1 Samuel 26

1 And the Ziphites come to Saul at Gibeah, saying, “Is David not hiding himself in the height of Hachilah, on the front of the desert?”

Then the Ziphites came to Saul at Gibeah and said, “Is not David hiding on the hill of Hachilah, opposite Jeshimon?”

2 And Saul rises, and goes down to the wilderness of Ziph, and with him [are] three thousand men, chosen ones of Israel, to seek David in the wilderness of Ziph.

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

3 And Saul encamps in the height of Hachilah, which [is] on the front of the desert, by the way, and David is abiding in the wilderness, and he sees that Saul has come into the wilderness after him;

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,

4 and David sends spies, and knows that Saul has come to Nachon,

David sent out spies to verify that Saul had arrived.

5 and David rises, and comes to the place where Saul has encamped, and David sees the place where Saul has lain, and Abner son of Ner, head of his host, and Saul is lying in the path, and the people are encamping around him.

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.

6 And David answers and says to Ahimelech the Hittite, and to Abishai son of Zeruiah, brother of Joab, saying, “Who goes down with me to Saul, to the camp?” And Abishai says, “I go down with you.”

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.

7 And David comes—and Abishai—by night to the people, and behold, Saul is lying sleeping in the path, and his spear is pressed into the earth by his pillow, and Abner and the people are lying around him.

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.

8 And Abishai says to David, “God has shut up your enemy into your hand today; and now, please let me strike him with [the] spear, even into the earth, at once—and not repeat [it] to him.”

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!”

9 And David says to Abishai, “Do not destroy him; for who has put forth his hand against the anointed of YHWH and been acquitted?”

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

10 And David says, “YHWH lives; except YHWH strikes him, or his day comes that he has died, or he goes down into battle and has been consumed—

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.

11 far be it from me, by YHWH, from putting forth my hand against the anointed of YHWH; and now, please take the spear which [is] by his pillow, and the jug of water, and we go away.”

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.”

12 And David takes the spear, and the jug of water by the pillow of Saul, and they go away, and there is none seeing, and there is none knowing, and there is none awaking, for all of them are sleeping, for a deep sleep [from] YHWH has fallen on them.

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.

13 And David passes over to the other side, and stands on the top of the hill far off—great [is] the place between them;

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

14 and David calls to the people, and to Abner son of Ner, saying, “Do you not answer, Abner?” And Abner answers and says, “Who [are] you [who] have called to the king?”

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.

15 And David says to Abner, “Are you not a man? And who [is] like you in Israel? But why have you not watched over your lord the king? For one of the people had come in to destroy the king, your lord.

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?

16 This thing which you have done is not good; YHWH lives, but you [are] sons of death, in that you have not watched over your lord, over the anointed of YHWH; and now, see where the king’s spear [is], and the jug of water which [is] by his pillow.”

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?”

17 And Saul discerns the voice of David and says, “Is this your voice, my son David?” And David says, “My voice, my lord, O king!”

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.

18 And he says, “Why [is] this—my lord is pursuing after his servant? For what have I done, and what evil [is] in my hand?

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

19 And now, please let my lord the king hear the words of his servant: if YHWH has moved you against me, let Him accept a present; but if [merely] the sons of men, they [are] cursed before YHWH, for today they have cast me out from being admitted into the inheritance of YHWH, saying, Go, serve other gods.

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.’

20 And now, do not let my blood fall to the earth before the face of YHWH, for the king of Israel has come out to seek one flea, as [one] pursues the partridge in mountains.”

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.”

21 And Saul says, “I have sinned; return, my son David, for I do evil to you no more, because that my soul has been precious in your eyes this day; behold, I have acted foolishly, and err very greatly.”

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!”

22 And David answers and says, “Behold, the king’s spear; and let one of the young men pass over, and receive it;

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

23 and YHWH turns each back to his righteousness and his faithfulness, in that YHWH has given you into [my] hand today, and I have not been willing to put forth my hand against the anointed of YHWH,

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.

24 and behold, as your soul has been great in my eyes this day, so is my soul great in the eyes of YHWH, and He delivers me out of all distress.”

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

25 And Saul says to David, “Blessed [are] you, my son David, also working you work, and also prevailing you prevail.” And David goes on his way, and Saul has turned back to his place.

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.