Antiquities of the Jews — Book 6, Chapter 11

1. However, Saul was not disposed to persevere long in the state wherein
he was, for when he saw that David was in great esteem, both with God
and with the multitude, he was afraid; and being not able to conceal his
fear as concerning great things, his kingdom and his life, to be
deprived of either of which was a very great calamity, he resolved to
have David slain, and commanded his son Jonathan and his most faithful
servants to kill him: but Jonathan wondered at his father's change with
relation to David, that it should be made to so great a degree, from
showing him no small good-will, to contrive how to have him killed. Now,
because he loved the young man, and reverenced him for his virtue, he
informed him of the secret charge his father had given, and what his
intentions were concerning him. However, he advised him to take care and
be absent the next day, for that he would salute his father, and, if he
met with a favorable opportunity, he would discourse with him about him,
and learn the cause of his disgust, and show how little ground there was
for it, and that for it he ought not to kill a man that had done so many
good things to the multitude, and had been a benefactor to himself, on
account of which he ought in reason to obtain pardon, had he been guilty
of the greatest crimes; and "I will then inform thee of my father's
resolution." Accordingly David complied with such an advantageous
advice, and kept himself then out of the king's sight.

2. On the next day Jonathan came to Saul, as soon as he saw him in a
cheerful and joyful disposition, and began to introduce a discourse
about David: "What unjust action, O father, either little or great, hast
thou found so exceptionable in David, as to induce thee to order us to
slay a man who hath been of great advantage to thy own preservation, and
of still greater to the punishment of the Philistines? A man who hath
delivered the people of the Hebrews from reproach and derision, which
they underwent for forty days together, when he alone had courage enough
to sustain the challenge of the adversary, and after that brought as
many heads of our enemies as he was appointed to bring, and had, as a
reward for the same, my sister in marriage; insomuch that his death
would be very sorrowful to us, not only on account of his virtue, but on
account of the nearness of our relation; for thy daughter must be
injured at the same time that he is slain, and must be obliged to
experience widowhood, before she can come to enjoy any advantage from
their mutual conversation. Consider these things, and change your mind
to a more merciful temper, and do no mischief to a man, who, in the
first place, hath done us the greatest kindness of preserving thee; for
when an evil spirit and demons had seized upon thee, he cast them out,
and procured rest to thy soul from their incursions: and, in the second
place, hath avenged us of our enemies; for it is a base thing to forget
such benefits." So Saul was pacified with these words, and sware to his
son that he would do David no harm, for a righteous discourse proved too
hard for the king's anger and fear. So Jonathan sent for David, and
brought him good news from his father, that he was to be preserved. He
also brought him to his father; and David continued with the king as
formerly.

3. About this time it was that, upon the Philistines making a new
expedition against the Hebrews, Saul sent David with an army to fight
with them; and joining battle with them he slew many of them, and after
his victory he returned to the king. But his reception by Saul was not
as he expected upon such success, for he was grieved at his prosperity,
because he thought he would be more dangerous to him by having acted so
gloriously: but when the demoniacal spirit came upon him, and put him
into disorder, and disturbed him, he called for David into his bed-
chamber wherein he lay, and having a spear in his hand, he ordered him
to charm him with playing on his harp, and with singing hymns; which
when David did at his command, he with great force threw the spear at
him; but David was aware of it before it came, and avoided it, and fled
to his own house, and abode there all that day.

4. But at night the king sent officers, and commanded that he should be
watched till the morning, lest he should get quite away, that he might
come into the judgment-hall, and so might be delivered up, and condemned
and slain. But when Michal, David's wife, the king's daughter,
understood what her father designed, she came to her husband, as having
small hopes of his deliverance, and as greatly concerned about her own
life also, for she could not bear to live in case she were deprived of
him; and she said, "Let not the sun find thee here when it rises, for if
it do, that will be the last time it will see thee: fly away then while
the night may afford thee opportunity, and may God lengthen it for thy
sake; for know this, that if my father find thee, thou art a dead man."
So she let him down by a cord out of the window, and saved him: and
after she had done so, she fitted up a bed for him as if he were sick,
and put under the bed-clothes a goat's liver 18 and when her father, as
soon as it was day, sent to seize David, she said to those that were
there, That he had not been well that night, and showed them the bed
covered, and made them believe, by the leaping of the liver, which
caused the bed-clothes to move also, that David breathed like one that
was asthmatic. So when those that were sent told Saul that David had not
been well in the night he ordered him to be brought in that condition,
for he intended to kill him. Now when they came and uncovered the bed,
and found out the woman's contrivance, they told it to the king; and
when her father complained of her that she had saved his enemy, and had
put a trick upon himself, she invented this plausible defense for
herself, and said, That when he had threatened to kill her, she lent him
her assistance for his preservation, out of fear; for which her
assistance she ought to be forgiven, because it was not done of her own
free choice, but out of necessity: "For," said she, "I do not suppose
that thou wast so zealous to kill thy enemy, as thou wast that I should
be saved." Accordingly Saul forgave the damsel; but David, when he had
escaped this danger, came to the prophet Samuel to Ramah, and told him
what snares the king had laid for him, and how he was very near to death
by Saul's throwing a spear at him, although he had been no way guilty
with relation to him, nor had he been cowardly in his battles with his
enemies, but had succeeded well in them all, by God's assistance; which
thing was indeed the cause of Saul's hatred to David.

5. When the prophet was made acquainted with the unjust proceedings of
the king, he left the city Ramah, and took David with him, to a certain
place called Naioth, and there he abode with him. But when it was told
Saul that David was with the prophet, he sent soldiers to him, and
ordered them to take him, and bring him to him: and when they came to
Samuel, and found there a congregation of prophets, they became
partakers of the Divine Spirit, and began to prophesy; which when Saul
heard of, he sent others to David, who prophesying in like manner as did
the first, he again sent others; which third sort prophesying also, at
last he was angry, and went thither in great haste himself; and when he
was just by the place, Samuel, before he saw him, made him prophesy
also. And when Saul came to him, he was disordered in mind 19 and under
the vehement agitation of a spirit; and, putting off his garments, 20 he
fell down, and lay on the ground all that day and night, in the presence
of Samuel and David.

6. And David went thence, and came to Jonathan, the son of Saul, and
lamented to him what snares were laid for him by his father; and said,
that though he had been guilty of no evil, nor had offended against him,
yet he was very zealous to get him killed. Hereupon Jonathan exhorted
him not to give credit to such his own suspicions, nor to the calumnies
of those that raised those reports, if there were any that did so, but
to depend on him, and take courage; for that his father had no such
intention, since he would have acquainted him with that matter, and have
taken his advice, had it been so, as he used to consult with him in
common when he acted in other affairs. But David sware to him that so it
was; and he desired him rather to believe him, and to provide for his
safety, than to despise what he, with great sincerity, told him: that he
would believe what he said, when he should either see him killed
himself, or learn it upon inquiry from others: and that the reason why
his father did not tell him of these things, was this, that he knew of
the friendship and affection that he bore towards him.

7. Hereupon, when Jonathan found that this intention of Saul was so well
attested, he asked him what he would have him do for him. To which David
replied, "I am sensible that thou art willing to gratify me in every
thing, and procure me what I desire. Now tomorrow is the new moon, and I
was accustomed to sit down then with the king at supper: now, if it seem
good to thee, I will go out of the city, and conceal myself privately
there; and if Saul inquire why I am absent, tell him that I am gone to
my own city Bethlehem, to keep a festival with my own tribe; and add
this also, that thou gavest me leave so to do. And if he say, as is
usually said in the case of friends that are gone abroad, It is well
that he went, then assure thyself that no latent mischief or enmity may
be feared at his hand; but if he answer otherwise, that will be a sure
sign that he hath some designs against me, Accordingly thou shalt inform
me of thy father's inclinations; and that out of pity to my case and out
of thy friendship for me, as instances of which friendship thou hast
vouchsafed to accept of the assurances of my love to thee, and to give
the like assurances to me, that is, those of a master to his servant;
but if thou discoverest any wickedness in me, do thou prevent thy
father, and kill me thyself."

8. But Jonathan heard these last words with indignation, and promised to
do what he desired of him, and to inform him if his father's answers
implied any thing of a melancholy nature, and any enmity against him.
And that he might the more firmly depend upon him, he took him out into
the open field, into the pure air, and sware that he would neglect
nothing that might tend to the preservation of David; and he said, "I
appeal to that God, who, as thou seest, is diffused every where, and
knoweth this intention of mine, before I explain it in words, as the
witness of this my covenant with thee, that I will not leave off to make
frequent trims of the purpose of my father till I learn whether there be
any lurking distemper in the most secret parts of his soul; and when I
have learnt it, I will not conceal it from thee, but will discover it to
thee, whether he be gently or peevishly disposed; for this God himself
knows, that I pray he may always be with thee, for he is with thee now,
and will not forsake thee, and will make thee superior to thine enemies,
whether my father be one of them, or whether I myself be such. Do thou
only remember what we now do; and if it fall out that I die, preserve my
children alive, and requite what kindness thou hast now received to
them." When he had thus sworn, he dismissed David, bidding him go to a
certain place of that plain wherein he used to perform his exercises;
for that, as soon as he knew the mind of his father, he would come
thither to him, with one servant only; "and if," says he, "I shoot three
darts at the mark, and then bid my servant to carry these three darts
away, for they are before him, know thou that there is no mischief to be
feared from my father; but if thou hearest me say the contrary, expect
the contrary from the king. However, thou shalt gain security by my
means, and shalt by no means suffer any harm; but see thou dost not
forget what I have desired of thee in the time of thy prosperity, and be
serviceable to my children." Now David, when he had received these
assurances from Jonathan, went his way to the place appointed.

9. But on the next day, which was the new moon, the king, when he had
purified himself, as the custom was, came to supper; and when there sat
by him his son Jonathan on his right hand, and Abner, the captain of his
host, on the other hand, he saw David's seat was empty, but said
nothing, supposing that he had not purified himself since he had
accompanied with his wife, and so could not be present; but when he saw
that he was not there the second day of the month neither, he inquired
of his son Jonathan why the son of Jesse did not come to the supper and
the feast, neither the day before nor that day. So Jonathan said, That
he was gone, according to the agreement between them, to his own city,
where his tribe kept a festival, and that by his permission: that he
also invited him to come to their sacrifice; "and," says Jonathan, "if
thou wilt give me leave, I Will go thither, for thou knowest the good-
will that I bear him." And then it was that Jonathan understood his
father's hatred to David, and plainly saw his entire disposition; for
Saul could not restrain his anger, but reproached Jonathan, and called
him the son of a runagate, and an enemy; and said he was a partner with
David, and his assistant, and that by his behavior he showed he had no
regard to himself, or to his mother, and would not be persuaded of
this,—that while David is alive, their kingdom was not secure to them;
yet did he bid him send for him, that he might be punished. And when
Jonathan said, in answer, "What hath he done that thou wilt punish him?"
Saul no longer contented himself to express his anger in bare words, but
snatched up his spear, and leaped upon him, and was desirous to kill
him. He did not indeed do what he intended, because he was hindered by
his friends; but it appeared plainly to his son that he hated David, and
greatly desired to despatch him, insomuch that he had almost slain his
son with his own hands on his account.

10. And then it was that the king's son rose hastily from supper; and
being unable to admit any thing into his mouth for grief, he wept all
night, both because he had himself been near destruction, and because
the death of David was determined: but as soon as it was day, he went
out into the plain that was before the city, as going to perform his
exercises, but in reality to inform his friend what disposition his
father was in towards him, as he had agreed with him to do; and when
Jonathan had done what had been thus agreed, he dismissed his servant
that followed him, to return to the city; but he himself went into the
desert, and came into his presence, and communed with him. So David
appeared and fell at Jonathan's feet, and bowed down to him, and called
him the preserver of his soul; but he lifted him up from the earth, and
they mutually embraced one another, and made a long greeting, and that
not without tears. They also lamented their age, and that familiarity
which envy would deprive them of, and that separation which must now be
expected, which seemed to them no better than death itself. So
recollecting themselves at length from their lamentation, and exhorting
one another to be mindful of the oaths they had sworn to each other,
they parted asunder.