of this honey. If only the people had eaten freely to-day of the spoil of their enemies, the slaughter of the Philistines would have been great.'

Then Saul said, 'Let us go down after the Philistines by night and plunder until daybreak, and let us not leave one of them.' They said, 'Do whatever you think best.' But the priest said, 'Let us inquire of God.' So Saul asked of God, 'Shall I go down after the Philistines? Wilt thou deliver them over to Israel?' But he did not answer him that day. Therefore Saul said, 'Come here, all you leaders of the people, and find out who has committed this sin today. For as surely as Jehovah the deliverer of Israel lives, even though it be Jonathan my son, he shall die.' But not one of the people answered him.

Then he said to all Israel, 'You be on one side, and I and Jonathan my son will be on the other.' The people said to Saul, 'Do what you think best.' Therefore Saul said, 'Jehovah, God of Israel, why hast thou not answered thy servant this day? If the sin be mine or that of Jonathan my son, Jehovah, God of Israel, indicate it by the lot marked Urim; but if the sin lies with thy people Israel, indicate it by the lot marked Thummim.' Then Jonathan and Saul were selected and the people were exonerated. So Saul said, 'Cast the lot between me and Jonathan my son. whom Jehovah selects must die.' The people said to Saul, 'It shall not be so!' But Saul overruled the people and they cast the lot between him and Jonathan his son; and Jonathan was selected.

He

Then Saul said to Jonathan, "Tell me what you have done.' So Jonathan told him, 'I did indeed taste a little honey with the end of the staff that was in my hand. Here I am! I am ready to die.' Saul said, 'God do so to me and more too; Jonathan, you shall

surely die!' But all the people said to Saul, 'Shall Jonathan die who has achieved this great deliverance for Israel? Far from it! As surely as Jehovah lives, not one hair of his head shall fall to the ground, for he has wrought with God this day.' So the people saved Jonathan from death. Then Saul refrained from pursuing the Philistines; and the Philistines went to their own country.

THE RISE OF DAVID AND THE DECLINE OF SAUL

79. DAVID'S INTRODUCTION TO PUBLIC LIFE

After Saul assumed the rulership over Israel, he fought on every side against all his enemies, against Moab, the Ammonites, Edom, Beth-rehob, the king of Zobah, and the Philistines; and whichever way he turned he was victorious. He showed great ability and defeated the Amalekites and delivered Israel out of the hands of its plunderers. But the war against the Philistines was severe all the days of Saul. And whenever Saul saw a strong or able man, he would attach him to himself.

Now the spirit of Jehovah had departed from Saul and an evil spirit from Jehovah assailed him. So Saul's servants said to him, 'See now, an evil spirit from Jehovah is assailing you. Let your servants who are here advise you, and let them seek a man skilled in playing the lyre. Then, whenever the evil spirit comes upon you, he shall play on the lyre, and you will be well.' Saul said to his servants, 'Find me a man who plays well, and bring him to me.'

Then one of the young men said, ‘I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite who is a skilled musician, a strong and able man, a soldier, judicious in speech, of good appearance, and Jehovah is with him.' So Saul sent messengers to Jesse with the command, 'Send me David your son, who is with the flock.' Then Jesse took ten loaves of bread, a skin of wine, and a kid,

and sent them to Saul by his son David. So David came to Saul and entered his service; and Saul loved him and he became his armor-bearer. Saul sent this message to Jesse: 'Let David remain in my service, for I am well pleased with him.' And whenever the spirit from God came upon Saul, David would take the lyre and play, and Saul would breathe freely and would be well, and the evil spirit would depart from him.

80. DAVID'S VICTORY OVER THE PHILISTINE

CHAMPION

Now the Philistines mobilized their forces for war, and they gathered at Socoh, which belongs to Judah, and camped between Socoh and Ezekah in Ephesdammim. Saul and the men of Israel assembled and camped in the valley of Elah; and they were drawn up in battle array against the Philistines.

The Philistines were standing on the hill on one side, and the Israelites were standing on the hill on the other side with the valley between them. Then there came out from the ranks of the Philistines a champion named Goliath who wore a bronze breast-plate of scales which weighed one hundred and fifty pounds. He also had bronze greaves upon his legs and a bronze back plate between his shoulders. The shaft of his spear was like a weaver's beam, and the head of his iron spear weighed about twenty pounds; and his shieldbearer went before him.

He stood and called to the ranks of Israel: 'Why do you come out to form the line of battle? Am I not a Philistine and you servants of Saul? Choose a man for yourselves and let him come down to me. If he is able to fight with me and kill me, then we will become your servants; but if I conquer and kill him, then you

shall become our servants and serve us.' The Philistine added, 'I have taunted the ranks of Israel to-day; give me a man that we may fight together.'

When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were greatly terrified. But David said to Saul, 'Let not my lord's courage fail him; I will go and fight this Philistine.' Saul said to David, 'You are not able to go and fight against this Philistine, for you are only a youth and he has been a warrior from his youth.' But David said to Saul, 'Your servant kept his father's sheep, and whenever a lion or a bear came and took a lamb out of the flock, I would go out after him and kill him and rescue it from his mouth. If he attacked me I would seize him by his throat and kill him with a blow. Your servant has killed both lion and bear. Now this heathen Philistine shall be like one of them, for he has taunted the armies of the living God. Jehovah who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.' So Saul said to David, 'Go, and may Jehovah be with you.'

Saul clothed David with his own garments and put a helmet of bronze on his head and gave him a coat of mail. And David fastened on his sword over his coat and made a vain attempt to walk, for he was not accustomed to them. So he said to Saul, 'I cannot go with these, for I am not accustomed to them.' So David took them off.

Then he took his club in his hand, and he chose five smooth stones from the bed of the brook and put them in his bag, and he took his sling in his hand and approached the Philistine. When the Philistine looked and saw David, he despised him, for he was but a fair and ruddy youth. So the Philistine said to David, 'Am I a dog that you come against me with a club?'