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1 Samuel 26
The Voice
1 Samuel 26
The Voice
Two women figure prominently in David’s ascension to Israel’s throne: Michal and Abigail. As the daughter of the king, Michal is born into the world of palace intrigue, but Abigail talks her way into it. As a beautiful, articulate woman, she is desirable to any man, but she has special appeal to David. Abigail brings with her Nabal’s wealth and power in the south. By marrying this Calebite widow, David gains political influence with the southern tribes that soon gets him crowned king in Hebron (2 Samuel 2:2–4), a large city within Caleb’s territory.
26 Then the Ziphites went to Saul at Gibeah and told him David was hiding on the heights of Hachilah, which is across from Jeshimon. 2 Saul again gathered 3,000 seasoned Israelite soldiers, and he went down to the wilderness of Ziph to find David. 3 They camped by the road on the hill of Hachilah, across from Jeshimon, but David and his men were hidden in the wilderness. When he learned that Saul was coming after him, 4 David sent out some spies who discovered Saul was certainly at it again.
5 Then David went to Saul’s camp and found where Saul slept, as well as Abner son of Ner, general of the army, surrounded by their men. 6 David looked over the situation and spoke to Ahimelech the Hittite and to Abishai, son of Zeruiah and brother of Joab.
David: Who will follow me into the center of Saul’s camp?
Abishai: I’m right there with you.
7 So David and Abishai snuck into the encampment under the cover of darkness, and at last they found Saul sleeping in the middle of the camp, his spear stuck into the ground near his head, with Abner and the other soldiers lying around him asleep.
Abishai (to David): 8 This is your chance! God has placed your enemy at your mercy. Let me take his spear and pin him to the ground. I only need one try.
David: 9 No. Don’t kill him. Who can legitimately strike the Eternal’s anointed king without consequences? 10 As the Eternal One lives, his time will come. The Eternal will strike him down; either he will die, or he will go into battle one day and be slain. 11 God forbid that I would be the one to harm the Eternal’s anointed king. But please, take his spear next to his head and that water jug, and let’s go.
12 So David took the spear and the water jug from right beside Saul’s head and crept back through the camp. No one saw or knew they were there. No one woke up because the Eternal had caused the entire camp to fall into a deep sleep. 13 David went up a hill, standing a safe distance away. 14 Then he shouted to Abner, son of Ner, and the army.
David: Abner! Can you hear me?
Abner: Who hails the king’s camp?
David: 15 What kind of man are you? Is anyone your equal in all Israel? So why haven’t you done a better job guarding your lord and master, the anointed king? After all, one of the people who crept into your camp tonight could have murdered your lord. 16 This is not a good thing that you have done, because you failed to protect your lord, the anointed of the Eternal. As the Eternal One lives, you deserve to die. Where is his spear? Where is the water jug that was at his head?
17 Saul recognized David’s voice.
Saul: Is that you, David my son?
David: Yes, you are hearing my voice, my lord, my king.
18 Why does my lord continue to chase his servant? What have I done? Am I guilty of something?
19 Now then, may my lord the king hear the words of his servant: If the Eternal has stirred you to try and kill me, may He be appeased by an offering. But if mere mortals have done this, may the Eternal curse them because they have driven me away today from Israel, my heritage in the Eternal One. Exiling me is tantamount to saying “Go and serve other gods.”
20 Now I ask you, don’t kill me here, so far from the Eternal’s presence. The king of Israel and his army have come after a single flea, as one goes to hunt a partridge in the mountains.
Saul: 21 David! I was remiss. Come back, my son. I will never try to hurt you again because today you treated my life as precious and preserved it. I have been a fool and made a big mistake.
David: 22 Here is your spear, O king. Send one of your young soldiers to retrieve it.
23 The Eternal One rewards those who are faithful and righteous, for He gave you into my power today, and I chose not to harm His anointed king. 24 As I treated your life as precious, may He guard my life, rescuing me from all troubles.
Saul: 25 May God bless you, my son David! May you accomplish everything you set out to do, and may you excel.
So David went his way, and Saul returned home.
1 Samuel 26
New International Version
1 Samuel 26
New International Version
David Again Spares Saul’s Life
26 The Ziphites(A) went to Saul at Gibeah and said, “Is not David hiding(B) on the hill of Hakilah, which faces Jeshimon?(C)”
2 So Saul went down to the Desert of Ziph, with his three thousand select Israelite troops, to search(D) there for David. 3 Saul made his camp beside the road on the hill of Hakilah(E) facing Jeshimon, but David stayed in the wilderness. When he saw that Saul had followed him there, 4 he sent out scouts and learned that Saul had definitely arrived.
5 Then David set out and went to the place where Saul had camped. He saw where Saul and Abner(F) son of Ner, the commander of the army, had lain down. Saul was lying inside the camp, with the army encamped around him.
6 David then asked Ahimelek the Hittite(G) and Abishai(H) son of Zeruiah,(I) Joab’s brother, “Who will go down into the camp with me to Saul?”
“I’ll go with you,” said Abishai.
7 So David and Abishai went to the army by night, and there was Saul, lying asleep inside the camp with his spear stuck in the ground near his head. Abner and the soldiers were lying around him.
8 Abishai said to David, “Today God has delivered your enemy into your hands. Now let me pin him to the ground with one thrust of the spear; I won’t strike him twice.”
9 But David said to Abishai, “Don’t destroy him! Who can lay a hand on the Lord’s anointed(J) and be guiltless?(K) 10 As surely as the Lord lives,” he said, “the Lord himself will strike(L) him, or his time(M) will come and he will die,(N) or he will go into battle and perish. 11 But the Lord forbid that I should lay a hand on the Lord’s anointed. Now get the spear and water jug that are near his head, and let’s go.”
12 So David took the spear and water jug near Saul’s head, and they left. No one saw or knew about it, nor did anyone wake up. They were all sleeping, because the Lord had put them into a deep sleep.(O)
13 Then David crossed over to the other side and stood on top of the hill some distance away; there was a wide space between them. 14 He called out to the army and to Abner son of Ner, “Aren’t you going to answer me, Abner?”
Abner replied, “Who are you who calls to the king?”
15 David said, “You’re a man, aren’t you? And who is like you in Israel? Why didn’t you guard your lord the king? Someone came to destroy your lord the king. 16 What you have done is not good. As surely as the Lord lives, you and your men must die, because you did not guard your master, the Lord’s anointed. Look around you. Where are the king’s spear and water jug that were near his head?”
17 Saul recognized David’s voice and said, “Is that your voice,(P) David my son?”
David replied, “Yes it is, my lord the king.” 18 And he added, “Why is my lord pursuing his servant? What have I done, and what wrong(Q) am I guilty of? 19 Now let my lord the king listen(R) to his servant’s words. If the Lord has incited you against me, then may he accept an offering.(S) If, however, people have done it, may they be cursed before the Lord! They have driven me today from my share in the Lord’s inheritance(T) and have said, ‘Go, serve other gods.’(U) 20 Now do not let my blood(V) fall to the ground far from the presence of the Lord. The king of Israel has come out to look for a flea(W)—as one hunts a partridge in the mountains.(X)”
21 Then Saul said, “I have sinned.(Y) Come back, David my son. Because you considered my life precious(Z) today, I will not try to harm you again. Surely I have acted like a fool and have been terribly wrong.”
22 “Here is the king’s spear,” David answered. “Let one of your young men come over and get it. 23 The Lord rewards(AA) everyone for their righteousness(AB) and faithfulness. The Lord delivered(AC) you into my hands today, but I would not lay a hand on the Lord’s anointed. 24 As surely as I valued your life today, so may the Lord value my life and deliver(AD) me from all trouble.”
25 Then Saul said to David, “May you be blessed,(AE) David my son; you will do great things and surely triumph.”
So David went on his way, and Saul returned home.
The Voice (VOICE)
The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
New International Version (NIV) 
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