THE KING'S MIRROR 329 



afflict him less. So they found a lovely youth whose 

 name was David, the son of Jesse in Bethlehem, who 

 knew how to strike the harp skilfully; he came to the 

 king, and whenever the malady came upon Saul, David, 

 standing before him, struck the harp and the illness 

 departed immediately. (But when Saul discovered that 

 the malady was less severe, he loved David highly and 

 made him his shield bearer.^Samuel, however, had al- 

 ready anointed him king in secret, no one knowing it 

 but his father and his brothers. David remained with 

 Saul many days and served him faithfully; and all men 

 perceived that God was with him in all his doings. Saul, /> / 



too, was well disposed toward him at first {he gave him ^ 



his daughter and assigned him a troop to command.! J 

 But after Saul had won his great victory over the Philis- 

 tines and David had slain the giant Goliath and they 

 were returning from the warfare, women came forth 

 from cities and fortresses, dancing toward them and 

 singing praises to them for their victory. And the bur- 

 den of their song was this, that Saul had conquered a 

 thousand but David ten thousand.! When Saul heard 

 this he was seized with wrath and envy toward David 

 and said in his own thoughts : "Now I perceive that God 

 has chosen this man to take the kingdom after me instead 

 of my sons; but I shall try to upset this plan if I can, 

 though so cleverly that no one shall perceive that I 

 kill him intentionally." A few days later Saul's habitual 

 illness came upon him; but David took his harp and, 

 standing before him, played as was his wont to relieve 

 the king's illness. Saul had a javelin in his hand which 



* I Samuel, xvi, 14-23. t IbM-> xviii, 12-21. J Ibid., xviii, 6-9. 



