1 Samuel 26

1 One day [some of] the people of Ziph [town] went to Saul while he was at Gibeah, and they said to him, “David is hiding in a cave on Hakilah hill, across from Jeshimon [town].”

And the Ziphites came to Saul at Gibeah, and said, Is not David waiting secretly near us in the hill of Hachilah, before the waste land?

2 So Saul chose 3,000 of the best Israeli soldiers and went with them to Ziph Desert to search for David.

Then Saul went down to the waste land of Ziph, taking with him three thousand of the best men of Israel, to make search for David in the waste land of Ziph.

3 Saul and his men set up their tents close to the road on Hakilah hill, east of Jeshimon [town], but David [and his men] stayed in the desert. When David heard that Saul was searching for him,

And Saul put up his tents on the hill of Hachilah, which is in front of the waste land on the road. But David was in the waste land, and he saw that Saul was coming after him.

4 he sent some spies to find out for certain that Saul had come to Hakilah.

And so David sent out watchers, and got word from them that Saul was certainly coming.

5 Then [that evening] David went to the place where Saul had set up his tent. [From a distance] he saw where Saul and his army commander, Abner, were sleeping. Saul was sleeping with all his army [sleeping] around him.

And David got up and came to the place where Saul's tents were: and David had a view of the place where Saul was sleeping with Abner, the son of Ner, the captain of his army: and Saul was sleeping inside the ring of carts, and the tents of the people were all round him.

6 David [went back to where his men were and] talked to Ahimelech, who was from the Heth people-group, and Joab’s brother Abishai, whose mother was [David’s older sister] Zeruiah. He asked them, “Who will go with me down into the camp where Saul is?” Abishai replied, “I will go with you.”

Then David said to Ahimelech the Hittite, and to Abishai, the son of Zeruiah, brother of Joab, Who will go down with me to the tents of Saul? And Abishai said, I will go down with you.

7 So that night David and Abishai crept into Saul’s camp. They saw that Saul was asleep. His spear was stuck in the ground near his head. Saul was asleep in the middle of the camp. Abner [the army commander] and the other soldiers were sleeping around Saul.

So David and Abishai came down to the army by night: and Saul was sleeping inside the ring of carts with his spear planted in the earth by his head: and Abner and the people were sleeping round him.

8 Abishai whispered to David, “Today Yahweh has enabled us to kill your enemy! Allow me to fasten Saul to the ground [by thrusting] my spear into him. It will be necessary for me to strike him only once. I will not [need to] strike him twice.”

Then Abishai said to David, God has given up your hater into your hands today; now let me give him one blow through to the earth with his spear, and there will be no need to give him a second.

9 But David whispered to Abishai, “No, do not kill Saul. Yahweh has appointed him to be king, so Yahweh will surely [RHQ] punish anyone who kills him.

And David said to Abishai Do not put him to death; for who, without sin, may put out his hand against the man on whom the Lord has put the holy oil?

10 Just as surely as Yahweh lives, he himself will punish Saul. Perhaps Yahweh will strike him when it is Saul’s time to die, or perhaps Saul will be killed in a battle.

And David said, By the living Lord, the Lord will send destruction on him; the natural day of his death will come, or he will go into the fight and come to his end.

11 But I hope/desire that Yahweh will prevent me from harming the king whom he has appointed. Let’s take Saul’s spear and water jug that are near his head. Then let’s get out of here!”

Never will my hand be stretched out against the man marked with the holy oil; but take the spear which is by his head and the vessel of water, and let us go.

12 So David took the spear and the jug, and he and Abishai left. No one saw them or knew what they were doing, and no one woke up, because Yahweh had caused them to be sound asleep.

So David took the spear and the vessel of water from Saul's head; and they got away without any man seeing them, or being conscious of their coming, or awaking; for they were all sleeping because a deep sleep from the Lord had come on them.

13 David and Abishai went across the valley and climbed to the top of the hill, a long way from Saul’s camp.

Then David went over to the other side, and took his place on the top of a mountain some distance away, with a great space between them;

14 Then David shouted to Abner, “Abner, can you hear me?” Abner [woke up and] replied “Who are you, [waking up] the king by calling out to him?”

And crying out to the people and to Abner, the son of Ner, David said, Have you no answer to give, Abner? Then Abner said, Who is that crying out to the king?

15 David replied, “[I am sure that] you are the greatest man in Israel [IRO, RHQ]! So why did you not guard your master, the king? Someone came into your camp in order to kill your master, the king.

And David said to Abner, Are you not a man of war? is there any other like you in Israel? why then have you not kept watch over your lord the king? for one of the people came in to put the king your lord to death.

16 You have done a very poor [job of guarding Saul]. So just as surely as Yahweh lives, you and your men should be executed! You have not guarded your master whom Yahweh appointed to be the king. Where are the king’s spear and the water jug that were close to his head?”

What you have done is not good. By the living Lord, death is the right fate for you, because you have not kept watch over your lord, the man on whom the Lord has put the holy oil. Now see, where is the king's spear, and the vessel of water which was by his head?

17 [The shouting woke] Saul [up and he] recognized that it was David’s voice. He called out, saying, “My son David, is that your voice?” David replied, “Yes, your majesty it is my voice.”

And Saul, conscious that the voice was David's, said, Is that your voice, David, my son? And David said, It is my voice, O my lord king.

18 Then David added, “Sir, why are you pursuing me [RHQ]? What wrong have I done [RHQ]?

And he said, Why does my lord go armed against his servant? what have I done? or what evil is there in me?

19 Your majesty, listen to me! If Yahweh has caused you to be angry with me, I should offer a sacrifice [in order to appease him]. But if it is people who have caused you to be angry with me, I hope/desire that Yahweh will curse them. They have forced me to leave the land that Yahweh gave to me. They have told me, ‘Go somewhere else and worship other gods!’

Let my lord the king give ear now to the words of his servant. If it is the Lord who is moving you against me, let him take an offering: but if it is the children of men, may they be cursed before the Lord, for driving me out today and keeping me from my place in the heritage of the Lord, saying, Go, be the servant of other gods.

20 Now do not force me to die [MTY] far from [where we worship] Yahweh. You, the king of Israel, have come here searching for me. [But I do not want to harm you]! I am [as harmless as] a flea [MET]. You are searching for me like people hunt for a bird in the mountains! [MET]”

Then do not let my blood be drained out on the earth away from the face of the Lord: for the king of Israel has come out to take my life, like one going after birds in the mountains.

21 Then Saul said, “David, my son. I have sinned [by trying to kill you]. So come back home. Today you have considered my life to be very valuable [and so you have not killed me]. So I will not try to harm you. I have made a big mistake and have acted foolishly.”

Then Saul said, I have done wrong: come back to me, David my son: I will do you no more wrong, because my life was dear to you today truly, I have been foolish and my error is very great.

22 David replied, [“will leave] your spear here. Send one of your young men here to get it.

Then David said, Here is the king's spear! let one of the young men come over and get it.

23 Yahweh rewards us for the things that we do that are right and for being loyal [to him]. Even when Yahweh placed me where I could easily have killed you, I refused to do that, because you are the one whom Yahweh has appointed [MTY] to be the king.

And the Lord will give to every man the reward of his righteousness and his faith: because the Lord gave you into my hands today, and I would not put out my hand against the man who has been marked with the holy oil.

24 Just like I considered your life to be valuable [and spared your life] today, I hope/desire that Yahweh will consider my life to be valuable and [spare my life and] save me from all my troubles.”

And so, as your life was dear to me today, may my life be dear to the Lord, and may he make me free from all my troubles.

25 Then Saul said to David, “My son David, I pray that Yahweh will bless you. You will do great things very successfully.” Then David returned to his men, and Saul went back home.

Then Saul said to David, May a blessing be on you, David, my son; you will do great things and without doubt you will overcome. Then David went on his way, and Saul went back to his place.