1 Samuel 26 — Side by side (ASV, WEB, YLT)

1And the Ziphites came unto Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doth not David hide himself in the hill of Hachilah, which is before the desert?

1And the Ziphites come in unto Saul, at Gibeah, saying, `Is not David hiding himself in the height of Hachilah, on the front of the desert?'

2Then 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.

2And Saul riseth, and goeth down unto the wilderness of Ziph, and with him three thousand men, chosen ones of Israel, to seek David in the wilderness of Ziph.

3And Saul encamped in the hill of Hachilah, which is before the desert, by the way. But David abode in the wilderness, and he saw that Saul came after him into the wilderness.

3And Saul encampeth in the height of Hachilah, which <FI>is<Fi> on the front of the desert, by the way, and David is abiding in the wilderness, and he seeth that Saul hath come after him in to the wilderness;

4David therefore sent out spies, and understood that Saul was come of a certainty.

4and David sendeth spies, and knoweth that Saul hath come unto Nachon,

5And David arose, and came to the place where Saul had encamped; and David beheld the place where Saul lay, and Abner the son of Ner, the captain of his host: and Saul lay within the place of the wagons, and the people were encamped round about him.

5and David riseth, and cometh in unto the place where Saul hath encamped, and David seeth the place where Saul hath lain, and Abner son of Ner, head of his host, and Saul is lying in the path, and the people are encamping round about him.

6Then 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.

6And David answereth and saith unto Ahimelech the Hittite, and unto Abishai son of Zeruiah, brother of Joab, saying, `Who doth go down with me unto Saul, unto the camp?' and Abishai saith, `I--I go down with thee.'

7So David and Abishai came to the people by night: and, behold, Saul lay sleeping within the place of the wagons, with his spear stuck in the ground at his head; and Abner and the people lay round about him.

7And David cometh--and Abishai--unto the people by night, and lo, Saul is lying sleeping in the path, and his spear struck into the earth at his pillow, and abner and the people are lying round about him.

8Then said Abishai to David, God hath delivered up thine enemy into thy hand this day: now therefore let me smite him, I pray thee, with the spear to the earth at one stroke, and I will not smite him the second time.

8And Abishai saith unto David, `God hath shut up to-day thine enemy into thy hand; and, now, let me smite him, I pray thee, with a spear, even into the earth at once--and I do repeat <FI>it<Fi> to him.'

9And David said to Abishai, Destroy him not; for who can put forth his hand against Jehovah’s anointed, and be guiltless?

9And David saith unto Abishai, `Destroy him not; for who hath put forth his hand against the anointed of Jehovah, and been acquitted?'

10And David said, As Jehovah liveth, Jehovah will smite him; or his day shall come to die; or he shall go down into battle and perish.

10And David saith, `Jehovah liveth; except Jehovah doth smite him, or his day come that he hath died, or into battle he go down, and hath been consumed--

11Jehovah forbid that I should put forth my hand against Jehovah’s anointed: but now take, I pray thee, the spear that is at his head, and the cruse of water, and let us go.

11far be it from me, by Jehovah, from putting forth my hand against the anointed of Jehovah; and, now, take, I pray thee, the spear which <FI>is<Fi> at his pillow, and the cruse of water, and we go away.'

12So David took the spear and the cruse of water from Saul’s head; and they gat them away: and no man saw it, nor knew it, neither did any awake; for they were all asleep, because a deep sleep from Jehovah was fallen upon them.

12And David taketh the spear, and the cruse of water at the pillow of Saul, and they go away, and there is none seeing, and there is none knowing, and there is none awaking, for all of them are sleeping, for a deep sleep <FI>from<Fi> Jehovah hath fallen upon them.

13Then David went over to the other side, and stood on the top of the mountain afar off; a great space being between them;

13And David passeth over to the other side, and standeth on the top of the hill afar off--great <FI>is<Fi> the place between them;

14and 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?

14and David calleth unto the people, and unto Abner son of Ner, saying, `Dost thou not answer, Abner?' and Abner answereth and saith, `Who <FI>art<Fi> thou <FI>who<Fi> hast called unto the king?'

15And David said to Abner, Art not thou a valiant man? and who is like to thee in Israel? wherefore then hast thou not kept watch over thy lord the king? for there came one of the people in to destroy the king thy lord.

15And David saith unto Abner, `Art not thou a man? and who <FI>is<Fi> like thee in Israel? but why hast thou not watched over thy lord the king? for one of the people had come in to destroy the king, thy lord.

16This thing is not good that thou hast done. As Jehovah liveth, ye are worthy to die, because ye have not kept watch over your lord, Jehovah’s anointed. And now see where the king’s spear is, and the cruse of water that was at his head.

16Not good is this thing which thou hast done; Jehovah liveth, but ye <FI>are<Fi> sons of death, in that ye have not watched over your lord, over the anointed of Jehovah; and now, see where the king's spear <FI>is<Fi> , and the cruse of water which <FI>is<Fi> at his bolster.'

17And 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.

17And Saul discerneth the voice of David, and saith, `Is this thy voice, my son David?' and David saith, `My voice, my lord, O king!'

18And he said, Wherefore doth my lord pursue after his servant? for what have I done? or what evil is in my hand?

18and he saith, `Why <FI>is<Fi> this--my lord is pursuing after his servant? for what have I done, and what <FI>is<Fi> in my hand evil?

19Now therefore, I pray thee, let my lord the king hear the words of his servant. If it be Jehovah that hath stirred thee up against me, let him accept an offering: but if it be the children of men, cursed be they before Jehovah; for they have driven me out this day that I should not cleave unto the inheritance of Jehovah, saying, Go, serve other gods.

19And, now, let, I pray thee, my lord the king hear the words of his servant: if Jehovah hath moved thee against me, let Him accept a present; and if the sons of men--cursed <FI>are<Fi> they before Jehovah, for they have cast me out to-day from being admitted into the inheritance of Jehovah, saying, Go, serve other gods.

20Now therefore, let not my blood fall to the earth away from the presence of Jehovah: for the king of Israel is come out to seek a flea, as when one doth hunt a partridge in the mountains.

20`And now, let not my blood fall to the earth over-against the face of Jehovah, for the king of Israel hath come out to seek one flea, as <FI>one<Fi> pursueth the partridge in mountains.'

21Then said Saul, I have sinned: return, my son David; for I will no more do thee harm, because my life was precious in thine eyes this day: behold, I have played the fool, and have erred exceedingly.

21And Saul saith, `I have sinned; turn back, my son David, for I do evil to thee no more, because that my soul hath been precious in thine eyes this day; lo, I have acted foolishly, and do err very greatly.'

22And David answered and said, Behold the spear, O king! let then one of the young men come over and fetch it.

22And David answereth and saith, `Lo, the king's spear; and let one of the young men pass over, and receive it;

23And Jehovah will render to every man his righteousness and his faithfulness; forasmuch as Jehovah delivered thee into my hand to-day, and I would not put forth my hand against Jehovah’s anointed.

23and Jehovah doth turn back to each his righteousness and his faithfulness, in that Jehovah hath given thee to-day into <FI>my<Fi> hand, and I have not been willing to put forth my hand against the anointed of Jehovah,

24And, 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 Jehovah, and let him deliver me out of all tribulation.

24and lo, as thy soul hath been great this day in mine eyes, so is my soul great in the eyes of Jehovah, and He doth deliver me out of all distress.'

25Then Saul said to David, Blessed be thou, my son David: thou shalt both do mightily, and shalt surely prevail. So David went his way, and Saul returned to his place.

25And Saul saith unto David, `Blessed <FI>art<Fi> thou, my son David, also working thou dost work, and also prevailing thou dost prevail.' And David goeth on his way, and Saul hath turned back to his place.