Page:JPS-1917-Universal.djvu/372

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19.11
FIRST SAMUEL

to-morrow thou shalt be slain.' 12So Michal let David down through the window; and he went, and fled, and escaped. 13And Michal took the teraphim, and laid it in the bed, and put a quilt of goats' hair at the head thereof, and covered it with a cloth. 14And when Saul sent messengers to take David, she said: 'He is sick.' 15And Saul sent the messengers to see David, saying: 'Bring him up to me in the bed, that I may slay him.' 16And when the messengers came in, behold, the teraphim was in the bed, with the quilt of goats' hair at the head thereof. 17And Saul said unto Michal: 'Why hast thou deceived me thus, and let mine enemy go, that he is escaped?' And Michal answered Saul: 'He said unto me: Let me go; why should I kill thee?'

18Now David fled, and escaped, and came to Samuel to Ramah, and told him all that Saul had done to him. And he and Samuel went and dwelt in Naioth. 19And it was told Saul, saying: 'Behold, David is at Naioth in Ramah.' 20And Saul sent messengers to take David; and when they saw the company of the prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing as head over them, the spirit of God came upon the messengers of Saul, and they also prophesied. 21And when it was told Saul, he sent other messengers, and they also prophesied. And Saul sent messengers again the third time, and they also prophesied. 22Then went he also to Ramah, and came to the great cistern that is in Secu; and he asked and said: 'Where are Samuel and David?' And one said: 'Behold, they are at Naioth in Ramah.' 23And he went thither to Naioth in Ramah; and the spirit of God came upon him also, and he went on, and prophesied, until he came to Naioth in Ramah. 24And he also stripped off his clothes, and he also prophesied before Samuel, and lay down naked all that day and all that night. Wherefore they say: 'Is Saul also among the prophets?'

20And David fled from Naioth in Ramah, and came and said before Jonathan: 'What have I done? what is mine iniquity? and what is my sin before thy father, that he seeketh my life?' 2And he said unto him: 'Far from it; thou shalt not die; behold, my father doeth nothing either great or small, but that he discloseth it unto me; and why should my father hide this thing from me? it is not so.' 3And David swore moreover, and said: 'Thy father knoweth well that I have found favour in thine eyes; and he saith: Let not Jonathan know this, lest he be grieved; but truly as the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, there is but a step between me and death.' 4Then said Jonathan unto David: 'What doth thy soul desire, that I should do it for thee?' 5And David said unto Jonathan: 'Behold, to-morrow is the new moon, when I should sit with the king to eat; so let me go, that I may hide myself in the field unto the third day at even. 6If thy father miss me at all, then say: David earnestly asked leave of me that he might run to Beth-lehem his city; for it is the yearly sacrifice there for all the family. 7If he say thus: It is well; thy servant shall have peace; but if he be wroth, then know that evil is determined by him. 8Therefore deal kindly with thy servant; for thou hast brought thy servant into a covenant of the Lord with thee; but if there be in me iniquity, slay me thyself; for why shouldest thou bring me

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