1 Samuel

1 Samuel 26

1Saul, informed by the Ziphites of David's abode, cometh against him to Hachilah. 5David coming into the trench findeth Saul and his servants asleep; he stayeth Abishai from killing Saul, but taketh his spear and cruse. 13David reproveth Abner's negligence, protesteth his own innocency, and exhorteth Saul to desist from pursuing him. 21Saul acknowledgeth his sin, and returneth home.

1AND the ^aZiphites came unto Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doth not David hide himself in the hill of Hachilah, which is before Jeshimon?

a Jos. 15.55. ch. 23.19,20. Ps. 54, title. Ro. 3.15. Eze. 22.9. Le. 19.16. Pr. 18.8; 26.20,22.

2Then ^bSaul 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.

b ch. 23.25; 24.17,2. Ps. 140.9; 38.12; 15.4.

3And 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.

4David therefore ^csent out spies, and understood that Saul was come in very deed.

c Ps. 112.5. Ep. 5.15. Mat. 10.16. Jos. 2.1; 8.1.

5¶And David arose, and came to the place where Saul had pitched: and David beheld the place where Saul lay, ^dand Abner the son of Ner, the captain of his host: and Saul lay in the ¹trench, and the people pitched round about him.

d ch. 14.50; 17.55. 2Sa. 2.8.

6Then answered David and said to ^eAhimelech the Hittite, and to ^fAbishai ^gthe son of Zeruiah, brother to Joab, saying, Who will go ^hdown with me to Saul to the camp? And Abishai said, I will go down with thee.

e Ge. 10.16; 15.20. f 1Ch. 2.16. 2Sa. 2.18; 23.18; 16.9; 10.10,14; 18.12; 21.17. g 2Sa. 3.39; 19.22. h Ju. 7.9-11. ch. 14.6.

7So David and Abishai came to the people by night: and, behold, Saul lay ⁱsleeping within the trench, and his spear stuck in the ground at his bolster: but Abner and the people lay round about him.

i 1Th. 5.2,3,7. v.12. ch. 19.13.

8Then said Abishai to David, God hath ²delivered 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.

9And David said to Abishai, ^jDestroy him not: for who can stretch forth his hand against the LORD's anointed, and be guiltless?

j ch. 12.3; 24.6,7,10. 2Sa. 1.14,16.

10David said furthermore, As the LORD liveth, the LORD ^kshall smite him; or ^lhis day shall come to die; or ^mhe shall descend into battle, and perish.

k ch. 25.38,39. Ps. 94.1. De. 32.35. Lu. 18.7. Re. 18.8. l Job 7.1; 14.5. Ps. 37.10,13. m De. 32.35. ch. 31.6. Ps. 49.11.

11The ⁿLORD 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.

n ch. 24.6,7. 2Sa. 1.14,16.

12So David ^otook 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 ^pa deep sleep from the LORD was fallen upon them.

o ch. 24.4. p Ge. 2.21; 15.12. Es. 6.1.

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:

14And 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?

15And 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? ^qfor there came one of the people in to destroy the king thy lord.

q v.8

16This thing is not good that thou hast done. As the LORD liveth, ye are ³worthy 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.

17And Saul knew David's voice, and said, ^rIs this thy voice, my son David? And David said, It is my voice, my lord, O king.

r ch. 24.16. Pr. 26.25.

18And he said, ^sWherefore doth my lord thus pursue after his servant? for what have I done? or what evil is in mine hand?

s ch. 24.9-11,12; 12.3; 20.1. Ps. 35.7; 7.3,11. Ac. 23.1; 24.16.

19Now therefore, I pray thee, let my lord the king hear the words of his servant. If the LORD have stirred thee up against me, ^tlet him ⁴accept an offering: but if they be the children of men, ^ucursed be they before the LORD; for ^vthey have driven me out this day from ⁵abiding in ^wthe inheritance of the LORD, saying, Go, serve other gods.

t 2Sa. 16.11; 24.1. u Ga. 5.12. Pr. 6.16,19. v Ps. 42.1,2; 84.2; 120.5. Ro. 14.15. Jos. 22.25,27. w 2Sa. 14.16; 20.19.

20Now therefore, ^xlet not my blood fall to the earth before the face of the LORD: for the king of Israel is come out to ^yseek a flea, as when one doth hunt a partridge in the mountains.

x ch. 2.9; 25.29. y ch. 24.14.

21¶Then ^zsaid Saul, ^aI 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.

z Ex. 9.27. ch. 24.17; 27.4. Mat. 27.4. a ch. 15.24.

22And David answered and said, Behold the king's spear! and let one of the young men come over and fetch it.

23The ^bLORD render to every man his righteousness and his faithfulness: for the LORD delivered thee into my hand to day, but ^cI would not stretch forth mine hand against the LORD's anointed.

b Ne. 13.14. Is. 3.10,11. Ps. 7.8; 18.20. Ro. 2.6-10. c ch. 24.6,7. v.9,11.

24And, behold, ^das 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.

d Ps. 18.25. Ac. 14.22. 2Co. 1.10. 1Co. 10.13. Is. 46.3,4; 63.9; 41.10,13-16.

25Then Saul said to David, ^eBlessed be thou, my son David: thou shalt both do great things , and also shalt still prevail. ^fSo David went on his way, and Saul returned to his place.

e Ru. 2.20. f Pr. 26.25. ch. 24.22. Jn. 2.24.