1 And the Ziphites|strong="H2130" came|strong="H0935" unto Saul|strong="H7586" to Gibeah|strong="H1390", saying|strong="H0559", Doth not David|strong="H1732" hide|strong="H5641" himself in the hill|strong="H1389" of Hachilah|strong="H2444", which is before|strong="H6440" Jeshimon|strong="H3452"?
2 Then Saul|strong="H7586" arose|strong="H6965", and went down|strong="H3381" to the wilderness|strong="H4057" of Ziph|strong="H2128", having three|strong="H7969" thousand|strong="H0505" chosen|strong="H0977" men|strong="H0376" of Israel|strong="H3478" with him, to seek|strong="H1245" David|strong="H1732" in the wilderness|strong="H4057" of Ziph|strong="H2128".
3 And Saul|strong="H7586" pitched|strong="H2583" in the hill|strong="H1389" of Hachilah|strong="H2444", which is before|strong="H6440" Jeshimon|strong="H3452", by the way|strong="H1870". But David|strong="H1732" abode|strong="H3427" in the wilderness|strong="H4057", and he saw|strong="H7200" that Saul|strong="H7586" came|strong="H0935" after|strong="H0310" him into the wilderness|strong="H4057".
4 David|strong="H1732" therefore sent out|strong="H7971" spies|strong="H7270", and understood|strong="H3045" that Saul|strong="H7586" was come|strong="H0935" in very deed|strong="H3559".
5 And David|strong="H1732" arose|strong="H6965", and came|strong="H0935" to the place|strong="H4725" where Saul|strong="H7586" had pitched|strong="H2583": and David|strong="H1732" beheld|strong="H7200" the place|strong="H4725" where Saul|strong="H7586" lay|strong="H7901", and Abner|strong="H0074" the son|strong="H1121" of Ner|strong="H5369", the captain|strong="H8269" of his host|strong="H6635": and Saul|strong="H7586" lay|strong="H7901" in the trench|strong="H4570", and the people|strong="H5971" pitched|strong="H2583" round about|strong="H5439" him.
6 Then answered|strong="H6030" David|strong="H1732" and said|strong="H0559" to Ahimelech|strong="H0288" the Hittite|strong="H2850", and to Abishai|strong="H0052" the son|strong="H1121" of Zeruiah|strong="H6870", brother|strong="H0251" to Joab|strong="H3097", saying|strong="H0559", Who will go down|strong="H3381" with me to Saul|strong="H7586" to the camp|strong="H4264"? And Abishai|strong="H0052" said|strong="H0559", I will go down|strong="H3381" with thee.
7 So David|strong="H1732" and Abishai|strong="H0052" came|strong="H0935" to the people|strong="H5971" by night|strong="H3915": and, behold, Saul|strong="H7586" lay|strong="H7901" sleeping|strong="H3463" within the trench|strong="H4570", and his spear|strong="H2595" stuck|strong="H4600" in the ground|strong="H0776" at his bolster|strong="H4763": but Abner|strong="H0074" and the people|strong="H5971" lay|strong="H7901" round about|strong="H5439" him.
8 Then said|strong="H0559" Abishai|strong="H0052" to David|strong="H1732", God|strong="H0430" hath delivered|strong="H5462" thine enemy|strong="H0341" into thine hand|strong="H3027" this day|strong="H3117": now therefore let me smite|strong="H5221" him, I pray thee, with the spear|strong="H2595" even to the earth|strong="H0776" at once|strong="H6471", and I will not smite him the second time|strong="H8138".
9 And David|strong="H1732" said|strong="H0559" to Abishai|strong="H0052", Destroy|strong="H7843" him not: for who can stretch forth|strong="H7971" his hand|strong="H3027" against the \+w LORD’s|strong="H3068"\+w* anointed|strong="H4899", and be guiltless|strong="H5352"?
10 David|strong="H1732" said|strong="H0559" furthermore, As the \+w LORD|strong="H3068"\+w* liveth|strong="H2416", the \+w LORD|strong="H3068"\+w* shall smite|strong="H5062" him; or his day|strong="H3117" shall come|strong="H0935" to die|strong="H4191"; or he shall descend|strong="H3381" into battle|strong="H4421", and perish|strong="H5595".
11 The \+w LORD|strong="H3068"\+w* forbid|strong="H2486" that I should stretch forth|strong="H7971" mine hand|strong="H3027" against the \+w LORD’s|strong="H3068"\+w* anointed|strong="H4899": but, I pray thee, take|strong="H3947" thou now the spear|strong="H2595" that is at his bolster|strong="H4763", and the cruse|strong="H6835" of water|strong="H4325", and let us go|strong="H3212".
12 So David|strong="H1732" took|strong="H3947" the spear|strong="H2595" and the cruse|strong="H6835" of water|strong="H4325" from Saul’s|strong="H7586" bolster|strong="H7226"; and they gat them away|strong="H3212", and no man saw|strong="H7200" it, nor knew|strong="H3045" it, neither awaked|strong="H6974": for they were all asleep|strong="H3463"; because a deep sleep|strong="H8639" from the \+w LORD|strong="H3068"\+w* was fallen|strong="H5307" upon them.
13 Then David|strong="H1732" went over|strong="H5674" to the other side|strong="H5676", and stood|strong="H5975" on the top|strong="H7218" of an hill|strong="H2022" afar off|strong="H7350"; a great|strong="H7227" space|strong="H4725" being between them:
14 And David|strong="H1732" cried|strong="H7121" to the people|strong="H5971", and to Abner|strong="H0074" the son|strong="H1121" of Ner|strong="H5369", saying|strong="H0559", Answerest|strong="H6030" thou not, Abner|strong="H0074"? Then Abner|strong="H0074" answered|strong="H6030" and said|strong="H0559", Who art thou that criest|strong="H7121" to the king|strong="H4428"?
15 And David|strong="H1732" said|strong="H0559" to Abner|strong="H0074", Art not thou a valiant man|strong="H0376"? and who is like to thee in Israel|strong="H3478"? wherefore then hast thou not kept|strong="H8104" thy lord|strong="H0113" the king|strong="H4428"? for there came|strong="H0935" one|strong="H0259" of the people|strong="H5971" in to destroy|strong="H7843" the king|strong="H4428" thy lord|strong="H0113".
16 This thing|strong="H1697" is not good|strong="H2896" that thou hast done|strong="H6213". As the \+w LORD|strong="H3068"\+w* liveth|strong="H2416", ye are worthy|strong="H1121" to die|strong="H4194", because ye have not kept|strong="H8104" your master|strong="H0113", the \+w LORD’s|strong="H3068"\+w* anointed|strong="H4899". And now see|strong="H7200" where the king’s|strong="H4428" spear|strong="H2595" is, and the cruse|strong="H6835" of water|strong="H4325" that was at his bolster|strong="H4763".
17 And Saul|strong="H7586" knew|strong="H5234" David’s|strong="H1732" voice|strong="H6963", and said|strong="H0559", Is this thy voice|strong="H6963", my son|strong="H1121" David|strong="H1732"? And David|strong="H1732" said|strong="H0559", It is my voice|strong="H6963", my lord|strong="H0113", O king|strong="H4428".
18 And he said|strong="H0559", Wherefore doth my lord|strong="H0113" thus pursue|strong="H7291" after|strong="H0310" his servant|strong="H5650"? for what have I done|strong="H6213"? or what evil|strong="H7451" is in mine hand|strong="H3027"?
19 Now therefore, I pray thee, let my lord|strong="H0113" the king|strong="H4428" hear|strong="H8085" the words|strong="H1697" of his servant|strong="H5650". If the \+w LORD|strong="H3068"\+w* have stirred thee up|strong="H5496" against me, let him accept|strong="H7306" an offering|strong="H4503": but if they be the children|strong="H1121" of men|strong="H0120", cursed|strong="H0779" be they before|strong="H6440" the \+w LORD|strong="H3068"\+w*; for they have driven|strong="H1644" me out this day|strong="H3117" from abiding|strong="H5596" in the inheritance|strong="H5159" of the \+w LORD|strong="H3068"\+w*, saying|strong="H0559", Go|strong="H3212", serve|strong="H5647" other|strong="H0312" gods|strong="H0430".
20 Now therefore, let not my blood|strong="H1818" fall|strong="H5307" to the earth|strong="H0776" before the face|strong="H6440" of the \+w LORD|strong="H3068"\+w*: for the king|strong="H4428" of Israel|strong="H3478" is come out|strong="H3318" to seek|strong="H1245" a|strong="H0259" flea|strong="H6550", as when one doth hunt|strong="H7291" a partridge|strong="H7124" in the mountains|strong="H2022".
21 Then said|strong="H0559" Saul|strong="H7586", I have sinned|strong="H2398": return|strong="H7725", my son|strong="H1121" David|strong="H1732": for I will no more do thee harm|strong="H7489", because my soul|strong="H5315" was precious|strong="H3365" in thine eyes|strong="H5869" this day|strong="H3117": behold, I have played the fool|strong="H5528", and have erred|strong="H7686" exceedingly|strong="H7235".
22 And David|strong="H1732" answered|strong="H6030" and said|strong="H0559", Behold the king’s|strong="H4428" spear|strong="H2595"! and let one|strong="H0259" of the young men|strong="H5288" come over|strong="H5674" and fetch|strong="H3947" it.
23 The \+w LORD|strong="H3068"\+w* render|strong="H7725" to every man|strong="H0376" his righteousness|strong="H6666" and his faithfulness|strong="H0530": for the \+w LORD|strong="H3068"\+w* delivered|strong="H5414" thee into my hand|strong="H3027" to day|strong="H3117", but I would|strong="H0014" not stretch forth|strong="H7971" mine hand|strong="H3027" against the \+w LORD’s|strong="H3068"\+w* anointed|strong="H4899".
24 And, behold, as thy life|strong="H5315" was much set by|strong="H1431" this day|strong="H3117" in mine eyes|strong="H5869", so let my life|strong="H5315" be much set by|strong="H1431" in the eyes|strong="H5869" of the \+w LORD|strong="H3068"\+w*, and let him deliver|strong="H5337" me out of all tribulation|strong="H6869".
25 Then Saul|strong="H7586" said|strong="H0559" to David|strong="H1732", Blessed|strong="H1288" be thou, my son|strong="H1121" David|strong="H1732": thou shalt both do|strong="H6213" great|strong="H6213" things, and also shalt still|strong="H3201" prevail|strong="H3201". So David|strong="H1732" went|strong="H3212" on his way|strong="H1870", and Saul|strong="H7586" returned|strong="H7725" to his place|strong="H4725".