1 Samuel 26
26
Once Again David Doesn’t Kill Saul When He Has the Chance
1Some people from Ziph went to Saul at Gibeah. They said, “David is hiding on the hill of Hakilah. It faces Jeshimon.”
2So Saul went down to the Desert of Ziph. He took 3,000 of the best soldiers in Israel with him. They went to the desert to look for David. 3Saul set up his camp beside the road. It was on the hill of Hakilah facing Jeshimon. But David stayed in the desert. He saw that Saul had followed him there. 4So he sent out scouts. From them he learned that Saul had arrived.
5Then David started out. He went to the place where Saul had camped. He saw where Saul and Abner were lying down. Saul was lying inside the camp. The army was camped all around him. Abner was commander of the army. He was the son of Ner.
6Then David spoke to Ahimelek, the Hittite. He also spoke to Joab’s brother Abishai, the son of Zeruiah. He asked them, “Who will go down with me into the camp to Saul?”
“I’ll go with you,” said Abishai.
7So that night David and Abishai went into the camp. They found Saul lying asleep inside the camp. His spear was stuck in the ground near his head. Abner and the soldiers were lying asleep around him.
8Abishai said to David, “Today God has handed your enemy over to you. So let me pin him to the ground. I can do it with one jab of the spear. I won’t even have to strike him twice.”
9But David said to Abishai, “Don’t destroy him! No one can do any harm to the Lord’s anointed king and not be guilty. 10You can be sure that the Lord lives,” he said. “And you can be just as sure that the Lord himself will strike Saul down. Perhaps he’ll die a natural death. Or perhaps he’ll go into battle and be killed. 11May the Lord keep me from doing anything to harm his anointed king. Now get the spear and water jug that are near his head. Then let’s leave.”
12So David took the spear and water jug that were near Saul’s head. Then he and Abishai left. No one saw them. No one knew about what they had done. In fact, no one even woke up. Everyone was sleeping. That’s because the Lord had put them into a deep sleep.
13David went across to the other side of the valley. He stood on top of a hill far away from Saul’s camp. There was a wide space between them. 14He called out to the army and to Abner, the son of Ner. He said, “Abner! Aren’t you going to answer me?”
Abner replied, “Who is calling out to the king?”
15David said, “You are a great soldier, aren’t you? There isn’t anyone else like you in Israel. So why didn’t you guard the king? He’s your master, isn’t he? Someone came into the camp to destroy him. 16You didn’t guard him. And that isn’t good. You can be sure that the Lord lives. And you can be just as sure that you and your men must die. That’s because you didn’t guard your master. He’s the Lord’s anointed king. Look around you. Where are the king’s spear and water jug that were near his head?”
17Saul recognized David’s voice. He said, “My son David, is that your voice?”
David replied, “Yes it is, King Saul, my master.” 18He continued, “Why are you chasing me? What evil thing have I done? What am I guilty of? 19King Saul, please listen to what I’m saying. Was it the Lord who made you angry with me? If it was, may he accept my offering. Was it people who made you angry at me? If it was, may the Lord see them cursed. They have driven me today from my share of the Lord’s land. By doing that, they might as well have said, ‘Go and serve other gods.’ 20Don’t spill my blood on the ground far away from where the Lord lives. King Saul, you have come out to look for nothing but a flea. It’s as if you were hunting a partridge in the mountains.”
21Then Saul said, “I have sinned. My son David, come back. Today you thought my life was very special. So I won’t try to harm you again. I’ve really acted like a foolish person. I’ve made a huge mistake.”
22“Here’s your spear,” David answered. “Send one of your young men over to get it. 23The Lord rewards everyone for doing what is right and being faithful. He handed you over to me today. But I wouldn’t harm you. You are the Lord’s anointed king. 24Today I thought your life had great value. In the same way, may the Lord think of my life as having great value. May he save me from all trouble.”
25Then Saul said to David, “May the Lord bless you, David my son. You will do great things. You will also have great success.”
So David went on his way. And Saul returned home.
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1 Samuel 26: NIrV
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Shmuel Alef 26
26
1And the Ziphim came unto Sha'ul at Giv'ah, saying, Doth not Dovid hide himself in the hill of Chakhilah, which faces Yeshimon?
2Then Sha'ul arose, and went down to the midbar Ziph, having three thousand chosen men of Yisroel with him, to search for Dovid in the midbar Ziph.
3And Sha'ul encamped in the hill of Chakhilah, which faces Yeshimon, beside the derech (road). But Dovid stayed in the midbar, and he saw that Sha'ul came after him into the midbar.
4Dovid therefore sent out scouts, and understood that Sha'ul had indeed come.
5And Dovid arose, and came to the makom where Sha'ul had encamped; and Dovid beheld the makom where Sha'ul lay down, and Avner Ben Ner, the sar of his tzava (army); and Sha'ul was lying in the camp, and HaAm encamped round about him.
6Then answered Dovid and said to Achimelech the Chitti, and to Avishai Ben Tzeruyah, achi Yoav, saying, Who will go down with me to Sha'ul to the machaneh? And Avishai said, I will go down with thee.
7So Dovid and Avishai came to HaAm by lailah; and, hinei, Sha'ul lay sleeping within the camp, and his khanit (spear) stuck in the ground at his head; but Avner and HaAm lay round about him.
8Then said Avishai to Dovid, Elohim hath delivered thine oyev into thine yad today; now therefore let me strike him, now, with the khanit, pinning him to the ground once; I will not strike him the second time.
9And Dovid said to Avishai, Destroy him not; for who can stretch forth his yad against Hashemʼs moshiach, and be guiltless?
10Dovid said furthermore, As Hashem liveth, Hashem shall strike him; or his day shall come to die; or he shall descend into milchamah, and perish.
11Chalilah (far be it) from me by Hashem that I should stretch forth mine yad against Hashemʼs moshiach; but, take now thou the khanit (spear) that is at his head, and the flask of mayim, and let us go.
12So Dovid took the khanit and the flask of mayim from near Sha'ulʼs head; and they got them away, and no one saw it, nor knew it, neither awaked; for they were all asleep; because a tardamat Hashem was fallen upon them.
13Then Dovid went over to the other side, and stood on the top of the har afar off; a great space being between them;
14And Dovid called out to the people, and to Avner Ben Ner, saying, Answerest thou not, Avner? Then Avner answered and said, Who art thou that calls out to HaMelech?
15And Dovid said to Avner, Art not thou an ish (man)? And who is like to thee in Yisroel? Wherefore then hast thou not been shomer over adoneicha HaMelech? For there came one of HaAm in to destroy HaMelech adoneicha.
16This thing is not tov that thou hast done. As Hashem liveth, ye are worthy for mavet, because ye have not been shomer over adoneichem, Hashemʼs moshiach. And now see where the khanit of HaMelech is, and the flask of mayim that was near his head.
17And Sha'ul knew the voice of Dovid, and said, Is this thy voice, beni, Dovid? And Dovid said, It is my voice, adoni HaMelech.
18And he said, Why doth adoni thus pursue after his eved? For what have I done? Or what ra'ah is in mine yad?
19Now therefore, let adoni HaMelech hear the devarim of his eved. If Hashem have stirred thee up against me, let Him accept a minchah; but if they be bnei adam, cursed be they before Hashem; for they have driven me out this day from abiding in the nachalah of Hashem, saying, Go, serve elohim acharim.
20Now therefore, let not my dahm fall to the earth before the face of Hashem; for the Melech Yisroel is come out to search for a parosh (flea), as when one doth hunt the partridge in the harim.
21Then said Sha'ul, I have sinned; return, beni Dovid; for I will no more do thee harm, because my nefesh was precious in thine eyes this day; hinei, I was foolish, and have erred exceedingly.
22And Dovid answered and said, Hinei the khanit HaMelech! Let one of the ne'arim come over and bring it back.
23 Hashem repay to every ish his tzedakah and his emunah; for Hashem delivered thee into my yad today, but I would not stretch forth mine yad against Hashemʼs moshiach.
24And, hinei, as thy nefesh was much valued this day in mine eyes, so let my nefesh be much valued in the eyes of Hashem, and let Him deliver me out of all tzarah (trouble).
25Then Sha'ul said to Dovid, Baruch atah, beni Dovid; may thou both accomplish many things, and also still succeed. So Dovid went on his derech, and Sha'ul returned to his makom.
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