1 Samuel 26 – New American Standard Bible 2020 (NASB20)

David Again Spares Saul

1 Then the Ziphites ^H2130 came ^H935 to Saul ^H7586 at Gibeah ^H1390, saying ^H559, “Is David ^H1732 not keeping ^H5641 himself hidden ^H5641 on the hill ^H1389 of Hachilah ^H2444, which is opposite ^H5921 H6440 [fn]Jeshimon ^H3452?”

2 So Saul ^H7586 set ^H6965 out ^H6965 and went ^H3381 down ^H3381 to the wilderness ^H4057 of Ziph ^H2128, [fn]taking with him three ^H7969 thousand ^H505 chosen ^H977 men ^H376 of Israel ^H3478, to search ^H1245 for David ^H1732 in the wilderness ^H4057 of Ziph ^H2128. 3 And Saul ^H7586 camped ^H2583 on the hill ^H1389 of Hachilah ^H2444, which ^H834 is opposite ^H5921 H6440 [fn]Jeshimon ^H3452, beside ^H5921 the road ^H1870, and David ^H1732 was staying ^H3427 in the wilderness ^H4057. When he saw ^H7200 that Saul ^H7586 had come ^H935 after ^H310 him into the wilderness ^H4057, 4 David ^H1732 sent ^H7971 out ^H7971 spies ^H7270, and he learned ^H3045 that Saul ^H7586 was definitely ^H3559 coming ^H935. 5 David ^H1732 then set ^H6965 out ^H6965 and came ^H935 to the place ^H4725 where ^H834 H8033 Saul ^H7586 had camped ^H2583. And David ^H1732 saw ^H7200 the place ^H4725 where ^H834 H8033 Saul ^H7586 lay ^H7901, and Abner ^H74 the son ^H1121 of Ner ^H5369, the commander ^H8269 of his army ^H6635; and Saul ^H7586 was lying ^H7901 in the circle ^H4570 of ^H4570 the ^H4570 camp ^H4570, and the people ^H5971 were camped ^H2583 around ^H5439 him.

6 Then David ^H1732 said ^H559 to Ahimelech ^H288 the Hittite ^H2850 and to Abishai ^H52 the son ^H1121 of Zeruiah ^H6870, Joab’s ^H3097 brother ^H251, saying ^H559, “Who ^H4310 will go ^H3381 down ^H3381 with me to Saul ^H7586 in the camp ^H4264?” And Abishai ^H52 said ^H559, “I will go ^H3381 down ^H3381 with you.” 7 So David ^H1732 and Abishai ^H52 came ^H935 to the people ^H5971 by night ^H3915, and behold ^H2009, Saul ^H7586 lay ^H7901 sleeping ^H3463 inside the circle ^H4570 of ^H4570 the ^H4570 camp ^H4570 with his spear ^H2595 stuck ^H4600 in the ground ^H776 at ^H4763 his head ^H4763; and Abner ^H74 and the people ^H5971 were lying ^H7901 around ^H5439 him. 8 Then Abishai ^H52 said ^H559 to David ^H1732, “Today ^H3117 God ^H430 has handed ^H5462 H3027 your enemy ^H340 over ^H5462 to you; now ^H6258 then, please ^H4994 let me [fn]pin ^H5221 him with the spear ^H2595 to the ground ^H776 with one ^H259 thrust ^H6471, and I will not [fn]do ^H8138 it to him a ^H8138 second ^H8138 time ^H8138.” 9 But David ^H1732 said ^H559 to Abishai ^H52, “Do not [fn]kill ^H7843 him, for who ^H4310 can reach ^H7971 out ^H7971 with his hand ^H3027 against the LORD’S ^H3068 anointed ^H4899 and remain ^H5352 innocent ^H5352?” 10 David ^H1732 also said ^H559, “As the LORD ^H3068 lives ^H2416, the LORD ^H3068 certainly ^H3588 H518 will strike ^H5062 him, or ^H176 his day ^H3117 will come ^H935 that he dies ^H4191, or ^H176 he will go ^H3381 down ^H3381 in battle ^H4421 and [fn]perish ^H5595. 11 The LORD ^H3068 forbid ^H2486 that I would reach ^H7971 out ^H7971 with my hand ^H3027 against the LORD’S ^H3068 anointed ^H4899! But now ^H6258 please ^H4994 take ^H3947 the spear ^H2595 that is at ^H4763 his head ^H4763 and the jug ^H6835 of water ^H4325, and let’s go ^H1980.” 12 So David ^H1732 took ^H3947 the spear ^H2595 and the jug ^H6835 of water ^H4325 that were at ^H4763 Saul’s ^H7586 head ^H4763, and they left ^H1980; and no ^H369 one ^H369 saw ^H7200 or knew ^H3045 about it, nor ^H369 did anyone awaken ^H6974, for they were all ^H3605 asleep ^H3463, because ^H3588 a deep ^H8639 sleep ^H8639 from the LORD ^H3068 had fallen ^H5307 on them.

13 Then David ^H1732 crossed ^H5674 over ^H5674 to the other ^H5676 side ^H5676 and stood ^H5975 on top ^H7218 of the mountain ^H2022 at a distance ^H7350 with a large ^H7227 area ^H4725 between ^H996 them. 14 And David ^H1732 called ^H7121 to the people ^H5971 and to Abner ^H74 the son ^H1121 of Ner ^H5369, saying ^H559, “Will you not answer ^H6030, Abner ^H74?” Then Abner ^H74 replied ^H6030, “Who ^H4310 are you who calls ^H7121 to the king ^H4428?” 15 So David ^H1732 said ^H559 to Abner ^H74, “Are you not a man ^H376? And who ^H4310 is like ^H3644 you in Israel ^H3478? Why ^H4100 then have you not guarded ^H8104 your lord ^H113 the king ^H4428? For one ^H259 of the people ^H5971 came ^H935 to [fn]kill ^H7843 the king ^H4428 your lord ^H113! 16 This ^H2088 thing ^H1697 that you have done ^H6213 is not good ^H2896. As the LORD ^H3068 lives ^H2416, all of you undoubtedly ^H3588 [fn]must ^H1121 die ^H4194, because ^H834 you did not guard ^H8104 your lord ^H113, the LORD’S ^H3068 anointed ^H4899. And now ^H6258, see ^H7200 where ^H335 the king’s ^H4428 spear ^H2595 is and the jug ^H6835 of water ^H4325 that was at ^H4763 his head ^H4763!”

17 Then Saul ^H7586 recognized ^H5234 David’s ^H1732 voice ^H6963 and said ^H559, “Is this ^H2088 your voice ^H6963, my son ^H1121 David ^H1732?” And David ^H1732 said ^H559, “It is my voice ^H6963, my lord ^H113 the king ^H4428.” 18 He also said ^H559, “Why ^H4100 then ^H2088 is my lord ^H113 pursuing ^H7291 H310 his servant ^H5650? For what ^H4100 have I done ^H6213? Or what ^H4100 evil ^H7451 is in my hand ^H3027? 19 Now ^H6258 then, please ^H4994 let my lord ^H113 the king ^H4428 listen ^H8085 to the words ^H1697 of his servant ^H5650. If ^H518 the LORD ^H3068 has incited ^H5496 you against me, may He [fn]accept ^H7306 an offering ^H4503; but if ^H518 it is [fn]people ^H1121 H120, cursed ^H779 [fn]are they before ^H6440 the LORD ^H3068, because ^H3588 they have driven ^H1644 me out ^H1644 today ^H3117 so ^H4480 that ^H4480 I would have no ^H4480 share ^H5596 in the inheritance ^H5159 of the LORD ^H3068, saying ^H559, ‘Go ^H1980, serve ^H5647 other ^H312 gods ^H430.’ 20 Now ^H6258 then, do not let my blood ^H1818 fall ^H5307 to the ground ^H776 far ^H5048 from the presence ^H6440 of the LORD ^H3068; for the king ^H4428 of Israel ^H3478 has come ^H3318 out ^H3318 to search ^H1245 for a single ^H259 flea ^H6550, just ^H834 as ^H834 one hunts ^H7291 a partridge ^H7124 in the mountains ^H2022.”

21 Then Saul ^H7586 said ^H559, “I have sinned ^H2398. Return ^H7725, my son ^H1121 David ^H1732, for I will not harm ^H7489 you again ^H5750 since ^H8478 H834 my life ^H5315 was ^H3365 precious ^H3365 in your sight ^H5869 this ^H2088 day ^H3117. Behold ^H2009, I have played ^H5528 the ^H5528 fool ^H5528 and have made ^H7686 a ^H7686 very ^H3966 great ^H7235 mistake ^H7686.” 22 David ^H1732 replied ^H6030, “Behold ^H2009, the spear ^H2595 of the king ^H4428! Now have one ^H259 of the young ^H5288 men ^H5288 come ^H5674 over ^H5674 and take ^H3947 it. 23 And the LORD ^H3068 will repay ^H7725 each ^H376 man ^H376 for his righteousness ^H6666 and his faithfulness ^H530; for the LORD ^H3068 handed ^H3027 H5414 you over ^H5414 to me today ^H3117, but I refused ^H3808 H14 to reach ^H7971 out ^H7971 with my hand ^H3027 against the LORD’S ^H3068 anointed ^H4899. 24 Therefore behold ^H2009, just ^H834 as ^H834 your life ^H5315 was highly ^H1431 valued ^H1431 in my sight ^H5869 this ^H2088 day ^H3117, so ^H3651 may my life ^H5315 be highly ^H1431 valued ^H1431 in the sight ^H5869 of the LORD ^H3068, and may He rescue ^H5337 me from all ^H3605 distress ^H6869.” 25 Then Saul ^H7586 said ^H559 to David ^H1732, “Blessed ^H1288 are you, my son ^H1121 David ^H1732; you will both ^H1571 accomplish ^H6213 much ^H6213 and assuredly ^H3201 prevail ^H3201.” So David ^H1732 went ^H1980 on his way ^H1870, and Saul ^H7586 returned ^H7725 to his place ^H4725.