1 Samuel 26-27

New International Version

David Again Spares Saul’s Life

26 The Ziphites^(A) went to Saul at Gibeah and said, “Is not David hiding^(B) on the hill of Hakilah, which faces Jeshimon?^(C)”

² So Saul went down to the Desert of Ziph, with his three thousand select Israelite troops, to search^(D) there for David. ³ Saul made his camp beside the road on the hill of Hakilah^(E) facing Jeshimon, but David stayed in the wilderness. When he saw that Saul had followed him there, ⁴ he sent out scouts and learned that Saul had definitely arrived.

⁵ Then David set out and went to the place where Saul had camped. He saw where Saul and Abner^(F) son of Ner, the commander of the army, had lain down. Saul was lying inside the camp, with the army encamped around him.

⁶ David then asked Ahimelek the Hittite^(G) and Abishai^(H) son of Zeruiah,^(I) Joab’s brother, “Who will go down into the camp with me to Saul?”

“I’ll go with you,” said Abishai.

⁷ So 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 around him.

⁸ Abishai said to David, “Today God has delivered 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.”

⁹ But David said to Abishai, “Don’t destroy him! Who can lay a hand on the Lord’s anointed^(J) and be guiltless?^{(K) 10} As surely as the Lord lives,” he said, “the Lord himself will strike^(L) him, or his time^(M) will come and he will die,^(N) or he will go into battle and perish. ¹¹ But 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.”

¹² So 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.^(O)

¹³ Then David crossed over to the other side and stood on top of the hill some distance away; there was a wide space between them. ¹⁴ He 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?”

¹⁵ David 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. ¹⁶ What 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?”

¹⁷ Saul recognized David’s voice and said, “Is that your voice,^(P) David my son?”

David replied, “Yes it is, my lord the king.” ¹⁸ And he added, “Why is my lord pursuing his servant? What have I done, and what wrong^(Q) am I guilty of? ¹⁹ Now let my lord the king listen^(R) to his servant’s words. If the Lord has incited you against me, then may he accept an offering.^(S) 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^(T) and have said, ‘Go, serve other gods.’^{(U) 20} Now do not let my blood^(V) fall to the ground far from the presence of the Lord. The king of Israel has come out to look for a flea^(W)—as one hunts a partridge in the mountains.^(X)”

²¹ Then Saul said, “I have sinned.^(Y) Come back, David my son. Because you considered my life precious^(Z) 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. ²³ The Lord rewards^(AA) everyone for their righteousness^(AB) and faithfulness. The Lord delivered^(AC) you into my hands today, but I would not lay a hand on the Lord’s anointed. ²⁴ As surely as I valued your life today, so may the Lord value my life and deliver^(AD) me from all trouble.”

²⁵ Then Saul said to David, “May you be blessed,^(AE) David my son; you will do great things and surely triumph.”

So David went on his way, and Saul returned home.

David Among the Philistines

27 But David thought to himself, “One of these days I will be destroyed by the hand of Saul. The best thing I can do is to escape to the land of the Philistines. Then Saul will give up searching for me anywhere in Israel, and I will slip out of his hand.”

² So David and the six hundred men^(AF) with him left and went^(AG) over to Achish^(AH) son of Maok king of Gath. ³ David and his men settled in Gath with Achish. Each man had his family with him, and David had his two wives:^(AI) Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail of Carmel, the widow of Nabal. ⁴ When Saul was told that David had fled to Gath, he no longer searched for him.

⁵ Then David said to Achish, “If I have found favor in your eyes, let a place be assigned to me in one of the country towns, that I may live there. Why should your servant live in the royal city with you?”

⁶ So on that day Achish gave him Ziklag,^(AJ) and it has belonged to the kings of Judah ever since. ⁷ David lived^(AK) in Philistine territory a year and four months.

⁸ Now David and his men went up and raided the Geshurites,^(AL) the Girzites and the Amalekites.^(AM) (From ancient times these peoples had lived in the land extending to Shur^(AN) and Egypt.) ⁹ Whenever David attacked an area, he did not leave a man or woman alive,^(AO) but took sheep and cattle, donkeys and camels, and clothes. Then he returned to Achish.

¹⁰ When Achish asked, “Where did you go raiding today?” David would say, “Against the Negev of Judah” or “Against the Negev of Jerahmeel^(AP)” or “Against the Negev of the Kenites.^(AQ)” ¹¹ He did not leave a man or woman alive to be brought to Gath, for he thought, “They might inform on us and say, ‘This is what David did.’” And such was his practice as long as he lived in Philistine territory. ¹² Achish trusted David and said to himself, “He has become so obnoxious^(AR) to his people, the Israelites, that he will be my servant for life.^(AS)”