The most sacred Bible, whiche is the Holy Scripture conteyning the Old and New Testament / translated into English, and newly recognised with great diligence after most faythful exemplars, by Rychard Taverner.

THE FIRST BOKE OF SAMVEL CALLED THE FIRST BOKE OF THE KYNGES.

¶ Elkanah hath two wiues, Hannah and Phenen∣nah. Phenennah vpbraydeth Hannah because she is chyldlesse. Hannah after prayer made to God, bryngeth forth Samuel.

CAPI. I.

[ A] THere was a man of Ramathaim Zophim, of mount Ephraim na¦med Elkanah, the son of Ieroham, the sonne of Elihu, the sonne of Thohu, the sonne of Zuph an Ephrathyte, which had two wiues, thone called Hannah, thother Phenēnah. And Phenēnah had childrē but Hannah had none. And the sayd man went out of his citye euery feast daye, to praye and to offre vnto the Lord of hostes: where y^e two sonnes of Eli (Hoph∣ni and Phinehes) were the Lordes Preestes. And it fell on a daye as Elkanah had offered that he gaue to Phenennah his wyfe, and to all her sonnes and doughters porcions. But vnto Hannah he gaue an honourable porcion with a heuye chere, for he loued her / neuerthe∣lesse the Lorde had made her bateyn. And ther to her ennemye Phenennah vexed her sore, ca∣styng her in the rethe how the Lorde had made her bareyn. And so dyd she yere by yere as ofte as she went vp to the house of the Lorde. And so chafed her, wherfore Hannah wept, and ate not. Then sayd Elkanah her husbande to her. [ B] Hannah, why wepest thou? and why eatest thou not? and why is thyne hert so troubled? am not I better to the then ten sonnes? Then Hannah rose vp after that they had eatē. and dronke in Siloh. And Eli the Preest sate vpon a stole by one of the syde postes of the temple of the Lorde. And she was troubled in her spi∣rites, and prayed vnto the Lorde & wept sore / and vowed a vowe and fayd. Lorde of hostes yf thou wylt loke on y^e wretchednesse of thyne handmayde, and shalte remembre me and not forget thyne handmayde, and shalte gyue vn∣to thyne handmayde a man chylde, I wyl giue him vnto the Lorde all the dayes of his lyfe, and there shall neyther raser or sheres come vpon his heed. And she continued prayinge be∣fore the Lorde, Eli marked her mouthe. For Hannah she spake in her herte, and her lyp∣pes dyd but moue only, but her voyce was not herde. And therfore Eli toke her for dronken and sayd vnto her / howe longe wylte thou be dronken? put awaye frome the, the wyne that thou haste. Hannah answered and sayde: not so my Lorde / I am a woman sorowfull in [ C] myne herte, and haue dronke neyther wyne nor anye stronge dryncke / but I haue poured out my soule before the Lorde. Counte not thyne handemayde to be lyke a doughter of vnthryftynesse / for oute of the aboundaunce of my meditacion and grefe haue I spoken hi∣therto.

Eli answered and said: go in peace, the God of Israel shall graunt y^t thy peticion that thou hast asked of him. Then she sayde / lette thyne hande mayde fynde grace in thy syght. And so the woman went her waye, and dyd eat and loked no more so sadde. And they rose vp erly and bowed them selues before the Lord, and then returned and went to their house to Ra∣math. And Elkanah laye by his wyfe Han∣nah, [ D] and the Lorde remembred her. And in processe of time she conceyued and bare a son, and called his name Samuel: because she hadde asked him of the Lorde. And Elkanah and all his house wente vp to offer vnto the Lorde bothe the offerynges due for the feaste and also his vowes: but Hannah went not vp for she sayde vnto her husbande: I wyll tarye vntyll the chylde be wened, and then I wyll brynge him, that he may appeare before the Lorde, and there abyde for euer. And El∣kanah her husbande sayd to her: do what se∣meth the beste: tary tyl thou hast wened him, onely the Lorde make good his sayinge. And so the women abode and gaue her sonne suck, tyll she wened hym. And then she toke hym with her, when she had wened him, with thre bullockes and an Epha of floure and a bottel of wyne, and brought him vnto the house of the Lorde in Siloh howbeit the chylde was yet younge. And they slewe the bullockes and brought in the chylde to Eli, & then she sayd: Oh my Lorde: as trulye as thy soule lyueth my Lorde: I am the woman that stode by the here, prayinge vnto the Lorde and for this chylde I prayed, and the Lorde hath gyuē me my desyre whiche I asked of hym: and ther∣fore I also lend him the Lorde, as long as he maye be lent the Lorde. And so they prayed there vnto the Lorde.

¶ The songe of Hannah. The offence o•• the sonnes o•• Eli. Eli is rebuked for the vnmesurable suffraūce of his chyldren.

CAPI. II.

ANd Hannah prayed and sayde: myne [ A] hert reioys••th in the Lord, myne borne is hyghe in the Lorde, and my mouthe is wyde open ouer myne ennemyes / for I re∣ioyce in that thou hast deliuered me. There is none so holye as the Lorde: no there is none saue thou. Neither is there any strengthe like vnto our God. Talke not to moche proudlye, let olde thynges depart out of your mouthes, for the Lorde is a God of knowlege, and he setteth forth the workes. The bowes of the stronge are broken: and the weake are endued with strengthe. They that were full haue ben glad to serue for breed, and they that were hō∣grye be satisfied / in so moche that the barreyn hathe borne seuen / and she that hadde manye chyldren is waxed feble. The Lorde kylleth and maketh alyue / bryngeth downe to helle, [ B] and fetcheth vp agayne. The Lorde maketh poore, and maketh ryche / bryngeth lowe, and

heaueth vp on hye. He rayseth vp the poore out of the dust, and lytteth vp the begger from the donge hylle, to set them amonge prynces, and to enheryte them with the seate of glory. For the pyllers of the erthe are the Lordes, & he hathe sette the rounde worlde vpon them. He wyll kepe the feete of his holye, but the wycked shall kepe sylence in darknesse. For in his owne myghte shall no man be stronge. The Lordes aduersaryes shall be made to feare him / and oute of heuen he shall thunder vpon them. The Lorde shall iudge the bor∣ders of the worlde, and shall gyue myght vn∣to his kyng, and exalte the horne of his anoyn¦ted. And Elkanah wente to Ramath to his house, & the chylde did ministre vnto the Lord before Ely the preest.

[ C] But the sonnes of Ely were the sonnes of Belial, and knewe not the Lorde. For the ma¦ner of the preestes with the people was / when so euer anye man offered anye offerynges, the preestes lad came whyle the flesh was sething, and a fleshe hoke with thre tethe in his hande, and thruste it in to the panne, kettle, caldren, or potte. And all that the flesshe hoke brought vp, the preest toke awaye. And so they dyd vn∣to all Israel that came thyther to Siloh. Yea and moreouer before they had offered the rat, the prestes lad came and sayd to the man that offered: gyue flesshe to roste for the preest / for he wyl not haue sodden flesh of the but rawe. And yf any man sayd vnto hym, let the fat be [ D] offered accordynge to the custome of the daye, and then take as moche as thyne herte desy∣reth. The lad wolde answere him, thou shalte giue it me now, or els I wil take it {per}force. And the synne of the yonge men was verye greate before the Lorde. For they hyndred the peo∣ples deuocion from offeryng vnto the Lorde.

But the chyld Samuel ministred before the Lorde gyrded aboute with a lynnen Ephod. Moreouer his mother made him a lytle cote, and broughte it to him frome feaste to feaste when she came vp with her husbande to offre the offerynge of the sayde feast. And Eli bles∣sed Elkanah and his wyfe, and sayde: the Lorde gyue the seed of this woman, for that she hathe lente the Lorde. And they went vn∣to theyr owne house. And the Lorde visyted Hannah, so that she conceyued and bare thre sonnes and two doughters. But the chylde Samuel grewe, dwellynge stylle with the Lorde.

Eli was verye olde and herde all that his sonnes dyd vnto al Israel, and how they slept with the women that wayted in the dore of y^e tabernacle of witnesse, & sayd vnto them / why do ye suche thynges? For I heare youre wyc∣ked [ E] dedes of al these people. Oh naye my son∣nes, for it is no good reapporte that I heare, howe ye make the Lordes people to trespace. Yf one man synne agaynst an other, daysemen maye make his peax: but yf a man synne a∣gaynste the Lorde, who can be his dayseman? Notwithstandynge they herkened not vnto the voyce of theyr father, bycause the Lorde wolde slee theym. The chylde Samuel profi∣ted and grewe, and was in fauour bothe with the Lorde, and also with men.

And there came a man of God vnto Eli, and sayd vnto hym / thus sayth the Lorde. I [ F] appeared vnto the house of thy father, when they were in Egypte in Pharaos house. And I chose thy father forthe of all the trybes of Israel, to be my preest for to offre vpon myne aulter, and to burne incense, and to were an Ephod before me. And I gaue vnto the house of thy father all the offerynges of the children of Israel. Wherfore kycke ye agaynste my sa∣crifyce and agaynste myne offerynge whiche I commaunde in the tabernacle, and honourest thy chyldren aboue me / and make youre sel∣ues fatte of the fyrste frutes of all the offe∣rynges of Israel my people? Wherfore the Lord God of Israel sayth: I sayd that thyne house and the house of thy father sholde haue walked before me for euer. But nowe the Lorde saythe that be farre from me / for them that worshyp me, I wyll worshyp / and they that despyse me, shall be despysed. Beholde the dayes wyll come that I wyll cut of thyne [ G] arme, and the arme of thy fathers house / that there shall not be an elder in thyne house. And thou shalte se thyne ennemye in the taberna∣cle, in all that shall please Israel / and there shall not be an elder in thyne house whyle the worlde standeth. Neuerthelesse I wyll not de∣stroye all thy males frome my aulter, to dase thy syghte with all, and to make thyne herte melte. And all the multitude of thyne house shall dye yonge.

And this shall be a sygne vnto the, that shall come vpon thy two sonnes, Hophni and Phinehes: euen in one daye eyther of theym shall dye. And I wyll stere me vp a faythfull preest, that shall doo after myne herte, and in my mynde / and I wyll buylde hym a sure house / and he shall walke before myne anoyn∣ced for euer. And they that are lefte in thyne house, shall come and crouche to hym for a ly∣tle pece of syluer, and a cake of breed / and shal saye: put me I praye the in one offyce or other amonge the preestes, that I maye eate a mor∣sell of breed.

¶ After the Lord had left to appeare by open vision in Siloh for a lōge seasō: he yet calleth Samuel .iiii. tymes, and sheweth him what shulde be••al•• on Heli.

CAPI. III.

ANd the chylde Samuel ministred vnto [ A] the Lorde before Hely / and the worde of the Lorde was deynty in those dayes, for there was none open vision. And it chaun∣ced at that tyme that Hely laye in his place, and his eyen beganne to waxe dymme that he coulde not se. And er the lampe of God went out, Samuel layde hym downe to slepe in the temple of the Lorde, where the arcke of God was. And the Lorde called Samuel / and he sayd, here am I / and he ran vnto Hely & sayd / here am I, for thou calledst me. But he sayde I called the not: goo agayne and slepe. And he went and layde him downe to slepe. And the [ B] Lorde called ones agayne Samuel / and

Samuel arose and went to Hell and said: I am here, thou diddest call me. And he answered I called the not, my sonne / go agayn and take thy rest / but as yet Samuel knew not y^e Lorde neither was the worde of the Lord opened vn to him. And the Lord proceded and called Sa∣muel the third time. And he arose and went to Hell and saide: I am here, for thou haste cal∣led me. Then Hell perceyued that the Lorde had called the chylde, and sayd vnto him / go & lye downe, and yf he call the agayne, then say speake on Lord, for thy seruaunt heareth. And Samuel went & layd him downe in his place. And the Lord came and stode and called as a∣fore, Samuel Samuel. And Samuel sayde / speke on, for thy seruaūt heareth the. And the Lorde sayd to Samuel: beholde, I wyll do a thyng in Israel, that the cares of as many as heareth it, shall tingle. In that daye I wil per¦forme to Hell all that I haue spoken concer∣nynge his house: I wyll begyn it and ende it. For I haue tolde him that I wyll iudge his house for euer. For the wyckednes whiche he knoweth howe his sonnes are vngracyous / and he chastised theym not. And therfore I [ C] haue sworne vnto the house of Hell, that the wyckednesse of his house shall not be pur∣ged with sacrifyce nor offerynge, whyle the worlde standeth. And Samuel laye tyll the mornynge, and then opened the doores of the house of the Lorde.

But Samuel feared to shewe Helithe vy∣syon. Then Heli called Samuel and sayde: Samuel my sonne. And he answered, here I am. And he sayd what is it that the Lord said vnto the? Se thou hide it not from me. The Lorde doo so and so to the, yf thou hyde anye thyng frō me of all that he sayd vnto the. And [ D] Samuel tolde him euery whyt, and hid it not from him. And he answered: it is the Lord, let him do what semeth him good.

And Samuel gr••we, and the Lorde was with him, and left none of his wordes vnper∣formed. And all Israel from Dan to Bersabe wyst that the faythfull Samuel was truely made the Lordes Prophete. And the Lorde appeared agayne in Siloh / for the Lorde ope¦ned him selfe to Samuel in Siloh, thorow the worde of the Lorde.

¶ The battel of the Philistines. Israel fleeth. The Arcke of the Lorde is taken. Elies children dye and he him self also.

CAPI. IIII.

[ A] ANd Samuel spake vnto al Israel. And Israel wente oute agaynste the Phili∣stines to battayle, and pytched besyde the helpe stone. But the Philistines pytched in Aphek, and put them selues in aray agaynst Israel. And in the battayle Israel was put to the worse before the Philistines. For the Phi¦listines slewe alonge by the feldes, about four thousande men.

And when the people were come in to their tentes, the elders of Israel sayde: wherfore hath the Lorde beaten vs this daye before the Philistines? let vs fetche the arcke of the ap∣poyntment of the Lorde oute of Siloh vnto vs, and let it come amonge vs and saue vs out of the handes of our ennemyes. And y^e people [ B] sent to Siloh, and fet from thence the arcke of the appoyntment of the Lord of hostes which dwelleth bitwene the Cherubyns. And there were the two sonnes of Heli, Hophni, & Phi∣nehes, w^t the arcke of the appoyntmēt of God. And when the arcke of the appoyntmēt of the Lord came in to the hoste, all Israel shouted a mighty shout, so that the erth rang agayne.

When the Philistines herde the noyse of the shout, they sayd: What meaneth the soūd of this mightye shout in the hoste of the He∣brues? And they vnderstode that the arcke of the Lorde was come in to the hoste. And the Philistines were afrayde / when it was tolde that God was come in to the hoste, and sayde. Wo vnto vs, for it was neuer so before this. Wo vnto vs, who shall delyuer vs out of the hande of this myghtye God? this is the God that smote the Egyptians with all maner pla¦ges in the wyldernesse. Be stronge and quyte your selues lyke men ye Philistines, that ye [ C] be not seruantes vnto the Hebrues, as they haue bene to you. Be men therfore and fyght. And the Philistines foughte, and Israel was put to the worse and fled euerye man in to his tent. And there was a mighty great slaughter, so that there were ouerthrowē of Israel thir∣tye thousande fotemen. And the arcke of God was taken, & the two sonnes of Hell, Hophni and Phinehes were deed. And there ran a man [ D] of BenIamin out of the araye and came to Si¦loh the same daye, with his clothes rente and erthe vpon his heed. And when the man came in, Heli sate vpon a stole by the wayes syde lokynge: for his herte feared for the arcke of God. And the man came in and tolde it in the citye. And all the city cryed.

When Heli herd the noyse of the crying, he asked what the noyse of y^e rumoure ment. And the man hasted, and came in and tolde Heli. Heli was foure score and eyghtene yere olde, & his sight fayled him that he could not se. And the man said vnto Heli, I am he that ran forth from the araye, and fled oute of the hoste this day. And he said, how is it fortuned my sonne•• And the messenger answered and sayd: Israel is fledde before the Philistines / and there is a great slaughter chaunsed among the people / and thy two sonnes, Hophni and Phinehes are deed / and therto the arcke of God is takē. And when he hadde ones named the arcke of God, Heli fell frome his stole backwarde to∣warde the gate / and his necke brake, and he [ E] dyed / for he was olde and vnweldye, and he iudged Israel fourtye yeres.

And his doughter in lawe Phinches wyfe was with childe, and nye the byrth. And when she herde these tidynges of the takynge of the arcke of God / and that her father in lawe and her husbande were deed, she bowed her selfe and trauayled, for her paynes came vpon her. And aboute the tyme of her deathe / the wo∣men that stode aboute her, sayd vnto her / feare not, for thou haste borne a sonne. But she an∣swered

not, nor regarded it. And she named the chylde Ichabod, sayinge: honoure is departed from Israel. Bicause the arcke of God was ta¦ken, and her father in lawe and her husbande were deed. And therfore she sayd: Israel hathe lost his honour, bycause the arcke of God was taken.

¶ Dagon the God of the Philistines is cast flat be∣fore the arcke. The Philistines are plaged in the se∣crete places. Thinhabitantes of Anaron refuse to receyue the arcke.

CAPI. V.

[ A] ANd the Philistines toke y^e arke of God and caryed it from the helpe stone vnto Asdoo, and broughte it in to the house of Dagon, and set it by Dagon. And whē they of Asdod were risen in the morninge, beholde Dagon laye grouelynge vpon the erthe before the arcke of the Lorde. And they toke Dagon and set him in his place agayne. And whē they rose vp erlye in the next mornyng, beholde Da∣gon laye grouelynge vpon the grounde before the arcke of the Lorde, and his heed & his two handes cut of vpon the threshold, that y^e body onely was left on him. Wherfore neither the [ B] preestes of Dagon, ne any man that commeth in to Dagons house might trede on y^e threshold of Dagon in Asdoo, vnto this daye.

But the hand of the Lorde was heuy vpon them of Asdod, and he destroyed them & smore them with Emerodes, bothe Asdod and al the costes therof. And when the men of Asdod saw that so, they sayd: the arke of the God of Is∣rael [ C] shal not abyde here with vs / for his hand is sore vpon vs, & vpon Dagon our God. And so they sente and gathered all the Lordes of the Philistines vnto them and said: what shal we do with y^e arcke of the God of Israel. Then sayd they of Geth, let the arcke of the God of Israel be caryed about. And they caryed y^e arck of the God of Israel aboute. And when they hadle caryed it aboute, the hande of the Lorde was in the citye with a mighty great plage, & he smote the men or the citye bothe smal and [ D] great / and they were smytten in theyr secrete places with the Emerodes. Then they sent the arcke of God to Akaron. and as soone as the arcke of God came to Akaron, the Akaronites cryed oute, sayinge: they haue broughte the arcke of the God of Israel to vs: to slee vs and oure people.

Then they sente and fet all the Lordes of the Philistines vnto them and sayde: sende a∣waye the arcke of the God of Israel, and let it goo home agayne vnto his owne place, that it flee vs not with oure people. For there was a plage of deth thorowe oute all the citye, and the hande of God was excedyng sore there, in so moche that they which died not, were smit∣ten with the Emerodes: so that the crye of the citye reached vp to heuen.

¶ The heyfers brynge home the arcke with the re∣wardes. The Bethsamites were pluged after they had sene the arcke.

CAPI. VI.

ANd so when the arcke of the Lord had ben in the counterye of the Philistines [ A] seuen monethes / the Philistines called for the preestes and the sothe sayers, sayinge: what shall we do with the arcke of the Lord? tell vs wherwith we shall sende it home a∣gayne. They answered, yf you send the arcke of the God of Israel home agayne, sende it not emptye: But rewarde it with a trespace offerynge / and then ye shall be hole / and it shall be knowen to you why his hande depar∣teth not from you.

Then sayd they, what shall be the trespace offeryng, whiche we shall rewarde him with? And they answered: fyue golden arsses with Emerodes, and fyue golden myce, accordynge to the nombre of y^e Lordes of the Philistines. For it was one maner of plage y^t was on you all, and on your Lordes to. Wherfore ye shall make ymages lyke to youre arsses with Eme∣rodes, and ymages like to youre myce that de∣stroyed your lande, and shall gyue glorye vnto the God of Israel: that he may take his hand from you, and from youre goddes / and frome your lande. Wherfore sholde ye harden youre [ B] hertes, as the Egyptians and Pharao harde∣ned theyr hertes, whiche for all that (when he was well scourged) was fayne to let the peo∣ple goo and depart.

Now therfore make a newe carte and take two mylche kyne, on whose necke neuer came yoke. And tye the kyne in the carte / and kepe theyr calues at home frome them. Then take the arcke of the Lorde, and put it in the carte / and put the Iewels of golde (which ye reward him with, for a trespace offerynge) in a forcer by the syde therof, and sende it awaye and let it go. And marke, yf he goeth vp by the waye that leadeth vnto his own cost to Bethsames, then it is he that dyd vs this great euyll. But yf he do not, then it is not his hand that smote vs, but it was a chaūce that happened vs. And the men did euen so: they toke two kyne that gaue mylke and tied them in the carte, & kepte the calues at home, and they layde the arcke of the Lorde vpon the carte, and the forcer with [ C] the myce of golde, & the ymages of their arsses with Emerodes. And the kyne toke y^e streyght waye to Bethsames, bothe one waye / and as thee went, cryed / turnyng neyther to the right hande ne to the lefte. And the Lordes of the Philistines went after them, tyll they came to the borders of Bethsames.

And they of Bethsames were repynge their whete in the valey. So they lyft vp their eyes and espied the arcke, and reioysed when they saw it. And the cart came into the g••one of one Iosua a Bethsamite, and stode stil there. There was there also a greate stone. And they claue the wodde of the carte, and offered the kyne a burnt offerynge vnto the Lorde. And the Le∣uites toke downe the arcke of the Lorde, & the forcer that was therby, wherin the Iewels of golde were, and put them on the greate stone. And the men of Bethsames sacrificed burnt sa¦crifyce, and offered offerynges that same daye vnto the Lorde. And when the fyue Lordes of [ D]

the Philistines had sene it, they retourned to Akaron the same daye. These are the golden arsses with Emerodes, whiche the Philistines gaue to amendes for a trespace offerynge, to the Lorde / for Asdod one / for Gaza one / for Askalon one / for Geth one / and for Akaron one. And the golden myce were accordynge to the nombre of all the cityes of the Philistines thorowe the fyue lordshyppes / bothe of wal∣led townes, and of townes vnwalled, euen vnto the great stone wheron they sette downe the arcke of the Lorde: whiche remayneth vn¦to this daye in the felde of Iosua the Bethsa∣myte. And the Lorde plaged the men of Beth∣sames, bycause they hadde sene the iewels that were in the arcke of the Lorde. And he slewe of the people fiftye thousande, and thre score & ten persons. And the people lamēted bicause the Lord had made so great a slaughter of thē. And the men of Bethsames said, who is hable to stande before the Lorde so holy a God, and to whom shall he go from vs? And they sente messengers to the inhabitantes of Kariath Ia¦rim, sayinge: The Philistines haue broughte home agayne the arcke of the Lorde: come downe and fet it vp to you.

¶ The arcke is brought to kariathiarim. The peo∣ple wepe, for whiche Samuel maketh intercession to the Lorde. The Philistines are smytten.

CAPI. VII.

[ A] ANd the men of Kariathiarim came and fet vp y^e arcke of the Lord, & brought it in to the house of Abinadab in Ga∣baah, and sanctified Eleazar his sonne to at∣tende vpon the arcke of the Lorde. And while the arcke abode in Kariathiarim, the dayes grewe so, that it was twentye yeres, and all Israel lamented after the Lorde.

And Samuel spake vnto all Israel, sayinge yf ye be come agayne vnto the Lorde with all your hertes, then put away the straūge god∣des from you, Baalim, and Astaroch / and pre∣pare your hertes vnto the Lord, and serue him alone, and so shal he ryd you out of the handes [ B] of the Philistines. And then the children of Is∣rael did put awayφ Baalim and Astaroth, and serued the Lord onely. Then said Samuel / ga¦ther all Israel to Mazphah, that I may pray for you vnto the Lord. And they assembled at Mazphah, and drewe water and poured it out before the Lorde, and fasted the same daye, and sayd there: we haue synned against the Lord. And Samuel iudged the causes of the chyldrē of Israel in Mazphah. When the Philistines herde that the children of Israel were assem∣bled at Mazphah, the Lordes of the Pilistines went vp agaynst Israel, which when the chil∣dren of Israel herde, they were afrayde of the Philistines, and sayd to Samuel / cease not to [ C] crye vnto the Lorde oure God for vs, that he maye kepe vs out of the handes of the Phili∣stines. And Samuel toke a sucking lambe and offered it hole for a burnt offerynge vnto the Lorde, and cryed vnto the Lorde for Israel: & the Lorde herde him. And as Samuel offered the burnt offerynge / the Philistines came to fyght agaynst Israel. But the Lorde thonde∣r••d a greate thunder that same daye vpon the Philistines, and turmoyled them, that they were beaten before Israel. And the men of Is¦rael issued oute of Mazphah, and pursued the Philistines, and slewe them tyl they came vn∣der Bethcar. And then Samuel toke a stone, & [ D] pitched it bitwene Mazphah and Sen, and cal¦led the name therof the stone of help, saying / thus farre hath the Lord holpē vp. And so the Philistines were broughte vnder y^t they came no more in to the costes of Israel / for the hand of the Lorde was vpon the Philistines al the dayes of Samuel. Then the cityes whiche the Philistines hadde taken frome Israel, came agayne to Israel, from Akaron to Geth, with the coostes of the same, whiche Israel plucked out of the handes of the Philistines. For there was peax bytwene Israel and the Amorites. And Samuel iudged Israel all the dayes of his lyfe, and went aboute yere by yere to Be∣thel, Galgal, and Mazphah, and iudged Is∣raell in all those places / and came agayne to Ramath, for there was his house / and there he iudged Israel / and there he buylte an aul∣ter vnto the Lorde.

¶ Because Samuelles sonnes dyd mynyster euyll, the people requyre a kynge: and to them is descry∣bed the maner of a kynge.

CAPI. VIII.

WHen Samuel was olde, he made his son∣nes [ A] Iudges ouer Israell. The name of his eldest sonne was Ioel, and the name of the seconde Abiath, whiche were Iudges in Bersabe. Neuerthelesse his sonnes folowed not his steppes / but tourned asyde after lucre, and toke rewardes, and peruerted iudge∣ment. Then all the elders of Israel pathered them togyther and came to Samuel vnto Ra¦math, and sayd vnto hym / beholde, thou arte olde, and thy sonnes folowe not thy wayes. Now therfore make vs a kynge to iudge vs, as all other nacions haue. But that thyng dis∣pleased Samuel, when they sayde: Gyue vs a kyng to iudge vs. And Samuel prayed vnto [ B] the Lorde. And the Lorde sayd vnto Samuel, heare the voyce of the people in all that they saye vnto the. For they haue not caste the a∣waye, [ C] but me: that I sholde not raygne ouer them. And as they haue euer doone sithens I brought them out of Egypt vnto this daye, & haue forsaken me and serued other goddes, e∣uen so do they vnto the. Now therfore harken vnto theyr voyce / howe be it yet testifye vnto them, and shewe them the power of the kynge that shal raygne ouer them. And Samuel cold [] all the wordes of the Lorde vnto the people that asked a kynge of hym / and he sayde: this shall be the power of the kynge that shall rayne ouer you: he shall take your sonnes and put them to his charettes, and make his hors∣men of them / and they muste runne before his charet, and shal make him capitaynes of them ouer thousandes, and ouer hundredes, and wil

set them to eare his grounde / and to gather in his haruest, and to make ordinaunce of warre, and apparell for his charettes. And he wyll take your doughters & make them the dressers of his oyntmentes, & his cookes & bakers. And he shall take the best of your feldes / & of your vyneyardes, and of your olyue trees, and gyue them to his seruauntes. And he shall take the tenth of your seed, and of your vines, and giue it to his lordes, and to his seruauntes. And he shall take the best of your menseruauntes and maydseruauntes, and yonge men, and of your asses, and doo his worke with them. And he [ D] shall take the tenth of your shepe, and ye shall be his seruauntes. And when ye crye oute at that tyme vpon youre kynge whiche ye shall haue chosen vnto you, the Lord shal not heare you at that daye.

Neuerthelesse the people wolde not heare the voyce of Samuel, but dyd saye: naye not so: But there shall be a kynge ouer vs, and we wyll be lyke all other nacions. And oure kyng shall iudge vs, and go out before vs, and fight our battayles for vs. And Samuel herd all the wordes of the people, and rehersed thē in the eares of the Lorde. And the Lorde sayd to Samuel / harken vnto their voyce, & make them a kyng. Then sayd Samuel vnto y^e men of Israel, go euery man vnto his city.

¶ Saul the sonne of Cis seketh his fathers Asses and is chosen kynge.

CAPI. IX.

[ A] NOw there was a mā of BenIamin na∣med Cis, the sonne of Abiel, the sonne of Zeror, the sonne of Bechorah, the son of Aphiah, the sonne of a mā that was a Iemi∣nyte, a man of strengthe, the same had a sonne called Saul, a goodly yonge man, so y^t among the chyldren of Israel there was none good∣lyer then he / and was therto from the shoul∣ders vpwarde hyer then all the other people. And it chaunsed y^t the asses of this Cis Sauls father were strayed. Then sayde Cis to Saul his sonne / take one of the seruātes with the, & go thy waye and seke the asses. And they went thorow mount Ephraim, & thorow the lande of Salisa, and founde them not. Then they went thorowe the lande of Salim, and there they were not. Then they went also thorowe the land of Iemini, and they found them not. Then when they were come to the lande of Zuph, Saul sayd to the yonge man that was with him: come let vs returne, lest my father leaue carynge for the asses, and take thought for vs. And he answered him / beholde, there is in this citye a worshypfull man of God, and all that he sayth, commeth to passe. Now then let vs go thither / peraduenture he shal shewe vs what waye we may goo. Then sayd Saul to his seruaunt, yf we go, what shal we bring the man? For our breed is all spent out of our [ B] hampers, and there is none other presente to brynge the man of God, what haue we? And the yonge man answered to Saul agayne and sayde: I haue founde aboute me the fourthe parte of a sicle, that wyll we gyue the man of God to tell vs the waye.

Before tyme in Israel when a man went to seke an answere of God, thus wyse he spake / come and let vs go to the Sear. For he that is now called a Prophet, was in y^e olde time cal∣led a Sear. Then said Saul to his yong man, well said of the / come let vs goo. And so they went vnto y^e city where the man of God was. And as they were going vp in to the city, they met with damosels that came oute to drawe water, & said vnto them: is there here a Sear? And the maydens answered them / yea, beholde he goeth before you. Make haste now, for he came this day to the city, for the people must offre this day in y^e hye place. When ye be come into the city, incontinent ye shal fynde him, er he go vp to the hyl to eate / for the people wil not eate vntyll he come, bicause he must blesse the offerynge. And then eate they that be redye to the feast. Now therfore get you vp, for euen nowe shall ye fynde hym. And they wente vp in to the citye / and when they were come in to the myddes of the citye / behold Samuel came out agaynst thē, to go vp to the hye place. But [ C] the Lorde had tolde Samuel the daye before Saul came, sayinge: to morowe this tyme I wyll sende the a man out of the lande of Ben∣Iamin, hym shalte thou annoynte capitayne ouer my people Israel, that he maye saue my people from the hande of the Philistines / for I haue loked vpon my people / and their crye is come vnto me. When Samuel sawe Saul, the Lorde sayde to him: se, this is the man whom I spake to y^t of. This same shal raygne ouer my people.

Then went Saul to Samuel in the middle of the gate, and said / tell me I pray the where is the Sears house? And Samuel answered Saul, and sayd: I am the Sear, go vp before me vnto the hyll, for ye shall eare with me to daye. And to morow I wil let the go erly / and wil tel the all that is in thyne hert / and as con¦cerning thyne asses that were lost thre dayes a go, care not for them, for they are found. And [ D] moreouer who shall haue the beautifull thin∣ges of Israel? belonge they not to the, and vn¦to all thy fathers house? But Saul answered and said: am not I the sonne of a Ieminite of the smallest tribe of Israel, and my kinred the leest of all the kinredes of the tribe of BenIa¦min? wherfore then speakest thou so to me?

And Samuel toke Saul and his seruaunt and brought them in to the parlour and made them sytte in the chyefe place amonges them that were bydden / whiche were vpon a thir∣tye personnes. Then sayde Samuel vnto the cooke: Brynge forthe that mease whiche I gaue the, and of whiche I sayde, reserue this to an other tyme. And the cooke toke vp the shoulder and broughte it, and set it before Saul. And Samuel sayd: Behold, that is left set it before the, and eate / for I kepte it for the vnto this tyme, when I called the peo∣ple. And so Saul did eate with Samuel that daye. And whē they were come downe from y^e hyll in to the citye, Samuel communed with Saul in the gallerye: and they arose erly. And

about the sprynge of the daye Samuel called Saul in the galerye, saying / aryse that I may sende the awaye. And Saul arose. And they went out at the dores, bothe he and Samuel. And when they were come almost to the tow∣nes ende / Samuel sayd to Saul: byd thy ser∣uaunt go before vs, and he went / but stande thou styll a lytle space, that I maye shewe the what God sayth.

¶ Saul is anoynted kynge, and Prophesieth. Sa∣muel declareth the people theyr faute, in that they asked a kynge. God lende the kynge lyfe.

CAPI. X.

[ A] ANd then Samuel toke a boxe of oyle, and poured it vpon his heed, and kys∣sed hym and sayd: the Lorde hath an∣noynted the to be ruler ouer his inheritaunce. And now when thou arte departed frome me, thou shalte mete two men by Rachels se∣pulchre in the borders of BenIamin / euen at Zalezah. And they shal saye vnto the, the asses whiche thou wentest to seke, are rounde / but beholde thy father hathe lefte the care of the asses, and soroweth for you, saying: what shal I do for my sonne? Then thou shalt go forth thence and come to the oke of Thabor. And there shalt thou mete thre men going to God to Bethel / one caryenge thre kyddes, an o∣ther thre loues of breed / and the thyrde a bot∣tel of wyne. And they shall grete the, and giue the two loues of breed whiche thou shalte re∣ceyue [ B] of theyr handes. After this thou shalte come to the hylle of God, where the Phili∣stines kepe theyr watche. And when thou arte come thyther to the citye, thou shalte mere a companye of Prophetes commynge downe frome the hylle, with a psalter, a tymbrell, a pype, and a harpe before them / and they pro∣phesienge. And the spiryte of the Lorde shall rest vpon the, and thou shalte prophesie with theym, and shalte be tourned in to an other man. And when these signes are chaunsed the, then do what thou hast to do / for God is with the. And thou shalt also go before me to Gal∣gal. And beholde I wyll come vnto the / for thou shalte sacrifyce burnt sacrifyce and peax offerynges. Tarye for me seuen dayes, tyll I come and shew the what thou shalt do. And as sone as he had turned his shoulder to goo from Samuel, God gaue him an other maner of herte, and all those tokens toke effecte that same day. When they came to the hyl, beholde the companye of Prophetes met him, and the spirite of God came vpon him, and he pro∣phesied amonges them. And al that knew him before, when they sawe he prophesied among the prophetes, said eche to other: what is hap¦pened vnto the sonne of Cis? Is Saul also [ C] amonge the Prophetes? And one of the same place answered and sayde: who is theyr fa∣ther? And therof sprange a prouerbe: is Saul also among the Prophetes? And whē he had made an ende of prophesienge, he came to the hyll. Saules vncle sayd vnto him and his ser∣uaunt: whyther wente ye? And he answered: to seke the asses, and when we sawe them no where, we went to Samuel. Then said Sau∣les vncle: tell me what Samuel sayde vnto you. And Saul answered his vncle: he tolde vs the asses were founde. But of the kyng∣dome wherof Samuel spake, told he him not. After that Samuel called the people togither vnto the Lorde to Mazphah, and sayde vnto the chyldren of Israel: thus sayth the Lorde God of Israel: I brought you out of Egypt, and deliuered you forth of the hande of the E∣gyptians, and forth of the handes of all king∣domes y^t oppressed you. And ye haue this daye cast awaye your Lorde God that by him self holpe you out of al your aduersities and tribu¦lacions / and ye haue said vnto him: make a kyng ouer vs. Now therfore stande before the Lorde by youre tribes and youre houses. And [ D] when Samuel had brought all the trybes of Israel, the tribe of BenIamin was takē forth by lot. When he had brought the tribe of Ben¦Iamin by their kinredes, the lot fel vpon y^e kin¦rede of Metri / and so went y^e lot thorow vnto it came to Saul y^e son of Cis. And they sought him, but he could not be found. Then they as∣ked the Lorde further, whether the man shold come thither or no. And the Lorde answered / beholde, he hath hid him self among the stuffe. And they ran and fet him thence. And when he stode among the people, he was hyer then any of the people, frome the shoulders vpwarde. And Samuel sayde to all the people: se ye, whome the Lorde hathe chosen, and howe there is none lyke hym among all the compa∣nye. And the people shouted and sayde: God lende the kynge lyfe. [ E]

Then Samuel tolde the people the law of the realme, and wrote it in a boke / and layd it vp before the Lorde / and so sent all the people awaye, euery man to his house. And Saul also went home to Gabaah. And there went with him an hoste, suche as God had touched their hertes. But the children of vnthriftynesse said: how shall he saue vs? and despysed hym, and broughte hym not presentes. And he made as though he had not herde it.

¶ The people beinge delyuered frome the tyranny of Nahas, renueth the kyngdome of Saul.

CAPI. XI.

THen Nahas the Ammonyte came and [ A] besieged Iabes in Galaad. And all the people of Iabes sayde vnto Nahas: make a couenaunt with vs, and we wyll be thy seruauntes. And Nahas the Ammonyte sayde: to this wyll I make a couenaunt with you, euen to thruste oute all your ryght eyes, that I maye make all Israel ashamed of you. Then sayde the elders of Iabes: Gyue vs seuen dayes respyte, that we maye sende mes∣sengers vnto all the costes of Israel. And then yf there come no man to helpe vs, we wyll come oute to the. Then came the messengers to Gabaah where Saul dwelte, and tolde this tidynges in the eares of the people. And all the people lyfte vp their voyces and wept. [ B]

And beholde Saul came folowynge his oxen from the felde, and asked what ayled the peo∣ple to wepe. And they tolde him the tidynges of the men of Iabes. Then came the spiryte of God vpon Saul, when he herde those ty∣dynges, and he was excedyng angry. And toke a yoke of oxen and hewed them in peces, and sent them thorowe oute all the coostes of Is∣rael by the handes of messengers, saying: who so euer commeth not forth after Saul and af∣ter [ C] Samuel, so shall his oxen be serued. Then the feare of the Lorde fell on the people, and they came out as it had ben but one man. And when they were nombred in Bezek, the chyl∣dren of Israel were thre hundred thousande / and the men of Iuda thirtye thousande. And they sayde vnto the messengers that came: so saye vnto the men of Iabes in Galaad: to morowe by that tyme the sonne be hoote, ye shal haue helpe. And the messengers came and shewed the men of Iabes, and they were glad. And then the men of Iabes said / to morow we wil come out vnto you, that ye may doo with vs al y^t pleaseth you. And on the morow Saul put the people in thre partes. And they came in vpon the hoste in the morning watche, & slewe the Ammonites tyll the heat of the daye. And they that remayned, scattered: so that two of [ D] them were not lefte togyther. Then sayde the people to Samuel: what are they that sayde, shall Saul raygne ouer vs? brynge them that we maye slee them. But Saul sayd there shal no man dye this daye / for 10 daye the Lorde hath saued Israel.

Then sayd Samuel vnto his people: come and lette vs goo to Galgall, and renewe the kyngdome there. And the people went to Gal¦gall, and made Saul kynge there before the Lorde in Galgall. And there t••ey off••red peax offerynges be••ore the Lorde. And there Saul and all the people reioysed hyghly.

¶ Samuel being an innocēt Iudge (the people them selues to witnesse) argueth the people of vnkyndnes because they demaunded a kynge. Him that repen∣teth and beleueth, God forgyueth, because of his promyse.

CAPI. XII.

[ A] THen sayd Samuel vnto all Israel / be∣holde, I haue obeyed youre voyce in all ye sayd vnto me, and haue made you a kynge. And loo, youre kynge goeth before you. But I am olde and greye headed: and be∣holde, my sonnes are with you, and I haue lyued amonges you from my chyldhode vnto this daye. Beholde, here I am: answere me before the Lorde, and before his annoynted / whose oxe haue I taken? or whose asse haue I taken? whome haue I doone wronge to? or whome haue I pylled? And of whose ••ande haue I receyued anye brybe to blynde myne eyes therwith? and I wyll restore 〈◊〉〈◊〉 you a∣gayne. And they sayde, thou haste doon•• vs no wronge, nor pylled vs / ••••••••her ••ast thou taken oughte of any mannes hande. Then sayde he to them: the Lorde is wytnesse vnto you, and his annoynted is wytnesse this daye, that ye haue founde noughte in my handes. And they answered: we are witnesses. Then sayde Sa∣muel [ B] vnto the people / it is the Lordeφ that made Moses and Aaron, whiche brought your fathers oute of Egypte. Now therfore stande styll / and lette me reason with you before the Lorde, of all the mercyes of the Lorde, which he shewed bothe vnto you and youre fathers. After that Iacob was come in to Egypt, your fathers cryed vnto the Lorde, and the Lorde sent Moses and Aaron, and brought your fa∣thers oute of Egypte, and made them dwell in this place. Neuerthelesse they forgate the Lorde theyr God. And he solde them in to the hande of Sisara chyefe capitayne of Iabin kynge of Hazor, and in to the handes of the Philistines, and in to the handes of the kynge of Moab whiche fought agaynst them. Then they cryed vnto the Lorde and sayd: we haue synned, bycause we haue forsaken the Lorde, and haue serued Baalim and Astharoth. But [ C] nowe delyuer vs oute of the handes of oure ennemyes, and we wyll serue the. And the Lorde sente Ierobaalφ Badan, Iephthah, and Samuel, and delyuered you oute of the han∣des of youre ennemyes on euery syde, so that ye dwelled withoute feare. And for all this when you sawe that Nahas the kynge of the chyldren of Ammon came agaynst you, ye said vnto me: not so, a kynge shal raygne ouer vs, when yet the Lord your God was your king. Now therfore beholde the king whom ye haue chosen, and whome ye haue desyred: se / the Lorde hathe gyuen you a kynge, Oh that he wolde feare the Lorde and serue him, & heare his voyce, and not disobeye the mouthe of the Lorde: and that bothe ye and the kynge that raygneth ouer you wolde folowe the Lorde youre God. For yf ye shall not harken vnto the voyce of the Lorde, but shall disobeye the Lordes mouthe / then shall the hande of the Lord be vpon you, and on your fathers. Now also stande and se this greate thynge whiche the Lorde wyll do before youre eyes: is it not [ D] nowe where haruest? And yet for all that, I wil call vnto the Lorde, and he shal send thun¦der and rayne. Wherby perceyue and vnder∣stande, how that youre wyckednesse is greate, whiche ye haue done in the sight of the Lord, in askynge you a kynge. And when Samuel called vnto the Lorde, the Lorde sente thun∣der and rayne the same daye. And all the peo∣ple feared the Lorde and Samuel excedyng∣lye. Then sayd all the people vnto Samuel: praye for thy seruauntes vnto the Lorde thy God, that we dye not: for we haue synned in askynge vs a kynge, besyde all the synnes that euer we dyd.

Then sayd Samuel vnto the people: feare not. And thoughe ye haue doone all this wyc∣kednesse, yet depart not from the Lorde in any case: But serue hym with all youre hertes. Neyther turne ye after vayne thynges whiche shall not profyte you nor be hable to delyuer you, for they are but vanities. And the Lorde wyll not forsake his people, bycause of his greate names sake: bycause the Lorde hathe

begonne to make you his people. Moreouer God forbyd that I sholde synne agaynste the Lorde in leauynge prayinge for you, and to shewe you the good and ryghte waye. Onely feare you the Lorde and serue hym truly with all your hertes: for lo, he hathe doone greate thynges for you. But yf ye shall doo wicked∣lye, then shall bothe ye and youre kynge pe∣rysshe.

¶ The Philistines are smytten of Saul and Io∣nathas. Saul beynge dysobedient to Goddes com∣maundement is shewed of Samuel that he shall not raygne.

CAPI. XIII.

[ A] IT was nowe an hole yere after that Saul had begon to raygne. And when he hadde rayned two yeres ouer Israel, he chose him thre thousande men out of Israel. Two thou∣sande were with Saul in Machmas & mount Bethell / and a thousande with Ionathas in Gabaah / BenIamin. And the rest of the peo∣ple he sente home, euerye man to his house. So Ionathas slew the Philistines in an hold that they had in Gabaah / and it came to the Philistines eares. And Saul caused the trom∣pet to be blowen thorowe oute all the lande, saying / let y^e Ebrues heare. And all Israel herd saye how that Saul had destroyed an holde of the Philistines, and that Israel stanke afore y^e Philistines. And all the people cryed after Saul to Galgal.

Then the Philistines gathered them sel∣ues togyther to fyghte with Israel, thyrtye thousande charettes, and sixe thousande horse men, with other people lyke the sand by the [ B] sees syde in multitude / and came vp and pit∣ched in Machmas eastwarde from Bethauen. And when the men of Israel saw them selues in a strayte / and that the people were discom∣forted, they hyd them selues in caues, in pre∣uye holes, in rockes, dennes, and pyttes. And the Ebrues went ouer Iordan vnto the lande of Gad and Galaad. But Saul was yet in Galgal / and all the people that folowed him were dismayed. And he taryed seuen dayes, as Samuel had appoynted. But Samuel came not to Galgal / and the people scattered from hym. Wherfore Saul sayd / brynge me burnte sacrifyce, and peax offerynges. And he offered burnt sacrifyce. And as soone as he had ended his burnt offerynges / beholde Samuel came. And Saul wente agaynste him to grete hym. Then sayde Samuel to Saul: what haste thou doone? And Saul sayde, bycause I sawe that the people scattered frome me / and that thou camest not within the dayes appoynted / [ C] and that the Philistines gathered theym sel∣ues togyther to Machmas: then sayd I, the Philistines shal come down vpon me to Gal∣gal er I haue made my prayer vnto the Lord. And therfore when they enforced me, I offe∣red burnte offerynges. Then sayde Samuel to Saul / thou haste doone folysshly, and hast not kepte the commaundement of the Lorde thy God, whiche he commaunded the / whiche thynge yf thou haddest not doone at this time wolde the Lorde haue stablysshed thy kyng∣dome vpon Israel for euer. But nowe thy kyngdome shall neuer florysshe agayne. The Lorde hath sought him a man after his owne hert, and hath commaunded him to be a capi∣tayne ouer his people / bycause thou haste not kepte that the Lorde commaunded the. And Samuel arose and gat him frome Galgal to Gabaah BenIamin. And Saul nombred the people that were founde with him, aboute a sixe hundred men. And Saul and Ionathas his sonne, and the people that were founde with them, hadde theyr abydynge in Gabaah BenIamin. But the Philistines had pytched [ D] in Machmas. And there came out of the hoste of the Philistines thre companyes, to destroy / one company turned vnto the waye that lea∣deth to Ephrah vnto the lande of Saul / an¦other company turned the way to Bethoron / and the thyrde companye turned to the waye of the coste that turneth to the valeye of Ze∣boim towarde the wildernesse. But there was no smyth thorowe out all the lande of Israel. For the Philistines were ware that y^e Ebrues sholde not make them selues neither swerdes nor speres. And therfore muste all Israel goe downe to the Philistines to mende euerye man his share, his mattocke, his axe, or his sickle / as ofte as the edges of the sickles, mat∣tockes, dongforkes, and axes were blunt, and muste be had vnto the stechye to be amended. And so in tyme of battayle, there was ney∣ther swerde nor spere founde in the handes of anye of the people that were with Saul and Ionathas: saue for Saul and Ionathas his sonne was there somwhat found. And the ar∣mye of the Philistines came out and stode on the other side before Machmas.

¶ Ionathas companyed with his esquyre putteth the Philistines to flight. He tasteth the hony which his father vnknowing to him, had forbidden the ho∣le host, for which he shulde haue bene slayne, but the people deliuered him.

CAPI. XIIII.

ANd it fell on a daye that Ionathas the sonne of Saul sayde vnto his younge [ A] man that bare his harnesse / come and let vs goo ouer to the watche men of the Phi∣listines that are yonder on the other syde, and tolde not his father. But Saul taryed in the vttermoste parte of Gabaah vnder a pome∣garnet tree that was in Magron / and the peo¦ple that were with him were aboute sixe hun∣dred men. And Ahiah the sonne of Ahitob Ie∣habodes brother, the sonne of Phinehes, the sonne of Heli was the Lordes preest in Siloh and bare an Ephod. But the people wyste not that Ionathas was gone.

And in the way by which Ionathas sought to goo ouer vnto the garrison of the Philisti∣nes, were there two sharpe rockes, thone on the one syde, and an other on the other syde: the one called Bozez, and y^e other Seneb. And the one leaneth northwarde towarde Mach∣mas,

and the other southwarde towarde Ga∣baah. Then sayde Ionathas to the younge man his harneysberer: come and let vs go o∣uer vnto the standyng of these vncircumcised, paraduenture the Lorde wil worke with vs: for the Lord is hable to saue eyther with ma∣nye or with fewe. And his harneysberer sayd vnto him do all that is in thine herte: set the forwarde: & se, I am with the, as thine herte lusteth. Then sayd Ionathas: beholde, whē we go ouer vnto the men, and shewe oure sel∣ues vnto them: yf they saye on this wyse to vs: tarye tyll we come to you, then we wyll stand styll where we be and not goo vp vnto them. But yf they so saye vnto vs: come hy∣ther vnto vs, then we will goo vp, for the Lorde hath delyuered them into our handes. And this shall be a signe vnto vs. And when they had both shewed theym selues vnto the garrison of the Philistines, the Philistines sayde: se, the Hebrewes come oute of the ho∣les were they had hyd them selues in. And the men of the garrison answered Ionathas and his harnesbearer and sayde: come vp to vs, & we will shewe you a thinge. Then sayde Io∣nathas vnto his harnesberer: come after me, for the Lorde hath delyuered them into y^e han∣des of Israell. And Ionathas clame vpon hā¦des and fete, and his harnesberer after him. Then they fell before Ionathas: and his har¦nesberer slewe them after him. And the firste slaughter which Ionathas and his harnesbe∣rer made, was vpon a twenty men, within y^e compasse as it were aboute an halfe aker of [ C] lande. And there was a feare in the hoste that was in the felde, and amonge all the people: in so moche that they that kept the holde, and they that were gone to robbe, were afrayd al∣so: and the earth trymbled, and there was a feare sente of God. And the watche men of Saul in Gabaah BenIamin, sawe. And be∣holde, the people scatered and ran hyther and thyther. Then sayde Saul vnto the people y^t was with him: nōbre & se who is gone away frome vs. And when they had tolde: behold, Ionathas & his harnesbearer were not there. And then Saul sayde vnto Ahia: bringe hy∣ther the Arcke of God. For the arcke of God was at that tyme with the children of Israel. And whyle Saul talked vnto the preaste, a lowde skremysshe beganne in the host of the Philistines, and it encreased and was harde with a great noyse, And Saul sayde vnto the preast: withdrawe thyne hande. And Saul assembled all the people that were with him, and went to the holde. And se, euery mannes swerde was against his felowe, & there was great slaughter done. Moreouer the Ebrewes that were with the Philistines before y^e tyme, and were come with them in all partes of the host, turned to the children of Israell that were with Saul and Ionathas. And they al∣so which had hyd them selues in moūt Ephra¦im, hearinge that the Philistines were fled, [ D] put them selues in preace with Sauls men, & pursued the Philistines, and so God holpe Is¦raell that daye. And the battayle continued tyll they came to Bethauen. And the men of Israell ioyned them selues togither that day: and Saul adiured the people sayeng: Cursed be he that eateth any fode vntyll nyght, that I maye be auenged of myne ennemyes. And so there was none of the people that tasted any fode. And all the land came to a wood, where hony laye vpon the grounde. And when the people were come into the wod: Beholde, y^e hony dropped. Howe be it there was no man that moued his hande to his mouth, because that the people feared the cursse. But Iona∣thas herde not when his father adiured the people, wherfore he put forth the ende of the staffe that was in his hand and dypte it in an hony combe, and put his hande to his mouth and forthwith his eyen receyued their old ver¦tue and courage. Then spake one of the peo∣ple and sayde: thy father adiured the people, sayenge: Cursed be the man that eateth any fode this daye, and yet the people were faynt Then sayde Ionathas: my father hath trou∣bled the lande: for beholde my eyen haue re∣couered their power and strength, because I tasted a lytle of this hony: how then yf all y^e people had eaten of the spoyle of their enne∣myes which they founde, had there not bene then a moche greatter slaughter amonge the Philistines? And they layde on the Philisti∣nes [ E] that daye, frome Machmas to Aialon. But the people were excedynge fayntie.

Then the people gat them to the spoyle, & toke shepe oxen and calues, and slewe theym on the grounde, and dyd eate with the bloud. Then men tolde Saul, sayenge: Beholde y^e people synne against the Lorde, in that they eate with the bloude. And he sayde: ye haue trespased, But rowle a greate stone vnto me now, and go abrode amonge the people and byd them brynge euery man his oxe, and eue∣ry man his shepe, and slay them here, & synne not againste the Lorde / in eatynge with the bloude. And the people broughte euery man his oxe in his hande by nyght and slewe them there. And Saul made an aultare vnto the Lorde, And that was the first aultare that he made vnto the Lorde. And Saul sayde: Let vs go downe after the Philistines by nyghte / and let vs make hauoke amonge them tyll it be daye in the mornyng, and let vs not leaue one of them. And the people aunswered, doo whatsoeuer thou thinkest best. Then sayde y^e preaste: Let vs come hyther vnto God. And Saul asked of God: Shall I goo downe af∣ter the Philistines? and wylt thou gyue them [ F] into myne handes? But he answered him not at that tyme. Then sayde Saul, let the peo∣ple come hyther out of all quarters, & knowe and se, in whome this synne is chaunced this daye: for as truly as the Lorde lyueth, whi∣che hath saued Israell, thoughe it be in Io∣nathas my sonne, he shall dye for it. But no man answered him of all the people.

Then he sayde vnto all Israell: Be ye on one syde, and I and Ionathas my sonne wyll be on an other. And the people sayde vnto Saul: What thou thinkest best that do. And Saul sayde vnto the Lorde God of Israell: gyue perfect knowledge. And Saul and Io∣nathas

were apprehended by the lotte, and the people escaped free. Then sayde Saul: caste lottes betwene me and Ionathas my [ G] sonne & Ionathas was taken by the lot. Then Saul sayde to Ionathas: tell me what thou hast done. And Ionathas told him and sayd: I tasted a lytle honye vpon the ende of my staffe that was in myne hande, and se, I must dye.

Then sayde Saul God deale so and so with me, but yf thou dye Ionathas. But the people sayde vnto Saul: shall Ionathas dye whiche hath so myghtely holpe Israel? God forbyd, As trulye as the Lorde lyueth, there shal not one heare of his hed fal to the groūd: for he hathe wroughte with God this daye. And so the people delyuered Ionathas, that he dyed not. And then Saul ceased from folo∣wynge the Philistines. And the Philistines retourned to theyr owne place. And so Saul toke the kyngdome ouer Israell, and foughte against all his enemyes on euery syde: against the Moabites: againste the children of Am∣mon: against the Edomites: against the kyn∣ges of Zobah, and against the Philistines. And whether so euer he turned him self, there he wanne, and demeaned him selfe valiaunt∣ly, and slewe the Amaleckites, and ryd Isra∣ell oute of the handes of theym that spoyled them. The sonnes of Saul were Ionathas, Iesui, and Melchisua. And his two doughters were thus named: the elder Merob, and the younger Michol. And the name of Saules wyfe was ••hinoam, the doughter of Ahima∣az. And the name of his chief capitayne was Abner the sonne of Net Saules vncle. And Cis was Saules father. And Ner the fa∣ther of Abner was the sonne of Abiel. And there was sore warre with the Philistines, al the dayes of Saul. For where so euer Saul sawe a stronge man, and an actiue, he toke him vnto him.

¶ Saul is commaunded to sley Amaleck. He is dis∣obedient to the voyce of God, and saueth the spoyle for whiche the Lorde forsaketh him. Samuel mour∣neth for Saul.

CAPI. XV.

THen sayde Samuel vnto Saul: y^e Lord sent me to annoynt the, kynge ouer his people Israell. Nowe therfore obeye thou the voyce of the wordes of the Lorde. Thus sayth the Lorde of hostes: I haue cal∣led to remembraunce all that euer Amalecke hath done to Israel how they laye in wayte for th••m in the waye, as they came out of E∣gypte. Now therfore go and smyte the Ama∣leckites, and destroye ye only all that pertay∣neth vnto them, and se thou haue no compas∣sion on them. But slay man and woman, in∣t••nt and suckinge, oxe, shepe, c••••ell, & Asse. And Saul assembled the people and nombred them in Tel••im two hundred thousande fote men, and ten thousande men of Iuda. And Saul came vnto a cy••e of the Am••leckites, & fought in a valey. But Saul sayd vnto y^e Ke∣••••es: go & depart & get ye away from the Ama¦leckites, leest I destroy you with them for ye shewed mercy to Israell when they came out of Egypte. And the Kenites departed frome the Amaleckites. And Saul slewe the Ama∣leckites [ B] frome Heuila to Sur that lyeth be∣fore Egypte, and toke Agag the kynge of the Amaleckites a lyue, and vtterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the swerde. But Saul and the people spared Agag, and they left of the shepe and of the oxen and fat thin∣ges and the lambes and all that was good, & wolde not destroye theym. But all that was nought worth and flaggye, that they destroy∣ed vtterly. Then came the worde of the Lord vnto Samuel, sayeng: it forthinked me that I haue made Saul kynge. For he is turned frome me and hath not fulfilled my commaū¦dementes, [ C] wherfore Samuel was euyl apayd and cryed vnto the Lorde all nyght. And Sa¦muel arose earely, to mete Saul in the mor∣nynge. And it was tolde Samuel that Saul was come to Carmel, and hadde set him vp a pyller of triumphe. And was turned and de∣parted and gone to Galgal.

And when Samuel was come to Saul, Saul sayde vnto him: Blessed be thou in the Lorde. I haue done the commaundement of y^e Lorde. And Samuel answered: What mea∣neth [ D] then the bleatinge of the shepe in myne eares, and the noyse of the oxē which I heare? And Saul sayde: they haue brought theym frome the Amaleckites. For the people spared the best of the shepe and of the oxen, to sacri∣fice vnto the Lorde thy God. And the rest we haue destroyed. But Samuel sayde to Saul: cease, and let me tell the what the Lord hath sayde to me this nyghte. And he sayde vnto hym: saye on. And Samuel sayd, when thou were lytle in thyne own sight, wert thou not made the heed of the trybes of Israell? And y^e Lorde annoynted the, kyng ouer Israel. And then the Lorde sent the on a viage, and sayde vnto the, se thou vtterlye destroye those syn∣ners the Amaleckites and fight against them, tyll ye haue vtterly destroyed them, wherfore [ E] then hast thou nowe not obeyed the voyce of the Lorde: But dydest turne to the praye and hast wrought wyckednesse in the sighte of the Lorde?

And Saul sayde vnto Samuel: I haue o∣beyed the voyce of the Lorde, and wente the waye which the Lord sent me, & haue brought Agag the kynge of the Amaleckites. And haue vtterlye destroyed the Amaleckites. And the people toke of the spoyle, shepe, oxen, and the che••est of the thinges which shuld haue bene destroyed, to offer vnto the Lorde thy God in Galgal. Then sayde Samuel, requireth the Lorde burnt sacrifices and offeringes, and not rather that thou shuldest obaye his voyce? Beholde, to obaye is better then offering, and to gyue hyde, is better, then the f••t of Ram∣mes. For rebellyousnesse is as the synne of wytchecraft: and stubburnesse is wyckednesse and Idolatrye. Because therfore thou hast cast awaye the worde of the Lorde / therfore hath the Lorde cast awaye the also / frome beynge kynge. Then sayde Saul to Samuel: I haue

synned, for I haue offended the mouthe of the Lorde, and thy wordes, because I feared the people and they obayed theyr voyce. But now take awaye my synne, and turne agayne with me, that I maye worshype the Lorde. Then sayd Samuel vnto Saul: I wyl not returne with the: for thou hast cast awaye the com∣maundement of God, and therfore the Lorde hath cast awaye the also, that thou shalte not be Kynge ouer Israel. And as Samuel tur∣ned to goo awaye, he caught the lappe of his roote, and it rente. Then Samuel sayde, the Lorde hath rent the Kyngdome of Israel frō this daye, and hath gyuen it to a neyghboure of thyne that is better then thou. And therto, he that gyueth vyctorye to Israell, will not beguyle nor repent, for he is not a man, that can repente. Then he sayde: I haue synned. But yet honoure me before the elders of my people, and before Israell, and turne agayne with me, that I maye praye vnto the Lorde thy God. And Samuel turned agayn & folo∣wed Saul. And Saul prayd vnto y^e Lord. Thē [ G] sayde Samuel: Bringe ye hyther to me Agag the kyng of the Amaleckites. And Agag came vnto him delicatly. And Agag sayde: truely y^e bytternesse of death commeth on. And Samu∣el sayde: As thy swerde hath made wemē child lesse, so shall thy mother be childlesse amonge other wemen. And so Samuel hewed Agag in peces before the Lorde in Galgal. And thē Samuel departed to Ramath. And Saul wēt home to his house to Gabaah Saul. But Sa¦muel came no more to se Saul tyll the day of his deathe. Neuerthelesse Samuel mourned for Saul, because the Lorde repented that he had made him kynge ouer Israell.

¶ Dauid is anoynted kinge: and receyueth the ho∣ly ghost. An euyll spirite commeth vpon Saul whi∣che departeth when Dauid playeth.

CAPI. XVI.

ANd then the Lorde sayd vnto Samu∣el: [ A] How longe wilt thou mourne for Saul sythens I haue caste him awaye frome raygnynge ouer Israel? fyll an horne with oyntmente, and come: I will sende the to Isai the Bethlehemite, for I haue espyed me a kynge amonge his sonnes. But Samu∣el answered: how shall I go? For Saul shal heare it and will kyll me. And the Lord sayd: Take an heyfer with the, and say, thou goest to offer to the Lorde. And call Isai to the of∣frynge, and I wil shewe the what thou shalt do: And thou shalte annoynte him, whome I shall assigne the. And Samuel dyd as y^e Lord bad him. And when he came to Bethlehem, y^e elders of the towne were astonyed at his com¦mynge, and sayd: Betokeneth thy comming [ B] peax? and he sayde yea, for I am come to of∣fer vnto the Lorde. Clense your selues and come with me to the offringe. And he purified Isai and his sonnes, and bad them to the of∣fring. And when they were come he loked on Eliab and sayd: the Lordes annointed is be∣fore him. But the Lorde sayde vnto Samuel Loke not on his facyon nor on the heyght of his stature, for I haue refused him. Because it is not as man seeth. For man loketh on the outwarde apperaunce: but the Lorde behol∣deth the herte. Then Isai called Abinadab, & made him come before Samuel. And he sayd: Neyther hathe the Lorde chosen this. Then Isai made Samah come, and he sayde: ney∣ther yet hathe the Lorde chosen this. Then made Isai seuen of his sonnes come before Sa¦muel. And Samuel sayd, the Lorde hath cho¦sen none of these.

Then sayde Samuel to Isai: Are here all thy children? And he sayde: The youngest is [ C] yet behynde: Beholde, he kepeth the shepe. Then Samuel sayde vnto Isai: sende and fet him for we will not sit downe to meat tyll he be come hyther. And he sent and brought him in. And he was ruddy and a goodly creature of makynge, and of a plesaunt countenaunce. And then the Lorde sayde aryse and annoynt him: for this is he. And Samuel toke y^e horne with the oyntement and annoynted him in y^e presens of his brethren. And the spyrite of y^e Lorde came vpon Dauid, from that daye for∣warde. Then Samuel arose vp and went to Ramath. But the spirite of the Lorde depar∣ted frome Saul, and an euyll spryte sent of y^e Lorde, vexed him. Then sayde his seruaūtes vnto him: Behold, an euyll spryte sent of God vexeth the, let our Lorde therfore cōmaunde his seruauntes to seke a mā that is a conning player with an harpe. And then when the euil spirite sent of God, cōmeth vpon the, he may playe with his hand, and thou shalt be eased. And Saul sayde vnto his seruaūtes: seke me [ D] a man that can well playe, and bringe him to me. Then aunswered one of his seruauntes & sayde: Beholde, I haue sene a sonne of Isai the Bethlehemite, that can playe vpon instru¦mentes, and is an actiue felow, and a man of warre, and wyse, and well made, & the Lord is with him, whervpon Saul sent messengers vnto Isai, and sayde: Sende me Dauid thy sonne which is with the shepe. And Isai toke an asse laden with bred, and a flacket of wyne and a kydde, and sente theym by Dauid his sonne vnto Saul. And Dauid went to Saul, and came before him, and he loued him very well, so that he was made his page. And Saul sente to Isai, sayenge: Let Dauid re∣mayne with me, for he hath founde fauour in my sight. And when the spirite of God came vpon Saul, Dauid toke an harpe and played with his hande, and so Saul was refresshed / and dyd amende, and the euyll spirite depar∣ted frome him.

¶ The battayle of the Philistines agaynste Israel. Lyttell Dauid ouercommeth great Goliath.

CAPI. XVII.

THe Philistines gathered their hoste to [ A] battayle, and assembled at Socoh in Iu¦da, and pytched betwene Socoh and Azekah, in the ende of Domini. And Saul and the men of Israell came and pytched in Ocke∣dale,

and put them selues in araye, to fyghte agaynste the Philistines. And the Philistines stode on an hyl on the one syde, and Israel on an hyl on the other syde, and a baley betwene them. And then came a man and stode in the myddes, oute of the tentes of the Philistines named Goliath, of Geth syxe cubites and an handbredth long, and had an helmet of brasse vpon his heed, and a coote of mayle aboute him. And the weyght of his coote of mayle was fyue thousande sycles of brasse. And he hadde harnesse of brasse vpon his legges, and a shylde of brasse vpon his shoulders. And the shaft of his spere was lyke a weuers beame. And his spere heed wayed syxe hundred sycles of yron. And one bearynge a shylde went be∣fore him.

And he stode and called vnto the hoste of Israel, and sayde vnto them: what neadeth that ye shuld come out in araye to battayle? am not I a Philistine, and you seruauntes to Saule? chose you a man, and lett hym come downe to me, yf he be hable to fight with me and to beate me, then we wyll be youre ser∣uantes. But if I can ouercom hym and beate hym: ye shall be our seruantes and serue vs. [ B] And the Philistine sayde: I haue defyed the hoste of Israel this daye, gyue me a man and let vs fyght to gyther. When Saul and al Is∣rael herd those wordes of the Philistine, they were di••couraged and greately afrayed. Now Dauid was y^e son of an Ephrathite of Beth∣lehem Iuda, named Isai, whiche Isai hadde eyghte sonnes. And was an olde man in the dayes of Saule amonge the people. And the thre eldeste sonnes of Isai went and folowed Saul to battayle. And the names of his thre sonnes that went to battayle, were: Eliab y^e eldest, and the mydlemost Abinadab, and the thyrde Samah, and Dauid was the youngest. And when y^e thre eldest were gone after Saul, Dauid went and departed from Saul, to kepe his fathers shepe at Bethlehem. And the Phi¦listine came forthe euery mornynge and eue∣nynge, and continued thus fourtye dayes. And Isai sayde vnto Dauid his sonne: take for thy brethren this Epha of patched corne, and these ten loues, and run to the host to thy brethren, and carye these ten fresshe cheses vn¦to the capitayne / and loke how thy brethren fare, and fet out their pledges. And Saul and they and al the men of Israel were in oke va¦leye fyghtyng with the Philistines. And Da∣uid arose vp erlye in the mornynge, and lefte the shepe with a keper, and toke and went as Isai had commaunded him, and came where [ C] the hoste laye. And the hoste was goyinge out in acaye, & shouted in y^e batayle / for Israell & the Philistines had put them selues in araye, the one agaynst the other. Then Dauid put y^e panier from him, vnto the handes of the keper of the vessels, and ranne in to the host & came and greted his brethrē. And as he talked with them. Beholde, there stode a mā in the middes Goliath the Philistyne, by name, of Geth / whiche came out of the araye of the Philisti∣nes, and spake in the maner aboue rehersed, that Dauid herde it. And all the men of Israel when they sawe the man, ranne awaye from him, and were sore afrayde. And euery man of Israel sayd: Se ye this mā that is come forth euen to reuyle Israel is he come. And to hym that beateth him wyll the kyng gyue great ri¦ches, and wil gyue hym his doughter therto: yea and make his fathers house fre in Israel. Then spake Dauid to the men that stode by and sayde: What shall the man haue that beateth this Philistine and taketh awaye the shame frome Israel? for what is this vncir∣cumcysed Philistine, that he shuld reuyle the [ D] hoste of the lyuynge God? And the people an¦swered as is rehersed, sayenge: thus shall he be rewarded that canne vaynquyshe him. And Eliab his eldeste brother herde when he spake vnto the men, and was angrye with Dauid & sayde: Why cameste thou awaye? and with whome hast thou left those fewe shepe in the wildernesse? I knowe thy pryde and the ma∣lice of thyne herte, that thou arte come to fe¦the battel. And Dauid answered, what haue I now done? is there any more saue a worde? And departed frome him into an other fronte, and spake in the same maner, and the people aunswered him agayne, as before. And they that herde the wordes which Dauid spake, re∣hersed them before Saul, whiche caused hym to be fet. And Dauid sayde to Saul: Let no mans herte faynt, for drede of him. Thy ser∣uaunt will go and fight with this Philistine. And Saul sayde to Dauid agayne, thou arte not hable to go vnto this Philistine, to fight with him. For thou arte but a childe, and he hath bene a man of warre euē from his youth. Then sayde Dauid vnto Saul, as thy seruāt kept his fathers shepe, there came a Lyon, & lykewyse a Beare, and toke a shepe out of the [ E] flocke. And I went out after him, and smote him and toke it out of his mouth. And when he arose against me, I caught him by y^e bearde and smote him, and slewe him. For bothe a Lyon and also a Beare hathe thy seruaunte slayne. And this vncircumcysed Philistine [ E] shalbe as one of them, for his raylinge on the hoste of the lyuynge God. And Dauid spake moreouer, the Lorde that delyuered me oute of the handes of the Lyon and out of the han¦des of the Beare, shall delyuer me also out of the handes of the Philistine.

Then sayde Saul to Dauid goo, and the Lorde be with the. And Saul put his raymēt vpon Dauid, and put an helmet of brasse vpō his heed, and put a coote of mayle vpon him, and gyrded Dauid with his owne swerde vpō his rayment. And he assayed howe he coulde go, for he neuer proued it. Then sayde Dauid vnto Saul: I can not go in these, for I haue not bene vsed therto, and put them of him. I toke his staffe in his hand, and chose him fyue smothe stones oute of a broke, and put theym in a shepeherdes bagge whiche he hadde, and toke his slynge in his hande, and went to the Philistine.

And the Philistine came and d••ue nere to Dauid, with the man that bare a shylde be∣fore

hym. And when the Philistine loked and sawe Dauid: he disdayned him, for he was but a younglynge, roudye and goodly to loke vpon. And the Philistine sayde vnto Dauid: [ F] am I a dogge, that thou commest to me with a staffe? and he cursed Dauid in the name of his Godes. And he sayd to Dauid: come to me & I wyll gyue thy fleshe vnto the fowles of y^e ayre, and to the beastes of the feld. Then sayd Dauid to the Philistine: thou commest to me with a swerde a speare and a shilde: But I come to the, in the name of the Lorde of ho∣stes, the God of the hoste of Israel on whom thou haste rayled. This daye shall the Lorde gyue the into my hande, and I shall smyte the and take thyne hed frome the, and I wil giue the carkases of the host of the Philistines this daye vnto the fowles of the ayre, and to the beastes of the earth, and all the worlde shall knowe, that there is a God in Israel, And all this companye shall knowe, that the Lorde saueth not with the swerde and speare. For the battayle is the Lordes, and he shall gyue you in to our handes.

And when the Philistine arose and came and drewe nygh vnto Dauid, Dauid hasted & ranne to fyght agaynste the Philistine. And Dauid put his hand in his poke and toke out a stone and slange it, and smote the Philistine in his forhed that the stone sonke in to his for [ G] hed, and he fell grouelynge to the earth. And so Dauid ouercam the Philistine with a sling and a stone, and smote the Philistine and slew him. And because Dauid had no swerde in his hande, he ran and stode vpon the Philistine, & toke his swerde and drewe it out of his shethe and slewe him and cut of his hed therwith. And when the Philistines sawe their champi∣on deed, they fled. And the men of Israel and of Iuda arose and showted and folowed af∣ter the Philistines, tyll they came to the va∣leye and vnto the gates of Akaron. And the Philistines fell downe deed by the waye to Samraim euen vnto Geth and Akaron. And then the children of Israel returned from cha∣singe after the Philistines, and spoyled their tentes. And Dauid toke the hed of the Phili∣stine, and broughte it to Ierusalem: But he put his armoure in his tent. But when Saul saw Dauid issue forth againste the Philistine, he sayd vnto Abner the capitayne of his host: Abner, whose sonne is this yonge man? And Abner aunswered, as truely as thy soule ly∣ueth, O kynge, I can not tell. Then sayde y^e kynge: Enquere thou, yf he be some noble mans sonne. And so when Dauid was retur∣ned frome the slaughter of the Philistine, Ab∣ner toke him and broughte him before Saul, with the heed of the Philistine in his hande. And Saul sayde vnto him: Whose sonne arte thou, thou young man? And Dauid aunswe∣red the sonne of thy seruaunte Isai the Beth∣lehemite.

¶ The ••onde betwene Dauid and Ionathas. Saul goeth about to s••ee Dauid. Dauid marieth Mi••hol the daughter of Saul.

CAPI. XVIII.

ANd when he had made an ende of spea¦kynge [ A] vnto Saul, the soule of Iona∣thas was knyt with the soule of Da∣uid. In so moche, that he loued him, as his owne sowle. And Saul toke him that daye & wold let him go no more home to his fathers house. And Ionathas and Dauid bound them selues the one to the other, for Ionathas lo∣ued him as his owne lyfe. And Ionathas put of his owne cote that was vpon him, & gaue it Dauid, and therto his mantle, his swerde, his bowe, and his gyrdle. And Dauid went out to all that Saul sent him, and behaued him selfe wysely. And whē Saul had set him [ B] ouer his men of warre, he pleased all the peo∣ple, and especyally them that were Sauls ser¦uauntes.

And it happened as they went, when Da∣uid was returned frome the slaughter of the Philistine, that wemen came out of all cy∣ties of Israel syngynge & daunsynge, againste Saul, with tymbrelles, with ioye, and with fydilles. And the wemen that played, sange therto, and sayde: Saul hath slayne his thou sande, and Dauid his ten thousande. Then was Saul excedynge wrothe and the sayenge displeased him, and he sayd: They haue ascri¦bed vnto Dauid ten thousande, and to me but a thousande, and what can he more haue saue the kyngdome? wherfore Saul loked a wrye on Dauid frome that daye forwarde. And it happened on the morowe, that the euyl sprite sent of God came vpon Saul, so that he pro∣phesyed [ C] in the myddes of the house. And Da∣uid played on the instrument with his hande, as he was dayly wōt. And Saul had a speare in his hande, and hourlde it, intendinge to haue nayled Dauid to the wall. But Dauid auoyded out of his presence two tymes. For Saul was afearde of Dauid, because y^e Lorde was with him, and was departed from Saul. And then Saul put Dauid frome him & made him a capitayne ouer a thousande, and he wēt out and in before the people. And Dauid was wyse in all his doynges, and the Lorde was with him. Wherfore when Saul saw he was so excedynge wyse, he was afrayde of him. [ D] But all Israel & Iuda loued Dauid, because he went out and in before them. Then sayde Saul to Dauid. Beholde my eldest doughter Merob, her I will gyue the to wyfe: Onely play the man and fight the Lordes batayles. For Saul thought myne hande shall not be vpon him, but the hande of the Philistines. And Dauid answered Saul: what am I? [ E] and what is my lyfe or the kynred of my fa∣ther in Israel, that I shulde be sonne in lawe to the kynge? But when the tyme was come that Merob Sauls doughter shulde haue ben gyuen to Dauid, she was gyuen vnto Adriel a Meholothite, to wyfe. How be it Michol an other of Sauls doughters loued Dauid. And when it was shewed Saul: the thinge plea∣sed him well. And he sayde: I will gyue him her, that she maye be a snare to him, to bring the hande of the Philistines vpon him. And

Saul sayde to Dauid: thou shalte this daye be my sonne in law agayne. And Saule com∣maunded his seruauntes, to comen with Da∣uid secretelye and saye: Beholde the Kynge hath a fauoure to the, and all his seruauntes loue the, be therfore the Kynges sonne in lawe.

[ F] And Sauls seruauntes spake those wordes in the eares of Dauid. But Dauid answered: semeth it to you a lyght thynge to be the kin∣ges sonne in lawe, when I am a poore man and of small reputacion? And Sauls seruaū∣tes tolde him agayne, saying: in this maner answered Dauid. Then sayd Saul: this wise saye to Dauid: the kynge careth for no no∣ther dowrye but for an hundred foreskynnes of the Philistines to be aduenged of the kyn∣ges enemyes. For Saul thought to make Da¦uid fall in to the handes of the Philistines. Then his seruauntes tolde Dauid these wor¦des, and it pleased Dauid well to be the kyn¦ges [ G] sonne in lawe. And shortly after Dauid a∣ros•• with his men, and went and slewe of the Philistines, two hundred men, and broughte their foreskynnes, and nombred theym vnto the kynge for to become his sonne in lawe. And so Saul gaue him Michol his dough∣ter to wyfe. And when Saul sawe and vnder∣stode, that the Lorde was with Dauid, & that Michol his doughter loued him, he was the more afrayde of Dauid, and became Dauids ennemye for euer. And when the Philistines went out to warre, Dauid behaued him selfe more wysely then all the seruauntes of Saul: so that his name was moche set by.

¶ Saul commaundeth to slee Dauid. Michol his wyte laueth him by a proper feat, and deceyueth her father. Saul is also amonge the Prophetes.

CAPI. XIX.

[ A] THen Saul communed with Ionathas his sonne, and with all his seruauntes, that they shulde kyll Dauid. But Io¦nathas Sauls sonne had a great fauoure to Dauid, and tolde Dauid sayenge: Saul my father goeth about to fley the. Now therfore take hede to thy selfe in season, and abyde in some secret place and hyde thy self. And I wil go ou••e and stande by my father in the felde where thou art, and will comen with my fa∣ther of the, and yf I can perceyue ought, I will tell the.

And Ionathas spake good of Dauid vnto Saul his father and sayde vnto him: let not the kynge synne against his seruaunt Dauid / for he hath not trespased against the, and his workes are towardes the very good. For he dyd put his lyfe in his hande and slewe y^e Phi¦listine, and the Lorde gaue a great victory to [ B] all Israell. And thou sawest it, and thou re∣ioysedest, wherfore then shouldest thou synne against innocent bloude, and sley Dauid for nought? And Saul harkened vnto the voyce of Ionathas and sware: as truly as y^e Lorde lyueth, he shall not dye. Then Ionathas cal∣led Dauid and shewed him all those wordes, and brought him to Saul. And he was in his presence as in tymes paste. And the warre be∣gan agayne, and Dauid went out and fought with the Philistines and made a great slaugh¦ter, and put them to flyght. And the euyl sprite of the Lorde was vpon Saul as he sat in his house hauinge a Iauelynge in his hande, and Dauid played with his hande. And Saul en∣tended to nayle Dauid to the wall with the Iauelynge: But Dauid ryd him selfe oute of Sauls presence, and so he smote the speare in to the wall. But Dauid fled and saued him selfe that nyght. Then Saul sent messengers vnto Dauids house, to lye in awayte of hym and to sley him in the morninge. But Michol his wyfe tolde it him, sayenge: Yf thou saue [ C] not thy selfe this night, to morow thou arte a deed man. And so Michol let Dauid downe thorow a wyndow, and he went and fled and saued him selfe. And then she toke an Image and layde it in the bed, and put a pyllow sluf¦fed with gotes hearte vnder the heed of it, & couered it with a cloth. And when Saul sent messengers to fetche Dauid, she sayde that he was sicke: Then Saul sent the messengers 〈◊〉〈◊〉 se Dauid, sayenge: bringe him to me, bed and all, that he maye be slayne. And when y^e mes∣sengers were come in: Beholde, there lay an Image in the bed, with a pyllowe of gootes hearte vnder the heed of it. Then sayd Saul to Michol: Why haste thou mocked me so / and sent awaye myne ennemy that he is esca∣ped? And Michol answered Saul: He sayde vnto me, let me go, or els I will kyl the. And so Dauid fled and escaped and wēt to Samu∣el to Ramath and told him al that Saul had done to ••im. And he, and Samuel went and dwelt in Naioth.

And it was tolde Saul sayenge: Beholde, [ D] Dauid is at Naioth in Ramath, then Saul sent messengers to fet Dauid. And when they saw a companye of Prophetes prophesyenge, and Samuel teachinge theym, the spyryte of God fell vpon the messengers of Saul, & they prophesyed to. And when it was tolde Saul, he sent other messengers, and they prophesy∣ed lykewyse. And Saul sent messengers yet agayne the thirde tyme whiche prophesyed al∣so. Then went he him selfe to Ramath, and when he came to a greate well that is in So∣coh, he asked and sayde: Where are Samuel and Dauid? And they sayde: Se they be at Naioth in Ramath, and as he wente thither to Naioth in Ramath the spryte of God cam vpon hym also, and he wente Prophesyenge, tyll he came to Naioth in Ramath. And he strypte of his clothes and prophesyed before Samuel in lyke maner, and fell naked all y^e daye and all that nyght, wherfore it is a co∣men sayenge: Is Saul also amonges y^e Pro¦phetes?

¶ Dauid beynge in ieoperdye complayneth vnto Ionathas Ionathas delyuereth him. Apol••cy de∣ny••ed betwene them: by which Dauid shulde know the intent of Saul.

CAPI. XX.

[ A] ANd Dauid fled frome Naioth in Ra∣math and went before Ionathas, and sayd: What haue I done? wherin am I faultye? what is the synne that I haue cōmitted agaynste thy father that he seketh my lyfe? And Ionathas answered hym: God forbyd, thou shalte not dye. For se, my father wyll do nothynge neyther great ne small, but that he wyll shewe me. For why shulde my father byde this thynge frome me? I knowe not. And Dauid sware agayne and sayde: thy father knoweth that I haue founde grace in thyne eyes and therfore he thynketh, Io∣nathas shal not knowe it, lest he be sory. For in dede, as truly as the Lorde lyueth, and as truely as thy soule lyueth, there is but a step betwene me and death. Then sayde Ionathas to Dauid, what so euer thy soule desyreth, I will do vnto the. And Dauid sayde vnto Io∣nathas: Beholde, to morowe be the Kalen∣••es, and I shulde sit with the kynge at meat. But let me goo that I maye hyde my selfe in the feldes vnto this daye thre dayes at euen. [ B] Yf thy father mysse me, saye: Dauid asked leaue of me, that he myght go to Bethlehē to his own cytie, for there is holden a yerely feast for all his kynne. And yf thy father say thus: It is well done, then thy seruaunt shall haue peax. But yf he be angrye: be sure, wycked∣nesse is vtterlye concluded of him. And then thou shalt shewe mercy vnto thy seruaūt, for thou hast made with me thy seruaunt a bonde in the Lorde. Notwithstandinge yf there be in me any trespace, sley me thy selfe, for what nedest thou to bringe me to thy father? And Ionathas aunswered: God kepe frome the, that I shoulde knowe, that wyckednesse were concluded of my father, to come vpon the: and shoulde not tell it the. Then sayde Dauid, who shall tell me, yf thy father aunswer cru∣elly? Ionathas sayde to Dauid: Come and let vs go forth into the feldes. And they wēt both of them into the feldes. Thē Ionathas sayde vnto Dauid: O Lorde God of Israell, [ C] when I haue groped my fathers mynde, at one tyme or other, within this three dayes, that it stande well with Dauid: and I then sende not vnto the, and shew it the, the Lord do so and so vnto Ionathas. And in lyke ma∣ner, yf euyll towardes the be appointed of my father, I will shew the, and sende the away / that thou mayst go in peax. And the Lorde be with the, as he hath bene with my father. And thou shalte performe vnto me the mercy of the Lorde, not onely whyle I lyue, but al∣so when I am deed, plucke not thy mercye a∣waye frome my house for euer: No, not whē the Lorde hathe destroyed the ennemyes of Dauid euery one frome the face of the earth. And so Ionathas made a bonde with y^e house of Dauid, desyringe that the Lorde shoulde seke out of the handes of Dauids ennemyes their wyckednesse. And with other wordes Ionathas adiured Dauid, because he loued him. For as his owne foule he loued hym. [ D] Then sayde Ionathas to Dauid: to morowe shall be the Kalendes. And thou shalt be mis¦sed, because the place shall appeare emptye. But on the thyrde daye come in any wyse vn∣to the place where thou shalt hyde thy selfe, when it is workedaye: euen by the stone E∣sell. And I will shote three arowes by the one syde therof, as thoughe I shoote at a marke, and will sende after, a sad, and byd him goo seke the arowes. Yf I saye vnto the lad: Se the arowes are on this syde the, brynge them: then come thou: for it is peax, and nothinge to do, as sure as the Lorde lyueth, But yf I saye thus vnto the ladde, Beholde, the aro∣wes are beyounde the, then flee, for the Lord hath sent the awaye. And of this which thou and I haue spoken / beholde, the Lorde is witnesse betwene the, and me for euer. And so Dauid hyd him selfe in the felde. And when [ E] the Kalendes came, the kyng sat hym downe at meate, to thintent to eate. And the kynge sat him downe after the accustomed maner, in his seate by the wall. And Ionathas arose, & Abner sate by Sauls syde, and Dauids place was emptye, but yet Saul sayde nothinge at all that daye. For he thoughte, some thynge hadde chaunced him, whereby he was not cleane. But on the morowe after the Kalen∣des, when Dauids place appeared emptye, Saul sayde vnto Ionathas his sonne, wher∣fore commeth not the sonne of Isai to meate, neyther yesterdaye nor to day. And Ionathas answered vnto Saul. Dauid asked lycence of me to go to Bethlehem sayenge / let me go I praye the, for our kynrede holde an offring in the cytie, and my brother hath sent for me. Nowe therfore yf I haue founde fauoure in thyne eyes, let me go, and se my brethren. And for this cause he cōmeth not vnto the kyn¦ges table. Then was Saul angrye with Io∣nathas and sayde vnto him / O frowarde and [ F] rebellious childe, thinkeste thou I know not how thou hast chosen the sonne of Isai vnto thyne owne rebuke, and vnto the rebuke and shame of thy mother? For as longe as y^e son of Isai lyueth vpō the erth, thou shalt not be establysshed, nor yet thy kyngdome, wherfore now sende and fet him vnto me, for he is the childe of death.

But Ionathas answered Saul his father and sayde to him / wherfore shulde he dye? what hath he done? Then Saul cast a speare at him to byt him, whereby Ionathas wiste well, that it was vtterlye determined of his father, to sley Dauid. Then Ionathas arose frome the table in a great anger, and dyd eate no meate the seconde daye of the Kalendes, for he was sory for Dauid, because his father had done him shame. On the nexte mornynge Ionathas wente oute in to the felde, at the tyme appoynted with Dauid, and a lytle lad with hym. And he sayde vnto the boye, run and fynde oute myne arowes whiche I shote. And as the boye ranne, he shote an arowe be∣younde him. And when the ladde was come [ G] to the place whether Ionathas hadde shoote the arowe, Ionathas cryed after him, & sayd / the arowe is beyonde the. And he cryed after the lad / haste, make spede and stande not stil. And Ionathas ladde gathered vp the arowe and came to his master. But the lad wiste no∣thinge

of the matter: Onely Ionathas and Dauid wist it. Then Ionathas gaue his wea¦pons vnto the Lad, and sayd vnto him: goo and carye theym to the towne. And as sone as the lad was gone, Dauid arose oute of a place that was towarde the south and fel en his face to the grounde, and bowed him selfe thre tymes. And they kyssed eyther other and wept togither; but Dauid more aboundant∣ly. And Ionathas sayde to Dauid: go in peax of suche thinges as we haue sworne eyther of vs in the name of the Lorde, sayenge: The Lorde be betwene the and me, and betwene thy sede and myne for euer. And he arose and departed. And Ionathas wente in to the towne.

¶ Dauid flyeth in to Nob to Achimelech the prest, and getteth shewe bread to satisfye his honger. Af∣ter he flyeth to kynge Achis, and there fayneth him selfe mad.

CAPI. XXI.

[ A] THen came Dauid to Nob to Achimelech the preast: And Achimelech was astoni∣ed at his comminge and went to mete Dauid and sayde vnto him: Why commeste thou thy selfe alone, and no man with the? And Dauid sayde to Achimelech the preast: y^e kynge hath commaunded me to do a certayne thyng and sayde vnto me, lette no man know wherabout I send the and what I haue com∣maunded the to doo. And therfore I haue ap∣pointed my seruauntes to suche and such pla∣ces. And nowe what haste thou vnder thyne hande? gyue me fyue loues of ••red or what cō∣meth to hande. And the pre••••t answered Da∣uid and sayde: There is no com•••• breed vnder myne hande, but there is halowed bred, yf the younge men haue abstayned onely frome we∣men. [ B] And Dauid answered the prest and sayd vnto him: Of a truthe wemen hath bene loc∣ked vp frome vs about a thre dayes, when we came out: and the vessels of the younge men were holy. How be it yf we haue taken anye vnclennelie by the waye this daye, it shall be halowed in the vesselles. And so the preast gaue him halowed breed, for there was none other bred there saue shew breddes, that were taken frome before the Lorde, to put fresshe bred there.

And there was the same daye a certen man of the seruauntes of Saul within the taber∣nacle of the Lorde named Doeg an Edomite, the chiefest of Sauls herde men. And Dauid [ C] sayde vnto Achimelech: is not here vnder thyn hande eyther speare or swerde? for I haue ney¦ther brought my swerde nor myne harnes w^t me, because the kynges busynes required hast. Then the preast answered: the swerde of Go¦liath the Phi••istine whome thou sleweste in Okedale, that is here wrapt in a cloth behynd the Ephod, Yf thou wilte take that, take it: for there is none other saue that here. And Da¦uid sayde: there is none to that, gyue it me.

And Dauid arose and fledde the same daye from the presence of Saul, and went to Achis the kynge of Geth. And the seruauntes of Achis sayde of him: Is not this Dauid the kynge of the lande? dyd they not synge vnto [ D] this felowe in daunses, sayenge: Saul hath slayne his thousande, and Dauid his tē thou∣sand? And Dauid put those wordes into his hert and was sore afrayde of Achis the kynge of Geth. And he chaunged his countenaunce before theym, and raued in their handes, and scrabled on the dores of the gate, and let his spittell fall downe vpon his bearde. Thē sayd Achis vnto his seruaunt. Lo ye saw that this man was besyde him selfe, wherfore thē haue ye brought him to me? lacke I mad men, that ye haue brought this felowe to playe the mad man in my presence? he shal not come into my house.

¶ Dauid flyeth in to the caue Odollam, and then in to Mazphah to the kynge of Moab, And thence in to Hareth. Doeg betrayeth Dauid. Achimelech is accused of treason and slayne, and foure score and foure preastes mo with hym: because they re∣ceyued Dauid. Nob is destroyed of Saul. Abia∣thar flyeth to Dauid.

CAP. XXII.

SO Dauid departed thence and escaped, & [ A] came vnto the caue Odollam, which whē his brethren & all his fathers house heede of, they went thyther to him. And there resor¦ted vnto him all suche as were in distresse and in der and troubled in their hertes, & he was made their capitayne, and there were with him aboute foure hundred men. And Dauid went thence to Mazphah in the land of Mo∣ab, and sayde vnto the kynge of Moab: Let my father and mother (I pray the) haue their abydynge with you, tyll I know what God will do with me. And he brought theym afore the kynge of Moab, and they dwelte with him all the whyse that Dauid kept him selfe in holdes. And the prophete Gad, sayde vnto Dauid: Abyde not in holdes, but departe and go to the lande of Iuda. Then Dauid depar¦ted and came into y^e forest Hareth. And Saul herde of it: for Dauid was knowen and also the men that were with him. And as Saul sat in Gaba••h vnder a groue vpon an hyght bancke with his speare in his hande, and all his men rounde about him, he sayde vnto his seruauntes that were about him. Heare me, [ B] ye sonnes of Iemini: Wyll the sonne of Isai also gyue euerye one of you feldes and vyne∣yardes, and make you all graunde capitaines and petye capitaines, that ye haue all conspi∣red against me, so that there is none that wil shewe me any thinge, in so moche that my son hath made a confederacie with the sonne of Isai? There is none of you that bewayleth my chaūce or sheweth it in myne eate: because my sonne hath set vp my seruaunt to lye in a∣wayte agaynste me, as appeareth this daye.

Then aunswered Doeg the Edomite, whi∣che was chiefe of the seruauntes of Saul and sayde: I sawe the sonne of Isai, when he

came to Nob, to Achimelech the sonne of A∣chitob, whiche fought counsell of the Lord for him, and gaue him vitayles, & the swerde of Goliath y^e Philistine also. Then the kinge sent to call Achimelech the Preaste the sonne of Achitob, and all his fathers house: that is to saye, the preastes that were in Nob. And [ C] they came all to the kynge. Then Saul sayd: heare thou sonne of Achitob. And he sayde: here I am my Lord. Then sayd Saul to him: why haue ye conspired againste me, thou and the sonne of Isai, in so moche that thou hast gyuē him vytayle and a swerde, & hast sought counsel of God for him, that he shoulde aryse agaynst me, and lye awayt as appeareth this daye? And Achimelech answered the kynge & sayd: who is amonge all thy seruauntes as the faythfull Dauid and the kynges sonne in lawe, and goeth at thy byddynge, and is had in honoure in thyne house? haue I this daye begōne fyrst to aske counsell of God for him? be this farre frome me: lette not the Kynge suspect agaynst his seruaunt any suche thinge in all the house of my father. For thy seruaūt knoweth nothinge of all this, eyther lytle or moche.

[ D] But the kynge sayde: thou shalt surely dye Achimelech, bothe thou and all thy fathers house. Then sayde the kynge vnto his fotemē that stode about him: turne and sley the pree∣stes of the Lorde, bothe because their hande is with Dauid, and because they knewe when Dauid fled and shewed it not to me. But the seruauntes of the kyng wolde not moue their handes, to run vpon the preastes of the Lord. Then sayde the kynge to Doeg: tourne thou and smyte the preastes. And Doeg the Edo∣mite turned and ranne vpon the preastes and slewe that same daye foure skore and fyue per¦sonnes that dyd weare eche man a lynnen E∣phod. And Nob the cytie of the preastes he smote with the edge of the swerde, both man and woman, chylde and sucklynge, with oxe asse and shepe. Yet one of the sonnes of Achi∣melech the sonne of Achitob, named Abiathar escaped and fled to Dauid, and shewed hym that Saul had slayn the Lordes preastes. Thē Dauid sayde vnto Abiathar: I wist it y^e same daye, that whē Doeg the Edomite was there, he wolde surely tell it Saul. I am cause of y^e death of all the Soules of thy fathers house. Abyde with me and feare not: be that seketh thy soule, shall seke myne, and with me thou shalt be in sauegarde.

¶ Dauyd delyuereth Keilah, and flyeth in to the wildernesse of ziph. He is comforted of Ionathas. The ziphiens wolde haue betrayed him.

CAPI. XXIII.

[ A] THen they tolde Dauid, sayenge: Be∣holde, the Philistines fight against Kei¦lah, and spoyle the barnes. Dauid ther∣fore asked the Lordes aduyse, sayenge: shall I goo and smyte the Philistines? And the Lorde sayde vnto Dauid: Go and smyte the Philistines, and saue Keilah. Then sayd Da¦uids men vnto him: Se, we be afrayde here in Iuda. What shall we then be, when we come to Keilah, to the host of the Philistines? Then Dauid asked the Lorde agayne. And y^e Lorde answered him and sayde, aryse, and go to Keilah, for I wyll gyue the Philistines in∣to thyne handes. So Dauid and his men wēt to Keilah, and fought with the Philistines / and draue awaye their catel and made a great slaughter of theym. And so Dauid saued the inhabitauntes of Keilah. Nowe it chaunced, when Abiathar the sonne of Achimelech, had fled to Dauid to Keilah, that he broughte an Ephod in his hande.

And it was tolde Saul, that Dauid was [ B] come to Keilah. Then sayd Saul: God hath gyuen him into myne hande. For he is shut in sythe he is come into a towne where be bothe gates and barres. And Saul called all y^e peo∣ple to warre, for to goo to Keilah, to besyege Dauid and his men. But Dauid had know∣ledge that Saul pryuely imagined myschiefe against him, and sayde to Abiathar the preast: Brynge the Ephod. Then sayde Dauid, O Lorde God of Israell, thy seruaunt heareth, that Saul is about to come to Keilah to de∣stroye the cytie for my sake: wyll the elders of Keilah delyuer me into his hande? or will Saul come as thy seruaunte heareth saye? Lorde God of Israel tell thy seruaunt. And y^e Lorde sayde: He will come. Then sayde Da∣uid: Will the men of Keilah delyuer me and my men into the hande of Saul? & the Lord sayd: they will delyuer you.

Then Dauid and his men which were vpō a sixe hundred, arose and departed out of Kei¦lah, and went here and there, they knew not whether. And when it was tolde Saul, that Dauid was fled frome Keilah, and so in saue∣garde, he let the iourneye alone. And Dauid abode in the wyldernesse in stronge holdes, & [ C] in a mountayne in the wyldernesse of Ziph. And Saul sought him all his lyfe, but God delyuered him not into his hande. And Dauid saw that Saul was come out, to seke his lyfe but Dauid was in the wyldernesse of Ziph in a couert. And Ionathas Sauls sonne arose & went to Dauid to the couert, and strenghted him in God, and sayde vnto him: Feare not, for the hand of Saul my father shal not fynd the, but thou shalt be kynge ouer Israel, and I muste be next vnto the. Yea, and Saul my father knoweth that it shall be so. And they made a bonde togyther before the Lorde, & Dauid taryed styl in the wood, but Ionathas went to his house.

Then came the Ziphites to Saul vnto Ga¦baah, sayenge: Dauid hydeth him selfe faste by vs in stronge holdes that are in a couert in the hyll of Hachilah on the ryghtesyde of the wildernesse. Nowe therfore syr kynge, come downe with all the lust that thy soule hath to come. And it shalbe our partes to delyuer him into the bandes of y^e kynge. Then sayd Saul: Blessed are ye in the Lorde: for ye haue com∣passion on me. God, I praye you, and marke more narowly, and knowe and se his haunte,

[ D] where his fote hath bene, and who hath sene him there: for it is tolde me he is very wyly. Se therfore and knowe all the lorkynge pla∣ces where he lourketh, and come agayne to me with the certentye, And I will goo with you. Yea and if he will byde him selfe in the grounde, yet I will hunt him out, with all the thousandes of Iuda. And they arose and went to Ziph before Saul. But Dauid and his men were in the wildernesse of Maon, in the wylde felde, on the ryght hande of the wyldernesse. For when Saul was gone with his men to seke, it was tolde Dauid. And therfore he went vnto a rocke and dwelt in the wildernesse of Maon, whiche when Saul hearde, he pursued after Dauid in to the wil∣dernesse of Maon. But Saule and his men went one the one syde of the mountayne, and Dauid and his men on the other. And Dauid as a man ams aed, made haste to gette frome Saul. For Saul and his men had compassed Dauid & his men round about, to take them. Then there came a messenger to Saul, say∣inge: Haste the and come, for the Philistines haue inuaded & do dispoyle the lande. Wher∣fore Saul returned frome persecutynge Da∣uid, and made agaynste the Philistines. And therfore the place is called Sela Mahe∣lecoth. And then Dauid went thence and dwelt in stronge holdes at Engaddi.

¶ Dauid flyeth into Engaddi and there hideth him. Saul cometh in thyther to do his easment and Da∣uid cutteth of the border of his mātel. Dauid goeth out of the caue after Saul and speaketh to him.

CAPI. XXIIII.

[ A] When Saul was come agayne frome the Philistines, there were that tolde him, sayenge: beholde, Dauid is in the wyl∣dernesse of Engaddi. Then Saul toke three thousande chosen men oute of all Israel, and went to seke Dauid and his men in the roc∣kes, where nothinge haunted but wylde goo∣tes. And he came to the flockes of shepe, by a wayes syde where was a caue. And Saul wēt in couer his fete. And Dauid and his men sat a longe by the sydes of the caue. And the men of Dauid sayde vnto him: se, the daye is come of which the Lorde sayde vnto the: Beholde, I will delyuer thyne ennemye into thyne hād, and thou shalt doo with him what it pleaseth the. Then Dauid arose and cut of a lappe of Sauls cote pryuely. And forthwith Dauids hert smote him, because he had cut of a lappe of Sauls cote. And he sayde vnto his men: y^e Lorde kepe me frome doynge that thinge vnto [ B] my master that is the Lordes annointed, to laye myne hande vpon him, sythe he is y^e Lor¦des annointed. And so Dauid kept of his ser∣uauntes with wordes, and suffred theym not to set vpon Saul. And when Saul was ry∣sen out of the caue, and went forward on his iourneye, Dauid arose and went out of y^e caue and cryed after Saul, sayeng: My lord kyng. And Saul loked behynde him. And Dauid stouped to the earth and bowed him self, and sayd to Saul: Wherfore gyuest thou an eare to mens wordes, that saye, Dauid seketh the euyll? Beholde, this daye thyne eyes haue [ C] sene, that the Lorde had delyuered the, into myne hande in the caue. And when they bad kyll the, myne eye had compassion on the: and I sayde: I will not lay my handes on my ma¦ster, for he is y^e Lordes annointed, but rather my father, se yet and acknowledge this the lap of thy coote in my hande. And in asmoche as I kylled the not also, when I cut of y^t lap of thy coote, vnderstande and se, that there is neyther euyll ne rebellion in me, and that I haue not synned against the. And yet thou hū¦test after my soule to destroye it. The Lorde be iudge betwene the and me, and the Lorde auenge me of the. But myne hand be not vpō the. Accordinge to the olde Prouerbe: Wyc∣kednesse shall procede out of the wycked: but myne hande shall not be vpon the. After whō arte thou come out, thou kynge of Israel? what is he whome thou chasest? certes euen a deed dogge, and a flee. The Lorde be iudge, and let him deme betwene the and me, and se and iudge my cause, and delyuer me oute of thyne hande. When Dauid had made ende of speakynge all these wordes to Saul, Saul [ D] sayde: is this thy voyce my sonne Dauid? and he lyfte vp his voyce and wepte, and sayde to Dauid: Thou arte ryghteouser then I, for thou haste rewarded me with good, & I haue acquyted the with euyll. And thou haste she∣wed this daye how louyngly thou hast dealt with me, that when the Lorde had locked me in thyne hādes, thou slewest me not. For who when he shall fynde his ennemy woll let him departe in a good waye? Wherfore the Lord rewarde the with good, for that thou haste done vnto me this daye. And now forasmoch as I know assuredly that thou shalt be kynge and that the kyngdome of Israel shalbe esta∣blyshed in thyne hande: Swere vnto me by the Lord, that thou shalt not destroy my sede after me, and that thou shalt not destroy my name out of my fathers house: & Dauid sware vnto Saul, So Saul went home, But Da∣uid and his men gat them vp vnto an holde.

¶ Samuel dyeth. Dauid flyeth to the wildernesse of Pharan. He is angrye with Nabal: but is pacy∣fyed by the wysdome of Abigail. Nabal dyeth, and Dauid maryeth Abigail.

CAPI. XXV.

THen Samuel dyed, and al Israel assem¦bled [ A] and lamented him and buryed him in his owne house at Ramath. But Da¦uid arose & gat him to the wildernesse of Pha¦ran. And there was a man in Maon / whose catell was in Carmell, & the man was exce∣dinge mighty, & had thre thousande shepe & a thousand gotes. And he was shering his shepe in Carmell. The name of the man was Na∣bal, & the name of his wyfe was Abigail, and was a woman of good wysdome & bewtyfull. But the man was churlyshe & of shrewde con¦dicions, & was a Calebite. And when Dauid

herde in the wildernesse, that Nabal share his shepe, he sent out ten of his younge men, and sayd vnto them: get you vp to Carmel and go to Nabal and grete him in my name. And thus wise saye vnto my frinde: peax be to the, [ B] peax be to thine house, and peax be vnto all that thou haste. I haue herde saye thou haste sherers. Now, thy shepeherdes were with vs, & we did them no despite ne villanye, neyther was there ought missinge vnto them, all the whyle they were with vs in Carmel: aske thy seruauntes, & they will shewe the. Wher∣fore let these yong men finde fauour in thine eyes (for we come in a good season) & giue (I praye the) whatsoeuer commeth to thine hande, vnto thy seruauntes and to thy sonne Dauid. So Dauids younge men came and tolde Nabal all those wordes in the behalfe of Dauid and then stopped. Then Nabal an∣swered Dauids seruauntes and sayde: what is Dauid? and what is the sonne of Isai? there is plentye of seruauntes nowe a dayes, that breake away from their masters. Shuld I take my breed, my water and my flessh that I haue kylled for my sherers, and gyue it vnto men which I wote not whence they be? Thē Dauids seruauntes turned their waye / and [ C] went agayne, and came and tolde him accor∣dinge to al those sayenges. Then Dauid said vnto his men: gyrde euery man his swerde a∣boute him. And they gyrded euerye man his swerde on him, and Dauid therto gyrde on his swerde. And so there folowed Dauid aboute foure hundred men, and two hundred abode by the stuffe. But one of the seruauntes tolde Abigail Nabals wyfe, sayenge: Se Dauid sent messengers vnto our master oute of the wyldernesse to salute him, & he r••uyled them. And yet the men were very good vnto vs and dyd vs no displeasure, neyther myssed we any thinge, as longe as we were conuersaunt w^t them, when we were in the feldes. Yea they were a wall of defence vnto vs, both by night and by daye, all the whyle we were with thē kepinge shepe. Nowe take hede and se, what thou hast to doo, for myschiefe is concluded to be doone vnto our master and to all his hous∣holde. And he is vngracious to speake to. Thē [ D] Abigail made hast and toke twoo hundred lo∣ues and two botelles of wyne and fyue shepe redye dressed, and fyue measures of parched corne, and an hundred bondelles of resings, & two hundred frayles of fygges, and laded them on asses, and sayde vnto her young men: go before me, and lo I come after you, & tolde her husbande Nabal nothinge therof. And as she rode on her asse, & was comminge downe in a slade of the hyll, Dauid and his men came downe against her, and she met them. And Dauid sayde: in vayne haue I kept all that this felowe hadde in the wyldernesse: so that nought was myssed that pertayned vnto him, for he hathe acquyted me with euyll for good. So and so God doo vnto the ennemyes of Dauid, as I will not leaue of all that per¦tayne to him, by the dawninge of the daye, ought that pisseth againste the wall. When Abigail sawe Dauid, she hasted and dyd a∣lyte of her asse, and fell before Dauid on her face, and bowed her selfe to the grounde, and fell at his fete and sayde: Let this vnhappye dede be accompted myne, my Lorde, and let thyne handemayde speake in thyne audience, and heare the wordes of thy handemayde. Let not my Lorde regarde this vnthrifty mā Nabal, for as his name is, so is he. Nabal is his name, and folly is with him. But I thyn handemayde sawe not the younge men of my Lorde which thou sendest. And now my Lord [ E] as truely as the Lorde lyueth, and as thy soule lyueth, the Lorde hath withholden the frome commynge to shede bloude, and frome auengynge thy selfe with thyne owne hande. Furthermore I praye God that thyne enne∣myes and they that intende to doo my Lorde euyll, maye be as Nabal. And now take this blessinge, whiche thyne handemayde hathe brought to the my Lorde, let it be gyuen vnto the younge men that folowe my Lorde. For∣gyue the trespace of thyne handemayde that the Lorde maye make my Lorde a sure house because my Lorde fighteth the battelles of y^e Lorde, and there coulde none euyll be founde in the, in all thy lyfe. And yf any man aryse to persecute the, and to seke thy soule, the soule of my Lorde mought be preserued as it were in a bondell of lyuynge thinges, with the Lorde thy God. And the soules of thy enne∣myes be slonge in the myddle of a slynge. And when the Lorde shall haue done to my Lorde all the good that he hathe promysed the, and shall haue made the, ruler ouer Israell: then shall it be no grudge of conscience vnto the or discourage of herte vnto my Lorde, that thou sheddest bloude causelesse, and dyddest auenge thy selfe.

And when the Lorde shall haue dealt well with my Lorde, thinke on thyne handmayde Then sayde Dauid to Abigail: blessed be the [ F] Lorde God of Israel which sent the this day to mete me. And blessed be thy behauour, and blessed be thou which hast kept me this daye frome bloudshedinge, and frome auengynge my selfe with myne owne hande. For in very dede as surely as the Lorde God of Israel ly¦ueth, who hath kept me backe frome hurting the, excepte thou haddest hasted and met me, there hadde not bene left vnto Nabal by the dawninge of the daye, a pisser against y^e wall. And so Dauid receyued of her hande that shē brought, and sayd to her: go in peax to thyne house. Lo I haue obeyed thy voyce and haue receyued the to grace.

And when Abigail retourned to Nabal: be∣holde, he helde a feast in his house lyke y^e feast of a kynge, and Nabals herte was mery with in him, for he was well dronke. Wherfore she tolde him naught neyther lytle nor moche tyll the morowe. But in the mornynge, when Nabal hadde dygested the wyne, his wyfe tolde him these wordes, and his herte dyed within him, and he became as a stone, and vpon a ten dayes after the Lorde smote Na∣bal, that he dyed. Which when Dauid herde that Nabal was deed, sayde: Blessed be the [ G] Lord that hath iuged the cause of my rebuke

of the hande of Nabal, and hath kept his ser∣uaunt from euyll, and hathe turned the wic∣kednesse of Naball vpon his owne heed. So Dauid sent to commen with Abigail, to thin∣tent to take her to his wife. And when the seruauntes of Dauid were come to Abigail to Carmel, they spake vnto her, sayinge: Da∣uid sent vs vnto the, to take the to his wyfe. And she arose and fell on her face to the erthe and sayde: Beholde, thy hand mayde be a ser∣uaunt to wasshe the fete of the seruauntes of my Lorde. And Abigail hasted and arose and gat her vp vpon an Asse, with .v. damoselles of hers that went at her fete, and went after the messengers of Dauid and was his wyfe. Dauid also take Ahinoan of Iezrahel, and they were both his wiues. But Saul gaue Michol his daughter Dauids wife to Phalti the sonne of Lais of Gallim.

¶ Saul sleapeth in his tent, And Dauid taketh a∣way his speare and a cruse of water, that stode at his heade.

CAPI. XXVI.

[ A] AFter that came y^e Ziphites vnto Saul to Gabaah, saying: Dauid hydeth hym self in y^e hill of Hachilah before y^e wil∣dernesse. Then Saule arose and went to the wyldernesse of Ziph and thre thousande cho∣sen men of Israel with him, to seke Dauid in the wildernesse of Ziph. And Saul pytched in the hill of Hachilah whiche lyeth before the wyldernesse, by the wayes syde. But Dauid dwelt in the wyldernesse. And when he sawe that Saul pursued him into the wildernesse, he sent forth espyes and vnderstode that Saul was come in dede.

Wherfore Dauid arose and went to the place where Saul had pytched, and behelde the place where Saul lay with Abner the son of Ner, his chiefe capitayne. For Saul laye within a rounde banke, and the people pyt∣ched rounde about him. Then answered Da∣uid and spake to Ahimelech the Hethite and to Abisai the sonne of Zaruiah and brother to Ioab, sayenge: Who will go downe with me to Saul to the hoste? and Abisai sayde: I will goo downe with the. And so Dauid and Abisai came to the people by nyght. And be∣holde, [ B] Saul laye slepinge within a rounde bancke, and his speare pytched in the ground at his heed, Abner & the people lyenge round about him. Then sayde Abisai to Dauid: God hath inclosed thyne ennemy vnto thyne hand this daye. Now therfore let me smyte him I pray the with my speare to the earth, but one stroke, and it shall nede no more. But Dauid sayde to Abisai: destroy him not, for who can laye his hande on the Lordes annoynted and be gyltlesse? And Dauid sayde furthermore: as truely as the Lorde lyueth, oneles y^e Lord shall smyte him, or his daye shall come to dye or he shall descende into battell and there pe∣rysshe: the Lorde kepe me from layeng myne hande vpon the Lordes annoynted. Now thē take the speare that is at his heed, and the crewse of water, and let vs god. And Dauid toke the speare and the crewse of water that was at Sauls heed, and they gat them away and no man saw or wist it or a woke. For they were all a slepe, because the Lorde had sent a slomber vpon them. Then Dauid went oute [ C] to thother syde and stode on the toppe of an hyll a farre of (a great space beynge betwene theym) and cryed to the people and to Abner the sonne of Ner, sayeng: Answerest thou not Abner? and Abner answered and sayd: What art thou that cryest to the kynge? and Dauid sayde to Abner: art not thou a man, and who is lyke the in Israel? But wherfore hast thou not kept thy Lorde the kyng? For there came one of the folke to destroy the kyng thy Lord. It is not good that thou hast done. As truely as the Lorde lyueth ye are worthy to dye, be∣cause ye haue no better kepte the Lordes an∣noynted. And now se where the kynges speare is, and the crewse of water, that was at his heed.

Then Saul knewe Dauids voyce & sayde: is this thy voyce my sonne Dauid? and Da∣uid sayde: it is my voyce my Lorde kynge. And he sayd further wherfore doeth my Lord pursue his seruaunt? for what haue I done? or what euyll is in myne hande? Nowe heare therfore (my Lorde kynge) the wordes of thy seruaunte. Yf the Lorde haue stered the vp a∣gainst me, let him smell the sacrifice. But yf they be the children of men, cursed be they be∣fore the Lorde. For they haue caste me out so that I can not dwell in the enheritaunce of y^e [ D] Lord, sayeng: hence & go serue other Goddes. And yet I hope my bloude shall not fal to the earth before the face of the Lorde, though the kynge of Israell be come out to hunt one flee, as men hunt the partregis in the mountaynes Then syad Saul: I haue synned: come againe my sonne Dauid for I will doo the no more harme, because my soule was preciouse in thyne eyes this daye. Beholde, I haue played the fole and haue erred excedinge moche. And Dauid answered and sayde: Beholde the kyn¦ges speare, let one of the younge men come ouer and fet it. The Lord rewarde euery mās rightwysnesse and faith: for the Lorde dely∣uered the into my hand this day, but I wold not laye myne hande vpon the Lordes anoin∣ted. And as thy lyfe was moche set bye this tyme in myne eyes: so be my lyfe set by in the eyes of the Lorde, that he delyuer me out of all trybulacions. And Saul sayde to Dauid: Blessed arte thou my sonne Dauid, for thou shalt be a doer and also hable to bringe to an ende. And so Dauid went his way, and Saul turned to his place agayne.

¶ Dauid fleeth to Achis kynge of Geth, which gy∣ueth him zikeleg to dwell in. He killeth the Philisti∣nes. And when Achis demaunded agaynste whome he had roued, he gyueth him a subtyll answere and deceyueth hym properlye.

CAP. XXVII.

THen thought Dauid in his hert: I may [ A] perish at one daye or other by the hādes of Saul. There is no better thing for me

then to flee in to the lande of the Philistines, that Saul of verye dispayre to fynde me, may cease sekynge me any more in all the coostes of Israel: for so I may escape his hand. And Da∣uid arose, and he and the sixe hundred mē that were with him went vnto Achis the sonne of Maoch kynge of Geth. And Dauid dwelte w^t Achis at Geth, bothe he & his men, euery man with his housholde, and Dauid with his two wyues: Ahinoam the Iezrahelite and Abigail [ B] Nabals wife of Carmell. So whē it was told Saul y^t Dauid was fled to Geth, he soughte no more for him. And Dauid sayd vnto Achis: Yf I haue founde grace in thyne eyes, let me haue a place in some towne in the feldes, that I maye dwell there. For what sholde thy ser∣uaunt dwell, in the heed citye of the kingdome with the? Then Achis gaue him Zikeleg the same daye for which cause Zikeleg pertayneth vnto the kynges of Iuda vnto this daye. And the tyme that Dauid dwelte in the countreye [ C] of the Philistines, was a yere and foure mo∣nethes. And Dauid and his men went and ran vpon the Gesurites, the Gerzites, and the A∣malekites, whiche nacions were from the be∣gynnynge the inhabitantes of the lande, as men go to Sur, and so forth to Egypt. And Da¦uid smote the lande, and lefte neither man ne womā alyue / and toke the shepe, the oxen, the asses, camels, and clothes, and remoued & came to Achis. And Achis sayde / haue ye not bene [ D] a rouyng this daye? And Dauid answered / yes in the southe of Iuda / and in the southe of the Iezrahelytes, and in the south of the Kenites. And Dauid saued neither man nor woman a∣lyue to bryng to Geth, sayinge leest they shold speake agaynste vs: Thus dyd Dauid, and so was his maner all the whyle he dwelte in the countrey of the Philistines. And Achis bileued Dauid, saying: He hath wrought moche mis∣chefe agaynst his people Israel, and therfore he shall be my seruaunt for euer.

¶ The Philistines moue warre agaynste Saul and the Israelites. Saul requyreth councell of God but hath no answere: and then seketh after an enchaun¦ter, who rayseth vp the spirite of Samuel.

CAPI. XXVIII.

[ A] IT chaunced in those dayes that the Phili∣stines gathered their host togyther to war, intendynge to fight with Israel. And Achis sayd to Dauid: Be sure thou shalte goo oute with me in the host, and thy men also. And Da¦uid said agayn to Achis: then thou shalt know what thy seruaunt can do. And Achis sayde to Dauid: Then I wyll make the keper of my heed for euer. Samuel was then deed, and all Israel had lamented him, and buryed hym in Ramath his owne city. And Saul had put the women that had spirites of prophesye and the sorcerers out of the lande. And the Philistines gathered togyther, and came & pitched in Su∣nam, and Saul and all Israel gathered togy∣ther and pytched in Gelboe. When Saul saw the hoste of the Philistines, he was afrayde, & his herte was sore astonyed. And Saul asked counsel of the Lorde: But the Lord answered him not, neither by dreame, nor by preestes, nor yet by the Prophetes.

Then said Saul vnto his seruantes: seke me a woman hauing a spirite of prophecye, that I maye goo to her and aske of her. And his ser∣uauntes sayd to hym: se, there is a wyfe that hath a spirite of prophesie at Endor. And S ul chuunged his clothes, and put on other ray∣ment / and then went he & two men with him, and they came to the wyfe by nyghte / and he sayde: prophesye vnto me by the spiryte, and bring me him vp whom I shal name vnto the. And the wyfe sayde vnto him: Beholde thou [ B] knowest what Saul hath done, how he hath destroyed the women that hadde prophesienge spirites, & the sorcerers out of the land. Wher∣fore then layest thou a net for my soule to kyll me? And Saul swore to her by the Lord, say∣inge: as surely as the Lorde liueth, there shal no harme chaunce the for this thynge. Then sayd the wyfe: whome shall I fetche vp vnto the? and he sayd: bring me vp Samuel. When the woman sawe Samuel, she cryed w^t a loude voyce and spake to Saul, sayinge: why haste tho mocked me? for thou arte Saul. And the kyng said vnto her, be not afrayde: But what seest thou? And the wyfe sayd vnto Saul: I se a God ascendyng vp out of the erth. And he sayde: what facion is he of? And the woman [ C] sayde: there commeth vp an olde man with a mantel vpon him. And Saul perceyued that it was Samuel, and stouped with his face to y^e grounde and bowed hym selfe. And Samuel said to Saul: why hast thou vnquieted me, to make me brought vp? And Saul answered: I am sore encombred. For the Philistines make warre agaynst me, and God is departed from me, and answered me no more, neyther by pro∣phetes, neyther by dreames / & therfore I haue called the, to tell me what I shall doo. Then said Samuel: wherfore doest thou aske of me? whyle the Lorde is gone from the, & is thyne ennemye / the Lorde wyll do to the as he sayde by my hand. For the Lord wil rent the kyng∣dome oute of thyne hande, and gyue it thy neighbour Dauid, bycause thou obeyedst not the voyce of the Lord, nor executedst his fearce wrath vpō the Amalekites. Therfore hath the Lord done this vnto the this daye. And further the Lorde wyll delyuer Israel with the in to the handes of y^e Philistines / & to morow shalt thou and thy sonnes be with me / and y^e Lorde shall gyue the hoste of Israel in to the handes of the Philistines. Then Saul fell forthwith flatte on the erth, and was fore a dredde of the wordes of Samuel.

And therto there was no strength in him, for he hadde not eaten all the daye before. And the woman came vnto Saul, & sawe he was sore [ D] troubled, and sayd vnto him. Se, thyne hand∣mayde hath obeyed thy voice, and haue put my soule in my hande, & haue harkened vnto thy wordes, whiche thou saydest vnto me. Nowe therfore harken thou also vnto the voyce of thyne handmayde, and let me set a morsell of breed before the, and eate and get the strength to go thy iourneye. But he refused it and sayd: I wil not eate. But his seruauntes & the wyfe

togyther compelled him, that he herde theyr voyce. And so he arose from the erthe and sate him on a bed. The womā had a fat calfe in the house, and that she hasted and killed, and toke flour & knede it, and did bake him swete cakes, and brought them before Saul, and before his seruantes / and when they had eaten, they stode vp, and went awaye the same nyght.

¶ Dauid goying with kyng Achis to fyght agaynst Saul is sent agayne by the meanes of the Lordes of the Philistines.

CAPI. XXIX.

[ A] THe Philistines gathered al theyr hostes togither vnto Aphek / and Israel pitched by a fountayn in Iezrahel. And the lor∣des of the Philistines wēt forth by hundredes and by thousandes. But Dauid and his men came behynde with Achis. Then sayd the lor∣des of the Philistines: what wyl yonder He∣brues? And Achis said vnto the lordes of the Philistines. Is not this Dauid the seruaunt of Saul the king of Israel, which hath ben with me dayes or yeres, and I haue found no fault [ B] in him sithens he fled vnto me vnto this daye. Neuerthelesse the lordes of y^e Philistines were wroche with him and sayde vnto him: Make this felow returne, & let him go agayn to his place whiche thou hast apoynted him. For he shall not goo with vs to battayle, leest he be an aduersarye to vs in the battayle, when we begyn to fyghte. For wherwith coulde he better obtayne the fauour of his master, then vpon the heedes of our men? Is this not Da∣uid to whome they sange in daunces: Saul slew in thousandes, but Dauid his in ten thou∣sandes? Then Achis called Dauid and said vn¦to him: As truely as the Lorde lyueth thou arte honest, and it pleaseth me well that thou sholdest accompany me in the hoste / for I haue found none euyl with the from the tyme thou camest to me vnto this day. Neuerthelesse the [ C] Lordes of the Philistines fauoure the not: wherfore retourne and goo in peax, that thou displease not y^e Lordes of the Philistines. And Dauid said agayn to Achis: Why, what haue I done? and what hast thou founde in thy ser¦uaunt as longe as I haue ben with the vnto this daye? that I maye not go fyght agaynste the ennemyes of my Lorde the kynge.

Achis answered and sayd to Dauid: I wot [ D] well, thou pleasest me, as it were an aungell of God. Notwithstandynge the lordes of the Philistines haue sayde, that thou shalte not go with them to battayle. Wherfore aryse vp erly in the mornyng with thy masters seruaū∣tes that are come with the. And when ye be vp erlye, as soone it begyn to be daye, departe. And so Dauid and his men arose erlye to de∣parte in the mornyng, and to returne in to the lande of the Philistines. And the Philistines went vp to Iezrahell.

¶ Dauid returnynge from kynge Achis fyndeth zi¦keleg burnte. He pursueth after the burners therof and kylleth them and recouereth the praye.

CAPI. XXX.

BVt er Dauid and his men were come to [ A] Zikeleg the thirde daye, the Amalekites had made assault in the south part vpon Zikeleg, and had smytten Zikeleg & burnt it with fyre / and had taken the women there pri¦soners, both smal & great, but slew not a man, but caryed them with them & departed. When Dauid and his men came to the citye / beholde it was burnt with fire / and their wiues, theyr sonnes and theyr doughters were taken pry∣soners. Then Dauid and the people that was with hym lyfte vp theyr voyces and wept tyl they coulde wepe no more. And Dauids two wyues were taken prysoners also / Ahinoam [ B] the Iezrahelite / and Abigail the wyfe of Na∣ball the Carmelite. And Dauid was sore trou¦bled / for the people intended to stone him, by∣cause the hertes of all the people were vexed for theyr sonnes and their doughters. But Da¦uid toke a good herte to him in the Lorde his God, and sayd to Abiathar the preest Achime∣lechs sonne: brynge me the Ephod. And Abia∣thar brought the Ephod to Dauid. And Dauid asked the Lorde, sayinge: shall I pursue this companye? and shal I ouertake them? And he sayd to him: folowe, for thou shalte ouertake them and recouer the praye. So he wente and [ C] the sixe hundred men that were with him, and they came to the ryuer Besor, where a parte of them abode. Neuerthelesse Dauid and foure hundred men folowed, but two hūdred abode behynde, being to werye to go ouer the ryuer Besor. Then they founde an Egyptian in the felde, and brought him to Dauid and gaue him breed to eate, and water to drynke / & gaue him a fewe fygges, and two clusters of reasynges, and when he hadde eaten, his spirites came a∣gayne to him, for he had eaten no breed, nor dronke no water in thre dayes and thre nygh∣tes. [ D] Then Dauid sayde vnto him: to whome belongest thou, and whence art thou? And the lad answered: I am an Egyptian, and seruant to an Amalekite: & my master lefte me behynd bicause it is thre dayes a gone that I fell sicke we came a rouing vpon the south of Cer•• this, and vpon them of Iuda, and on the southe of Caleb. And we burnt Zikeleg with fyre. And Dauid sayd to him: canste thou brynge me to this company? And he said: swere vnto me by God, that thou wylt neyther kyll me, nor de∣lyuer me in to the handes of my master, and I wyll brynge the vnto them. And when he had brought him: se, they laye scattered all abrode vpon the erth, eatynge and drynkynge and tri∣umphynge ouer all the greate praye that they had caryed awaye out of the lande of the Phi¦listines, and out of the lande of Iuda.

And Dauid layde vpon them from the twy∣lyght, [ E] vntyll the euen of the next daye / so that there escaped not a man, saue four hūdr••d yōge men, which rode awaye vpon camels and fled. And Dauid recouered all that the Amalekites had caried awaye, and his two wyues / so that there was no person lackynge small or great / sonne or doughter, or of the spoyle of all that they had taken awaye, but Dauid brought all agayne. And Dauid toke all the shepe and the oxen. And they draue the cattell before & sayd:

this is Dauids praye. And then Dauid came to the two hundred men that were ouer wery to folowe Dauid, whiche they made to abyde at the riuer Besor. And they came to mete Da¦uid and the people that were with him. And when Dauid came to the people, he greted thē peacibly. Then answered all the wycked and [ F] the vnthriftes of the men that went with Da¦uid, and sayd: bicause they went not with vs, therfore shall none of the praye that we haue recouered be gyuen vnto them, saue to euerye man his wyfe & his chyldren: whiche let them carye awaye and be walkynge.

Then sayd Dauid: ye shall not doo so (my brethren) with that the Lorde hath giuen vs, and hath preserued vs, and delyuered the com¦panye that came agaynst vs in to our handes. For who sholde herken vnto you in this mat∣ter? But as his parte is that goeth and fygh∣teth, so good shal his parte be that taryeth by the stuffe / they shal parte it alyke. And so from that day forwarde, was that made a law and a custome in Israel, and dureth tyl this daye. When Dauid came to Zikeleg, he sent of his [ G] praye vnto the elders of Iuda, and to his fren¦des, sayinge: Se there a blessynge for you, of the spoyle of the enemies of the Lord. He sent to them of Bethel, to them of south Ramath: to them of Gether: to them of Aroer: to thē of Sephamoth / to them of Esthamo / to them of Rachal / to them of the cityes of the Ierha∣meclytes: to them of the cities of the Kenites / to them of Haramah / to them of Borasan / to them of Athach / to them of Hebron / and to all places where Dauid and his men were wonte to haunte.

¶ The battayle betwene the Philistines and Isra∣el. Saul kylleth him self, and his children are slayne in the battayle.

CAPI. XXXI.

[ A] ANd as y^e Philistines fought agaynst Is∣rael, the mē of Israell fled away frō the Philistines, & fel downe deed in mount Gelboe. And the Philistines made after Saul and his sonnes / and slew Ionathas, Abinadab and Melchisua, Sauls sonne. And the battell went sore agaynst Saul, in so moche that sho∣ters with bowes had founde him, and he was sore wounded of the shoters. Then sayd Saul [ B] vnto his harnes bearer drawe out thy swerd and thrust me thorow therwith, leest these vn¦circumcised come thrust me thorow, and make a mockynge stocke of me. But his harnes bea∣rer wold not / for he was sore afrayde. Wher∣fore Saul toke a swerde and fell vpon it. And when his harnes bearer saw that Saul was deed, he fell lykewyse vpon his swerde & dyed with him. And so Saul dyed and his thre son∣nes, and his harnes bearer, & all his men that same daye togyther. When the men of Israel [ C] that were of the other syde the valeye, & they of the other syde Iordan herde that the men of Israel were put to flyght, and that Saul & his sonnes were deed / they lefte the cities and ran awaye, and the Philistines came & dwelte in them. On the morow when the Philisti∣nes were come to stryp them that were slayn, they founde Saul and his thre sonnes lyinge in mount Gelboe. And they cut of his heed, & stripped him out of his harnesse, and sent in to the land of the Philistines euery where, to pu¦blysshe in the houses of theyr goddes, and to the people. And they hanged vp his harnesse in the house of Astaroth, but they hanged vp his carkesse on the walles of Bethsan. When the inhabitantes of Iabes in Galaad herd what [ D] the Philistines had doone to Saul, they arose as many as were men of warre, and went all nyght and toke the corps of Saul, and the corses of his sonnes from the walles of Bethsan and broughte them to Ia∣bes, and burnte them there, and toke theyr bones and buryed them vnder a tree at Ia∣bes, and fasted seuen dayes.

¶ The ende of the fyrste boke of Sa∣muel, whiche they commenly call the firste of the Kynges.

Notes

• Paral .vii. b
• Exodi .xxiii. b. Deuter .xvi. a
• Gene .xxi .c and .xxx. a
• Iudi .xiii. a Numeri .vi. a
• Psal .xli. e
• 〈…〉〈…〉
• 〈…〉〈…〉
• ☜
• 〈…〉〈…〉
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 xii. a.
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 vii. d
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••ii .c
• ☜
• Leuiti .x. d Deuter .xii. b.
• iii. Reg .ii. ••
• iii. Reg .ii. d
• iii. Reg .xxli. d
• ☜
• i. Regū .iiii. ••.
• i. Regum .ii. g.
• Ruth .i .c
• i. Regū .vii .c.
• 〈…〉〈…〉
• 〈…〉〈…〉
• 〈…〉〈…〉
• ••••i .vii. d
• Exod .xii. d
• ii. Reg .vi. a
• ☞
• Ios .xxiiii .c Deute .vi. e Math .iiii. b.
• φ

  Of this ye haue. Iud .ii. e
• 〈…〉〈…〉
• 〈…〉〈…〉
• 〈…〉〈…〉
• 〈…〉〈…〉
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 xi. a
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ix. a 〈◊〉〈◊〉 .xiiii. g
• Act .xiii .c i. Regū .xv. a.
• Iud .xx. e i. Regū .xv. ••
• Actes .xiii .c Saul. Ozee .ix. d Deuter .ix .c.
• Ge .xxxv. d.
• ii. Regū .vii. a i. Par .xviii. a.
• i. Re .x••ii. d
• i. Reg .xi. b
• i. Reg .xix. d
• 〈…〉〈…〉
• 〈…〉〈…〉
• ☜
• ••a•• .i. •••• a
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 .x. ••.
• ☞
• ☞ 〈◊〉〈◊〉 .xlvi. d •••• d
• φ

  Chald. whi∣che hath mag∣nifyed.
• Genesi .xlvi. a Exod .ii. d
• Iudi .iiii. d
• Iudi .vi. Iudi .xiii. d
• φ

  That is Samson.
• i. Regū .viii. a
• Exo .xxxiiii. b. Deuter .ix .c. Iosue .vii. b
• Esaye .x. f
• i. Regū .x. b
• i. 〈…〉〈…〉
• 〈…〉〈…〉
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 .xiiii c
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••iii. b
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 iiii. d.
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••iii .c 〈◊〉〈◊〉 .iiii. e. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 x. b ••••ii .c
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••vii. f ••••al .xx. b
• Adiuracion.
• ☜
• Deute .xii.
• The people do rescow Iona∣thas that he dye not.
• ☞
• i. Reg .ix. a .i. Para .viii. d
• i. Regum .x .c
• Exo .xvii.x. Num .xxiiii. d Deuter .xxv .c
• 〈…〉〈…〉
• 〈…〉〈…〉
• D••••
• 〈…〉〈…〉
• 〈…〉〈…〉
• ☞
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 vii .c. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 xiiii. g
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ii. b •• Chal•• ••••pare xi. d 〈…〉〈…〉
• ☜
• Dauid.
• Goliath.
• 〈…〉〈…〉
• ☞
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 xiii. ••. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 xvii. d
• ••••li .xii. d
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 .xiii. g
• Ionathas.
• Eccle .xlvii. ••.
• ii. Reg ix ••
• ii. Reg .iii .c.
• i. Re .xviii. a
• Iudi .xii. a
• 〈…〉〈…〉
• ••iii. a. ••i. d
• i. Re .xxvi. •• ii. Regū .xii. ••
• 〈…〉〈…〉
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 preestes ••••ne. ••••••r .ii. g
• 〈…〉〈…〉
• i. Reg .xxx. ••
• i. Reg .xviii a. and .xx. b
• That is the rock of {per}ticiō
• ☜
• 〈…〉〈…〉
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 .xxi. a
• ☜
• ☞
• ☜
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 iiv.
• Ecclesi .xlvi. d
• i. Parali .xi. d
• i. Reg .xviii. a and .xxi. d Eccli .xlvii. a.
• ☞
• ••••we of ••••warre.
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 is are 〈◊〉〈◊〉
• Iud .ix. g i. Parali .x. a.
• Saul kylleth him selfe.
• i. Par .xi. b.
• Ie .xxxiiii. ••