1 Samuel 26

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

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

2 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.

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.

3 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.

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,

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

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

5 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.

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,

6 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."

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.”

7 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.

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.

8 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."

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.”

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

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?”

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

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,

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

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.”

12 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 YHWH had fallen on them.

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.

13 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.

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,

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

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?”

15 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.

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.

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

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?”

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

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.”

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

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

19 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 YHWH; for they have driven me out this day that I shouldn't cling to YHWH's inheritance, saying, 'Go, serve other gods.'

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.’

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

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.”

21 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."

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.”

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

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

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

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.

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

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.”

25 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.

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.