1 ARST One day some of the people of Ziph town went to Saul while he was at Gibeah, and they said to him,“David is hiding in a cave on the hill of Hakilah, east of the town of Jeshimon.” BSB BSB: Then the Ziphites came to Saul at Gibeah and said, “Is not David hiding on the hill of Hachilah, opposite Jeshimon?”
2 ARST So Saul chose three thousand of the best Israelite soldiers and went with them to the wilderness of Ziph to search for David. BSB BSB: So Saul, accompanied by three thousand chosen men of Israel, went down to the Wilderness of Ziph to search for David there.
3 ARST Saul and his men set up their tents close to the road on the hill of Hakilah, east of the town of Jeshimon, but David and his men stayed in the wilderness. When David heard that Saul was searching for him, BSB BSB: Saul camped beside the road at the hill of Hachilah opposite Jeshimon, but David was living in the wilderness. When he realized that Saul had followed him there,
4 ARST he sent some spies to find out if it was true that Saul had come to Hakilah. BSB BSB: David sent out spies to verify that Saul had arrived.
5 ARST Then that evening David went to the place where Saul had set up his tent. From a distance he saw where Saul and his army commander, Abner, were sleeping. Saul was sleeping with all his army sleeping around him. BSB BSB: Then David set out and went to the place where Saul had camped. He saw the place where Saul and Abner son of Ner, the general of his army, had lain down. Saul was lying inside the inner circle of the camp, with the troops camped around him.
6 ARST David went back to where his men were and talked to Ahimelech, who was from the Heth people group, and Joab’ s brother Abishai, whose mother was David’ s older sister Zeruiah. He asked them,“Who will go with me down into the camp where Saul is?” Abishai replied,“I will go with you.” BSB BSB: And David asked Ahimelech the Hittite and Abishai son of Zeruiah, Joab’s brother, “Who will go down with me to Saul in the camp?” “I will go with you,” answered Abishai.
7 ARST So that night David and Abishai crept into Saul’ s camp. They saw that Saul was asleep in the middle of the camp. Abner and the other soldiers were sleeping around Saul. Saul’ s spear was stuck in the ground near his head. BSB BSB: That night David and Abishai came to the troops, and Saul was lying there asleep in the inner circle of the camp, with his spear stuck in the ground by his head. And Abner and the troops were lying around him.
8 ARST Abishai whispered to David,“Today Yahweh has enabled us to kill your enemy! Allow me to fasten Saul to the ground by thrusting my spear into him. It will be necessary for me to strike him only once. I will not need to strike him twice.” BSB BSB: Abishai said to David, “Today God has delivered your enemy into your hand. Now, therefore, please let me thrust the spear through him into the ground with one stroke. I will not need to strike him twice!”
9 ARST But David whispered to Abishai,“No, do not kill Saul. Yahweh has appointed him to be king, so Yahweh will surely punish anyone who kills him. BSB BSB: But David said to Abishai, “Do not destroy him, for who can extend a hand against the LORD’s anointed and be guiltless?”
10 ARST Just as surely as Yahweh is alive, he himself will punish Saul. Perhaps Yahweh will strike him when it is Saul’ s time to die, or perhaps Saul will be killed in a battle. BSB BSB: David added, “As surely as the LORD lives, the LORD Himself will strike him down; either his day will come and he will die, or he will go into battle and perish.
11 ARST But I hope that Yahweh will prevent me from harming the king whom he has appointed. Let us take Saul’ s spear and water jug that are near his head. Then let us get out of here!” BSB BSB: But the LORD forbid that I should extend my hand against the LORD’s anointed. Instead, take the spear and water jug by his head, and let us go.”
12 ARST So David took the spear and the jug, and he and Abishai left. No one saw them or knew what they were doing, and no one woke up, because Yahweh had caused them to be sound asleep. BSB BSB: So David took the spear and water jug by Saul’s head, and they departed. No one saw them or knew about it, nor did anyone wake up; they all remained asleep, because a deep sleep from the LORD had fallen on them.
13 ARST David and Abishai went across the valley and climbed to the top of the hill, a long way from Saul’ s camp. BSB BSB: Then David crossed to the other side and stood atop the mountain at a distance; there was a wide gulf between them.
14 ARST Then David shouted to Abner,“Abner, can you hear me?” Abner replied“Who are you, waking up the king by calling out to him?” BSB BSB: And David shouted to the troops and to Abner son of Ner, “Will you not answer me, Abner?” “Who are you who calls to the king?” Abner replied.
15 ARST David replied,“I am sure that you are the greatest man in Israel! So why did you not guard your master, the king? Someone came into your camp in order to kill your master, the king. BSB BSB: So David said to Abner, “You are a man, aren’t you? And who in Israel is your equal? Why then did you not protect your lord the king when one of the people came to destroy him?
16 ARST You have done a very poor job of guarding Saul. So just as surely as Yahweh is alive, you and your men should be executed! You have not guarded your master whom Yahweh appointed to be the king. Where are the king’ s spear and the water jug that were close to his head?” BSB BSB: This thing you have done is not good. As surely as the LORD lives, all of you deserve to die, since you did not protect your lord, the LORD’s anointed. Now look around. Where are the king’s spear and water jug that were by his head?”
17 ARST Saul woke up and recognized that it was David’ s voice. He called out, saying,“My son David, is that your voice?” David replied,“Yes, your majesty it is my voice.” BSB BSB: Then Saul recognized David’s voice and asked, “Is that your voice, David my son?” “It is my voice, my lord and king,” David said.
18 ARST Then David added,“Sir, why are you pursuing me? I have done nothing wrong! BSB BSB: And he continued, “Why is my lord pursuing his servant? What have I done? What evil is in my hand?
19 ARST Your majesty, listen to me! If Yahweh has caused you to be angry with me, I want him to accept a sacrifice from me. But if it is people who have caused you to be angry with me, I hope that Yahweh will curse them. They have forced me to leave the land that Yahweh gave to me. They have told me,‘Go somewhere else and worship other gods!’ BSB BSB: Now please, may my lord the king hear the words of his servant: If the LORD has stirred you up against me, then may He accept an offering. But if men have done it, may they be cursed in the presence of the LORD! For today they have driven me away from sharing in the inheritance of the LORD, saying, ‘Go, serve other gods.’
20 ARST Now do not force me to die away from the land and presence of Yahweh. You, the king, are looking for me, but I am as good as a flea or a wild bird that someone hunts in the hills.” BSB BSB: So do not let my blood fall to the ground far from the presence of the LORD. For the king of Israel has come out to look for a flea, like one who hunts a partridge in the mountains.”
21 ARST Then Saul said,“David, my son, I have sinned by trying to kill you. So come back home. Today you have considered my life to be very valuable and so you have not killed me. So I will not try to harm you. I have made a big mistake and have acted foolishly.” BSB BSB: Then Saul replied, “I have sinned. Come back, David my son. I will never harm you again, because today you considered my life precious. I have played the fool and have committed a grave error!”
22 ARST David replied,“I will leave your spear here. Send one of your young men here to get it. BSB BSB: “Here is the king’s spear,” David answered. “Let one of the young men come over and get it.
23 ARST Yahweh rewards us for the things that we do that are right and for being loyal to him. Even when Yahweh placed me where I could easily have killed you, I refused to do that, because you are the one whom Yahweh has appointed to be the king. BSB BSB: May the LORD repay every man for his righteousness and faithfulness. For the LORD delivered you into my hand today, but I would not extend my hand against the LORD’s anointed.
24 ARST Just as I considered your life to be valuable and spared your life today, I hope that Yahweh will consider my life to be valuable and spare my life and save me from all my troubles.” BSB BSB: As surely as I valued your life today, so may the LORD value my life and rescue me from all trouble.”
25 ARST Then Saul said to David,“My son David, I pray that Yahweh may bless you. May you do great things very successfully.” Then David returned to his men, and Saul went back home. BSB BSB: Saul said to him, “May you be blessed, David my son. You will accomplish great things and will surely prevail.” So David went on his way, and Saul returned home.
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