1 Samuel 26

David Again Spares Saul

1Then the ZiphitesH2130 cameH935 to SaulH7586 at GibeahH1390, sayingH559, “1Is not DavidH1732 hidingH5641 on the hillH1389 of HachilahH2444, which is beforeH5921H6440 2JeshimonH3452?” 2So SaulH7586 aroseH6965 and wentH3381 downH3381 to the wildernessH4057 of ZiphH2128, having with him 3threeH7969 thousandH505 chosenH977 menH376 of IsraelH3478, to searchH1245 for DavidH1732 in the wildernessH4057 of ZiphH2128. 3SaulH7586 campedH2583 in the hillH1389 of HachilahH2444, whichH834 is beforeH5921H6440 4JeshimonH3452, 5besideH5921 the roadH1870, and DavidH1732 was stayingH3427 in the wildernessH4057. When 6he sawH7200 that SaulH7586 cameH935 afterH310 him into the wildernessH4057, 4DavidH1732 sentH7971 out spiesH7270, and he knewH3045 that SaulH7586 was definitelyH3559 comingH935. 5DavidH1732 then aroseH6965 and cameH935 to the placeH4725 whereH834H8033 SaulH7586 had campedH2583. And DavidH1732 sawH7200 the placeH4725 whereH834H8033 SaulH7586 layH7901, and 7AbnerH74 the sonH1121 of NerH5369, the commanderH8269 of his armyH6635; and SaulH7586 was lyingH7901 in the circleH4570 of the campH4570, and the peopleH5971 were campedH2583 aroundH5439 him.

6Then DavidH1732 saidH559 to AhimelechH288 8the HittiteH2850 and to 9AbishaiH52 the sonH1121 of ZeruiahH6870, Joab’sH3097 brotherH251, sayingH559, “WhoH4310 10will goH3381 downH3381 with me to SaulH7586 in the campH4264?” And AbishaiH52 saidH559, “I will goH3381 downH3381 with you.” 7So DavidH1732 and AbishaiH52 cameH935 to the peopleH5971 by nightH3915, and beholdH2009, SaulH7586 layH7901 sleepingH3463 inside the circleH4570 of the campH4570 with his spearH2595 stuckH4600 in the groundH776 at his headH4763; and AbnerH74 and the peopleH5971 were lyingH7901 aroundH5439 him. 8Then AbishaiH52 saidH559 to DavidH1732, “TodayH3117 GodH430 has deliveredH5462 your enemyH340 into your handH3027; nowH6258 therefore, pleaseH4994 let me strikeH5221 him with the spearH2595 11to the groundH776 with oneH259 strokeH6471, and I will not 12strike him the secondH8138 timeH8138.” 9But DavidH1732 saidH559 to AbishaiH52, “Do not destroyH7843 him, for 13whoH4310 can stretchH7971 out his handH3027 against the Lord’sH3068 anointedH4899 and be withoutH5352 guiltH5352?” 10DavidH1732 also saidH559, “As the LordH3068 livesH2416, 14surelyH3588H518 the LordH3068 will strikeH5062 him, orH176 15his dayH3117 will comeH935 that he diesH4191, orH176 16he will goH3381 downH3381 into battleH4421 and perishH5595. 1117The LordH3068 forbidH2486 that I should stretchH7971 out my handH3027 against the Lord’sH3068 anointedH4899; but nowH6258 pleaseH4994 takeH3947 the spearH2595 that is at his headH4763 and the jugH6835 of waterH4325, and let us goH1980.” 12So DavidH1732 tookH3947 the spearH2595 and the jugH6835 of waterH4325 from beside Saul’sH7586 headH4763, and they wentH1980 away, but noH369 oneH369 sawH7200 or knewH3045 it, norH369 did any awakeH7019, for they were allH3605 asleepH3463, becauseH3588 18a soundH8639 sleepH8639 from the LordH3068 had fallenH5307 on them.

13Then DavidH1732 crossedH5674 overH5674 to the otherH5676 sideH5676 and stoodH5975 on topH7218 of the mountainH2022 at a distanceH7350 with a largeH7227 areaH4725 betweenH996 them. 14DavidH1732 calledH7121 to the peopleH5971 and to AbnerH74 the sonH1121 of NerH5369, sayingH559, “Will you not answerH6030, AbnerH74?” Then AbnerH74 repliedH6030, “WhoH4310 are you who callsH7121 to the kingH4428?” 15So DavidH1732 saidH559 to AbnerH74, “Are you not a manH376? And whoH4310 is likeH3644 you in IsraelH3478? WhyH4100 then have you not guardedH8104 your lordH113 the kingH4428? For oneH259 of the peopleH5971 cameH935 to destroyH7843 the kingH4428 your lordH113. 16ThisH2088 thingH1697 that you have doneH6213 is not goodH2896. As the LordH3068 livesH2416, all of you 1920mustH1121 surelyH3588 dieH4194, becauseH834 you did not guardH8104 your lordH113, the Lord’sH3068 anointedH4899. And nowH6258, seeH7200 whereH335 the king’sH4428 spearH2595 is and the jugH6835 of waterH4325 that was at his headH4763.”

17Then SaulH7586 recognizedH5234 David’sH1732 voiceH6963 and saidH559, “21Is thisH2088 your voiceH6963, my sonH1121 DavidH1732?” And DavidH1732 saidH559, “It is my voiceH6963, my lordH113 the kingH4428.” 18He also saidH559, “22WhyH4100 thenH2088 is my lordH113 pursuingH7291 his servantH5650? For whatH4100 have I doneH6213? Or whatH4100 evilH7463 is in my handH3027? 19NowH6258 therefore, pleaseH4994 let my lordH113 the kingH4428 listenH8085 to the wordsH1697 of his servantH5650. IfH518 23the LordH3068 has stirredH5496 you up against me, 24let Him 25acceptH7381 an offeringH4503; but 26ifH518 it is 27menH1121H120, cursedH779 are they beforeH6440 the LordH3068, for 28they have drivenH1644 me out todayH3117 soH4480 that I would have noH4480 attachmentH5596 with the inheritanceH5159 of the LordH3068, sayingH559, ‘GoH1980, serveH5647 otherH312 godsH430.’ 20NowH6258 then, do not let my bloodH1818 fallH5307 to the groundH776 awayH5048 from the presenceH6440 of the LordH3068; for the kingH4428 of IsraelH3478 has comeH3318 out to searchH1245 for 29a singleH259 fleaH6550, justH3512 as one huntsH7291 a partridgeH7124 in the mountainsH2022.”

21Then SaulH7586 saidH559, “30I have sinnedH2398. ReturnH7725, my sonH1121 DavidH1732, for I will not harmH7489 you againH5750 becauseH8478H834 my lifeH5315 was preciousH3365 in your sightH5869 thisH2088 dayH3117. BeholdH2009, I have playedH5528 the foolH5528 and have committedH7686 a seriousH7235H3966 errorH7686.” 22DavidH1732 repliedH6030, “BeholdH2009 the spearH2595 of the kingH4428! Now let oneH259 of the youngH5288 menH5288 comeH5674 overH5674 and takeH3947 it. 2331The LordH3068 will repayH7725 eachH376 manH376 for his righteousnessH6666 and his faithfulnessH530; for the LordH3068 deliveredH5414 you into my handH3027 todayH3117, but 32I refusedH3808H14 to stretchH7971 out my handH3027 against the Lord’sH3068 anointedH4899. 24Now beholdH2009, as your lifeH5315 was 33highlyH1431 valuedH1431 in my sightH5869 thisH2088 dayH3117, soH3651 may my lifeH5315 be highlyH1431 valuedH1431 in the sightH5869 of the LordH3068, and may He 34deliverH5337 me from allH3605 distressH6869.” 25Then SaulH7586 saidH559 to DavidH1732, “35BlessedH1288 are you, my sonH1121 DavidH1732; you will bothH1571 accomplishH6213 muchH6213 and surelyH3201 prevailH3201.” So 36DavidH1732 wentH1980 on his wayH1870, and SaulH7586 returnedH7725 to his placeH4725.