1 Samuel
1 Samuel 26
King James Version · tap any highlighted word for context
1 Samuel 26 — Scripture text (King James Version)
And the came unto to , saying, Doth not hide himself in the hill of , which is before ? Then arose, and went down to the wilderness of , having three thousand chosen men of with him, to seek in the wilderness of . And pitched in the hill of , which is before , by the way. But abode in the wilderness, and he saw that came after him into the wilderness. therefore sent out spies, and understood that was come in very deed. And arose, and came to the place where had pitched: and beheld the place where lay, and the son of , the captain of his host: and lay in the trench, and the people pitched round about him. Then answered and said to the , and to the son of , brother to , saying, Who will go down with me to to the camp? And said, I will go down with thee. So and came to the people by night: and, behold, lay sleeping within the trench, and his stuck in the ground at his bolster: but and the people lay round about him. Then said to , God hath delivered thine enemy into thine hand this day: now therefore let me smite him, I pray thee, with the even to the earth at once, and I will not smite him the second time. And said to , Destroy him not: for who can stretch forth his hand against the LORD’S anointed, and be guiltless? 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. The LORD forbid that I should stretch forth mine hand against the LORD’S anointed: but, I pray thee, take thou now the that is at his bolster, and the cruse of water, and let us go. So took the and the cruse of water from ’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. Then went over to the other side, and stood the top of an hill afar off; a great space being between them: And cried to the people, and to the son of , saying, Answerest thou not, ? Then answered and said, Who art thou that criest to the king? And said to , Art not thou a valiant man? and who is like to thee in ? wherefore then hast thou not kept thy lord the king? for there came one of the people in to destroy the king thy lord. 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 is, and the cruse of water that was at his bolster. And knew ’s voice, and said, Is this thy voice, my son ? And said, It is my voice, my lord, O king. And he said, Wherefore doth my lord thus pursue after his servant? for what have I done? or what evil is in mine hand? 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. Now therefore, let not my blood fall to the earth before the face of the LORD: for the king of is come out to seek a flea, as when one doth hunt a partridge in the mountains. Then said , I have sinned: return, my son : 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. And answered and said, Behold the king’s ! and let one of the young men come over and fetch it. The LORD render to every man his 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. 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. Then said to , Blessed be thou, my son : thou shalt both do great things, and also shalt still prevail. So went his way, and returned to his place.