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?”

And the Ziphites came unto Saul to Gib'ah, saying, Behold, David hideth himself on the hill of Chachilah, before the desert.

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

Then arose Saul, and went down to the wilderness of Ziph, and with him were three thousand men chosen out of Israel, to seek David in the wilderness of Ziph.

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,

And Saul encamped on the hill of Chachilah, which is before the desert by the way; but David abode in the wilderness, and he saw that Saul was coming after him into the wilderness.

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

David thereupon sent out spies, and understood that Saul was come for a certainty.

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.

And David arose, and came to the place where Saul was encamped; and David beheld the place where Saul lay, with Abner the son of Ner, the captain of his army; and Saul was lying in the midst of the ring, and the people were encamped round about 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.

Then commenced David and said to Achimelech the Hittite, and to Abishai the son of Zeruyah, the brother of Joab, saying, Who will go down with me to Saul to the camp? And Abishai said, I will readily go down with thee.

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.

So David and Abishai came to the people by night: and, behold, Saul lay sleeping within the ring, with his spear stuck in the ground by his head; but Abner and the people were lying round about 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!”

Then said Abishai to David, God hath surrendered this day thy enemy into thy hand: and now let me strike him through, I pray thee, with the spear, even to the earth with one blow, and I will not give him a second one.

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

But David said to Abishai, Destroy him not; for who hath stretched forth his hand against the Lord's anointed, and remained 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.

David said farthermore, As the Lord liveth, the Lord alone shall strike him down: either his day shall come that he die; or he shall go down into battle, and perish.

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

Far be this from me for the sake of the Lord, that I should stretch forth my hand against the Lord's anointed; but now, I pray thee, take thou the spear that is by his head, and the cruise of water, and let us go our way.

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.

So David took the spear and the cruise of water by the head of Saul, and they went their way; and no one saw it, and no one perceived it, and-no one awaked; for they were all sleeping; because a deep sleep from the Lord was fallen upon them.

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

Then went David over to the other side, and stood on the top of the mount afar off, the space between them being great.

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

And David called to the people, and to Abner the son of Ner, saying, Wilt thou not answer, Abner? And Abner answered and said, Who art thou that callest to the king?

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?

And David said to Abner, Art thou not a man? and who is like to thee in Israel? why then hast thou not kept guard over thy lord the king? for there came one of the people to destroy the king thy lord.

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?”

This thing which thou hast done is not good. As the Lord liveth, ye deserve to die; because ye have not kept guard over your master, over the Lord's anointed. And now see, where is the king's spear, and the cruise of water that was 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.

And Saul recognized David's voice, and he said, Is this thy voice, my son David? And David said, It is my voice, my Lord, O king.

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

And he said, Why is this that my lord doth pursue after his servant? for what have I done? or 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.’

And now, I pray thee, let my Lord the king hear the words of his servant! If the Lord have stirred thee up against me, then may he accept the savor of an offering; but if they be the children of men, then be they cursed before the Lord; because they have driven me out this day so that I cannot attach myself on 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.”

Now, therefore, let not my blood fall to the earth far from the presence of the Lord; for the king of Israel is come out to seek a single flea, as one doth usually pursue a partridge on 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!”

Then said Saul, I have sinned; return, my son David; for I will not do thee harm any more, for the cause that my life was precious in thy eyes this day: behold, I have acted foolishly, and have erred exceedingly much.

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

And David answered and said, Behold, here is the king's spear! and let one of the young men come over and fetch 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 stretch out my hand against the LORD’s anointed.

And may the Lord recompense to every man his righteousness and his faithfulness; since the Lord delivered thee into my hand today, and I would not stretch forth my hand against the anointed of the Lord.

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

And behold, as thy life was highly valued this day in my eyes, so may my life be highly valued in the eyes of the Lord, and may he deliver me out of all tribulation.

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.

Then said Saul to David, Blessed be thou my son David: thou wilt both do great things, and wilt also surely prevail. And David went then on his way, and Saul returned to his place.