David Again Spares Saul 1 UST One day people who lived in the region of Ziph once again went to Saul while he was at Gibeah. They told him,“David is hiding somewhere on the hill of Hakilah, near the desolate area that people call 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 UST So Saul chose 3, 000 of the best Israelite soldiers and led them to the desolate area in the region 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 UST Saul and his men set up their tents close to the road on the hill of Hakilah, east of the area of Jeshimon, but David and his men stayed in the desolate area. David found out that Saul had come to search 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 UST He learned that by sending out some spies. They came back and told him that Saul had in fact come to their area. BSB BSB: David sent out spies to verify that Saul had arrived.
5 UST David decided to go at night and look at the place where{ the spies told him} Saul’ s army had set up its tents. From a distance, he could see where Saul and his army commander, Abner, were sleeping. Saul was sleeping inside a barricade that the soldiers had made with the wagons in which they had brought their supplies. The rest of the army was sleeping all around Saul. 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 UST When David saw this, he spoke with two of his men who were with him. These men were Ahimelech, who was from the Hittite people group, and Abishai, who was the son of Zeruiah and the brother of Joab. David asked them,“Which of you will go with me down into the camp where Saul is sleeping?” 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 UST So that night David and Abishai crept into Saul’ s camp. They saw that Saul was asleep in the middle of the camp. Saul had stuck his spear into the ground near his head. Abner and the other soldiers were sleeping around Saul. 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 UST Abishai whispered to David,“Today God has enabled you to kill your enemy! This is what I want to do. Allow me to kill Saul by plunging his own spear right through him into the ground. I will only need to strike him once. That first blow will kill him.” 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 UST 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 UST David continued,“Instead, Yahweh may cause him to die, or he may die of some disease or of old age, or enemy soldiers may kill him in a battle. But I swear by Yahweh{ that I will not kill Saul myself}. 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 UST I hope that Yahweh will never allow me to attack the king whom he has appointed. This is what we should do. Let us just take Saul’ s spear and water jug that are near his head. Then we should leave right away.” 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 UST So David took the spear and the jug that were near Saul’ s head. Then he and Abishai left. Yahweh had made Saul and his soldiers very sleepy, so they were all asleep during this time. So no one woke up and saw them or knew what they were doing. 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.
David Reproves Abner 13 UST David and Abishai went across a valley and climbed up high on a hill opposite Hakilah. They were far away 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 UST Then David shouted in the direction of Saul’ s army. He shouted to Abner,“I want to speak with you, Abner!” Abner replied“Who are you? You should not be waking up the king by calling out like this!” 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 UST David replied,“You are a better soldier than any other man in Israel. So you should have protected the king whom you serve. Someone came into your camp tonight, and he could have killed your 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 UST You have failed in your duties as soldiers. I swear by Yahweh that someone should punish you and your men by executing you! You have not protected your master, whom Yahweh appointed to be the king. Here is proof that someone came into your camp tonight: the royal spear and the water jug that were close to the king’ s head are now missing!” 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 UST Saul{ woke up and recognized} David by his voice. He called out,“Is that really you speaking to me, David my son?” David replied,“Yes, your majesty, I am the one speaking.” 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 UST Then David added,“Sir, there is no reason for you to be chasing me. I have done nothing at all to harm you! BSB BSB: And he continued, “Why is my lord pursuing his servant? What have I done? What evil is in my hand?
19 UST Your majesty, please listen to me! If Yahweh{ is punishing me for sinning} by causing you to want to harm me, I hope he will accept a guilt offering from me{ and forgive me}. But if it is people who have caused you to be angry with me, then I hope Yahweh will make bad things happen to them!{ If people have convinced you to want to harm me,} they are now forcing me to leave this land that Yahweh has given to the Israelites. By making me leave Israel, it is as if they are telling me to live somewhere else where the people worship different 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 UST Now do not force me to die away from the land where Yahweh is present in a special way. I am as unimportant as a single flea, so you, the king, do not need to be chasing me! That makes no more sense than chasing one bird into the mountains when many birds of that kind live in nearby fields.” 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.”
Saul Acknowledges His Sin 21 UST Then Saul said,“David, my son, I have sinned{ by trying to kill you}. Please come back home. Today you considered my life to be very valuable, so you did not kill me. So I will not try to harm you anymore. I recognize that I have foolishly made a very big mistake.” 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 UST David replied,“Look, here is your spear! Send one of your young men over 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 UST Yahweh gave me the opportunity to kill you today, but I refused to do that, because you are the one whom Yahweh has appointed to be the king. When people treat others right and are loyal to them{ as I have just done for you}, may Yahweh treat them the same way. 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 UST Just as I considered your life to be valuable{ and spared it} today, I hope that Yahweh will consider my life to be valuable and rescue me from every danger.” BSB BSB: As surely as I valued your life today, so may the LORD value my life and rescue me from all trouble.”
25 UST Then Saul said to David,“My son David, I want Yahweh to do good things for you. I know that you will do great things very successfully.” Then David left that place, 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.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.