rd

1 Samuel 26

1 David was discovered unto Saúl by the Ziphíms. 12 David taketh awaye Sauls speare, and a pot of water that stode at his head. 21 Saúl confesseth his sinne.
1.Againe the Ziphíms came unto Saúl to Gibeáh, saying, *Doeth not David hide him selfe ^in the hil of Hachiláh before ^Jeshimón?
2.Then Saúl arose, and went downe to the wildernes of Ziph, having thre thousand achosen men of Israél with him, for to seke David in the wildernes of Ziph.
3.And Saúl pitched in the hil of Hachiláh, which is before Jeshimón by the waye side. Now David abode in the wildernes, & he sawe that Saúl came after him into the wildernes.
4.(For David had sent out spies, and understode, that Saúl was come ^in very dede)
5.Then David arose, and came to the place where Saúl had pitched, & when David beheld the place where Saúl lay, and *Abnér the sonne of Ner which was his chief captaine, (for Saúl lay in the forte, & the people pitched round about him)
6.Then spake David, and said to Ahimélech the bHittie, and to Abishái the sonne of Zeruiáh, brother to cJoáb, saying, Who wil go downe with me to Saúl to the hoste? Then Abishái said, I wil go downe with thee.
7.So David and Abishái came downe to the people by night: & beholde, Saúl laye sleping within the forte, & his speare did sticke in the ground at his ^head: and Abnér and the people lay round about him.
8.¶ Then said Abishái to David, God hathe closed thine enemie into thine hand this day: now therefore, I pray thee, let me smite him once with a speare to the earth, and I wil not smite him dagaine.
9.And David said to Abishái, Destroye him not: for who can lay his hand eon the Lords anointed, and be giltles?
10.Moreover David said, As the Lord liveth, ether the Lord shal smite him, or his day shal come to dye, or he shal descende into battel, and perish.
11.The Lord kepe me from laying mine hand upon the Lords anointed: but, I pray thee, take now the speare that is at his head, and the pot of water, and let us go hence.
12.So David toke the speare and the pot of water from Saúls head, and thei gate them away, and no man sawe it, nor marked it, nether did any awake, but thei were all aslepe: for ^the Lord had sent a dead slepe upon them.
13.Then David went into the other side, & stode on the toppe of an hil a far of, a great space being betwene them.
14.And David cryed to the people, and to Abnér the sonne of Ner, saying, ^Hearest thou not Abnér? Then Abnér answered, and said, Who art thou that cryest to the King?
15.¶ And David said to Abnér, Art not thou a fman? and who is like thee in Israél? wherefore then hast thou not kept thy lord the King? for there came one of the folke in to destroye the King thy lord.
16.This is not wel done of thee: as the Lord liveth, ye are ^worthy to dye, because ye have not kept your master the Lords Anointed: and now se where the Kings speare is, and the pot of water that was at his head.
17.And Saúl knewe Davids voyce, and said, Is this thy voyce, gmy sonne David? And David said, It is my voyce, my lord ô King.
18.And he said, Wherefore doeth my lord thus persecute his servant? for what have I done? or what evil is in mine hand?
19.Now therefore, I beseche thee, let my lord the King heare the wordes of his servant, If the Lord have stirred thee up against me, hlet him smel the savour of a sacrifice: but if the children of men have done it, cursed be thei before the Lord: for thei have cast me out this day from abiding in the inheritance of the Lord, saying, Go, serve other igods.
20.Now therefore let not my blood fall to the earth before the face of the Lord: for the King of Israél is come out to seke a flye, as one wolde hunt a partriche in the mountaines.
21.Then said Saúl, I have sinned: come againe, my sonne David: for I wil do thee nomore harme, because my soule was kprecious in thine eyes this day: beholde, I have done foolishly, and have erred excedingly.
22.Then David answered, & said, Beholde the Kings speare, let one of the yong men come over and fet it.
23.And let the Lord rewarde everie man according to his lrighteousnes & faithfulness: for the Lord had delivered thee into mine hands this daie, but I wolde not lay mine hand upon the Lords anointed.
24.And beholde, like as thy life was muche set by this day in mine eyes: so let my life be set by in the eyes of the Lord, that he may deliver me out of all tribulacion.
25.Then Saúl said to David, Blessed art thou, my sonne David: for thou shalt do great things, and also prevaile. So David went his way, and Saúl returned to his mplace.

Notes

1-*.
Chap. 23.19.
1-^.
Or, in Gibeah.
1-^-1.
Or, the wilderness.
2-a.
That is, of the most skillful and valiant soldiers.
4-^.
Or, to a certain place.
5-*.
Ch. 14.50 and 17.55.
6-b.
Who was a stranger and not an Israelite.
6-c.
Who afterward was David’s chief captain.
7-^.
Or, bolster.
8-d.
Meaning, he would make him sure at one stroke.
9-e.
To wit, is his own private cause: for Jehu slew two Kings at God’s appointment, 2 Kings 9.24-27. 2 Geneva Bible 1560
12-^.
Ebr., the heavy sleep of the Lord was fallen upon them.
14-^.
Ebr., answerest.
15-f.
Esteemed most valiant, and mete to save the King?
16-^.
Ebr., sons of death.
17-g.
Hereby it appears, that the hypocrite persecuted David against his own conscience, and contrary to his promise.
19-h.
Let his anger toward us be pacified by a sacrifice.
19-i.
As much as lay in them, they compelled him to idolatry, because they forced him to flee to the idolaters.
21-k.
Because you saved my life this day.
23-l.
Thus he protested his innocency toward Saul not defending his justice in the sight of God, in whose presence none is righteous, Ps. 14.3 and 130.3.
25-m.
To Gibeah of Benjamin. 3