CHAP. XXVI.

1 Saul by the discouery of the Ziphites, commeth to Hachilah against Dauid. 4 Dauid comming into the trench, stayeth Abishai from killing Saul, but taketh his speare and cruse. 13 Dauid reprooueth Abner, 18 and exhorteth Saul. 21 Saul acknowledgeth his sinne.

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¹ And the Ziphites came vnto Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doeth not Dauid hide himselfe in the hill of Hachilah, which is before Ieshimon?¹

² Then Saul arose, and went downe to the wildernesse of Ziph, hauing three thousand chosen men of Israel with him, to seeke Dauid in the wildernesse of Ziph.

³ And Saul pitched in the hill of Hachilah, which is before Ieshimon by the way: but Dauid abode in the wildernesse, and he saw that Saul came after him into the wildernesse.

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⁴ Dauid therefore sent out spies, and vnderstood that Saul was come in very deed.

⁵ ¶ And Dauid arose, and came to the place where Saul had pitched: and Dauid beheld the place where Saul lay, and Abner the sonne of Ner the captaine of his hoste: and Saul lay in the trench, and the people pitched round about him.⁵

⁶ Then answered Dauid, and sayd to Ahimelech the Hittite, and to Abishai the sonne of Zeruiah brother to Ioab, saying, Who will goe downe with me to Saul to the campe? And Abishai sayd, I will goe downe with thee.

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⁷ So Dauid and Abishai came to the people by night, and behold, Saul lay sleeping within the trench, and his speare stucke in the ground at his bolster: but Abner and the people lay round about him.

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⁸ Then said Abishai to Dauid, God hath deliuered thine enemie into thine hand this day: now therefore let mee smite him, I pray thee, with the speare, euen to the earth at once, and I will not smite him the second time.⁸

⁹ And Dauid sayd to Abishai, Destroy him not: for who can stretch forth his hand against the Lords Anointed, and be guiltlesse?

¹⁰ Dauid said furthermore, As the Lord liueth, the Lord shal smite him, or his day shall come to die, or hee shall descend into battell, and perish.

¹¹ The Lord forbid that I should stretch foorth mine hand against the Lords Anointed: but I pray thee, take thou now the speare that is at his bolster, and the cruse of water, and let vs goe.

¹² So Dauid tooke the speare and the cruse of water from Sauls bolster, and they gate them away, and no man saw it, nor knew it, neither awaked: for they were all asleepe, because a deepe sleepe from the Lord was fallen vpon them.

¹³ ¶ Then Dauid went ouer to the other side, and stood on the toppe of an hill afarre off (a great space being betweene them:)

¹⁴ And Dauid cryed to the people, and to Abner the sonne of Ner, saying, Answerest thou not, Abner? Then Abner answered, and sayd, Who art thou that cryest to the King?

¹⁵ And Dauid 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 liueth, ye are worthy to die, because yee haue not kept your master the Lords Anointed: and now see where the Kings speare is, and the cruse of water that was at his bolster.¹⁶

¹⁷ And Saul knew Dauids voyce, and said, Is this thy voice, my sonne Dauid? And Dauid saide, It is my voice, my lord, O king.

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¹⁸ And he said, Wherefore doeth my lord thus pursue after his seruant? for what haue I done? or what euill is in mine hand?

¹⁹ Now therefore, I pray thee, let my lord the king heare the words of his seruant: If the Lord haue stirred thee vp against mee, let him accept an offering: but if they be the children of men, cursed be they before the Lord: for they haue driuen me out this day from abiding in the inheritance of the Lord, saying, Goe serue other gods.¹⁹

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 seeke a flea, as when one doeth hunt a partridge in the mountaines.

²¹ ¶ Then said Saul, I haue sinned: Returne, my sonne Dauid, for I will no more doe thee harme, because my soule was precious in thine eyes this day: behold, I haue played the foole, and haue erred exceedingly.

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²² And Dauid answered, and sayd, Behold the kings speare, and let one of the yong men come ouer and fetch it.

²³ The Lord render to euery man his righteousnesse, and his faithfulnesse: for the Lord deliuered thee into my hand to day, but I would not stretch foorth mine hand against the Lords Anointed.

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²⁴ And behold, as thy life was much set by this day in mine eyes: so let my life bee much set by in the eyes of the Lord, and let him deliuer me out of all tribulation.

²⁵ Then Saul said to Dauid, Blessed be thou, my sonne Dauid: thou shalt both doe great things, and also shalt still preuaile. So Dauid went on his way, and Saul returned to his place.