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And the
Ziphites came unto Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doth
not David hide himself in the hill of Hachilah,
which is before Jeshimon?
02 Then Saul arose, and went down to the
wilderness of Ziph, having three thousand chosen
men of Israel with him, to seek David in the
wilderness of Ziph.
03 And Saul pitched in the hill of Hachilah,
which is before Jeshimon, by the way. But David
abode in the wilderness, and he saw that Saul
came after him into the wilderness.
04 David therefore sent out spies, and understood
that Saul was come in very deed.
05 And David arose, and came to the place where
Saul had pitched: and David beheld the place
where Saul lay, and Abner the son of Ner, the
captain of his host: and Saul lay in the trench,
and the people pitched round about him.
06 Then answered David and said to Ahimelech the
Hittite, and to Abishai the son of Zeruiah,
brother to Joab, saying, Who will go down with me
to Saul to the camp? And Abishai said, I will go
down with thee.
07 So David and Abishai came to the people by
night: and, behold, Saul lay sleeping within the
trench, and his spear stuck in the ground at his
bolster: but Abner and the people lay round about
him.
08 Then said Abishai to David, God hath delivered
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 time.
09 And David said to Abishai, Destroy him not:
for who can stretch forth his hand against the
Lord's anointed, and be guiltless?
10 David said furthermore, As the Lord liveth,
the Lord shall smite him; or his day shall come
to die; or he shall descend into battle, and
perish.
11 The Lord forbid that I should 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 David 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 sleep from
the Lord was fallen upon them.
13 Then David went over to the other side, and
stood on the top of an hill afar off; a great
space being between them:
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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 came 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 die, because ye
have not kept your master, the Lord's 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
thy voice, my son David? And David said, It is my
voice, my lord, O king.
18 And he said, Wherefore doth my lord thus
pursue after his servant? for what have I done?
or what evil is in mine hand?
19 Now therefore, I pray thee, let my lord the
king hear the words of his servant. If the Lord
have stirred thee up against me, let him accept
an offering: but if they be the children of men,
cursed be they before the Lord; for they have
driven me out this day from abiding in the
inheritance of the Lord, saying, Go, serve other
gods.
20 Now therefore, let not my blood fall to the
earth before the face of the Lord: for the king
of Israel is come out to seek a flea, as when one
doth hunt a partridge in the mountains.
21 Then said Saul, I have sinned: return, my son
David: for I will no more do thee harm, because
my soul 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 render to every man his righteousness
and his faithfulness; for the Lord delivered thee
into my hand to day, but I would not stretch
forth mine hand against the Lord's anointed.
24 And, behold, as thy life 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 deliver me
out of all tribulation.
25 Then Saul said to David, Blessed be thou, my
son David: thou shalt both do great things, and
also shalt still prevail. So David went on his
way, and Saul returned to his place.
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