Parallel Bible results for "1 samuel 26"

1 Samuel 26

Third Millennium Bible TMB

1 And the Ziphites came unto Saul at Gibeah, saying, "Doth not David hide himself in the hill of Hachilah, which is before Jeshimon?"

2 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.

3 And Saul pitched camp on the hill of Hachilah, which is before Jeshimon, by the road. But David abode in the wilderness, and he saw that Saul came after him into the wilderness.

4 David therefore sent out spies, and understood that Saul had come indeed.

5 And David arose and came to the place where Saul had pitched camp. And David beheld the place where Saul lay, and Abner the son of Ner, the captain of his host; and Saul lay in the entrenchment, and the people pitched round about him.

6 Then answered David and said to Ahimelech the Hittite and to Abishai the son of Zeruiah, brother of Joab, saying, "Who will go down with me to Saul into the camp?" And Abishai said, "I will go down with thee."

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

8 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."

9 And David said to Abishai, "Destroy him not, for who can stretch forth his hand against the LORD'S anointed and be guiltless?"

10 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.

11 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."

12 So David took the spear and the cruse of water from Saul's bolster, and they got away. And no man saw it nor knew it, neither awakened; for they were all asleep, because a deep sleep from the LORD had fallen upon them.

13 Then David went over to the other side and stood on the top of a hill afar off, a great space being between them.

14 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?"

15 And David said to Abner, "Art not thou a valiant man? And who is like to thee in Israel? Why then hast thou not kept thy lord the king? For there came in one of the people to destroy the king thy lord.

16 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."

17 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."

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

19 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.'

20 Now therefore, let not my blood fall to the earth before the face of the LORD; for the king of Israel has come out to seek a flea, as when one doth hunt a partridge in the mountains."

21 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."

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

23 The LORD render to every man his righteousness and his faithfulness; for the LORD delivered thee into my hand today, but I would not stretch forth mine hand against the LORD'S anointed.

24 And behold, as thy life was much esteemed this day in mine eyes, so let my life be much esteemed in the eyes of the LORD, and let Him deliver me out of all tribulation."

25 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.

GOD'S WORD Translation GW

1 The people of Ziph came to Saul at Gibeah. "David is hiding at the hill of Hachilah near Jeshimon," they said.

2 Saul went to the desert of Ziph, taking with him 3,000 of Israel's best-trained men to search for David.

3 Saul camped by the road at the hill of Hachilah near Jeshimon, but David stayed in the desert. When he realized Saul had come to the desert for him,

4 David sent spies to confirm that Saul had arrived.

5 Then David went to the place where Saul had camped. David saw the place where Saul and Ner's son Abner, the commander of the army, were lying. Saul was lying in the camp, and the troops were camped around him.

6 David asked Ahimelech the Hittite and Abishai, who was Zeruiah's son and Joab's brother, "Who will go with me to Saul in the camp?" Abishai answered, "I'll go with you."

7 So David and Abishai went among [Saul's] troops that night. Saul was lying asleep inside the camp with his spear stuck in the ground near his head. Abner and the soldiers were lying around him.

8 Abishai said to David, "Today God has turned your enemy over to you. Please let me nail him to the ground with one stab of the spear. I won't have to do it twice!"

9 "Don't kill him!" David told Abishai. "No one has ever attacked the LORD's anointed king and remained free of guilt.

10 I solemnly swear, as the LORD lives," David added, "the LORD will strike him. Either his time will come when he'll die [naturally], or he'll go into battle and be swept away.

11 It would be unthinkable for me to attack the LORD's anointed king. But please take that spear near his head and that jar of water, and let's go."

12 David took the spear and the jar of water near Saul's head, and they left. All of them were asleep. No one saw them, knew about it, or woke up. The LORD had made them fall into a deep sleep.

13 David went over to the other side and stood on top of the hill some distance away. (There was a wide space between them.)

14 Then David called to the troops and to Ner's son Abner. "Won't you answer, Abner?" he asked. "Who is calling the king?" Abner asked.

15 David asked Abner, "Aren't you a man? Is there anyone like you in Israel? Then why didn't you guard your master, the king? Someone came to kill His Royal Majesty.

16 What you've done isn't good. I solemnly swear, as the LORD lives, you are dead men. You didn't guard your master, the LORD's anointed king. Look at the king's spear and the jar of water that were near his head."

17 Saul recognized David's voice. "Is that your voice, my servant David?" he asked. "It is my voice, Your Royal Majesty," David answered.

18 "Why are you pursuing me?" he added. "What have I done? What crime have I committed?

19 Your Majesty, please listen to my words. If the LORD has turned you against me, let him be satisfied with an offering. But if mere mortals [have turned you against me], let them be cursed by the LORD. They have prevented me from having a share of the LORD's inheritance. 'Go and serve other gods,' they tell me.

20 Don't let my blood fall to the ground, away from the LORD's presence. The king of Israel has come to search for one flea like someone hunting a partridge in the hills."

21 "My servant David," Saul said, "I have sinned. Come back. I will not harm you again, because you valued my life today. I've acted like a fool and made a terrible mistake."

22 David responded, "Here's the king's spear. One of the young men should come over and get it.

23 The LORD will reward any person who is righteous and faithful. The LORD handed you over to me today, but I refused to attack the LORD's anointed king.

24 As I placed great value on your life today, may the LORD place great value on my life and rescue me from all trouble."

25 Then Saul said, "Blessed are you, my servant David. You will accomplish many things and certainly will succeed." So David went his way, while Saul returned home.