Gath. And he served as a captain in the army of Achish, and fought for him against those of his enemies, who were also the enemies of Israel. And Achish gave him the city of Ziklag, for himself and his men to dwell in.

But the time of David's trial was now coming B.C. to an end. When he had been with Achish, the 1056. king of Gath, about a year, the lords of the Philistines gathered together their armies to war against Israel, and they pitched their camp at Aphek. David followed with his men in the rear of the army of Achish, as far as Aphek. But when the princes of the Philistines saw him, they said that he should not go up with them to war against Saul; for they feared that he would turn against them in the battle, and fight for Saul. Then Achish, the king of Gath, commanded David to depart from the army of the Philistines, and to return again to Ziklag. And on the morrow David rose up early and departed with his men; and the Philistines went up from Aphek to Jezreel, near mount Gilboa, in the land of Issachar, where Saul was with his army.

When Saul saw that the Philistines had come up against him with their armies, his heart trembled greatly. He had none who could comfort or advise him now. For Samuel, the prophet of the Lord, was dead; and the priests he had himself slain with the sword. Then fear and despair came upon him, for he knew that the Lord had departed from him. He had deserted God, and God had at last deserted him.

Yet though Saul mourned in sorrow and in fear the misery which his sins had brought upon him, he did not, or could not, repent. He would not humble himself before the Lord, but hardened his heart, and sinned again. He put aside the fear of God, and resolved to seek to learn from evil spirits what he could not learn from the priests or prophets of the Lord. He told his servants to seek for him a woman that had a familiar spirit, that he might go to her, and inquire of her what he should do to escape from the Philistines. And the servants of Saul told him that there was a woman at Endor who had a familiar spirit.

Then Saul disguised himself that he might not be known, and went to the woman by night; and he asked her to divine unto him, and show him what he wished to know by the familiar spirit. And the woman said, "Whom shall I bring up unto thee?" And Saul said, "Bring me up Samuel."

And when the woman saw Samuel, she cried with a loud voice. Then she spoke to Saul and said, "Why hast thou deceived me? for thou art Saul." And the king said to her, "Be not afraid; what sawest thou?" And she said, “I saw gods ascending out of the earth." And Saul said, "What form is he of?" And the woman answered, “An old man cometh up, and he is covered with a mantle.”

"And Saul perceived that it was Samuel, and he stooped with his face to the ground, and bowed himself." And he said to Samuel, "I am sore distressed; for the Philistines make war against me, and God is departed from me, and answereth me no more, neither by prophets, nor by dreams: therefore I have called thee, that thou

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mayest make known unto me what I shall do." Then said Samuel, "Wherefore then dost thou ask of me, seeing the Lord is departed from thee, and is become thine enemy? And the Lord hath done as He spake by me: for the Lord hath rent the kingdom out of thine hand, and given it to thy neighbour, even to David. Because thou obeyedst not the voice of the Lord, therefore hath the Lord done this thing unto thee this day. Moreover, the Lord will also deliver Israel with thee into the hand of the Philistines; and tomorrow shalt thou and thy sons be with me."

Then Saul fell straightway all along on the earth, and was sore afraid, because of the words which the spirit had spoken. And his servants, together with the woman, lifted him up, and compelled him to eat food, that he might have strength to return. And when he had eaten, he rose up, and went away that night.

And on the morrow the Philistines joined battle with Saul and his army; and the men of Israel fled before them. And the Philistines followed hard upon Saul and his sons; and Jonathan and

two of his brothers who were with him were slain, and Saul was sore wounded by the archers.

Then Saul said to his armour-bearer, "Draw thy sword and thrust me through therewith, lest these uncircumcised come and abuse me." But his armour-bearer would not; for he was sore afraid. Therefore Saul took a sword and fell upon it.

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So Saul died, and his three sons, that same day BC. together.

And after the battle, when the Philistines came to view the slain, they found Saul and his three sons fallen in mount Gilboa. Then they cut off the head of Saul, and stripped off his armour. And they fastened his body to the wall of Bethshan, a city of the Israelites, in the land of Issachar, and they sent his armour to the house of their idol Ashtaroth, and fastened his head in the temple of Dagon.

When the people of Israel knew that Saul and his three sons were dead, and that his army was scattered before the Philistines, they forsook their cities and fled, and the Philistines came and dwelt