| 1 And the Ziphites came unto Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doth not David
hide himself in the hill of Hachilah, which is before the desert? 2 Then
Saul arose, and went down to the wilderness of Ziph, having three thousand
chosen men of Israel with him, to seek David in the wilderness of Ziph.
3 And Saul encamped in the hill of Hachilah, which is before the desert,
by the way. But David abode in the wilderness, and he saw that Saul came
after him into the wilderness. 4 David therefore sent out spies, and
understood that Saul was come of a certainty. 5 And David arose, and came
to the place where Saul had encamped; and David beheld the place where Saul
lay, and Abner the son of Ner, the captain of his host: and Saul lay within
the place of the wagons, and the people were encamped round about him.
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 thee. 7 So David and
Abishai came to the people by night: and, behold, Saul lay sleeping within
the place of the wagons, with his spear stuck in the ground at his head; and
Abner and the people lay round about him. 8 Then said Abishai to David,
God hath delivered up thine enemy into thy hand this day: now therefore let
me smite him, I pray thee, with the spear to the earth at one stroke, and I
will not smite him the second time. 9 And David said to Abishai, Destroy
him not; for who can put forth his hand against Jehovah's anointed, and be
guiltless? 10 And David said, As Jehovah liveth, Jehovah will smite him;
or his day shall come to die; or he shall go down into battle and perish.
11 Jehovah forbid that I should put forth my hand against Jehovah's
anointed: but now take, I pray thee, the spear that is at his head, and the
cruse of water, and let us go. 12 So David took the spear and the cruse of
water from Saul's head; and they gat them away: and no man saw it, nor knew
it, neither did any awake; for they were all asleep, because a deep sleep
from Jehovah was fallen upon them.
13 Then David went over to the other side, and stood on the top of the
mountain afar off; a great space being between them; 14 and David cried to
the people, and to Abner the son of Ner, saying, Answerest thou not, Abner?
Then Abner answered and said, Who art thou that criest to the king? 15 And
David said to Abner, Art not thou a valiant man? and who is like to
thee in Israel? wherefore then hast thou not kept watch over thy lord the
king? for there came one of the people in to destroy the king thy lord.
16 This thing is not good that thou hast done. As Jehovah liveth, ye are
worthy to die, because ye have not kept watch over your lord, Jehovah's
anointed. And now see where the king's spear is, and the cruse 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 pursue after his servant? for what have I done? or what evil is
in my hand? 19 Now therefore, I pray thee, let my lord the king hear the
words of his servant. If it be Jehovah that hath stirred thee up against me,
let him accept an offering: but if it be the children of men, cursed be they
before Jehovah: for they have driven me out this day that I should not cleave
unto the inheritance of Jehovah, saying, Go, serve other gods. 20 Now
therefore, let not my blood fall to the earth away from the presence of
Jehovah: for the king of Israel is come out to seek a flea, as when one doth
hunt a partridge in the mountains.
21 Then said Saul, I have sinned: return, my son David; for I will no more
do thee harm, because my life was precious in thine eyes this day: behold, I
have played the fool, and have erred exceedingly. 22 And David answered
and said, Behold the spear, O king! let then one of the young men come over
and fetch it. 23 And Jehovah will render to every man his righteousness
and his faithfulness; forasmuch as Jehovah delivered thee into my hand
to-day, and I would not put forth my hand against Jehovah's anointed.
24 And, behold, as thy life was much set by this day in mine eyes, so let
my life be much set by in the eyes of Jehovah, and let him deliver me out of
all tribulation. 25 Then Saul said to David, Blessed be thou, my son
David: thou shalt both do mightily, and shalt surely prevail. So David went
his way, and Saul returned to his place.
Genesis - Public
Domain
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