hundred of them, that he might be the king's son-in-law.

Then Saul gave David Michal, his second daughter, to be his wife; and Michal loved him. But Saul grew yet more afraid of David, for he saw and knew that the Lord was with him. he became David's enemy continually.”

1 Samuel xviii.

“And

A javelin, is a kind of dart or weapon pointed with iron, which was thrown with the hand against an enemy. Kings in those times often carried a javelin in their hands as a sign of authority.

Chapter CXEEE.

THE ENVY OF SAUL AGAINST DAVID, AND THE FLIGHT OF DAVID FROM SAUL'S HOUSE.

AFTER David had slain the two hundred Philistines, and had married Michal, the daughter of Saul, the princes of the Philistines came forth again to war against the men of Israel. And in this war David behaved himself more wisely than all the servants of Saul, so that his name was much set by.

Then Saul's envy against David was greatly

increased, and he resolved to kill him openly. So he commanded Jonathan his son, and all his servants, to kill David. But Jonathan delighted much in David, and loved him; therefore he told him to hide himself in a secret place, because his father sought to kill him. And he said that he would speak with his father, and try to turn away his anger against David.

So when David had hidden himself from Saul, Jonathan talked with Saul his father of him; and he said, "Let not the king sin against his servant David; because he hath not sinned against thee, and because his works have been to thee-ward very good. For he did put his life into his hand, and slew the Philistine, and the Lord wrought a great salvation for all Israel. Thou sawest it, and didst rejoice wherefore then wilt thou sin against innocent blood, to slay David without a cause?" And Saul hearkened to the voice of Jonathan ; and he swore that David should not be slain. Then Jonathan called David, and brought him to Saul, and he was in his presence as in time past.

Afterwards, when there was war again with the

Philistines, David went forth with the armies of Israel to fight against them; and the Philistines fled before him. Then the envy of Saul returned, and the evil spirit again came back upon him, And as David sat before him playing on his harp, after he had returned from his victory over the Philistines, Saul again sought to kill him with his javelin, but David slipped away, and the javelin entered into the wall behind him. And he fled away from Saul to his own house.

Then Saul sent messengers after David, to watch for him, and to slay him when he came forth from his house in the morning. But Michal, the wife of David, knew that Saul her father purposed to kill him, and she let him down that night from a window. So David escaped from Saul, and fled away to Ramah, to Samuel the prophet of the Lord, and told him all that Saul had done to him.

When Saul heard that David had fled to Ramah, he sent messengers there to take him. But when the messengers came there, and saw the company of prophets prophesying, and praising

God with psalms and hymns, and Samuel leading them, the Spirit of God came upon the messengers, and they also prophesied. And when it was told Saul, he hardened his heart, and sent other messengers. But when they came to Ramah they were also moved to join the company of prophets, and to prophesy with them. And Saul sent messengers again the third time, and they prophesied also. Then Saul set forth, and went himself to Ramah. And the Spirit of God came upon him also, and he stripped off his armour and his royal robes, and prophesied before Samuel as his messengers had done; and he remained there a day and a night among the prophets.

Thus the Lord compelled Saul to honour Him, and praise Him against his own will, and stayed him for awhile in his evil purpose of killing David. But the heart of Saul was not softened, nor his purpose changed. The power of the Holy Spirit, which made him prophesy before Samuel, did not turn him from his wickedness. For Saul had hardened his heart against God; and though the Holy Spirit of God will move men to

repent, and help them to repent, it will not compel them.

1 Samuel xviii. xix.

Chapter CXIV.

THE FLIGHT OF DAVID FROM SAUL INTO THE LAND OF THE PHILISTINES.

WHEN Saul had come to Ramah to seek for David, David fled from thence, and returned back to Jonathan his friend.

Then Jonathan and David renewed their covenant, and they again swore to love one another. And Jonathan made David promise that he would show kindness both to him, and to his house after him, when the Lord should have cut off the enemies of David from the face of the earth. For Jonathan knew that the Lord had chosen David to be king over Israel, in the place of his father Saul, and he believed that the words which Samuel, the prophet of the Lord, had spoken, would surely be fulfilled.

When Saul had returned again from Ramah,