The ZiphitesהַזִּפִיםcameוַיָּבֹאוּtoאֶלSaulשָׁאוּלat Gibeah,הַגִּבְעָתָהsaying,לֵאמֹר“Is notהֲלוֹאDavidדָוִדhidingמִסְתַּתֵּרon the hillבְּגִבְעַתof Hachilah,הַחֲכִילָהfacingעַל פְּנֵיthe wasteland?”הַיְשִׁימֹן
Saulשָׁאוּלaroseוַיָּקָםand went downוַיֵּרֶדtoאֶלthe wildernessמִדְבַּרof Ziph,זִיףand with himוְאִתּוֹthreeשְׁלֹשֶׁתthousandאֲלָפִיםmen,אִישׁchosen menבְּחוּרֵיof Israel,יִשְׂרָאֵלto seekלְבַקֵּשׁDavidדָּוִדin the wildernessבְּמִדְבַּרof Ziph.זִיף
Saulשָׁאוּלcampedוַיִּחַןon the hillבְּגִבְעַתof Hachilah,הַחֲכִילָהwhichאֲשֶׁרis facingעַל פְּנֵיthe wasteland,הַיְשִׁימֹןbyעַלthe road.הַדָּרֶךְDavidוְדָוִדwas stayingיֹשֵׁבin the wilderness,בַּמִּדְבָּרand he sawוַיַּרְאthatכִּיSaulשָׁאוּלhad comeבָאafter himאַחֲרָיוinto the wilderness.הַמִּדְבָּרָה
Davidדָּוִדsentוַיִּשְׁלַחspiesמְרַגְּלִיםand learnedוַיֵּדַעfor certainאֶל נָכוֹןthatכִּיSaulשָׁאוּלhad come.בָא
Davidדָּוִדaroseוַיָּקָםand cameוַיָּבֹאtoאֶלthe placeהַמָּקוֹםwhereאֲשֶׁר שָׁםSaulשָׁאוּלhad camped;חָנָהand Davidוַ דָּוִדsawיַּרְאthe placeהַמָּקוֹםwhereאֲשֶׁר שָׁםSaulשָׁאוּלlay,שָׁכַבand Abnerוְאַבְנֵרsonבֶּןof Ner,נֵרthe commanderשַׂרof his army.צְבָאוֹSaulוְשָׁאוּלwas lyingשֹׁכֵבwithin the camp enclosure,בַּמַּעְגָּלand the peopleוְהָעָםwere campedחֹנִיםaround him.סְבִיבֹתָיו
Davidדָּוִדansweredוַיַּעַןand saidוַיֹּאמֶרtoאֶלAhimelechאֲחִימֶלֶךְthe Hittiteהַחִתִּיand toוְאֶלAbishaiאֲבִישַׁיsonבֶּןof Zeruiah,צְרוּיָהJoab’sיוֹאָבbrother,אֲחִיsaying,לֵאמֹר“Whoמִיwill go downיֵרֵדwith meאִתִּיtoאֶלSaul,שָׁאוּלtoאֶלthe camp?”הַמַּחֲנֶהAbishaiאֲבִישַׁיsaid,וַיֹּאמֶר“Iאֲנִיwill go downאֵרֵדwith you.”עִמָּךְ
Davidדָוִדand Abishaiוַאֲבִישַׁיcameוַיָּבֹאtoאֶלthe peopleהָעָםby night,לַיְלָהand look,וְהִנֵּהSaulשָׁאוּלwas lyingשֹׁכֵבasleepיָשֵׁןwithin the camp enclosure,בַּמַּעְגָּלwith his spearוַחֲנִיתוֹstuckמְעוּכָהin the groundבָאָרֶץat his head;מְרַאֲשֹׁתָיוand Abnerוְאַבְנֵרand the peopleוְהָעָםwere lyingשֹׁכְבִיםaround him.סְבִיבֹתָיו
AbishaiאֲבִישַׁיsaidוַיֹּאמֶרtoאֶלDavid,דָּוִד“Elohimאֱלֹהִיםhas deliveredסִגַּרyour enemyאֶת אוֹיִבְךָinto your handבְּיָדֶךָtoday.הַיּוֹםNowוְעַתָּהpleaseנָאlet me strike himאַכֶּנּוּwith the spearבַּחֲנִיתto the groundוּבָאָרֶץwith oneאַחַתstroke,פַּעַםand I will notוְלֹאstrike him twice.”אֶשְׁנֶה לוֹ
DavidדָּוִדsaidוַיֹּאמֶרtoאֶלAbishai,אֲבִישַׁי“Do notאַלdestroy him,תַּשְׁחִיתֵהוּforכִּיwhoמִיcan stretch outשָׁלַחhis handיָדוֹagainst the anointedבִּמְשִׁיחַof YHWHיְהוָהand be without guilt?”וְנִקָּה
Davidדָּוִדsaid,וַיֹּאמֶר“As YHWH lives,חַי יְהוָהsurelyכִּי אִםYHWHיְהוָהwill strike him down,יִגָּפֶנּוּorאוֹhis dayיוֹמוֹwill comeיָבוֹאand he will die,וָמֵתorאוֹhe will go downיֵרֵדinto battleבַמִּלְחָמָהand be swept away.וְנִסְפָּה
Far be itחָלִילָהfrom me,לִּיby YHWH,מֵיהוָהto stretch outמִשְּׁלֹחַmy handיָדִיagainst the anointedבִּמְשִׁיחַof YHWH!יְהוָהNowוְעַתָּהpleaseנָאtakeקַחthe spearהַחֲנִיתthatאֲשֶׁרis at his headמְרַאֲשֹׁתָיוand the jarוְאֶת צַפַּחַתof water,הַמַּיִםand let us goוְנֵלֲכָהaway.”לָּנוּ
Davidדָּוִדtookוַיִּקַּחthe spearהַחֲנִיתand the jarוְאֶת צַפַּחַתof waterהַמַּיִםfrom Saul’s head,מֵרַאֲשֹׁתֵי שָׁאוּלand they wentוַיֵּלְכוּaway.לָהֶםNo oneוְאֵיןsaw,רֹאֶהno oneוְאֵיןknew,יוֹדֵעַand no oneוְאֵיןwoke up,מֵקִיץforכִּיall of themכֻלָּםwere asleep,יְשֵׁנִיםbecauseכִּיa deep sleepתַּרְדֵּמַתfrom YHWHיְהוָהhad fallenנָפְלָהupon them.עֲלֵיהֶם
Davidדָּוִדcrossed overוַיַּעֲבֹרto the other sideהָעֵבֶרand stoodוַיַּעֲמֹדonעַלthe topרֹאשׁof the mountainהָהָרfar off,מֵרָחֹקwith a greatרַבdistanceהַמָּקוֹםbetween them.בֵּינֵיהֶם
Davidדָוִדcalledוַיִּקְרָאtoאֶלthe peopleהָעָםand toוְאֶלAbnerאַבְנֵרsonבֶּןof Ner,נֵרsaying,לֵאמֹר“Will you notהֲלוֹאanswer,תַעֲנֶהAbner?”אַבְנֵרAbnerאַבְנֵרansweredוַיַּעַןand said,וַיֹּאמֶר“Whoמִיare youאַתָּהthat you callקָרָאתָtoאֶלthe king?”הַמֶּלֶךְ
DavidדָּוִדsaidוַיֹּאמֶרtoאֶלAbner,אַבְנֵר“Are you notהֲלוֹא אַתָּהa man?אִישׁAnd whoוּמִיis like youכָמוֹךָin Israel?בְּיִשְׂרָאֵלWhyוְלָמָּהthen have you notלֹאkept watchשָׁמַרְתָּoverאֶלyour lordאֲדֹנֶיךָthe king?הַמֶּלֶךְForכִּיoneאַחַדof the peopleהָעָםcameבָאto destroyלְהַשְׁחִיתthe king,הַמֶּלֶךְyour lord.אֲדֹנֶיךָ
Thisהַזֶּהthingהַדָּבָרthatאֲשֶׁרyou have doneעָשִׂיתָis notלֹאgood.טוֹבAs YHWH lives,חַי יְהוָהyouאַתֶּםdeserve to die,כִּי בְנֵי מָוֶתbecauseאֲשֶׁרyou have notלֹאkept watchשְׁמַרְתֶּםoverעַלyour lord,אֲדֹנֵיכֶםoverעַלthe anointedמְשִׁיחַof YHWH.יְהוָהNowוְעַתָּהseeרְאֵהwhereאֵיthe king’sהַמֶּלֶךְspearחֲנִיתis, and the jarוְאֶת צַפַּחַתof waterהַמַּיִםthatאֲשֶׁרwas at his head.”מְרַאֲשֹׁתָיו
SaulשָׁאוּלrecognizedוַיַּכֵּרDavid’sדָּוִדvoiceקוֹלand said,וַיֹּאמֶר“Isהֲthisזֶהyour voice,קוֹלְךָmy sonבְּנִיDavid?”דָוִדDavidדָּוִדsaid,וַיֹּאמֶר“It is my voice,קוֹלִיmy lordאֲדֹנִיthe king.”הַמֶּלֶךְ
He said,וַיֹּאמֶר“Whyלָמָּה זֶּהis my lordאֲדֹנִיpursuingרֹדֵףafterאַחֲרֵיhis servant?עַבְדּוֹForכִּיwhatמֶהhave I done,עָשִׂיתִיand whatוּמַהevilרָעָהis in my hand?בְּיָדִי
Nowוְעַתָּהpleaseנָאlet my lordאֲדֹנִיthe kingהַמֶּלֶךְhearיִשְׁמַעthe wordsדִּבְרֵיof his servant.עַבְדּוֹIfאִםYHWHיְהוָהhas incited youהֱסִיתְךָagainst me,בִיmay he smellיָרַחan offering;מִנְחָהbut ifוְאִםit is human beings,בְּנֵי הָאָדָםcursed beאֲרוּרִיםtheyהֵםbeforeלִפְנֵיYHWH,יְהוָהforכִּיthey have driven me outגֵרְשׁוּנִיtodayהַיּוֹםso that I may not joinמֵהִסְתַּפֵּחַthe inheritanceבְּנַחֲלַתof YHWH,יְהוָהsaying,לֵאמֹר‘Go,לֵךְserveעֲבֹדotherאֲחֵרִיםgods.’אֱלֹהִים
Nowוְעַתָּהdo notאַלlet my bloodדָּמִיfallיִפֹּלto the groundאַרְצָהaway fromמִנֶּגֶדthe presenceפְּנֵיof YHWH;יְהוָהforכִּיthe kingמֶלֶךְof Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלhas come outיָצָאto seekלְבַקֵּשׁa singleאֶחָדflea,פַּרְעֹשׁasכַּאֲשֶׁרone pursuesיִרְדֹּףthe partridgeהַקֹּרֵאin the mountains.”בֶּהָרִים
Saulשָׁאוּלsaid,וַיֹּאמֶר“I have sinned.חָטָאתִיCome back,שׁוּבmy sonבְּנִיDavid,דָוִדforכִּיI will notלֹאharmאָרַעyouלְךָagain,עוֹדbecauseתַּחַת אֲשֶׁרmy lifeנַפְשִׁיwas preciousיָקְרָהin your eyesבְּעֵינֶיךָthisהַ הַזֶּהday.יּוֹםLook,הִנֵּהI have acted foolishlyהִסְכַּלְתִּיand have erredוָאֶשְׁגֶּהveryמְאֹדgreatly.”הַרְבֵּה
Davidדָּוִדansweredוַיַּעַןand said,וַיֹּאמֶר“Look,הִנֵּהthe king’sהַמֶּלֶךְspear!חֲנִיתLet oneוְ אֶחָדof the young menמֵהַנְּעָרִיםcome overיַעֲבֹרand get it.וְיִקָּחֶהָ
YHWHוַיהוָהwill repayיָשִׁיבeach manלָאִישׁhis righteousnessצִדְקָתוֹand his faithfulness;וְאֶת אֱמֻנָתוֹforאֲשֶׁרYHWHיְהוָהgave youנְתָנְךָinto my handבְּיָדtoday,הַיּוֹםbut I was notוְלֹאwillingאָבִיתִיto stretch outלִשְׁלֹחַmy handיָדִיagainst the anointedבִּמְשִׁיחַof YHWH.יְהוָה
And look,וְהִנֵּהasכַּאֲשֶׁרyour lifeנַפְשְׁךָwas greatגָּדְלָהthisהַ הַזֶּהdayיּוֹםin my eyes,בְּעֵינָיsoכֵּןmay my lifeנַפְשִׁיbe greatתִּגְדַּלin the eyesבְּעֵינֵיof YHWH,יְהוָהand may he rescue meוְיַצִּלֵנִיfrom allמִכָּלdistress.”צָרָה
SaulשָׁאוּלsaidוַיֹּאמֶרtoאֶלDavid,דָּוִד“Blessedבָּרוּךְare you,אַתָּהmy sonבְּנִיDavid!דָוִדYou will bothגַּםdo muchעָשֹׂה תַעֲשֶׂהandוְגַםsurely prevail.”יָכֹל תּוּכָלSo Davidוַ דָּוִדwentיֵּלֶךְon his way,לְדַרְכּוֹand Saulוְשָׁאוּלreturnedשָׁבto his place.לִמְקוֹמוֹ