David spares Saul’s life a second time
26
📚And the Ziphites came to Saul at Gibeah, saying, “Is not David hiding himself in the hill of Hachilah, which is before Jeshimon?”26:1 1 Sam 23:19. See Psalm 54, written when David heard that the Ziphites had betrayed him to Saul.⚜
2 📚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. 3 📚And Saul camped by the road at the hill of Hachilah, which is before Jeshimon. But David stayed in the wilderness, and he saw that Saul came after him into the wilderness. 4 📚David therefore sent out spies, and found out that Saul had indeed arrived.
5 📚And David arose and came to the place where Saul was camping; and David saw the place where Saul and Abner the son of Ner, the commander of his army, were lying. And Saul was lying inside the lines, and the people were camped all around him. 6 📚Then David answered and said to Ahimelech the Hittite 📖 and to Abishai the son of Zeruiah 📖, the brother to Joab, saying, “Who will go down with me to Saul at the camp?” And Abishai said, “I will go down with you”.
7 📚So David and Abishai came to the people at night and saw that Saul lay sleeping inside the lines, with his spear stuck in the ground at his head; and Abner and the people lay all around him. 8 📚Then Abishai said to David, “Today God has delivered your enemy into your hands. Now therefore please let me strike him with the spear into the ground at once, and I will not strike him the second time”.
9 📚And David said to Abishai, “Do not destroy him, for who can stretch out his hand against the LORD’s anointed and be innocent?”
26:8-9 1 Sam 24:4-7. David’s first concern was not for his own safety, but to be blameless before God.⚜
10 📚David also said, “As the LORD lives, the LORD will strike him, or his day to die will come, or he will go down to the battle and perish. 11 📚The LORD forbid that I should stretch out my hand against the LORD’s anointed. But please now take the spear that is at his head and the jug of water, and let us go”.
12 📚So David took the spear and the jug of water from near Saul’s head and they went away. And no man saw it or knew it, and no one woke up, for they were all asleep 📖, because a deep sleep from the LORD had fallen on them.
13 📚Then David went over to the other side and stood on the top of a hill at a distance, with a wide space between them. 14 And David cried out to the people and to Abner the son of Ner, saying, “Abner! Will you not answer?” Then Abner answered and said, “Who are you who calls to the king?”
15 And David said to Abner, “Are you not a brave man? Who is like you in Israel? Why then have you not guarded your lord the king? For one of the people came in to destroy your lord the king. 16 📚This thing you have done is not good. As the LORD lives, you deserve to die, because you have not guarded your master, the LORD’s anointed. And now look! Where is the king’s spear, and the jug of water that was at his head?”
17 📚And Saul recognized David’s voice, and said, “Is this your voice, my son David?” And David said, “It is my voice, my lord, O king”. 18 📚And he said, “Why does my lord pursue his servant like this? For what have I done? Or what evil is in my hands? 19 📚Now therefore please let my lord the king hear the words of his servant. If the LORD has stirred you up against me, let him accept an offering. But if it is the children of men, may they be cursed before the LORD, for they have driven me out 📖 today from living in the inheritance of the LORD, saying, ‘Go, serve other gods.’ 20 📚Now therefore, do not let my blood fall to the earth before the face of the LORD, for the king of Israel has come out to seek a flea, as when someone hunts a partridge in the mountains”.
21 📚Then Saul said, “I have sinned. Return 📖, my son David, for I will no longer harm you, because my life was precious in your eyes today. Look, I have played the fool and have erred exceedingly”.
26:21 There are many ways to confess one’s sins, but only one way is acceptable to God – 1 Sam 15:24, 30; Ex 9:27; Num 22:34; Josh 7:20; 2 Sam 12:13; 24:10; Matt 27:4; Luke 15:21. See 2 Chron 7:14; Prov 28:13; Isa 55:7⚜
22 And David answered and said, “See the king’s spear! Let one of the young men come over and get it. 23 📚The LORD repays every man according to his righteousness and his faithfulness; for the LORD delivered you into my hand today, but I would not stretch out my hand against the LORD’s anointed. 24 📚And, look, as your life was very valuable today in my eyes, so let my life be very valuable in the eyes of the LORD, and let him deliver me out of all trouble”.
25 📚Then Saul said to David, “May you be blessed, my son David! You will both do great things and also prevail”. So David went on his way, and Saul returned to his place.
26:25 Even Saul had to acknowledge David’s greatness. As far as we know, Saul and David never met again after this parting.⚜