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1 Samuel 26
Amplified Bible, Classic Edition
1 Samuel 26
Amplified Bible, Classic Edition
26 The Ziphites came to Saul at Gibeah, saying, Does not David hide himself on the hill of Hachilah, east of Jeshimon?
2 So Saul arose and went down to the Wilderness of Ziph, with 3,000 chosen men of Israel, to seek David [there].
3 Saul encamped on the hill of Hachilah, which is beside the road east of Jeshimon. But David remained in the wilderness. And when he saw that Saul came after him into the wilderness,
4 David sent out spies and learned that Saul had actually come.
5 David arose and came to the place where Saul had encamped, and saw where Saul lay with Abner son of Ner, commander of his army; and Saul was lying in the encampment, with the army encamped around him.
6 Then David said to Ahimelech the Hittite and to Abishai son of Zeruiah, brother of Joab, Who will go down with me into the camp of Saul? And Abishai said, I will go down with you.
7 So David and Abishai went to the army by night, and there Saul lay sleeping within the encampment with his spear stuck in the ground at his head; and Abner and the army lay round about him.
8 Then said Abishai to David, God has given your enemy into your hands this day. Now therefore let me smite him to the earth at once with one stroke of the spear, and I will not strike him twice.
9 David said to Abishai, Do not destroy him; for who can raise his hand against the Lord’s anointed and be guiltless?
10 David said, As the Lord lives, [He] will smite him; or his day will come to die or he will go down in battle and perish.
11 The Lord forbid that I should raise my hand against the Lord’s anointed; but take now the spear that is at his head and the bottle of water, and let us go.
12 So David took the spear and the bottle of water from Saul’s head, and they got away. And no man saw or knew or wakened, for they were all asleep, because a deep sleep from the Lord had fallen upon them.
13 Then David went over to the other side and stood on the top of the mountain afar off, a great space being between them.
14 David called to the army and Abner son of Ner, Will you answer, Abner? Abner replied, Who are you, calling [and disturbing] the king?
15 David said to Abner, Are you not a valiant man? Who is like you in Israel? Why then have you not guarded your lord the king? For one of the people came in [to your camp] to destroy the king your lord.
16 This thing is not good that you have done. As the Lord lives, you deserve to die, because you have not guarded your master, the Lord’s anointed. And now see where the king’s spear is and the bottle 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, My voice, my lord O king!
18 And David said, Why does my lord thus pursue his servant? What have I done? Or what evil is in my hand [tonight]?
19 Now therefore, I pray you, let my lord the king hear the words of his servant. If the Lord has stirred you up against me, let Him 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 inheritance of the Lord, saying, Go, serve other gods.
20 Now therefore, let not my blood fall to the earth away from the presence of the Lord; for the king of Israel is come out to seek one flea, as when one hunts a partridge in the mountains.
21 Then 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 [a]played the fool and have erred exceedingly.
22 David answered, See the king’s spear! Let one of the young men come and get it.
23 The Lord rewards every man for his righteousness and his faithfulness; for the Lord delivered you into my hands today, but I would not stretch forth my hand against the Lord’s anointed.
24 And behold, as your life was precious today in my sight, so let my life be precious in the sight of the Lord, and let Him deliver me out of all tribulation.
25 Then Saul said to David, May you be blessed, my son David; you will both do mightily and surely prevail. So David went on his way, and Saul returned to his place.
Footnotes
- 1 Samuel 26:21 “When for a moment a man is off guard, in all probability you will know more truth about him than in all his attempts either to reveal himself or to hide himself. The ever-present consciousness, habitually hidden, flashes forth. Later he may apologize and say he did not mean what he said. The fact is that he was surprised into saying what he was constantly thinking. In all probability Saul had never said that before and would never say it again, but he had been thinking it for a long time—‘I played the fool.’ There is no escape for any man, as long as reason continues, from the naked truth about himself. He may practice deceit so skillfully as not only to hide himself from his fellowmen, but in his unutterable folly to imagine he has hidden himself from God; but he can never hide himself from himself. In some moment of stress and strain he says what he has been thinking all the time.... Ere Saul knew it, he had said, ‘Behold, I have played the fool.’ That is the whole story of the man” (G. Campbell Morgan, cited by J. Sidlow Baxter, Explore the Book).
1 Samuel 26
New International Version
1 Samuel 26
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.
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