David Again Spares Saul’s Life
1The Ziphites went to Saul at Gibeah and said, “Is not David hiding on the hill of Hakilah, which faces Jeshimon?”
2So Saul went down to the Desert of Ziph, with his three thousand select Israelite troops, to search there for David. 3Saul made his camp beside the road on the hill of Hakilah facing Jeshimon, but David stayed in the wilderness. When he saw that Saul had followed him there, 4he sent out scouts and learned that Saul had definitely arrived.
5Then David set out and went to the place where Saul had camped. He saw where Saul and Abner son of Ner, the commander of the army, had lain down. Saul was lying inside the camp, with the army encamped around him.
6David then asked Ahimelek the Hittite and Abishai son of Zeruiah, Joab’s brother, “Who will go down into the camp with me to Saul?”
“I’ll go with you,” said Abishai.
7So David and Abishai went to the army by night, and there was Saul, lying asleep inside the camp with his spear stuck in the ground near his head. Abner and the soldiers were lying around him.
8Abishai said to David, “Today God has delivered your enemy into your hands. Now let me pin him to the ground with one thrust of the spear; I won’t strike him twice.”
9But David said to Abishai, “Don’t destroy him! Who can lay a hand on the Lord’s anointed and be guiltless? 10As surely as the Lord lives,” he said, “the Lord himself will strike him, or his time will come and he will die, or he will go into battle and perish. 11But the Lord forbid that I should lay a hand on the Lord’s anointed. Now get the spear and water jug that are near his head, and let’s go.”
12So David took the spear and water jug near Saul’s head, and they left. No one saw or knew about it, nor did anyone wake up. They were all sleeping, because the Lord had put them into a deep sleep.
13Then David crossed over to the other side and stood on top of the hill some distance away; there was a wide space between them. 14He called out to the army and to Abner son of Ner, “Aren’t you going to answer me, Abner?”
Abner replied, “Who are you who calls to the king?”
15David said, “You’re a man, aren’t you? And who is like you in Israel? Why didn’t you guard your lord the king? Someone came to destroy your lord the king. 16What you have done is not good. As surely as the Lord lives, you and your men must die, because you did not guard your master, the Lord’s anointed. Look around you. Where are the king’s spear and water jug that were near his head?”
17Saul recognized David’s voice and said, “Is that your voice, David my son?”
David replied, “Yes it is, my lord the king.” 18And he added, “Why is my lord pursuing his servant? What have I done, and what wrong am I guilty of? 19Now let my lord the king listen to his servant’s words. If the Lord has incited you against me, then may he accept an offering. If, however, people have done it, may they be cursed before the Lord! They have driven me today from my share in the Lord’s inheritance and have said, ‘Go, serve other gods.’ 20Now do not let my blood fall to the ground far from the presence of the Lord. The king of Israel has come out to look for a flea—as one hunts a partridge in the mountains.”
21Then Saul said, “I have sinned. Come back, David my son. Because you considered my life precious today, I will not try to harm you again. Surely I have acted like a fool and have been terribly wrong.”
22“Here is the king’s spear,” David answered. “Let one of your young men come over and get it. 23The Lord rewards everyone for their righteousness and faithfulness. The Lord delivered you into my hands today, but I would not lay a hand on the Lord’s anointed. 24As surely as I valued your life today, so may the Lord value my life and deliver me from all trouble.”
25Then Saul said to David, “May you be blessed, David my son; you will do great things and surely triumph.”
So David went on his way, and Saul returned home.
Davide Apewa Kupha Sauli Kachiwiri
1Anthu a ku Zifi anapita kwa Sauli ku Gibeya nati, “Davide akubisala ku phiri la Hakila, limene limayangʼanana ndi Yesimoni.”
2Choncho Sauli ananyamuka pamodzi ndi ankhondo ake 3,000 napita ku chipululu cha Zifi kukafunafuna Davide ku chipululuko. 3Sauli anamanga msasa wake mʼmbali mwa njira yopita ku phiri la Hakila moyangʼanana ndi Yesimoni. Koma Davide anali mʼchipululumo. Davide ataona kuti Sauli amamulondola mpaka kumeneko, 4iye anatumiza anthu okazonda ndipo anapeza kuti Sauli wafikadi ndithu.
5Tsono Davide ananyamuka napita kumalo kumene Sauli anamanga misasa. Iye anaona pamene Sauli ndi Abineri mwana wa Neri mkulu wa ankhondo anagona. Sauli anagona mʼkati mwa tenti ndipo asilikali anagona momuzungulira.
6Ndipo Davide anafunsa Ahimeleki Mhiti ndi Abisai mwana wa Zeruya, mʼbale wa Yowabu kuti, “Ndani adzapita nane ku msasa kwa Sauli?”
Abisai anayankha kuti, “Ine ndidzapita nanu.”
7Choncho Davide ndi Abisai anapita ku misasa ya ankhondowo usiku. Atafika anangopeza Sauli ali gone mu msasa wake mkondo wake atawuzika pansi pafupi ndi mutu wake, Abineri ndi ankhondo onse anali atagona momuzungulira.
8Abisai anawuza Davide kuti, “Lero Mulungu wapereka mdani wanu mʼmanja mwanu. Tsopano ndiloleni ndimukhomere pansi ndi mkondo wangawu kamodzinʼkamodzi. Sindimulasa kawiri.”
9Koma Davide anamuyankha Abisai kuti, “Usamuphe! Ndani adzapha wodzozedwa wa Yehova ndi kupezeka wosalakwa? 10Davide anati, Pali Yehova wamoyo, Yehova mwini ndiye adzamukanthe, mwina tsiku lake lomwalira lidzafika, kapena adzapita ku nkhondo nakaphedwa komweko. 11Koma Yehova andiletse kuti ndisapweteke wodzozedwa wa Yehova. Tsopano tingotenga mkondo umene uli ku mutu kwakewo ndi botolo la madzilo ndipo tizipita.”
12Motero Davide anatenga mkondo ndi botolo lamadzi zimene zinali ku mutu kwa Sauli ndipo anachoka. Palibe amene anaona zimenezi kapena kudziwa, ndipo palibenso amene anadzuka. Onse anali mʼtulo, chifukwa Yehova anawagonetsa tulo tofa nato.
13Pambuyo pake Davide anadutsa nakakwerera mbali ina ya phiri, ndi kuyimirira pamwamba pa phiri patali. Pakati pawo panali mpata waukulu. 14Davide anayitana gulu lankhondo ndi Abineri mwana wa Neri nawafunsa kuti, “Kodi sundiyankha ine Abineri?”
Abineri anayankha kuti, “Ndiwe yani amene ukuyitana mfumu?”
15Davide anamufunsa Abineri kuti, “Kodi sindiwe mwamuna? Ndipo wofanana nawe ndani mu Israeli? Nʼchifukwa chiyani sunateteze mbuye wako mfumu? Munthu wina anabwera kumeneko. 16Chimene wachita iwe si chabwino. Pali Yehova wamoyo iwe ndi asilikali ako muyenera kufa chifukwa simunateteze mbuye wanu, wodzozedwa wa Yehova. Tayangʼanayangʼana. Uli kuti mkondo wa mfumu ndi botolo lamadzi zimene zinali kumutu kwa mfumu?”
17Sauli anazindikira mawu a Davide ndipo anafunsa kuti, “Kodi amenewa ndi mawu ako Davide mwana wanga?”
Davide anayankha, “Inde ndi anga, mbuye wanga mfumu. 18Nʼchifukwa chiyani mbuye wanga mukundilonda ine mtumiki wanu? Kodi ine ndachita chiyani ndipo ndapezeka ndi cholakwa chotani? 19Tsopano mbuye wanga mfumu tamverani mawu a mtumiki wanu. Ngati ndi Yehova wautsa mtima wanu kuti mundiwukire, ndiye alandire chipepeso. Koma ngati ndi anthu amene achita zimene, ndiye Yehova awatemberere popeza andipirikitsa lero kundichotsa mʼdziko la Yehova, namati, ‘Pita kapembedze milungu ina.’ 20Tsopano musalole kuti magazi anga akhetsedwe kutali ndi Yehova pakuti mfumu ya Israeli yatuluka kudzafunafuna ine nsabwe, monga mmene munthu asakira nkhwali ku mapiri.”
21Ndipo Sauli anati, “Ine ndachimwa. Bwerera mwana wanga Davide. Sindidzakuchitanso choyipa popeza lero wauwona moyo wanga ngati wamtengowapatali. Taona, ndachita zauchitsiru ndipo ndachimwa kwambiri.”
22Davide anayankha kuti, “Nawu mkondo wanu, mfumu. Tumani mmodzi wa anyamata anu abwere adzatenge. 23Yehova amadalitsa munthu aliyense wolungama ndi wokhulupirika. Yehova anakuperekani lero mʼmanja mwanga, koma ine sindinakhudze wodzozedwa wa Yehova. 24Monga momwe ine lero ndachitira kuwuyesa moyo wanu ngati wamtengowapatali, momwemonso Yehova awuyese moyo wanga wamtengowapatali ndipo andipulumutse mʼmavuto anga onse.”
25Ndipo Sauli anawuza Davide kuti, “Yehova akudalitse iwe Davide mwana wanga. Udzachita zinthu zazikulu ndipo udzapambana.”
Choncho Davide anayenda njira yake ndipo Sauli anabwerera kwawo.
