1 Samuel 26
26
David spares Saul’s life a second time
1The Ziphites came to Saul at Gibeah. “David is hiding on Hachilah’s hill, which faces Jeshimon,” they said. 2So Saul got up and went down to the Ziph wilderness to look for David there. He had three thousand handpicked soldiers from Israel with him. 3Saul camped on Hachilah’s hill opposite Jeshimon beside the road, but David stayed in the wilderness. When David learned that Saul had come after him into the wilderness, 4he sent spies and discovered that Saul had definitely arrived.
5So David got up and went to the place where Saul camped, and saw the place where Saul and Abner, Ner’s son and Saul’s general, were sleeping. Saul was sleeping inside the camp with the troops camped all around him. 6David asked Ahimelech the Hittite and Joab’s brother Abishai, Zeruiah’s son, “Who will go down into the camp with me to Saul?”
“I’ll go down with you,” Abishai answered.
7So David and Abishai approached the troops at night and found Saul lying there, asleep in the camp, with his spear stuck in the ground by his head. Abner and the army were sleeping all around him.
8Abishai said to David, “God has handed your enemy over to you today! Let me pin him to the ground with my spear. One stroke is all I need! I won’t need a second.”
9But David said to Abishai, “Don’t kill him! No one can lift a hand against the LORD’s anointed and go unpunished. 10As surely as the LORD lives,” David continued, “it will be the LORD who will strike him down, or his day will come and he will die, or he’ll fall in battle and be destroyed. 11The LORD forbid that I lift my hand against the LORD’s anointed! But go ahead and take the spear by Saul’s head and the water jug and let’s go!” 12So David took the spear and the water jug that were by Saul’s head, and he and Abishai left. No one saw them, no one knew they were there, and no one woke up. All of them remained asleep because a deep sleep from the LORD had come over them.
13David crossed over to the other side and stood on top of a hill with considerable distance between them. 14Then David shouted to the army and to Abner, Ner’s son, “Abner! Aren’t you going to answer me?”
“Who are you to shout to the king?” Abner asked.
15David answered Abner, “You are a man, aren’t you? And you have no equal in Israel, right? Then why haven’t you kept watch over your master the king? One of the soldiers came to kill your master the king. 16What you’ve done is terrible! As surely as the LORD lives, all of you are dead men because you didn’t keep close watch over your master, the LORD’s anointed. Have a look around! Where are the king’s spear and the water jug that were by his head?”
17Saul recognized David’s voice and said, “David, my son, is that your voice?”
David said, “Yes it is, my master the king. 18Why,” David continued, “is my master chasing me, his servant? What have I done and what wrong am I guilty of? 19My master the king, please listen to what your servant has to say. If it is the LORD who has incited you against me, then let him accept an offering! But if human beings have done it, then let them be cursed before the LORD because they have now driven me off, keeping me from sharing in the LORD’s inheritance. ‘Go!’ they tell me. ‘Worship other gods!’ 20Don’t let my blood spill on the ground apart from the LORD’s presence, because the king of Israel has come out looking for a single flea#26.20 Cf 24:14; LXX my life like someone hunting a partridge#26.20 Or a caller, Heb sounds like verb to shout or call in 26:14. in the mountains.”
21Then Saul said, “I have sinned! David, my son, come back! Because you considered my life precious today, I won’t harm you again. I have acted foolishly and have made a huge mistake.”
22“Here is the king’s spear,” David answered. “Allow one of your servants to come over and get it. 23Remember: The LORD rewards every person for their righteousness and loyalty, and I wasn’t willing to lift a hand against the LORD’s anointed, even though the LORD handed you over to me today. 24And just as I considered your life valuable today, may the LORD consider my life valuable, and may he deliver me from all trouble.”
25Then Saul said to David, “Bless you, David, my son! You will accomplish much and will certainly succeed.” Then David went on his way, but Saul went back home.
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1 Samuel 26: CEB
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2011 Common English Bible. All rights reserved.
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.