1SA-26:1 And the Ziphites came unto Saul to Gibeah, saying,
Doth not
David hide himself in the hill of Hachilah, [which is] before
Jeshimon?
1SA-26:2 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.
1SA-26:3 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.
1SA-26:4 David therefore sent out spies, and understood that
Saul was
come in very deed.
1SA-26:5 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.
1SA-26:6 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.
1SA-26:7 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.
1SA-26:8 Then said Abishai to David, God hath delivered thine
enemy
into thine hand this day: now therefore let me smite him, I pray
thee,
with the spear even to the earth at once, and I will not [smite]
him
the second time.
1SA-26:9 And David said to Abishai, Destroy him not: for who can
stretch forth his hand against the LORD'S anointed, and be
guiltless?
1SA-26:10 David said furthermore, [As] the LORD liveth, the LORD
shall smite him; or his day shall come to die; or he shall
descend
into battle, and perish.
1SA-26:11 The LORD forbid that I should stretch forth mine hand
against the LORD'S anointed: but, I pray thee, take thou now the
spear
that [is] at his bolster, and the cruse of water, and let us go.
1SA-26:12 So David took the spear and the cruse of water from
Saul's
bolster; and they gat them away, and no man saw [it], nor knew
[it],
neither awaked: for they [were] all asleep; because a deep sleep
from
the LORD was fallen upon them.
1SA-26:13 Then David went over to the other side, and stood on
the
top of an hill afar off; a great space [being] between them:
1SA-26:14 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?
1SA-26:15 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
thy lord the king? for there came one of the people in to
destroy the
king thy lord.
1SA-26:16 This thing [is] not good that thou hast done. [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
cruse of water that [was] at his bolster.
1SA-26:17 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.
1SA-26:18 And he said, Wherefore doth my lord thus pursue after
his
servant? for what have I done? or what evil [is] in mine hand?
1SA-26:19 Now therefore, I pray thee, let my lord the king hear
the
words of his servant. If the LORD have stirred thee up against
me, let
him accept an offering: but if [they be] the children of men,
cursed
[be] they before the LORD; for they have driven me out this day
from
abiding in the inheritance of the LORD, saying, Go, serve other
gods.
1SA-26:20 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 when one doth hunt a partridge in the mountains.
1SA-26:21 Then said Saul, I have sinned: return, my son David:
for I
will no more do thee harm, because my soul was precious in thine
eyes
this day: behold, I have played the fool, and have erred
exceedingly.
1SA-26:22 And David answered and said, Behold the king's spear!
and
let one of the young men come over and fetch it.
1SA-26:23 The LORD render to every man his righteousness and his
faithfulness: for the LORD delivered thee into [my] hand to day,
but I
would not stretch forth mine hand against the LORD'S anointed.
1SA-26:24 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 the LORD, and
let
him deliver me out of all tribulation.
1SA-26:25 Then Saul said to David, Blessed [be] thou, my son
David:
thou shalt both do great [things], and also shalt still prevail.
So
David went on his way, and Saul returned to his place.
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