hert desyreth, then sayde he vnto him: Thou shalt geue it me euen now: yf no, I wyll take it from the by violece.
17 Therfore was the synne of ye childre very greate before the LORDE, for ye people spake euell of ye meatofferynge of ye LORDE.
18 But Samuel was a mynister before the LORDE, and the childe was gyrded with an ouer body cote of lynnen.
19 His mother also made him a litle cote of sylke, and broughte it vp vnto him at couenient tymes, wha she wente vp with hir husbande to offer ye offerynge in due season.
20 And Eli blessed Elcana & his wife, and sayde: The LORDE geue the sede of this woman, for this good that thou hast lent vnto the LORDE. And they wete vnto their place.
21 And the LORDE vysited Anna, so that she coceaued and bare thre sonnes and two doughters: but the childe Samuel grewe vp with the LORDE.
22 As for Eli, he was very olde, and herde of all that his sonnes dyd vnto all Israel , and how they laye with the wemen that serued God before the dore of the tabernacle of witnesse,
23 and he sayde vnto them: wherfore do ye this? For I heare of youre euell conuersacion of all this people.
24 Not so my childre, this is no good reporte that I heare, ye cause the people of the LORDE to offende.
25 Yf eny ma synne agaynst a man, the iudge ca redresse it. But yf eny ma synne agaynst ye LORDE, who can redresse it? Neuertheles they herkened not vnto the voyce of their father, for the LORDES wyll was to slaye them.
26 But the childe Samuel wente and grewe vp, & was accepted of the LORDE & of me.
27 There came a man of God to Eli, and sayde vnto him: Thus sayeth the LORDE: I shewed my selfe vnto thy fathers house, whan they were yet in Egipte vnder ye house of Pharao,
28 and chose him there vnto my selfe before all the trybes of Israel, for the presthode, that he shulde offer vpon myne altare, and burne incense, and weere the ouerbody cote before me, and vnto thy fathers house I gaue all the offeringes of the children of Israel.
29 Why layest thou thy selfe then agaynst my sacrifices and meatofferinges, which I commaunded (to offer) in the habitacion: and thou honourest thy sonnes more then me, that ye mighte fede youre selues with the firstlinges of all the meatofferynges of my people of Israel?
30 Therfore sayeth the LORDE God of Israel: I haue spoken, that thy house and thy fathers house shulde walke before me for euer. But now sayeth the LORDE: That be farre fro me. But who so euer honoureth me, him wil I honor also: as for those yt despyse me, they shal not be regarded.
31 Beholde, the tyme shal come, that I wyll breake thyne arme in two, and the arme of thy fathers house, so that there shal no oldeman be in thy house.
32 And thou shalt se thine aduersaries in the habitacion, in all the good of Israel , and there shal neuer be olde man in thy fathers house.
33 Yet wyll I not rote out euery man of the fro myne altare, but yt thyne eyes maye be consumed, & that yi soule maye be sory: & a greate multitude of thy house shal dye, whan they are come to be men.
34 And this shalbe a token vnto the, that shal come vpon thy two sonnes Ophni and Phineas: They shall both dye in one daye.
35 But vnto my selfe I wyll rayse vp a faithfull prest, which shal do acordinge as it is in my hert & in my soule: vnto him wyll I buylde a sure house, that he maye allwaye walke before myne anoynted.
36 And who so euer remayneth of thy house, shall come and worshipe him for a syluer peny and for a pece of bred, and shall saye: I praye the leaue me to one prestes parte, that I maye eate a morsell of bred.

Chapter 3

1 And whan the childe Samuel mynistred vnto the LORDE vnder Eli, the worde of ye LORDE was deare at the same tyme, nether was there eny sure & manifest vision.
2 And it fortuned at the same tyme, that Eli laye in his place, and his eyes beganne to be dymme, so that he coulde not se.
3 And Samuel had layed him downe in ye temple of the LORDE (where the Arke of God was) before ye lampe of God was put out.
4 And the LORDE called Samuel. He answered: Beholde, here am I.
5 And he ranne vnto Eli, & sayde: Beholde, here am I, thou hast called me. But he saide: I haue not called the, go thy waye agayne, and laye the downe to slepe. And he wente his waye, and layed him downe to slepe.
6 The LORDE called againe: Samuel. And Samuel arose, & wente vnto Eli, & sayde: Beholde, here am I, thou hast called me. Neuertheles he sayde: My sonne, I haue not called the. So thy waye agayne, and laye the downe to slepe.
7 As for Samuel, he knewe not the LORDE as yet, & the worde of ye LORDE was not yet shewed vnto him.
8 And ye LORDE called Samuel ye thirde tyme. And he arose, & wente vnto Eli, & sayde: Beholde, here am I, thou hast called me. Then perceaued Eli yt the LORDE called ye childe,
9 & he sayde vnto him: Go thy waye agayne, & laye the downe to slepe: and yf the LORDE call the eny more, then saye: Speake LORDE, for yi seruaunt heareth. Samuel wete his waye, and layed him downe in his place.
10 The came ye LORDE, & stode, and called like as afore: Samuel, Samuel. And Samuel sayde: Speake (LORDE) for thy seruaunt heareth.
11 And the LORDE saide vnto Samuel: Beholde, I do a thinge in Israel , yt who so euer shall heare it, both his eares shal glowe.
12 In yt daie will I rayse vp vpon Eli all yt I haue spoke cocernynge his house. I will take it in hande, & perfourme it:
13 for I haue tolde him, yt I wilbe Iudge ouer his house for euer, because of the wickednes, yt he knewe how shamefully his childre behaued the selues, and hath not once loked sowerly therto.
14 Therfore haue I sworne vnto ye house of Eli, yt this wickednes of ye house of Eli shall not be recocyled nether wt sacrifice ner wt meatoffringe for euer.
15 And Samuel laye vnto ye morow, & opened the dores of the house of the LORDE. But Samuel was afrayed to tell the vysion vnto Eli.
16 Then Eli called him & sayde: Samuel my sonne. He answered: Beholde, here am I.
17 He sayde: What is ye worde yt the LORDE hath spoke vnto the? hyde it not fro me. God do this & that vnto ye, yf thou hyde oughte fro me, of all that he hath talked wt the.
18 Then Samuel tolde him alltogether, & hyd nothinge from him. He sayde: It is the LORDE, let him do what pleaseth him.
19 Samuel grewe vp, & the LORDE was wt him, & there fell none of all his wordes vpo the earth.
20 And all Israel fro Dan vnto Bersaba, knewe yt Samuel was faithfull to be a prophet of the LORDE.
21 And the LORDE appeared agayne at Silo: for the LORDE shewed him selfe vnto Samuel at Silo, thorow the worde of the LORDE.

Chapter 4

1 And all Israel spake of Samuel. And Israel wente forth to the battayll against the Philistynes, & pitched besyde the. Helpe stone: As for the Philistynes, they pitched at Aphek,
2 and prepared them selues agaynst Israel . And whan the battayll beganne, the hoost was deuyded, so that Israel was smytte before the enemies, & in the edge in the felde they slewe aboute a foure thousande men.
3 And whan the people came in to the hoost, the Elders of Israel sayde: Wherfore hath the LORDE caused vs to be smytten this daie before the Philistynes? Let vs take vnto vs the Arke of the LORDES couenaunt from Silo, & let it come amoge vs, that it maye helpe vs from the hande of oure enemies.
4 And the people sent vnto Silo, & caused to fet thece the Arke of ye couenaunt of the LORDE Zebaoth, that sytteth vpon the Cherubins. And with the Arke of the couenaunt of God there were the two sonnes of Eli, Ophni and Phineas.
5 And whan the Arke of the couenaunt of the LORDE came in to the hoost, all Israel shouted wt a greate shoute, so that the earth sounded withall.
6 But whan the Philistynes herde ye noyse of ye shoute, they sayde: what noyse is this of soch greate shoutinge in the tentes of the Hebrues? And whan they perceaued yt the Arke of the LORDE was come in to the hoost,
7 they were afrayed & sayde: God is come in to the hoost. And they sayde morouer: Wo vnto vs, for it hath not bene thus afore tyme.
8 Wo vnto vs. Who wil delyuer vs fro the hande of these hye goddes? These are the goddes that smote Egipte wt all maner of plages in the wyldernesse.
9 Be stronge now and manly ye Philistynes, that ye serue not the Hebrues as they haue serued you. Be manly and fighte.
10 Then foughte the Philistynes, & Israel was smytten, & euery one fled vnto his tete, & there was a very greate slaughter, so that there fell of Israel thirtye thousande fote me,
11 & the Arke of God was take, & the two sonnes of Eli, Ophni and Phineas dyed.
12 Then rane there one of Ben Iamin out of the fore fronte of the battayl, & came vnto Silo the same daye, & had his clothes rente, and had earth vpo his heade.
13 And whan he came in, Heli sat vpon the seate, that he mighte loke towarde the waye: for his herte was fearfull aboute ye Arke of God. And whan the man came in to the cite, he tolde it forth: and all the cite cried.
14 And whan Eli herde ye noyse of the cryege, he axed: What noyse of busynes is this? The man came haistely, and tolde Eli.
15 (As for Eli, he was fourescore and eightene yeare olde, and his eyes were dymme, so that he coulde not se.)
16 The man sayde vnto Eli: I come and am fled this daye out of the hoost. He sayde: How is it my sonne?
17 Then answered the tydinge bringer, & sayde: Israel is fled before the Philistynes, and a greate slaughter hath there bene amonge the people, & thy two sonnes Ophni & Phineas are deed, yee & the Arke of God is take awaye.
18 Whan he had made mencion of the Arke of God, he fell downe bacwarde from the seate by the gate, and brake his neck, and dyed: for he was olde, & an heuy man. He iudged Israel fortie yeares.
19 The wife of his sonne Phineas was wt childe, & shulde shortly be delyuered, whan she herde the tydinges yt the Arke of God was taken, and yt hir brother in lawe and hir husbade were deed, she bowed hir selfe and trauayled: for hir payne came vpon her.
20 And whan she was now at the poynte of death, the wemen that stode by her, sayde: Feare not, thou hast a yoge sonne. But she gaue no answere, nether regarded it,
21 and she called the childe Icabod, and sayde: The glory is gone from Israel , because the Arke of God was taken awaye, and hir brother in lawe and hir husbande.
22 And she sayde morouer: The glory is gone from Israel , for the Arke of God is take awaye.

Chapter 5

1 As for the Arke of God, the Philistynes toke it and broughte it from the stone of helpe vnto Asdod
2 in to the house of Dagon, and set it besyde Dagon.
3 And whan they of Asdod rose vp early on the morowe, they founde Dagon lyenge on his face vpon the earth, before the Arke of the LORDE. But they toke vp Dagon, and set him agayne in his place.
4 Neuertheles whan they rose vp early on the nexte morowe, they founde Dagon lyenge on his face agayne vpon the earth before the Arke of the LORDE: but his heade and both his hades hewen of vpon the thresholde, so that the block laie there onely.
5 Therfore the prestes of Dagon, and all they that go in to his house, treade not vpo the thressholde of Dagon at Asdod vnto this daye.
6 But the hande of the LORDE was heuy vpon them of Asdod, and destroyed them, and smote Asdod and all the borders therof in secrete places.
7 Whan the men of Asdod sawe that they were so plaged, they sayde: Let not the Arke of the God of Israel tary with vs, for his hande is to harde vpo vs & vpon or god Dagon.
8 And they sent forth and gathered all the prynces of the Philistynes vnto them, and sayde: What shal we do with the Arke of the God of Israel? Then answered they of Geth: Let the Arke of the God of Israel be borne aboute.
9 And they caried the Arke of the God of Israel rounde aboute. But wha they bare it aboute, there was a very greate rumoure in the cite thorow the hande of the LORDE, and smote the people of the cite, from the smallest vnto the greatest, and destroyed them in the secrete places.
10 Then sent they the Arke of the LORDE vnto Ekron. But wha the Arke of the LORDE came vnto Ekron, they of Ekron cried: They haue caried the Arke of God aboute vnto me, to slaye me and my people.
11 Then sente they forth, and gathered all ye prynces of the Philistynes together, and sayde: Sende awaye the Arke of the God of Israel agayne vnto hir place, that it slaye not me & my people: for there is a very greate rumoure with the deed in all the cite, and the hande of God is there.
12 And the people that dyed not, were smytten in secrete places, so that the noyse of the cite wete vp vnto heauen.

Chapter 6

1 Thus was the Arke of the LORDE in the londe of the Philistynes seuen monethes.
2 And the Philistynes called their prestes and soythsayers, and sayde: What shal we do with the Arke of the LORDE? Shewe vs, wher with shal we sende it vnto hir place?
3 They sayde: Yf ye wyll sende awaye the Arke of the God of Israel, sende it not awaye emptye, but geue a trespace offerynge: so shal ye be made whole, and ye shal knowe, why his hande departeth not from you.
4 They sayde: What is the trespace offeringe that we shall geue him? They answered: Fyue hynder partes of golde, and fyue golden myce, acordinge to the nombre of the fyue prynces of ye Philistynes. For there hath bene one maner of plage vpon you all, and vpon youre prynces.
5 Therfore must ye make youre hynder partes of one fasshion and youre myce, which haue destroyed youre londe, that ye maye geue the God of Israel the honoure: peraduenture his hade shal be the lighter vpon you and vpon youre God, and vpon youre londe.
6 Why harden ye youre hert, as the Egipcians and Pharao hardened their hert? Whan he shewed him selfe vpon them dyd not they let them departe to go their waye?
7 Go to now therfore, and make a new cart, and take two mylke kyne, vpon ye which there neuer came yock, and yocke them to ye cart, and let their calues tary behynde them at home:
8 and take ye the Arke of the LORDE and laye it vpon the cart: and the Iewels of golde that ye geue him for a trespace offeringe put in a coffer beside it, & sende it awaye and let it go.
9 And loke well: yf it go the waie of hir awne coaste BethSemes, the hath he done vs all this greate euell: Yf no, then shal ye knowe that his hande hath not touched vs, but yt it is happened vnto vs by chauce.
10 The men dyd so, and toke two yonge mylke kyne, and yocked them to a cart, and helde their calues at home,
11 and layed the Arke of the LORDE vpon the cart, and the coffer with the golden myce, and with the ymages of their disease.
12 And the kyne wente straight waye vnto BethSemes vpon one hye strete, and wente on bleatynge, and turned nether to the righte hande ner to the lefte. And the prynces of the Philistynes wente after them vnto ye coast of BethSemes.
13 The BethSamites were euen reapynge downe their wheate haruest in the valley, and lyfte vp their eyes, and sawe the Arke, and reioysed to se it.
14 The cart came in to the felde of Iosua the BethSemite, and there it stode styll. And there was a greate stone, and they claue the tymber of the cart, and offred the kyne vnto the LORDE for a burntofferynge.
15 But the Leuites toke downe the Arke of the LORDE, and the coffer that was by it, wherin the Iewels of golde were, and set the vpon the greate stone. The men of BethSemes offred burntofferynges, and other offerynges also vnto the LORDE the same daye.
16 And whan the fyue prynces of the Philistynes had sene it, they departed agayne the same daye towarde Ekron.
17 These are the golden diseases, that the Philistynes offred for a trespace offerynge vnto the LORDE: Asdod one, Gasa one: Ascalon one, Gath one, and Ekron one:
18 and golden myce, acordynge to the nombre of all the cities of the Philistynes amonge the fyue prynces, from the walled cite vnto the vyllage, and vnto the greate playne felde, whervpon they set the Arke of the LORDE (which was) vnto this daye vpon the felde of Iosua the BethSemite.
19 And certaine of BethSames were slaine because they had sene ye Arke of the LORDE, and he slewe fyftye thousande and seuentye men of the people. Then mourned the people, because the LORDE had done so greate a slaughter in the people.
20 And the men at BethSemes sayde: Who maye stode before the LORDE so holy a God? And to who shal he go fro vs?
21 And they sent messaungers to ye inhabiters of Kiriath Iearim, saiege: The Philistynes haue brought the Arke of God agayne, come downe, & fetch it vp vnto you.

Chapter 7

1 So the men of Kiriath Iearim came downe, & fetched vp ye Arke of ye LORDE, & brought it in to ye house of Abinadab at Gibea, & they consecrated Eleasar his sonne, yt he might kepe ye Arke.
2 And fro yt daye that the Arke of ye LORDE abode at KiriathIearim, ye tyme extended forth so longe tyll it came to twentye yeares: and all the house of Israel wepte after the LORDE.
3 But Samuel sayde vnto all the house of Israel: Yf ye turne you withall youre hert vnto the LORDE, then put awaye from you the straunge goddes and Astaroth, and directe youre hert vnto the LORDE and serue him onely, so shall he delyuer you out of the hande of the Philistynes.
4 Then the childre of Israel put awaye Baalim and Astaroth from them, and serued the LORDE onely.
5 Samuel saide: Gather all Israel together vnto Mispa, that I maye praye for you vnto the LORDE.
6 And they came together vnto Mispa, and drue water, & poured it out before the LORDE, and fasted the same daye, and there they sayde: We haue synned vnto the LORDE. So Samuel iudged the children of Israel at Mispa.
7 But whan the Philistynes herde that ye children of Israel were come together vnto Mispa, the prynces of the Philistynes wete vp against Israel . Whan ye childre of Israel herde that, they were afrayed of ye Philistynes,
8 & sayde vnto Samuel: Ceasse not to crye vnto the LORDE oure God for vs, yt he maie helpe vs out of the hande of ye Philistynes.
9 Samuel toke a fat lambe, & offred an whole burntofferynge vnto the LORDE, & cried vnto the LORDE for Israel, and the LORDE herde him.
10 And whyle Samuel was offerynge ye burnt sacrifice, ye Philistines came to fight agaynst Israel . But the LORDE thondred a thonder vpon the Philistynes the same daye & discofyted the, so yt they were smytte before Israel .
11 The wente ye men of Israel forth, & chaced ye Philistynes, & smote them till vnder BethCar.
12 Then toke Samuel a stone, & set it vp betwene Mispa & Sen, & called it ye Help stone, & sayde: Hither to hath the LORDE helped vs.
13 Thus were the Philistynes brought downe, & came nomore within the border of Israel . And ye hade of ye LORDE was against the Philistynes, as longe as Samuel lyued.
14 So Israel gat the cities agayne, that the Philistynes had conquered, fro Ekron vnto Gath , with the borders therof, those did Israel rescue out of the hande of the Philistynes: & Israel had peace wt the Amorites.
15 Samuel iudged Israel as loge as he liued,
16 & wete aboute euery yeare vnto Bethel & Gilgal & Mispa: & wha he had iudged Israel in all these places,
17 he came agayne vnto Ramath for there was his house, & there he iudged Israel , & builded an altare there vnto ye LORDE.

Chapter 8

1 Bvt whan Samuel waxed olde, he set his sonnes to be iudges ouer Israel .
2 His firstborne sonne was called Ioel & the secode Abia, & they were iudges at Bersaba.
3 Neuertheles his sonnes walked not in his wayes, but enclyned vnto couetousnes, & toke giftes, & wraysted the lawe.
4 Then all ye Elders in Israel gathered the selues together, & came to Ramath vnto Samuel,
5 & saide vnto him: Beholde, thou art waxen olde, & thy sonnes walke not in yi wayes, set a kynge now ouer vs therfore, to iudge vs, as all ye Heithe haue.
6 The was Samuel displeased wha they sayde: Geue vs a kynge, to iudge as. And Samuel prayed before the LORDE.
7 The LORDE saide vnto Samuel: Herken vnto the voice of the people in all yt they haue sayde vnto the. For they haue not refused the, but me, yt I shulde not be kinge ouer them.
8 They do vnto the as they haue done euer, sence the daie yt I brought them out of the londe of Egipte vnto this daye, and haue forsaken me, and serued other goddes.
9 Herke now therfore vnto their voyce. Yet testifye vnto them, and shewe them the lawe of the kynge that shall raigne ouer them.
10 And Samuel tolde all the wordes of the LORDE vnto ye people, that requyred a kinge of him.
11 This shal be the lawe of the kynge yt shal raigne ouer you: Yor sonnes shall he take for his charettes, and for horsmen to runne before his charettes,
12 and to be rulers & captaynes, to be plowemen to tyll his londe and to be reapers in his haruest, and to make his harnesse, and soch thinges as belonge to his charettes.
13 As for yor doughters, he shall take the, to be Apotecaries, cokes and bakers
14 Youre best londe and vynyardes, and oyle gardens shall he take, and geue vnto his seruauntes:
15 Of youre sedes also and viniardes shal he take the Tithes, & geue vnto his chaberlaynes and seruauntes.
16 And youre seruautes and youre maydes, and youre best yonge men, and youre asses shal he take, and do his busynes withall.
17 Of youre flockes shal he take the Tithes, and ye shal be his seruautes.
18 Whan ye shal crye then at the same tyme ouer youre kynge, whom ye haue chosen you, the LORDE shall not heare you at the same tyme.
19 Neuerthelesse the people refused to heare the voyce of Samuel, and sayde: Not so, but there shall be a kynge ouer vs,
20 yt we maye be as all other Heithe, yt or kynge maie iudge vs, & go forth before vs, and gouerne oure warres.
21 The herkened Samuel vnto all yt ye people sayde, & tolde it before ye eares of the LORDE.
22 The LORDE sayde vnto the: Herken thou vnto their voyce, and make them a kynge. And Samuel sayde vnto the men of Israel : Go youre waye euery one vnto his cite.

Chapter 9

1 There was a man of Ben Iamin named Cis, the sonne of Abiel, the sonne of Zeor, the sonne of Bethorah, ye sonne of Apiah, the sonne of a man of Iemini, a valeaunt man,
2 which had a sonne named Saul, which was so goodly a yonge man, that there was not a goodlier amonge the children of Israel, higher by the heade then all the people.
3 Cis the father of Saul had lost his asses, and he sayde vnto Saul his sonne: Take one of the children with the, get the vp, go thy waye, aud seke the asses.
4 And he wente his waye thorow mount Ephraim , and thorow the lode of Solisa, and founde them not. They wente thorow the lode of Saalim, & there they were not. They passed thorow ye lode of Iemini, & foude the not.
5 But wha they came in to the londe of Zuph, Saul sayde vnto the childe that was with him: Come, let vs go home agayne, lest my father let go the asses, and take care for vs.
6 He sayde: Beholde, here is an honorable man of God in this cite, all that he sayeth, commeth to passe. Let vs go thither now, perauenture he maye shewe vs oure waye which we go.
7 But Saul saide vnto his childe: Though we shulde go, what brynge we the man? For the bred is gone out of or walet, and els haue we no gifte to brynge the man of God, what haue we?
8 The childe answered agayne, and sayde: Beholde, I haue the fourth parte of a syluer Sycle by me, ye same wyll we geue the man of God, that he maye shewe vs oure waye.
9 (Afore tyme in Israel , whan a man wente to axe councell at the LORDE, he sayde: Come, let vs go to the Seer: for they that now are called prophetes, were called Seers afore tyme).
10 Saul sayde vnto his childe: Thou hast well spoken, come let vs go. And whan they wente vnto the cite where the man of God was,
11 and came vp to the cite, they founde damsels which were gone forth to drawe water, vnto them they sayde: Is the Seer here?
12 They answered them and sayde: Yee. Beholde, he is there, make haist, for he came in to the cite this daye, because the people haue a sacrifice to do to daye in the hye place.
13 Whan ye come in the cite, ye shal fynde him, afore he go vp to the hye place for to eate: for the people wyll not eate tyll he come. For he shall blesse the offerynge, then shal they eate that are called. Therfore go yor waie vp, for eue now shal ye finde him
14 And whan they came vp to the cite, and were euen in the myddes of the cite, beholde, Samuel came forth in their waye, and wolde go vp to the hye place.
15 (But the LORDE had opened Samuels eare the daye afore, or euer Saul came, and sayde:
16 Tomorow aboute this tyme wyll I sende a man vnto the out of the lode of BenIamin, him shalt thou anoynte to be prynce ouer my people of Israel, that he maye delyuer my people from the hande of the Philistynes: for I haue loked vpon my people, and their crye is come before me.)
17 Now whan Samuel behelde Saul, the LORDE answered him: lo, yt is the man of whom I tolde the, that he shulde raigne ouer my people.
18 Then came Saul vnto Samuel vnder ye gate, and sayde: Tell me (I praye the) where is the Seers house?
19 Samuel answered Saul, and sayde: I am the Seer. Go vp before me vnto the hye place: for ye shall eate with me to daye, tomorow wyll I lett the go, and all that is in thyne hert, wyll I tell the:
20 and as for the Asses which were lost thre dayes agoo, care not thou for them, for they are founde. And to whom shall belonge all that is pleasaunt in Israel ? Shall it not belonge vnto the and to all thy fathers house?
21 Saul answered: Am not I a sonne of Iemini, and of the smallest trybe, and my kynred the leest amonge all the kynreds of ye trybe of BenIamin? Why speakest thou so the vnto me?
22 Samuel toke Saul & his childe & brought them in to the perler where they shulde eate, and satt them aboue those that were called, of whom there were aboute a thirtie men.
23 And Samuel sayde vnto the coke: Geue me the porcion that I gaue the, and bad the kepe it by the.
24 Then the coke toke vp a shulder, and bare it forth, and set it before Saul. And (Samuel) sayde: Beholde, this is left, laye it before the, and eate: for it was kepte for the agaynst this tyme, whan I called the people. Thus Saul ate with Samuel the same daye.
25 And whan they were gone downe from the hye place vnto the cite, he talked with Saul in the chamber.
26 And they rose vp early on the morow. And whan the mornynge sprynge arose, Samuel called Saul in the chamber, and sayde: Vp, yt I maye sende the thy waye. And Saul gat him vp: & they both wete forth together, he and Samuel.
27 And whan they came downe to the ende of the cite, Samuel sayde vnto Saul: Speake vnto ye childe, that he go on forth before vs, but stode thou styll now, that I maie shewe the what God hath sayde:

Chapter 10

1 Then toke Samuel a glasse of oyle, and poured it vpo his heade, and kissed him, and sayde: Seist thou that the LORDE hath anoynted the, to be the prince ouer his enheritauce?
2 Whan thou goest now fro me, thou shalt fynde two men besyde Rachels graue in the coast of BenIamin at Zelzah, which shal saie vnto the: The asses are founde, whom thou wentest to seke: and beholde, thy father hath put the asses out of his mynde, and taketh thoughte for the, and sayeth: What shall I do for my sonne?
3 And whan thou goest on forth from thence, thou shalt come to the Oke of Thabor, there shall thre men fynde the, which go vp vnto God towarde Bethel: one beareth thre kiddes, another thre loaues of bred the thyrde a bottel with wyne:
4 and they shall salute the, and geue the two loaues, which thou shalt take of their hande.
5 After that shalt thou come to the hyll of God, where the Philistynes watch is: and wha thou comest there in to the cite, there shall mete the a company of prophetes commynge downe from the hye place, and before them a Psaltery, and tabret, a pype and a harpe, and they them selues prophecienge.
6 And the sprete of the LORDE shall come vpon the, and thou shalt prophecye with them, and shalt be chaunged in to another man.
7 Whan these tokens now come vnto the, then do what so euer commeth vnder thyne hande: for God is with the.
8 Thou shalt go downe before me vnto Gilgall: Beholde, thither wyl I come downe vnto the, that thou mayest offre burntofferynges and deedofferynges. Seuen dayes shalt thou tarye till I come to the, and shewe the what thou shuldest do.
9 And whan he turned his shulder to go from Samuel, God chaunged him another hert, and all these tokes came the same daye.
10 And whan they came vnto the hill, beholde, there met him a company of prophetes and the sprete of God came vpon him, so that he prophecyed amonge them.
11 But wha they which knewe him before, sawe him that he prophecied with the prophetes, they sayde all amonge them selues: What is happened vnto the sonne of Cis? Is Saul also amonge the prophetes?
12 And one yt was there, answered and sayde: Who is their father? Hereof came the prouerbe: Is Saul also amonge the prophetes?
13 And wha he had left of prophecienge, he came vp to the hyll.
14 Sauls vncle sayde vnto him and to his childe: Whither wente ye? They answered: To seke the asses. And whan we sawe that they were awaye, we came vnto Samuel.
15 Then sayde Sauls vncle: Tell me, what sayde Samuel vnto you?
16 Saul answered his vncle: He tolde vs, yt the asses were foude. But of ye kyngdome he tolde him nothinge what Samuel had sayde.
17 Samuel called the people together vnto the LORDE to Mispa,
18 and spake vnto the children of Israel : Thus saieth ye LORDE the God of Israel: I broughte Israel out of Egipte, and delyuered you from the hande of ye Egipcians, and from the hande of all the kyngdomes that oppressed you.
19 But now haue ye refused yor God, which hath helped you out of all youre sorowes and troubles, & ye haue saide vnto him: Set a kinge ouer vs. Well, stonde ye now before ye LORDE acordinge to youre trybes and kynreds.
20 Now whan Samuel had brought forth all the trybes of Israel , the trybe of BenIamin was taken.
21 And whan he had broughte forth the trybe of BenIamin with his kynreds, the kynred of Matri was take, & Saul the sonne of Cis was take. And they sought him, but they founde him not.
22 Then axed they further at the LORDE, whether he was for to come thither. The LORDE answered: Beholde, he hath hyd him selfe amonge ye vessels.
23 Then ranne they thither, and fetched him. And whan he stode amonge the people, he was hygher by the heade then all the people.
24 And Samuel sayde vnto all the people: There se ye him whom the LORDE hath chosen, for in all the people there is none like him. Then gaue all the people a shoute, and sayde: God saue the new kynge.
25 Samuel tolde the people all the lawe of the kyngdome, and wrote it in a boke, and layed it before the LORDE. And Samuel let all the people go, euery one to his awne house.
26 And Saul wente home also vnto Gibea, and there wente with him one parte of the hoost, whose hertes God had touched.
27 But the childre of Belial sayde: What shal this felowe helpe vs, and despysed him, & broughte him no presente. But he made him as though he herde it not.

Chapter 11

1 Nahas ye Ammonite wete vp & layed sege vnto Iabes in Gilead . And all the men of Iabes sayde vnto Nahas: Be at one with vs, & we wyll serue the.
2 But Nahas ye Ammonite answered them: I wil make a couenauut with you, of this condicion, that I maye thrust out all youre right eyes, and put you to shame amonge all Israel .
3 Then sayde all the Elders of Iabes vnto him: Geue vs seuen dayes respyte, that we maye sende messaungers into all ye coastes of Israel : Yf there be then no sauioure, we wyl go forth vnto the.
4 So the messaungers came vnto Gibea of Saul, and spake this before the eares of the people. Then all ye people lifte vp their voyce, and wepte.
5 And beholde, Saul came after the oxen out of the felde, and sayde: What ayleth the people that they wepe? So they tolde him the earande of the men of Iabes.
6 Then came the sprete of God vpon him, whan he had herde these wordes, and his wrath was sore moued,
7 and he toke a couple of oxen, and hewed them in sunder, and sent them in to all the coastes of Israel by the messaungers, sayenge: Who so euer goeth not forth after Saul and Samuel, his oxen shalbe thus dealte withall. Then fell the feare of the LORDE vpon the people, so that they wente forth like as one man,
8 and they were tolde at Basek, and of the childre of Israel there were thre hundreth thousande men, and thirtie thousande of the children of Iuda.
9 And they spake vnto the messaungers that were come: Saye thus to the men of Iabes in Gilead : Tomorow shal ye haue helpe, whan ye Sonne is at the whotest. Whan ye messaungers came and tolde this to the men of Iabes, they were glad.
10 And the men of Iabes sayde: Tomorow wyll we come forth vnto you, that ye maye do vnto vs, what so euer it pleaseth you.
11 And on ye nexte morow Saul set the people in thre partes, and came in to the hoost aboute the mornynge watch, and smote the Ammonites tyll the daye was at the whotest. As for those yt remayned, they were so scatred, that two of them abode not together.
12 Then sayde the people vnto Samuel: Where are they that sayde: Shulde Saul raigne ouer vs? Delyuer vs here the men, that we maye put them to death.
13 But Saul sayde: There shal noman dye this daye, for to daye hath the LORDE geuen health in Israel .
14 Samuel sayde vnto the people: Come, let vs go vnto Gilgall, and renue the kyngdome there.
15 Then wente all the people vnto Gilgall, and there they made Saul kinge before the LORDE at Gilgal, and offred deedofferinges before the LORDE. And Saul with all the men of Israel reioysed there greatly.

Chapter 12

1 Samuel sayde vnto all Israel : Beholde, I haue herkened vnto youre voyce in all that ye sayde vnto me, and haue made a kynge ouer you.
2 And now lo, there goeth youre kynge before you. As for me, I am waxen olde and graye heered, and my sonnes are with you: and I haue gone before you fro my youth vp vnto this daye.
3 Beholde, here am I: answere ye agaynst me before the RORDE and his anoynted, yf I haue taken eny mans oxe or asse, yf I haue done eny man violence or wronge, If I haue oppressed eny ma, yf I haue receaued a gifte of eny mans hande, and kepte it secretly, I wil restore it you agayne.
4 They saide: Thou hast done vs nether violence ner wronge, nether oppressed, ner taken ought of eny mans hande.
5 He sayde: The LORDE be witnesse agaynst you, and so be his anoynted this daye, that ye haue founde nothinge in my hade. They saide: Yee they shalbe witnesses.
6 And Samuel sayde vnto the people: The LORDE which made Moses and Aaron, and broughte youre fathers out of the londe of Egipte (is here present.)
7 Stode forth now therfore, that I maye iudge you before the LORDE ouer the righteousnes of the LORDE, which he hath done for you and youre fathers.
8 Whan Iacob was come in to Egipte, youre fathers cryed vnto the LORDE. And he sent Moses and Aaron to brynge youre fathers out of Egipte, and to cause them for to dwell in this place.
9 But whan they forgat the LORDE their God, he solde them vnder the power of Sissera, the captayne at Hazor and vnder the power of the Philistynes and vnder the power of the kinge of the Moabites, which foughte agaynst them.
10 But they cried vnto the LORDE, and sayde: We haue synned, in that we haue forsaken the LORDE, and serued Baalim and Astaroth. But now deliuer vs from the hande of oure enemies, and we wyl serue the.
11 Then the LORDE sent Ierubaal, Bedan, Iephthae, and Samuel, & delyuered you from youre enemies rounde aboute, and caused you to dwell safe.
12 But whan ye sawe that Nahas the kynge of the children of Ammon came agaynst you ye sayde vnto me: Not thou, but a kynge shal raigne ouer vs, where as notwithstodinge youre God was youre kynge.
13 Now, there haue ye youre kynge, who ye haue chosen and desyred: for lo, the LORDE hath set a kinge ouer you.
14 Yf ye shal feare the LORDE now, and serue him, and herken vnto his voice, and not be dishobedient vnto the mouth of the LORDE, then shall both ye and youre kynge that raigneth ouer you, folowe ye LORDE youre God.
15 But yf ye herken not vnto ye voyce of the LORDE, but be dishobedient vnto his mouth, then shal the hande of the LORDE be agaynst you, and agaynst youre fathers.
16 Stonde forth now also, and beholde this greate thinge, that the LORDE shal do before youre eyes.
17 Is not now the wheate haruest? Yet wyll I call vpo the LORDE, so that he shal cause it thonder and rayne, that ye shall knowe and se the greate euell, which ye haue done in the sight of the LORDE, in that ye haue desyred to haue a kynge.
18 And whan Samuel called vpon the LORDE, the LORDE caused it to thoder and raine the same daye. Then all the people feared the LORDE greatly and Samuel,
19 and they sayde all vnto Samuel: Praie thou vnto the LORDE thy God for thy seruauntes, that we dye not: for beside oure sinnes we haue done this euell also, that we haue desyred vnto vs a kinge.
20 Samuel sayde vnto the people: Feare not, ye haue done all this euell in dede. Neuertheles departe not backe from the LORDE, but serue the LORDE with all youre hert,
21 and go not asyde after vanite, for it profyteth you nothinge, and can not delyuer you, in so moch as it is but a vayne thinge.
22 For the LORDE shall not forsake his people because of his greate names sake: for the LORDE hath begonne to make you a people vnto him selfe.
23 But God forbyd that I shulde synne so vnto the LORDE, to ceasse from prayenge for you, and from teachinge you the good & righteous waye.
24 Feare ye the LORDE therfore, and serue him faithfully with all yor hert: for ye haue sene, how greate thinges he doth vnto you.
25 But yf ye do wickedly, both ye & youre kynge shal perishe.

Chapter 13

1 Saul had bene kynge one yeare, and wha he had raigned ouer Israel two yeares,
2 he chose him thre thousande me out of Israel: two thousande were with Saul at Michmas vpon the mount of Bethel , and one thousande with Ionathas at Gibea of BenIamin. As for the other people, he let them go euery one vnto his tente.
3 But Ionathas smote ye Philistynes in their awne watch, which was at Gibea. That came to ye Philistynes eares. And Saul caused to blowe the trompes in all the londe, & to saye: Let the Hebrues heare.
4 And all Israel herde saye: Saul hath smytten the Philistynes watch, for Israel stanke before the Philistynes. And all the people cried after Saul vnto Gilgal.
5 Then the Philistynes gathered them selues together to fighte wt Israel, thirtie thousande charettes, sixe thousande horsmen, and other people besyde, in nombre as the sonde by the See shore, and wente vp, and pitched at Michmas on the eastsyde of Bethauen.
6 Whan the men of Israel sawe that mysfortune laye vpon the neckes of the (for the people was come therto) they crope in to caues and dennes, in to rockes, and holes and welles.
7 But the Hebrues wente ouer Iordane in to ye lande of Gad and Gilead . As for Saul he was yet at Gilgal, and all the people were fayntharted after him.
8 Then taried he seuen dayes acordinge to the tyme apoynted of Samuel. And whan Samuel came not vnto Gilgal, the people were scatered abrode from him.
9 Then sayde Saul: Brynge me hither a burntofferinge and deedofferinges. And he offred a burntofferynge.
10 But whan he had made an ende of the burntofferynge beholde, Samuel came. Then wente Saul forth to mete him, that he might salute him.
11 But Samuel sayde: What hast thou done? Saul answered: I sawe that the people was scatered abrode fro me, and thou camest not in due season: and the Philistynes were gathered together at Michmas.
12 Then sayde I. Now shall the Philistynes come downe to me vnto Gilgal, and I haue not besoughte the face of the LORDE: & so I boldened my selfe, & offred a burntofferynge.
13 Samuel sayde vnto Saul: Thou hast done foolishly, and not kepte the commaundement of the LORDE thy God, which he commaunded the. For (yf thou haddest not done this) he had prospered thy kyngdome vpo Israel for euer:
14 but now shall not thy kyngdome contynue. The LORDE hath soughte him out a man after his owne hert: him hath the LORDE commaunded to be prynce ouer his people, for thou hast not kepte yt the LORDE commaunded ye.
15 And Samuel arose, and wente vp from Gilgal vnto Gibea Ben Iamin. And Saul nombred the people that was founde with him, vpon a sixe hundreth men.
16 Saul & his sonne Ionathas, and ye people that was with them, taried at Gibea Ben Iamin: but ye Philistynes had pitched their tentes at Michmas.
17 And out of the hoost of the Philistynes there wente thre bondes of men to destroye: one turned the waye towarde Ephra in to the londe of Sual:
18 another turned towarde the waye of Bethoron: the thirde turned towarde the waye, that reacheth to the valley of Zeboim vnto the wyldernes.
19 But there was not a smyth founde in all the lode of Israel : for ye Philistynes thoughte: The Hebrues mighte happly make swerdes and speares.
20 And all Israel were fayne to go downe to the Philistynes, whan eny man had a plowshare, a mattock, an axe, or a sythe to sharpe:
21 and the edges of the plowshares, and mattockes, & forckes, and axes, were laboured, and the poyntes blont.
22 Now whan the daye of the battayll came, there was nether swerde ner speare founde in the hande of all the people, that was with Saul and Ionathas: but for Saul and Ionathas his sonne there was somwhat founde.
23 And ye Philistynes watch wete out ouer by Michmas.

Chapter 14

1 It fortuned at ye same tyme, yt Ionathas sayde vnto his lad which was his wapen bearer: Come, let vs go ouer to the Philistynes watch yt lyeth aboue, & he tolde not his father.
2 Saul dwelt at ye ende of Gibea vnder a Pomgranate tre, which was in the suburbe. And the people yt were by him, were vpon a sixe hundreth men.
3 And Ahia the sonne of Achitob the brother of Icabod, the sonne of Phineas ye sonne of Eli ye prest of the LORDE at Silo, wayre the ouerbody cote. But the people knewe not that Ionathas was gone.
4 Betwene the passages where Ionathas soughte to go ouer vnto the Phylistynes watch, there were two hye rockes, the one on the one syde, the other on the other: the one was called Bozez, the other Senne.
5 And ye one laye on the north syde towarde Michmas, and the other on the south syde towarde Gaba.
6 And Ionathas sayde vnto his wapen bearer: Come, let vs go ouer to ye watch of these vncircumcised, peraduenture the LORDE shall worke with vs, For it is no harde matter for the LORDE to helpe by many or by fewe.
7 Then answered him his wapen bearer: Do all that is in thine hert, go on thy waie, beholde, I am with the, euen as thine hert wyll.
8 Ionathas sayde: Well than, Whan we are gone ouer to the men, and come within the sighte of them,
9 yf they saye: stonde styll, tyll we come to you, then wyll we stonde styll in oure place, and not go vp to them.
10 But yf they saye: Come vp to vs, we wyll go vp to them, the hath the LORDE delyuered them in to oure hande, and this shalbe a token for vs.
11 Now whan they came both in the sighte of the Philistynes watch, the Philistynes sayde: Se, ye Hebrues are gone out of their holes, that they were crepte in to.
12 And the men in the watch answered Ionathas and his wape bearer, and sayde: Come vp to vs, and we wyll teach you what the matter is. Then sayde Ionathas to his weapen bearer. Come vp after me, the LORDE hath delyuered them into Israels hande.
13 And Ionathas clamme vp with handes and fete, and his wapen bearer after him. And Ionathas smote them downe before him, and his wape bearer slewe behynde him,
14 so that the first slaughter that Ionathas and his wapen bearer dyd, was vpo a twentye men, with in the length of halue an aker of londe, which a pare of oxen maye tyll in one daye.
15 And there came a fearfulnes and flight in the hoost vpon the felde, and amonge all the people of the watch: and vpon the destroyers there came a fearfulnes also and flight, so that the londe was in a rumoure, and there came a flight thorow God.
16 And Sauls watchme at Gibea Be Iamin sawe, that ye multitude gat them awaye, and ranne to and fro.
17 Saul sayde vnto the people that was with him: Tell and se which of vs is gone awaye. And whan they nombred, beholde, Ionathas & his wapen bearer was not there.
18 Then saide Saul vnto Ahia: Brynge hither the Arke of God (for at that tyme was the Arke of God with the children of Israel .)
19 And whyle Saul was yet speakynge to the prest, the multitude in the Philistynes hoost gat vp, ranne, and was greate. And Saul sayde vnto the prest: Withdrawe thine hande.
20 And Saul cried, and all the people that was with him, and came to the battayll. And beholde, euery mans swerde was agaynst another, and there was a very greate rumoure.
21 The Hebrues also that were with ye Philistynes afore, and had gone vp with them in the hoost on euery syde, ioyned them selues vnto Israel which were with Saul and Ionathas.
22 And all the men of Israel which had hyd the selues vpon mount Ephraim, whan they herde that the Philistynes fled, folowed after them in the battayll.
23 Thus ye LORDE helped Israel at that tyme, and ye battayll lasted vnto Bethauen.
24 And whan the men of Israel came forth, Saul charged all the people the same daye, and sayde: Cursed be euery man, which eateth bred vntyll euen, that I maye auenge me on myne enemies. Then all the people taisted no bred.
25 And all the people of the londe came in to the wodd. But there laye hony vpon the felde:
26 and whan the people came in to the wodd, beholde, the hony flowed, but no man put of it to his mouth with his hade: for the people were afraied because of the ooth.
27 As for Ionathas he had not herde, that his father had charged the people, and he put forth his staff that he had in his hande, and dypped the ende of it in ye hony combe, and turned his hande to his mouth, and his eyes were lighted.
28 Then answered one of the people, and sayde: Thy father hath charged the people, and sayde: Cursed be euery ma that eateth oughte this daye. Neuertheles the people were faynte.
29 Then sayde Ionathas: My father hath troubled the londe: Se how lighte myne eyes are become, because I haue taisted a litle of this hony.
30 Yf the people this daie had eate of the spoyle of their enemies that they founde, the slaughter shulde haue bene greater agaynst the Philistynes.
31 Yet smote they the Philistynes the same daye fro Michmas vnto Aialon, and the people were very weery.
32 And ye people turned to the spoyles, and toke shepe and oxen, and calues, and slewe them vpon the earth, and ate them with the bloude.
33 Then was it tolde Saul: Beholde, the people synne agaynst the LORDE, in that they eate bloude. He sayde: Ye haue done euell: roll vnto me now a greate stone.
34 And Saul sayde morouer: Go abrode amoge the people, and saye vnto them, that euery one brynge me his oxe and his shepe, and slaye them here, that ye maye eate, and not to synne agaynst the LORDE with eatynge of bloude. Then broughte all the people euery one his oxe with his hade the same nighte, and slewe them there.
35 And Saul buylded an altare vnto ye LORDE. This is the first altare that he buylded vnto the LORDE.
36 And Saul sayde: Let vs go downe after the Philistynes, by nighte, and spoyle them tyll it be cleare mornynge, that we let none escape. They answered: Do what so euer pleaseth the. But the prest sayde: Let vs go nye here vnto God.
37 And Saul axed at God. Shal I go downe here after ye Philistines? & wilt thou delyuer the in to Israels hande? Neuertheles he answered him not at that tyme.
38 Then sayde Saul: Let all the armyes of the people come hither, and make search and se, in whom is this synne at this tyme.
39 For as truly as God the Sauioure of Israel lyueth, & though it be in my sonne Ionathas, he shal dye. And no man answered him of all the people.
40 And he sayde vnto all Israel : Be ye on the one syde, I & my sonne Ionathas wyl be on this syde. The people sayde vnto Saul: Do as it pleaseth the.
41 And Saul sayde vnto the LORDE the God of Israel: Do thou that right is. The was Ionathas and Saul taken: but the people wente forth fre.
42 Saul sayde: Cast the lot ouer me and my sonne Ionathas. So Ionathas was take.
43 And Saul sayde vnto Ionathas: Tell me, what hast thou done? Ionathas tolde him, & sayde: I taisted a litle hony with the staff that I had in my hande, and beholde, must I dye therfore?
44 The sayde Saul: God do this and that vnto me, Ionathas thou must dye the death.
45 But the people sayde vnto Saul: Shulde Ionathas dye, that hath done so greate health in Israel this night? God forbyd. As truly as the LORDE lyueth, there shal not one heer of his heade fall vpon ye earth: for with God hath he wroughte at this tyme. So the people delyuered Ionathas, that he dyed not.
46 Then wente Saul vp from the Philistynes: and the Philistynes wente vnto their place.
47 But whan Saul had coquered the kyngdome ouer Israel, he foughte against all his enemyes rounde aboute, against the Moabites, agaynst the childre of Ammon, agaynst the Edomites, agaynst the kynge of Zoba, agaynst ye Philistynes: and whither so euer he turned him, he gat ye victory.
48 And he made an hoost, and smote ye Amalechites, and delyuered Israel from the hande of all those that spoyled them.
49 Saul had these sonnes: Ionathas, Isui, and Malchisua. And these were ye names of his two doughters: the firstborne Merob, & ye yogest Michol.
50 And Sauls wife was called Ahinoam, the doughter of Ahimaas. And his chefe captaynes name was Abner, the sonne of Ner, Sauls vncle.
51 Cis was ye father of Saul. But Ner ye father of Abner was the sonne of Abiel.
52 There was a mightie sore warre against the Philistynes, as loge as Saul lyued. And where Saul sawe a man that was stronge and mete for ye warre, he toke him to him.

Chapter 15

1 Samuel sayde vnto Saul: The LORDE sent me to anoynte the for to be kynge ouer his people of Israel : heare now therfore the voyce of the wordes of the LORDE.
2 Thus sayeth ye LORDE Zebaoth: I haue remembred what Amaleck dyd vnto Israel, & how he layed wayte for him in ye waye, whan he wente out of Egipte:
3 Go yi waye now therfore, and smyte the Amalechites, & damne them with all that they haue, & spare him not: but slaye both man and woman, children & sucklynges, oxen & shepe, Camels and asses.
4 Saul commaunded the people the same, and nombred them at Talaim, two hudreth thousande fote men, & ten thousande men of Iuda.
5 And whan Saul came to the cite of the Amalechites, he set an hynder watch by the ryuer,
6 and sayde vnto ye Kenites: Get you hence, departe, and go downe from ye Amalechites, yt I smyte you not with them, for ye shewed mercy vnto all the children of Israel , wha they departed out of Egipte. So the Kenites gat them awaye from amonge the Amalechites.
7 Then smote Saul the Amalechites from Heuila vnto Sur (which lyeth ouer against Egipte)
8 & toke Agag the kynge of ye Amalechites alyue, & damned all ye people wt the edge of the swerde.
9 Neuertheles Saul and the people spared Agag, and the shepe and oxen yt were good and fat, and the lambes, and all that was good, and wolde not damne the: but loke what was foule and nothinge worth, that they damned.
10 Then came the worde of the LORDE vnto Samuel, and sayde:
11 It repenteth me that I made Saul kynge, for he hath turned him selfe backe fro me, and not cofirmed my wordes. Therfore was Samuel angrye, & cried vnto the LORDE all that nighte.
12 And Samuel gat him vp early, that he might mete Saul in ye mornynge. And it was tolde him, that Saul was come vnto Carmel, & had set him vp a piler, and was gone aboute, and come downe to Gilgall.
13 Now wha Samuel came to Saul, Saul sayde vnto him: Blessed be thou vnto ye LORDE, I haue perfourmed the worde of ye LORDE.
14 Samuel answered: What crye is this then of shepe in myne eares, and the crye of oxen which I heare?
15 Saul sayde: They haue broughte them from the Amalechites: for the people spared the best shepe & oxen for the offerynge of ye LORDE thy God, the other haue we damned.
16 Neuertheles Samuel answered Saul: Let me tell the what ye LORDE hath sayde vnto me this nighte. He sayde: Saye on.
17 Samuel sayde: Whan thou wast but small in thine awne eyes, wast thou not ye heade amoge the trybes of Israel ? & the LORDE anoynted the to be kynge ouer Israel ?
18 and ye LORDE sent ye in to the waye, & sayde: Go yi waie & damne the synners the Amalechites, and fighte agaynst them, tyll thou haue vtterly destroyed the?
19 Wherfore hast thou not herkened vnto the voyce of the LORDE, but hast turned thy selfe to the spoyle, and done euell in the sighte of the LORDE?
20 Saul answered Samuel: Yee I haue herkened vnto the voyce of the LORDE, & haue gone the waye that ye LORDE sent me, and broughte Agag the kynge of the Amalechites, & damned the Amalechites:
21 but ye people haue take of the spoyle, shepe & oxen, and ye best amoge the damned, to offer vnto ye LORDE thy God in Gilgall.
22 Samuel saide: Hath the LORDE pleasure in sacrifices and burntofferynges, as in obeynge the voyce of the LORDE? Beholde, obedience is better then offerynge, and to herken is better then the fat of rammes.
23 For disobedience is as ye synne of witchcrafte, and rebellion is as the blasphemy of Idolatrye. In so moch now as thou hast refused the worde of the LORDE, he hath refused the also, that thou shuldest not be kynge.
24 Then sayde Saul vnto Samuel: I haue synned, yt I haue transgressed the commaundement of the LORDE and thy worde: for I was afrayed of the people, and herkened vnto their voyce.
25 And now forgeue me my synne, & returne with me, that I maye worshippe ye LORDE.
26 Samuel saide vnto Saul: I wil not turne backe with ye, for thou hast refused the worde of the LORDE, and the LORDE hath refused the also, yt thou shuldest not be kynge in Israel .
27 And whan Samuel turned him backe to go his waye, he gat him by ye edge of his garment, & rete it.
28 Then sayde Samuel vnto him: The LORDE hath rente the kyngdome of Israel from ye this daye, & geuen it vnto yi neghbor, which is better then thou.
29 The ouerwynner in Israel also shal not lye, nether shal he repente: for he is no man, that he shulde repente.
30 He sayde: I haue synned, yet honoure me now before the Elders of my people and before Israel , and turne backe with me, that I maye worshippe the LORDE thy God.
31 So Samuel turned agayne after Saul, that Saul mighte worshippe the LORDE.
32 But Samuel sayde: Bringe me hither Agag the kynge of the Amalechites. And Agag wente vnto him tederly. And Agag saide: Thus departeth the bytternesse of death.
33 Samuel sayde: Like as thy swerde hath made wemen childlesse, so shal yi mother also be without children amonge wemen. So Samuel hewed Agag in peces before ye LORDE in Gilgall.
34 And Samuel departed vnto Ramath. But Saul wente vp to his house at Gibea Saul.
35 And Samuel sawe Saul nomore vnto the daye of his death. Neuertheles Samuel mourned for Saul, because it repented the LORDE, that he had made Saul kynge ouer Israel .

Chapter 16

1 And ye LORDE sayde vnto Samuel: How longe mournest thou for Saul, whom I haue refused, that he shulde not be kynge ouer Israel ? Fyll thine horne with oyle, go thy waye, I wyll sende the to Isai the Bethleemite: for amonge his sonnes haue I prouyded me a kynge.
2 But Samuel sayde: How shal I go? Saul shal perceaue it, and shal slaye me. The LORDE sayde: Take the a calfe from the droue, & saye: I am come to do sacrifice vnto ye LORDE.
3 And thou shalt call Isai to ye sacrifice, so shall I tell the what thou shalt do, that thou mayest anoynte me him, whom I shall shewe the.
4 Samuel dyd as the LORDE sayde, and came to Bethleem. Then were the Elders of the cite astonnyed, and wente forth to mete him, and sayde: Is thy commynge peaceable?
5 He sayde: Yee. I am come to do sacrifice vnto the LORDE. Sanctifye youre selues, & come with me to the sacrifice. And he sanctified Isai and his sonnes, and called them to the sacrifice.
6 Now wha they came in, he behelde Eliab, & thoughte, whether he shulde be his anoynted before the LORDE.
7 But ye LORDE sayde vnto Samuel: loke not vpon his countenaunce, ner vpon the tallnesse of his person, For I iudge not after the sighte of man. A man hath respecte vnto the thinge that is before his eyes, but the LORDE loketh vpon the hert.
8 Then Isai called Abinadab, & broughte him before Samuel. And he sayde: This hath not the LORDE chosen.
9 Then Isai broughte Samma. But he sayde: This also hath not the LORDE chosen.
10 Then broughte Isai his seuen sonnes before Samuel. Neuertheles Samuel saide vnto Isai: The LORDE hath chosen none of these.
11 And Samuel sayde vnto Isai: Are here all the childre? He sayde: There is yet one ye leest of all, and beholde, he kepeth the shepe. The sayde Samuel vnto Isai: Sende & cause him to be fetched, for we will not syt downe at the table, vntyll he come.
12 Then sent he, & caused him be broughte. And he was well coloured wt fayre eyes & of a beutyfull countenaunce. And the LORDE saide: Aryse, and anoynte him, that is he.
13 The toke Samuel his oyle horne, & anoynted him amonge his brethre. And the sprete of the LORDE came vpo Dauid fro ye daye forth. As for Samuel, he gat him vp, & wente vnto Ramath.
14 But the sprete of the LORDE departed from Saul, and an euell sprete from ye LORDE vexed him.
15 Then sayde Sauls seruauntes vnto him: Beholde, an euell sprete from God vexeth the.
16 Let oure lorde saie vnto his seruauntes which stonde before him, yt they seke a man which can playe vpon the harpe, and instrumente, that whan the euell sprete of God cometh vpon the, he maye playe wt his hande, to ease the withall.
17 Then sayde Saul vnto his seruautes: Prouyde me a ma, that can playe well vpon the instrumente, & brynge him vnto me.
18 Then answered one of the children, & sayde: Beholde, I sawe a sonne of Isai ye Bethleemite, which can playe vpon the instrumete, an honest & valeaut man, and one yt hath vnderstodinge in matters, & is welfauoured.
19 The Saul sent messaungers vnto Isai, sayege: Sende me Dauid yi sonne, which is with the shepe.
20 Then toke Isai an asse wt bred, & a bottell wt wyne, and a kyd, and sent it vnto Saul by Dauid his sonne.
21 So Dauid came to Saul, & stode before him, & he loued him well, and he became his wapen bearer.
22 And Saul sente vnto Isai, sayege: Let Dauid remayne before me, for he hath founde fauor in my sighte.
23 Now whan the sprete of God came vpo Saul, Dauid toke ye harpe, & played wt his hande: so was Saul refresshed, & eased, & the euell sprete departed from him.

Chapter 17

1 The Philistynes gathered their hoost to ye battayl, and came together to Socho in Iuda, & pitched their tentes betwene Socho & Aseka, at the ende of Damin.
2 But Saul & the me of Israel came together, & pitched in the Oke valley, & prepared them selues to the battayll agaynst the Philistynes.
3 And the Philistynes stode vpon a hyll on the one syde, and the Israelites vpon a hyll on the other syde, so that there was a valley betwene them.
4 Then stepte there forth from amoge the Philistynes a stoute bolde man, named Goliath of Gath, sixe cubites and an hande breth hye,
5 and had an helmet of stele on his heade, and a fast habergion vpon him, and the weight of his habergion was fyue thousande Sicles of stele,
6 and harnesse of stele had he vpon his legges, and a shylde of stele vpon his shulders:
7 and the shaft of his speare was like a weuers lome, and the yron of his speare had sixe hundreth Sicles of yron, and his wapen bearer wente before him.
8 And he stode and called vnto the hoost of Israel , and sayde vnto them: Wherfore are ye come forth to prepare youre selues to the battayll? Am not I a Philistyne, and ye the seruauntes of Saul? Chose one amonge you to come downe vnto me:
9 yf he can fighte agaynst me and slaye me, then wil we be youre seruauntes: but yf I can ouercome him and slaye him, then shal ye be oure seruauntes, to do vs seruyce.
10 And the Philistyne sayde: I haue spoke disdanedly vnto the hoost of Israel this daye. Geue me one, and let vs fighte together.
11 Whan Saul and all Israel herde these wordes of ye Philistyne, they were astonnyed, and sore afrayed.
12 But Dauid was the sonne of a man of Ephrata of Bethleem Iuda, whose name was Isai, which had eight sonnes, and was an olde man in Sauls tyme, and was well strycken in age amonge men.
13 And the thre eldest sonnes of Isai were gone with Saul to the battayll. And there names were these: Eliab the first borne, Abinadab the seconde, and Samma the thirde.
14 But Dauid was the yongest of all. So whan the thre eldest were gone with Saul to the battayll,
15 Dauid wente agayne from Saul, to kepe his fathers shepe at Bethleem.
16 But the Philistyne stepte forth early in the mornynge and at euen, and stode there fortye dayes.
17 Isai sayde vnto Dauid his sonne: Take this Epha of firmentye for thy brethren, and these ten loaues of bred (and runne to the hoost vnto thy brethren)
18 & these ten new cheses, and brynge them to ye captayne, and loke how thy brethren do, whether it go well with them or no, and take what they byd the.
19 But Saul and they, and all the men of Israel were in the Oke valley, and foughte agaynst the Philistynes.
20 Then Dauid gat him vp early in the mornynge, and commytted the shepe to ye keper, and toke his burthen, wente his waye, as Isai commaunded him, and came to the tet. And the hoost was gone forth, and had prepared them selues, and cried in the battayl:
21 For Israel had set them selues in araye, and the Philistynes were agaynst their hoost in their araye also.
22 Then lefte Dauid the vessell that he bare, with the keper of the stuffe, and ranne to the hoost, and wente in, and saluted his brethren.
23 And whyle he was yet talkynge with them, beholde, then came vp the stoute bolde man, whose name was Goliath, the Philistine of Gath, out of the Philistynes hoost, and spake like as afore, and Dauid herde it.
24 But euery man of Israel , whan he sawe the man, fled from him, and was sore afrayed of him.
25 And euery man in Israel sayde: Haue ye sene the man commynge vp hither? For he is come vp hither, to speake disdanedly vnto Israel . And who so euer smyteth him, him wyll the kynge make ryche, and geue him his doughter, and make his fathers house fre in Israel .
26 Then sayde Dauid vnto the men that stode by him: What shalbe done to the man, that smyteth this Philistyne, and turneth this shame awaye from Israel ? For what is he this Philistyne this vncircucysed, that defyeth the hoost of ye lyuynge God?
27 Then the people tolde him as afore. Thus shall it be done vnto ye man that smyteth him.
28 And Eliab his greater brother herde him talke with the men, and was very wroth agaynst Dauid, and sayde: Wherfore art thou come downe? and why hast thou left a fewe shepe in the wyldernesse? I knowe thy presumptuousnesse well ynough, and the wickednesse of thine hert: for thou art come downe to se the battayll.
29 Dauid answered: What haue I downe now? Is there not an occasion?
30 And he turned him selfe from him vnto another, and spake acordinge as he had sayde before. Then the people answered him like as afore.
31 And whan they herde the wordes which Dauid sayde, they tolde them in the presence of Saul, and he caused him be fetched.
32 And Dauid sayde vnto Saul: Let no mans hert be discoraged because of him. Thy seruaunt shall go, and fighte with the Philistyne.
33 Neuertheles Saul sayde vnto Dauid: Thou art not able to go agaynst this Phylistyne to fighte with him, for thou art but a childe: but this is a man of warre from his youth vp.
34 Dauid sayde vnto Saul: Thy seruaunt kepte his fathers shepe, and there came a lyon and a Bere, and caried awaye a shepe from the flocke,
35 then wente I forth after him, and smote him, and delyuered it out of his mouth. And whan he wolde haue bene vpon me, I toke him by his beerde, and smote him, and slewe him.
36 So thy seruaunt smote both the Lyon and ye Bere. Therfore shall this Philistyne this vncircumcysed be euen as one of them: for he hath defyed the hoost of the lyuynge God.
37 And Dauid sayde: The LORDE that delyuered me from ye Lyon and Beer, shall delyuer me also from this Philistyne. And Saul sayde vnto Dauid: Go thy waye, the LORDE be with the.
38 And Saul clothed Dauid with his clothes, and set an helmet of stele vpon his heade, and put an habergion vpo him.
39 And Dauid girded his swerde aboue his clothes, and beganne to go, for he had neuer bene vsed to it afore. Then sayde Dauid vnto Saul: I can not go thus, for I haue not bene vsed to it, and so he laied it from him,
40 and toke his staff in his hande, and chose fyue slighte stones out of the ryuer, and put them in the shepardes bagge which he had by him, and toke a slynge in his hande, and made him to the Philistyne.
41 And the Philistyne wente forth, and made him to Dauid, and his wapen bearer before him.
42 Now whan the Philistyne loked & sawe Dauid, he thoughte scorne of him: for he was but a childe, well coloured, and beutyfull to loke vpon.
43 And the Philistyne sayde vnto Dauid: Am I a dogg then, that thou commest vnto me with a staffe? And he cursed Dauid by his God,
44 and sayde vnto Dauid: Come hither to me, I wil geue thy flesh to the foules vnder the heauen, and to the beastes in the felde.
45 Neuertheles Dauid sayde vnto the Philistyne: Thou commest vnto me with swerde, speare and shylde. But I come vnto the in the name of the LORDE Zebaoth the God of the hoost of Israel , whom thou hast despysed.
46 This daye shall the LORDE delyuer the in to my hade, that I maye smyte the, and take thy heade from the, and geue the bodies of the hoost of the Philistynes this daye vnto the foules vnder the heauen, and to the wylde beestes vpon the earth, that all the londe maye knowe yt Israel hath a God.
47 And all this congregacion shal knowe, that the LORDE saueth nether thorow swerde ner speare: for the battayll is the LORDES, & he shal delyuer you in to oure handes.
48 Now whan the Philistyne gat him vp, and wente forth and drue nye vnto Dauid, Dauid made haiste, and ranne from ye hoost vnto the Philistyne.
49 And Dauid put his hade in his bagg, and toke out a stone, & thrue it with the slynge, and hytt the Philistyne euen in the fore heade, so that the stone stacke in his fore heade, and he fell downe to the grounde vpon his face.
50 So Dauid ouercame ye Philistyne with the slynge and with ye stone, and smote him, and slewe him. And for so moch as Dauid had no swerde in his hande,
51 he ranne and stode ouer ye Philistyne, and toke his swerde, and drue it out of the sheeth, and slewe him, and smote of his heade withall. Whan the Philistynes sawe that the strongest of them was deed, they fled.
52 And the men of Israel and Iuda gat the vp, and cryed and folowed vpon the Philistynes, tyll they came vnto the valley, and to the Portes of Ekron. And the Philistynes fell downe slayne vnto Gath and to Ekron.
53 And the children of Israel turned agayne from chasynge of the Philistynes, and spoyled their tentes.
54 But Dauid toke the heade of the Philistyne, and broughte it vnto Ierusalem, as for is armoure, he layed it in his tente.
55 Whan Saul sawe Dauid go forth agaynst the Philistyne, he saide vnto Abner his chefe captayne: Abner, whose sonne is this childe? Abner sayde: As truly as thy soule lyueth O kynge, I wote not.
56 The kynge sayde: Axe the whose sonne the yonge ma is.
57 Now whan Dauid came agayne from the slaughter of the Philistyne, Abner toke him, and broughte him before Saul, and he had the Philistynes heade in his hande.
58 And Saul sayde vnto him: Whose sonne art thou, thou yonge man? Dauid sayde: I am a sonne of thy seruaunt Isai the Bethleemite.

Chapter 18

1 And whan he had made an ende of talkynge with Saul, the soule of Ionathas was bounde with the soule of Dauid, and Ionathas loued him as his owne soule.
2 And Saul toke him the same daye, and let him not go agayne to his fathers house.
3 And Ionathas and Dauid made a couenaunt together, for he loued him as his owne soule.
4 And Ionathas put of his owne cote that he had vpon him, and gaue it vnto Dauid: yee and his cloke, his swerde, his bowe, and his girdell.
5 And Dauid wente forth whither so euer Saul sent him, and behaued him selfe wysely. And Saul set him ouer the men of warre, and he pleased all the people well, and all the seruauntes of Saul.
6 It fortuned, that whan Dauid was come agayne from the slaughter of the Philistyne, the wemen wente out of all the cities of Israel with songes & daunses, to mete kynge Saul, with tymbrels, with myrth, and with fyddels.
7 And the wemen sange one to another, and played & sayde: Saul hath smytten his thousande: but Dauid his ten thousande.
8 Then was Saul very wroth, and yt worde displeased him sore, and he sayde: They haue ascrybed ten thousande vnto Dauid, and but one thousande vnto me: what shal he haue more but the kyngdome?
9 And from that daye forth, Saul loked sowerly vpo Dauid.
10 The nexte daye after came the euell sprete of God vpon Saul, and prophecyed in ye myddes of the house. But Dauid played on the instrumente with his hande, as he was wonte daylie.
11 And Saul had a iauelynge in his hande, and cast it, and thoughte: I wyll stycke Dauid fast to the wall. Neuerthelesse Dauid turned himselfe twyse awaye from him.
12 And Saul was afrayed of Dauid: for the LORDE was with him, and was departed from Saul.
13 Then Saul put him from him, and set him to be prynce ouer a thousande men, and he went out and in before the people.
14 And Dauid behaued himselfe wysely in all his doynges, and the LORDE was with him.
15 Now whan Saul sawe that he was so exceadynge wyse, he stode in feare of him.
16 But all Israel and Iuda loued Dauid, for he wente out and in before them.
17 And Saul sayde vnto Dauid: Beholde, my greatest doughter Merob wyl I geue the to wyfe: be stronge now, & gouerne the warres of the LORDE. For Saul thought: my hade shal not be vpon him, but the hande of ye Pilistynes
18 Neuertheles Dauid answered Saul: Who am I? & what is my life & the kynred of my father in Israel , that I shulde mary the kinges doughter?
19 But whan the tyme came, that Merob ye doughter of Saul shulde haue bene geue vnto Dauid, she was geuen vnto Adriel ye Meholathite to wyfe.
20 Neuerthelesse Michol Sauls doughter loued Dauid. Whan this was tolde Saul, ye matter pleased him well,
21 & he sayde: I wyl geue him her, yt she maye be a snare vnto him, & that the handes of ye Philistynes maye come vpon him. And he sayde vnto Dauid: This daye shalt thou be my doughters husbade ye secode time.
22 And Saul spake vnto his seruautes: Talke wt Dauid secretly & saye: Beholde, the kinge hath pleasure in the, and all his seruauntes loue the, mary thou therfore the kynges doughter.
23 And Sauls seruauntes spake these wordes in the eares of Dauid. But Dauid saide: Thynke ye it but a small matter, to mary the kynges doughter? As for me, I am but a poore symple man.
24 And Sauls seruauntes tolde him agayne, and sayde: Soch wordes hath Dauid spoken.
25 Saul sayde: Then saye ye vnto Dauid: The kynge desyreth no dowry, but onely an hundreth foreskynnes of the Philistynes, that vengeaunce maye be taken of the kinges enemies. Howbeit Saul thought to cause Dauid be slayne by the hades of the Philistynes.
26 Then his seruauntes tolde Dauid these wordes, and Dauid was contente with the matter, to mary the kynges doughter.
27 And after a fewe dayes Dauid gatt him vp, and wente with his men, and smote two hundreth men amonge the Philistynes. And Dauid broughte their foreskynnes, and made their nombre sufficient vnto the kynge, yt he mighte mary the kynges doughter. The Saul gaue him his doughter Michol to wyfe.
28 And Saul sawe and perceaued, that the LORDE was wt Dauid. And Michol Sauls doughter loued him.
29 Then was Saul the more afrayed, and became his enemye as loge as he lyued.
30 And whan the prynces of the Philistynes wete forth, Dauid behaued him selfe more wysely then all the seruauntes of Saul in their outgoynge: so that his name was in greate reputacion.

Chapter 19

1 Saul spake to Ionathas his sonne, and to all his seruauntes, that they shulde kyll Dauid.
2 Neuerthelesse Ionathas the sonne of Saul loued Dauid exceadingly, and tolde him, and sayde: Saul my father goeth aboute to slaye the. Kepe the therfore (I praye the) in the mornynge and abyde in secrete, and hyde the.
3 But I wyll go forth, and stonde besyde my father in the felde where thou art, and wyll speake of the vnto my father: and what soeuer I se I shal brynge the worde.
4 And Ionathas reported ye best of Dauid vnto Saul his father, and sayde vnto him: Oh let not the kynge synne agaynst his seruaunt, for he hath not synned agaynst the, and his doynge is very necessary for the,
5 he put his lyfe in his hande also, and smote the Philistyne, & the LORDE dyd a greate health vnto all Israel: this hast thou sene, and reioysed therof. Wherfore wylt thou then offende agaynst innocent bloude, that thou woldest kyll Dauid without a cause?
6 Then herkened Saul vnto the voice of Ionathas and sware: As truly as the LORDE lyueth, he shal not dye.
7 Then Ionathas called Dauid, and tolde him all these wordes, and brought him to Saul, so that he was in presence like as afore tyme.
8 But there arose a battayll agayne, and Dauid wente forth, and fought agaynst the Philistynes, and smote a greate slaughter, so that they fled before him.
9 Neuertheles ye euell sprete of the LORDE came vpon Saul, and he sat in his house, and had a iauelynge in his hande. But Dauid plaied vpon the instrument with his hade.
10 And Saul thought with the iauelinge to sticke Dauid fast to the wall. Howbeit, he wente asyde fro Saul and the iauelynge smote in the wall. And Dauid fled, and escaped that night.
11 Notwithstondinge Saul sent his messaungers to Dauids house, that they shulde laye wayte for him, and kyll him in the mornynge. Michol Dauids wyfe tolde him this, and sayde: Yf thou saue not thy soule this night, thou shalt dye tomorow.
12 Then Michol let him downe thorow the wyndow, so that he wente his waye, fled, and escaped.
13 And Mickol toke an ymage, and layed it in the bed, and laied a goates skinne at the heade of it, and couered it with clothes.
14 Then Saul sent messaugers, to fetch Dauid. But she sayde: He is sicke.
15 Neuerthelesse Saul sent messaungers to se Dauid, & sayde: Bringe him vp to me with the bed, that he maye be slayne.
16 Now whan the messaungers came, beholde, the ymage laye in the bed, and a goates skynne at the heade of it.
17 Then sayde Saul vnto Michol: Why hast thou begyled me, and let myne enemye go, that he mighte escape? Michol sayde vnto Saul: He sayde vnto me: Let me go, or I wyl kyll the.
18 As for Dauid, he fled, and escaped, and came to Samuel vnto Ramath, and tolde him all yt Saul had done vnto him. And he wente wt Samuel, and they abode at Naioth.
19 And it was tolde Saul: Beholde, Dauid is at Naioth in Ramath.
20 Then Saul sente messaungers to fetch Dauid. And they sawe a company of prophetes prophecienge, and Samuel had the ouersight of them. Then came the sprete of God vpon the messaungers of Saul, so that they prophecyed also.
21 Whan this was tolde Saul, he sent other messaungers, which prophecied likewyse. Then sente he messaungers the thyrde tyme, and they in like maner prophecyed.
22 Then wente he himselfe also vnto Ramath, and whan he came to the greate well which is at Secho, he axed and sayde: Where is Samuel and Dauid? Then was it tolde him: beholde, at Naioth in Ramath.
23 And he wente thither, euen vnto Naioth in Ramath. And ye sprete of God came vpon him also, and he wete & prophecied till he came vnto Naioth in Ramath.
24 And he put of his clothes, & prophecied likewise before Samuel, & fell downe naked all that daye and all that nighte. Here of came the prouerbe: Is Saul also amonge the prophetes?

Chapter 20

1 Dauid fled fro Naioth in Ramath, and came, & spake before Ionathas: What haue I done? What trespace haue I made? What haue I synned in ye sighte of thy father, yt he seketh to kyll me?
2 He sayde vnto him: God forbyd, thou shalt not dye. Beholde, my father doth nothinge, nether greate ner small, but he sheweth it before myne eares. Wherfore shulde my father the hyde this fro me? It shal not be so.
3 The sware Dauid agayne, and sayde: Thy father knoweth well, yt I haue founde fauoure in yi sighte, therfore shal he thynke: Ionathas shal not knowe of this, lest it greue him. Verely, as truly as the LORDE lyueth, and as truly as yi soule lyueth, there is but one steppe betwene me & death.
4 Ionathas sayde vnto Dauid: I wil do for the what so euer thy hert desyreth.
5 Dauid sayde vnto him: Beholde, tomorow is the new Mone, that I shulde syt at the table with the kynge. Let me hyde my selfe therfore in the felde vnto the thirde daye at euen.
6 Yf thy father then axe after me, saye: Dauid prayed me, yt he mighte runne to Bethleem vnto his cite, for all his kynred haue there a yearly sacrifice.
7 Yf he saye then: It is good, the stondeth it well with yi seruaunt. But yf he be wroth, thou shalt perceaue that he intendeth euell.
8 Do mercy therfore vpon thy seruaunt: for with me yi seruaunt hast thou made a couenaunt in the LORDE. But yf there be eny trespace in me, then slaye me thy selfe, for why woldest thou brynge me vnto thy father?
9 Ionathas sayde: That be farre from the, that I shulde perceaue my father to intende eny euell agaynst the, and shulde not tell the.
10 Dauid sayde: Who shal brynge me worde, yf thy father geue the an harde answere?
11 Ionathas sayde vnto Dauid: Come, let vs go forth into the felde. And they wente out both in to ye felde.
12 And Ionathas sayde vnto Dauid: LORDE God of Israel, yf I perceaue by my father tomorow or on the thirde daye, that it goeth well with Dauid, & sende not vnto the, and shewe the before thine eares,
13 then let the LORDE do this and that vnto Ionathas. But yf my father delyte in euell agaynst the, I wil shewe it before thine eares also, and let ye go, that thou mayest departe in peace. And the LORDE be with the, as he hath bene with my father.
14 Yf I do it not, then do thou no mercy of the LORDE on me, while I lyue, no not whan I dye,
15 and plucke thy mercy fro my house for euer. And whan the LORDE roteth out ye enemies of Dauid, euery one out of the londe,
16 then let Dauid rote out Ionathas also with his house, and the LORDE requyre it of the hande of Dauids enemies.
17 And Ionathas proceaded further, and sware vnto Dauid (he loued him so well: for he loued him euen es his owne soule)
18 and Ionathas sayde vnto him: Tomorow is ye new Mone, and thou shalt be axed after: for thou shalt be wanted where thou wast wonte to sit.
19 But on the thirde daye come downe soone, & go in to ye place where thou hydest the on the worckdaye, & set the downe by the stone of Asel:
20 then wyl I shute thre arowes on yt side, as though I wolde shute at a marck:
21 and beholde, I wil sende the boye, and saye vnto him, Go seke ye arowes. Yf I saye now vnto the lad: Lo, the arowes lye hitherwarde behynde ye, fetch them, then come thou, for it is peace, and there is no parell, as truly as the LORDE lyueth.
22 But yf I saye vnto the lad: beholde, the arowes lye yonderwarde before the, then go thou thy waye, for the LORDE hath let the go.
23 As for that which thou and I haue spoke together, the LORDE is betwene me and the for euer.
24 Dauid hid himself in the felde. And wha the new Mone came, the kynge sat him downe at the table to eate.
25 Whan the kynge had set him downe in his place as he was wonte by the wall, Ionathas stode vp, but Abner sat him downe besyde Saul. And Dauid was myssed in his place.
26 And Saul spake nothinge that daye, for he thoughte: There is somwhat happend vnto him, that he is not cleane.
27 On the seconde daye of the new Mone, whan Dauid was myssed in his place, Saul saide vnto Ionathas his sonne: Wherfore is not the sonne of Isai come to the table nether yesterdaye ner to daye?
28 Ionathas answered Saul: He prayed me that he mighte go vnto Bethleem,
29 and sayde: Let me go, for oure kynred hath a sacrifyce to do in the cyte, and my brother hath sent for me himselfe: yf I haue founde fauoure now in thy syghte, I wyll go, and se my brethren: therfore is he not come to the kynges table.
30 Then was the kynge wroth at Ionathas, and sayde vnto him: Thou wicked and vnthrifte, I knowe how that thou hast chosen the sonne of Isai, to the shame of thy selfe and of yi shamefull mother.
31 For as longe as ye sonne of Isai lyueth vpo earth nether thou ner thy kingdome shal prospere. Sende now therfore, and cause him to be fetched vnto me, for he is a childe of death.
32 Ionathas answered his father Saul and sayde vnto him: Wherfore shal he dye? what hath he done?
33 Then shot Saul the iauelynge at him, that he might smite him. The perceaued Ionathas, that his father was vtterly determed to kyll Dauid,
34 and he rose vp from ye table in a wrothfull displeasure, and ate no bred yt same seconde daye of the new Mone: for he was vexed because of Dauid, that his father had done him soch dishonor.
35 On the morow wente Ionathas forth in to the felde, at the tyme appoynted of Dauid, and a litle boy with him,
36 and sayde vnto ye boy: Runne and seke me the arowes which I shute. Whan the boy ranne, he shot an arowe ouer him.
37 And whan the boy came to the place whither Ionathas had shot ye arowe, Ionathas cryed after him, and sayde: The arowe lyeth yonderwarde before the.
38 And he cryed after him agayne: haist the, and stonde not styll. Then the boy gathered vp Ionothas arowes, and brought them to his lorde.
39 And the boy knewe nothinge, onely Ionathas and Dauid knewe of ye matter.
40 Then Ionathas gaue his boy his wapes and sayde vnto him: Go thy waye, and cary them in to the cite.
41 And whan the boy was gone, Dauid arose from the place towarde the south, and fell vpon his face to the groude, and worshipped thre tymes, and they kissed one another, and wepte together. But Dauid most specially.
42 And Ionathas saide vnto Dauid: Go thy waye in peace: What soeuer we both haue sworne & spoke together in the name of the LORDE, the LORDE be witnesse betwene me and the, betwene my sede and yi sede for euer. And Ionathas gat him vp, and came in to the cite.

Chapter 21

1 Dauid came to Nobe to ye prest Ahimelech. And Ahimelech was astonnyed, whan he sawe Dauid comminge, and sayde vnto him: Why commest thou alone, and noman is with the?
2 Dauid sayde vnto Ahimelech the prest: The kinge hath comytted a matter vnto me, and sayde: Let noma knowe wherfore I haue sent the, and what I haue commaunded the: for I haue appoynted my seruautes to mete me here & there.
3 Yf thou haue now ought vnder thy hande, a loafe of bred or fyue, geue me the same in my hande, or what so euer thou findest.
4 The prest answered Dauid, and sayde: I haue no comen bred vnder my hande, but the holy bred, yf the yonge men haue onely refrained them selues from wemen.
5 Dauid answered the prest, and sayde vnto him: The wemen were kepte thre dayes from vs whan we departed forth, and the yonge mens vessels were holy. But this waye is vnholy, neuerthelesse it shalbe santifyed to daye in the instrumentes.
6 Then the prest gaue him of ye holy, in so moch as there was none other bred but the shewbredes, which were taken vp before the LORDE, that there might be other freshbredes set therin the daye wha he toke them awaye.
7 But the same daye was there a man sparred in before the LORDE, one of Sauls seruauntes, named Doeg an Edomite, ye mightiest amonge Sauls hyrdmen.
8 And Dauid sayde vnto Ahimelech: Is there not a speare or a swerde here vnder thine hande? I haue not taken my swerde and weapens with me: for the kynges matter requyred haist.
9 The prest sayde: The swerde of Goliath the Philistyne whom thou smotest in the Oke valley, is here wrapped in a cloth behynde the ouerbody cote. Yf thou wylt haue it, take it, for here is els none but it. Dauid sayde: There is not soch another, geue me it.
10 And Dauid gat him vp, and fled from Saul, and came to Achis ye kynge of Gath .
11 But Achis seruauntes sayde vnto him: This is Dauid the kynge of the londe, of whom they sunge in the daunse, and sayde: Saul hath smytten his thousande, but Dauid his ten thousande.
12 And Dauid toke these wordes to hert, and was sore afrayed of Achis the kynge of Gath ,
13 and altered his countenaunce before them, and shewed himselfe as he had bene madd in their handes, and stackered towarde the dores of the gate, and his slauerynges ranne downe his beerd.
14 Then sayde Achis vnto his seruauntes: Beholde, ye se that the man is out of his wyt, why haue ye brought him vnto me?
15 Haue I to fewe madd men, that ye haue brought this hither to be madd before me? Shulde he come in to my house?

Chapter 22

1 Dauid wente fro thence, & fled vnto the caue of Adullam. Whan his brethren and all his fathers house herde that, they came downe thither vnto him.
2 And there gathered vnto him all men that were in trouble and det, and sory of hert, and he became their heade, so that there were with him vpon a foure hundreth men.
3 And Dauid wente from thence towarde Mispa in the londe of the Moabites, and sayde vnto the kynge of the Moabites: Let my father and my mother go out and in amonge you, tyll I se what God wil do with me.
4 And he lefte them before the kynge of ye Moabites, so that they remayned by him, as longe as Dauid was in the castell.
5 Neuertheles the prophet Gad sayde vnto Dauid: Abyde not in the castell, but go yi waye, and come in to the londe of Iuda. Then departed Dauid, and came into the wodd of Hareth.
6 And Saul herde that Dauid and the men which were with him, were come forth. Now whyle Saul dwelt at Gibea vnder a groue in Rama, he had a Iauelinge in his hande, and all his seruauntes stode by him.
7 Then sayde Saul vnto his seruauntes that stode by him: Heare ye children of Iemini: Shal the sonne of Isai geue lodes and vynyardes vnto you all, & make you all captaynes ouer thousandes and ouer hudreds,
8 that ye haue all conspyred agaynst me, and there is no ma that sheweth it before myne eares, for so moch as my sonne also hath made a couenaunt with the sonne of Isai? There is no man amonge you that letteth it for my sake, or yt openeth it vnto myne eares: for my sonne hath stered vp my seruauntes against me, that he maye laye wayte for me, as it is manifest.
9 Then answered Doeg ye Edomite which stode besyde Sauls seruauntes, and sayde: I sawe the sonne of Isai, that he came vnto Nobe, to Ahimelech ye sonne of Achitob,
10 which axed councell at the LORDE for him, and gaue him fode, & the swerde of Goliath the Philistyne.
11 Then sent the kynge, and caused to call Ahimelech the prest the sonne of Achitob, and all his fathers house, the prestes that were at Nobe, and they came all to the kynge.
12 And Saul sayde: Heare thou sonne of Achitob. He saide: Here am I my lorde.
13 And Saul sayde vnto him: Wherfore haue ye cospyred agaynst me, thou & the sonne of Isai, that thou hast geuen him bred and a swerde, and axed councell at God for him, to stere him vp, that he mighte laye awayte for me, as it is manifest?
14 Ahimelech answered the kynge and saide: And who is amonge all thy seruauntes like Dauid, which is faithfull, and hath maried the kynges doughter, and goeth in thine obedience, & is honorably taken in thine house?
15 Haue I begonne then first this daye to axe councell at God for him? That be farre frome. Let not the kinge laie soch to his seruautes charge in all my fathers house: for thy seruaunt knewe not of all these thinges nether small ner greate.
16 Neuertheles the kynge saide: Ahimelech thou must dye ye death, thou and all thy fathers house.
17 And the kynge sayde to his fote men that stode by him: Turne you, and slaye the prestes of the LORDE, for their hande is with Dauid also. Not withstondinge the kynges seruauntes wolde not not laye their handes vpon ye prestes of the LORDE, to slaye them.
18 Then saide ye kynge vnto Doeg: Turne the, and slaye the prestes. Doeg the Edomite turned him, and slewe the prestes, so that the same daye there dyed fyue and foure score men, which wayre ouerbody cotes of lynnen.
19 And Nob the cite of the prestes smote he with the edge of the swerde, both men and wemen, children and sucklynges, oxen and asses, and shepe.
20 Neuerthelesse there escaped a sonne of Ahimelech (the sonne of Achitob) whose name was Abiathar, and fled after Dauid,
21 and tolde him, that Saul had slayne ye prestes of the LORDE.
22 Dauid sayde vnto Abiathar: I knewe well the same daye that Doeg the Edomite was there, that he wolde tell Saul. I am giltye of the soules of thy fathers house.
23 Abyde thou with me, and feare not. He that layeth wayte for my lyfe, shall laye wayte for thyne also, and thou shalt be preserued with me.

Chapter 23

1 And it was tolde Dauid: Beholde, the Philistynes fight against Cegila, and spoyle the barnes.
2 Then Dauid axed at the LORDE, and sayde: Shal I go, & smyte these Philistynes? And the LORDE sayde vnto Dauid: Go thy waye, thou shalt smyte the Philistynes, and delyuer Cegila.
3 But ye men that were with Dauid, sayde vnto him: Beholde, we are here in feare in Iewry, and shall we go to Cegila vnto the hoost of the Philistynes?
4 The Dauid axed at the LORDE agayne. And the LORDE answered him, and sayde: Vp, get the downe to Cegila, for I wil delyuer the Philistynes in to thy hande.
5 So Dauid wente with his men vnto Cegila, and foughte agaynst the Philistynes, & droue awaye their catell, and smote them wt a greate slaughter. Thus Dauid delyuered them of Cegila.
6 For whan Abiathar the sonne of Ahimelech fled vnto Dauid at Cegila, he bare downe the ouerbody cote with him.
7 The was it tolde Saul, that Dauid was come to Cegila, and he sayde: God hath deliuered him in to my hade, for he is shut fast in, now that he is come in to a cite which is kepte wt gates and barres.
8 And Saul caused for to call all the people downe to ye battaill vnto Cegila, yt they might besege Dauid and his men.
9 But whan Dauid perceaued yt Saul inteded euell against him, he saide vnto Abiathar ye prest: Brynge me hither the ouerbody cote.
10 And Dauid sayde: O LORDE God of Israel , thy seruaunt hath herde, that Saul goeth aboute to come for to destroye the cite of Cegila for my sake.
11 Shal the citysens of Cegila delyuer me ouer in to his handes? And shal Saul come downe, as thy seruaunt hath herde? Tell thy seruaunt this, O LORDE God of Israel. And the LORDE saide: He shal come downe.
12 Dauid sayde: Shall the citysens of Cegila delyuer me and my men in to Sauls handes? The LORDE sayde: Yee.
13 The Dauid gat him vp with his me, of whom there were vpon a sixe hundreth, & walked whither they coulde. Now whan it was tolde Saul that Dauid was escaped from Cegila, he let his iourney stonde.
14 As for Dauid, he remayned in the wildernes in the castell, and abode vpon the mount in the wildernes of Siph. But Saul soughte him as longe as he lyued. Neuertheles God gaue him not in to his handes.
15 And Dauid sawe, that Saul was gone forth to seke after his life. But Dauid was in the wildernes of Siph, in the wodd.
16 Then Ionathas the sonne of Saul gat him vp, and wete vnto Dauid in to the wod, and strengthed his hande in God,
17 and sayde vnto him: Feare not, my father Sauls hande shal not finde ye: and thou shalt be kynge ouer Israel , so will I be the nexte vnto the. And yt my father knoweth right well.
18 And they made a couenaunt both together before the LORDE. And Dauid remayned in the wodd. As for Ionathas, he wente home agayne.
19 But the Siphites wente vp to Saul vnto Gibeath, and sayde: Is not Dauid hyd with vs in the castell in ye wodd, vpon mout Hachila, which lyeth on the righte hande of the wildernesse?
20 Let the kynge come downe now therfore acordinge to all the desyre of his hert, and we wyll delyuer him in to the kynges hande.
21 Then sayde Saul: Blessed be ye of the LORDE, that ye haue had pytie vpon me:
22 Go youre waye now therfore, and be sure, that ye maye knowe and se in what place his fete haue bene, and who hath sene him there: for it is tolde me, that he is full of sotiltye.
23 Loke well and spye out all the places, where he hydeth him, and come agayne to me, whan ye are sure, and I will go with you. Yf he be in the londe, I wyl enquere after him amonge all the thousandes in Iuda.
24 Then gat they them vp, and wente their waye vnto Siph before Saul. But Dauid and his men were in the wyldernes of Mao, euen in the felde on the righte hande of the wildernes.
25 Now whan Saul wente thither with his men to seke him, it was tolde Dauid and he gat him downe to the rocke, and abode in the wildernesse of Mahon .
26 Whan Saul herde that, he folowed after Dauid in the wildernesse of Mahon . And Saul with his men wente on the one syde of the hyll: Dauid wt his men on ye other syde of ye hill. But whan Dauid made haist to escape from Saul, Saul with his men compased aboute Dauid and his men, that he might take the.
27 Neuertheles there came a messauger vnto Saul, and sayde: Make haist and come, for the Philistynes are falle in to the londe.
28 The Saul turned him from chacynge of Dauid, and wente agaynst the Philstynes. Therfore is ye place called Sela Mahelkoth.
29 And Dauid wente vp from thence, and abode in the castell at En Gaddi.

Chapter 24

1 Now whan Saul came agayne from the Philistines, it was tolde him: Beholde, Dauid is in the wyldernes of Engaddi.
2 And Saul toke thre thousande chosen men out of all Israel , and wente to seke Dauid with his men vpon the stony rockes of the wylde goates.
3 And whan he came to the shepe foldes by ye waye, there was a caue, and Saul wente in to couer his fete. But Dauid and his men sat behinde within the caue.
4 Then sayde Dauids men vnto him: Lo, this is the daye, wherof the LORDE thy God hath sayde vnto the: Beholde, I wyll delyuer thyne enemye in to thy hande, that thou mayest do wt him what it pleaseth the. And Dauid stode vp, & cut of the typpe of Sauls garment quyetly.
5 Neuertheles it smote him afterwarde in his hert, because he had cut of the typpe of Sauls garment,
6 and sayde vnto his men: The LORDE let that be farre frome, that I shulde do it, & laye my hande vpo my lorde the LORDES anoyntd: for he is ye anoynted of the LORDE.
7 And Dauid withelde his seruautes with wordes, & suffred the not to ryse vp agaynst Saul. But whan Saul gat him vp out of the caue, and was goinge his waye,
8 Dauid rose vp also after him, and wente out of the caue, and cried behynde Saul, & sayde: My lorde the kynge. And Saul loked behynde him. And Dauid bowed downe his face to the earth, and worshipped,
9 and sayde vnto Saul: Why herkenest thou vnto the wordes of men, that saye: Dauid seketh thy mysfortune?
10 Beholde, thine eyes se this daye that the LORDE gaue the into my hande in the caue, and I was counceled to slaye the: Neuertheles thou wast fauoured, for I sayde: I wil not laye my hande vpon my lorde, for he is the LORDES anoynted.
11 Beholde, my father the typpe of thy garment in my hande, that I wolde not slaye the, whan I cut of the typpe of thy garment. Knowe and se, yt there is no euell ner trespace in my hande: nether haue I offended the, and thou folowest after my soule, to take it awaye.
12 The LORDE shal be iudge betwene me and the, and auenge me on the, but my hade shal not be vpon the,
13 acordinge as it is sayde after the olde prouerbe: Vngodlynes commeth of the vngodly: but my hande shal not be vpon the.
14 Whom persecutest thou O kynge of Israel , whom persecutest thou? a deed dogg? a flee?
15 The LORDE be iudge, and geue sentence betwene me and the, and cosidre it, and defende my cause, and delyuer me from thy hande.
16 Now whan Dauid had spoken out these wordes vnto Saul, Saul saide: Is not this thy voyce my sonne Dauid? And Saul lifte vp his voyce, and wepte,
17 and saide vnto Dauid: Thou art more righteous then I: for thou hast recompesed me good, but I haue rewarded the euell.
18 And this daye hast thou shewed me how thou hast done me good, for so moch as ye LORDE hath delyuered me in to thy hande, and thou neuertheles hast not slaine me.
19 What is he, which yf he fynde his enemye, wyl let him go in a good waye? The LORDE rewarde the good for yt thou hast done vnto me this daye?
20 Beholde now, I knowe that thou shalt be kynge, & the kyngdome of Israel stondeth in thy hande:
21 sweare now therfore vnto me by the LORDE, yt thou shalt not rote out my sede after me, nether destroie my name out of my fathers house.
22 And Dauid sware vnto Saul. Then wente Saul home, but Dauid gat him vp with his men vnto the castell.

Chapter 25

1 And Samuel dyed, and all Israel gathered them selues together, mourned for him, & buried him in his house at Ramath. As for Dauid, he rose, and wente downe into the wyldernesse of Paran.
2 And there was a man at Maon, and his possession at Carmel , and the man was of greate power, and had thre thousande shepe, and a thousande goates. And it fortuned that he clypped his shepe at Carmel ,
3 and his name was Nabal, but his wyues name was Abigail, and she was a woman of good vnderstondinge, & bewtyfull of face. But the man was harde, and wicked in his doynges, and was one of Caleb.
4 Now whan Dauid herde in the wyldernes yt Nabal clypped his shepe,
5 he sent out ten yonge men, & saide vnto them: Go vp vnto Carmel, & whan ye come to Nabal, salute him frendly on my behalfe,
6 & saye: Good lucke, peace be wt the & thine house, & with all yt thou hast.
7 haue herde saye that thou hast shepe clyppers. Now yi shepherdes whom thou hast, haue bene with vs, we haue done them no dishonoure, and they wated nothinge of their nombre, as longe as they were at Carmel:
8 Axe thy yonge men, they shal tell the, and let thy yonge men fynde fauoure in yi sighte: for we are come in a good daye, geue thy seruauntes & thy sonne Dauid what thy hande fyndeth.
9 And wha Dauids yonge men came, and spake all these wordes on Dauids behalfe vnto Nabal, they lefte of.
10 But Nabal answered Dauids seruauntes, & sayde: What is he yt Dauid? & who is the sonne of Isai? There are many seruauntes now yt runne awaye from their masters.
11 Shulde I take my bred, water and flesh, that I haue slayne for my clyppers, & geue it vnto me whom I knowe not whence they are?
12 The Dauids yonge me turned their waye agayne. And whan they came agayne vnto him, they tolde him all these wordes.
13 The sayde Dauid vnto his men: Euery man gyrde his swerde aboute him. And euery one gyrde his swerde aboute him. And Dauid gyrde his swerde aboute him also, and there wete vp after him vpon a foure hundreth men, but two hundreth remayned wt the stuffe.
14 Neuertheles Abigail Nabals wife tolde one of hir yonge men, and sayde: Beholde, Dauid sent messaungers out of the wyldernes to blesse oure lorde, Notwithstondinge he was fearce vpo them,
15 and yet haue they bene very profitable men vnto vs, and haue done vs no dishonoure, and we wanted none of the nombre as loge as we walked with them, whan we were in the felde:
16 but they haue bene oure wall daye and nighte, as longe as we kepte the shepe by them.
17 Take hede now therfore, and loke well what thou doest, for there is surely a mysfortune at hande agaynst oure lorde, & agaynst all his house. And he is a man of Belial, to whom no man darre saye eny thinge.
18 Then Abigail made haist, and toke two hundred loaues of bred, and two botels of wyne, and fyue shepe ready dighte, and fyue measures of firmentye, and an hundreth frayles of rasens, and two hundreth frayles of fygges, & layed them vpo asses,
19 and sayde to hir yonge men: Go ye youre waye before me, beholde, I wyl come after. And she tolde Nabal hir housbade nothinge therof.
20 And as she rode vpo the asse, and wente downe in the shadowe of ye hill, beholde, Dauid & his me met hir downe, so that she came vpon them.
21 But Dauid sayde: Wel, all that this man had in ye wyldernes, haue I kepte for naughte, so that there wanted nothinge of all that he had, and he rewardeth me euell for good.
22 God do this and yet more vnto the enemies of Dauid, yf vntyll tomorow in the mornynge I leaue this man (of all that he hath) so moch as one that maketh water agaynst ye wall.
23 Now whan Abigail sawe Dauid, she lighte downe from the asse in all the haist, and fell vpo hir face before Dauid, and worshiped him to the grounde,
24 and fell at his fete, and sayde: Oh my lorde, let this trespace be myne, and let thy handmayde speake before thine eares, and heare the wordes of thy handmayden:
25 Let not my lorde set his hert agaynst this Nabal the man of Belial, for he is a foole, acordinge as his name is called: his name is foole, and foolishnes is with him. As for me thy handmayde, I sawe not my lordes yonge men, whom thou dyddest sende.
26 But now my lorde, as truly as the LORDE lyueth, and as truly as thy soule lyueth, the LORDE hath kepte the backe, yt thou shuldest not come agaynst bloude, and he hath delyuered thine hande. Thine enemyes be now as Nabal, and so be they that wolde my lorde euell.
27 Here is ye blessynge, yt thy handmayde hath brought my lorde, take it, and geue it vnto the yonge men, that walke vnder my lorde.
28 For a sure house shal ye LORDE make my lorde, which fighteth the fighte of the LORDE, and no euell shall be founde in the all thy life longe.
29 And yf eny man ryse vp to persecute ye, and to laye wayte for thy soule, then shal the soule of my lorde be bounde in the bundell of ye lyuynge, euen with the LORDE thy God. But ye soule of thine enemies shalbe turned backe wt the slynge.
30 Whan the LORDE therfore doth all this good for my lorde (which he hath promysed the) and commaundeth ye to be his Duke ouer Israel,
31 then shal it be no stomblinge blocke ner occasiion of fallynge vnto my lordes hert, that thou hast not shed bloude without a cause, and auenged thy selfe, then shal ye LORDE do good vnto my lorde, and thou shalt thynke vpon thy handmayden.
32 Then saide Dauid vnto Abigail: Blessed be the LORDE God of Israel, which hath sent the to mete me this daye:
33 and blessed be thy speach, and blessed be thou, which hast kepte me backe this daye, that I am not come agaynst bloude, to auenge me with myne awne hande.
34 Verely (as truly as the LORDE the God of Israel lyueth, which hath hyndred me that I shulde do the no euell.) Yf thou haddest not met me in all the haist, Nabal shulde not haue had lefte him vntyll ye lighte mornynge, so moch as one that maketh water agaynst the wall.
35 So Dauid toke of hir hade what she had broughte him, and sayde vnto her: Go vp in peace vnto yi house: beholde, I haue herkened vnto yi voyce, and accepted thy personne.
36 But whan Abigail came to Nabal, beholde, he had prepared a feast in his house like a kynges feast, and his hert was mery, for he was very dronken. And she tolde him nothinge, nether small ner greate vntyll ye cleare mornynge.
37 But whan it was daye, & the wyne was come from Nabal, his wife tolde him these thinges. Then was his hert deed in his body, so that he became euen as a stone:
38 and ouer ten dayes the LORDE smote him, so yt he dyed.
39 Whan Dauid herde that Nabal was deed, he sayde: Blessed be ye LORDE which hath auenged my rebuke on Nabal, and preserued his seruaunt from euell. And the LORDE hath rewarded Nabal that euell vpon his heade. And Dauid sent, and caused to talke with Abigail, yt he mighte take her to wife.
40 And whan Dauids seruauntes came to Abigail vnto Carmel , they spake vnto her, and saide: Dauid hath sent vs vnto the, that he maye take ye to wife.
41 She rose vp, and worshipped vpon hir face vnto the earth, and sayde: beholde, here is thy handmayde, that she maie do seruyce vnto the seruauntes of my lorde,
42 and to wasshe their fete. And Abigail made haist, and gat her vp, and rode vpo an asse, and fyue maydens that were vnder her, and wente after Dauids messaungers, and became his wife.
43 Dauid toke Ahinoam of Iesrael also, and they both became his wyues.
44 But Saul gaue Michol his doughter the wife of Dauid vnto Phalti ye sonne of Lais of Gallim.

Chapter 26

1 They of Siph came to Saul vnto Gibeath, & sayde: Is not Dauid hyd vpo the hill of Hachila, which lyeth ouer agaynst the wyldernesse?
2 Then Saul gat him vp, and wente downe to the wildernes of Siph, and thre thousande chosen men of Israel with him, to seke Dauid in the wildernes of Siph,
3 and pitched vpon the hill of Hachila, which lyeth by the waye before the wildernes. But Dauid remayned in the wyldernes, and whan he sawe that Saul came after him in to the wildernes,
4 he sent out spyes, and knewe of a suertie, that he was come in dede.
5 And Dauid gat him vp, and came to the place where Saul had pitched his tet, and sawe the place where Saul laye with his chefe captayne Abner ye sonne of Ner: for Saul laye in the tent, and the hoost aboute him.
6 Then answered Dauid, and sayde vnto Ahimelech the Hethite, and to Abisai the sonne of Ieru Ia ye brother of Ioab: Who wil go downe wt me to Saul in to the hoost? Abisai sayde: I wil go downe with the.
7 So Dauid and Abisai came to the people in the night season, & beholde, Saul laye and slepte in the tent, and his speare stacke in ye grounde at his heade. But Abner and the people laye rounde aboute him.
8 The sayde Abisai vnto Dauid: God hath closed thine enemye in thyne hande this daye. Therfore will I now thrust him thorow once with the speare euen in to the grounde, yt he shall haue ynough of it.
9 Neuertheles Dauid sayde vnto Abisai: Destroye him not, for who wil laye hande vpon the anoynted of ye LORDE, & remayne vngiltye?
10 Dauid sayde morouer: As truly as the LORDE lyueth, yf ye LORDE him selfe smyte him not, or excepte his tyme come that he dye, or that he go in to the battayll and perishe,
11 the LORDE let it be farre fro me, that I shulde laye my hande on the LORDES anoynted. Take ye speare now therfore at his heade, & the cuppe of water, & let vs go.
12 So Dauid toke ye speare & the cuppe of water at Sauls heade, & they wente their waye. And there was no man yt sawe it, ner perceaued it, nether awaked, but they slepte euery one, for there was a depe slepe fallen vpon them from the LORDE.
13 Now whan Dauid was come ouer on ye other syde, he stode vpon the toppe of the mount a farre of (so that there was a wyde space betwene them)
14 and cried vpon ye people, and vpo Abner the sonne of Ner, & sayde: Hearest thou not Abner? And Abner answered and sayde: Who art thou that cryest so, and diseasest the kynge?
15 And Dauid sayde vnto Abner: Art thou not a man? And where is there soch one as thou in Israel ? Why hast thou not then kepte thy lorde ye kynge? for there is one of ye people come in to destroye thy lorde ye kynge.
16 It is not well that thou hast done. As truly as the LORDE lyueth ye are the children of death, because ye haue not kepte youre lorde the LORDES anoynted. Beholde now, where is ye kynges speare, and the cuppe of water that was at his heade.
17 Then knewe Saul the voyce of Dauid, and saide: Is not that thy voyce my sonne Dauid? Dauid sayde: It is my voyce my lorde the kynge.
18 And he sayde morouer: Why doth my lorde so persecute his seruaunt? What haue I done? and what euell is there in my hande?
19 Yet let my lorde the kynge heare but the wordes of his seruaunt? Yf ye LORDE prouoke the against me, let there be smelled a meatofferynge: but yf the childre of men do it, cursed be they before the LORDE, because they haue thrust me out this daye (that I shulde not dwell in the LORDES inheritaunce) and saye: Go yi waye, and serue other goddes.
20 So fall not now my bloude vpon the earth from the face of the LORDE. For the kynge of Israel is gone forth to seke a flee, as a partriche is folowed on vpo the mountaynes.
21 And Saul sayde: I haue synned: Come agayne Dauid my sonne, I wil do the nomore hurte, because my soule hath bene deare in yi sighte this daye. Beholde, I haue done foolishly and very vnwysely.
22 Dauid answered and sayde: Beholde, here is the kynges speare, let one of the yongemen come ouer here and fetch it.
23 But the LORDE shal rewarde euery one acordinge to his righteousnes and faith, for ye LORDE delyuered ye this daye in to my hande: neuertheles I wolde not laie my hande vpo the LORDES anoynted.
24 And as yi soule hath bene greatly reputed in my sighte this daye, so let ye LORDE repute my soule in his sighte, & delyuer me from all trouble.
25 Saul saide vnto Dauid: Blessed be thou Dauid my sonne, thou shalt do it, & be able. But Dauid wente his waye, and Saul turned agayne vnto his place.

Chapter 27

1 Dauid thoughte in his hert: One of these dayes shal I fall in to the handes of Saul: It is better that I get me my waye in to ye londe of ye Philistynes, that Saul maye leaue of from sekynge me in all the coastes of Israel , so shall I escape his handes.
2 And he gat him vp, and wente ouer (with the sixe hundreth men that were with him) vnto Achis the sonne of Maoch kynge of Gath .
3 So Dauid remayned by Achis at Gath, with his me, euery one with his housholde, and Dauid with his two wyues, Ahinoam the Iesraelitisse, and Abigail Nabals wife of Carmel.
4 And whan worde came to Saul that Dauid was fled vnto Gath , he soughte him nomore.
5 And Dauid sayde vnto Achis: Yf I haue founde grace in thy sighte, then let there be geuen me a place in one of the cities of the londe, that I maye dwell therin. Wherfore shulde thy seruaunt dwell in the kynges cite with the?
6 Then Achis gaue him Siclag the same daye. Therfore belongeth. Siclag to the kynges of Iuda vnto this daye.
7 The tyme that Dauid dwelt in the londe of the Philistynes, is foure monethes.
8 Dauid wente vp with his men, and fell in to the londe of the Gessurites and Girsites, and Amalechites: for these were the inhabiters of this londe of olde, as thou commest to Sur vnto the lode of Egipte.
9 But wha Dauid smote ye londe, he let nether man ner woman lyue, and toke the shepe, oxen, asses, Camels and rayment, and returned and came to Achis.
10 So whan Achis spake: Whither fell ye in to daye? Dauid sayde: Towarde the south parte of Iuda, towarde ye south parte of the Ierahmielites, & towarde the south parte of the Kenites.
11 But Dauid let nether man ner woman come lyuynge vnto Geth, and thoughte: They mighte peradueture speake & reporte agaynst vs: thus dyd Dauid, and this was his maner as longe as he dwelt in ye londe of the Philistynes.
12 Therfore Achis gaue credence vnto Dauid, and thoughte: he hath made him selfe stynke before his people of Israel , therfore shal he be my seruaunt for euer.

Chapter 28

1 It fortuned at ye same tyme, that the Philistynes gathered their hoost together to the battayll, to go agaynst Israel . And Achis sayde vnto Dauid: Thou shalt knowe, that thou and thy men shal go forth with me in the hoost.
2 Dauid sayde vnto Achis: Well, thou shalt se what thy seruaut shal do. Achis saide vnto Dauid: Therfore wyll I ordene the to be the keper of my heade as longe as I lyue.
3 As for Samuel, he was deed, and all ye people had mourned for him, & buried him in his cite Ramath. So Saul had dryuen the soythsayers and expounders of tokens out of ye londe.
4 Now whan the Philistynes gathered them selues together, and came and pitched their tentes at Sunem, Saul gathered all the people together, & they pitched at Gilboa.
5 But whan Saul sawe the hoost of the Philistynes, he was afrayed, and his hert was discoraged,
6 and he axed councell at the LORDE. But ye LORDE gaue him no answere, nether by dreames, ner by the lighte, ner by prophetes.
7 The sayde Saul vnto his seruauntes: Seke me a woma which hath a sprete of soythsayege, that I maye go vnto her, and axe at her. His seruauntes sayde vnto him: Beholde, at Endor is there a woman, which hath a sprete of soythsayenge.
8 And Saul chaunged his clothes, and put on other, and wente his waye and two men with him, and came by nighte vnto the woman, and sayde: Prophecye vnto me (I pray the) thorow the sprete of soythsayenge, and brynge me him vp whom I shal name vnto the.
9 The woma saide vnto him: Beholde, thou knowest what Saul hath done, how he hath roted out the soythsayers & witches from the londe, wherfore wilt thou brynge my soule then in to ye nett, that I maye be slayne?
10 But Saul sware vnto her by ye LORDE, and sayde: As truly as the LORDE lyueth, there shall no harme happen vnto the for this.
11 Then sayde ye woman: Whom shal I brynge vp vnto the? He sayde: Brynge me vp Samuel.
12 Now whan ye woman sawe Samuel, she cryed loude, and sayde vnto Saul: Wherfore hast thou begyled me? Thou art Saul.
13 And the kynge sayde vnto her: Feare not, what seist thou? The woman sayde vnto Saul: I se goddes comynge vp out of ye earth?
14 He sayde: How is he shapened? She sayde: There commeth vp an olde man, and is clothed with a longe garment. Then perceaued Saul that it was Samuel, & bowed him selfe downe wt his face to the grounde, and worshiped him.
15 Samuel saide vnto Saul: Why hast thou disquyeted me, to cause me be broughte vp? Saul sayde: I am sore troubled, the Philistynes fighte against me, & God is departed frome, & geueth me no answere, nether by prophetes ner by dreames: therfore haue I called the, yt thou mightest shewe me, what I shal do.
16 Samuel sayde: What wilt thou axe at me, seynge the LORDE is departed from the, and is become thine enemye?
17 The LORDE shal do vnto the euen as he spake by me, and shall plucke the kyngdome out of thy hande, and geue it vnto Dauid thy neghboure,
18 because thou hast not herkened vnto the voyce of the LORDE, ner perfourmed the displeasure of his wrath agaynst Amalek. Therfore hath the LORDE done this now vnto the.
19 Morouer the LORDE shal delyuer Israel with the also in to the handes of the Philistynes: tomorow shalt thou and thy sonnes be with me. And the hoost of Israel shal the LORDE delyuer in to the handes of the Philistynes.
20 Then fell Saul immediatly vnto the earth, for he coulde not stonde, and was sore afrayed at these wordes of Samuel, so that there was nomore strength in him: for he had eaten no bred all that daye and all that night.
21 And the woman wente into Saul, & sawe that he was sore vexed, and sayde vnto him: Beholde, thy handmayde hath herkened vnto thy voyce, and I haue put my soule in my hande, so that I haue herkened vnto yi wordes which thou spakest vnto me.
22 Therfore folowe thou also the voyce of thy handmayde. I wil set a morsell of bred before the to eate, that thou mayest come to thy strength, & go yi waye.
23 But he refused, and sayde, I wil not eate. Then his seruauntes & the woman copelled him, so that he herkened vnto their voyce. And he rose vp from ye grounde, and sat vpon the bed.
24 The woman had a fat calfe at home, so she made haist, and kylled it, and toke meell and dyd kneet it, and baked swete cakes,
25 & broughte them forth before Saul, & before his seruauntes. And whan they had eaten, they stode vp, and wete their waye yt nighte.

Chapter 29

1 The Philistynes gathered all their armies together at Aphek. But Israel pitched at Ain in Iesrael.
2 And the prynces of the Philistynes wete forth with hundreds and with thousandes, but Dauid and his men wete behynde with Achis.
3 The sayde the prynces of the Philistynes: What shal these Hebrues do? Achis saide vnto the: Is not this Dauid ye seruaunt of Saul kynge of Israel , which hath bene with me now yeares and dayes, & I haue founde no euell in him sence the tyme that he fell to me vnto this daye?
4 Neuertheles the prynces of ye Philistynes were wroth at him, & sayde vnto him: Let the man turne backe agayne, & abyde in his place, which thou hast appoynted him, that he go not downe with vs to ye batayll, and become oure aduersary in ye felde. For wherin coulde he better do his lorde a pleasure, the in the heades of these men?
5 Is not this Dauid, of whom they sunge in the daunce: Saul hath smytte his thousande, but Dauid his ten thousande?
6 Then Achis called Dauid, and sayde vnto him: As truly as the LORDE lyueth, I take the for an honest man, and thy out goynge and ingoynge with me in ye hoost pleaseth me well, and no euell haue I marked in the, sence ye tyme that thou camest to me vnto this daye. But thou pleasest not the prynces.
7 Returne now therfore, and go yi waye in peace, that thou do no euell in the sighte of the prynces of ye Philistynes.
8 Dauid sayde: What haue I done, & what hast thou marked in thy seruaunt, sence ye tyme that I haue bene in yi presence vnto this daye, that I shulde not come and fighte agaynst the enemies of my lorde the kynge?
9 Achis answered and sayde vnto Dauid: I knowe well that thou pleasest myne eyes eue as an angell of God. But the prynces of ye Philistynes haue sayde: Let him not go vp with vs vnto the batayll.
10 Get the vp therfore tomorow by tymes, and yi lordes seruauntes which are come with the. And whan ye haue gotten you vp early in the mornynge, whan it is lighte, go yor waye.
11 So Dauid & his men gat them vp early, to go their waye in the mornynge, and to come agayne in to the londe of the Philistynes. But the Philistynes wente vp towarde Iesrael.

Chapter 30

1 Now whan Dauid came to Siclag on the thirde daie with his men, the Amalechites had falle in on ye south parte and at Siclag, and had smytten Siclag, and burned it with fyre,
2 and had caried a waye the weme out of it, both small & greate. Neuertheles they had slayne no man, but dryuen the thence, and were goynge on their waye.
3 Now whan Dauid with his men came to the cite, and sawe that it was brent wt fyre, and that their wyues, sonnes & doughters were led awaye captyue,
4 Dauid and the people that was with him lefte vp their voyce, and wepte so longe tyll they coulde wepe nomore.
5 For Dauids two wyues also were caried awaye captyue, Ahinoam ye Iesraelitisse, and Abigail Nabals wife of Carmel.
6 And Dauid was very soroufull, for the people wolde haue stoned him: for ye soule of all the people was in greate heuynes, euery one ouer his sonnes and doughters. Neuertheles Dauid strengthed him selfe in the LORDE his God,
7 & sayde vnto Abiathar ye prest the sonne of Ahimelech: Bringe me hither the ouerbody cote. And whan Abiathar had broughte the ouerbody cote vnto Dauid,
8 Dauid axed at the LORDE, and sayde: Shal I folowe vpon the men of warre, and shal I ouertake them? He sayde: Yee, folowe vpo them, thou shalt ouertake them, and shalt rescue the pray.
9 Then wente Dauid his waye, and the sixe hudreth men that were with him. And whan they came to the ryuer of Besor, some stode styll.
10 But Dauid and the foure hundreth men folowed after: As for the two hudreth men that stode styll, they had bene slowe to go ouer the ryuer of Besor.
11 And they founde a man of Egipte vpon the felde, him they broughte vnto Dauid, & gaue him bred to eate, and water to drynke,
12 and gaue him a quantite of fygges, & two quantities of rasyns. And whan he had eaten, his sprete came to him againe: for in thre dayes and thre nightes he had eate no bred, and dronke no water.
13 Dauid sayde vnto him: Whose art thou? & whence art thou? He sayde: I am a childe of Egipte, an Amalechites seruaunt, & my master hath forsaken me, because I was sicke thre dayes a goo.
14 We fell her in towarde ye south syde of Chrethus, and vpon Iuda, and towarde ye south parte of Caleb, & haue burned Siclag with fyre.
15 Dauid sayde vnto him: Wilt thou bringe me downe to these men of warre? He sayde: Sweare vnto me by God, yt thou shalt not slaye me, ner delyuer me in to my masters hade, and I wil brynge the downe to these me of warre.
16 And he broughte the downe, and beholde, they were scatred vpon all ye grounde, eatinge and drynkynge, and kepynge holy daye, and were makinge mery chere, because of all the greate spoyles that they had taken out of the londe of the Philistynes and of Iuda.
17 And Dauid smote them from ye morow tyll the euen, agaynst the nexte daye, so that there escaped none, excepte foure hundreth yonge men, which rode vpon camels, & fled.
18 So Dauid rescued all that the Amalechites had taken, and his two wyues,
19 & there myssed nothinge, nether small ner greate, nether sonnes ner doughters, ner spoyles: and what so euer they had taken, Dauid broughte all agayne.
20 And Dauid toke the shepe and oxe, and droue ye catell before him. And they sayde: This is Dauids spoyle.
21 And whan Dauid came to the two hundreth men, which had bene slowe to folowe after Dauid, and abode at the ryuer of Besor, they wente forth to mete Dauid, and the people yt was with him. And Dauid came to the people, and saluted them frendly.
22 Then answered soch men as were euell & Belials men (amonge them that had gone with Dauid) and sayde: Seynge they wente not wt vs, they shal haue none of the spoyles that we haue rescued: but let euery ma take his wife & his children and be goynge.
23 Then sayde Dauid: Ye shall not do so (my brethren) with that which ye LORDE hath geuen vs, and hath preserued vs, and delyuered these men of warre (which were come agaynst vs) in to oure hades.
24 Who shulde cosente vnto you herin? like as the porcion is of them that wente downe to the battayll, so shal ye porcion be of them also that a bode wt the stuffe, & shalbe deuyded a lyke.
25 From that tyme forth hath this bene an ordinaunce & lawe in Israel vnto this daye.
26 And whan Dauid came to Siclag, he sent of the spoyle vnto the Elders in Iuda his neghbours, and sayde: Beholde, there haue ye the blessynge out of the spoyle of the enemies of the LORDE,
27 namely vnto them of Bethel, vnto them at Ramath in the south, vnto them at Iathir,
28 vnto them at Aroer, vnto them at Siphamoth, vnto them at Eschemoa,
29 vnto them at Rachal, vnto them in the cities of the Ierahmielites, vnto them in the cities of the Kenites,
30 vnto them at Horma, vnto the at Borasan, vnto the at Atach,
31 vnto them at Hebron, and vnto all the places where Dauid had walked wt his men.

Chapter 31

1 Bvt ye Philistynes foughte against Israel , and the men of Israel fled before the Philistynes, and fell downe smytten vpon the mount Gilboa.
2 And the Philistynes preassed vpon Saul and his sonnes, and slewe Ionathas, & Abinadab and Malchisua the sonnes of Saul.
3 And the battayll was sore agaynst Saul, & the archers fell vpon him with bowes, and he was sore wounded of the archers.
4 Then sayde Saul vnto his wapebearer: Drawe out thy swerde, and thrust it thorow me, that these vncircumcised come not and slaie me, and make a laughinge stocke of me. Neuertheles his wapenbearer wolde not, for he was sore afrayed. Then toke Saul ye swerde, and fell therin.
5 Now whan his wapenbearer sawe that Saul was deed, he fell also vpon his swerde, and dyed with him.
6 Thus dyed Saul and his thre sonnes, & his wapenbearer, and all his men together the same daye.
7 Whan ye men of Israel which were beyonde the valley, and beyonde Iordane, sawe, yt the men of Israel were fled, and that Saul and his sonnes were deed, they lefte ye cities, and fled also. Then came the Philistynes, & dwelt therin.
8 On the nexte daye came the Philistynes to spoyle ye slayne, and founde Saul and his thre sonnes lyenge vpon mount Gilboa,
9 and smote of his heade, and toke of his harnesse, and sent it in to the lande of the Philistynes rounde aboute, to shewe it in the house of their Idols, and amonge the people,
10 & layed his harnesse in ye house of Astaroth: but his body hanged they vp vpo the wall of Bethsan.
11 Whan they of Iabes in Gilead herde, what the Philistynes had done vnto Saul,
12 they gat them vp, as many as were men of armes, and wente all the nighte, and toke ye body of Saul, and the bodies of his sonnes from ye wall of Bethsan, broughte the to Iabes, and brent them there,
13 and toke their bones, and buried them vnder ye tre at Iabes, & fasted seue dayes.