1 Samuel 26
26
David Again Spares Saul
1Now the Ziphites came to Saul at Gibeah saying, “Isn’t David hiding on the hill of Hachilah which faces Jeshimon?”
2So Saul arose and went down to the wilderness of Ziph, 3,000 chosen men of Israel with him, to search for David in the wilderness of Ziph.
3Saul camped in the hill of Hachilah which faces Jeshimon, by the road. But David was staying in the wilderness, and he saw that Saul had come after him into the wilderness.
4So David sent out spies and realized that Saul had already arrived.
5Then David got up and went to the place where Saul had camped. David detected the spot where Saul lay asleep, as well as Abner son of Ner his army commander. Saul was lying inside the barricade and the troops were camped around him.
6Then David spoke and asked Ahimelech the Hittite and Joab’s brother Abishai son of Zeruiah, saying, “Who will go down with me to Saul in the camp?” “I will go down with you,” Abishai answered.
7So David and Abishai approached the troops by night. Behold, Saul was lying asleep within the barricade with his spear stuck in the ground at his head, and Abner and the troops were sleeping around him.
8Then Abishai said to David, “God has delivered your enemy into your hand today. Now let me pin him to the ground with a single thrust of the spear. I will not have to strike him twice.”
9But David said to Abishai, “Don’t destroy him! For who can lay his hand on Adonai’s anointed and be guiltless?”
10David added, “As Adonai lives, either Adonai will strike him down, or his day will come to die, or he will go down to battle and be swept away.
11Adonai forbid that I should lay my hand on Adonai’s anointed! Now, just take the spear that is at his head and the water jar and let’s go.”
12So David took the spear and the water jar from beside Saul’s head. They got away—and no one saw it, or knew it, or woke up—for all were asleep, for a deep sleep from Adonai had fallen upon them.
13Then David crossed over to the other side and stood on the top of a distant hill with a wide space between them.
14David shouted to the troops and to Abner son of Ner saying, “Aren’t you going to answer, Abner?” Then Abner answered saying, “Who are you, who called out to the king?”
15“Aren’t you a man?” David said to Abner. “Indeed, who is like you in Israel? So, why didn’t you guard your lord the king? For one of the troops came in to kill the king your lord.
16This thing that you’ve done is no good. As Adonai lives, all of you deserve to die, because you have not kept watching over your lord, Adonai’s anointed. So now, look around, where are the king’s spear and the water jar that were at his head?”
17Saul then recognized David’s voice and said, “Is this your voice, David my son?” “It is my voice, my lord the king,” David said,
18then added, “Yet why is my lord pursuing his servant? What have I done? What evil is in my hand?
19Now please, let my lord the king listen to the words of his servant. If Adonai has stirred you up against me, let Him accept an offering. But if men have done so, then cursed are they before Adonai, because they have now driven me out that I would not cling to Adonai’s inheritance, saying: ‘Go, worship other gods.’
20So now, let not my blood fall to the ground, away from the presence of Adonai. For the king of Israel has come out to search for but a single flea, just as one hunts for a partridge in the mountains.”
21Then Saul replied, “I have sinned! Return, David my son, for I will no longer do you harm, since my life was precious in your eyes this day. Behold, I’ve played the fool and erred so seriously.”
22David then answered and said, “There is the king’s spear! Let one of the young men cross over and take it.
23Adonai will repay everyone his righteousness and his faithfulness. For Adonai gave you into my hand today, but I refused to lay my hand on Adonai’s anointed.
24See, just as your life was highly valued in my eyes today, so let my life be highly valued in Adonai’s eyes, and may He deliver me from all trouble.”
25Then Saul said to David, “Blessed are you, David my son! You will both do mightily and will surely prevail.” So David went his way, and Saul returned to his place.
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1 Samuel 26: TLV
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Shemu’ĕl Aleph (1 Samuel) 26
26
1And the Ziphites came to Sha’ul at Giḇ‛ah, saying, “Is not Dawiḏ hiding himself in the hill of Ḥaḵilah, overlooking the wasteland?”
2And Sha’ul rose up and went down to the Wilderness of Ziph, and with him three thousand chosen men of Yisra’ĕl, to seek Dawiḏ in the Wilderness of Ziph.
3And Sha’ul encamped in the hill of Ḥaḵilah, overlooking the wasteland, by the way, while Dawiḏ was dwelling in the wilderness, and he saw that Sha’ul came after him into the wilderness.
4And Dawiḏ sent out spies, and learned that Sha’ul had indeed come.
5And Dawiḏ rose up and came to the place where Sha’ul had encamped. And Dawiḏ saw the place where Sha’ul lay, and Aḇnĕr son of Nĕr, the commander of his army. And Sha’ul was lying within the enclosure, with the people encamped all around him.
6And Dawiḏ spoke up and said to Aḥimeleḵ the Ḥittite and to Aḇishai son of Tseruyah, brother of Yo’aḇ, saying, “Who does go down with me to Sha’ul in the camp?” And Aḇishai said, “I, I go down with you.”
7And Dawiḏ and Aḇishai came to the people by night and saw Sha’ul lying asleep within the camp, with his spear stuck in the ground by his head, and Aḇnĕr and the people lay all around him.
8And Aḇishai said to Dawiḏ, “Elohim has surrendered your enemy into your hand this day. And now, please, let me strike him at once with the spear, right into the earth, and not a second time!”
9But Dawiḏ said to Aḇishai, “Do not destroy him, for who shall stretch out his hand against the anointed of יהוה, and be guiltless?”
10Dawiḏ also said, “As יהוה lives, except יהוה does smite him, or his day come that he shall die, or he shall go out to battle and perish,
11far be it from me, by יהוה, that I stretch out my hand against the anointed of יהוה. And now, please take the spear and the jug of water that are by his head, and let us go.”
12So Dawiḏ took the spear and the jug of water by Sha’ul’s head, and they went away. And no man saw it or knew it or awoke, for they were all asleep, because a deep sleep from יהוה had fallen on them.
13And Dawiḏ passed over to the other side, and stood on the top of a hill far away, a great distance being between them.
14And Dawiḏ called out to the people and to Aḇnĕr son of Nĕr, saying, “Do you not answer, Aḇnĕr?” And Aḇnĕr answered and said, “Who are you, calling out to the sovereign?”
15And Dawiḏ said to Aḇnĕr, “Are you not a man? And who is like you in Yisra’ĕl? Why then have you not guarded your master the sovereign? For one of the people came in to destroy your master the sovereign.
16“What you have done is not good. As יהוה lives, you are worthy to die, because you have not guarded your master, the anointed of יהוה. And now see where the sovereign’s spear is, and the jug of water that was by his head.”
17And Sha’ul recognised Dawiḏ’s voice, and said, “Is that your voice, my son Dawiḏ?” And Dawiḏ said, “It is my voice, my master, O sovereign.”
18And he said, “Why is this that my master is pursuing his servant? For what have I done, or what evil is in my hand?
19“And now, please, let my master the sovereign hear the words of his servant: If יהוה has moved you against me, let Him accept an offering. But if it is the children of men, then they are cursed before יהוה, for they have driven me out today that I should not join myself to the inheritance of יהוה, saying, ‘Go, serve other mighty ones.’
20“And now, do not let my blood fall to the earth before the face of יהוה. For the sovereign of Yisra’ĕl has come out to seek a flea, as when one hunts a partridge in the mountains.”
21And Sha’ul said, “I have sinned. Come back, my son Dawiḏ. For no more am I going to do evil to you, because my life was precious in your eyes today. See, I have acted foolishly, and have greatly strayed.”
22And Dawiḏ answered and said, “See, the sovereign’s spear! And let one of the young men come over and get it.
23“And let יהוה reward every man for his righteousness and his trustworthiness, for this day יהוה gave you into my hand, but I would not stretch out my hand against the anointed of יהוה.
24“And see, as your life has been valued in my eyes today, so let my life be valued in the eyes of יהוה, and let Him deliver me out of all distress.”
25And Sha’ul said to Dawiḏ, “Blessed are you, my son Dawiḏ, achieving much, and indeed prevailing!” Then Dawiḏ went on his way, and Sha’ul returned to his place.
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