MS M.638, fol. 31v

Folio 31v (Latin)

Upper left: How, when Saul had sent various messengers to capture David, and all of them, having forgotten the task for which they had been sent, had begun prophesying, at length the king himself went, furious, to that place. Still, before he had come there, the spirit of God was upon him and he went on his way, prophesying, and came to the place where Samuel and David were and prophesied before them and stripped himself of his own clothes. (I Samuel 19: 21–24)

Upper right: How David, still on the run, talks to Jonathan, the king’s son, and complains about his father’s wrongdoings. Now, the latter orders him to hide in the field on the next day, the first day of the month, promising him to go to the king, intervene on his behalf, and, if he finds something, to faithfully, yet secretly, report it to him by shooting arrows. (I Samuel 20:11–23)

Lower half: How, when Saul, sitting at the table, had asked why David did not come to dine with him, and Jonathan pretended that he had gone to Bethlehem to sacrifice, the king, angered, reproached his son with harsh words, ordering him to bring David to him that he might be killed. When Jonathan asked: ’What has he done to earn his death?’, the king, greatly disturbed, wished to pierce him with his spear. (I Samuel 20: 24–34)

Folio 31v (Persian)

Persian foliation: 13

Upper left margin: Thrice the king dispatched people to capture David, and all three times they stood in prayer and forgot to capture David. The king became angry at this and he himself rose and went after David but he [also] removed his clothes and stood in prayer and forgot David and he also did not capture [him].

Upper right margin: When David escaped, he came before the king’s son and said, "Why does your father bear enmity towards me?" The king’s son consoled him and said to him, "Tomorrow go to the countryside and hide in a corner, for tomorrow is the feast day and the king will go to the countryside and I will find out about your situation.

Lower half, below Latin inscription: And tomorrow which was the feast day, the king sat and they brought out the spread of food and he asked his son, "Why is not David present at the meal?" He replied that he has gone to a village to offer a sacrifice. The king said, "Go after him and bring him." The son said, "What sin has he committed that you wage war against him?" The king had a spear in hand and he charged toward his son.

Folio 31v (Judeo-Persian)

Upper half, below Latin: When David fled to the king’s son, he said to him, "Why is your father my enemy?" The king’s son, who loved David, said, "Go tomorrow into the plain and hide in a corner; when the festival is over I will come to you to inform you."

Lower half, above Latin: The next day was the first of the month, the king laid a table [for a feast]. Since David remained in Bethlehem, the king asked Jonathan why he [David] had not come. Jonathan answered, "He remained in Bethlehem." The king grew angry and he threw a spear to strike his head. The spear missed its aim, as it is written in Samuel, [chapter] 20.