David Again Lets Saul Live
1 Once again, some people from Ziph went to Gibeah to talk with Saul. “David has a hideout on Mount Hachilah near Jeshimon out in the desert,” they told him.
2 Saul took 3,000 of Israel's best soldiers and went to look for David there in Ziph Desert. 3 Saul set up camp on Mount Hachilah, which is across the road from Jeshimon. But David was hiding out in the desert.
When David heard that Saul was following him, 4 he sent some spies to find out if it was true. 5 Then he sneaked up to Saul's camp. He noticed that Saul and his army commander Abner the son of Ner were sleeping in the middle of the camp, with soldiers sleeping all around them. 6 David asked Ahimelech the Hittite and Joab's brother Abishai, “Which one of you will go with me into Saul's camp?”
“I will!” Abishai answered.
7 That same night, David and Abishai crept into the camp. Saul was sleeping, and his spear was stuck in the ground not far from his head. Abner and the soldiers were sound asleep all around him.
8 Abishai whispered, “This time God has let you get your hands on your enemy! I'll pin him to the ground with one thrust of his own spear.”
9 “Don't kill him!” David whispered back. “The Lord will punish anyone who kills his chosen king. 10 As surely as the Lord lives, the Lord will kill Saul, or Saul will die a natural death or be killed in battle. 11 But I pray that the Lord will keep me from harming his chosen king. Let's grab his spear and his water jar and get out of here!”
12 David took the spear and the water jar, then left the camp. None of Saul's soldiers knew what had happened or even woke up—the Lord had made all of them fall sound asleep. 13 David and Abishai crossed the valley and went to the top of the next hill, where they were at a safe distance. 14 “Abner!” David shouted toward Saul's army. “Can you hear me?”
Abner shouted back. “Who dares disturb the king?”
15 “Abner, what kind of a man are you?” David replied. “Aren't you supposed to be the best soldier in Israel? Then why didn't you protect your king? Anyone who went into your camp could have killed him tonight. 16 You're a complete failure! I swear by the living Lord that you and your men deserve to die for not protecting the Lord's chosen king. Look and see if you can find the king's spear and the water jar that were near his head.”
17 Saul could tell it was David's voice, and he called out, “David, my son! Is that you?”
“Yes it is, Your Majesty. 18 Why are you hunting me down? Have I done something wrong, or have I committed a crime? 19 Please listen to what I have to say. If the Lord has turned you against me, maybe a sacrifice will make him change his mind. But if some people have turned you against me, I hope the Lord will punish them! They have forced me to leave the land that belongs to the Lord and have told me to worship foreign gods. 20 Don't let me die in a land far away from the Lord. I'm no more important than a flea! Why should the king of Israel hunt me down as if I were a bird in the mountains?”
21 “David, you had the chance to kill me today. But you didn't. I was very wrong about you. It was a terrible mistake for me to try to kill you. I've acted like a fool, but I'll never try to harm you again. You're like a son to me, so please come back.”
22 “Your Majesty, here's your spear! Let one of your soldiers come and get it. 23 The Lord put you in my power today, but you are his chosen king and I wouldn't harm you. The Lord rewards people who are faithful and live right. 24 I spared your life today, and I pray that the Lord will spare my life and keep me safe.”
25 “David, my son, I pray that the Lord will bless you and make you successful!”
David in Philistia
Saul went back home. David also left,
Dāvids otrreiz saudzē Saula dzīvību
1 Pie Saula uz Gibu atnāca zīfieši un teica: “Vai tik tas nav Dāvids, kas slēpjas Hahīlas pakalnā, kas iepretim Ješimonai?” 2 Sauls cēlās un devās lejā uz Zīfas tuksnesi, un trīs tūkstoši atlasītu Israēla vīru kopā ar viņu devās meklēt Zīfas tuksnesī Dāvidu. 3 Sauls apmetās Hahīlas pakalnā, kas iepretī Ješimonai pie ceļa. Dāvids mita tuksnesī, un viņš redzēja, ka Sauls atnācis pēc viņa uz tuksnesi. 4 Dāvids sūtīja izlūkus un uzzināja, ka Sauls te atnācis uz palikšanu. 5 Tad Dāvids cēlās un devās turp, kur Sauls bija apmeties. Dāvids noskatīja, kur guļ Sauls un viņa karaspēka virspavēlnieks Abnērs, Nēra dēls, – Sauls gulēja nometnes vidū, un ļaudis sagūluši viņam visapkārt. 6 Dāvids bilda hetietim Ahīmeleham un Abīšajam, Cerūjas dēlam, Joāba brālim: “Kurš kopā ar mani kāps lejā uz nometni pie Saula?” Abīšajs teica: “Es iešu ar tevi!” 7 Dāvids un Abīšajs nonāca pie karapulka naktī, un, redzi, Sauls gulēja aizmidzis apļa vidū, un galvgalī – zemē iedurts viņa šķēps, bet ap viņu Abnērs un viss karapulks. 8 Abīšajs teica Dāvidam: “Šodien Dievs licis tavu ienaidnieku tavās rokās. Es pieduršu viņu pie zemes ar vienu šķēpa cirtienu, otru reizi nevajadzēs!” 9 Bet Dāvids teica Abīšajam: “Nenokauj viņu! Kas gan var pacelt roku pret Kunga svaidīto, palikdams bez vainas?”
10 Dāvids teica: “Dzīvs Kungs! – Kungs viņu satrieks vai arī pienāks viņa laiks un viņš mirs, vai arī viņš dosies karā un ies bojā. 11 Bet mani lai Kungs pasargā, ka es paceltu roku pret Kunga svaidīto! Un nu paņem šķēpu, kas viņam galvgalī, ūdens krūku un ejam!” 12 Dāvids paņēma šķēpu un ūdens krūku no Saula galvgaļa, un viņi aizgāja. Neviens nedz redzēja, nedz zināja, nedz kāds pamodās – visi gulēja, jo Kungs tiem bija uzsūtījis dziļu miegu. 13 Dāvids pārgāja ielejai un nostājās kalna galā krietnu gabalu no turienes. 14 Tad Dāvids sauca karapulkam un Abnēram, Nēra dēlam: “Ei, Abnēr, vai tu man neatbildēsi?” Un Abnērs atsaucās: “Kas tu tāds esi, ka uzsauc ķēniņam!”
15 Dāvids teica Abnēram: “Vai tu neesi vīrs, kam nav līdzīga Israēlā? Kāpēc tad tu nenosargāji savu kungu, ķēniņu? Jo kāds bija nācis nokaut tavu kungu, ķēniņu! 16 Nav labi, ko tu esi darījis – dzīvs Kungs! – par to, ka nenosargājāt savu kungu, Kunga svaidīto, jūs esat pelnījuši nāvi. Paskatieties nu, kur ir ķēniņa šķēps un ūdens krūka, kas bija viņam galvgalī?” 17 Sauls pazina Dāvida balsi un teica: “Vai tā tava balss, mans dēls Dāvid?” Un Dāvids atbildēja: “Mana gan, kungs, ķēniņ!” 18 Un viņš teica: “Kāpēc mans kungs vajā savu kalpu? Ko esmu nodarījis un ko esmu noziedzies? 19 Lai jel mans kungs, ķēniņš, uzklausa sava kalpa vārdus. Ja Kungs tevi mudinājis pret mani, lai viņš saož labības upura smaržu, bet, ja cilvēku dēli, tad lai nolādēti viņi Kunga priekšā, jo tie man lieguši palikt Kunga īpašumā, sacīdami: ej kalpo citiem dieviem! 20 Lai manas asinis nelīst zemē tālumā no Kunga! Jo Israēla ķēniņš ir izgājis meklēt vienu pašu blusu – gluži kā irbi dzenādams kalnos!” 21 Un Sauls teica: “Esmu grēkojis! Atgriezies, mans dēls Dāvid, jo es tev vairs nedarīšu ļaunu. Turpretim tev šodien mana dzīvība ir bijusi dārga. Redzi, cik muļķīgi es esmu darījis un cik briesmīgi kļūdījies!” 22 Dāvids atbildēja: “Redzi, ķēniņa šķēps! Lai kāds no puišiem nāk un to paņem. 23 Kungs ikvienam atdarīs pēc viņa taisnīguma un uzticības. Kungs gan šodien tevi nodeva manās rokās, bet es negribēju pacelt roku pret Kunga svaidīto! 24 Un, redzi, cik vērta man šodien bija tava dzīvība, tikpat vērta viņam būs mana dzīvība, un viņš mani izraus no visām bēdām.”
25 Sauls teica: “Esi svētīts, mans dēls Dāvid! Darīt tu darīsi un varēt varēsi!” Un Dāvids aizgāja savu ceļu, bet Sauls griezās atpakaļ.
