1 Samuel 26
26
David Again Spares Saul
1Then the Ziphites came to Saul at Gibeah saying, “David is hiding on the hill of Hachilah opposite Jeshimon.”#1Sm 23:19; Ps 54 2So Saul, accompanied by three thousand of the fit young men of Israel,#1Sm 13:2; 24:2 went immediately to the Wilderness of Ziph to search for David there. 3Saul camped beside the road at the hill of Hachilah#1Sm 24:3 opposite Jeshimon. David was living in the wilderness and discovered Saul had come there after him.#1Sm 23:15 4So David sent out spies and knew for certain that Saul had come. 5Immediately, David went to the place where Saul had camped. He saw the place where Saul and Abner son of Ner,#1Sm 14:50–51; 17:55 the commander of his army, were lying down. Saul was lying inside the inner circle of the camp with the troops camped around him. 6Then David asked Ahimelech the Hethite#Gn 26:34; Jos 3:10; 1Kg 10:29; 2Kg 7:6 and Joab’s brother Abishai#1Ch 2:15–16 son of Zeruiah, “Who will go with me into the camp#Jdg 7:10–11 to Saul?”
“I’ll go with you,” answered Abishai.
7That night, David and Abishai came to the troops, and Saul was lying there asleep in the inner circle of the camp with his spear stuck in the ground by his head. Abner and the troops were lying around him. 8Then Abishai said to David, “Today God has delivered your enemy to you. Let me thrust the spear through him into the ground just once. I won’t have to strike him twice!”
9But David said to Abishai, “Don’t destroy him, for who can lift a hand against the Lord’s anointed and be innocent?” #1Sm 10:1; 24:6–7; 2Sm 1:14,16 10David added, “As the Lord lives, the Lord will certainly strike him down:#1Sm 25:26,38 either his day will come and he will die, or he will go into battle and perish. 11However, as the Lord is my witness, I will never lift my hand against the Lord’s anointed.#Dt 32:35; 1Sm 24:6; 25:39; Rm 12:19 Instead, take the spear and the water jug by his head, and let’s go.”
12So David took the spear and the water jug by Saul’s head, and they went their way. No one saw them, no one knew, and no one woke up; they all remained asleep because a deep sleep from the Lord#Gn 2:21; 15:12 came over them. 13David crossed to the other side and stood on top of the mountain at a distance; there was a considerable space between them. 14Then David shouted to the troops and to Abner son of Ner, “Aren’t you going to answer, Abner?”
“Who are you who calls to the king?” Abner asked.
15David called to Abner, “You’re a man, aren’t you? Who in Israel is your equal? So why didn’t you protect your lord the king when one of the people came to destroy him? 16What you have done is not good. As the Lord lives, all of you deserve to die#26:16 Lit you are sons of death since you didn’t protect your lord, the Lord’s anointed.#1Sm 20:31 Now look around; where are the king’s spear and water jug that were by his head?”
17Saul recognized David’s voice and asked, “Is that your voice, my son David?” #1Sm 24:16; 26:21,25
“It is my voice, my lord and king,” David said. 18Then he continued, “Why is my lord pursuing his servant? What have I done? What crime have I committed?#1Sm 24:11 19Now, may my lord the king please hear the words of his servant: If it is the Lord who has incited you against me,#2Sm 16:11 then may he accept an offering.#Gn 8:21 But if it is people,#1Sm 24:9 may they be cursed in the presence of the Lord, for today they have banished me from sharing in the inheritance of the Lord, saying,#Jos 22:25–27 ‘Go and worship other gods.’ 20So don’t let my blood fall to the ground far from the Lord’s presence, for the king of Israel has come out to search for a single flea,#1Sm 24:14 like one who pursues a partridge in the mountains.”
21Saul responded, “I have sinned.#1Sm 15:24,30; 24:17 Come back, my son David, I will never harm you again because today you considered my life precious. I have been a fool! I’ve committed a grave error.”
22David answered, “Here is the king’s spear; have one of the young men come over and get it. 23The Lord will repay every man for his righteousness#1Sm 24:19 and his loyalty. I wasn’t willing to lift my hand against the Lord’s anointed, even though the Lord handed you over to me today.#1Sm 24:10–12; 26:10–11 24Just as I considered your life valuable today, so may the Lord consider my life valuable#1Sm 18:30 and rescue me from all trouble.”#Ps 54:7
25Saul said to him, “You are blessed, my son David. You will certainly do great things and will also prevail.”#1Sm 24:19 Then David went on his way, and Saul returned home.#1Sm 24:22
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1 Samuel 26: CSB
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© 2017 Holman Bible Publishers
1 Kings 26
26
1And the men of Ziph came to Saul in Gabaa, saying: Behold, David is hid in the hill of Hachila, which is over against the wilderness.
2And Saul arose, and went down to the wilderness of Ziph, having with him three thousand chosen men of Israel, to seek David in the wilderness of Ziph.
3And Saul encamped in Gabaa Hachila, which was over against the wilderness in the way: and David abode in the wilderness. And seeing that Saul was come after him into the wilderness
4He sent spies, and learned that he was most certainly come thither.
5And David arose secretly, and came to the place where Saul was. And when he had beheld the place, wherein Saul slept, and Abner the son of Ner, the captain of his army, and Saul sleeping in a tent, and the rest of the multitude round about him,
6David spoke to Achimelech the Hethite, and Abisai the son of Sarvia the brother of Joab, saying: Who will go down with me to Saul into the camp? And Abisai said: I will go with thee.
7So David and Abisai came to the people by night, and found Saul lying and sleeping in the tent, and his spear fixed in the ground at his head: and Abner and the people sleeping round about him.
8And Abisai said to David: God hath shut up thy enemy this day into thy hands. Now then I will run him through with my spear even to the earth at once; and there shall be no need of a second time.
9And David said to Abisai: Kill him not. For who shall put forth his hand against the Lord's anointed, and shall be guiltless?
10And David said: As the Lord liveth, unless the Lord shall strike him: or his day shall come to die: or he shall go down to battle and perish.
11The Lord be merciful unto me, that I extend not my hand upon the Lord's anointed. But now take the spear, which is at his head, and the cup of water, and let us go.
12So David took the spear, and the cup of water which was at Saul's head, and they went away. And no man saw it, or knew it, or awaked; but they were all asleep, for a deep sleep from the Lord was fallen upon them.
13And when David was gone over to the other side, and stood on the top of the hill afar off, and a good space was between them,
14David cried to the people, and to Abner the son of Ner, saying: Wilt thou not answer, Abner? And Abner answering said: Who art thou, that criest, and disturbest the king?
15And David said to Abner: Art not thou a man? And who is like thee in Israel? Why then hast thou not kept thy lord the king? For there came one of the people in to kill the king thy lord.
16This thing is not good, that thou hast done. As the Lord liveth, you are the sons of death, who have not kept your master, the Lord's anointed. And now where is the king's spear, and the cup of water, which was at his head?
17And Saul knew David's voice, and said: Is this thy voice, my son David? And David said: It is my voice, my lord the king.
18And he said: Wherefore doth my lord persecute his servant? What have I done? Or what evil is there in my hand?
19Now therefore hear, I pray thee, my lord the king, the words of thy servant: If the Lord stir thee up against me, let him accept of sacrifice. But if the sons of men, they are cursed in the sight of the Lord, who have cast me out this day, that I should not dwell in the inheritance of the Lord, saying: Go, serve strange gods.
20And now let not my blood be shed upon the earth before the Lord: for the king of Israel is come out to seek a flea, as the partridge is hunted in the mountains.
21And Saul said: I have sinned. Return my son David, for I will no more do thee harm, because my life hath been precious in thy eyes this day: for it appeareth that I have done foolishly, and have been ignorant in very many things.
22And David answering said: Behold the king's spear. Let one of the king's servants come over and fetch it.
23And the Lord will reward every one according to his justice, and his faithfulness: for the Lord hath delivered thee this day into my hand, and I would not put forth my hand against the Lord's anointed.
24And as thy life hath been much set by this day in my eyes, so let my life be much set by in the eyes of the Lord: and let him deliver me from all distress.
25Then Saul said to David: Blessed art thou, my son David: and truly doing thou shalt do, and prevailing thou shalt prevail. And David went on his way, and Saul returned to his place.
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An historical text maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society.