1 Samuel 26 David spares Saul's life again

 1 Samuel 26

David spares Saul's life again

1 And the zephites came to Saul, to Gibeah, saying, Isn't David hiding on the hill of Hachilah at the entrance to Jesimon?

2 Then Saul arose, and went down to the desert of Ziph, and with him three thousand chosen men of Israel, to seek David in the desert of Ziph.

3 And Saul camped on the hill of Háquila, which is at the entrance to Jesimon, by the way; but David stayed in the desert, and saw that Saul was coming after him into the desert.

4 For David sent spies, and knew that Saul was certainly coming.

5 And David got up and came to the place where Saul had camped; David saw the place where Saul had lay, and Abner, the son of Ner, the head of his army: and Saul was lying in the place of the chariots, and the people were encamped around him.

6 And David answered and spoke to Achimelech the Hittite and to Abishai the son of Zeruiah, brother of Joab, saying, Who will go down with Saul with me to the camp? And Abishai said, I will go down with you.

7 So David and Abishai came to the people at night, and, behold, Saul was lying down, sleeping in the place of the chariots, and his spear was nailed to the earth at his head: and Abner and the people were lying around him.

8 Then Abishai said to David, "Today God has given you into your hands; so let me now drive the spear into the earth once, and I will not strike you a second time.

9 And David said to Abishai, Do him no harm: for who has stretched out his hand against the Lord's anointed, and has become innocent?

10 And David said, As the Lord lives, the Lord will strike him, or his day will come when he dies, or he will go down to battle and perish;

11 May the Lord keep me, that I may stretch out my hand against the Lord's anointed: now, however, take the spear at his head and the water jar there, and let's go.

12 So David took the spear and the jug of water from Saul's head, and they were gone: and there was no one to see him, neither to warn him nor to wake up; because they were all asleep because a deep sleep from the Lord had fallen on them.

13 And David, going to the other side, stood on the top of the mountain in the distance, so that there was a great distance between them.

14 And David cried out to the people, and to Abner the son of Ner, saying, Will you not answer, Abner? Then Abner replied and said, "Who are you, that you bow to the king?"

15 Then David said to Abner, Are you not a man? it is who is in Israel like you, why then did you not keep your lord the king? because one of the people came to destroy your lord the king.

16 This is not a good thing, which you have done; the Lord lives, who are worthy of death, you who have not kept your lord, the Lord's anointed: see now where the king's spear is, and the jug of water at his head.

17 Then Saul knew the voice of David, and said, Is this not your voice, my son David? And David said, My voice is, my lord, O king.

18 He said, Why does my lord pursue his servant like this? for what have I done? and what evil is in my hands?

19 Hear now, my lord the king, I beseech you, the words of your servant: If the Lord urges you against me, let him smell the food offering: but if they are the children of men, be cursed before the Lord: they have been repelling today so that I do not become attached to the Lord's inheritance, saying, Go, serve other gods.

20 For now, let not my blood be shed on the earth before the Lord; for the king of Israel went out in search of a flea; like someone chasing a partridge in the mountains.

21 Then Saul said, I have sinned; come back, my son David, because I will not send you wrong because my life was precious in your eyes today: behold, I have acted madly, and have made a great mistake.

22 David then answered and said, Here is the king's spear; pass one of the boys here, and take it.

23 The Lord, however, pay each man his righteousness and his loyalty; for the Lord had given you into my hand today, but I did not want to extend my hand against the Lord's anointed.

24 And behold, just as your life was today of so much esteem in my eyes, my life is so much in the eyes of the Lord, and he frees me from all tribulation.

25 Then Saul said to David, Blessed are you, my son David; for you will do great things and you will also prevail. So David went on his way and Saul returned to his place.