Samuel & King Saul

So shalt thou shew mercy vnto thy seruant: for thou hast ioyned thy seruant into a couenant of the Lord with thee, and if there be in me iniquitie, slay thou me: for why shouldest thou bring me to thy father?

And Ionathan answered, God keepe that from thee: for if I knewe that wickednesse were concluded of my father to come vpon thee, would not I tell it thee?

Then said Dauid to Ionathan, Who shall tell me? how shall I knowe, if thy father answere thee cruelly?

And Ionathan sayde to Dauid, Come and let vs goe out into the fielde: and they twaine went out into the fielde.

Then Ionathan sayde to Dauid, O Lord God of Israel, when I haue groped my fathers minde to morow at this time, or within this three dayes, and if it be well with Dauid, and I then send not vnto thee, and shewe it thee,

The Lord doe so and much more vnto Ionathan: but if my father haue minde to doe thee euill, I will shew thee also, and sende thee away, that thou mayest goe in peace: and the Lord be with thee as he hath bene with my father.

Likewise I require not whiles I liue: for I dout not but thou wilt shew me the mercy of the Lord, that I die not.

But I require that thou cut not off thy mercie from mine house for euer: no, not when the Lord hath destroyed the enemies of Dauid, euery one from the earth.

So Ionathan made a bond with the house of Dauid, saying, Let the Lord require it at the hands of Dauids enemies.

And againe Ionathan sware vnto Dauid, because he loued him (for he loued him as his owne soule)

Then said Ionathan to him, To morowe is the first day of the moneth: and thou shalt be looked for, for thy place shalbe emptie.

Therefore thou shalt hide thy selfe three dayes, then thou shalt goe downe quickely and come to the place where thou diddest hide thy selfe, when this matter was in hand, and shalt remayne by the stone Ezel.

And I will shoote three arrowes on the side thereof, as though I shot at a marke.

And after I wil sende a boy, saying, Goe, seeke the arrowes. If I say vnto the boy, See, the arrowes are on this side thee, bring them, and come thou: for it is well with thee and no hurt, as the Lord liueth.

But if I say thus vnto the boy, Behold, the arrowes are beyonde thee, goe thy way: for the Lord hath sent thee away.

As touching the thing which thou and I haue spoken of, beholde, the Lord be betweene thee and me for euer.

So Dauid hid him selfe in the field: and when the first day of the moneth came, the King sate to eate meate.

And the King sate, as at other times vpon his seate, euen vpon his seate by the wall: and Ionathan arose, and Abner sate by Sauls side, but Dauids place was emptie.

And Saul sayde nothing that day: for hee thought, Some thing hath befallen him, though he were cleane, or els becaus he was not purified.

But on the morowe which was the second day of the moneth, Dauids place was emptie againe: and Saul sayde vnto Ionathan his sonne, Wherefore commeth not the sonne of Ishai to meate, neither yesterday nor to day?

And Ionathan answered vnto Saul, Dauid required of me, that he might goe to Beth-lehem.

For he sayde, Let me goe, I pray thee: for our familie offreth a sacrifice in the citie, and my brother hath sent for me: therfore now if I haue found fauour in thine eyes, let me goe, I pray thee, and see my brethren: this is the cause that he commeth not vnto the Kings table.

Then was Saul angrie with Ionathan, and sayde vnto him, Thou sonne of the wicked rebellious woman, doe not I know, that thou hast chosen the sonne of Ishai to thy confusion, and to the confusion and shame of thy mother?

For as long as the sonne of Ishai liueth vpon the earth, thou shalt not be stablished, nor thy kingdome: wherefore now send and fet him vnto me, for he shall surely die.

And Ionathan answered vnto Saul his father, and said vnto him, Wherefore shall he die? what hath he done?