Kings I 26

1 And the Ziphites come out of the dry country to Saul to the hill, saying, Behold, David hides himself with us in the hill Echela, opposite Jessemon.

Then the Ziphites came to Saul at Gibeah, saying, "Look, David is hiding himself on the hill of Hakilah, which is near Jeshimon."

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

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 encamped in the hill of Echela in front of Jessemon, by the way, and David dwelt in the wilderness: and David saw that Saul came after him into the wilderness.

Saul camped on the hill of Hachilah, which is before Jeshimon, near the road. But David stayed in the wilderness, and he saw that Saul came after him into the wilderness.

4 And David sent spies, and ascertained that Saul was come prepared out of Keila.

David therefore sent out spies, and understood that Saul had certainly come.

5 And David arose secretly, and goes into the place where Saul was sleeping, and there [was] Abenner the son of Ner, the captain of his host: and Saul was sleeping in a chariot, and the people had encamped along round about him.

David arose, and came to the place where Saul had camped; and David saw the place where Saul lay, and Abner the son of Ner, the captain of his army: and Saul lay within the place of the wagons, and the people were camped around him.

6 And David answered and spoke to Abimelech the Chettite, and to Abessa the son Saruia the brother of Joab, saying, Who will go in with me to Saul into the camp? And Abessa said, I will go in with thee.

Then answered David and said to Ahimelech the Hethite, and to Abishai the son of Zeruiah, brother to Joab, saying, "Who will go down with me to Saul to the camp?" Abishai said, "I will go down with you."

7 So David and Abessa go in among the people by night: and behold, Saul was fast asleep in the chariot, and his spear was stuck in the ground near his head, and Abenner and his people slept round about him.

So David and Abishai came to the people by night: and, look, Saul lay sleeping within the place of the wagons, with his spear stuck in the ground at his head; and Abner and the people lay around him.

8 And Abessa said to David, The Lord has this day shut up thine enemy into thine hands, and now I will smite him to the earth with the spear to the ground once [for all], and I will not smite him again.

Then Abishai said to David, "God has delivered up your enemy into your hand this day. Now therefore please let me strike him with the spear to the earth at one stroke, and I will not strike him the second time."

9 And David said to Abessa, Do not lay him low, for who shall lift up his hand against the anointed of the Lord, and be guiltless?

David said to Abishai, "Do not destroy him; for who can put forth his hand against the LORD's anointed, and be guiltless?"

10 And David said, [As] the Lord lives, if the Lord smite him not, or his day come and he die, or he go down to battle and be added [to his fathers, do not so].

David said, "As the LORD lives, the LORD will strike him; or his day shall come to die; or he shall go down into battle and perish.

11 The Lord forbid it me that I should lift up my hand against the anointed of the Lord: and now take, I pray thee, the spear from his bolster, and the pitcher of water, and let us return home.

The LORD forbid that I should put forth my hand against the LORD's anointed; but now please take the spear that is at his head, and the jar of water, and let us go."

12 So David took the spear, and the pitcher of water from his bolster, and they went home: and there was no one that saw, and no one that knew, and there was no one that awoke, all being asleep, for a stupor from the Lord had fallen upon them.

So David took the spear and the jar of water at his head, and they went away. And no one saw it or knew about it, nor did any awake. For they were all asleep, because a deep sleep from the LORD had fallen on them.

13 So David went over to the other side, and stood on the top of a hill afar off, and [there was] a good distance between them.

Then David crossed over to the other side and stood on the top of the hill some distance away; there was a great distance between them.

14 And David called to the people, and spoke to Abenner, saying, Wilt thou not answer, Abenner? and Abenner answered and said, Who art thou that callest?

And David called to the people, and to Abner, saying, "Will you not answer, Abner?" Then Abner replied, "Who are you that calls?"

15 And David said to Abenner, [Art] not thou a man? and who [is] like thee in Israel? Why then dost thou not guard thy lord the king? for one out of the people went in to destroy thy lord the king.

David said to Abner, "Aren't you 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.

16 And this thing [is] not good which thou hast done. [As] the Lord lives, ye are worthy of death, ye who guard your lord the king, the anointed of the Lord: and now behold, I pray you, the spear of the king, and the cruse of water: where are the articles that should be at his head?

This thing isn't good that you have done. As the LORD lives, you are worthy to die, because you have not kept watch over your lord, the LORD's anointed. Now look, where is the king's spear, and where is the jar of water that was by his head?"

17 And Saul recognized the voice of David, and said, [Is] this thy voice, son David? and David said, I [am] thy servant, [my] lord, O king.

Saul knew David's voice, and said, "Is this your voice, my son David?" David said, "It is my voice, my lord, O king."

18 And he said, Why does my lord thus pursue after his servant? for in what have I sinned? and what unrighteousness has been found in me?

He said, "Why does my lord pursue after his servant? For what have I done? Or what evil is in my hand?

19 And now let my lord the king hear the word of his servant. If God stirs thee up against me, let thine offering be acceptable: but if the sons of men, they [are] cursed before the Lord, for they have cast me out this day so that I should not be established in the inheritance of the Lord, saying, Go, serve other Gods.

Now therefore, please let my lord the king hear the words of his servant. If it is so that God has stirred you up against me, let him accept an offering. But if it is from human beings, they are cursed before the LORD; for they have driven me out this day that I shouldn't cling to the LORD's inheritance, saying, 'Go, serve other gods.'

20 And now let not my blood fall to the ground before the Lord, for the king of Israel has come forth to seek thy life, as the night hawk pursues [its prey] in the mountains.

Now therefore, do not let my blood fall to the earth away from the presence of the LORD; for the king of Israel has come out to seek my life, as when one hunts a partridge in the mountains."

21 And Saul said, I have sinned: turn, son David, for I will not hurt thee, because my life was precious in thine eyes; and to-day I have been foolish and have erred exceedingly.

Then Saul said, "I have sinned. Come back, my son David, for I will not harm you, because my life was precious in your eyes this day. Look, I have behaved foolishly, and have made a great mistake."

22 And David answered and said, Behold, the spear of the king: let one of the servants come over and take it.

And David answered and said, "Look, the king's spear. Now let one of the young men come over and get it.

23 And the Lord shall recompense each according to his righteousness and his truth, since the Lord delivered thee this day into my hands, and I would not lift my hand against the Lord's anointed.

The LORD will render to every man his righteousness and his faithfulness; because the LORD delivered you into my hand today, and I wouldn't put forth my hand against the LORD's anointed.

24 And, behold, as thy life has been precious this very day in my eyes, so let my life be precious before the Lord, and may he protect me, and deliver me out of all affliction.

Look, as your life was respected this day in my eyes, so let my life be respected in the eyes of the LORD, and let him deliver me out of all oppression."

25 And Saul said to David, Blessed [be] thou, [my] son; and thou shalt surely do valiantly, and surely prevail. And David went on his way, and Saul returned to his place.

Then Saul said to David, "You are blessed, my son. You will accomplish much, and will surely be successful." So David went his way, and Saul returned to his place.