And the Ziphites came
unto Saul
to Gibeah
, saying
, Doth not David
hide
himself in the hill
of Hachilah
, which is before
Jeshimon
?
Then Saul 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
.
And 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
.
David therefore sent out
spies
, and understood
that Saul
was come
in very deed
.
And David arose
, and came
to the place
where Saul
had pitched
: and David
beheld
the place
where Saul
lay
, and Abner
the son
of Ner
, the captain
of his host
: and Saul
lay
in the trench
, and the people
pitched
round about
him.
Then answered David
and said
to Ahimelech
the Hittite
, and to Abishai
the son
of Zeruiah
, brother
to Joab
, saying
, Who will go down
with me to Saul
to the camp
? And Abishai
said
, I will go down
with thee.
So David and Abishai
came
to the people
by night
: and, behold, Saul
lay
sleeping
within the trench
, and his spear
stuck
in the ground
at his bolster
: but Abner
and the people
lay
round about
him.
Then said Abishai
to David
, God
hath delivered
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
.
And David said
to Abishai
, Destroy
him not: for who can stretch forth
his hand
against the LORD'S
anointed
, and be guiltless
?
David said
furthermore, As the LORD
liveth
, the LORD
shall smite
him; or his day
shall come
to die
; or he shall descend
into battle
, and perish
.
The LORD 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
.
So David took
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 a deep sleep
from the LORD
was fallen
upon them.
Then David went over
to the other side
, and stood
on the top
of an hill
afar off
; a great
space
being between them:
And 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
?
And 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
? for there came
one
of the people
in to destroy
the king
thy lord
.
This thing is not good
that thou hast done
. As the LORD
liveth
, ye are worthy
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
.
And Saul knew
David's
voice
, and said
, Is this thy voice
, my son
David
? And David
said
, It is my voice
, my lord
, O king
.
And he said, Wherefore doth my lord
thus pursue
after
his servant
? for what have I done
? or what evil
is in mine hand
?
Now therefore, I pray thee, let my lord the king
hear
the words
of his servant
. If the LORD
have stirred thee up
against me, let him accept
an offering
: but if they be the children
of men
, cursed
be they before
the LORD
; for they have driven
me out this day
from abiding
in the inheritance
of the LORD
, saying
, Go
, serve
other
gods
.
Now therefore, let not my blood fall
to the earth
before the face
of the LORD
: for the king
of Israel
is come out
to seek
a
flea
, as when one doth hunt
a partridge
in the mountains
.
Then said Saul
, I 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
.
And David answered
and said
, Behold the king's
spear
! and let one
of the young men
come over
and fetch
it.
The LORD render
to every man
his righteousness
and his faithfulness
: for the LORD
delivered
thee into my hand
to day
, but I would
not stretch forth
mine hand
against the LORD'S
anointed
.
And, behold, as 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
.
Then Saul said
to David
, Blessed
be thou, my son
David
: thou shalt both do
great
things , and also shalt still
prevail
. So David
went
on his way
, and Saul
returned
to his place
.