1st Shamu'AL (1 Samuel) — 26
Daud Spares King Shaul life Again
1 Now some men from Ziph came to king Shaul at Gibaah to tell him, “Daud is hiding on the hill of Hakilah, which overlooks Yashimun.”
2 So Shaul took three thousand of Yashar'AL’s elite troops and went to hunt Daud down in the wilderness of Ziph.
3 Shaul camped along the road beside the hill of Hakilah, near Yashimun, where Daud was hiding. When Daud learned that Shaul had come after him into the wilderness,
4 he sent out spies to verify the report of Shaul’s arrival.
5 Daud slipped over to Shaul’s camp one night to look around. Shaul and Abnar son of Nar, the commander of his army, were sleeping inside a ring formed by the slumbering warriors.
6 “Who will volunteer to go in there with me?” Daud asked Ahimalach the Hittite and Abishai son of Zaruyahu, Yuab’s brother. I will go with you,” Abishai replied.
7 So Daud and Abishai went right into Shaul’s camp and found him asleep, with his spear stuck in the ground beside his head. Abnar and the soldiers were lying asleep around him.
8 Your 𐤀𐤋𐤅𐤄_ALUAH has surely handed your enemy over to you this time!” Abishai whispered to Daud. “Let me pin him to the ground with one thrust of the spear; I will not need to strike twice!”
9 “Daud said. No “Don’t kill him. For who can remain innocent after attacking 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH’s anointed one?
10 Surely 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH will strike Shaul down someday, or he will die of old age or in battle.
11 But 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH forbid that I should kill the one he has anointed, take his spear and that jug of water beside his head, and then let’s get out of here!”
12 So Daud took the spear and jug of water that were near Shaul’s head. Then he and Abishai got away without anyone seeing them or even waking up, because 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH had put Shaul’s men into a deep sleep.
13 Daud climbed the hill opposite the camp until he was at a safe distance.
14 Then Daud shouted down to the soldiers and to Abnar son of Nar, “Wake up, Abnar! “Who is it?” Abnar demanded.
15 “Well, Abnar, you are a great man, are you not?” Daud taunted. “Where in all Yashar'AL is there anyone as mighty? So why have you not guarded your master the king when someone came to kill him?
16 This is not good at all! I swear by 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH that you and your men deserve to die, because you failed to protect your master, the anointed of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH! Look around! Where are the king’s spear and the jug of water that were beside his head?”
17 Shaul recognized Daud’s voice and called out, “Is that you, my son Daud?” And Daud replied, “Yes, my master the king.
18 Why are you chasing me? What have I done? What is my crime?
19 But now let my master the king listen to his servant. If 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH has stirred you up against me, then let him accept my offering. But if this is simply a human scheme, then may those involved be cursed by 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH. For they have driven me from my home, so I can no longer live among 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH’s people, and they have said, ‘Go, worship pagan idols.’
20 Must I die on foreign soil, far from the presence of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH? Why has the king of Yashar'AL come out to search for a single flea? Why does he hunt me down like a partridge on the mountains?”
21 Then Shaul confessed, “I have sinned. Come back home, my son, and I will no longer try to harm you, for you valued my life today. I have been a fool and very, very wrong.”
22 “Here is your spear, O king,” Daud replied. “Let one of your young men come over and get it.
23 For 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH gives his own reward for doing good and for being loyal, and I refused to kill you even when 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH placed you in my power, for you are 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH’s anointed one.
24 Now may 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH value my life, even as I have valued yours today. May 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH rescue me from all my troubles.”
25 And Shaul said to Daud, “Barakah on you, my son Daud. You will do many heroic deeds, and you will surely succeed.” Then Daud went away, and Shaul returned home.