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purpose. This was reported to Saul, who summoned the youth into his presence. There he persisted in his resolution, and said: Let no man's heart fail because of him; thy servant will go and fight with this Philistine.' Saul answered compassionately, Thou art not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him; for thou art but a boy, and he is a man of war from his youth.' Then David, anxious to obtain the king's consent, related his successful encounters with the lion and the bear, and concluded, The Lord that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, He will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine.' Yielding at last, Saul said,Go, and the Lord be with thee.'

Thus

David was clad in the king's armour, and Saul presented him with his spear and his sword; but the shepherd boy could hardly walk in the large and ponderous coat of mail; so he laid it off, and prepared for the difficult combat in his own manner. He took his staff in one hand and his sling in the other; and choosing five smooth stones out of the brook, he put them into his shepherd's bag or scrip, which he threw round his shoulder. armed, he drew near to Goliath. The Philistine came forth, preceded by his armour-bearer; but when he saw the fair and ruddy youth of small stature, he exclaimed disdainfully: Am I a dog, that thou comest to me with staves?' and he cursed him by his gods. Come to me,' he continued, and I will give thy flesh to the fowls of the air and to the beasts of the field.' But David, conscious of his good cause, and inspired by it to a sublime courage, replied, "Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield, but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of Hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied. . . . And all this assembly shall know that the Lord saves not with sword and spear for the battle is the Lord's, and He will give

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you into our hands.' The Philistine, enraged by this bold reply, advanced towards his opponent. Now David quickly drew a stone from his bag, and placing it in his sling, flung it against the forehead of the Philistine. It pierced the giant's head, who fell upon his face to the ground. Running near and grasping the large sword of his fallen foe, David slew him, and cut off his head. At this sight the Philistine hosts were seized with consternation; they turned and fled in wild confusion; the Hebrews followed in rapid pursuit, and pressed the fugitives on as far as Ekron and Gath. When they returned, they were received with shouts of triumph and rejoicing. David, carrying the head of Goliath in his hand, was brought before Saul, who apparently did not recognise in him the skilful harp-player, for he asked him, ‘Whose son art thou, young man?' And he answered, 'I am the son of thy servant Jesse the Bethlehemite.' Saul would not let David return to his father's house from that day. And then commenced that noble friendship between the king's son and the future king of Israel, which the Bible records in these simple but expressive words: The soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul. . . . Then Jonathan and David made a covenant; and Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was upon him, and gave it to David, and his garments, even to his sword, and his bow, and to his girdle.'

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84. DAVID PERSECUTED BY SAUL.

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[1 SAM. XVIII-XXIV.]

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David was now frequently sent out by Saul on military expeditions; he was successful in whatever he undertook, and was held in honour and respect both by the courtiers and the people. But a slight incident, unduly magnified by the king's morbidness, soon disturbed the friendly relations between Saul and David. As both returned together to Gibeah, after the pursuit and slaughter of the Philistines, the women came forth out of their tents to meet the conquerors with singing and dancing, with tabrets and harps and cymbals. They played and sang to one another, Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands.' Alas! for the evil spirit that was upon Saul; it took, in this instance, the form of jealousy, which was keenly aroused by those words. He will have even the kingdom!' he exclaimed; and he looked from that day upon David with uneasiness and distrust. The old gloom settled upon him more darkly; it could now no more be chased away by music; David's harp had lost its charm. Nay, one day when David was playing to him as usual, Saul threw his javelin at his head, intending to kill him. David happily eluded the thrust of the weapon twice, and hastened out of the king's presence. Afraid of the young warrior, and yet not daring to attack his life again, because he saw that God's favour was with him, Saul removed him from his household, and made him captain over a thousand men, in the hope that the dangers and chances of war would accomplish what he desired. With this object, he sent him forth to do battle against the Philistines, promising him the hand of his daughter Merab as the reward of his victories. David was victorious, yet Merab was given in marriage to Adriel the Meholathite.

Saul had a second daughter, Michal, who loved David devotedly. When he was told of her affection, he feigned approval, and openly encouraged David in his hopes, trusting that he might thus ensnare him in a fatal combat with the ruthless Philistines. But David said discreetly, 'Does it seem to you a small thing to be a king's son-in-law, seeing that I am a poor man, and lightly esteemed?' But the servants of Saul told David that the king wished indeed to give him his daughter in marriage, and that the only dowry he required would be a hundred lives of the Philistines. So David went forth and slew the enemy. Returning with double the demanded trophies, he claimed Michal for his wife. Saul's fears grew as David's military triumphs became more numerous and more brilliant, till the jealousy was fanned into hatred. It became so violent and so unrestrained that he once more resolved to kill him, and it was only on the earnest and pathetic entreaties of Jonathan, who reminded him of David's important services, that he desisted from his criminal purpose, and became even reconciled to the youthful hero. But the friendly intercourse did not last long. Another war broke out against the Philistines. David was as courageous and successful as ever. This roused Saul's envy to such a degree, that again, in a fit of ungovernable fury, he attempted to slay him with his javelin. David was alarmed, and sought refuge in his own house. There, however, he was followed by the king's messengers, who were ordered to prevent his flight. Michal, justly fearing for the life of her husband, caused him to escape through a window, and thus to elude his pursuers. She then took an image of the Teraphim, laid it in David's bed, and covered it. When Saul's messengers came to her, demanding that David should be given up to them, she said that he was ill; and when they had reported this

reply, they returned with the king's orders, 'Bring him up to me in the bed, that I may slay him.' Then she led them into the room, and showed them the image in the bed. Saul upbraided his daughter, but she pleaded that David had threatened to kill her on the spot unless she sent him away unharmed.

Meanwhile David had proceeded for protection to Samuel in Ramah, whence, for greater safety, both soon afterwards went to Naioth. Thither also the implacable king sent his men with peremptory commands to bring the fugitive back to Gibeah; but as they approached Naioth, and came to one of the schools of prophets founded by Samuel, they were suddenly filled with religious ardour, and, joining Samuel and his disciples, they stayed and prophesied. Seeing that they did not come back, Saul again sent messengers, but these also were seized by the Divine spirit, and did not return. For the third time royal delegates came to Naioth, and they remained and were inspired as the others had been. Then Saul went himself to Ramah, and asked the people, Where are Samuel and David? When he was told that they were at Naioth, he at once set out towards this place; and as he approached the town, the spirit of God. descended upon him, and his soul was stirred to its very depths. He came before Samuel in a state of frenzied enthusiasm; stripping off his clothes, he lay fasting before him through all that day and the following night.

David continued but a short time in Naioth. He was a man of action, and could not remain long in seclusion, associating only with the prophets and musicians trained and led by Samuel. He secretly returned to Gibeah, and came to Jonathan with a tone of deep despair in his cry: 'What have I done, what is my iniquity, and what is my sin before thy father that he seeks my life?' Jonathan endeavoured to comfort him, but it was in vain, for

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