1 Samuel 26
26
David Spares Saul Again
1 # ch. 23:19; See Ps. 54 Then the Ziphites came to Saul at Gibeah, saying, “Is not David hiding himself on the hill of Hachilah, which is on the east of Jeshimon?” 2So Saul arose and went down to #ch. 23:14 the wilderness of Ziph with #ch. 24:2three thousand chosen men of Israel to seek David in the wilderness of Ziph. 3And Saul encamped on the hill of Hachilah, which is beside the road on the east of Jeshimon. But David remained in the wilderness. When he saw that Saul came after him into the wilderness, 4David sent out spies and learned that Saul had indeed come. 5Then David rose and came to the place where Saul had encamped. And David saw the place where Saul lay, with #ch. 14:50; 17:55; 2 Sam. 2:8 Abner the son of Ner, the commander of his army. Saul was lying within #ch. 17:20the encampment, while the army was encamped around him.
6Then David said to Ahimelech the Hittite, and to Joab’s brother #2 Sam. 2:18; 3:39; 16:10; 19:22; 1 Chr. 2:16 Abishai the son of Zeruiah, #[Judg. 7:9-11]“Who will go down with me into the camp to Saul?” And Abishai said, “I will go down with you.” 7So David and Abishai went to the army by night. And there lay Saul sleeping within #[See ver. 5 above] the encampment, with his spear stuck in the ground #ver. 11, 16at his head, and Abner and the army lay around him. 8Then Abishai said to David, #[ch. 24:4, 18]“God has given your enemy into your hand this day. Now please let me pin him to the earth with one stroke of the spear, and I will not strike him twice.” 9But David said to Abishai, “Do not destroy him, for who can put out his hand #ver. 11, 16, 23; ch. 24:6, 10; [2 Sam. 1:16]against the Lord’s anointed and be guiltless?” 10And David said, #[Ruth 3:13] “As the Lord lives, #[ch. 25:38] the Lord will strike him, or #[Gen. 47:29; Deut. 31:14] his day will come to die, #ch. 31:6or he will go down into battle and perish. 11#ch. 24:6 The Lord forbid that I should put out my hand against the Lord’s anointed. But take now the spear that is #ver. 7, 16at his head and the jar of water, and let us go.” 12So David took the spear and the jar of water from Saul’s head, and they went away. No man saw it or knew it, nor did any awake, for they were all asleep, because #Gen. 2:21; 15:12a deep sleep from the Lord had fallen upon them.
13Then David went over to the other side and stood far off on the top of the hill, with a great space between them. 14And David called to the army, and to Abner the son of Ner, saying, “Will you not answer, Abner?” Then Abner answered, “Who are you who calls to the king?” 15And David said to Abner, “Are you not a man? Who is like you in Israel? Why then have you not kept watch over your lord the king? For one of the people came in to destroy the king your lord. 16This thing that you have done is not good. #[Ruth 3:13] As the Lord lives, you deserve to die, because you have not kept watch over your lord, the Lord’s anointed. And now see where the king’s spear is and the jar of water that was #ver. 7, 11at his head.”
17Saul recognized David’s voice and said, #ch. 24:16“Is this your voice, my son David?” And David said, “It is my voice, my lord, O king.” 18And he said, #ch. 24:9, 11“Why does my lord pursue after his servant? For what have I done? What evil is on my hands? 19Now therefore let my lord the king hear the words of his servant. If it is the Lord who has stirred you up against me, may he accept an offering, but if it is men, may they be cursed before the Lord, #[Ps. 120:5] for they have driven me out this day that I should have no share in #2 Sam. 14:16; 20:19; 21:3the heritage of the Lord, saying, ‘Go, serve other gods.’ 20Now therefore, let not my blood fall to the earth away from the presence of the Lord, for the king of Israel has come out to seek #ch. 24:14a single flea like one who hunts a partridge in the mountains.”
21Then Saul said, #ch. 15:24; [ch. 24:17, 18]“I have sinned. Return, my son David, for I will no more do you harm, because my life was precious in your eyes this day. Behold, I have acted foolishly, and have made a great mistake.” 22And David answered and said, “Here is the spear, O king! Let one of the young men come over and take it. 23#[Ps. 7:8; 18:20]The Lord rewards every man for his righteousness and his faithfulness, for the Lord gave you into my hand today, and I would not put out my hand against the Lord’s anointed. 24Behold, as your life was precious this day in my sight, so may my life be precious in the sight of the Lord, and may he deliver me out of all tribulation.” 25Then Saul said to David, “Blessed be you, my son David! You will do many things and will #[Gen. 32:28]succeed in them.” So David went his way, and Saul returned to his place.
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1 Samuel 26: ESV
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The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
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1 Samuel 26
26
David Again Lets Saul Live
1 #
Ps 54 Title. Once again,#26.1 again: See 23.19. some people from Ziph went to Gibeah to talk with Saul. “David has a hideout on Mount Hachilah near Jeshimon out in the desert,” they told him.
2Saul took 3,000 of Israel's best soldiers and went to look for David there in Ziph Desert. 3Saul set up camp on Mount Hachilah, which is across the road from Jeshimon. But David was hiding out in the desert.
When David heard that Saul was following him, 4he sent some spies to find out if it was true. 5Then he sneaked up to Saul's camp. He noticed that Saul and his army commander Abner the son of Ner were sleeping in the middle of the camp, with soldiers sleeping all around them. 6David asked Ahimelech the Hittite and Joab's brother Abishai,#26.6 Abishai: Hebrew “Abishai the son of Zeruiah.” Zeruiah was David's older sister, so Abishai and Joab were David's nephews (see 1 Chronicles 2.12-17; 2 Samuel 17.25 and the note there). “Which one of you will go with me into Saul's camp?”
“I will!” Abishai answered.
7That same night, David and Abishai crept into the camp. Saul was sleeping, and his spear was stuck in the ground not far from his head. Abner and the soldiers were sound asleep all around him.
8Abishai whispered, “This time God has let you get your hands on your enemy! I'll pin him to the ground with one thrust of his own spear.”
9“Don't kill him!” David whispered back. “The Lord will punish anyone who kills his chosen king. 10As surely as the Lord lives, the Lord will kill Saul, or Saul will die a natural death or be killed in battle. 11#1 S 24.6,7. But I pray that the Lord will keep me from harming his chosen king. Let's grab his spear and his water jar and get out of here!”
12David took the spear and the water jar, then left the camp. None of Saul's soldiers knew what had happened or even woke up—the Lord had made all of them fall sound asleep. 13David and Abishai crossed the valley and went to the top of the next hill, where they were at a safe distance. 14“Abner!” David shouted toward Saul's army. “Can you hear me?”
Abner shouted back. “Who dares disturb the king?”
15“Abner, what kind of a man are you?” David replied. “Aren't you supposed to be the best soldier in Israel? Then why didn't you protect your king? Anyone who went into your camp could have killed him tonight.#26.15 Anyone … tonight: Or “Someone went into your camp to kill him tonight.” 16You're a complete failure! I swear by the living Lord that you and your men deserve to die for not protecting the Lord's chosen king. Look and see if you can find the king's spear and the water jar that were near his head.”
17Saul could tell it was David's voice, and he called out, “David, my son! Is that you?”
“Yes it is, Your Majesty. 18Why are you hunting me down? Have I done something wrong, or have I committed a crime? 19Please listen to what I have to say. If the Lord has turned you against me, maybe a sacrifice will make him change his mind. But if some people have turned you against me, I hope the Lord will punish them! They have forced me to leave the land that belongs to the Lord and have told me to worship foreign gods.#26.19 gods: In ancient times it was often believed that gods (even the God of Israel) could only be properly worshiped in their own countries, and only a country's gods should be worshiped in that country. 20Don't let me die in a land far away from the Lord. I'm no more important than a flea! Why should the king of Israel hunt me down as if I were a bird in the mountains?”
21“David, you had the chance to kill me today. But you didn't. I was very wrong about you. It was a terrible mistake for me to try to kill you. I've acted like a fool, but I'll never try to harm you again. You're like a son to me, so please come back.”
22“Your Majesty, here's your spear! Let one of your soldiers come and get it. 23The Lord put you in my power today, but you are his chosen king and I wouldn't harm you. The Lord rewards people who are faithful and live right. 24I spared your life today, and I pray that the Lord will spare my life and keep me safe.”
25“David, my son, I pray that the Lord will bless you and make you successful!”
David in Philistia
Saul went back home. David also left,
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