Saul’s Final Pursuit of David

26 The people of Ziph came to Saul at Gibeah. “David is hiding at the hill of Hachilah near Jeshimon,” they said.

² Saul went to the desert of Ziph, taking with him 3,000 of Israel’s best-trained men to search for David. ³ Saul camped by the road at the hill of Hachilah near Jeshimon, but David stayed in the desert. When he realized Saul had come to the desert for him, ⁴ David sent spies to confirm that Saul had arrived.

⁵ Then David went to the place where Saul had camped. David saw the place where Saul and Ner’s son Abner, the commander of the army, were lying. Saul was lying in the camp, and the troops were camped around him.

⁶ David asked Ahimelech the Hittite and Abishai, who was Zeruiah’s son and Joab’s brother, “Who will go with me to Saul in the camp?”

Abishai answered, “I’ll go with you.”

⁷ So David and Abishai went among ⌞Saul’s⌟ troops that night. Saul was 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 turned your enemy over to you. Please let me nail him to the ground with one stab of the spear. I won’t have to do it twice!”

⁹ “Don’t kill him!” David told Abishai. “No one has ever attacked the Lord’s anointed king and remained free of guilt. ¹⁰ I solemnly swear, as the Lord lives,” David added, “the Lord will strike him. Either his time will come when he’ll die ⌞naturally⌟, or he’ll go into battle and be swept away. ¹¹ It would be unthinkable for me to attack the Lord’s anointed king. But please take that spear near his head and that jar of water, and let’s go.”

¹² David took the spear and the jar of water near Saul’s head, and they left. All of them were asleep. No one saw them, knew about it, or woke up. The Lord had made them fall into a deep sleep.

¹³ David went over to the other side and stood on top of the hill some distance away. (There was a wide space between them.) ¹⁴ Then David called to the troops and to Ner’s son Abner. “Won’t you answer, Abner?” he asked.

“Who is calling the king?” Abner asked.

¹⁵ David asked Abner, “Aren’t you a man? Is there anyone like you in Israel? Then why didn’t you guard your master, the king? Someone came to kill His Royal Majesty. ¹⁶ What you’ve done isn’t good. I solemnly swear, as the Lord lives, you are dead men. You didn’t guard your master, the Lord’s anointed king. Look at the king’s spear and the jar of water that were near his head.”

¹⁷ Saul recognized David’s voice. “Is that your voice, my servant David?” he asked.

“It is my voice, Your Royal Majesty,” David answered. ¹⁸ “Why are you pursuing me?” he added. “What have I done? What crime have I committed? ¹⁹ Your Majesty, please listen to my words. If the Lord has turned you against me, let him be satisfied with an offering. But if mere mortals ⌞have turned you against me⌟, let them be cursed by the Lord. They have prevented me from having a share of the Lord’s inheritance. ‘Go and serve other gods,’ they tell me. ²⁰ Don’t let my blood fall to the ground, away from the Lord’s presence. The king of Israel has come to search for one flea like someone hunting a partridge in the hills.”

²¹ “My servant David,” Saul said, “I have sinned. Come back. I will not harm you again, because you valued my life today. I’ve acted like a fool and made a terrible mistake.”

²² David responded, “Here’s the king’s spear. One of the young men should come over and get it. ²³ The Lord will reward any person who is righteous and faithful. The Lord handed you over to me today, but I refused to attack the Lord’s anointed king. ²⁴ As I placed great value on your life today, may the Lord place great value on my life and rescue me from all trouble.”

²⁵ Then Saul said, “Blessed are you, my servant David. You will accomplish many things and certainly will succeed.”

So David went his way, while Saul returned home.

Speak in Ways That Can Be Understood

14 Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially the gift of speaking what God has revealed. ² When a person speaks in another language, he doesn’t speak to people but to God. No one understands him. His spirit is speaking mysteries. ³ But when a person speaks what God has revealed, he speaks to people to help them grow, to encourage them, and to comfort them. ⁴ When a person speaks in another language, he helps himself grow. But when a person speaks what God has revealed, he helps the church grow. ⁵ I wish that all of you could speak in other languages, but especially that you could speak what God has revealed. The person who speaks what God has revealed is more important than the person who speaks in other languages. This is true unless he can interpret what he says to help the church grow. ⁶ Brothers and sisters, it wouldn’t do you any good if I came to you speaking in other languages, unless I explained revelation, knowledge, prophecy, or doctrine to you.

⁷ Musical instruments like the flute or harp produce sounds. If there is no difference in the notes, how can a person tell what tune is being played? ⁸ For example, if the trumpet doesn’t sound a clear call, who will get ready for battle? ⁹ In the same way, if you don’t speak in a way that can be understood, how will anyone know what you’re saying? You will be talking into thin air.

¹⁰ No matter how many different languages there are in the world, not one of them is without meaning. ¹¹ If I don’t know what a language means, I will be a foreigner to the person who speaks it and that person will be a foreigner to me. ¹² In the same way, since you’re eager to have spiritual gifts, try to excel in them so that you help the church grow. ¹³ So the person who speaks in another language should pray for an interpretation of what he says.

¹⁴ If I pray in another language, my spirit prays, but my mind is not productive. ¹⁵ So what does this mean? It means that I will pray with my spirit, and I will pray with my mind. I will sing psalms with my spirit, and I will sing psalms with my mind. ¹⁶ Otherwise, if you praise God only with your spirit, how can outsiders say “Amen!” to your prayer of thanksgiving? They don’t know what you’re saying. ¹⁷ Your prayer of thanksgiving may be very good, but it doesn’t help other people grow. ¹⁸ I thank God that I speak in other languages more than any of you. ¹⁹ Yet, in order to teach others in church, I would rather say five words that can be understood than ten thousand words in another language.

²⁰ Brothers and sisters, don’t think like children. When it comes to evil, be like babies, but think like mature people. ²¹ God’s word says,

²² So the gift of speaking in other languages is a sign for unbelievers, not for believers. The gift of speaking what God has revealed is a sign for believers, not for unbelievers. ²³ Suppose the whole congregation gathers in the same place and you speak in other languages. When outsiders or unbelievers come in, won’t they say that you’re out of your mind? ²⁴ Now suppose you speak what God has revealed. When unbelievers or outsiders come in you will show them where they are wrong and convince them that they are sinners. ²⁵ The secrets in their hearts will become known, and in this way they will quickly bow with their faces touching the ground, worship God, and confess that God is truly among you.

Maintain Order in Your Worship Services

²⁶ So what does this mean, brothers and sisters? When you gather, each person has a psalm, doctrine, revelation, another language, or an interpretation. Everything must be done to help each other grow. ²⁷ If people speak in other languages, only two or three at the most should speak. They should do it one at a time, and someone must interpret what each person says. ²⁸ But if an interpreter isn’t present, those people should remain silent in church. They should only speak to themselves and to God.

²⁹ Two or three people should speak what God has revealed. Everyone else should decide whether what each person said is right or wrong. ³⁰ If God reveals something to another person who is seated, the first speaker should be silent. ³¹ All of you can take your turns speaking what God has revealed. In that way, everyone will learn and be encouraged. ³² People who speak what God has revealed must control themselves. ³³ God is not a God of disorder but a God of peace.

As in all the churches of God’s holy people, ³⁴ the women must keep silent. They don’t have the right to speak. They must take their place as Moses’ Teachings say. ³⁵ If they want to know anything they should ask their husbands at home. It’s shameful for a woman to speak in church. ³⁶ Did God’s word originate with you? Are you the only ones it has reached?

³⁷ Whoever thinks that he speaks for God or that he is spiritually gifted must acknowledge that what I write to you is what the Lord commands. ³⁸ But whoever ignores what I write should be ignored.

³⁹ So, brothers and sisters, desire to speak what God has revealed, and don’t keep anyone from speaking in other languages. ⁴⁰ Everything must be done in a proper and orderly way.