1 Samuel 26

1 The Ziphites came to Saul to Gibeah, saying, “Doesn’t David hide himself in the hill of Hachilah, which is before the desert?”

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

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.

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 Saul encamped in the hill of Hachilah, which is before the desert, by the way. But David stayed in the wilderness, and he saw that Saul came after him into 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 David therefore sent out spies, and understood that Saul had certainly come.

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

5 Then David arose and came to the place where Saul had encamped; and David saw the place where Saul lay, with Abner the son of Ner, the captain of his army. Saul lay within the place of the wagons, and the people were encamped 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 Then David answered and said to Ahimelech the Hittite, and to Abishai the son of Zeruiah, brother of Joab, saying, “Who will go down with me to Saul to the camp?” Abishai said, “I will go down 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 So David and Abishai came to the people by night; and, behold, 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.

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 Then Abishai said to David, “God has delivered up your enemy into your hand today. 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.”

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 David said to Abishai, “Don’t destroy him, for who can stretch out his hand against Yahweh’s anointed, and be guiltless?”

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 David said, “As Yahweh lives, Yahweh will strike him; or his day shall come to die, or he shall go down into battle and 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 Yahweh forbid that I should stretch out my hand against Yahweh’s anointed; but now please take the spear that is at his head and the jar of water, and let’s 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 So David took the spear and the jar of water from Saul’s head, and they went away. No man saw it, or knew it, nor did any awake; for they were all asleep, because a deep sleep from Yahweh had fallen on 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 Then David went over to the other side, and stood on the top of the mountain far away, a great space being 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 and David cried to the people, and to Abner the son of Ner, saying, “Don’t you answer, Abner?” Then Abner answered, “Who are you who calls to 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 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 your lord the king.

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 thing isn’t good that you have done. As Yahweh lives, you are worthy to die, because you have not kept watch over your lord, Yahweh’s anointed. Now see where the king’s spear is, and the jar 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 Saul recognized David’s voice, and said, “Is this your voice, my son David?” David said, “It is my voice, my lord, O 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 He said, “Why does my lord pursue his servant? For what have I done? What evil is 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, please let my lord the king hear the words of his servant. If it is so that Yahweh has stirred you up against me, let him accept an offering. But if it is the children of men, they are cursed before Yahweh; for they have driven me out today that I shouldn’t cling to Yahweh’s inheritance, saying, ‘Go, serve other 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 Now therefore, don’t let my blood fall to the earth away from the presence of Yahweh; for the king of Israel has come out to seek a flea, as when one hunts a partridge in 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 Then Saul said, “I have sinned. Return, my son David; for I will no more do you harm, because my life was precious in your eyes today. Behold, I have played the fool, and have erred exceedingly.”

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 David answered, “Behold the spear, O king! Let one of the young men come over and get 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 Yahweh will render to every man his righteousness and his faithfulness; because Yahweh delivered you into my hand today, and I wouldn’t stretch out my hand against Yahweh’s anointed.

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 Behold, as your life was respected today in my eyes, so let my life be respected in Yahweh’s eyes, and let him deliver me out of all oppression.”

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. You will both do mightily, and will surely prevail.” So David went 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.