1 Samuel 26

1 And Zipheis camen to Saul in to Gabaa, and seiden, Lo! Dauid is hidde in the hille of Achille, which is `euene ayens the wildirnesse.

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

2 And Saul roos, and yede doun in to deseert of Ziph, and with hym thre thousynde of men of the chosun of Israel, that he schulde seke Dauid in the desert 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 settide tentis in Gabaa of Achille, that was euen ayens the wildirnesse in the weie. Sotheli Dauid dwellide in deseert. Forsothe Dauid siy that Saul hadde come aftir hym in to deseert;

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 Dauid sente aspieris, and lernede moost certeynli, that Saul hadde come thidur.

David sent out spies to verify that Saul had arrived.

5 And Dauid roos priueli, and cam to the place where Saul was. And whanne Dauid hadde seyn the place, wher ynne Saul slepte, and Abner, the sone of Ner, the prince of his chyualrye, and Saul slepynge in the tente, and the tother comyn puple bi his cumpas, Dauid seide to Achymelech,

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 Ethey, and to Abisai, sone of Saruye, the brother of Joab, `and seide, Who schal go doun with me to Saul in to `the castels? And Abisai seide, Y schal go doun with thee.

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 Therfor Dauid and Abisai camen to the puple in the nyyt, and thei founden Saul lyggynge and slepynge in `the tente, and a spere sette faste in the erthe at his heed; `forsothe thei founden Abner and the puple slepynge in his cumpas.

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 Abisay seide to Dauid, God hath closid to dai thin enemy in to thin hondis; now therfor Y schal peerse hym with a spere onys in the erthe, and `no nede schal be the secounde tyme.

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 Dauid seide to Abysai, Sle thou not hym, for who schal holde forth his hond into the crist of the Lord, and schal be innocent?

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 Dauid seide, The Lord lyueth, for no but the Lord smyte hym, ether his dai come that he die, ether he go doun in to batel and perische;

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 the Lord be merciful to me, that Y holde not forth myn hond in to the crist of the Lord; now therfor take thou the spere, which is at his heed, and `take thou the cuppe of watir, and go we awei.

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 Dauid took the spere, and the cuppe of watir, that was at the heed of Saul, and thei yeden forth, and no man was that siy, and vndirstood, and wakide, but alle men slepten; for the sleep of the Lord `hadde feld on hem.

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 whanne Dauid hadde passid euene ayens, and hadde stonde on the cop of the hil afer, and a greet space was bitwixe hem,

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

14 Dauid criede to the puple, and to Abner, the sone of Ner, and seide, Abner, whether thou schalt not answere? And Abner answeride, and seide, Who art thou, that criest, and disesist the kyng?

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 Dauith seide to Abner, Whether thou art not a man, and what other man is lijk thee in Israel? whi therfor `kepist thou not thi lord the kyng? `For o man of the cumpanye entride, that he schulde sle thi lord the kyng;

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 that thou hast doon, is not good; the Lord lyueth, for ye ben sones of deeth, that kepten not youre lord, the crist of the Lord. Now therfor se thou, where is the spere of the kyng, and where is the cuppe of watir, that weren at his heed.

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 Forsothe Saul knew the vois of Dauid, and seide, Whether this vois is thin, my sone Dauid? And Dauid seide, My lord the kyng, it is my vois.

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 Dauid seide, For what cause pursueth my lord his seruaunt? What haue Y do, ether what yuel is in myn hond? Now therfor,

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

19 my lord the kyng, Y preye, here the wordis of thi seruaunt; if the Lord stirith thee ayens me, the sacrifice be smellid; forsothe if sones of men stiren thee, thei ben cursid in the siyt of the Lord, whiche han cast me out `to dai, that Y dwelle not in the erytage of the Lord, and seien, Go thou, serue thou alien goddis.

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 my blood be not sched out in the erthe bifor the Lord; for the kyng of Israel yede out, that he seke a quike fle, as a partrich is pursuede in hillis.

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 seide, Y synnede; turne ayen, my sone Dauid, for Y schal no more do yuel to thee, for my lijf was precious to day in thin iyen; for it semeth, that Y dide folili, and Y vnknew ful many thingis.

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 Dauid answeride and seide, Lo! the spere of the kyng, oon of the `children of the kyng passe, and take it; forsothe the Lord schal yelde to ech man bi his riytfulnesse and feith;

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

23 for the Lord bitook thee to dai in to myn hond, and Y nolde holde forth myn hond in to the crist of the Lord;

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 as thi lijf is magnified to dai in myn iyen, so my lijf be magnyfied in the iyen of the Lord, and delyuere he me fro al angwisch.

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

25 Therfor Saul seide to Dauid, Blessid be thou, my sone Dauid; and sotheli thou doynge schalt do, and thou myyti schalt be myyti. Therfor Dauid yede in to his weie, and Saul turnede ayen in 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.