World English Bible

Chapter 26

¹The Ziphites came to Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doesn’t David hide himself in the hill of Hachilah, which is before the desert? ²Then 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. ³Saul encamped in the hill of Hachilah, which is before the desert, by the way. But David abode in the wilderness, and he saw that Saul came after him into the wilderness. ⁴David therefore sent out spies, and understood that Saul was come of a certainty. ⁵David arose, and came to the place where Saul had encamped; 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 encamped round about him. ⁶Then answered David and said to Ahimelech the Hittite, 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. ⁷So 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 round about him. ⁸Then said Abishai 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. ⁹David said to Abishai, Don’t destroy him; for who can put forth his hand against Yahweh’s anointed, and be guiltless? ¹⁰David said, As Yahweh lives, Yahweh will strike him; or his day shall come to die; or he shall go down into battle and perish. ¹¹Yahweh forbid that I should put forth my hand against Yahweh’s anointed: but now please take the spear that is at his head, and the jar of water, and let us go. ¹²So David took the spear and the jar of water from Saul’s head; and they got them away: and no man saw it, nor knew it, neither did any awake; for they were all asleep, because a deep sleep from Yahweh was fallen on them. ¹³Then David went over to the other side, and stood on the top of the mountain afar off; a great space being between them; ¹⁴and 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 cries to the king? ¹⁵David said to Abner, Aren’t you a valiant man? and who is like you in Israel? why then have you not kept watch over your lord, the king? for there came one of the people in to destroy the king your lord. ¹⁶This 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. ¹⁷Saul knew David’s voice, and said, Is this your voice, my son David? David said, It is my voice, my lord, O king. ¹⁸He said, Why does my lord pursue after his servant? for what have I done? or what evil is in my hand? ¹⁹Now therefore, please let my lord the king hear the words of his servant. If it be Yahweh that has stirred you up against me, let him accept an offering: but if it be the children of men, cursed be they before Yahweh: for they have driven me out this day that I shouldn’t cling to Yahweh’s inheritance, saying, Go, serve other gods. ²⁰Now therefore, don’t let my blood fall to the earth away from the presence of Yahweh: for the king of Israel is come out to seek a flea, as when one does hunt a partridge in the mountains. ²¹Then said Saul, 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 played the fool, and have erred exceedingly. ²²David answered, Behold the spear, O king! let then one of the young men come over and get it. ²³Yahweh will render to every man his righteousness and his faithfulness; because Yahweh delivered you into my hand today, and I wouldn’t put forth my hand against Yahweh’s anointed. ²⁴Behold, as your life was much set by this day in my eyes, so let my life be much set by in the eyes of Yahweh, and let him deliver me out of all oppression. ²⁵Then Saul said to David, Blessed be you, my son David: you shall both do mightily, and shall surely prevail. So David went his way, and Saul returned to his place.