I Samuel - Ferrar Fenton Bible Translation page 307

26--4 THE PERIOD OF SAMUEL.--1. SAM. 26--25 the desert. David also sent spies and learnt that Saul came resolutely. David therefore arose, and came to the place where Saul was encamped, and David saw the place where Saul and Ab¤er·ben·Ner, the commander of Saul’s army, slept. But Saul slept within a barricade of waggons, with his forces around them. So David addressed Akhimelek the Hitite, and Abishai—ben—Zeruiah, brother of joab, Who will go down with And I will go down with Therefore David and Abishai went to the army at night and saw Saul laid asleep within the barricade of waggons, with his spear stuck in the ground at his head, and Abner and the forces sleeping around them. $lrizhai uhhizes in mixrhzr Saul in his Sleep.-——@ uirih refuses. Gob has to·day delivered your enemy into your hand, IO

‘II 12 so now I will pin him at a stroke with a spear to the earth and not waken But David answered his-ofiicer: ‘ You shall not destroy him. For

who can raise his hand against the consecrated to the EVER·LIv1NG, and T hen David added, ‘By the life of the Even-mvme! If the LQRD struck him ;—-—or his day came and he died; or he went down to battle, and was killed l But it would bring trouble on me from the EVER- L1v1Ne, if I' raised my hand against the LORD’s consecrated !~——However, take the spear that is by his head, and the jug of water, and let us be So David took the spear and the jug

of water from beside the head of Saul, and went away with them ; and none saw, and none knew, and none awoke, for they all slept. A deep sleep had fallen on them from the EVER- L1v1NG. David then passed over the ford, and

stood on the top of a hill at a distance with a great space between them, from where David called to the forces, Are you there, Abner? When Abner rejoined and said,

‘ Who are you, calling to the Com- Are

you not a man? And who is like you in Israel? So why have you not guarded your master, the Com- mander? For a person has been to destroy the Commander~——y‘our Lord I By the life of the EvEx—1.1v1NG, it is not a good thing that you have done, for you are liable to death for not guarding your master, who is conse- crated to the EvER·L1v1Nc;! So now, look for your Commanders spear and water jug, which were by his But Saul recognized the voice of

Is that your voice, It is my voice,

And then Why does my Lord hunt so after his servant ? F or what have I done? And what wrong is there in my hand? Let my Lord the King listen therefore to what your servant says. If the EVER-LIVING has excited you, let me be a sweet per- fumed offering ;—-—but if any of man- kind,—·—curse them before the EvER— LIVING for driving me out from the inheritance of the EvsR·L1vrNo to herd with vagabonds, saying, ‘Go! serve other Gods! ’ But now let not my blood fall to the earth away from the presence of the EvER~L1v1NG. For what has the Commander of Israel come out to hunt? A single Bea? as they hunt a partridge on the mountains? Ihave done

wrong! Come back, my son David; for I will never injure you l since my life has been respected in your sight to-day. I have acted like a fool, and ten thousand times mad. Here is

the Commander’s spear ;—-let one of the lads come over and take it, for the EvER·L1v1NG rewards a man for his honesty and fidelity. Now as the EvER—L1V1NG gave you to-day to my power, and I refrained from lift· ing my hand against the consecrated to the EVER-L1v1NG, therefore as your life was respected to—day in my eyes,-·-thus let my life be respected in the eyes of the EVER-L1v1NG, for He will deliver me from every Son

David! you are noble! What you self~command you have exercised l 16 18 20 21 22 David then went his way, and Saul returned to his residence.