Douay Rheims Original ↷
1 Samuel 26 📜 📕 ↷
David Again Spares Saul
1 AND there came Ziphites unto Saul in Gabaa, saying: Behold David is hid in the hill Hachila, which is over-against the wilderness.📜💬📚
2 And Saul arose, and went down into the desert Ziph, and with him three thousand men of the chosen of Israel, to seek David in the desert Ziph.📜💬📚
3 And Saul camped in Gabaa Hachila, which was over-against the wilderness in the way: and David dwelt in the desert. And seeing that Saul was come after him into the desert.📜💬📚
4 he sent discoverers, and learned that he was come thither most certainly.📜💬📚
5 And David arose secretly, and came to the place where Saul was: and when he had seen the place wherein Saul slept, and Abner the son of Ner, the Prince of his war, and Saul sleeping in the tent, and the rest of the multitude round about him,📜💬📚
6 David spake to Achimelech the Hetheite, and Abisai the son of Sarvia the brother of Joab, saying: Who will go down with me to Saul into the camp? And Abisai said: I will go with thee.📜💬📚
7 David therefore and Abisai came to the people by night, and found Saul lying and sleeping in the tent, & his spear fixed in the ground at his head: and Abner, & the people sleeping round about him.📜💬📚
8 And Abisai said to David: God hath shut up thine enemy this day into thy hands: now therefore I will thrust him through with my spear in the earth once, and twice shall not need.📜💬📚
9 And David said to Abisai: Kill him not: for who shall extend his hand upon the anointed of our Lord, & shall be innocent?📜💬📚
10 And David said: Our Lord liveth, unless our Lord shall strike him, or his day come to die, or descending into battle he perish:📜💬📚
11 Our Lord be merciful unto me, that I extend not my hand upon the anointed of our Lord. Now therefore take the spear which is at his head, and cup of water & let us go.📜💬📚
12 David therefore took the spear, and cup of water, which was at Saul's head, and they went away: and there was none that saw, or understood, or awaked, but all slept, because the dead sleep of our lord had fallen upon them.📜💬📚
David Reproves Abner
13 And when David had passed over against, and stood in the top of the mountain far off, & a good space between them,📜💬📚
14 David cried to the people, and to Abner the son of Ner, saying: Wilt thou not answer, Abner? And Abner answering said: Who art thou, that criest & disquietest the king?📜💬📚
15 And David said to Abner: Art not thou a man? And who is like thee in Israel? Why therefore hast thou not kept thy lord the king? For one of the multitude hath entered in to kill the king thy lord.📜💬📚
16 This thing is not good, which you have done: Our Lord liveth, you are the children of death, which have not kept your lord, the anointed of our Lord. Now therefore behold where the king's spear is, & where the cup of water is, which was at his head.📜💬📚
17 And Saul knew David's voice, & said: Is this thy voice, my son David? And David said: My voice, my lord king,📜💬📚
18 and he said: For what cause doth my lord persecute his servant? What have I done? Or what evil is there in my hand?📜💬📚
19 Now therefore hear, I pray, my lord king, the words of thy servant: If our Lord stir thee up against me, let there be odour of sacrifice: but if the sons of men, they are cursed in the sight of our Lord, which have cast me out this day, that I should not dwell in the inheritance of our Lord, saying: Go, serve strange gods.📜💬📚
20 And now let not my blood be shed upon the earth before our Lord, for the king of Israel is come forth to seek one flea, as the perdix is pursued in the mountains.📜💬📚
Saul Acknowledges His Sin
21 And Saul said: I have sinned, return my son David, for I will no more do thee evil, for that my life hath been precious in thine eyes to day: for it appeareth that I have done foolishly, & have been ignorant of very many things.📜💬📚
22 And David answering, said: Behold the king's spear, let one of the king's servants pass, and take it.📜💬📚
23 And our Lord will reward every one according to his justice and fidelity, for our Lord hath delivered thee this day into my hand, and I would not extend my hand upon the anointed of our Lord.📜💬📚
24 And as thy life hath been magnified to day in mine eyes, so be my life magnified in the eyes of our Lord, and deliver he me from all distress.📜💬📚
25 Saul therefore said to David: Blessed art thou my son David: and truly doing thou shalt do, and prevailing thou shalt prevail. And David went into his way, and Saul returned into his place.📜💬📚
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