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But one of the sonnes of Ahimelech the sonne of Ahitub (whose name was Abiathar) escaped and fled after Dauid.

And Dauid abode in the wildernesse in holdes, & remayned in a mountaine in the wildernes of Ziph. And Saul sought him euery day, but God deliuered him not into his hand.

So they twaine made a couenant before ye Lorde: and Dauid did remaine in the wood: but Ionathan went to his house.

Then they arose and went to Ziph before Saul, but Dauid and his men were in the wildernesse of Maon, in the playne on the right hande of Ieshimon.

But there came a messenger to Saul, saying, Haste thee, and come: for the Philistims haue inuaded the land.

Behold, this day thine eyes haue seene, that the Lorde had deliuered thee this day into mine hand in the caue, and some bade me kill thee, but I had compassion on thee, and said, I will not lay mine hande on my master: for he is the Lordes Anoynted.

According as the olde prouerbe sayeth, Wickednesse proceedeth from the wicked, but mine hand be not vpon thee.

So Dauid sware vnto Saul, and Saul went home: but Dauid & his men went vp vnto ye hold.

The name also of the man was Nabal, and the name of his wife Abigail, & she was a woman of singular wisdome, and beautifull, but the man was churlish, and euil conditioned, and was of the familie of Caleb.

Let not my lorde, I pray thee, regard this wicked man Nabal: for as his name is, so is he: Nabal is his name, and follie is with him: but I thine handmayde sawe not the yong men of my lord whom thou sentest.

Yet a man hath risen vp to persecute thee, and to seeke thy soule, but the soule of my lorde shall be bounde in the bundel of life with the Lord thy God: & the soule of thine enemies shal God cast out, as out of the middle of a sling.

The Lorde keepe mee from laying mine hand vpon the Lordes anointed: but, I pray thee, take now the speare that is at his head, and the pot of water, and let vs goe hence.

So Dauid tooke the speare and the pot of water from Sauls head, and they gate them away, and no man saw it, nor marked it, neither did any awake, but they were all asleepe: for the Lorde had sent a dead sleepe vpon them.

Now therefore, I beseech thee, let my lord the King heare the wordes of his seruant. If the Lord haue stirred thee vp against me, let him smel the sauour of a sacrifice: but if the children of men haue done it, cursed be they before the Lorde: for they haue cast me out this day from abiding in the inheritance of the Lorde, saying, Goe, serue other gods.

And let the Lorde rewarde euery man according to his righteousnesse and faithfulnesse: for the Lord had deliuered thee into mine handes this day, but I woulde not lay mine hand vpon the Lords anointed.

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

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

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

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

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