וַיָּבֹאוּ הַזִּפִים אֶל־שָׁאוּל הַגִּבְעָתָה לֵאמֹר הֲלוֹא דָוִד מִסְתַּתֵּר בְּגִבְעַת הַחֲכִילָה עַל פְּנֵי הַיְשִׁימֹן׃   26:1

1Sam. 26:1   And the Ziphites came to Saul at Gibeah saying, “Is not David hiding on the hill of Hachilah by the front of Jeshimon?”

וַיָּקָם שָׁאוּל וַיֵּרֶד אֶל־מִדְבַּר־זִיף וְאִתּוֹ שְׁלֹשֶׁת־אֲלָפִים אִישׁ בְּחוּרֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לְבַקֵּשׁ אֶת־דָּוִד בְּמִדְבַּר־   26:2 זִיף׃

1Sam. 26:2   Then Saul arose and went down to the wilderness of Ziph and three thousand men, the chosen of Israel, were with him, to seek David in the wilderness of Ziph.

וַיִּחַן שָׁאוּל בְּגִבְעַת הַחֲכִילָה אֲשֶׁר עַל־פְּנֵי הַיְשִׁימֹן עַל־הַדָּרֶךְ וְדָוִד יֹשֵׁב בַּמִּדְבָּר וַיַּרְא כִּי בָא שָׁאוּל   26:3 אַחֲרָיו הַמִּדְבָּרָה׃

1Sam. 26:3   And Saul camped on the hill of Hachilah, which was by the front of Jeshimon on the way.  But David lived in the wilderness, and he saw when Saul came after him to the wilderness.

וַיִּשְׁלַח דָּוִד מְרַגְּלִים וַיֵּדַע כִּי־בָא שָׁאוּל אֶל־נָכוֹן׃   26:4

1Sam. 26:4   And David sent spies so he could know with certainty that Saul had come.

וַיָּקָם דָּוִד וַיָּבֹא אֶל־הַמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר חָנָה־שָׁם שָׁאוּל וַיַּרְא דָּוִד אֶת־הַמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר שָׁכַב־שָׁם שָׁאוּל   26:5 וְאַבְנֵר בֶּן־נֵר שַׂר־צְבָאוֹ וְשָׁאוּל שֹׁכֵב בַּמַּעְגָּל וְהָעָם חֹנִים (סְבִיבֹתוֹ) [סְבִיבֹתָיו]׃

1Sam. 26:5   Then David rose and went to the place where Saul had camped there, and David beheld the place where Saul lay there, with Abner son of Ner, captain of his host.  And Saul was lying in a trench with the people camping around him.

The word in error included in the parentheses is missing a yad.  The correction is in the brackets.  Note that the same error is found in v. 26:7 below as well (the first error there).

וַיַּעַן דָּוִד וַיֹּאמֶר אֶל־אֲחִימֶלֶךְ הַחִתִּי וְאֶל־אֲבִישַׁי בֶּן־צְרוּיָה אֲחִי יוֹאָב לֵאמֹר מִי־יֵרֵד אִתִּי   26:6

  אֶל־שָׁאוּל אֶל־הַמַּחֲנֶה וַיֹּאמֶר אֲבִישַׁי אֲנִי אֵרֵד עִמָּךְ׃

1Sam. 26:6   Then David gave an account and spoke to Achimelech, the Hittite, and to Abishai son of Zeruiah, brother of Joab, saying, “Who will go down with me to Saul, to the camp?”  And Abishai said, “I will descend with you.”

וַיָּבֹא דָוִד וַאֲבִישַׁי אֶל־הָעָם לַיְלָה וְהִנֵּה שָׁאוּל שֹׁכֵב יָשֵׁן בַּמַּעְגָּל וַחֲנִיתוֹ מְעוּכָה־בָאָרֶץ (מְרַאֲשֹׁתוֹ)   26:7 [מְרַאֲשֹׁתָיו] וְאַבְנֵר וְהָעָם שֹׁכְבִים (סְבִיבֹתוֹ) [סְבִיבֹתָיו]׃

1Sam. 26:7   Then David went with Abishai to the people at night, and behold, Saul lay asleep in the trench and his spear was stuck in the ground at his head, and Abner and the people were lying surrounding him.                                                                                              [Return to 2Sam. 3:32]

Along with the error identified in my remarks above, an error is also found in the first set of parentheses.  That word is also missing a yad.  Its correction is in the first set of brackets.  Note that the same error (the first one) is also found twice more in vss. 26:11 and 16.

וַיֹּאמֶר אֲבִישַׁי אֶל־דָּוִד סִגַּר אֱלֹהִים הַיּוֹם אֶת־אוֹיִבְךָ בְּיָדֶךָ וְעַתָּה אַכֶּנּוּ נָא בַּחֲנִית וּבָאָרֶץ פַּעַם   26:8 אַחַת וְלֹא אֶשְׁנֶה לוֹ׃

1Sam. 26:8   Then Abishai said to David, “Today God has delivered your enemy into your hand.  Then now let me smite him, I pray you, with the spear that is in the earth one time, that I will not have to do it again to him.”

וַיֹּאמֶר דָּוִד אֶל־אֲבִישַׁי אַל־תַּשְׁחִיתֵהוּ כִּי מִי שָׁלַח יָדוֹ בִּמְשִׁיחַ יְהוָה וְנִקָּה׃   26:9

1Sam. 26:9   But David said to Abishai, “Do not destroy him.  For who extends his hand against the anointed of the Lord and is blameless?”

וַיֹּאמֶר דָּוִד חַי־יְהוָה כִּי אִם־יְהוָה יִגָּפֶנּוּ אוֹ־יוֹמוֹ יָבוֹא וָמֵת אוֹ בַמִּלְחָמָה יֵרֵד וְנִסְפָּה׃   26:10

1Sam. 26:10   And David said, “As the Lord lives, but if the Lord shall smite him, or his day will come that he will die, or he goes down in battle, then he will perish.”

חָלִילָה לִּי מֵיהוָה מִשְּׁלֹחַ יָדִי בִּמְשִׁיחַ יְהוָה וְעַתָּה קַח־נָא אֶת־הַחֲנִית אֲשֶׁר (מְרַאֲשֹׁתוֹ)     26:11 [מְרַאֲשֹׁתָיו] וְאֶת־צַפַּחַת הַמַּיִם וְנֵלֲכָה לָּנוּ׃

1Sam. 26:11   “It is forbidden for me by the Lord to extend my hand against the anointed of the Lord.  So now please take the spear that is by his head and the cruse of water and let us take with us.”

Same error here as in v. 26:7.

וַיִּקַּח דָּוִד אֶת־הַחֲנִית וְאֶת־צַפַּחַת הַמַּיִם מֵרַאֲשֹׁתֵי שָׁאוּל וַיֵּלְכוּ לָהֶם וְאֵין רֹאֶה וְאֵין יוֹדֵעַ וְאֵין   26:12 מֵקִיץ כִּי כֻלָּם יְשֵׁנִים כִּי תַּרְדֵּמַת יְהוָה נָפְלָה עֲלֵיהֶם׃

1Sam. 26:12   So David took the spear and the cruse of water at the head of Saul and they took away with them, and no one saw and no one knew and no one was awake, for all of them were sleeping, for a deep sleep of the Lord had fallen upon them.

וַיַּעֲבֹר דָּוִד הָעֵבֶר וַיַּעֲמֹד עַל־רֹאשׁ־הָהָר מֵרָחֹק רַב הַמָּקוֹם בֵּינֵיהֶם׃   26:13

1Sam. 26:13   And David crossed over to the other side and stood on top of the mountain far off, a great deal of space between them.

וַיִּקְרָא דָוִד אֶל־הָעָם וְאֶל־אַבְנֵר בֶּן־נֵר לֵאמֹר הֲלוֹא תַעֲנֶה אַבְנֵר וַיַּעַן אַבְנֵר וַיֹּאמֶר מִי אַתָּה   26:14 קָרָאתָ אֶל־הַמֶּלֶךְ׃

1Sam. 26:14   And David called out to the people and to Abner son of Ner saying, “Will you not answer, Abner?”  Then Abner answered and said, “Who are you calling out to the king?”

וַיֹּאמֶר דָּוִד אֶל־אַבְנֵר הֲלוֹא־אִישׁ אַתָּה וּמִי כָמוֹךָ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל וְלָמָּה לֹא שָׁמַרְתָּ אֶל־אֲדֹנֶיךָ הַמֶּלֶךְ   26:15 כִּי־בָא אַחַד הָעָם לְהַשְׁחִית אֶת־הַמֶּלֶךְ אֲדֹנֶיךָ׃

1Sam. 26:15   And David said to Abner, “Are you not a man?  And who is like you in Israel?  Then why have you not attended to your lord, the king?  For one of the people came to destroy the king, your lord.”

לֹא־טוֹב הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה אֲשֶׁר עָשִׂיתָ חַי־יְהוָה כִּי בְנֵי־מָוֶת אַתֶּם אֲשֶׁר לֹא־שְׁמַרְתֶּם עַל־אֲדֹנֵיכֶם עַל־   26:16 מְשִׁיחַ יְהוָה וְעַתָּה רְאֵה אֵי־חֲנִית הַמֶּלֶךְ וְאֶת־צַפַּחַת הַמַּיִם אֲשֶׁר (מְרַאֲשֹׁתוֹ) [מְרַאֲשֹׁתָיו]׃

1Sam. 26:16   “This thing that you have done is not good, as the Lord lives, for you are sons of death that you did not watch over your lord, over the anointed of the Lord.  And now see where is the spear of the king, and the cruse of water that was by his head.”

Once more, the same error as three times above.

וַיַּכֵּר שָׁאוּל אֶת־קוֹל דָּוִד וַיֹּאמֶר הֲקוֹלְךָ זֶה בְּנִי דָוִד וַיֹּאמֶר דָּוִד קוֹלִי אֲדֹנִי הַמֶּלֶךְ׃   26:17

1Sam. 26:17   And Saul recognized the voice of David and he said, “Is this your voice, my son David?” And David said, “My voice, my lord, O king.”

וַיֹּאמֶר לָמָּה זֶּה אֲדֹנִי רֹדֵף אַחֲרֵי עַבְדּוֹ כִּי מֶה עָשִׂיתִי וּמַה־בְּיָדִי רָעָה׃   26:18

1Sam. 26:18   Then he said, “Why is it my lord pursues after his servant?  For what have I done?  And what wickedness is on my hand?”

וְעַתָּה יִשְׁמַע־נָא אֲדֹנִי הַמֶּלֶךְ אֵת דִּבְרֵי עַבְדּוֹ אִם־יְהוָה הֱסִיתְךָ בִי יָרַח מִנְחָה וְאִם בְּנֵי הָאָדָם   26:19 אֲרוּרִים הֵם לִפְנֵי יְהוָה כִּי־גֵרְשׁוּנִי הַיּוֹם מֵהִסְתַּפֵּחַ בְּנַחֲלַת יְהוָה לֵאמֹר לֵךְ עֲבֹד אֱלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים׃

1Sam. 26:19   “So now please let my lord, the king, hear the words of his servant.  If the Lord has stirred you up against me, let Him accept an offering.  But if the children of men, let them be cursed before the Lord, for they have driven me out today from abiding in the inheritance of the Lord saying, ‘Go, serve other gods.’

וְעַתָּה אַל־יִפֹּל דָּמִי אַרְצָה מִנֶּגֶד פְּנֵי יְהוָה כִּי־יָצָא מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל לְבַקֵּשׁ אֶת־פַּרְעֹשׁ אֶחָד כַּאֲשֶׁר   26:20 יִרְדֹּף הַקֹּרֵא בֶּהָרִים׃

1Sam. 26:20   Then now let not my blood fall to the earth before the countenance of the Lord when the king of Israel has come out to seek one flea as one would hunt a partridge in the mountains.”

וַיֹּאמֶר שָׁאוּל חָטָאתִי שׁוּב בְּנִי־דָוִד כִּי לֹא־אָרַע לְךָ עוֹד תַּחַת אֲשֶׁר יָקְרָה נַפְשִׁי בְּעֵינֶיךָ הַיּוֹם   26:21

  הַזֶּה הִנֵּה הִסְכַּלְתִּי וָאֶשְׁגֶּה הַרְבֵּה מְאֹד׃

1Sam. 26:21   And Saul said, “I have sinned.  Return, my son, David, for I will not do harm to you anymore, for the reason that my life was precious in your eyes this day.  Behold, I have played the fool and erred very greatly.”

וַיַּעַן דָּוִד וַיֹּאמֶר הִנֵּה הַחֲנִית הַמֶּלֶךְ וְיַעֲבֹר אֶחָד מֵהַנְּעָרִים וְיִקָּחֶהָ׃   26:22

1Sam. 26:22   And David answered and said, “Behold the spear, O king, that one of the young men came across and got it.”

וַיהוָה יָשִׁיב לָאִישׁ אֶת־צִדְקָתוֹ וְאֶת־אֱמֻנָתוֹ אֲשֶׁר נְתָנְךָ יְהוָה הַיּוֹם בְּיָד וְלֹא אָבִיתִי לִשְׁלֹחַ יָדִי   26:23 בִּמְשִׁיחַ יְהוָה׃

1Sam. 26:23   “And the Lord will return to everyone his righteousness and his faithfulness.  Because the Lord delivered you today into a hand and I was not willing to extend my hand against the anointed of the Lord,

וְהִנֵּה כַּאֲשֶׁר גָּדְלָה נַפְשְׁךָ הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה בְּעֵינָי כֵּן תִּגְדַּל נַפְשִׁי בְּעֵינֵי יְהוָה וְיַצִּלֵנִי מִכָּל־צָרָה׃   26:24

1Sam. 26:24   then behold, as this day your life was greater in my eyes, so may my life be greater in the eyes of the Lord, and may He deliver me from all tribulation.”

וַיֹּאמֶר שָׁאוּל אֶל־דָּוִד בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה בְּנִי דָוִד גַּם עָשֹׂה תַעֲשֶׂה וְגַם יָכֹל תּוּכָל וַיֵּלֶךְ דָּוִד לְדַרְכּוֹ   26:25

  וְשָׁאוּל שָׁב לִמְקוֹמוֹ׃

1Sam. 26:25   And Saul said to David, “You, my son, David, are blessed.  You shall both thoroughly accomplish and surely prevail.”  Then David departed to his path and Saul returned to his place.

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