1 Samuel 26
26
David Spares Saul at Ziph
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Ps 54 Title. And the Ziphites came unto Saul to Gib´e-ah, saying, Doth not David hide himself in the hill of Hachi´lah, which is before Jeshi´mon? 2Then Saul arose, and went down to the wilderness of Ziph, having three thousand chosen men of Israel with him, to seek David in the wilderness of Ziph. 3And Saul pitched in the hill of Hachi´lah, which is before Jeshi´mon, by the way. But David abode in the wilderness, and he saw that Saul came after him into the wilderness. 4David therefore sent out spies, and understood that Saul was come in very deed. 5And David arose, and came to the place where Saul had pitched: and David beheld the place where Saul lay, and Abner the son of Ner, the captain of his host: and Saul lay in the trench, and the people pitched round about him.
6Then answered David and said to Ahim´elech the Hittite, and to Ab´ishai the son of Zeru-i´ah, brother to Jo´ab, saying, Who will go down with me to Saul to the camp? And Ab´ishai said, I will go down with thee. 7So David and Ab´ishai came to the people by night: and, behold, Saul lay sleeping within the trench, and his spear stuck in the ground at his bolster: but Abner and the people lay round about him. 8Then said Ab´ishai to David, God hath delivered thine enemy into thine hand this day: now therefore let me smite him, I pray thee, with the spear even to the earth at once, and I will not smite him the second time. 9And David said to Ab´ishai, Destroy him not: for who can stretch forth his hand against the Lord's anointed, and be guiltless? 10David said furthermore, As the Lord liveth, the Lord shall smite him; or his day shall come to die; or he shall descend into battle, and perish. 11The Lord forbid that I should stretch forth mine hand against the Lord's anointed: but, I pray thee, take thou now the spear that is at his bolster, and the cruse of water, and let us go. 12So David took the spear and the cruse of water from Saul's bolster; and they gat them away, and no man saw it, nor knew it, neither awaked: for they were all asleep; because a deep sleep from the Lord was fallen upon them.
13Then David went over to the other side, and stood on the top of a hill afar off; a great space being between them: 14and David cried to the people, and to Abner the son of Ner, saying, Answerest thou not, Abner? Then Abner answered and said, Who art thou that criest to the king? 15And David said to Abner, Art not thou a valiant man? and who is like to thee in Israel? wherefore then hast thou not kept thy lord the king? for there came one of the people in to destroy the king thy lord. 16This thing is not good that thou hast done. As the Lord liveth, ye are worthy to die, because ye have not kept your master, the Lord's anointed. And now see where the king's spear is, and the cruse of water that was at his bolster.
17And Saul knew David's voice, and said, Is this thy voice, my son David? And David said, It is my voice, my lord, O king. 18And he said, Wherefore doth my lord thus pursue after his servant? for what have I done? or what evil is in mine hand? 19Now therefore, I pray thee, let my lord the king hear the words of his servant. If the Lord have stirred thee up against me, let him accept an offering: but if they be the children of men, cursed be they before the Lord; for they have driven me out this day from abiding in the inheritance of the Lord, saying, Go, serve other gods. 20Now therefore, let not my blood fall to the earth before the face of the Lord: for the king of Israel is come out to seek a flea, as when one doth hunt a partridge in the mountains.
21Then said Saul, I have sinned: return, my son David; for I will no more do thee harm, because my soul was precious in thine eyes this day: behold, I have played the fool, and have erred exceedingly. 22And David answered and said, Behold the king's spear! and let one of the young men come over and fetch it. 23The Lord render to every man his righteousness and his faithfulness: for the Lord delivered thee into my hand today, but I would not stretch forth mine hand against the Lord's anointed. 24And, behold, as thy life was much set by this day in mine eyes, so let my life be much set by in the eyes of the Lord, and let him deliver me out of all tribulation. 25Then Saul said to David, Blessed be thou, my son David: thou shalt both do great things, and also shalt still prevail. So David went on his way, and Saul returned to his place.
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1 Samuel 26: KJVAAE
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King James Version 1611, spelling, punctuation and text formatting modernized by ABS in 1962; typesetting © 2010 American Bible Society.
1 Samuel 26
26
David Shames Saul Again
1The people of Ziph went to see Saul at Gibeah. They said to him, “David is hiding on the hill of Hakilah opposite Jeshimon.”
2So Saul went down to the Desert of Ziph. His 3,000 chosen men of Israel went with him. They looked for David in the Desert of Ziph. 3Saul made his camp on the hill of Hakilah, beside the road opposite Jeshimon. But David stayed in the desert. He heard Saul had followed him. 4So David sent out spies and learned that Saul had come to Hakilah.
5Then David went to the place where Saul had camped. He saw where Saul and Abner son of Ner were sleeping. Abner was the commander of Saul’s army. Saul was sleeping in the middle of the camp with all the army around him.
6David talked to Ahimelech the Hittite and Abishai son of Zeruiah. Abishai was Joab’s brother. He asked them, “Who will go down into Saul’s camp with me?”
Abishai answered, “I’ll go with you.”
7So that night David and Abishai went into Saul’s camp. Saul was asleep in the middle of the camp. His spear was stuck in the ground near his head. Abner and the army were sleeping around Saul. 8Abishai said to David, “Today God has let you defeat your enemy! Let me pin Saul to the ground with the spear. I’ll only do it once! I won’t hit him twice.”
9But David said to Abishai, “Don’t kill Saul! No one can harm the Lord’s appointed king and still be innocent! 10As surely as the Lord lives, the Lord himself will punish Saul. Maybe Saul will die naturally. Or maybe he will go into battle and be killed. 11But may the Lord keep me from harming his appointed king! Now pick up the spear and water jug that are near Saul’s head. Then let’s go.”
12So David took the spear and water jug that were near Saul’s head. They left, and no one saw them. No one knew about it or woke up. The Lord had made them stay asleep.
13David crossed over to the other side of the hill. He stood on top of the mountain far from Saul’s camp. David’s and Saul’s camps were far apart. 14David shouted to the army and to Abner son of Ner, “Answer me, Abner!”
Abner answered, “Who is calling for the king? Who are you?”
15David said, “You’re the greatest man in Israel. Isn’t that true? Then why didn’t you guard your master the king? Someone came into your camp to kill your master the king! 16What you have done is not good. As surely as the Lord lives, you and your men should die. You haven’t guarded your master, the Lord’s appointed king. Look! Where are the king’s spear and water jug that were near his head?”
17Saul knew David’s voice. He said, “Is that your voice, David my son?”
David answered, “Yes, it is, my master and king.” 18David also said, “Why are you chasing me, my master? What wrong have I done? What evil am I guilty of? 19My master and king, listen to me. If the Lord caused you to be angry with me, let him accept an offering. But if men caused you to be angry with me, let the Lord curse them! They have made me leave the land the Lord gave me. They have told me, ‘Go and serve other gods.’ 20Now don’t let me die far away from the Lord’s presence. The king of Israel has come out looking for a flea! You’re like a man hunting a partridge bird in the mountains!”
21Then Saul said, “I have sinned. Come back, David my son. Today you respected my life. So I will not try to hurt you. I have acted foolishly. I have made a big mistake.”
22David answered, “Here is your spear. Let one of your young men come here and get it. 23The Lord rewards every man for the things he does right and for his loyalty to him. The Lord put you into my power today. But I wouldn’t harm the Lord’s appointed king. 24I respected your life today. Surely, in the same way, the Lord will respect my life. Surely he will save me from all trouble.”
25Then Saul said to David, “You are blessed, my son David. You will do great things and succeed.”
So David went on his way, and Saul went back home.
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