1 Samuel 26

1 And the Ziphites went to Saul at Gibeah, saying: “Behold, David is hidden on the hill of Hachilah, which is opposite the wilderness.”

And the Ziphites came unto Saul in Gibeah, saying, —Is not David hiding himself in the hill of Hachilah, overlooking Jeshimon?

2 And Saul rose up, and he descended into the desert of Ziph, and with him three thousand elect men of Israel, so that he might seek David in the desert of Ziph.

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

3 And Saul encamped at Gibeah on Hachilah, which was opposite the wilderness on the way. But David was living in the desert. Then, seeing that Saul had arrived after him in the wilderness,

And Saul encamped in the hill of Hachilah, which overlooketh Jeshimon, by the way, —but, David, was staying in the wilderness, so he saw that Saul was coming after him into the wilderness.

4 he sent explorers, and he learned that he certainly had arrived in that place.

David therefore sent runners, —and took knowledge that Saul had come, for a certainty.

5 And David rose up secretly, and he went to the place where Saul was. And when he had seen the place where Saul was sleeping, and Abner, the son of Ner, the leader of his military, and Saul sleeping in a tent, and the remainder of the common people all around him,

So then David arose, and came to the place where Saul had encamped, and David saw the place where Saul was lying, with Abner, son of Ner, prince of his host, —and, Saul, was lying within the circular trench, with, the people, encamped round about him.

6 David spoke to Ahimelech, the Hittite, and to Abishai, the son of Zeruiah, the brother of Joab, saying, “Who will descend with me to Saul in the camp?” And Abishai said, “I will descend with you.”

And David responded, and said unto Ahimelech the Hittite, and unto Abishai son of Zeruiah, brother of Joab, saying, Who will go down with me unto Saul, within the camp? And Abishai said, I, will go down with thee.

7 Therefore, David and Abishai went to the people by night, and they found Saul lying down and sleeping in the tent, with his spear fixed in the ground at his head. And Abner and the people were sleeping all around him.

So David came, with Abishai, unto the people by night, and lo! Saul lying asleep, within the trench, and his spear stuck in the ground, at his head, —and Abner and the people lying round about him.

8 And Abishai said to David: “God has enclosed your enemy this day in your hands. Now therefore, I will pierce him with my lance, through to the ground, once, and there will not need to be a second.”

Then said Abishai unto David, God hath surrendered, to-day, thine enemy, into thy hand: Now, therefore, let me smite him, I pray thee, with the spear to the earth, at one stroke, I, will not do it twice.

9 And David said to Abishai: “You shall not kill him. For who may extend his hand against the Christ of the Lord, and yet be innocent?”

But David said unto Abishai, Do not destroy him, —for who that hath thrust forth his hand against the Anointed of Yahweh, shall be guiltless?

10 And David said: “As the Lord lives, unless the Lord himself will strike him, or unless his day to die will have arrived, or unless, descending into battle, he will perish,

And David said—By the life of Yahweh, surely, Yahweh himself, must smite him, —or, his day, must come that he die, or, into battle, must he go down, and be swept away.

11 may the Lord be gracious to me, so that I may not extend my hand against the Christ of the Lord. Now therefore, take the spear that is at his head, and the cup of water, and let us go.”

Far be it from me, of Yahweh, that I should thrust forth my hand against the anointed of Yahweh! Now, therefore, take, I pray thee, the spear that is at his head, and the cruse of water, and let us go our way.

12 And so, David took the spear, and the cup of water that was at Saul’s head, and they went away. And there was no one who saw it, or realized it, or awakened, but they were all sleeping. For a deep sleep from the Lord had fallen over them.

So David took the spear, and the cruse of water, from near the head of Saul, and they went their way, —and no man saw, and no man knew, and no man awoke, for all of them were sleeping, for, a deep sleep from Yahweh, had fallen upon them.

13 And when David had crossed over to the opposite side, and had stood upon the top of the hill far away, so that there was a great interval between them,

Then David crossed over to the other side, and took his stand on the top of the mountain, afar off, —a great space, being between them.

14 David cried out to the people, and to Abner, the son of Ner, saying, “Will you not respond, Abner?” And responding, Abner said, “Who are you, that you would cry out and disquiet the king?”

And David cried aloud unto the people, and unto Abner son of Ner, saying, Wilt thou not answer, Abner? Then answered Abner, and said, Who art thou, that hast cried aloud unto the king?

15 And David said to Abner: “Are you not a man? And who else is like you in Israel? Then why have you not guarded your lord the king? For one of the people entered, so that he might kill the king, your lord.

And David said unto Abner—Art not thou, a man? Who indeed is like thee, in Israel? Wherefore, then, hast thou not kept watch over thy lord, the king? For one of the people hath entered, to destroy the king—thy lord.

16 This is not good, what you have done. As the Lord lives, you are sons of death, because you have not guarded your lord, the Christ of the Lord. Now therefore, where is the king’s spear, and where is the cup of water that was at his head?”

Not good, is this thing which thou hast done, by the life of Yahweh, verily, worthy of death, ye are, in that ye have not kept watch over your lord, over, the Anointed of Yahweh. Now, therefore, see where the spear of the king is, and the cruse of water, that was at his head?

17 Then Saul recognized the voice of David, and he said, “Is this not your voice, my son David?” And David said, “It is my voice, my lord the king.”

And Saul knew the voice of David, and said—Thy voice, is this, my son David? And David said, My voice, my lord O king!

18 And he said: “For what reason has my lord pursued his servant? What have I done? Or what evil is there in my hand?

And he said, Wherefore is it, that my lord is in pursuit of his servant? For what have I done? or what is in my hand that is wrong?

19 Now therefore, listen, I beg you, my lord the king, to the words of your servant. If the Lord has stirred you up against me, let him make the sacrifice fragrant. But if the sons of men have done so, they are accursed in the sight of the Lord, who has cast me out this day, so that I would not live within the inheritance of the Lord, saying, ‘Go, serve strange gods.’

Now, therefore, I pray thee, let my lord the king hear the words of his servant, —If, Yahweh, have goaded thee on against me, let him accept the sweet smell of a gift, but, if the sons of men, accursed, they are before Yahweh, for they have driven me out, to-day, from joining myself with the inheritance of Yahweh, saying—Go, serve other gods!

20 And now, let not my blood be poured out upon the earth before the Lord. For the king of Israel has gone out, so that he might seek a flea, just as the partridge is pursued amid the mountains.”

Now, therefore, let not my blood fall to the earth, away from the presence of Yahweh, —for the king of Israel hath come out to hunt for a single flea, as when one pursueth a partridge among the mountains.

21 And Saul said: “I have sinned. Return, my son David. For I will never again do evil to you, because my life has been precious in your eyes this day. For it is apparent that I have acted senselessly, and have been ignorant of very many things.”

Then said Saul—I have sinned, Return, my son David, for I will harm thee no more, because my life was precious in thine eyes, this day, —lo! I have acted foolishly and, greatly, erred.

22 And responding, David said: “Behold, the king’s spear. Let one of the servants of the king cross over and take it.

And David responded, and said, Lo! the spear of the king! Let, therefore, one of the young men come over, and fetch it.

23 And the Lord will repay each one according to his justice and faith. For the Lord has delivered you this day into my hand, but I was not willing to extend my hand against the Christ of the Lord.

And let, Yahweh, give back to each man, his righteousness, and his faithfulness, —in that Yahweh delivered thee, to-day, into my hand, but I would not thrust forth my hand against the Anointed of Yahweh.

24 And just as your soul has been magnified this day in my eyes, so let my soul be magnified in the eyes of the Lord, and may he free me from all distress.”

Lo! then, as thy life was much set by this day in mine eyes, so, let my life be much set by in the eyes of Yahweh, and let him rescue me out of all tribulation.

25 Then Saul said to David: “You are blessed, my son David. And whatever you may do, it shall certainly succeed.” And David departed on his way. And Saul returned to his place.

Then said Saul unto David—Blessed, be thou, my son David, thou shalt both, do, and shalt, prevail. And David went on his way, but, Saul, returned unto his own place.