6 DAVID SLAYS GOLIATH. ND he [David] took his staff in his hand, and chose him five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in a shepherd's bag which he had, even in a scrip; and his sling was in his hand and he drew near to the Philistine. And the Philistine came on, and drew near unto David; and the man that bare the shield went before him. And when the Philistine looked about, and saw David, he disdained him; for he was but a youth, and ruddy, and of a fair countenance. And the Philistine said unto David, Am I a dog, that thou comest to me with staves? And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. And the Philistine said to David, Come to me, and I will give thy flesh unto the fowls of the air, and to the beasts of the field. Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield; but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of Hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied. And all this assembly shall know that the Lord saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the Lord's, and He will give you into our hands. And David put his hand in his bag, and took thence a stone, and slang it, and smote the Philistine in his forehead, and the stone sunk into his forehead; and he fell upon his face to the earth. And David took his sword, and drew it out of the sheath thereof, and slew him, and cut off his head therewith. And when the Philistines saw their champion was dead, they fled.'—1 Sam. xvii. D ABIGAIL BRINGS PRESENTS TO DAVID. AVID, in his wanderings and perplexities, had occasion to ask at the hands of Nabal, a wealthy but morose man, some supplies for his wants. To this application, Nabal replied with the true spirit and temper of a churl, and scornfully denied the request. David DAVID TAKEŞ SAUL'S SPEAR. 107 determined to resent his rude incivility, and gathered a company of armed men together; which being represented to Abigail, Nabal's wife, a woman of great kindness and discretion, she 'made haste, and took two hundred loaves, and two bottles of wine, and five sheep ready dressed, and five measures of parched corn, and an hundred clusters of raisins, and two hundred cakes of figs, and laid them on asses.' With this rich and seasonable present she met David, who was more than pacified by this interview, and at the death of Nabal he made Abigail his wife.I SAM. XXV. DAVID TAKES SAUL'S SPEAR. LTHOUGH David had been anointed by Samuel, he was not yet king in fact, but an oppressed and persecuted fugitive, under continual fears, and sometimes almost in despair in flying from the face of his enemies, of whom Saul was chief. There were times, however, in which his powerful foe lay completely at his mercy; but the pious loyalty of David forbade him to use the advantage thus afforded him. On one of these occasions, when Saul sought David with three thousand men, the youth with only one attendant stole into the camp of Saul by night, and approached the very spot where he lay reclined, with his spear stuck in the ground at his head. Abishai, David's companion, now strongly urged him to rid himself of his enemy at a blow; but David said, 'The Lord forbid that I should stretch forth mine hand against the Lord's anointed: but, I pray thee, take thou now the spear, and the cruse of water, and let us go.' This they did without awaking the sleeper.-I SAM. xxvi. THE Saul's Saul's heart for a time, did not cure the deep rooted envy and jealousy which he felt towards him. Nor did he seek in a proper way the favour and direction of God, who therefore refused to answer him by the priests, prophets, or by dreams. In this perplexity, he sought aid from evil spirits. Having found a person suited to his purpose, called the Witch of Endor, he disguised himself, and with two attendants came to the woman by night; and he said, I pray thee, divine unto me by the familiar spirit, and bring him up whom I shall name unto thee. Then said the woman, Whom shall I bring up unto thee? Then he said, Bring me up Samuel. And when the woman saw Samuel, she cried with a loud voice. Saul said, What form is he of? And she said, An old man And |