no more need.

And David said unto Abishai, Destroy him not: for who shall lay hands on the LORD’S
anointed, and go unpunished?

And David said, As the LORD liveth, if the LORD smite him not, or his time come that he die, or go into battle, and perish,

Then let the LORD be far from me, that I should lay my hand upon the LORD’S anointed.
Now therefore take the spear for his heads, and the cup of water, and let us go.

So David took the spear and the cup of water at the heads of Saul, and went; and there was none that saw, nor knew, nor awaked; but they were all asleep. For a deep sleep had fallen upon them from the LORD.

And when David was come over on the other side, he stood upon the top of the mountain afar off, and there was a great space between them.

And the people cried unto Abner the son of Ner, saying, Hearest thou not, Abner? And Abner answered and said, Who art thou that crieth out against the king?

And David said unto Abner, Art not thou a man? and who is like thee in Israel? Why then hast thou not kept thy lord the king? For one of the people is come in to destroy thy lord the king.

But it is not good that thou hast done this thing. As the LORD liveth, ye are the children of death, because ye have not kept your master, the LORD’S anointed. Now, behold, here is the king’s spear, and the cup of water that was at his head.

And Saul knew the voice of David, and said: Is not this thy voice, my son David? And David said, It is my voice, my lord the king.

And he said, Why doth my lord thus persecute his servant? What have I done, and what evil is in my hand?

Now therefore, let my lord the king hear the words of his servant, If the LORD provoke thee against me, let a meat offering be smelled: but if the children of men do it, let them be accursed before the LORD, to cast me out this day, that I cleave not unto the inheritance of the LORD, saying: Go, serve other gods.

Now therefore let not my blood fall to the ground from the presence of the LORD. For the king of Israel is gone out to seek a flea, as one chaseth a partridge upon the mountains.

And Saul said: I have sinned; come again, my son David. I will not harm thee again, because my soul hath been dear in thine eyes this day. Behold, I have done foolishly and very unwisely.

And David answered and said, Behold, here is the king’s spear; let one of the young men go over and fetch it.

But the LORD will recompense every man according to his righteousness and faith. For the LORD hath delivered thee into mine hand this day; but I would not lay mine hand upon the LORD’S anointed.

And as this day thy soul was greatly esteemed in mine eyes, so let my soul be greatly esteemed in the eyes of the LORD, and save me from all tribulation.

And Saul said unto David, Blessed art thou, my son David; thou shalt do it, and go forth. And David went his way, and Saul returned unto his place.
(1 Samuel)
Chapter 27
David’s apartment in Ziklag.

And David said in his heart, I shall fall into the hand of Saul in those days: nothing is better for me than that I should escape into the land of the Philistines, that Saul should desist from seeking me again throughout all the coasts of Israel; and I shall escape out of his hand.

And he arose, and went over, he and the six hundred men that were with him, unto Achish the son of Maoch, king of Gath.

So David dwelt at Achish in Gath with his men, every man with his household; and David with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the Carmelitess, the wife of Nabal.

And when it was told Saul that David was fled to Gath, he sought him no more.

And David said unto Achish, If I have found grace in thine eyes, let me have a place in the cities of one of the country, that I may dwell therein: why should thy servant dwell with thee in the royal city?

Then Achish gave him Ziklag of that day. Therefore Ziklag is the king of Judah unto this day.

And the time that David dwelt in the land of the Philistines was one year and four months.

And David went up, he and his men, and fell into the land of the Geshurites, and the Gittites, and the Amalekites: for these were the inhabitants of that land of old, when they came unto Shur, even unto the land of Egypt.

And when David had smitten the land, he left neither man nor woman alive, and took sheep, and oxen, and asses, and camels, and raiment; and returned, and came to Achish.

And when Achish said, Are ye not invaded this day? then said David, Against the south of Judah, and against the south of the Jerahmeelites, and against the south of the Kenites.

And David suffered neither man nor woman to come alive to Gath, and thought that they would speak and gossip against us. So David did, and it was his way all the days that he dwelt in the land of the Philistines.

Therefore Achish believed David, saying, He hath made himself vile in the sight of his people Israel: therefore shall he be my servant for ever.
(1 Samuel)
Chapter 28
Saul seeks advice from a magician and is frightened by the ghost.

And it came to pass in those days, that the Philistines gathered their host together to battle against Israel. And Achish said unto David, Thou shalt know that thou and thy men shall go forth with me into the army.

And David said unto Achish, Well, thou shalt know what thy servant shall do. And Achish said unto David, Therefore will I make thee keeper of my head all the days of my life.

And Samuel died, and all Israel mourned for him, and buried him in Ramah his city. So Saul had driven out of the land the soothsayers and the diviners.

And it came to pass, when the Philistines were gathered together, and were come and encamped at Sunem, that Saul gathered all Israel together, and encamped at Gilboa.

And when Saul saw the host of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart was sore troubled.

And he consulted the LORD: but the LORD answered him not, neither by dreams, nor by light, nor by prophets.

And Saul said unto his servants: Seek me out a woman that hath a spirit of divination, that I may go unto her, and ask her. And his servants said unto him, Behold, there is a woman at Endor that hath a spirit of divination:

And Saul changed his garments, and put on other garments, and went, and two others with him, and came by night unto the woman, and said, Prophesy unto me by the spirit of the diviner, and bring up unto me that I tell thee.

And the woman said unto him, Behold, thou knowest well what Saul hath done, how he hath cut off the soothsayers and the diviners from the land: why then wilt thou bring my soul into the net, that I may be killed?

And Saul sware unto her by the LORD, saying, As the LORD liveth, let not this thing come to thee into iniquity.

And the woman said, Whom shall I bring up unto thee? And he said, Bring up Samuel unto me.

And when the woman saw Samuel, she cried with a loud voice, and said unto Saul, Why hast thou deceived me? Thou art Saul.

And the king said unto her, Fear not; what seest thou? And the woman said unto Saul, I see gods coming up out of the earth.

And he said, What manner of man is he? And she said, There cometh up an old man, clothed in a robe of silk. And Saul perceived that it was Samuel, and bowed himself with his face to the ground, and worshipped.

And Samuel said unto Saul, Why hast thou troubled me, to bring me up? And Saul said: I am greatly distressed, the Philistines fight against me, and God is departed from me, and answereth me not, neither by prophets, nor by dreams: therefore have I sent for thee, that thou mightest tell me what I should do.

And Samuel said, What wilt thou ask me, because the LORD is departed from thee, and is become thine enemy?

The LORD will do unto thee as he hath spoken by me, and will snatch the kingdom out of thine hand, and will give it to David thy neighbour;

Because thou hast not hearkened unto the voice of the LORD, nor executed the fury of his wrath against thee, therefore hath the LORD done this thing unto thee.

And the LORD shall deliver Israel with thee into the hand of the Philistines. Tomorrow thou and thy sons shall be with me. The LORD also shall deliver the host of Israel into the hand of the Philistines.

And Saul fell to the ground as long as he was, and was sore afraid at the words of Samuel, because there was no strength in him: for he had eaten nothing all that day nor all that night.

And the woman went in unto Saul, and saw that he was sore afraid, and said unto him, Behold, thy handmaid hath hearkened unto thy voice, and I have put my soul in mine hand,