1 Samuel 26

CHAPTER 26

David Takes Saul’s Spear

¹Then the Ziphites came to Saul at Gibeah, saying, “^aIs not David hiding on the hill of Hachilah, which is before ¹Jeshimon?”

²So Saul arose and went down to the wilderness of Ziph, having with him ^athree thousand chosen men of Israel, to search for David in the wilderness of Ziph.

³And Saul camped in the hill of Hachilah, which is before ¹Jeshimon, ^abeside the road. Now David was staying in the wilderness, and ^bhe saw that Saul came after him into the wilderness.

⁴So David sent out spies and knew that Saul was certainly coming.

⁵David then arose and came to the place where Saul had camped. And David saw the place where Saul lay, as well as ^aAbner the son of Ner, the commander of his army; and Saul was lying in the circle of the camp, and the people were camped around him.

⁶Then David answered and said to Ahimelech ^athe Hittite and to ^bAbishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab’s brother, saying, “Who ^cwill go down with me to Saul in the camp?” And Abishai said, “I will go down with you.”

⁷So David and Abishai came to the people by night, and behold, Saul lay sleeping inside the circle of the camp with his spear stuck in the ground at his head; and Abner and the people were lying around him.

⁸Then Abishai said to David, “Today God has surrendered your enemy into your hand; so now, please let me strike him with the spear ¹to the ground with one stroke, and I will not ²strike him the second time.”

⁹But David said to Abishai, “Do not destroy him, for ^awho can send forth his hand against the anointed of Yahweh and be without guilt?”

¹⁰David also said, “As Yahweh lives, ^asurely Yahweh will smite him, or ^bhis day will come that he dies, or ^che will go down into battle and be swept away.

¹¹“^aYahweh forbid that I should send forth my hand against the anointed of Yahweh; but now please take the spear that is at his head and the jug of water, and let us go.”

¹²So David took the spear and the jug of water from beside Saul’s head, and they went away, but no one saw or knew it, nor did any awake, for they were all asleep, because ^aa ¹sound sleep from Yahweh had fallen on them.

¹³Then David crossed over to the other side and stood on top of the mountain at a distance with a large area between them.

¹⁴And David called to the people and to Abner the son of Ner, saying, “Will you not answer, Abner?” Then Abner answered and said, “Who are you who calls to the king?”

¹⁵So David said to Abner, “Are you not a man? And who is like you in Israel? Why then have you not guarded your lord the king? For one of the people came to destroy the king your lord.

¹⁶“This thing that you have done is not good. As Yahweh lives, all of you ^1amust surely die because you did not keep watch over your lord, the anointed of Yahweh. So now, see where the king’s spear is and the jug of water that was at his head.”

¹⁷Then Saul recognized David’s voice and said, “^aIs this your voice, my son David?” And David said, “It is my voice, my lord the king.”

¹⁸He also said, “^aWhy then is my lord pursuing his servant? For what have I done? Or what evil is in my hand?

¹⁹“So now, please let my lord the king listen to the words of his servant. If ^aYahweh has incited you up against me, ^blet Him ¹accept an offering; but ^cif it is ²men, cursed are they before Yahweh, for ^dthey have driven me out today so that I would have no attachment with the inheritance of Yahweh, saying, ‘Go, serve other gods.’

²⁰“So now, do not let my blood fall to the ground away from the presence of Yahweh; for the king of Israel has come out to search for ^aa single flea, just as one pursues a partridge in the mountains.”

²¹Then Saul said, “^aI have sinned. Return, my son David, for I will not harm you again because my life was precious in your sight this day. Behold, I have played the fool and have committed a serious error.”

²²And David replied, “Behold the spear of the king! Now let one of the young men come over and take it.

²³“^aNow Yahweh will repay each man for his righteousness and his faithfulness; for Yahweh gave you into my hand today, but ^bI was not willing to send forth my hand against the anointed of Yahweh.

²⁴“Now behold, as your life was ^ahighly valued in my sight this day, so may my life be highly valued in the sight of Yahweh, and may He ^bdeliver me from all distress.”

²⁵Then Saul said to David, “^aBlessed are you, my son David; you will both accomplish much and surely prevail.” So ^bDavid went on his way, and Saul returned to his place.