1 And the Ziphites came unto Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doth not David hide himself in the hill of Hachilah, which is before Jeshimon? 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 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. 4 David therefore sent out spies, and understood that Saul was come in very deed.
5 ¶ 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.
6 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. 7 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. 8 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. 9 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: 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.
1 et venerunt Ziphei ad Saul in Gabaa dicentes
ecce David absconditus est in colle Achilae
quae est ex adverso solitudinis
2 et surrexit Saul et descendit in desertum Ziph
et cum eo tria milia virorum de electis Israhel
ut quaereret David in deserto Ziph
3 et castrametatus est Saul in Gabaa Achilae
quae erat ex adverso solitudinis in via
David autem habitabat in deserto
videns autem quod venisset Saul post se in desertum
4 misit exploratores et didicit quod venisset
certissime
5 et surrexit David et venit ad locum ubi erat Saul
cumque vidisset locum in quo dormiebat Saul
et Abner filius Ner princeps militiae eius
Saulem dormientem in tentorio
et reliquum vulgus per circuitum eius
6 ait David ad Ahimelech Cettheum
et Abisai filium Sarviae fratrem Ioab dicens
quis descendet mecum ad Saul in castra
dixitque Abisai ego descendam tecum
7 venerunt ergo David et Abisai ad populum nocte
et invenerunt Saul iacentem et dormientem in tentorio
et hastam fixam in terra ad caput eius
Abner autem et populum dormientes in circuitu eius
8 dixitque Abisai ad David
conclusit Deus hodie inimicum tuum in manus
tuas
nunc ergo perfodiam eum lancea in terra semel
et secundo opus non erit
9 et dixit David ad Abisai ne interficias eum
quis enim extendit manum suam in christum Domini
et innocens erit
10 et dixit David
vivit Dominus quia nisi Dominus percusserit eum
aut dies eius venerit ut moriatur
aut in proelium descendens perierit
11 propitius mihi sit Dominus
ne extendam manum meam in christum Domini
nunc igitur tolle hastam quae est ad caput eius
et scyphum aquae et abeamus
12 tulit ergo David hastam et scyphum aquae qui erat
ad caput Saul
et abierunt et non erat quisquam
qui videret et intellegeret et vigilaret
sed omnes dormiebant quia sopor Domini inruerat super eos
13 cumque transisset David ex adverso
et stetisset in vertice montis de longe
et esset grande intervallum inter eos
14 clamavit David ad populum et ad Abner filium Ner dicens
nonne respondebis Abner
et respondens Abner ait
quis es tu qui clamas et inquietas regem
15 et ait David ad Abner
numquid non vir tu es et quis alius similis tui in Israhel
quare ergo non custodisti dominum tuum regem
ingressus est enim unus de turba
ut interficeret regem dominum tuum
16 non est bonum hoc quod fecisti
vivit Dominus quoniam filii mortis estis vos
qui non custodistis dominum vestrum christum Domini
nunc ergo vide ubi sit hasta regis
et ubi scyphus aquae qui erat ad caput eius
17 cognovit autem Saul vocem David et dixit
num vox tua est haec fili
mi David
et David vox mea domine mi rex
18 et ait quam ob causam dominus meus persequitur servum suum
quid feci aut quod est in manu mea malum
19 nunc ergo audi oro domine mi rex verba servi tui
si Dominus incitat te adversum me odoretur sacrificium
si autem filii hominum maledicti sunt in conspectu Domini
qui eiecerunt me hodie ut non habitem in hereditate Domini
dicentes vade servi diis alienis
20 et nunc non effundatur sanguis meus in terra coram Domino
quia egressus est rex Israhel ut quaerat pulicem unum
sicut persequitur perdix in montibus
21 et ait Saul peccavi revertere fili mi David
nequaquam enim ultra male tibi faciam
eo quod pretiosa fuerit anima mea in oculis tuis hodie
apparet quod stulte egerim et ignoraverim multa nimis
22 et respondens David ait
ecce hasta regis transeat unus de pueris et tollat eam
23 Dominus autem retribuet unicuique secundum iustitiam suam et fidem
tradidit enim te Dominus hodie in manu mea
et nolui levare manum meam in christum Domini
24 et sicuti magnificata est anima tua hodie in oculis meis
sic magnificetur anima mea in oculis Domini
et liberet me de omni angustia
25 ait ergo Saul ad David benedictus tu fili mi David
et quidem faciens facies et potens poteris
abiit autem David in viam suam
et Saul reversus est in locum suum