1The Ziphites went to Saul at Gibeah and said, ‘Is not David hiding on the hill of Hakilah, which faces Jeshimon?’2So Saul went down to the Desert of Ziph, with his three thousand select Israelite troops, to search there for David.3Saul made his camp beside the road on the hill of Hakilah facing Jeshimon, but David stayed in the wilderness. When he saw that Saul had followed him there,4he sent out scouts and learned that Saul had definitely arrived.5Then David set out and went to the place where Saul had camped. He saw where Saul and Abner son of Ner, the commander of the army, had lain down. Saul was lying inside the camp, with the army camped around him.6David then asked Ahimelek the Hittite and Abishai son of Zeruiah, Joab’s brother, ‘Who will go down into the camp with me to Saul?’ ‘I’ll go with you,’ said Abishai.7So David and Abishai went to the army by night, and there was Saul, lying asleep inside the camp with his spear stuck in the ground near his head. Abner and the soldiers were lying round him.8Abishai said to David, ‘Today God has given your enemy into your hands. Now let me pin him to the ground with one thrust of the spear; I won’t strike him twice.’9But David said to Abishai, ‘Don’t destroy him! Who can lay a hand on the Lord’s anointed and be guiltless?10As surely as the Lord lives,’ he said, ‘the Lord himself will strike him, or his time will come and he will die, or he will go into battle and perish.11But the Lord forbid that I should lay a hand on the Lord’s anointed. Now get the spear and water jug that are near his head, and let’s go.’12So David took the spear and water jug near Saul’s head, and they left. No-one saw or knew about it, nor did anyone wake up. They were all sleeping, because the Lord had put them into a deep sleep.13Then David crossed over to the other side and stood on top of the hill some distance away; there was a wide space between them.14He called out to the army and to Abner son of Ner, ‘Aren’t you going to answer me, Abner?’ Abner replied, ‘Who are you who calls to the king?’15David said, ‘You’re a man, aren’t you? And who is like you in Israel? Why didn’t you guard your lord the king? Someone came to destroy your lord the king.16What you have done is not good. As surely as the Lord lives, you and your men must die, because you did not guard your master, the Lord’s anointed. Look around you. Where are the king’s spear and water jug that were near his head?’17Saul recognised David’s voice and said, ‘Is that your voice, David my son?’ David replied, ‘Yes it is, my lord the king.’18And he added, ‘Why is my lord pursuing his servant? What have I done, and what wrong am I guilty of?19Now let my lord the king listen to his servant’s words. If the Lord has incited you against me, then may he accept an offering. If, however, people have done it, may they be cursed before the Lord! They have driven me today from my share in the Lord’s inheritance and have said, “Go, serve other gods.”20Now do not let my blood fall to the ground far from the presence of the Lord. The king of Israel has come out to look for a flea – as one hunts a partridge in the mountains.’21Then Saul said, ‘I have sinned. Come back, David my son. Because you considered my life precious today, I will not try to harm you again. Surely I have acted like a fool and have been terribly wrong.’22‘Here is the king’s spear,’ David answered. ‘Let one of your young men come over and get it.23The Lord rewards everyone for their righteousness and faithfulness. The Lord gave you into my hands today, but I would not lay a hand on the Lord’s anointed.24As surely as I valued your life today, so may the Lord value my life and deliver me from all trouble.’25Then Saul said to David, ‘May you be blessed, David my son; you will do great things and surely triumph.’ So David went on his way, and Saul returned home.
1 Samuel 26
English Standard Version
David Spares Saul Again
1Then the Ziphites came to Saul at Gibeah, saying, “Is not David hiding himself on the hill of Hachilah, which is on the east of Jeshimon?” (1Sa 23:19)2So Saul arose and went down to the wilderness of Ziph with three thousand chosen men of Israel to seek David in the wilderness of Ziph. (1Sa 23:14; 1Sa 24:2)3And Saul encamped on the hill of Hachilah, which is beside the road on the east of Jeshimon. But David remained in the wilderness. When he saw that Saul came after him into the wilderness,4David sent out spies and learned that Saul had indeed come.5Then David rose and came to the place where Saul had encamped. And David saw the place where Saul lay, with Abner the son of Ner, the commander of his army. Saul was lying within the encampment, while the army was encamped around him. (1Sa 14:50; 1Sa 17:20; 1Sa 17:55; 2Sa 2:8)6Then David said to Ahimelech the Hittite, and to Joab’s brother Abishai the son of Zeruiah, “Who will go down with me into the camp to Saul?” And Abishai said, “I will go down with you.” (Jud 7:9; 2Sa 2:18; 2Sa 3:39; 2Sa 16:10; 2Sa 19:22; 1Ch 2:16)7So David and Abishai went to the army by night. And there lay Saul sleeping within the encampment, with his spear stuck in the ground at his head, and Abner and the army lay around him. (1Sa 26:5; 1Sa 26:11; 1Sa 26:16)8Then Abishai said to David, “God has given your enemy into your hand this day. Now please let me pin him to the earth with one stroke of the spear, and I will not strike him twice.” (1Sa 24:4; 1Sa 24:18)9But David said to Abishai, “Do not destroy him, for who can put out his hand against the Lord’s anointed and be guiltless?” (1Sa 24:6; 1Sa 24:10; 1Sa 26:11; 1Sa 26:16; 1Sa 26:23; 2Sa 1:16)10And David said, “As the Lord lives, the Lord will strike him, or his day will come to die, or he will go down into battle and perish. (Ge 47:29; De 31:14; Ru 3:13; 1Sa 25:38; 1Sa 31:6)11The Lord forbid that I should put out my hand against the Lord’s anointed. But take now the spear that is at his head and the jar of water, and let us go.” (1Sa 24:6; 1Sa 26:7; 1Sa 26:16)12So 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 the Lord had fallen upon them. (Ge 2:21; Ge 15:12)13Then David went over to the other side and stood far off on the top of the hill, with a great space between them.14And David called to the army, and to Abner the son of Ner, saying, “Will you not answer, Abner?” Then Abner answered, “Who are you who calls to the king?”15And David said to Abner, “Are you not 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.16This thing that you have done is not good. As the Lord lives, you deserve to die, because you have not kept watch over your lord, the Lord’s anointed. And now see where the king’s spear is and the jar of water that was at his head.” (Ru 3:13; 1Sa 26:7; 1Sa 26:11)17Saul recognized David’s voice and said, “Is this your voice, my son David?” And David said, “It is my voice, my lord, O king.” (1Sa 24:16)18And he said, “Why does my lord pursue after his servant? For what have I done? What evil is on my hands? (1Sa 24:9; 1Sa 24:11)19Now therefore let my lord the king hear the words of his servant. If it is the Lord who has stirred you up against me, may he accept an offering, but if it is men, may they be cursed before the Lord, for they have driven me out this day that I should have no share in the heritage of the Lord, saying, ‘Go, serve other gods.’ (2Sa 14:16; 2Sa 20:19; 2Sa 21:3; Ps 120:5)20Now therefore, let not my blood fall to the earth away from the presence of the Lord, for the king of Israel has come out to seek a single flea like one who hunts a partridge in the mountains.” (1Sa 24:14)21Then 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 this day. Behold, I have acted foolishly, and have made a great mistake.” (1Sa 15:24; 1Sa 24:17)22And David answered and said, “Here is the spear, O king! Let one of the young men come over and take it.23The Lord rewards every man for his righteousness and his faithfulness, for the Lord gave you into my hand today, and I would not put out my hand against the Lord’s anointed. (Ps 7:8; Ps 18:20)24Behold, as your life was precious this day in my sight, so may my life be precious in the sight of the Lord, and may he deliver me out of all tribulation.”25Then Saul said to David, “Blessed be you, my son David! You will do many things and will succeed in them.” So David went his way, and Saul returned to his place. (Ge 32:28)