1 Samuel 26

Revised Geneva Translation

26 Again the Ziphites came to Saul, to Gibeah, saying, “Does not David hide himself on the hill of Hachilah, before 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.

³ And Saul camped on the hill of Hachilah (which is before Jeshimon), by the roadside. Now David remained in the wilderness. And he saw that Saul came after him, into the wilderness.

⁴ For David had sent out spies and understood that Saul had indeed come.

⁵ Then David arose and came to the place where Saul had camped. And David beheld the place where Saul lay and Abner, the son of Ner, who was his chief captain (for Saul lay in the fort and the people camped all around him).

⁶ Then David spoke, 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?” Then Abishai said, “I will go down with you.”

⁷ So David and Abishai came down to the people at night. And behold, Saul lay sleeping inside the fort, with his spear stuck in the ground at his head: And Abner and the people lay all around him.

⁸ Then Abishai said to David, “God has closed your enemy into your hand this day! Now, therefore, please let me strike him once with a spear to the earth. And I will not strike him again.”

⁹ And David said to Abishai, “Do not destroy him. For who can lay his hand on the LORD’s anointed and be guiltless?”

¹⁰ Moreover David said, “As the LORD lives, either the LORD shall strike him, or his day shall come to die, or he shall descend into battle and perish.

¹¹ “The LORD keep me from laying my hand upon the LORD’s anointed! But now, please take the spear that is at his head, and the pot of water, and let us go from here.”

¹² So David took the spear and the pot of water from Saul’s head, and they got away. And no man saw it or knew it, nor did any awaken, but they were all asleep. For the LORD had sent a dead sleep upon them.

¹³ Then David went to the other side and stood on the top of a hill, far away, a great space being between them.

¹⁴ And David cried to the people, and to Abner the son of Ner, saying, “Do you not hear, Abner?” Then Abner answered, and said, “Who are you who cries to the king?”

¹⁵ And David said to Abner, “Are you not a man?! And who is like you in Israel?! Why, then, have you not kept your lord the king?! For one of the people came in to destroy the king your lord!

¹⁶ “This is not well done by you! As the LORD lives, you are worthy to die, because you have not kept your master, the LORD’s anointed! And now, see where the king’s spear is, and the pot of water that was at his head!”

¹⁷ And Saul knew David’s voice, and said, “Is this your voice, my son David?!” And David said, “It is my voice, my lord, O king!”

¹⁸ And he said, “Why does my lord persecute his servant like this?! For what have I done?! Or what evil is in my hand?!

¹⁹ “Now, therefore, please let my lord the king hear the words of his servant! If the LORD has stirred you up against me, let Him smell the savor of a Sacrifice! But if the children of men have done it, cursed be they before the LORD! For they have cast me out this day from abiding in the inheritance of the LORD, saying, ‘Go, serve other gods!’

²⁰ “Now, therefore, do not let my blood fall to the earth before the face of the LORD! For the king of Israel has come out to seek a flea, as one would hunt a partridge in the mountains!”

²¹ Then Saul said, “I have sinned! Come back, my son David! For I will do you no more harm, because my soul was precious in your eyes this day! Behold, I have done foolishly and have erred exceedingly!”

²² Then David answered, and said, “Behold the king’s spear! Let one of the young men come over and fetch it!

²³ “And let the LORD reward every man according to his righteousness and faithfulness! For the LORD had delivered you into my hands this day, but I would not lay my hand upon the LORD’s anointed!

²⁴ “And behold, just as your life was highly valued this day in my eyes, so let my life be valued in the eyes of the LORD, so that He may deliver me out of all tribulation!”

²⁵ Then Saul said to David, “Blessed are you, my son David! For you shall do great things and also prevail!” So, David went his way. And Saul returned to his place.