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.
Dawudi Agaana Omulundi Ogwokubiri Okutta Sawulo
126:1 a 1Sa 23:19 b Zab 54Awo ab’e Zifu ne bagenda eri Sawulo e Gibea ne bamugamba nti, “Olowooza nga Dawudi teyeekwese ku lusozi Kakira, ku luuyi olw’ebuvanjuba olwolekera eddungu Yesimoni?”
226:2 1Sa 13:2; 24:2Awo Sawulo n’abasajja abolondemu enkumi ssatu aba Isirayiri, ne bagolokoka ne baserengeta mu ddungu ery’e Zifu, okunoonya Dawudi. 3Sawulo n’asiisira ku mabbali g’ekkubo ku lusozi Kakira okwolekera eddungu, naye Dawudi n’asigala mu ddungu. Awo bwe yalaba Sawulo ng’amugoberedde mu ddungu, 4n’atuma abakessi okukakasiza ddala obanga Sawulo yali atuuse.
526:5 1Sa 14:50; 17:55Dawudi n’agolokoka n’agenda mu kifo Sawulo we yali asiisidde. N’alaba Sawulo ne Abuneeri mutabani wa Neeri omuduumizi w’eggye, we baali beebase. Sawulo yali yeebase wakati mu lusiisira, ng’eggye limwetoolodde.
626:6 Bal 7:10-11; 1By 2:16Awo Dawudi n’abuuza Akimereki Omukiiti ne Abisaayi muganda wa Yowaabu, mutabani wa Zeruyiya26:6 Zeruyiya ye yali mwannyina Dawudi omukulu (1By 2:16). Noolwekyo Abisaayi, ne Yowaabu (eyafuuka omuduumizi w’eggye kya Dawudi) ne Asakeri baali batabani be (2Sa 2:18). nti, “Ani anaaserengeta nange, tugende mu lusiisira lwa Sawulo?” Abisaayi n’addamu nti, “Nze n’aserengeta naawe.”
7Awo Dawudi ne Abisaayi ne bagenda mu lusiisira ekiro, ne basanga Sawulo nga yeebase wakati mu lusiisira, effumu lye nga lisimbiddwa mu ttaka emitwetwe we. Abuneeri n’abaserikale baali beebase okumwetooloola.
8Abisaayi n’agamba Dawudi nti, “Leero, Katonda awaddeyo omulabe wo mu mukono gwo. Kale nno mpa olukusa mmufumitire wansi awo n’effumu. Siimufumite gwakubiri.”
926:9 a 2Sa 1:14 b 1Sa 24:5Naye Dawudi n’addamu Abisaayi nti, “Tomuzikiriza, kubanga ani ayinza okugolola omukono gwe okutta oyo Mukama gwe yafukako amafuta, n’ataba na musango? 1026:10 a 1Sa 25:38; Bar 12:19 b Lub 47:29; Ma 31:14; Zab 37:13 c 1Sa 31:6; 2Sa 1:1Mukama nga bw’ali omulamu, Mukama yennyini yali mukuba. Luliba lumu, olunaku lwe lulituuka n’afa, oba aligenda mu lutalo n’azikiririra eyo. 11Kikafuuwe nze okugolola omukono gwange okutta oyo Mukama gwe yafukako amafuta. Naye ddira effumu n’eccupa ey’amazzi ebiri emitwetwe we obisitule tugende.”
1226:12 Lub 2:21; 15:12Awo Dawudi n’aggyawo effumu n’eccupa ey’amazzi ebyali emitwetwe wa Sawulo ne bagenda. Tewali yabalaba newaakubadde okukitegeera, wadde okusisimuka, kubanga bonna Mukama yali abeebasiza otulo tungi nnyo.
13N’oluvannyuma Dawudi n’asomoka n’agenda emitala, n’ayimirira walako ku ntikko ey’olusozi, nga wakati waabwe waliwo ekibangirizi kinene. 14N’akoowoola eggye ne Abuneeri mutabani wa Neeri ng’ayogera nti, “Tonziremu gwe Abuneeri?” Abuneeri n’addamu nti, “Ggwe ani alangiriza kabaka?”
15Awo Dawudi n’agamba Abuneeri nti, “Oli musajja muzira, si bwe kiri? Ani akwenkana mu Isirayiri? Kiki ekyakulobedde okukuuma obulungi mukama wo kabaka? Kubanga waabaddewo omuntu eyazze okuzikiriza mukama wo kabaka. 16Ekyo kye wakoze si kirungi. Nga Mukama bw’ali omulamu, ggwe n’abasajja bo musaana kufa, olw’obulagajjavu bwammwe, kubanga temwakuumye mukama wammwe, Mukama gwe yafukako amafuta. Mutunule mwetegereze; effumu lya kabaka n’eccupa ey’amazzi ebyabadde emitwetwe wa kabaka biri ludda wa?”
1726:17 1Sa 24:16Sawulo n’ategeera nga ddoboozi lya Dawudi, n’abuuza nti, “Ye ggwe mutabani wange Dawudi?” Dawudi n’addamu nti, “Ye nze mukama wange kabaka.” 1826:18 1Sa 24:9, 11-14Dawudi n’amubuuza nti, “Lwaki oyigganya omuweereza wo? Nakola ki, era musango ki gwe nazza? 1926:19 a 2Sa 16:11 b 2Sa 14:16Kaakano nno, mukama wange kabaka wuliriza ebigambo by’omuweereza wo. Obanga Mukama ye yakusindise okunjigganya, akkirize ekiweebwayo. Naye bwe baba nga baana ba bantu, bakolimirwe mu maaso ga Mukama, kubanga leero bangobye nneme okugabana mu busika bwa Mukama nga bagamba nti, ‘Genda oweereze bakatonda abalala.’ 2026:20 1Sa 24:14Kale nno omusaayi gwange guleme okuyiyibwa wansi ewala Mukama gy’atabeera. Kabaka wa Isirayiri avuddeyo okunoonya enkukunyi, ng’omuntu bwe yandiyizze enkwale mu nsozi.”
2126:21 a Kuv 9:27; 1Sa 15:24 b 1Sa 24:17Awo Sawulo n’ayogera nti, “Nnyonoonye. Komawo mutabani wange Dawudi. Sigenda kuddamu kugezaako kukukolako kabi n’akamu, kubanga leero ondaze, obulamu bwange bwe buli obw’omuwendo mu maaso go. Laba neeyisizza ng’omusirusiru, era nnyonoonye ekiyitiridde.”
22Dawudi n’addamu nti, “Effumu lya kabaka liirino. Tuma omu ku bavubuka bo ajje aliddukire. 2326:23 a Zab 62:12 b Zab 7:8; 18:20, 24Mukama asasula buli muntu ng’obutuukirivu bwe n’obwesigwa bwe, bwe biri. Mukama yakuwaddeyo mu mukono gwange leero, naye ne sigolola mukono gwange ku oyo Mukama gwe yafukako amafuta. 2426:24 Zab 54:7Nga bwe mbaliridde obulamu bwo okuba obw’omuwendo leero, kale obulamu bwange bubeere bwa muwendo mu maaso ga Mukama, era andokole mu bizibu byonna.”
25Awo Sawulo n’addamu nti, “Oweebwe omukisa mutabani wange Dawudi. Olikola ebintu ebikulu bingi era oliraba omukisa mu byo.”
Awo Dawudi n’agenda amakubo ge, ne Sawulo ne yeddirayo ewuwe.
