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1 And the Ziphim came unto Sha'ul at Giv'ah, saying, Doth not Dovid hide himself in the hill of Chakhilah, which faces Yeshimon?
2 Then Sha'ul arose, and went down to the midbar Ziph, having three thousand chosen men of Yisroel with him, to search for Dovid in the midbar Ziph. 3 And Sha'ul encamped in the hill of Chakhilah, which faces Yeshimon, beside the derech (road). But Dovid stayed in the midbar, and he saw that Sha'ul came after him into the midbar. 4 Dovid therefore sent out scouts, and understood that Sha'ul had indeed come. 5 And Dovid arose, and came to the makom where Sha'ul had encamped; and Dovid beheld the makom where Sha'ul lay down, and Avner Ben Ner, the sar of his tzava (army); and Sha'ul was lying in the camp, and HaAm encamped round about him.
6 Then answered Dovid and said to Achimelech the Chitti, and to Avishai Ben Tzeruyah, achi Yoav, saying, Who will go down with me to Sha'ul to the machaneh? And Avishai said, I will go down with thee.
7 So Dovid and Avishai came to HaAm by lailah; and, hinei, Sha'ul lay sleeping within the camp, and his khanit (spear) stuck in the ground at his head; but Avner and HaAm lay round about him.
8 Then said Avishai to Dovid, Elohim hath delivered thine oyev into thine yad today; now therefore let me strike him, now, with the khanit, pinning him to the ground once; I will not strike him the second time. 9 And Dovid said to Avishai, Destroy him not; for who can stretch forth his yad against Hashemʼs moshiach, and be guiltless? 10 Dovid said furthermore, As Hashem liveth, Hashem shall strike him; or his day shall come to die; or he shall descend into milchamah, and perish. 11 Chalilah (far be it) from me by Hashem that I should stretch forth mine yad against Hashemʼs moshiach; but, take now thou the khanit (spear) that is at his head, and the flask of mayim, and let us go.
12 So Dovid took the khanit and the flask of mayim from near Sha'ulʼs head; and they got them away, and no one saw it, nor knew it, neither awaked; for they were all asleep; because a tardamat Hashem was fallen upon them.
13 Then Dovid went over to the other side, and stood on the top of the har afar off; a great space being between them; 14 And Dovid called out to the people, and to Avner Ben Ner, saying, Answerest thou not, Avner? Then Avner answered and said, Who art thou that calls out to HaMelech? 15 And Dovid said to Avner, Art not thou an ish (man)? And who is like to thee in Yisroel? Wherefore then hast thou not been shomer over adoneicha HaMelech? For there came one of HaAm in to destroy HaMelech adoneicha. 16 This thing is not tov that thou hast done. As Hashem liveth, ye are worthy for mavet, because ye have not been shomer over adoneichem, Hashemʼs moshiach. And now see where the khanit of HaMelech is, and the flask of mayim that was near his head.
17 And Sha'ul knew the voice of Dovid, and said, Is this thy voice, beni, Dovid? And Dovid said, It is my voice, adoni HaMelech.
18 And he said, Why doth adoni thus pursue after his eved? For what have I done? Or what ra'ah is in mine yad? 19 Now therefore, let adoni HaMelech hear the devarim of his eved. If Hashem have stirred thee up against me, let Him accept a minchah; but if they be bnei adam, cursed be they before Hashem; for they have driven me out this day from abiding in the nachalah of Hashem, saying, Go, serve elohim acharim. 20 Now therefore, let not my dahm fall to the earth before the face of Hashem; for the Melech Yisroel is come out to search for a parosh (flea), as when one doth hunt the partridge in the harim.
21 Then said Sha'ul, I have sinned; return, beni Dovid; for I will no more do thee harm, because my nefesh was precious in thine eyes this day; hinei, I was foolish, and have erred exceedingly.
22 And Dovid answered and said, Hinei the khanit HaMelech! Let one of the ne'arim come over and bring it back.
23 Hashem repay to every ish his tzedakah and his emunah; for Hashem delivered thee into my yad today, but I would not stretch forth mine yad against Hashemʼs moshiach. 24 And, hinei, as thy nefesh was much valued this day in mine eyes, so let my nefesh be much valued in the eyes of Hashem, and let Him deliver me out of all tzarah (trouble).
25 Then Sha'ul said to Dovid, Baruch atah, beni Dovid; may thou both accomplish many things, and also still succeed. So Dovid went on his derech, and Sha'ul returned to his makom.