1 Samuel 26

1And the ZiphitesH2130 cameH935 unto SaulH7586 to GibeahH1390, sayingH559, Doth not DavidH1732 hideH5641 himself in the hillH1389 of Hachilah, which is before the desert? 2Then SaulH7586 aroseH6965, and wentH3381 downH3381 to the wildernessH4057 of ZiphH2128, having threeH7969 thousandH505 chosen menH376 of IsraelH3478 with him, to seekH1245 DavidH1732 in the wildernessH4057 of ZiphH2128. 3And SaulH7586 encampedH2583 in the hillH1389 of Hachilah, which is before the desert, by the wayH1870. But DavidH1732 abode in the wildernessH4057, and he sawH7200 that SaulH7586 cameH935 after him into the wildernessH4057. 4DavidH1732 therefore sentH7971 out spiesH7270, and understood that SaulH7586 was comeH935 of a certainty. 5And DavidH1732 aroseH6965, and cameH935 to the placeH4725 whereH834 SaulH7586 had encampedH2583; and DavidH1732 beheld the placeH4725 whereH834 SaulH7586 layH7901, and AbnerH74 the sonH1121 of NerH5369, the captain of his hostH6635: and SaulH7586 layH7901 within the placeH4725 of the wagons, and the peopleH5971 were encampedH2583 roundH5439 about him.

6Then answered DavidH1732 and saidH559 to AhimelechH288 the HittiteH2850, and to AbishaiH52 the sonH1121 of ZeruiahH6870, brotherH251 to JoabH3097, sayingH559, Who will goH3381 down with me to SaulH7586 to the campH4264? And AbishaiH52 saidH559, I will goH3381 down with thee. 7So DavidH1732 and AbishaiH52 cameH935 to the peopleH5971 by nightH3915: and, behold, SaulH7586 layH7901 sleepingH3463 within the place of the wagons, with his spearH2595 stuck in the groundH776 at his headH4763; and AbnerH74 and the peopleH5971 layH7901 roundH5439 about him. 8Then saidH559 AbishaiH52 to DavidH1732, GodH430 hath deliveredH5462 up thine enemyH341 into thy handH3027 this dayH3117: nowH6258 thereforeH6258 let me smite him, I pray thee, with the spearH2595 to the earthH776 at oneH259 stroke, and I will not smite him the second time. 9And DavidH1732 saidH559 to AbishaiH52, DestroyH7843 him not; for who can put forthH7971 his handH3027 against Jehovah’s anointedH4899, and be guiltless? 10And DavidH1732 saidH559, As Jehovah liveth, Jehovah will smite him; or his dayH3117 shall comeH935 to dieH4191; or he shall goH935 down into battleH4421 and perish. 11Jehovah forbid that I should put forthH7971 my handH3027 against Jehovah’s anointedH4899: but nowH6258 takeH3947, I pray thee, the spearH2595 that is at his headH4763, and the cruse of waterH4325, and let us goH7971. 12So DavidH1732 tookH3947 the spearH2595 and the cruse of waterH4325 from Saul’s head; and they gat them awayH3947: and no man sawH7200 it, nor knewH3045 it, neither did any awake; for they were all asleep, because a deepH8639 sleepH3462 from Jehovah was fallenH5307 upon them.

13Then DavidH1732 went over to the otherH5676 sideH5676, and stoodH5975 on the topH7218 of the mountainH2022 afarH7350 off; a greatH7227 space being between them; 14and DavidH1732 cried to the peopleH5971, and to AbnerH74 the sonH1121 of NerH5369, sayingH559, Answerest thou not, AbnerH74? Then AbnerH74 answered and saidH559, Who art thou that criest to the kingH4428? 15And DavidH1732 saidH559 to AbnerH74, Art not thou a valiant manH376? and who is likeH3644 to thee in IsraelH3478? wherefore then hast thou not keptH8104 watchH8104 over thy lordH113 the kingH4428? for there cameH935 oneH259 of the peopleH5971 in to destroyH7843 the kingH4428 thy lordH113. 16This thingH1697 is not goodH2896 that thou hast done. As Jehovah liveth, ye are worthy to die, because ye have not keptH8104 watchH8104 over your lord, Jehovah’s anointedH4899. And nowH6258 seeH7200 whereH834 the king’sH4428 spearH2595 is, and the cruse of waterH4325 that was at his headH4763.

17And SaulH7586 knew David’s voiceH6963, and saidH559, Is this thy voiceH6963, my sonH1121 DavidH1732? And DavidH1732 saidH559, It is my voiceH6963, my lordH113, O kingH4428. 18And he saidH559, Wherefore doth my lordH113 pursueH7291 after his servantH5650? for what have I done? or what evilH7451 is in my handH3027? 19NowH6258 thereforeH6258, I pray thee, let my lord the kingH4428 hearH8085 the wordsH1697 of his servantH5650. If it be Jehovah that hath stirred thee up against me, let him accept an offeringH4503: but if it be the children of menH120, cursedH779 be they before Jehovah; for they have drivenH1644 me out this dayH3117 that I should not cleave unto the inheritanceH5159 of Jehovah, sayingH559, Go, serveH5647 otherH312 godsH430. 20NowH6258 thereforeH6258, let not my bloodH1818 fallH5307 to the earthH776 away from the presenceH6440 of Jehovah: for the kingH4428 of IsraelH3478 is comeH3318 out to seekH1245 a fleaH6550, as when oneH259 doth hunt a partridgeH7124 in the mountainsH2022.

21Then saidH559 SaulH7586, I have sinnedH2398: returnH7725, my sonH1121 DavidH1732; for I will no more do thee harmH7489, because my lifeH5315 was preciousH3365 in thine eyesH5869 this dayH3117: behold, I have played the fool, and have erredH7686 exceedinglyH3966. 22And DavidH1732 answered and saidH559, Behold the spearH2595, O kingH4428! let then oneH259 of the youngH5288 menH5288 come over and fetch it. 23And Jehovah will render to every manH376 his righteousnessH6666 and his faithfulnessH530; forasmuch as Jehovah delivered thee into my handH3027 to-day, and I wouldH14 not putH5414 forthH7971 my handH3027 against Jehovah’s anointedH4899. 24And, behold, as thy lifeH5315 was much set by this dayH3117 in mine eyesH5869, soH3651 let my lifeH5315 be much set by in the eyesH5869 of Jehovah, and let him deliverH5337 me out of all tribulation. 25Then SaulH7586 saidH559 to DavidH1732, BlessedH1288 be thou, my sonH1121 DavidH1732: thou shalt both do mightily, and shalt surely prevailH3201. So DavidH1732 wentH7725 his wayH1870, and SaulH7586 returnedH7725 to his placeH4725.