1 Samuel Chapter 26

1 Samuel Chapter 26
1 Again the Ziphims came unto Saul to
Gibeah, saying, Doth not David hide
himself in the hill of Hachilah before
Jeshimon?
2 Then Saul arose, and went down to the
wilderness of Ziph, having three
thousand chosen men of Israel with him,
for to seek David in the wilderness of
Ziph.
3 And Saul pitched in the hill of
Hachilah, which is before Jeshimon by
the wayside. Now David abode in the
wilderness, and he saw that Saul came
after him into the wilderness.
4 (For David had sent out spies, and
understood, that Saul was come in very
deed)
5 Then David arose, and came to the
place where Saul had pitched, and when
David beheld the place where Saul lay,
and Abner the son of Ner which was his
chief captain, (for Saul lay in the fort,
and the people pitched round about him)
6 Then spake 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 host? Then Abishai said, I will go
down with thee.
7 So David and Abishai came down to
the people by night: and behold, Saul lay
sleeping within the fort, and his spear
did stick in the ground at his head: and
Abner and the people lay round about
him.
8 Then said Abishai to David, God hath
closed thine enemy into thine hand this
day: now therefore, I pray thee, let me
smite him once with a spear to the earth,
and I will not smite him again.
9 And David said to Abishai, Destroy
him not: for who can lay his hand on the
Lord's anointed, and be guiltless?
10 Moreover David said, As the Lord
liveth, either the Lord shall smite him, or
his day shall come to die, or he shall
descend into battle, and perish. 11 The
Lord keep me from laying mine hand
upon the Lord's anointed: but, I pray
thee, take now the spear that is at his
head, and the pot of water, and let us go
hence.
12 So David took the spear and the pot
of water from Saul's head, and they gat
them away, and no man saw it, nor
marked it, neither did any awake, but
they were all asleep: for the Lord had
sent a dead sleep upon them. 13 Then
David went unto the other side, and
stood on the top of an hill afar off, a
great space being between them.
14 And David cried to the people, and to
Abner the son of Ner, saying, Hearest
thou not, Abner? Then Abner answered,
and said, Who art thou that cryest to the
king?
15 And David said to Abner, Art not
thou a man? And who is like thee in
Israel? wherefore then hast thou not kept
thy lord the king? For there came one of
the folk in to destroy the king thy lord.
16 This is not well done of thee: as the
Lord liveth, ye are worthy to die,
because ye have not kept your master the
Lord's anointed: and now see where the
king's spear is, and the pot of water that
was at his head. 17 And Saul knew
David's voice, and said, Is this thy
voice, my son David?
And David said, It is my voice, my lord
O king.
18 And he said, Wherefore doth my lord
thus persecute his servant? for what have
I done? Or what evil is in mine hand?
19 Now therefore, I beseech thee, let my
lord the king hear the words of his
servant. If the Lord have stirred thee up
against me, let him smell the savor of a
sacrifice: but if the children of men have
done it, cursed be they before the Lord:
for they have cast me out this day from
abiding in the inheritance of the Lord,
saying, Go, serve other gods.
20 Now therefore let not my blood fall
to the earth before the face of the Lord:
for the king of Israel is come out to seek
a flea, as one would hunt a partridge in
the mountains.
21 Then said Saul, I have sinned: come
again, my son David: for I will do thee
no more harm, because my soul was
precious in thine eyes this day: behold, I
have done foolishly, and have erred
exceedingly.
22 Then David answered, and said,
Behold the king's spear, let one of the
young men come over and fetch it.
23 And let the Lord reward every man
according to his righteousness and
faithfulness: for the Lord had delivered
thee into mine hands this day, but I
would not lay mine hand upon the Lord's
anointed.
24 And behold, like as thy life was much
set by this day in mine eyes: so let my
life be set by in the eyes of the Lord, that
he may deliver me out of all tribulation.
25 Then Saul said to David, Blessed art
thou, my son David: for thou shalt do
great things, and also prevail. So David
went his way, and Saul returned to his
place.