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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Copyright © 2014 - Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society
1 Samuel 26
26
David Again Spares Saul
1The Ziphites came to Saul at Gibeah, saying, “Is not David hiding on the hill of Hakilah opposite Jeshimon?” 2Then Saul got up and went down to the wilderness of Ziph, and three thousand chosen men of Israel with him, to seek David in the wilderness of Ziph.
3Now Saul was on the hill of Hakilah, which is opposite Jeshimon by the road, but David was staying in the wilderness. When he realized that Saul had come to the wilderness after him, 4David sent spies, and he learned that Saul had come for certain.#Literally “to be established” 5Then David got up and came to the place where Saul had encamped, and David saw the place where Saul was lying down, as well as#Literally “and” Abner the son of Ner, the commander of his army. (Now Saul was lying in the encampment, and the army was encamping around him.)
6David answered and said to Ahimelech the Hittite and to Abishai the son of Zeruiah the brother of Joab, saying, “Who will go down with me to Saul, in the camp?” And Abishai said, “I will go down with you.” 7So David and Abishai came to the army by night, and there was#Literally “look” or “behold” Saul lying asleep in the encampment with#Hebrew “and” his spear thrust into the ground near his head, and Abner and the army were lying all around him. 8Then Abishai said to David, “God has handed over your enemy into your hand today! So then, please let me pin him to the ground with the spear#Literally “let me strike him please with the spear and in the ground” one time,#Literally “one occurrence” and I will not strike him twice.”#Literally “I will not repeat for him” 9But David said to Abishai, “Do not destroy#Or “kill” him! For who has stretched out his hand against Yahweh’s anointed one and remained blameless?” 10And David said, “As Yahweh lives,#Literally “The life of Yahweh” certainly#Literally “if surely” Yahweh will strike him, or his day will come and he will die, or he will go down in the battle and perish.#Literally “will be carried away” 11Yahweh forbid me#Literally “Far be it from me from Yahweh” from stretching out my hand against Yahweh’s anointed one! So then, please take the spear that is near his head and the jar of water, and let us go.” 12So David took the spear and the jar of water from near Saul’s head, and they went away. No one saw, no one knew, and no one awakened,#Literally “there was not anyone seeing and there was not anyone knowing and there was not anyone awakening” for all of them were sleeping because a deep sleep of Yahweh had fallen upon them.
13Then David went to the other side and stood on the top of the hill at a distance; the distance was great between them. 14David called out to the army and to Abner the son of Ner, “Will you not answer, Abner?” And Abner answered and said, “Who are you that you call to the king?” 15So David said to Abner, “Are you not a man? And who is like you in Israel? Why did you not keep watch over your lord the king? For one of the people came to destroy#Or “to kill” your lord the king. 16This thing that you have done is not good. As Yahweh lives,#Literally “the life of Yahweh” surely you people deserve to die#Literally “you are sons of death” since you have not kept watch over your lord, over Yahweh’s anointed one! So then, see where the king’s spear is and the jar of water that was near his head!” 17Then Saul recognized David’s voice and said, “Is this your voice, my son David?” And David said, “It is my voice, my lord the king.” 18Then he said, “Why is my lord pursuing after his servant? For what have I done? And what evil is in my hand? 19And so then, please let my lord the king listen to the words of his servant: If Yahweh has incited you against me, may he delight in an offering; but if it is mortals,#Literally “it is the sons of humankind” may they be accursed before#Literally “to the face of” Yahweh, for they have driven me away today from sharing in the inheritance of Yahweh, saying, ‘Go, serve other gods!’ 20And so then, do not let my blood fall to the ground away from#Literally “from before” the presence of Yahweh, for the king of Israel has gone out to seek a single flea, as one hunts a partridge in the mountains.”
21Then Saul said, “I have sinned! Come back, David my son, for I will not harm you again, because my life was precious in your eyes this day. Look, I have acted like a fool and have made a terrible mistake.”#Literally “have gone greatly astray” 22David answered and said, “Here is the king’s spear; let one of the young men#Or “servants” come over and take it. 23Yahweh repays to each one his righteousness and his faithfulness, for Yahweh gave you into my hand today, but I was not willing to stretch out my hand against Yahweh’s anointed. 24Look, as your life was precious in my eyes this day, may my life be great in the eyes of Yahweh, and may he rescue me from all trouble.” 25Then Saul said to David, “Blessed are you, my son David; you will not only do many things, but also will always succeed!”#Literally “you will do many things and also always you will prevail” Then David went on his way and Saul returned to his place.
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