Once Again David Doesn’t Kill Saul When He Has the Chance
1Some people from Ziph went to Saul at Gibeah. They said, “David is hiding on the hill of Hakilah. It faces Jeshimon.”
2So Saul went down to the Desert of Ziph. He took 3,000 of the best soldiers in Israel with him. They went to the desert to look for David. 3Saul set up his camp beside the road. It was on the hill of Hakilah facing Jeshimon. But David stayed in the desert. He saw that Saul had followed him there. 4So he sent out scouts. From them he learned that Saul had arrived.
5Then David started out. He went to the place where Saul had camped. He saw where Saul and Abner were lying down. Saul was lying inside the camp. The army was camped all around him. Abner was commander of the army. He was the son of Ner.
6Then David spoke to Ahimelek, the Hittite. He also spoke to Joab’s brother Abishai, the son of Zeruiah. He asked them, “Who will go down with me into the camp to Saul?”
“I’ll go with you,” said Abishai.
7So that night David and Abishai went into the camp. They found Saul lying asleep inside the camp. His spear was stuck in the ground near his head. Abner and the soldiers were lying asleep around him.
8Abishai said to David, “Today God has handed your enemy over to you. So let me pin him to the ground. I can do it with one jab of the spear. I won’t even have to strike him twice.”
9But David said to Abishai, “Don’t destroy him! No one can do any harm to the Lord’s anointed king and not be guilty. 10You can be sure that the Lord lives,” he said. “And you can be just as sure that the Lord himself will strike Saul down. Perhaps he’ll die a natural death. Or perhaps he’ll go into battle and be killed. 11May the Lord keep me from doing anything to harm his anointed king. Now get the spear and water jug that are near his head. Then let’s leave.”
12So David took the spear and water jug that were near Saul’s head. Then he and Abishai left. No one saw them. No one knew about what they had done. In fact, no one even woke up. Everyone was sleeping. That’s because the Lord had put them into a deep sleep.
13David went across to the other side of the valley. He stood on top of a hill far away from Saul’s camp. There was a wide space between them. 14He called out to the army and to Abner, the son of Ner. He said, “Abner! Aren’t you going to answer me?”
Abner replied, “Who is calling out to the king?”
15David said, “You are a great soldier, aren’t you? There isn’t anyone else like you in Israel. So why didn’t you guard the king? He’s your master, isn’t he? Someone came into the camp to destroy him. 16You didn’t guard him. And that isn’t good. You can be sure that the Lord lives. And you can be just as sure that you and your men must die. That’s because you didn’t guard your master. He’s the Lord’s anointed king. Look around you. Where are the king’s spear and water jug that were near his head?”
17Saul recognized David’s voice. He said, “My son David, is that your voice?”
David replied, “Yes it is, King Saul, my master.” 18He continued, “Why are you chasing me? What evil thing have I done? What am I guilty of? 19King Saul, please listen to what I’m saying. Was it the Lord who made you angry with me? If it was, may he accept my offering. Was it people who made you angry at me? If it was, may the Lord see them cursed. They have driven me today from my share of the Lord’s land. By doing that, they might as well have said, ‘Go and serve other gods.’ 20Don’t spill my blood on the ground far away from where the Lord lives. King Saul, you have come out to look for nothing but a flea. It’s as if you were hunting a partridge in the mountains.”
21Then Saul said, “I have sinned. My son David, come back. Today you thought my life was very special. So I won’t try to harm you again. I’ve really acted like a foolish person. I’ve made a huge mistake.”
22“Here’s your spear,” David answered. “Send one of your young men over to get it. 23The Lord rewards everyone for doing what is right and being faithful. He handed you over to me today. But I wouldn’t harm you. You are the Lord’s anointed king. 24Today I thought your life had great value. In the same way, may the Lord think of my life as having great value. May he save me from all trouble.”
25Then Saul said to David, “May the Lord bless you, David my son. You will do great things. You will also have great success.”
So David went on his way. And Saul returned home.
大卫再次放过扫罗
1西弗人到基比亚见扫罗，说：“大卫正躲在旷野附近的哈基拉山中。” 2扫罗就带领三千以色列精兵到西弗的旷野去追捕大卫。 3他们在旷野附近路边的哈基拉山上扎营。大卫在旷野听说扫罗追来了， 4就派人去打探消息，得知扫罗的追兵果然已到。 5大卫来到扫罗的营地，看见了他和他的元帅——尼珥的儿子押尼珥睡觉的地方，他睡在军营中间，其他人围绕着他扎营。 6大卫问赫人亚希米勒和洗鲁雅的儿子约押的兄弟亚比筛：“谁愿意跟我到扫罗的营里？”亚比筛答道：“我愿意。” 7大卫和亚比筛就趁夜间走进扫罗的军营，发现扫罗正在熟睡，他的矛插在地上，靠近他的头，押尼珥和其他人睡在他周围。 8亚比筛对大卫说：“现在上帝把你的敌人交在你手中了，让我一矛把他钉在地上，决不用刺第二下。” 9大卫却说：“不要杀他，谁杀害耶和华所膏立的王，都难逃罪责。 10我凭永活的耶和华起誓，耶和华必亲手击杀他。他要么寿终而死，要么命丧沙场。 11我在耶和华面前绝不敢出手伤害祂所膏立的王。我们拿走他旁边的矛和水瓶吧。” 12大卫拿上扫罗的矛和水瓶同亚比筛离开了，没有人看见，没有人知道，他们都在沉睡，没有人醒来，因为耶和华使他们都熟睡了。
13大卫爬上营地对面的山坡，远远地站在山顶上，与他们相距很远。 14他呼喊扫罗的士兵和尼珥的儿子押尼珥：“押尼珥，你回答我！”押尼珥问道：“你是谁，竟敢在王面前喊叫？” 15大卫说：“你不是勇士吗？在以色列有谁比得上你呢？有人来刺杀你的王，你的主，你为何没有保护他呢？ 16你失职了。我凭永活的耶和华起誓，你们都该死。因为你们没有保护你们的主——耶和华所膏立的王。你看看王身边的矛和水瓶在哪里？”
17扫罗听出是大卫的声音，就说：“我儿大卫！是你吗？”大卫答道：“我主我王啊，是我。 18我主为什么又要追杀仆人呢？我做错了什么，犯了什么罪？ 19我主我王，请听仆人说，如果是耶和华使你与我作对，愿祂悦纳我献上的祭物；如果这是出于人的主意，愿他们在耶和华面前受咒诅。因为他们赶我离开耶和华所赐的产业，叫我去服侍外族人的神明。 20求你不要让我死在远离耶和华的异乡！以色列王为何要像在山上猎杀鹧鸪一样追捕一只跳蚤呢？”
21扫罗说：“我犯罪了。我儿大卫，你回来吧，我不会再伤害你，因为你今日保存了我的性命。我真是糊涂，犯了大错。” 22大卫答道：“王的矛在这里，请派一个人来拿回去吧。 23耶和华赐福给公义、信实的人。今天耶和华把你交在我手中，但我不愿下手伤害耶和华所膏立的王。 24我今天保存了你的性命，愿耶和华也保存我的性命，救我脱离一切患难。” 25扫罗对大卫说：“我儿大卫，愿你蒙福。你一定能建功立业，战胜仇敌。”于是，大卫起身离开，扫罗也回家去了。
