1 Samuel 26

1 Then the Ziphites came to Saul at Gibeah and said, “Is not David hiding on the hill of Hachilah, opposite Jeshimon?”

2 So Saul, accompanied by three thousand chosen men of Israel, went down to the Wilderness of Ziph to search for David there.

3 Saul camped beside the road at the hill of Hachilah opposite Jeshimon, but David was living in the wilderness. When he realized that Saul had followed him there,

4 David sent out spies to verify that Saul had arrived.

5 Then David set out and went to the place where Saul had camped. He saw the place where Saul and Abner son of Ner, the general of his army, had lain down. Saul was lying inside the inner circle of the camp, with the troops camped around him.

6 And David asked Ahimelech the Hittite and Abishai son of Zeruiah, Joab’s brother, “Who will go down with me to Saul in the camp?” “I will go with you,” answered Abishai.

7 That night David and Abishai came to the troops, and Saul was lying there asleep in the inner circle of the camp, with his spear stuck in the ground by his head. And Abner and the troops were lying around him.

8 Abishai said to David, “Today God has delivered your enemy into your hand. Now, therefore, please let me thrust the spear through him into the ground with one stroke. I will not need to strike him twice!”

9 But David said to Abishai, “Do not destroy him, for who can extend a hand against the LORD’s anointed and be guiltless?”

10 David added, “As surely as the LORD lives, the LORD Himself will strike him down; either his day will come and he will die, or he will go into battle and perish.

11 But the LORD forbid that I should extend my hand against the LORD’s anointed. Instead, take the spear and water jug by his head, and let us go.”

12 So David took the spear and water jug by Saul’s head, and they departed. No one saw them or knew about it, nor did anyone wake up; they all remained asleep, because a deep sleep from the LORD had fallen on them.

13 Then David crossed to the other side and stood atop the mountain at a distance; there was a wide gulf between them.

14 And David shouted to the troops and to Abner son of Ner, “Will you not answer me, Abner?” “Who are you who calls to the king?” Abner replied.

15 So David said to Abner, “You are a man, aren’t you? And who in Israel is your equal? Why then did you not protect your lord the king when one of the people came to destroy him?

16 This thing you have done is not good. As surely as the LORD lives, all of you deserve to die, since you did not protect your lord, the LORD’s anointed. Now look around. Where are the king’s spear and water jug that were by his head?”

17 Then Saul recognized David’s voice and asked, “Is that your voice, David my son?” “It is my voice, my lord and king,” David said.

18 And he continued, “Why is my lord pursuing his servant? What have I done? What evil is in my hand?

19 Now please, may my lord the king hear the words of his servant: If the LORD has stirred you up against me, then may He accept an offering. But if men have done it, may they be cursed in the presence of the LORD! For today they have driven me away from sharing in the inheritance of the LORD, saying, ‘Go, serve other gods.’

20 So do not let my blood fall to the ground far from the presence of the LORD. For the king of Israel has come out to look for a flea, like one who hunts a partridge in the mountains.”

21 Then Saul replied, “I have sinned. Come back, David my son. I will never harm you again, because today you considered my life precious. I have played the fool and have committed a grave error!”

22 “Here is the king’s spear,” David answered. “Let one of the young men come over and get it.

23 May the LORD repay every man for his righteousness and faithfulness. For the LORD delivered you into my hand today, but I would not extend my hand against the LORD’s anointed.

24 As surely as I valued your life today, so may the LORD value my life and rescue me from all trouble.”

25 Saul said to him, “May you be blessed, David my son. You will accomplish great things and will surely prevail.” So David went on his way, and Saul returned home.

1 ¶ And the Ziphites came unto Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doth not David hide himself in the hill of Hachilah, [which is] before Jeshimon?

2 Then 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.

3 And Saul pitched in the hill of Hachilah, which [is] before Jeshimon, by the way. But David abode in the wilderness, and he saw that Saul came after him into the wilderness.

4 David therefore sent out spies, and understood that Saul was come in very deed.

5 And 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.

6 ¶ Then answered David and said to Ahimelech the Hittite, and to Abishai the son of Zeruiah, brother to Joab, saying, Who will go down with me to Saul to the camp? And Abishai said, I will go down with thee.

7 So David and Abishai 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.

8 Then said Abishai 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.

9 And David said to Abishai, Destroy him not: for who can stretch forth his hand against the LORD'S anointed, and be guiltless?

10 David 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.

11 The 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.

12 So 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.

13 ¶ Then David went over to the other side, and stood on the top of an hill afar off; a great space [being] between them:

14 And 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?

15 And 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.

16 This 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.

17 And 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.

18 And he said, Wherefore doth my lord thus pursue after his servant? for what have I done? or what evil [is] in mine hand?

19 Now 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.

20 Now 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.

21 ¶ Then 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.

22 And David answered and said, Behold the king's spear! and let one of the young men come over and fetch it.

23 The LORD render to every man his righteousness and his faithfulness: for the LORD delivered thee into [my] hand to day, but I would not stretch forth mine hand against the LORD'S anointed.

24 And, 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.

25 Then 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.

1 And they of Ziph came to Saul to Gibeah, and said: Is not David hid in the hill of Hachilah before the wilderness?

2 And Saul arose, and went down to the wilderness of Ziph, and with him three thousand young men of Israel, to seek David in the wilderness of Ziph.

3 And he encamped in the hill of Hachilah, which is before the wilderness by the way. And David abode in the wilderness. And when he saw that Saul was come after him into the wilderness,

4 And he sent out spies, and learned that Saul was sure to come.

5 And David arose, and came to the place where Saul was encamped, and saw the place where Saul lay with Abner the son of Ner, the captain of his host. For Saul lay in the chariot, and the host round about him.

6 And David answered and said to Ahimelech the Hittite, and to Abishai the son of Zeruiah, the brother of Joab, Who will go down with me to Saul to the camp? And Abishai said: I will go down with thee.

7 So David and Abishai came to the people by night. And, behold, Saul lay sleeping in the chariot-house, and his spear was in the earth at his head. And Abner and the people lay about him.

8 And Abishai said unto David, God hath delivered thine enemy into thine hand this day: now therefore will I thrust him into the earth with the spear once, that he have no more need.

9 And David said unto Abishai, Destroy him not: for who shall lay hands on the LORD'S anointed, and go unpunished?

10 And David said, As the LORD liveth, if the LORD smite him not, or his time come that he die, or go into battle, and perish,

11 Then let the LORD be far from me, that I should lay my hand upon the LORD'S anointed. Now therefore take the spear for his heads, and the cup of water, and let us go.

12 So David took the spear and the cup of water at the heads of Saul, and went; and there was none that saw, nor knew, nor awaked; but they were all asleep. For a deep sleep had fallen upon them from the LORD.

13 And when David was come over on the other side, he stood upon the top of the mountain afar off, and there was a great space between them.

14 And the people cried unto Abner the son of Ner, saying, Hearest thou not, Abner? And Abner answered and said, Who art thou that crieth out against the king?

15 And David said unto Abner, Art not thou a man? and who is like thee in Israel? Why then hast thou not kept thy lord the king? For one of the people is come in to destroy thy lord the king.

16 But it is not good that thou hast done this thing. As the LORD liveth, ye are the children of death, because ye have not kept your master, the LORD'S anointed. Now, behold, here is the king's spear, and the cup of water that was at his head.

17 And Saul knew the voice of David, and said: Is not this thy voice, my son David? And David said, It is my voice, my lord the king.

18 And he said, Why doth my lord thus persecute his servant? What have I done, and what evil is in my hand?

19 Now therefore, let my lord the king hear the words of his servant, If the LORD provoke thee against me, let a meat offering be smelled: but if the children of men do it, let them be accursed before the LORD, to cast me out this day, that I cleave not unto the inheritance of the LORD, saying: Go, serve other gods.

20 Now therefore let not my blood fall to the ground from the presence of the LORD. For the king of Israel is gone out to seek a flea, as one chaseth a partridge upon the mountains.

21 And Saul said: I have sinned; come again, my son David. I will not harm thee again, because my soul hath been dear in thine eyes this day. Behold, I have done foolishly and very unwisely.

22 And David answered and said, Behold, here is the king's spear; let one of the young men go over and fetch it.

23 But the LORD will recompense every man according to his righteousness and faith. For the LORD hath delivered thee into mine hand this day; but I would not lay mine hand upon the LORD'S anointed.

24 And as this day thy soul was greatly esteemed in mine eyes, so let my soul be greatly esteemed in the eyes of the LORD, and save me from all tribulation.

25 And Saul said unto David, Blessed art thou, my son David; thou shalt do it, and go forth. And David went his way, and Saul returned unto his place.