(KJV) 1 Samuel 261

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⥃David Again Spares Saul

[1] And the Ziphites2 came unto Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doth not3 David hide himself in the hill of Hachilah, [which is] before Jeshimon? [2] Then Saul arose4, and went down to the wilderness of Ziph, having three thousand5 chosen men of Israel with him, to seek David in the wilderness of Ziph. [3] And Saul pitched in the hill of Hachilah6, which [is] before Jeshimon, by the way. But David abode in the wilderness, and he saw that Saul came after him into the wilderness. [4] David therefore sent out spies, and understood that Saul was come in very deed.7

[5] [¶]And David arose, and came to the place where Saul had pitched: and David beheld the place where Saul lay, and Abner8 the son of Ner, the captain of his host: and Saul lay in the trench9, and the people pitched round about him. [6] Then answered David and said to Ahimelech the Hittite10, and to Abishai11 the son of Zeruiah12, brother to Joab, saying, Who will go13 down with me to Saul to the camp? And Abishai said, I will go down with thee. [7] So David and Abishai came to the people by night: and, behold, Saul lay sleeping14 within the trench, and his spear stuck in the ground at his bolster: but Abner and the people lay round about him. [8] Then said Abishai to David, God15 hath delivered16 thine enemy into thine hand this day: now therefore let me smite him, I pray thee, with the spear even to the earth at once, and I will not [smite] him the second time17. [9] And David said to Abishai, Destroy him not: for who can stretch18 forth his hand against the Lord’s anointed, and be guiltless? [10] David said furthermore, [As] the Lord liveth19, the Lord shall smite him; or his day20 shall come to die; or he shall descend21 into battle, and perish. [11] The Lord forbid that I should22 stretch forth mine hand against the Lord’s anointed: but, I pray thee, take thou now the spear that [is] at his bolster, and the cruse of water, and let us go. [12] So David23 took the spear and the cruse of water from Saul’s bolster; and they gat them away, and no man saw [it], nor knew [it], neither awaked: for they [were] all asleep; because a deep sleep24 from the Lord was fallen upon them.

⥃David Reproves Abner

[13] Then David went over to the other side, and stood on the top25 of an hill afar off; a great space [being] between them: [14] And David cried to the people, and to Abner the son of Ner, saying, Answerest thou not, Abner? Then Abner answered and said, Who [art] thou [that] criest to the king? [15] And David said to Abner, [Art] not thou a [valiant] man? and who [is] like to thee in Israel? wherefore then hast thou not kept thy lord the king? for there came26 one of the people in to destroy the king thy lord. [16] This thing [is] not good that thou hast done. [As] the Lord liveth, ye [are] worthy to die27, because ye have not kept your master, the Lord’s28 anointed. And now see where the king’s spear [is], and the cruse of water that [was] at his bolster. [17] And Saul knew David’s voice, and said, [Is] this thy29 voice, my son David? And David said, [It is] my voice, my lord, O king. [18] And he said, Wherefore30 doth my lord thus pursue after his servant? for what have I31 done? or what evil [is] in mine hand? [19] Now therefore, I pray thee, let my lord32 the king hear the words of his servant. If the Lord have stirred33 thee up against me, let him accept34 an offering: but if [they be] the children of men, cursed35 [be] they before the Lord; for they have driven36 me out this day from abiding37 in the inheritance38 of the Lord, saying, Go, serve other gods. [20] Now therefore, let not my39 blood fall to the earth before the face of the Lord: for the king40 of Israel is come out to seek a flea41, as when one doth hunt a partridge42 in the mountains.

⥃Saul Acknowledges His Sin

[21] Then said Saul, I have sinned43: return, my son David: for I will no44 more do thee harm, because my soul45 was precious in thine eyes this day: behold, I have played the fool, and have erred exceedingly. [22] And David answered and said, Behold the king’s spear! and let one of the young men come over and fetch it. [23] The Lord render46 to every man his righteousness and his faithfulness: for the Lord delivered thee into [my] hand to day, but I would not47 stretch forth mine hand against the Lord’s anointed. [24] And, behold, as thy life48 was much set by this day in mine eyes, so let my life be much set by in the eyes of the Lord, and let him deliver49 me out of all tribulation. [25] Then Saul said to David, Blessed50 [be] thou, my son David: thou shalt both do great [things], and also shalt still prevail51. So David52 went on his way, and Saul returned to his place.

<< 1 Samuel 25 1 Samuel 27 >>

  1. 1Sam 26:1, Saul, by the discovery of the Ziphites, comes to Hachilah against David; 1Sam 26:4, David coming into the trench stays Abishai from killing Saul, but takes his spear and cruse; 1Sam 26:13, David reproves Abner; 1Sam 26:17, and exhorts Saul; 1Sam 26:21, Saul acknowledges his sin. ↩

  2. Josh 15:24, Josh 15:55 ↩

  3. 1Sam 26:3, 1Sam 23:19; Ps 54:1 *title ↩

  4. 1Sam 23:23-25, 1Sam 24:17; Ps 38:12, Ps 140:4-9 ↩

  5. 1Sam 24:2 ↩

  6. 1Sam 26:1, 1Sam 23:19 ↩

  7. Josh 2:1; Matt 10:16 ↩

  8. 1Sam 9:1, 1Sam 14:50-51, 1Sam 17:55; 2Sam 2:8-12, 2Sam 3:7-8, 2Sam 3:27, 2Sam 3:33-38; 1Chr 9:39 ↩

  9. or, midst of his carriages, 1Sam 17:20; The word maugal never signifies a ditch or rampart, but a chariot or waggon way. Nor does it seem to denote a ring of carriages, as Buxtorf and others interpret the word; for it is not probable that Saul would encumber his army with baggage in so rapid a pursuit, nor that so mountainous a country was practicable for waggons. It appears simply to mean here, the circular encampment (from agal, "round") which these troops formed, in the midst of which, as being the place of honour, Saul reposed. An Arab camp, D'Arvieux informs us, is always circular, when the disposition of the ground will permit, the prince being in the middle, and the troops at a respectful distance around him. Add to which, their lances are fixed near them in the ground all the day long, ready for action. ↩

  10. Gen 10:15, Gen 15:20; 2Sam 11:6, 2Sam 11:21, 2Sam 11:24, 2Sam 12:9, 2Sam 23:39 ↩

  11. 2Sam 2:18, 2Sam 16:9-10, 2Sam 18:5, 2Sam 23:18; 1Chr 2:16 ↩

  12. 1Chr 2:15-16 ↩

  13. 1Sam 14:6-7; Judg 7:10-11 ↩

  14. 1Thess 5:2-3 ↩

  15. 1Sam 26:23, 1Sam 23:14, 1Sam 24:4, 1Sam 24:18-19; Josh 21:44; Judg 1:4 ↩

  16. Heb. shut up, 1Sam 24:18; Deut 32:30; Ps 31:8; Rom 11:32 *marg. Gal 3:22-23 ↩

  17. Nah 1:9 ↩

  18. 1Sam 24:6-7; 2Sam 1:14, 2Sam 1:16; Ps 105:15 ↩

  19. 1Sam 24:15, 1Sam 25:26, 1Sam 25:38; Ps 94:1-2, Ps 94:23; Luke 18:7; Rom 12:19; Rev 18:8 ↩

  20. Gen 47:29; Deut 31:14; Job 7:1, Job 14:5, Job 14:14; Ps 37:10, Ps 37:13; Eccl 3:2; Heb 9:27 ↩

  21. 1Sam 31:6; Deut 32:35 ↩

  22. 1Sam 24:6, 1Sam 24:12; 2Sam 1:14, 2Sam 1:16 ↩

  23. 1Sam 26:7, 1Sam 24:4 ↩

  24. Gen 2:21, Gen 15:12; Esth 6:1; Isa 29:10 ↩

  25. 1Sam 24:8; Judg 9:7; David, by retiring to a place of safety before he called to Abner, seems to have manifested more distrust of Saul than he had done on a former occasion. Yet he desired that Saul and all Israel should be informed of his conduct at this time. Abner and his soldiers, by neglecting to guard Saul when he slept, had exposed his life, and merited to be treated as his enemies, though he confided in them as friends; for, although their sound sleep was undoubtedly supernatural, yet there might be a neglect of placing sentinels, arising from contempt of David's small company. Saul also deemed David his enemy, though he had before spared and protected his life. ↩

  26. 1Sam 26:8 ↩

  27. Heb. the sons of death, 1Sam 20:31; 2Sam 12:5, 2Sam 19:28; Ps 79:11, Ps 102:20 *marg. Eph 2:3 ↩

  28. 1Sam 26:9, 1Sam 26:11, 1Sam 24:6 ↩

  29. 1Sam 24:8, 1Sam 24:16 ↩

  30. 1Sam 24:9, 1Sam 24:11-14; Ps 7:3-5, Ps 35:7, Ps 69:4 ↩

  31. 1Sam 17:29; John 8:46, John 10:32, John 18:23 ↩

  32. 1Sam 25:24; Gen 44:18 ↩

  33. 1Sam 16:14-23, 1Sam 18:10; 2Sam 16:11, 2Sam 24:1; 1Kgs 22:22; 1Chr 21:1 ↩

  34. Heb. smell, Gen 8:21; Lev 26:31; Ps 119:1-8 ↩

  35. Prov 6:16-19, Prov 30:10; Gal 1:8-9, Gal 5:12; 2Tim 4:14 ↩

  36. Deut 4:27-28; Josh 22:25-27; Ps 42:1-2, Ps 120:5; Isa 60:5; Rom 14:15 ↩

  37. Heb. cleaving ↩

  38. 2Sam 14:16, 2Sam 20:19 ↩

  39. 1Sam 2:9, 1Sam 25:29 ↩

  40. 1Sam 24:14; Matt 26:47, Matt 26:55 ↩

  41. Parosh, (in Arabic borghooth, Syriac, poorthano,) the well known little contemptible and troublesome insect, the flea, seems to be so called from its agility in leaping and skipping, from para, "free," and raash, "to leap, bound." David, by comparing himself to this insect, seems to import, that while it would cost Saul much pains to catch him, he would obtain but very little advantage from it. ↩

  42. Korai certainly denotes the partridge, which is called in Arabic, kiraa. It seems to be so called from the cry or cur which it utters when calling its young. ↩

  43. 1Sam 15:24, 1Sam 15:30, 1Sam 24:17; Exod 9:27; Num 22:34; Matt 27:4 ↩

  44. 1Sam 27:4 ↩

  45. 1Sam 26:24, 1Sam 18:30; Ps 49:8, Ps 116:15 ↩

  46. 1Kgs 8:32; Neh 13:14; Ps 7:8-9, Ps 18:20-26 ↩

  47. 1Sam 26:9, 1Sam 26:11, 1Sam 24:6-7 ↩

  48. Ps 18:25; Matt 5:7, Matt 7:2 ↩

  49. Gen 48:16; Ps 18:1 *title Ps 18:48, Ps 34:17-18, Ps 144:2; Acts 14:22; 2Cor 1:9-10; 2Thess 3:2; Rev 7:14 ↩

  50. 1Sam 24:19; Num 24:9-10 ↩

  51. Gen 32:28; Isa 54:17; Hos 12:4; Rom 8:35, Rom 8:37 ↩

  52. 1Sam 24:22; Prov 26:25 ↩