Chapter 26

David Spares Saul Again.^{[a] 1} Now the Ziphites came to Saul at Gibeah and said, “Is not David hiding himself on the hill of Hachilah, opposite Jeshimon?” ² Saul rose up and went down into the Desert of Ziph. He had three thousand of the chosen men of Israel with him, and he sought David in the Desert of Ziph.

³ Saul camped by the road on the hill of Hachilah, which is opposite Jeshimon. David was staying in the desert, and he saw Saul pursuing him in the desert. ⁴ David had sent out spies and discovered that Saul had indeed come.

⁵ David arose and went to the place where Saul was camped. David detected the place where Saul was lying, alongside of Abner, the son of Ner, the commander of his army. Now Saul was lying within the fortifications, and the people were encamped all around him. ⁶ David said to Ahimelech the Hittite and to Abishai, Joab’s brother, the son of Zeruiah, “Who will go down with me to Saul in the camp?” Abishai said, “I will go with you.”

⁷ So David and Abishai went among the people by night, and they found Saul asleep within the fortifications, his spear stuck in the ground near his head. Abner and the people were lying all around him. ⁸ Abishai said to David, “God has delivered your enemy into your hands today. Let me strike him once, pinning him to the ground. I will not have to strike him twice.” ⁹ But David said to Abishai, “Do no violence to him. Who can stretch forth his hand against the Lord’s anointed and be guiltless?” ¹⁰ David continued, “As the Lord lives, the Lord himself will strike him down. Either his time will come, or he will simply die, or he will go into battle and be killed. ¹¹ The Lord forbid that I should stretch out my hand against the Lord’s anointed. Now take the spear that is by his head and the water jar, and let us leave.”

¹² David took the spear that was by Saul’s head and the water jar and they left. No one had seen them, and no one knew about it, nor did anyone wake up. They all kept sleeping, for the Lord had caused them to fall into a deep sleep.

¹³ David then crossed over to the other side, and he stood on the top of a distant hill, so that there was quite a space between them. ¹⁴ David cried out to the people and to Abner, the son of Ner, “Will you not answer me Abner?” Abner said, “Who are you that you call out to the king?” ^15 [b]David said to Abner, “Are you not a man? Who is like you in Israel? Why have you not kept guard over your lord, the king? Someone came in to kill the king, your lord. ¹⁶ You have not done well. As the Lord lives, you deserve to die, for you have not protected your master, the Lord’s anointed. Look around now for the king’s spear and the water jar that were at his head.”

¹⁷ Saul recognized David’s voice, and he said, “Is this the voice of my son David?” David answered, “It is my voice, my lord, O king.” ¹⁸ He continued, “Why is my lord chasing after his servant? What have I done? What wrongdoing have I committed? ¹⁹ Now may my lord, the king, listen to the words of his servant. If the Lord has incited you against me, may he now accept an offering.^[c] If it was done by humans, may they be cursed by the Lord. They have driven me out of the Lord’s inheritance, saying, ‘Go serve other gods.’ ²⁰ Do not let my blood fall to the earth in the presence of the Lord. My king has come out to search for a flea, like one who goes out to hunt a partridge in the mountains.”

²¹ Saul responded, “I have sinned. Come back, David, my son, for I will not try to harm you again because you considered my life to be precious. I have played the fool and made a terrible mistake.” ²² David said, “Here is the king’s spear. Let one of your young men come over and fetch it. ²³ The Lord rewards each man for his righteousness and his faithfulness. The Lord delivered you into my hands today, but I would not stretch out my hand against the Lord’s anointed. ²⁴ May the Lord value my life as much as I have valued your life today. May he deliver me from all of my difficulties.” ²⁵ Saul said to David, “May you be blessed David, my son, for you will accomplish many things and you will triumph.” David went his way, and Saul returned to his home.