My God and My Country

My Daily Meditation

Today’s Reading

The First Book of Samuel 

Chapter 26:1-25

1 Again the Ziphites came unto Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doth not David hide himself in the hill of Hachilah before Jeshimon?

2 Then Saul arose, and went down to the wilderness of Ziph, having three thousand chosen men of Israel with him, for to seek David in the wilderness of Ziph.

3 And Saul pitched in the hill of Hachilah, which is before Jeshimon by the wayside. Now David abode in the wilderness, and he saw that Saul came after him into the wilderness.

4 (For David had sent out spies, and understood that Saul was come in very deed.)

5 Then David arose, and came to the place where Saul had pitched, and when David beheld the place where Saul lay, and Abner the son of Ner which was his chief captain, (for Saul lay in the fort, and the people pitched round about him.)

6 Then spake 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 host? Then Abishai said, I will go down with thee.

7 So David and Abishai came down to the people by night: and behold, Saul lay sleeping within the fort, and his spear did stick in the ground at his head: and Abner and the people lay round about him.

8 Then said Abishai to David, God hath closed thine enemy into thine hand this day: now therefore, I pray thee, let me smite him once with a spear to the earth, and I will not smite him again.

9 And David said to Abishai, Destroy him not: for who can lay his hand on the Lord’s anointed, and be guiltless?

10 Moreover David said, As the Lord liveth, either the Lord shall smite him, or his day shall come to die, or he shall descend into battle, and perish.

11 The Lord keep me from laying mine hand upon the Lord’s anointed: but, I pray thee, take now the spear that is at his head, and the pot of water, and let us go hence.

12 So David took the spear and the pot of water from Saul’s head, and they got them away, and no man saw it, nor marked it, neither did any awake, but they were all asleep: for the Lord had sent a dead sleep upon them.

13 Then David went unto the other side, and stood on the top of an hill a far off, a great space being between them.

14 And David cried to the people, and to Abner the son of Ner, saying, Hearest thou not, Abner? Then Abner answered, and said, Who art thou that cryest to the King?

15  And David said to Abner, Art not thou a man? and who is like thee in Israel? wherefore then hast thou not kept thy Lord the King? for there came one of the folk in to destroy the king thy lord.

16 This is not well done of thee: 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 pot of water that was at his head.

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 persecute his servant? for what have I done? or what evil is in mine hand?

19 Now therefore, I beseech thee, let my Lord the King hear the words of his servant. If the Lord have stirred thee up against me, let him smell the savor of a sacrifice: but if the children of men have done it, cursed be they before the Lord: for they have cast 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 one would hunt a partridge in the mountains.

21 Then said Saul, I have sinned: Come again, my son David: for I will do thee no more harm, because my soul was precious in thine eyes this day: behold, I have done foolishly, and have erred exceedingly.

22 Then David answered, and said, Behold the King’s spear, let one of the young men come over and fet it.

23 And let the Lord reward every man according to his righteousness and faithfulness: for the Lord had delivered thee into mine hands this day, but I would not lay mine hand upon the Lord’s anointed.

24 And behold, like as thy life was much set by this day in mine eyes: so let my life be set by in the eyes of the Lord, that he may deliver me out of all tribulation.

25 Then Saul said to David, Blessed art thou, my son David: for thou shalt do great things, and also prevail. So David went his way, and Saul returned to his place.