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, saying, "Look, David is hiding himself on the hill of Hakilah, which is near 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.

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 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 on the hill of Hakilah, 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 sends spies, and knows that Saul has come to Nachon,

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

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.

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 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.”

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 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.

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 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.”

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

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 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 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 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.”

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

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.

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 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 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 discerns the voice of David and says, “Is this your voice, my son David?” And David says, “My voice, 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 says, “Why [is] this—my lord is pursuing after his servant? For what have I done, and what evil [is] in my hand?

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, 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 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, 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.”

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

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 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.”

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 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.

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.