David

Againe the Ziphims came vnto Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doeth not Dauid hide him selfe in the hill of Hachilah before Ieshimon?

Then Saul arose, and went downe to the wildernes of Ziph, hauing three thousand chosen men of Israel with him, for to seeke Dauid in the wildernesse of Ziph.

And Saul pitched in the hill of Hachilah, which is before Ieshimon by the way side. Now Dauid abode in the wildernesse, and he sawe that Saul came after him into the wildernesse.

(For Dauid had sent out spies, and vnderstood, that Saul was come in very deede)

Then Dauid arose, and came to the place where Saul had pitched, and when Dauid beheld the place where Saul lay, and Abner the sonne of Ner which was his chiefe captaine, (for Saul lay in the fort, and the people pitched round about him)

Then spake Dauid, and said to Ahimelech the Hittite, and to Abishai the sonne of Zeruiah, brother to Ioab, saying, Who will go downe with me to Saul to the hoste? Then Abishai said, I will goe downe with thee.

So Dauid and Abishai came downe to the people by night: and beholde, Saul lay sleeping within the fort, and his speare did sticke in the ground at his head: and Abner and the people lay round about him.

Then saide Abishai to Dauid, God hath closed thine enemie into thine hande this day: now therefore, I pray thee, let me smite him once with a speare to the earth, and I will not smite him againe.

And Dauid sayde to Abishai, Destroy him not: for who can lay his hand on the Lordes anoynted, and be giltlesse?

Moreouer Dauid said, As the Lord liueth, eyther the Lord shall smite him, or his day shall come to dye, or he shall descend into battel, and perish.

So Dauid tooke the speare and the pot of water from Sauls head, and they gate them away, and no man saw it, nor marked it, neither did any awake, but they were all asleepe: for the Lord had sent a dead sleepe vpon them.

Then Dauid went vnto the other side, and stoode on the toppe of an hill a farre off, a great space being betweene them.

And Dauid cryed to the people, and to Abner the sonne of Ner, saying, Hearest thou not, Abner? Then Abner answered, and said, Who art thou that cryest to the King?

And Dauid said to Abner, Art not thou a man? and who is like thee in Israel? wherefore then hast thou not kept thy lorde the King? for there came one of the folke in to destroy the King thy lord.

And Saul knewe Dauids voyce, and sayde, Is this thy voyce, my sonne Dauid? And Dauid sayde, It is my voyce, my lorde O King.

Then sayde Saul, I haue sinned: come againe, my sonne Dauid: for I will doe thee no more harme, because my soule was precious in thine eyes this day: behold, I haue done foolishly, and haue erred exceedingly.

Then Dauid answered, and saide, Beholde the Kings speare, let one of the yong men come ouer and set it.

Then Saul said to Dauid, Blessed art thou, my sonne Dauid: for thou shalt doe great things, and also preuaile. So Dauid went his way, and Saul returned to his place.

And Dauid said in his heart, I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul: is it not better for me that I saue my selfe in the lande of the Philistims, and that Saul may haue no hope of me to seeke me any more in all the coastes of Israel, and so escape out of his hand?

Dauid therefore arose, and he, and the sixe hundreth men that were with him, went vnto Achish the sonne of Maoch King of Gath.

And Dauid dwelt with Achish at Gath, he, and his men, euery man with his housholde,Dauid with his two wiues, Ahinoam the Izreelite, and Abigail Nabals wife the Carmelite.

And it was tolde Saul that Dauid was fled to Gath: so he sought no more for him.

And Dauid saide vnto Achish, If I haue nowe founde peace in thine eyes, let them giue me a place in some other citie of the countrey, that I may dwell there: for why should thy seruant dwel in ye head citie of the kingdome with thee?

And the time that Dauid dwelt in the countrey of the Philistims, was foure moneths and certaine dayes.

Then Dauid and his men went vp, and inuaded the Geshurites, and the Girzites, and the Amalekites: for they inhabited the lande from the beginning, from the way, as thou goest to Shur, euen vnto the lande of Egypt.