1   And Saul spake to Ionathas his sonne, and to al his seruantes, that they should kil Dauid. Moreouer Ionathas the sonne of Saul, loued Dauid excedingly.

2   And Ionathas told Dauid, saying: Saul my father seeketh to kil thee: wherefore looke to thy self I besech thee in the morning, and thou shalt abide secretly, and shalt be hid.

3   But I going forth wil stand beside my father, in the field wheresoeuer he shal be: and I wil speake of thee to my father, and whatsoeuer I shal see, I wil tel thee.

4   Ionathas therefore spake good wordes of Dauid to Saul his father: and sayd to him: Sinne not, o King against thy seruant Dauid, because he hath not sinned toward thee, and his workes are very good for thee.

5   And he put his life in his hand, and stroke the Philistian, and our Lord made great saluation to al Israel. Thou hast seene & didst reioice, why therefore sinnest thou in innocent blood killing Dauid, who is without fault?

6   Which when

Samuel. Saul. Dauid. Saul had heard, being pacified with the voice of Ionathas, he sware: Our Lord liueth, he shal not be slaine.

7   Ionathas therefore called Dauid and shewed him al these wordes, and Ionathas brought in Dauid to Saul, and he was before him, as he had bene yesterday and the day before.

8   And there was battel raysed againe, and Dauid going forth, fought against the Philistijms, and stroke them with a great slaughter, and they fled from his face.

9   And the euil spirit of our Lord came vpon Saul, and he sate in his house, and held a speare: moreouer Dauid played with his hand.

10   And Saul endeuoured to naile Dauid to the wal with his speare. And Dauid declined from the face of Saul: and the speare without making wound, pearced the wal, and Dauid fled, and was saued that night.

11   Saul therefore sent of his guarde into Dauids house, that they should keepe him, & that he might be killed in the morning: Which when Michol his wife had told Dauid, saying: Vnles thou saue thy self this night, to morowe thou shalt die:

12   she let him downe through a windowe. moreouer he went and fled away, and was saued.

13   And Michol tooke ^note a statua, and put it vpon the bed, and a hearie skinne of goates she layd at the head thereof, and couered it with garmentes.

14   And Saul sent serieantes, that should take away Dauid by force, and it was answered that he was sicke.

15   And againe Saul sent messengers to see Dauid, saying: Bring him to me in the bed, that he may be slaine.

16   And when the messengers were come, there was found a statua vpon the bed, and skinnes of goates at the head thereof.

17   And Saul sayd to Michol: Why hast thou mocked me, and let goe myn enemie that he might flee? And Michol answered Saul: Because he sayd to me: Let me goe, otherwise I wil kil thee.

18   But Dauid fleing was saued, and came to Samuel in Ramatha, and told him al thinges that Saul had done to him: and he & Samuel went & abode in Naioth.

19   And it was told Saul by some saying: Behold Dauid is in Naioth in Ramatha.

20   Saul therefore sent seriantes to take away Dauid: who when they had seene a troupe of prophetes prophecying, & Samuel standing ouer them, the spirit of our Lord came also on them, and they also began to prophecie.

21   Which when it was told Saul, he sent other messengers: but they also did prophecie. And againe Saul sent the third messengers: who also prophecied. And Saul being wrath for anger,

22   went also him selfe into Ramatha, and came as

Saul. Dauid. Ionathas. farre as the great cesterne, which is in Socho, and asked, and said: In what place are Samuel and Dauid? And it was told him: Loe they are in Naioth in Ramatha.

23   And he went into Naioth in Ramatha, and the Spirit of our Lord came vpon him, and he walked going, and he ^note prophecied til he came into Naioth in Ramatha.

24   And he stripped himselfe of his garments, and prophecied with the rest before Samuel, and sang naked al that day and night. Wherupon there went out also a prouerb: What is Saul also among the prophetes.

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