1 Samuel 26
26
David Spares Saul's Life Again
1 #
Ps 54 (Title) Some men from Ziph came to Saul at Gibeah and told him that David was hiding on Mount Hachilah at the edge of the Judean wilderness. 2Saul went at once with 3,000 of the best soldiers in Israel to the wilderness of Ziph to look for David, 3and camped by the road on Mount Hachilah. David was still in the wilderness, and when he learnt that Saul had come to look for him, 4he sent spies and found out that Saul was indeed there. 5He went at once and located the exact place where Saul and Abner son of Ner, commander of Saul's army, slept. Saul slept inside the camp, and his men camped round him.
6Then David asked Ahimelech the Hittite, and Abishai the brother of Joab (their mother was Zeruiah), “Which of you two will go to Saul's camp with me?”
“I will,” Abishai answered.
7So that night David and Abishai entered Saul's camp and found Saul sleeping in the centre of the camp with his spear stuck in the ground near his head. Abner and the troops were sleeping round him. 8Abishai said to David, “God has put your enemy in your power tonight. Now let me plunge his own spear through him and pin him to the ground with just one blow — I won't have to strike twice!”
9But David said, “You must not harm him! The LORD will certainly punish whoever harms his chosen king. 10By the living LORD,” David continued, “I know that the LORD himself will kill Saul, either when his time comes to die a natural death or when he dies in battle. 11#1 Sam 24.6The LORD forbid that I should try to harm the one whom the LORD has made king! Let's take his spear and his water jar, and go.” 12So David took the spear and the water jar from just beside Saul's head, and he and Abishai left. No one saw it or knew what had happened or even woke up — they were all sound asleep, because the LORD had sent a heavy sleep on them all.
13Then David crossed over to the other side of the valley to the top of the hill, a safe distance away, 14and shouted to Saul's troops and to Abner, “Abner! Can you hear me?”
“Who is that shouting and waking up the king?” Abner asked.
15David answered, “Abner, aren't you the greatest man in Israel? So why aren't you protecting your master, the king? Just now someone entered the camp to kill your master. 16You failed in your duty, Abner! I swear by the living LORD that all of you deserve to die, because you have not protected your master, whom the LORD made king. Look! Where is the king's spear? Where is the water jar that was beside his head?”
17Saul recognized David's voice and asked, “David, is that you, my son?”
“Yes, Your Majesty,” David answered. 18And he added, “Why, sir, are you still pursuing me, your servant? What have I done? What crime have I committed? 19Your Majesty, listen to what I have to say. If it is the LORD who has turned you against me, an offering to him will make him change his mind; but if human beings have done it, may the LORD's curse fall on them. For they have driven me out from the LORD's land to a country where I can only worship foreign gods. 20Don't let me be killed on foreign soil, away from the LORD. Why should the king of Israel come to kill a flea like me? Why should he hunt me down like a wild bird?”
21Saul answered, “I have done wrong. Come back, David, my son! I will never harm you again, because you have spared my life tonight. I have been a fool! I have done a terrible thing!”
22David replied, “Here is your spear, Your Majesty. Let one of your men come over and get it. 23The LORD rewards those who are faithful and righteous. Today he put you in my power, but I did not harm you, whom the LORD made king. 24Just as I have spared your life today, may the LORD do the same to me and free me from all troubles!”
25Saul said to David, “God bless you, my son! You will succeed in everything you do!”
So David went on his way, and Saul returned home.
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1 Samuel 26: GNBDK
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Good News Bible with Deuterocanonicals/Apocrypha. Scripture taken from the Good News Bible (r) (Today's English Version Second Edition, UK/British Edition). Copyright © 1992 British & Foreign Bible Society. Used by permission.
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.