26 SHEMU'EL -1- SAMUEL 26

Saul Goes After David, Who Again Spares Saul's Life

1 SHEMU'EL - 1 SAMUEL 26:1

  1     ^¶  And the Ziphites came to Saul to Gibeah, saying, Does not David hide himself in the hill of Hachilah, [which is] before Jeshimon?

1 SHEMU'EL - 1 SAMUEL 26:2

  2    Then Saul arose, and went down to the wilderness of Ziph, having three thousand chosen men of Yisrael with him, to seek David in the wilderness of Ziph.

1 SHEMU'EL - 1 SAMUEL 26:3

  3    And Saul pitched in the hill of Hachilah, which is before Jeshimon, by the way. But David abode in the wilderness, and he saw that Saul came after him into the wilderness.

1 SHEMU'EL - 1 SAMUEL 26:4

  4    David therefore sent out spies, and understood that Saul was come in very deed.

1 SHEMU'EL - 1 SAMUEL 26:5

  5    And David arose, and came to the place where Saul had pitched: and David beheld the place where Saul lay, and Abner the son of Ner, the captain of his host: and Saul lay in the trench, and the people pitched round about him.

1 SHEMU'EL - 1 SAMUEL 26:6

  6     ^¶  Then answered David and said to Ahimelech the Hittite, and to Abishai the son of Zeruiah, brother to Joab, saying, Who will go down with me to Saul to the camp? And Abishai said, I will go down with you.

1 SHEMU'EL - 1 SAMUEL 26:7

  7    So David and Abishai came to the people by night: and, behold, Saul lay sleeping within the trench, and his spear stuck in the ground at his bolster: but Abner and the people lay round about him.

1 SHEMU'EL - 1 SAMUEL 26:8

  8    Then said Abishai to David, YAHWEH has delivered your enemy into your hand this day: now therefore let me smite him, I pray you, with the spear even to the earth at once, and I will not [smite] him the second time.

1 SHEMU'EL - 1 SAMUEL 26:9

  9    And David said to Abishai, Destroy him not: for who can stretch forth his hand against YAHWEH's messiyah, and be guiltless?

1 SHEMU'EL - 1 SAMUEL 26:10

  10    David said furthermore, As YAHWEH lives, YAHWEH shall smite him; or his day shall come to die; or he shall descend into battle, and perish.

1 SHEMU'EL - 1 SAMUEL 26:11

  11    YAHWEH forbid that I should stretch forth my hand against YAHWEH's messiyah: but, I pray you, take you now the spear that is at his bolster, and the cruse of water, and let us go.

1 SHEMU'EL - 1 SAMUEL 26:12

  12    So David took the spear and the cruse of water from Saul's bolster; and they got them away, and no man saw it, nor knew it, neither awaked: for they were all asleep; because a deep sleep from Master was fallen upon them.

David Exhorts Saul

1 SHEMU'EL - 1 SAMUEL 26:13

  13     ^¶  Then David went over to the other side, and stood on the top of an hill afar off; a great space being between them:

1 SHEMU'EL - 1 SAMUEL 26:14

  14    And David cried to the people, and to Abner the son of Ner, saying, Answer you not, Abner? Then Abner answered and said, Who are you that cries to the king?

1 SHEMU'EL - 1 SAMUEL 26:15

  15    And David said to Abner, Are not you a [valiant] man? and who is like to you in Yisrael? wherefore then have you not kept your master the king? for there came one of the people in to destroy the king your master.

1 SHEMU'EL - 1 SAMUEL 26:16

  16    This thing is not good that you have done. As YAHWEH lives, you are worthy to die, because you have not kept your master, YAHWEH's messiyah. And now see where the king's spear is, and the cruse of water that was at his bolster.

1 SHEMU'EL - 1 SAMUEL 26:17

  17    And Saul knew David's voice, and said, Is this your voice, my son David? And David said, [It is] my voice, my master, O king.

1 SHEMU'EL - 1 SAMUEL 26:18

  18    And he said, Wherefore does my master thus pursue after his servant? for what have I done? or what evil is in my hand?

1 SHEMU'EL - 1 SAMUEL 26:19

  19    Now therefore, I pray you, let my master the king hear the words of his servant. If YAHWEH have stirred you up against me, let him accept an offering: but if [they be] the children of adam, cursed be they before YAHWEH; for they have driven me out this day from abiding in the inheritance of YAHWEH, saying, Go, serve other gods.

1 SHEMU'EL - 1 SAMUEL 26:20

  20    Now therefore, let not my blood fall to the earth before the face of YAHWEH: for the king of Yisrael is come out to seek a flea, as when one does hunt a partridge in the mountains.

Saul Acknowledges His Sin

1 SHEMU'EL - 1 SAMUEL 26:21

  21     ^¶  Then said Saul, I have sinned: return, my son David: for I will no more do you harm, because my soul was precious in your eyes this day: behold, I have played the fool, and have erred exceedingly.

1 SHEMU'EL - 1 SAMUEL 26:22

  22    And David answered and said, Behold the king's spear! and let one of the young men come over and fetch it.

1 SHEMU'EL - 1 SAMUEL 26:23

  23    YAHWEH render to every man his righteousness and his faithfulness: for YAHWEH delivered you into my hand to day, but I would not stretch forth my hand against YAHWEH's messiyah.

1 SHEMU'EL - 1 SAMUEL 26:24

  24    And, behold, as your life was much set by this day in my eyes, so let my life be much set by in the eyes of YAHWEH, and let him deliver me out of all tribulation.

1 SHEMU'EL - 1 SAMUEL 26:25

  25    Then Saul said to David, Blessed be you, my son David: you shall both do great things, and also shall still prevail. So David went on his way, and Saul returned to his place.