Chapter 26
1; And the men of Ziph came to Saul, to Gibeah, saying, Is not David hiding himself in the hill of Hachilah, on the face of the desert?
2; And Saul rose up and went down to the wilderness of Ziph, and three thousand men were with him, chosen ones of Israel, to seek David in the wilderness of Ziph.
3; And Saul camped in the hill of Hachilah which is on the face of the desert, by the highway. And David was staying in the wilderness. And he saw that Saul had come after him into the wilderness.
4; And David sent spies, and he knew that Saul had certainly come to Nachon.
5; And David rose up and came to the place where Saul camped. And David saw the place where Saul lay down. And Abner the son of Ner, his army commander, and Saul were lying within the barricade. And the people were camping all around him.
6; And David answered and said to Ahimelech the Hittite, and to Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab's brother, saying, Who shall go down with me to Saul, to the camp? And Abishai said, I will go down with you.
7; And David and Abishai came to the people by night. And, behold, Saul was lying down, sleeping within the barricade. And his spear was stuck into the earth at his head-place. And Abner and all the people were lying all around him.
8; And Abishai said to David, Elohim has shut up your enemy into your hand today. And now please let me strike him with a spear, even to the earth one time, and I will not repeat it to him.
9; And David said to Abishai, Do not destroy him. For who shall put forth his hand against the anointed of YAHWEH and be guiltless?
10; And David said, As YAHWEH lives, except YAHWEH strike him, or his day shall come and he dies, or he goes down and is devoured in battle,
11; far be it from me, by YAHWEH, from putting forth my hand against the anointed of YAHWEH. And now, please take the spear at his head-place, and the jar of water, and we will go.
12; And David took the spear and the jar of water at the head-place of Saul, and they went away. And no one was seeing; and no one knew; and no one was awake; for all of them were sleeping because a deep sleep from YAHWEH had fallen on them.
13; And David crossed over to the other side and stood on the top of the hill far away, the distance between them being great.
14; And David called to the people, and to Abner the son of Ner, saying, Do you not answer, Abner? And Abner replied and said, Who are you, the one calling to the king?
15; And David said to Abner, Are you not a man? And who is like you in Israel? But why have you not watched over your master the king? For one of the people came in to destroy your master the king.
16; This thing which you have done is not good. As YAHWEH lives, you also are sons of death, in that you have not watched over your master, over the anointed of YAHWEH. And now, see where the king's spear is, and the jar of water which was at his head-place?
17; And Saul recognized the voice of David, and said, Is this your voice, my son David? And David said, My voice, my master, O king!
18; And he said, Why is this, that my master is pursuing his servant? For what have I done, and what in my hand is evil?
19; And now, please let my master the king hear the words of his servant. If YAHWEH has moved you against me, let Him accept an offering. And if the sons of men, they are cursed before YAHWEH; for they have driven me out today from joining myself with the inheritance of YAHWEH, saying, Go, serve other gods.
20; And now, let not my blood fall to the earth before the face of YAHWEH, for the king of Israel has come out to seek a flea, as one hunts the partridge in the mountains.
21; And Saul said, I have sinned. Return, my son David, for I shall not do evil to you any more, because my life has been precious in your eyes today. Behold, I have acted foolishly, and I have erred exceedingly much.
22; And David answered and said, Behold, the king's spear! And let one of the young men cross over and receive it.
23; And YAHWEH will return to each his righteousness and his faithfulness, in that YAHWEH has delivered you into my hand, and I have not been willing to put forth my hand against the anointed of YAHWEH.
24; And behold, as your life has been highly esteemed in my eyes today, so let my soul be highly esteemed in the eyes of YAHWEH. And may He deliver me out of all distress.
25; And Saul said to David, Blessed be you, my son David. Both you shall surely do, also you shall surely be able. And David went on his way. And Saul returned to his place.
Chapter 27
1; And David said in his heart, I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul. Nothing is better for me than that escaping I escape to the land of the Philistines. And Saul will despair of me, to still seek me in all the border of Israel. And I shall escape out of his hand.
2; And David rose up and crossed over, he and six hundred men who were with him, to Achish the son of Maoch, the king of Gath.
3; And David lived with Achish in Gath, he and his men, each one and his household: David and his two wives, Ahinoam of Jezreel, and Abigail the former wife of Nabal of Carmel.
4; And it was told to Saul that David had fled to Gath, and he did not seek for him any more.
5; And David said to Achish, Please, if I have found grace in your eyes, they shall give to me a place in one of the cities of the field, and I shall live there. Yea, why should your servant live in the royal city with you?
6; And Achish gave Ziklag to him in that day. Therefore, Ziklag has been counted to the kings of Judah until this day.
7; And the number of days which David lived in the field of the Philistines was a year and four months.
8; And David and his men went up and attacked the Geshurites, and the Gezrites, and the Amalekites. For they were the ones living in the land from the past days, as you come into Shur and into the land of Egypt.
9; And David struck the land, and did not keep alive man, or woman, and took sheep, and oxen, and donkeys, and camels, and clothing, and turned back and came to Achish.
10; And Achish said, Did you not make raids today? And David said, Against the south of Judah, and against the south of the Jerahmeelites, and to the south of the Kenites.
11; David did not keep alive man or woman to bring news to Gath, saying, Lest they speak against us, saying, So David has done; And so has been his custom all the days that he has lived in the fields of the Philistines.
12; And Achish trusted David, saying, Surely he has made himself to be hated among his people in Israel, and has become my servant forever.
Chapter 28
1; And in those days it happened that the Philistines gathered their armies for warfare, to fight against Israel. And Achish said to David, Going you shall go out with me in the army, you and our men.
2; And David said to Achish, By this you shall know that which your servant will do. And Achish said to David, Then I appoint you keeper of my head all the days.
3; And Samuel was dead. And all Israel had mourned for him, and buried him in Ramah, even in his city. And Saul had taken away the necromancers and the fortune tellers out of the land.
4; And the Philistines had gathered and had come in and camped in Shunem. And Saul gathered all Israel, and they camped in Gilboa.
5; And Saul saw the camp of the Philistines, and his heart trembled and he greatly feared.
6; And Saul asked of YAHWEH, but YAHWEH did not answer him, either by dreams, or by Urim, or by prophets.
7; And Saul said to his servants, Seek out for me a woman, with the ability to call up the dead, and I will go to her and inquire of her. And his servants said to him, Behold, a woman, a medium, is in Endor.
8; And Saul disguised himself and put on other clothes. And he and two of the men with him went; and they came to the woman by night. And he said, I beg you, divine for me by necromancy, and bring up to me him whom I say to you.
9; And the woman said to him, Behold, you know that which Saul has done, that he has cut off necromancers and the fortune tellers, out of the land. And why are you laying a snare for my life, to kill me?
10; And Saul swore to her by YAHWEH, saying, As YAHWEH lives, no evil shall happen to you because of this thing.
11; And the woman said, Whom shall I bring up to you? And he said, Bring up Samuel to me.
12; And the woman saw Samuel, and cried out with a loud voice. And the woman spoke to Saul, saying, Why have you deceived me? For you are Saul!
13; And the king said to her, Do not be afraid. For what have you seen? And the woman said to Saul, I have seen an Elohim coming up out of the earth.
14; And he said to her, What is his appearance? And she said, An old man is coming up, and he is covered with a robe. And Saul perceived that he was Samuel. And he bowed his face to the earth, and prostrated himself.
15; And Samuel said to Saul, Why have you disturbed me, to bring me up. And Saul said, I am grievously distressed. And the Philistines are fighting against me, and Elohim has turned from me and has not answered me any more, either by the hand of the prophets, or by dreams. And I called for you to make known to me what I should do.
16; And Samuel said, And why do you ask me, since YAHWEH has departed from you and is your adversary?
17; And YAHWEH is doing for Himself as He spoke by my hand. And YAHWEH is tearing the kingdom out of your hand, and is giving it to your neighbor, to David.
18; Because you did not listen to the voice of YAHWEH, or execute the anger of His wrath on Amalek, on this account YAHWEH is doing this thing to you today.
19; Yea, YAHWEH is also giving Israel into the hand of the Philistines along with you. And tomorrow you and your sons will be with me. And YAHWEH will give the army of Israel into the hand of the Philistines.
20; And Saul hurried and fell the full length of his stature to the earth, and greatly feared from the words of Samuel. And there was no power in him, for he had not eaten food all that day, and all the night.
21; And the woman came to Saul. And she saw that he was much terrified, and said to him, Behold, your servant has listened to your voice, and I put my life in my hand, and I obeyed your words which you spoke to me.
22; And now please, you listen to the voice of your servant, and I will set before you a bit of bread; and eat, and there will be strength in you when you go on your way.
23; And he refused, and said, I will not eat. But his servants forced him, and the woman also. And he listened to their voices and rose from the earth and sat on the bed.
24; And the woman had a fat calf in the house. And she hurried and slaughtered it, and took flour, and kneaded it, and baked unleavened cakes of it.
25; And she brought it near before Saul, and before his servants. And they ate, and rose up, and went on during that night.
Chapter 29
1; And the Philistines gathered all their armies to Aphek. And Israel was camped at a fountain which is in Jezreel.
2; And the Philistine rulers were passing on by hundreds and by thousands. And David and his men were passing on in the rear with Achish.
3; And the Philistine rulers said, What are these Hebrews? And Achish said to the Philistine rulers, Is this not David the servant of Saul the king of Israel who has been with me these days and years? And I have not found anything evil in him from the day he fell away until today.
4; And the Philistine rulers were angry against him. And the Philistine rulers said to him, Send the man back, and he shall return to his place where you have appointed him. And he shall not go down with us into battle, and shall not become an adversary to us in battle. And with what should this one give pleasure to his master, if not with the heads of these men?
5; Is this not David, of whom they answer in dances, saying, Saul has killed his thousands, and David his myriads?
6; And Achish called David and said to him, As YAHWEH lives, Surely you are upright and good in my eyes in your going out and in your coming in with me in the camp. For I have not found evil in you from the day of your coming in to me until today. But you are not good in the eyes of the rulers.
7; And now return, and go in peace, that you not do evil in the eyes of the rulers of the Philistines.
8; And David said to Achish, But what have I done? And what have you found in your servant from the day that I have been in your presence until today, that I may not go in and fight against the enemies of my master the king?
9; And Achish replied and said to David, I have known that you are good in my eyes, like a messenger of Elohim. But the rulers of the Philistines have said, He shall not go up with us into battle.
10; And now, you and the servants of your master who have come with you rise early in the morning. When you have light, then go.
11; And David rose up early, he and his men, to go in the morning, to return to the land of the Philistines. And the Philistines went up to Jezreel.
Chapter 30
1; And it happened, when David and his men came to Ziklag on the third day, the Amalekites had raided to the Negev, even to Ziklag, and had struck Ziklag and burned it with fire.
2; And they captured the women in it, from the small even to the great; they did not kill anyone, but they led them away, and went on their way.
3; And David and his men came into the city. And, behold! It was burned with fire! And their wives and their sons and their daughters had been taken captive.
4; And David and the people with him lifted up their voice and wept, until they had no power in them to weep.
5; And the two wives of David had been taken, Ahinoam of Jezreel, and Abigail the former wife of Nabal of Carmel.
6; And David was greatly distressed, for the people said to stone him. For the soul of the people was bitter, each for his sons and for his daughters. And David made himself strong in YAHWEH his Elohim.
7; And David said to Abiathar the priest, the son of Ahimelech, Please bring the ephod near to me. And Abiathar brought the ephod to David.
8; And David asked of YAHWEH, saying, Shall I pursue this troop? Shall I overtake it? And He said to him, Pursue, for you shall certainly overtake, and shall certainly recover.
9; So David went on, he and six hundred men who were with him. And they came to the torrent Besor. And those that were left stood.
10; And David pursued, he and four hundred men; for two hundred men stood, who were too exhausted to pass over the torrent Besor.
11; And they found a man, an Egyptian, in the field, and took him to David, and gave him food, and he ate. And they made him drink water.
12; And they gave to him a piece of fig-cake, and two bunches of raisins. And he ate, and his spirit returned to him, for he had not eaten food nor drunk water three days and three nights.
13; And David said to him, Whose are you? And from where do you come? And he said, I am an Egyptian youth, slave to an Amalekite man. And my master abandoned me, for I had been sick three days.
14; We raided the south of the Cherethites, and went against that belonging to Judah, and against the south of Caleb. And we burned Ziklag with fire.
15; And David said to him, Are you able to bring me down to this troop? And he said, Swear to me by Elohim that you will neither put me to death, nor deliver me up into my master's hand, and I will bring you down to this troop.
16; And he brought him down. And, behold, they were spread out over the face of all the earth, eating and drinking and feasting, with all the great plunder which they had taken out of the land of the Philistines, and out of the land of Judah.
17; And David struck them from the twilight even to the evening of the next day. And not a man of them escaped, except four hundred young men who rode on camels and fled.
18; And David recovered all that the Amalekites had taken; and David recovered his two wives.
19; And nothing was missing to them, from the small even to the great, and to sons and daughters, and from the plunder, even to all that they had taken for themselves; David brought back the whole of it.
20; And David took all the flock, and the herd. They drove on before those other cattle. And they said, This is David's prize.
21; And David came to the two hundred men who were too exhausted to go after David, and whom they caused to remain at the torrent Besor. And they went out to meet David, and to meet the people with him. And David came up to the people, and asked them of their peace.
22; And every evil and worthless man of the men who had gone with David answered, and they said, Because they did not go with me, we will not give to them from the plunder which we have delivered, except to each man his wife and his sons. And let them take them and go.
23; And David said, You shall not do so, my brothers, with that which YAHWEH has given to us. And He has protected us, and has given the troop which came against us into our hand.
24; And who will listen to you in this thing? For as the portion of him who goes down to battle, so shall be his share who remains by the baggage. They shall share together.
25; And it was so, from that day and forward he commanded it for a statute and for an ordinance for Israel to this day.
26; And David came to Ziklag. And he sent of the plunder to the elders of Judah, to his friends, saying, Behold, a blessing for you of the plunder of the enemies of YAHWEH;
27; to those in Bethel, and to those in Ramoth of the Negeb, and to those in Jattir,
28; and to those in Aroer, and to those in Siphmoth, and to those in Eshtemoa,
29; and to those in Rachal, and to those in the cities of the Jerahmeelites, and to those in the cities of the Kenites,
30; and to those in Hormah, and to those in Chorashan, and to those in Athach,
31; and to those in Hebron, and to all the places where David had gone up and down, he and his men.
Chapter 31
1; And the Philistines were fighting against Israel. And the men of Israel fled from the face of the Philistines, and they fell down wounded in Mount Gilboa.
2; And the Philistines followed Saul and his sons. And the Philistines struck Jonathan, and Abinadab, and Malchishua, Saul's sons.
3; And the battle went hard against Saul. And the archers, men with the bow, found him and he was sorely wounded by the archers.
4; And Saul said to his armor bearer, Draw your sword and thrust it through me, lest these uncircumcised ones come and thrust it through me and abuse me. But his armor bearer would not, for he was much afraid. So Saul took the sword and fell on it.
5; And his armor bearer saw that Saul was dead, and he also fell on his sword and died with him.
6; And Saul and three of his sons, and his armor-bearer, and all his men died together on that day.
7; And the men of Israel who were beyond the valley, and who were beyond the Jordan, saw that the men of Israel had fled, and that Saul and his sons had died. And they abandoned the cities and fled. And the Philistines came in and lived in them.
8; And it happened on the next day, the Philistines came to strip the wounded. And they found Saul and his three sons fallen down on Mount Gilboa.
9; And they cut off his head, and stripped off his weapons, and sent into the land of the Philistines all around to proclaim the news in the house of their idols, and among the people.
10; And they put his weapons in the house of Ashtaroth, and they fastened his body on the wall of Beth-Shean.
11; And when they heard about it, the ones living in Jabesh-Gilead, that which the Philistines had done to Saul,
12; then all the mighty men rose up, and they went all the night; and they took the body of Saul, and the bodies of his sons, from the wall of Beth- Shean . And they came to Jabesh, and burned them there.
13; And they took their bones and buried them under the tamarisk tree in Jabesh. And they fasted seven days.