down to this troop. So he brought him down thither, and, behold, they were spread abroad everywhither, eating and drinking, and feasting, because of all the great spoil that they had taken out of the land of the Philistines, and out of the land of Judah. And David smote them from early dawn until evening; and there escaped not a man of them, save four hundred young men, who rode upon camels and fled. And David rescued his two wives, and David recovered all that the Amalekites had taken. There was nothing lacking, neither small nor great, neither sons nor daughters, neither spoil, nor any thing that they had taken. David brought back all. And the people took all the flocks and the herds, and drove them before him, and said: This is David's spoil.

Then David came to the two hundred men who were too faint to follow him, whom they had left at the brook Besor; and they went forth to meet David, and to meet the people that were with him. And when David and his men drew near, they saluted him. Then answered ali the wicked and base fellows among those that went with David, and said: Because they went not with us, we will not give them aught of the spoil that we have recovered, save to every man his wife and his children, that they may lead them away, and depart. But David said: Ye shall not do so, my brethren, with that which Jehovah hath given us, who hath preserved us, and delivered the troop that came against us into our hand. And who will hearken unto you in this matter? For as his share is that goeth down to the battle, so shall his share be that tarrieth by the stuff; they shall share alike. And it came to pass from that day forward, that this was made a statute and an ordinance for Israel, unto this day. And when David came to Ziklag, he sent of the

SAUL KILLS HIMSELF.

251

Be

spoil unto the elders of Judah, his friends, saying: hold a present for you of the spoil of Jehovah's enemies. Now the Philistines were gone up to Jezreel; and the Israelites were encamped by the fountain in Jezreel. And the Philistines fought against Israel; and the men of Israel fled before the Philistines, and fell down slain in Mount Gilboa. And the Philistines followed hard upon Saul and upon his sons; and the Philistines slew Jonathan, and Abinadab (Father hath freely given), and Malchishua (Molech is Salvation), sons of Saul. And the battle went sore against Saul; and the archers hit him; and he was sore wounded of the archers. Then said Saul to his armor-bearer: Draw thy sword, and thrust me through therewith; lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and make a mock of me. But his armor-bearer would not; for he was sore afraid. Therefore Saul took his sword, and fell upon it. And when his armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he likewise fell upon his sword, and died with him. So Saul died, and his three sons, and his armor-bearer, that same day together. And when the men of Israel that were on the side of the valley, and they that were by the side of Jordan, saw that the men of Israel fled, and that Saul and his sons were dead, they forsook their cities, and fled; and the Philistines came and dwelt in them.

And it came to pass on the morrow, when the Philistines came to strip the slain, that they found Saul and his three sons lying on Mount Gilboa. And they cut off his head, and stripped off his armor, and sent into the land of the Philistines round about, to carry the tidings unto the house of their idols, and to the people. And they put his armor in the house of Ashtaroth; but his body they hung on the wall of Beth-shan. Then the inhabitants

of Jabesh of Gilead heard of that which the Philistines had done to Saul, and all the valiant men arose, and went all night, and took the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Beth-shan, and brought them to Jabesh, and burned them there. And they took their bones, and buried them under the tamarisk-tree in Jabesh, and fasted seven days.

CHAPTER V.

II. SAMUEL, i.-iv.

KING ESHBAAL.

News of Saul's Death-David Kills the Messenger-David's Lament -David King in Hebron-Eshbaal King in Mahanaim-Field of the Sharp Knives-Death of Asahel-A Truce-Abner InsultedIntrigues with David-Murdered by Joab-The Lament for Abner -Assassination of Eshbaal.

Now it came to pass after the death of Saul, when David was returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites, and David had abode two days in Ziklag; it came to pass on the third day, that, behold, a man came out of the camp from Saul with his clothes rent, and earth upon his head. And when he came to David, he fell to the earth, and did obeisance. And David said to him: Whence comest thou? And he said to him: Out of the camp of Israel am I escaped. And David said to him: How went the battle? I pray thee, tell me. And he answered The people are fled from the battle, and many of the people are fallen and dead; and Saul and Jonathan his son are dead also. And David said to the young man that told him: How knowest thou that Saul and Jonathan his son are dead? And the young man that told him said: I happened by chance upon Mount Gilboa, and, behold, Saul leaning upon his spear; and, lo, the chariots and the horsemen followed hard after him. And he looked behind him, and saw me, and

called to me. And I answered: Here am I. And he said to me: Who art thou? And I answered him: I am an Amalekite. Then said he unto me: Stand over me, I pray thee, and slay me, for anguish hath taken hold of me; because my life is yet whole in me. So I stood over him, and slew him, because I was sure that he could not live after that he was fallen. And I took the crown that was upon his head, and the bracelet that was on his arm, and have brought them hither unto my lord.

Then David took hold on his clothes, and rent them; and likewise all the men that were with him. And they mourned, and wept, and fasted until even, for Saul, and for Jonathan his son, and for Jehovah's people, and for the house of Israel; because they were fallen by the sword. And David said to the young man that told him Whence art thou? And he answered: I am the son of a stranger, an Amalekite. And David said to him How wast thou not afraid to put forth thine hand to destroy Jehovah's anointed? And David called one of the young men, and said: Go near, and fall upon him. And he smote him that he died. And David said to him Thy blood be upon thine own head; for thy mouth hath testified against thee, saying, I have slain Jehovah's anointed.

Then David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son; and he bade them teach it to the children of Judah; behold, it is written in the Book of Jashar.

Israel's beauty is felled upon thy heights;

How are the heroes fallen!

Tell it not in Gath,

Publish it not in Ashkelon's streets;