19Then aZiphitescameup to Saul at Gibeah, saying, “Is David not hiding with us in the strongholds at Horesh, on bthe hill of Hachilah, which is on the 1south of 2Jeshimon? 20“So now, O king, according to all the desire of your soul to comedown, comedownhere; and aour part shall be to surrender him into the king’shand.” 21And Saulsaid, “May you be blessed of Yahweh, afor you have hadcompassion on me. 22“Gonow, makemoresure, and know and see his place—where his veryfoot is—andwho has seen him there; for I am told that he is verycrafty. 23“So see and knowaboutall the hidingplaces where he hides himself and return to me with certainty, and I will go with you; and if he is in the land, I will search him out among all the thousands of Judah.”
24Then they arose and went to ZiphbeforeSaul. Now David and his men were in the wilderness of aMaon, in the Arabah to the 1south of 2Jeshimon. 25So Saul and his menwent to seekhim, and they toldDavid, and he camedown to the rock and stayed in the wilderness of Maon. And Saulheardit and pursuedDavid in the wilderness of Maon. 26And Saulwent on oneside of the mountain, and David and his men on the otherside of the mountain; and David was hurrying to getaway from Saul, but Saul and his menawere surroundingDavid and his men to seize them. 27But a messengercame to Saul, saying, “Hurry and come, for the Philistines have madearaid on the land.” 28So Saulreturned from pursuingDavid and went to meet the Philistines; therefore they called that place1the Rock of Escape. 291Then Davidwentup from there and stayed in the strongholds of aEngedi.
1 Samuel 26
David Takes Saul’s Spear
26Then the Ziphitescame to Saul at Gibeah, saying, “aIs not Davidhiding on the hill of Hachilah, which is before 1Jeshimon?” 2So Saularose and wentdown to the wilderness of Ziph, having with him athreethousandchosenmen of Israel, to search for David in the wilderness of Ziph. 3And Saulcamped in the hill of Hachilah, which is before 1Jeshimon, abeside the road. Now David was staying in the wilderness, and bhe saw that Saulcameafter him into the wilderness. 4So Davidsentoutspies and knew that Saul was certainlycoming. 5David then arose and came to the place where Saul had camped. And Davidsaw the place where Saullay, as well as aAbner the son of Ner, the commander of his army; and Saul was lying in the circleofthecamp, and the people were campedaround him.
6Then Davidanswered and said to Ahimelechathe Hittite and to bAbishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab’sbrother, saying, “Whocwill godown with me to Saul in the camp?” And Abishaisaid, “I will godown with you.” 7So David and Abishaicame to the people by night, and behold, Saullaysleeping inside the circleofthecamp with his spearstuck in the groundat his head; and Abner and the people were lyingaround him. 8Then Abishaisaid to David, “TodayGod has surrendered your enemy into your hand; so now, please let me strike him with the spear1to the ground with onestroke, and I will not 2strike him the secondtime.” 9But Davidsaid to Abishai, “Do not destroy him, for awho can sendforth his hand against the anointed of Yahweh and be withoutguilt?” 10David also said, “As Yahwehlives, asurely Yahweh will smite him, orbhis day will come that he dies, orche will godown into battle and be sweptaway. 11“aYahwehforbid that I should sendforth my hand against the anointed of Yahweh; but nowpleasetake the spear that is at his head and the jug of water, and let us go.” 12So Davidtook the spear and the jug of water from besideSaul’shead, and they went away, but noonesaw or knewit,nor did any awake, for they were allasleep, becauseaa 1soundsleep from Yahweh had fallen on them.
13Then Davidcrossedover to the otherside and stood on top of the mountain at a distancewith a largeareabetween them. 14And Davidcalled to the people and to Abner the son of Ner, saying, “Will you not answer, Abner?” Then Abneranswered and said, “Who are you who calls to the king?” 15So Davidsaid to Abner, “Are you not a man? And who is like you in Israel? Why then have you not guarded your lord the king? For one of the peoplecame to destroy the king your lord. 16“Thisthing that you have done is not good. As Yahwehlives, all of you 1,amustsurelydiebecause you did not keepwatch over your lord, the anointed of Yahweh. So now, seewhere the king’sspear is and the jug of water that was at his head.”
17Then SaulrecognizedDavid’svoice and said, “aIs this your voice, my sonDavid?” And Davidsaid, “It is my voice, my lord the king.” 18He also said, “aWhythen is my lordpursuing his servant? For what have I done? Or whatevil is in my hand? 19“So now, please let my lord the kinglisten to the words of his servant. IfaYahweh has incited you up against me, blet Him 1accept an offering; but cif it is 2men, cursed are they beforeYahweh, for dthey have driven me outtodaysothat I would have noattachment with the inheritance of Yahweh, saying, ‘Go, serveothergods.’ 20“So now, do not let my bloodfall to the groundaway from the presence of Yahweh; for the king of Israel has comeout to search for aa singleflea, just as one pursues a partridge in the mountains.”
21Then Saulsaid, “aI have sinned. Return, my sonDavid, for I will not harm you again because my lifewasprecious in your sightthisday. Behold, I have playedthefool and have committeda serious error.” 22And Davidreplied, “Behold the spear of the king! Now let one of the youngmencomeover and take it. 23“aNow Yahweh will repayeachmanfor his righteousness and his faithfulness; for Yahwehgave you into myhandtoday, but bI wasnotwilling to send forth my hand against the anointed of Yahweh. 24“Now behold, as your life was ahighlyvalued in my sightthisday, so may my life be highlyvalued in the sight of Yahweh, and may He bdeliver me from alldistress.” 25Then Saulsaid to David, “aBlessed are you, my sonDavid; you will bothaccomplishmuch and surelyprevail.” So bDavidwent on his way, and Saulreturned to his place.
