1Samuel 26:1 - Prayer Tents

1Samuel 26

David Again Spares Saul’s Life

26The Ziphites went to Saul at Gibeah and said, "Is not David hiding on the hill of Hakilah, which faces Jeshimon?"H2130H935H7586H1390H559H1732H5641H1389H2444H6440H34522So Saul went down to the Desert of Ziph, with his three thousand chosen men of Israel, to search there for David.H7586H6965H3381H4057H2128H7969H505H977H376H3478H1245H1732H4057H21283Saul made his camp beside the road on the hill of Hakilah facing Jeshimon, but David stayed in the desert. When he saw that Saul had followed him there,H7586H2583H1389H2444H6440H3452H1870H1732H3427H4057H7200H7586H935H310H40574he sent out scouts and learned that Saul had definitely arrived.H1732H7971H7270H3045H7586H935H35595Then David set out and went to the place where Saul had camped. He saw where Saul and Abner son of Ner, the commander of the army, had lain down. Saul was lying inside the camp, with the army encamped around him.H1732H6965H935H4725H7586H2583H1732H7200H4725H7586H7901H74H1121H5369H8269H6635H7586H7901H4570H5971H2583H54396David then asked Ahimelech the Hittite and Abishai son of Zeruiah, Joab's brother, "Who will go down into the camp with me to Saul?" "I'll go with you," said Abishai.H6030H1732H559H288H2850H52H1121H6870H251H3097H559H3381H7586H4264H52H559H33817So David and Abishai went to the army by night, and there was Saul, lying asleep inside the camp with his spear stuck in the ground near his head. Abner and the soldiers were lying around him.H1732H52H935H5971H3915H7586H7901H3463H4570H2595H4600H776H4763H74H5971H7901H54398Abishai said to David, "Today God has delivered your enemy into your hands. Now let me pin him to the ground with one thrust of my spear; I won't strike him twice."H559H52H1732H430H5462H341H3027H3117H5221H2595H776H6471H259H81389But David said to Abishai, "Don't destroy him! Who can lay a hand on the LORD'S anointed and be guiltless?H1732H559H52H7843H7971H3027H3068H4899H535210As surely as the LORD lives," he said, "the LORD himself will strike him; either his time will come and he will die, or he will go into battle and perish.H1732H559H3068H2416H3068H5062H3117H935H4191H3381H4421H559511But the LORD forbid that I should lay a hand on the LORD'S anointed. Now get the spear and water jug that are near his head, and let's go."H3068H2486H7971H3027H3068H4899H3947H2595H4763H6835H4325H321212So David took the spear and water jug near Saul's head, and they left. No one saw or knew about it, nor did anyone wake up. They were all sleeping, because the LORD had put them into a deep sleep.H1732H3947H2595H6835H4325H7586H7226H3212H7200H3045H6974H3463H8639H3068H530713Then David crossed over to the other side and stood on top of the hill some distance away; there was a wide space between them.H1732H5674H5676H5975H7218H2022H7350H7227H472514He called out to the army and to Abner son of Ner, "Aren't you going to answer me, Abner?" Abner replied, "Who are you who calls to the king?"H1732H7121H5971H74H1121H5369H559H6030H74H74H6030H559H7121H442815David said, "You're a man, aren't you? And who is like you in Israel? Why didn't you guard your lord the king? Someone came to destroy your lord the king.H1732H559H74H376H3478H8104H113H4428H935H259H5971H7843H4428H11316What you have done is not good. As surely as the LORD lives, you and your men deserve to die, because you did not guard your master, the LORD'S anointed. Look around you. Where are the king's spear and water jug that were near his head?"H1697H2896H6213H3068H2416H1121H4194H8104H113H3068H4899H7200H4428H2595H6835H4325H476317Saul recognized David's voice and said, "Is that your voice, David my son?" David replied, "Yes it is, my lord the king."H7586H5234H1732H6963H559H6963H1121H1732H1732H559H6963H113H442818And he added, "Why is my lord pursuing his servant? What have I done, and what wrong am I guilty of?H559H113H7291H310H5650H6213H7451H302719Now let my lord the king listen to his servant's words. If the LORD has incited you against me, then may he accept an offering. If, however, men have done it, may they be cursed before the LORD! They have now driven me from my share in the LORD'S inheritance and have said, 'Go, serve other gods.'H113H4428H8085H1697H5650H3068H5496H7306H4503H1121H120H779H6440H3068H1644H3117H5596H5159H3068H559H3212H5647H312H43020Now do not let my blood fall to the ground far from the presence of the LORD. The king of Israel has come out to look for a flea—as one hunts a partridge in the mountains."H1818H5307H776H6440H3068H4428H3478H3318H1245H259H6550H7291H7124H202221Then Saul said, "I have sinned. Come back, David my son. Because you considered my life precious today, I will not try to harm you again. Surely I have acted like a fool and have erred greatly."H559H7586H2398H7725H1121H1732H7489H5315H3365H5869H3117H5528H7686H7235H396622"Here is the king's spear," David answered. "Let one of your young men come over and get it.H1732H6030H559H4428H2595H259H5288H5674H394723The LORD rewards every man for his righteousness and faithfulness. The LORD delivered you into my hands today, but I would not lay a hand on the LORD'S anointed.H3068H7725H376H6666H530H3068H5414H3027H3117H14H7971H3027H3068H489924As surely as I valued your life today, so may the LORD value my life and deliver me from all trouble."H5315H1431H3117H5869H5315H1431H5869H3068H5337H686925Then Saul said to David, "May you be blessed, my son David; you will do great things and surely triumph." So David went on his way, and Saul returned home.H7586H559H1732H1288H1121H1732H6213H6213H3201H3201H1732H3212H1870H7586H7725H4725