Samuel & King Saul

Then the woman came vnto Saul, and sawe that he was sore troubled, and said vnto him, See, thine handmaide hath obeyed thy voyce, and I haue put my soule in mine hande, and haue obeyed thy wordes which thou saydest vnto me.

Now therefore, I pray thee, hearke thou also vnto ye voyce of thine handmaid, and let me set a morsell of bread before thee, that thou mayest eat and get thee strength, and go on thy iourney.

But he refused, and said, I will not eate: but his seruants and the woman together compelled him, and he obeyed their voyce: so he arose from the earth, and sate on the bed.

Nowe the woman had a fat calfe in the house, and she hasted, and killed it, and tooke floure and kneaded it, and baked of it vnleauened bread.

Then she brought them before Saul, and before his seruants: and when they had eaten, they stoode, and went away the same night.

So the Philistims were gathered together with all their armies in Aphek: and the Israelites pitched by the fountaine, which is in Izreel.

And the princes of the Philistims went foorth by hundreths and thousandes, but Dauid and his men came behinde with Achish.

Then saide the princes of the Philistims, What doe these Ebrewes here? And Achish said vnto the princes of the Philistims, Is not this Dauid the seruant of Saul the King of Israel, who hath bene with me these dayes, or these yeeres, and I haue found nothing in him, since he dwelt with me vnto this day?

But the princes of the Philistims were wroth with him, and the princes of the Philistims said vnto him, Sende this fellow backe, that he may goe againe to his place which thou hast appointed him, and let him not goe downe with vs to battell, least that in the battell he be an aduersarie to vs: for wherewith should he obteine the fauour of his master? shoulde it not be with the heades of these men?

Is not this Dauid, of whome they sang in daunces, saying, Saul slewe his thousande, and Dauid his ten thousande?

Then Achish called Dauid, and said vnto him, As the Lord liueth, thou hast bene vpright and good in my sight, when thou wentest out and in with mee in the hoste, neither haue I founde euill with thee, since thou camest to me vnto this day, but the princes doe not fauour thee.

Wherefore nowe returne, and go in peace, that thou displease not the princes of the Philistims.

And Dauid said vnto Achish, But what haue I done? and what hast thou founde in thy seruant as long as I haue bene with thee vnto this day, that I may not goe and fight against the enemies of my lorde the King?

Achish then answered, and said to Dauid, I knowe thou pleasest mee, as an Angell of God: but the princes of the Philistims haue saide, Let him not goe vp with vs to battell.

Wherefore now rise vp earely in the morning with thy masters seruants that are come with thee: and when ye be vp earely, assoone as ye haue light, depart.

So Dauid and his men rose vp earely to depart in the morning, and to returne into the lande of the Philistims: and the Philistims went vp to Izreel.

Bvt when Dauid and his men were come to Ziklag the thirde day, the Amalekites had inuaded vpon the South, euen vnto Ziklag, and had smitten Ziklag, and burnt it with fire,

And had taken the women that were therein, prisoners, both small and great, and slewe not a man, but caryed them away, and went their wayes.

So Dauid and his men came to the city, and beholde, it was burnt with fire, and their wiues, and their sonnes, and their daughters were taken prisoners.

Then Dauid and the people that was with him, lift vp their voyces and wept, vntill they could weepe no more.

Dauids two wiues were taken prisoners also, Ahinoam the Izreelite, and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite.

And Dauid was in great sorowe: for the people entended to stone him, because the heartes of all the people were vexed euery man for his sonnes and for his daughters: but Dauid comforted him selfe in the Lord his God.

And Dauid saide to Abiathar the Priest Ahimelechs sonne, I pray thee, bring me the Ephod. And Abiathar brought the Ephod to Dauid.

Then Dauid asked counsell at the Lord, saying, Shall I follow after this companie? shall I ouertake them? And he answered him, Followe: for thou shalt surely ouertake them, and recouer all.

So Dauid and the sixe hundreth men that were with him, went, and came to the riuer Besor, where a part of them abode: