1 Samuel 26:1-12
David Spares Saul Again
1 aThen the Ziphites came to Saul at Gibeah, saying, “Is not David hiding himself on the hill of Hachilah, which is on the east of Jeshimon?” 2So Saul arose and went down to bthe wilderness of Ziph with cthree thousand chosen men of Israel to seek David in the wilderness of Ziph. 3And Saul encamped on the hill of Hachilah, which is beside the road on the east of Jeshimon. But David remained in the wilderness. When he saw that Saul came after him into the wilderness, 4David sent out spies and learned that Saul had indeed come. 5Then David rose and came to the place where Saul had encamped. And David saw the place where Saul lay, with dAbner the son of Ner, the commander of his army. Saul was lying within ethe encampment, while the army was encamped around him.6Then David said to Ahimelech the Hittite, and to Joab’s brother fAbishai the son of Zeruiah, g“Who will go down with me into the camp to Saul?” And Abishai said, “I will go down with you.” 7So David and Abishai went to the army by night. And there lay Saul sleeping within hthe encampment, with his spear stuck in the ground iat his head, and Abner and the army lay around him. 8Then Abishai said to David, j“God has given your enemy into your hand this day. Now please let me pin him to the earth with one stroke of the spear, and I will not strike him twice.” 9But David said to Abishai, “Do not destroy him, for who can put out his hand kagainst the Lord’s anointed and be guiltless?” 10And David said, l“As the Lord lives, mthe Lord will strike him, or nhis day will come to die, oor he will go down into battle and perish. 11 pThe Lord forbid that I should put out my hand against the Lord’s anointed. But take now the spear that is qat his head and the jar of water, and let us go.” 12So David took the spear and the jar of water from Saul’s head, and they went away. No man saw it or knew it, nor did any awake, for they were all asleep, because ra deep sleep from the Lord had fallen upon them.
Copyright information for
ESV