1 Samuel 26
Contemporary English Version
David Again Lets Saul Live
26 (A) Once again,[a] some people from Ziph went to Gibeah to talk with Saul. “David has a hideout on Mount Hachilah near Jeshimon out in the desert,” they told him.
2 Saul took 3,000 of Israel's best soldiers and went to look for David there in Ziph Desert. 3 Saul set up camp on Mount Hachilah, which is across the road from Jeshimon. But David was hiding out in the desert.
When David heard that Saul was following him, 4 he sent some spies to find out if it was true. 5 Then he sneaked up to Saul's camp. He noticed that Saul and his army commander Abner the son of Ner were sleeping in the middle of the camp, with soldiers sleeping all around them. 6 David asked Ahimelech the Hittite and Joab's brother Abishai,[b] “Which one of you will go with me into Saul's camp?”
“I will!” Abishai answered.
7 That same night, David and Abishai crept into the camp. Saul was sleeping, and his spear was stuck in the ground not far from his head. Abner and the soldiers were sound asleep all around him.
8 Abishai whispered, “This time God has let you get your hands on your enemy! I'll pin him to the ground with one thrust of his own spear.”
9 “Don't kill him!” David whispered back. “The Lord will punish anyone who kills his chosen king. 10 As surely as the Lord lives, the Lord will kill Saul, or Saul will die a natural death or be killed in battle. 11 (B) But I pray that the Lord will keep me from harming his chosen king. Let's grab his spear and his water jar and get out of here!”
12 David took the spear and the water jar, then left the camp. None of Saul's soldiers knew what had happened or even woke up—the Lord had made all of them fall sound asleep. 13 David and Abishai crossed the valley and went to the top of the next hill, where they were at a safe distance. 14 “Abner!” David shouted toward Saul's army. “Can you hear me?”
Abner shouted back. “Who dares disturb the king?”
15 “Abner, what kind of a man are you?” David replied. “Aren't you supposed to be the best soldier in Israel? Then why didn't you protect your king? Anyone who went into your camp could have killed him tonight.[c] 16 You're a complete failure! I swear by the living Lord that you and your men deserve to die for not protecting the Lord's chosen king. Look and see if you can find the king's spear and the water jar that were near his head.”
17 Saul could tell it was David's voice, and he called out, “David, my son! Is that you?”
“Yes it is, Your Majesty. 18 Why are you hunting me down? Have I done something wrong, or have I committed a crime? 19 Please listen to what I have to say. If the Lord has turned you against me, maybe a sacrifice will make him change his mind. But if some people have turned you against me, I hope the Lord will punish them! They have forced me to leave the land that belongs to the Lord and have told me to worship foreign gods.[d] 20 Don't let me die in a land far away from the Lord. I'm no more important than a flea! Why should the king of Israel hunt me down as if I were a bird in the mountains?”
21 “David, you had the chance to kill me today. But you didn't. I was very wrong about you. It was a terrible mistake for me to try to kill you. I've acted like a fool, but I'll never try to harm you again. You're like a son to me, so please come back.”
22 “Your Majesty, here's your spear! Let one of your soldiers come and get it. 23 The Lord put you in my power today, but you are his chosen king and I wouldn't harm you. The Lord rewards people who are faithful and live right. 24 I spared your life today, and I pray that the Lord will spare my life and keep me safe.”
25 “David, my son, I pray that the Lord will bless you and make you successful!”
David in Philistia
Saul went back home. David also left,
Footnotes
- 26.1 again: See 23.19.
- 26.6 Abishai: Hebrew “Abishai the son of Zeruiah.” Zeruiah was David's older sister, so Abishai and Joab were David's nephews (see 1 Chronicles 2.12-17; 2 Samuel 17.25 and the note there).
- 26.15 Anyone … tonight: Or “Someone went into your camp to kill him tonight.”
- 26.19 gods: In ancient times it was often believed that gods (even the God of Israel) could only be properly worshiped in their own countries, and only a country's gods should be worshiped in that country.
1 Samuel 26
Holman Christian Standard Bible
David Again Spares Saul
26 Then the Ziphites came to Saul at Gibeah saying, “David is hiding on the hill of Hachilah opposite Jeshimon.”(A) 2 So Saul, accompanied by 3,000 of the choice men of Israel,(B) went to the Wilderness of Ziph to search for David there. 3 Saul camped beside the road at the hill of Hachilah(C) opposite Jeshimon. David was living in the wilderness and discovered Saul had come there after him.(D) 4 So David sent out spies and knew for certain that Saul had come. 5 Immediately, David went to the place where Saul had camped. He saw the place where Saul and Abner son of Ner,(E) the general of his army, were lying down. Saul was lying inside the inner circle of the camp with the troops camped around him. 6 Then David asked Ahimelech the Hittite(F) and Joab’s brother Abishai(G) son of Zeruiah, “Who will go with me into the camp(H) to Saul?”
“I’ll go with you,” answered Abishai.
7 That night, David and Abishai came to the troops, and Saul was lying there asleep in the inner circle of the camp with his spear stuck in the ground by his head. Abner and the troops were lying around him. 8 Then Abishai said to David, “Today God has handed your enemy over to you. Let me thrust the spear through him into the ground just once. I won’t have to strike him twice!”
9 But David said to Abishai, “Don’t destroy him, for who can lift a hand against the Lord’s anointed and be blameless?”(I) 10 David added, “As the Lord lives, the Lord will certainly strike him down:(J) either his day will come and he will die, or he will go into battle and perish. 11 However, because of the Lord, I will never lift my hand against the Lord’s anointed.(K) Instead, take the spear and the water jug by his head, and let’s go.”
12 So David took the spear and the water jug by Saul’s head, and they went their way. No one saw them, no one knew, and no one woke up; they all remained asleep because a deep sleep from the Lord(L) came over them. 13 David crossed to the other side and stood on top of the mountain at a distance; there was a considerable space between them. 14 Then David shouted to the troops and to Abner son of Ner: “Aren’t you going to answer, Abner?”
“Who are you who calls to the king?” Abner asked.
15 David called to Abner, “You’re a man, aren’t you? Who in Israel is your equal? So why didn’t you protect your lord the king when one of the people came to destroy him? 16 What you have done is not good. As the Lord lives, all of you deserve to die since you didn’t protect your lord, the Lord’s anointed.(M) Now look around; where are the king’s spear and water jug that were by his head?”
17 Saul recognized David’s voice and asked, “Is that your voice, my son David?”(N)
“It is my voice, my lord and king,” David said. 18 Then he continued, “Why is my lord pursuing his servant? What have I done? What evil is in my hand?(O) 19 Now, may my lord the king please hear the words of his servant: If it is the Lord who has incited you against me,(P) then may He accept an offering.(Q) But if it is people,(R) may they be cursed in the presence of the Lord, for today they have driven me away from sharing in the inheritance of the Lord saying,(S) ‘Go and worship other gods.’ 20 So don’t let my blood fall to the ground far from the Lord’s presence, for the king of Israel has come out to search for a flea,(T) like one who pursues a partridge in the mountains.”
21 Saul responded, “I have sinned.(U) Come back, my son David, I will never harm you again because today you considered my life precious. I have been a fool! I’ve committed a grave error.”
22 David answered, “Here is the king’s spear; have one of the young men come over and get it. 23 May the Lord repay every man for his righteousness(V) and his loyalty. I wasn’t willing to lift my hand against the Lord’s anointed, even though the Lord handed you over to me today.(W) 24 Just as I considered your life valuable today, so may the Lord consider my life valuable(X) and rescue me from all trouble.”(Y)
25 Saul said to him, “You are blessed, my son David. You will certainly do great things and will also prevail.”(Z) Then David went on his way, and Saul returned home.(AA)
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