1 Samuel
Chapter 26
1 The Ziphites went to Saul in Gibeah and said, “Isn’t David hiding on Hachilah hill, which is near Jeshimon?”
2 Then Saul got up and went to the Ziph desert with three thousand selected Israeli men to look for David in the Ziph desert.
3 Saul camped on Hachilah hill, near Jeshimon. David stayed in the wilderness and knew Saul was following him there.
4 David sent spies and found out that Saul had truly arrived.
5 David got up and went to where Saul was camped. He saw where Saul and Abner, son of Ner and leader of Saul’s army, were sleeping. Saul was in a circle trench, and his troops were camped around him.
6 David spoke to Ahimelech the Hittite and Abishai, Zeruiah’s son and Joab’s brother, “Who will come with me to see Saul in the camp?” Abishai replied, “I will go with you.”
7 David and Abishai went to the people at night, and saw Saul sleeping in the trench with his spear in the ground by his head, while Abner and the people slept around him.
8 Abishai told David, “Today God has given your enemy to you. Please let me strike him with my spear to the ground in one shot, and I won’t need to hit him again.”
9 David said to Abishai, “Don’t kill him. Who can attack God’s chosen one and be innocent?”
10 David also said, “As God lives, God will strike him down, or his time will come to die, or he will go into battle and die.”
11 God won’t let me harm his chosen one; please take the spear and the water jug near his head, and let’s leave.
12 David took the spear and the jug of water from near Saul’s head; they left without anyone seeing or knowing, since everyone was asleep because God had made them fall into a deep sleep.
13 David crossed over and stood on top of a distant hill with a wide space between them.
14 David called out to the people and to Abner, son of Ner, saying, “Aren’t you going to answer, Abner?” Abner replied, “Who are you, shouting to the king?”
15 David said to Abner, “Aren’t you a brave man? Who in Israel is like you? So why didn’t you protect the king? Someone from the people came to kill the king.”
16 What you did is not good. As God lives, you should die because you didn’t protect your master, God’s chosen one. Now, look for the king’s spear and the jug of water that was near his head.
17 Saul recognized David’s voice and asked, “Is that your voice, my son David?” David answered, “Yes, it’s my voice, my lord, O king.”
18 He asked, “Why does my master chase his servant? What did I do? What wrong is in my hand?”
19 So now, I ask you, let the king listen to his servant. If God has made you angry with me, let Him take a gift. But if people have done it, let God curse them, because they have forced me away today from God’s land, telling me, ‘Go worship other gods.’
20 So now, don’t let my blood spill on the ground in front of God. The king of Israel has come out to chase after me as if I’m just a flea, like someone hunting a bird in the hills.
21 Saul said, “I have sinned. Come back, David my son. I won’t hurt you anymore because you valued my life today. I see now that I have been very foolish and made a big mistake.”
22 David replied, “Look, here is the king’s spear! Let one of the young men come and get it.”
23 God rewards everyone for their goodness and loyalty; although God gave you into my power today, I did not want to harm God’s chosen one.
24 Look, just as your life was very valuable to me today, so may my life be valuable in God’s sight, and may He rescue me from all troubles.
25 Saul said to David, “God bless you, my son David. You will do great things and succeed.” Then David left and Saul went back to his home.