1 Samuel 26 – read and compare multiple versions of the Bible

World English Bible

1 Samuel 26 (WEBP)

[1] The Ziphites came to Saul to Gibeah, saying, “Doesn’t David hide himself in the hill of Hachilah, which is before the desert?”
[2] Then Saul arose and went down to the wilderness of Ziph, having three thousand chosen men of Israel with him, to seek David in the wilderness of Ziph.
[3] Saul encamped in the hill of Hachilah, which is before the desert, by the way. But David stayed in the wilderness, and he saw that Saul came after him into the wilderness.
[4] David therefore sent out spies, and understood that Saul had certainly come.
[5] Then David arose and came to the place where Saul had encamped; and David saw the place where Saul lay, with Abner the son of Ner, the captain of his army. Saul lay within the place of the wagons, and the people were encamped around him.
[6] Then David answered and said to Ahimelech the Hittite, and to Abishai the son of Zeruiah, brother of Joab, saying, “Who will go down with me to Saul to the camp?” Abishai said, “I will go down with you.”
[7] So David and Abishai came to the people by night; and, behold, Saul lay sleeping within the place of the wagons, with his spear stuck in the ground at his head; and Abner and the people lay around him.
[8] Then Abishai said to David, “God has delivered up your enemy into your hand today. Now therefore please let me strike him with the spear to the earth at one stroke, and I will not strike him the second time.”
[9] David said to Abishai, “Don’t destroy him, for who can stretch out his hand against Yahweh’s anointed, and be guiltless?”
[10] David said, “As Yahweh lives, Yahweh will strike him; or his day shall come to die, or he shall go down into battle and perish.
[11] Yahweh forbid that I should stretch out my hand against Yahweh’s anointed; but now please take the spear that is at his head and the jar of water, and let’s go.”
[12] So David took the spear and the jar of water from Saul’s head, and they went away. No man saw it, or knew it, nor did any awake; for they were all asleep, because a deep sleep from Yahweh had fallen on them.
[13] Then David went over to the other side, and stood on the top of the mountain far away, a great space being between them;
[14] and David cried to the people, and to Abner the son of Ner, saying, “Don’t you answer, Abner?” Then Abner answered, “Who are you who calls to the king?”
[15] David said to Abner, “Aren’t you a man? Who is like you in Israel? Why then have you not kept watch over your lord the king? For one of the people came in to destroy your lord the king.
[16] This thing isn’t good that you have done. As Yahweh lives, you are worthy to die, because you have not kept watch over your lord, Yahweh’s anointed. Now see where the king’s spear is, and the jar of water that was at his head.”
[17] Saul recognized David’s voice, and said, “Is this your voice, my son David?” David said, “It is my voice, my lord, O king.”
[18] He said, “Why does my lord pursue his servant? For what have I done? What evil is in my hand?
[19] Now therefore, please let my lord the king hear the words of his servant. If it is so that Yahweh has stirred you up against me, let him accept an offering. But if it is the children of men, they are cursed before Yahweh; for they have driven me out today that I shouldn’t cling to Yahweh’s inheritance, saying, ‘Go, serve other gods!’
[20] Now therefore, don’t let my blood fall to the earth away from the presence of Yahweh; for the king of Israel has come out to seek a flea, as when one hunts a partridge in the mountains.”
[21] Then Saul said, “I have sinned. Return, my son David; for I will no more do you harm, because my life was precious in your eyes today. Behold, I have played the fool, and have erred exceedingly.”
[22] David answered, “Behold the spear, O king! Let one of the young men come over and get it.
[23] Yahweh will render to every man his righteousness and his faithfulness; because Yahweh delivered you into my hand today, and I wouldn’t stretch out my hand against Yahweh’s anointed.
[24] Behold, as your life was respected today in my eyes, so let my life be respected in Yahweh’s eyes, and let him deliver me out of all oppression.”
[25] Then Saul said to David, “You are blessed, my son David. You will both do mightily, and will surely prevail.” So David went his way, and Saul returned to his place.

Scripture quotations are taken from The World English Bible™ of eBible.org, 2020 stable text edition. It is in the public domain.

King James w/Strong’s #s

1 Samuel 26 (KJVS)

[1] And the Ziphites came () unto Saul to Gibeah , saying (), Doth not David hide () himself in the hill of Hachilah , [which is] before Jeshimon ?
[2] Then Saul arose (), and went down () to the wilderness of Ziph , having three thousand chosen () men of Israel with him, to seek () David in the wilderness of Ziph .
[3] And Saul pitched () in the hill of Hachilah , which [is] before Jeshimon , by the way . But David abode () in the wilderness , and he saw () that Saul came () after him into the wilderness .
[4] David therefore sent out () spies (), and understood () that Saul was come () in very deed ().
[5] And David arose (), and came () to the place where Saul had pitched (): and David beheld () the place where Saul lay (), and Abner the son of Ner , the captain of his host : and Saul lay () in the trench , and the people pitched () round about him.
[6] Then answered () David and said () to Ahimelech the Hittite , and to Abishai the son of Zeruiah , brother to Joab , saying (), Who will go down () with me to Saul to the camp ? And Abishai said (), I will go down () with thee.
[7] So David and Abishai came () to the people by night : and, behold, Saul lay () sleeping within the trench , and his spear stuck () in the ground at his bolster : but Abner and the people lay () round about him.
[8] Then said () Abishai to David , God hath delivered () thine enemy () into thine hand this day : now therefore let me smite () him, I pray thee, with the spear even to the earth at once , and I will not [smite] him the second time ().
[9] And David said () to Abishai , Destroy () him not: for who can stretch forth () his hand against the LORD’S anointed , and be guiltless ()?
[10] David said () furthermore, [As] the LORD liveth , the LORD shall smite () him; or his day shall come () to die (); or he shall descend () into battle , and perish ().
[11] The LORD forbid that I should stretch forth () mine hand against the LORD’S anointed : but, I pray thee, take () thou now the spear that [is] at his bolster , and the cruse of water , and let us go ().
[12] So David took () the spear and the cruse of water from Saul’s bolster ; and they gat them away (), and no man saw () [it], nor knew () [it], neither awaked (): for they [were] all asleep ; because a deep sleep from the LORD was fallen () upon them.
[13] Then David went over () to the other side , and stood () on the top of an hill afar off ; a great space [being] between them:
[14] And David cried () to the people , and to Abner the son of Ner , saying (), Answerest () thou not, Abner ? Then Abner answered () and said (), Who [art] thou [that] criest () to the king ?
[15] And David said () to Abner , [Art] not thou a [valiant] man ? and who [is] like to thee in Israel ? wherefore then hast thou not kept () thy lord the king ? for there came () one of the people in to destroy () the king thy lord .
[16] This thing [is] not good that thou hast done (). [As] the LORD liveth , ye [are] worthy to die , because ye have not kept () your master , the LORD’S anointed . And now see () where the king’s spear [is], and the cruse of water that [was] at his bolster .
[17] And Saul knew () David’s voice , and said (), [Is] this thy voice , my son David ? And David said (), [It is] my voice , my lord , O king .
[18] And he said (), Wherefore doth my lord thus pursue () after his servant ? for what have I done ()? or what evil [is] in mine hand ?
[19] Now therefore, I pray thee, let my lord the king hear () the words of his servant . If the LORD have stirred thee up () against me, let him accept () an offering : but if [they be] the children of men , cursed () [be] they before the LORD ; for they have driven () me out this day from abiding () in the inheritance of the LORD , saying (), Go (), serve () other gods .
[20] Now therefore, let not my blood fall () to the earth before the face of the LORD : for the king of Israel is come out () to seek () a flea , as when one doth hunt () a partridge in the mountains .
[21] Then said () Saul , I have sinned (): return (), my son David : for I will no more do thee harm (), because my soul was precious () in thine eyes this day : behold, I have played the fool (), and have erred () exceedingly () .
[22] And David answered () and said (), Behold the king’s spear ! and let one of the young men come over () and fetch () it.
[23] The LORD render () to every man his righteousness and his faithfulness : for the LORD delivered () thee into [my] hand to day , but I would () not stretch forth () mine hand against the LORD’S anointed .
[24] And, behold, as thy life was much set by () this day in mine eyes , so let my life be much set by () in the eyes of the LORD , and let him deliver () me out of all tribulation .
[25] Then Saul said () to David , Blessed () [be] thou, my son David : thou shalt both do () great () [things], and also shalt still () prevail (). So David went () on his way , and Saul returned () to his place .

Young’s Literal Translation

1 Samuel 26 (YLT)

[1] And the Ziphites come in unto Saul, at Gibeah, saying, ‘Is not David hiding himself in the height of Hachilah, on the front of the desert?’
[2] And Saul riseth, and goeth down unto the wilderness of Ziph, and with him three thousand men, chosen ones of Israel, to seek David in the wilderness of Ziph.
[3] And Saul encampeth in the height of Hachilah, which is on the front of the desert, by the way, and David is abiding in the wilderness, and he seeth that Saul hath come after him in to the wilderness;
[4] and David sendeth spies, and knoweth that Saul hath come unto Nachon,
[5] and David riseth, and cometh in unto the place where Saul hath encamped, and David seeth the place where Saul hath lain, and Abner son of Ner, head of his host, and Saul is lying in the path, and the people are encamping round about him.
[6] And David answereth and saith unto Ahimelech the Hittite, and unto Abishai son of Zeruiah, brother of Joab, saying, ‘Who doth go down with me unto Saul, unto the camp?’ and Abishai saith, ‘I-I go down with thee.’
[7] And David cometh-and Abishai-unto the people by night, and lo, Saul is lying sleeping in the path, and his spear struck into the earth at his pillow, and abner and the people are lying round about him.
[8] And Abishai saith unto David, ‘God hath shut up to-day thine enemy into thy hand; and, now, let me smite him, I pray thee, with a spear, even into the earth at once-and I do repeat it to him.’
[9] And David saith unto Abishai, ‘Destroy him not; for who hath put forth his hand against the anointed of Jehovah, and been acquitted?’
[10] And David saith, ‘Jehovah liveth; except Jehovah doth smite him, or his day come that he hath died, or into battle he go down, and hath been consumed-
[11] far be it from me, by Jehovah, from putting forth my hand against the anointed of Jehovah; and, now, take, I pray thee, the spear which is at his pillow, and the cruse of water, and we go away.’
[12] And David taketh the spear, and the cruse of water at the pillow of Saul, and they go away, and there is none seeing, and there is none knowing, and there is none awaking, for all of them are sleeping, for a deep sleep from Jehovah hath fallen upon them.
[13] And David passeth over to the other side, and standeth on the top of the hill afar off-great is the place between them;
[14] and David calleth unto the people, and unto Abner son of Ner, saying, ‘Dost thou not answer, Abner?’ and Abner answereth and saith, ‘Who art thou who hast called unto the king?’
[15] And David saith unto Abner, ‘Art not thou a man? and who is like thee in Israel? but why hast thou not watched over thy lord the king? for one of the people had come in to destroy the king, thy lord.
[16] Not good is this thing which thou hast done; Jehovah liveth, but ye are sons of death, in that ye have not watched over your lord, over the anointed of Jehovah; and now, see where the king’s spear is, and the cruse of water which is at his bolster.’
[17] And Saul discerneth the voice of David, and saith, ‘Is this thy voice, my son David?’ and David saith, ‘My voice, my lord, O king!’
[18] and he saith, ‘Why is this-my lord is pursuing after his servant? for what have I done, and what is in my hand evil?
[19] And, now, let, I pray thee, my lord the king hear the words of his servant: if Jehovah hath moved thee against me, let Him accept a present; and if the sons of men-cursed are they before Jehovah, for they have cast me out to-day from being admitted into the inheritance of Jehovah, saying, Go, serve other gods.
[20] ‘And now, let not my blood fall to the earth over-against the face of Jehovah, for the king of Israel hath come out to seek one flea, as one pursueth the partridge in mountains.’
[21] And Saul saith, ‘I have sinned; turn back, my son David, for I do evil to thee no more, because that my soul hath been precious in thine eyes this day; lo, I have acted foolishly, and do err very greatly.’
[22] And David answereth and saith, ‘Lo, the king’s spear; and let one of the young men pass over, and receive it;
[23] and Jehovah doth turn back to each his righteousness and his faithfulness, in that Jehovah hath given thee to-day into my hand, and I have not been willing to put forth my hand against the anointed of Jehovah,
[24] and lo, as thy soul hath been great this day in mine eyes, so is my soul great in the eyes of Jehovah, and He doth deliver me out of all distress.’
[25] And Saul saith unto David, ‘Blessed art thou, my son David, also working thou dost work, and also prevailing thou dost prevail.’ And David goeth on his way, and Saul hath turned back to his place.