1995 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

1 Samuel 26

1 Saul, by the discovery of the Ziphites, cometh to Hachilah against David. 5 David, coming into the trench, stayeth Abishai from killing Saul, but taketh his spear and cruse. 13 David reproveth Abner, 18 and exhorteth Saul. 21 Saul acknowledgeth his sin.

 26:1 Then the Ziphites 2130 came 935 to Saul 7586 at Gibeah 1390, saying 559, “Is not David 1732 hiding 5641 on the hill 1389 of Hachilah 2444, [which is] before 5921 6440 Jeshimon 3452?”

 26:2 So Saul 7586 arose 6965 and went 3381 down 3381 to the wilderness 4057b of Ziph 2128, having with him three 7969 thousand 505 chosen 977 men 376 of Israel 3478, to search 1245 for David 1732 in the wilderness 4057b of Ziph 2128.

 26:3 Saul 7586 camped 2583 in the hill 1389 of Hachilah 2444, which 834 is before 5921 6440 Jeshimon 3452, beside 5921 the road 1870, and David 1732 was staying 3427 in the wilderness 4057b. When he saw 7200 that Saul 7586 came 935 after 310 him into the wilderness 4057b,

 26:4 David 1732 sent 7971 out spies 7270, and he knew 3045 that Saul 7586 was definitely 3559 coming 935.

 26:5 David 1732 then arose 6965 and came 935 to the place 4725 where 834 8033 Saul 7586 had camped 2583. And David 1732 saw 7200 the place 4725 where 834 8033 Saul 7586 lay 7901, and Abner 74 the son 1121 of Ner 5369, the commander 8269 of his army 6635; and Saul 7586 was lying 7901 in the circle 4570 of the camp 4570, and the people 5971a were camped 2583 around 5439 him.

 26:6 ¶ Then David 1732 said 559 to Ahimelech 288 the Hittite 2850 and to Abishai 52 the son 1121 of Zeruiah 6870, Joab’s 3097 brother 251, saying 559, “Who 4310 will go 3381 down 3381 with me to Saul 7586 in the camp 4264?” And Abishai 52 said 559, “I will go 3381 down 3381 with you.”

 26:7 So David 1732 and Abishai 52 came 935 to the people 5971a by night 3915, and behold 2009, Saul 7586 lay 7901 sleeping 3463 inside the circle 4570 of the camp 4570 with his spear 2595 stuck 4600 in the ground 776 at his head 4763; and Abner 74 and the people 5971a were lying 7901 around 5439 him.

 26:8 Then Abishai 52 said 559 to David 1732, “Today 3117 God 430 has delivered 5462 your enemy 340 into your hand 3027; now 6258 therefore, please 4994 let me strike 5221 him with the spear 2595 to the ground 776 with one 259 stroke 6471, and I will not strike him the second 8138 time 8138.”

 26:9 But David 1732 said 559 to Abishai 52, “Do not destroy 7843 him, for who 4310 can stretch 7971 out his hand 3027 against the LORD’S 3068 anointed 4899 and be without 5352 guilt 5352?”

 26:10 David 1732 also said 559, “As the LORD 3068 lives 2416a, surely 3588 518 the LORD 3068 will strike 5062 him, or 176 his day 3117 will come 935 that he dies 4191, or 176 he will go 3381 down 3381 into battle 4421 and perish 5595.

 26:11 “The LORD 3068 forbid 2486 that I should stretch 7971 out my hand 3027 against the LORD’S 3068 anointed 4899; but now 6258 please 4994 take 3947 the spear 2595 that is at his head 4763 and the jug 6835 of water 4325, and let us go 1980.”

 26:12 So David 1732 took 3947 the spear 2595 and the jug 6835 of water 4325 from [beside] Saul’s 7586 head 4763, and they went 1980 away, but no 369 one 369 saw 7200 or knew 3045 [it], nor 369 did any awake 7019a, for they were all 3605 asleep 3463, because 3588 a sound 8639 sleep 8639 from the LORD 3068 had fallen 5307 on them.

 26:13 ¶ Then David 1732 crossed 5674a over 5674a to the other 5676 side 5676 and stood 5975 on top 7218 of the mountain 2022 at a distance 7350 [with] a large 7227a area 4725 between 996 them.

 26:14 David 1732 called 7121 to the people 5971a and to Abner 74 the son 1121 of Ner 5369, saying 559, “Will you not answer 6030a, Abner 74?” Then Abner 74 replied 6030a, “Who 4310 are you who calls 7121 to the king 4428?”

 26:15 So David 1732 said 559 to Abner 74, “Are you not a man 376? And who 4310 is like 3644 you in Israel 3478? Why 4100 then have you not guarded 8104 your lord 113 the king 4428? For one 259 of the people 5971a came 935 to destroy 7843 the king 4428 your lord 113.

 26:16 “This 2088 thing 1697 that you have done 6213a is not good 2896a. As the LORD 3068 lives 2416a, [all] of you must 1121 surely 3588 die 4194, because 834 you did not guard 8104 your lord 113, the LORD’S 3068 anointed 4899. And now 6258, see 7200 where 335 the king’s 4428 spear 2595 is and the jug 6835 of water 4325 that was at his head 4763.”

 26:17 ¶ Then Saul 7586 recognized 5234 David’s 1732 voice 6963 and said 559, “Is this 2088 your voice 6963, my son 1121 David 1732?” And David 1732 said 559, “It is my voice 6963, my lord 113 the king 4428.”

 26:18 He also said 559, “Why 4100 then 2088 is my lord 113 pursuing 7291 his servant 5650? For what 4100 have I done 6213a? Or what 4100 evil 7463a is in my hand 3027?

 26:19 “Now 6258 therefore, please 4994 let my lord 113 the king 4428 listen 8085 to the words 1697 of his servant 5650. If 518 the LORD 3068 has stirred 5496 you up against me, let Him accept 7381a an offering 4503; but if 518 it is men 1121 120, cursed 779 are they before 6440 the LORD 3068, for they have driven 1644 me out today 3117 so 4480 that I would have no 4480 attachment 5596 with the inheritance 5159 of the LORD 3068, saying 559, ‘Go 1980, serve 5647 other 312 gods 430.’

 26:20 “Now 6258 then, do not let my blood 1818 fall 5307 to the ground 776 away 5048 from the presence 6440 of the LORD 3068; for the king 4428 of Israel 3478 has come 3318 out to search 1245 for a single 259 flea 6550, just 3512c as one hunts 7291 a partridge 7124 in the mountains 2022.”

 26:21 ¶ Then Saul 7586 said 559, “I have sinned 2398. Return 7725, my son 1121 David 1732, for I will not harm 7489a you again 5750 because 8478 834 my life 5315 was precious 3365 in your sight 5869 this 2088 day 3117. Behold 2009, I have played 5528 the fool 5528 and have committed 7686 a serious 7235a 3966 error 7686.”

 26:22 David 1732 replied 6030a, “Behold 2009 the spear 2595 of the king 4428! Now let one 259 of the young 5288 men 5288 come 5674a over 5674a and take 3947 it.

 26:23 “The LORD 3068 will repay 7725 each 376 man 376 [for] his righteousness 6666 and his faithfulness 530; for the LORD 3068 delivered 5414 you into [my] hand 3027 today 3117, but I refused 3808 14 to stretch 7971 out my hand 3027 against the LORD’S 3068 anointed 4899.

 26:24 “Now behold 2009, as your life 5315 was highly 1431 valued 1431 in my sight 5869 this 2088 day 3117, so 3651 may my life 5315 be highly 1431 valued 1431 in the sight 5869 of the LORD 3068, and may He deliver 5337 me from all 3605 distress 6869a.”

 26:25 Then Saul 7586 said 559 to David 1732, “Blessed 1288 are you, my son 1121 David 1732; you will both 1571 accomplish 6213a much 6213a and surely 3201 prevail 3201.” So David 1732 went 1980 on his way 1870, and Saul 7586 returned 7725 to his place 4725.