1Samuel 26
26People from Ziph came to Saul in Gibeah and informed him, "David is hiding on the hill of Hachilah which is across from Jeshimon, isn't he?"H2130H935H7586H1390H559H1732H5641H1389H2444H6440H34522So Saul rose and went down with 3,000 select men of Israel to the Wilderness of Ziph, to look for David in the Wilderness of Ziph.H7586H6965H3381H4057H2128H7969H505H977H376H3478H1245H1732H4057H21283Saul camped by the road on the hill of Hachilah, across from Jeshimon, while David was staying in the wilderness. When he realized that Saul had come after him in the wilderness,H7586H2583H1389H2444H6440H3452H1870H1732H3427H4057H7200H7586H935H310H40574David sent out spies and found out for certain that Saul had arrived.H1732H7971H7270H3045H7586H935H35595David rose and went to the place where Saul was camped. David saw the place where Saul and Abner, his commander-in-chief, lay down. Saul was lying down within the encampment, and the army was camped all around him.H1732H6965H935H4725H7586H2583H1732H7200H4725H7586H7901H74H1121H5369H8269H6635H7586H7901H4570H5971H2583H54396David said to Ahimelech the Hittite, and to Joab's brother Abishai, Zeruiah's son, "Who will go down with me to Saul in the camp?" Abishai said, "I'll go down with you."H6030H1732H559H288H2850H52H1121H6870H251H3097H559H3381H7586H4264H52H559H33817David and Abishai went to the army at night, and Saul was lying there asleep in the encampment. His spear was stuck in the ground at his head, and Abner and the army were lying all around him.H1732H52H935H5971H3915H7586H7901H3463H4570H2595H4600H776H4763H74H5971H7901H54398Abishai said to David, "Today God has delivered your enemy into your hand. Let me run the spear through him into the ground with a single blow. I won't need to strike him twice!"H559H52H1732H430H5462H341H3027H3117H5221H2595H776H6471H259H81389David said to Abishai, "Don't destroy him. Who can raise his hand to strike the Lord's anointed and remain innocent?H1732H559H52H7843H7971H3027H3068H4899H535210As the Lord lives, the Lord will strike him down, or his time will come to die, or he will go into battle and perish.H1732H559H3068H2416H3068H5062H3117H935H4191H3381H4421H559511The Lord forbid that I should raise my hand against the Lord's anointed. Now take the spear that is at his head and the jug of water, and let's go."H3068H2486H7971H3027H3068H4899H3947H2595H4763H6835H4325H321212So David took the spear and the jug of water at Saul's head, and they left. No one saw, and no one knew, because no one was awake. They were all asleep, because a deep sleep from the Lord had fallen over them.H1732H3947H2595H6835H4325H7586H7226H3212H7200H3045H6974H3463H8639H3068H530713Then David crossed over to the other side and stood on top of the hill some distance away with a large distance between them.H1732H5674H5676H5975H7218H2022H7350H7227H472514David called out to the army and to Ner's son Abner, "Abner, won't you answer me?" Abner answered: "Who are you who calls out to the king?"H1732H7121H5971H74H1121H5369H559H6030H74H74H6030H559H7121H442815David said to Abner, "Are you not a man, and who is like you in Israel?Why didn't you guard your lord, the king?Indeed, a soldier came to destroy the king, your lord.H1732H559H74H376H3478H8104H113H4428H935H259H5971H7843H4428H11316This thing that you did is not good. As the Lord lives, you deserve to die, you who didn't guard your lord, the Lord's anointed. Where is the king's spear and where is the jug of water that was at his head?"H1697H2896H6213H3068H2416H1121H4194H8104H113H3068H4899H7200H4428H2595H6835H4325H476317Saul recognized David's voice and said, "Is this your voice, my son David?" David replied, "It is my voice, your majesty."H7586H5234H1732H6963H559H6963H1121H1732H1732H559H6963H113H442818David said, "Why is your majesty pursuing his servant?For what have I done, and what evil do I bear toward you?H559H113H7291H310H5650H6213H7451H302719Now let your majesty listen to the words of his servant. If the Lord incited you against me, then may he accept an offering. But if it is people, may they be cursed in the Lord's presence, because they have driven me out today from sharing in the inheritance of the Lord by saying, 'Go serve other gods.'H113H4428H8085H1697H5650H3068H5496H7306H4503H1121H120H779H6440H3068H1644H3117H5596H5159H3068H559H3212H5647H312H43020Now, don't let my blood fall to the ground away from the Lord's presence. Indeed, the king of Israel has come out to seek a single flea, like someone hunts a partridge in the mountains."H1818H5307H776H6440H3068H4428H3478H3318H1245H259H6550H7291H7124H202221Then Saul said, "I've wronged you. Return, my son David, for I won't harm you again because my life was precious to you today. Look, I've acted foolishly and have made a very great mistake."26H559H7586H2398H7725H1121H1732H7489H5315H3365H5869H3117H5528H7686H7235H396622David replied, "Here's the king's spear. Have one of the young men come over and get it.H1732H6030H559H4428H2595H259H5288H5674H394723The Lord repays a person for his righteousness and his faithfulness. The Lord gave you into my control today, but I refused to raise my hand against the Lord's anointed.H3068H7725H376H6666H530H3068H5414H3027H3117H14H7971H3027H3068H489924Look, just as your life was valuable in my eyes today, so may my life be valuable in the Lord's eyes, and may he deliver me from all trouble."2623H5315H1431H3117H5869H5315H1431H5869H3068H5337H686925Saul said to David, "Blessed are you, my son David. In whatever you do you will surely succeed." So David went on his way, and Saul returned to his place.H7586H559H1732H1288H1121H1732H6213H6213H3201H3201H1732H3212H1870H7586H7725H4725
Columbus, OH
