1 Kingdoms 26

Old Testament · Brenton Septuagint with Greek parallel

1 Kingdoms 26

1And the Ziphites come out of the dry country to Saul to the hill, saying, Behold, David hides himself with us in the hill Echela, opposite Jessemon.Καὶ ἔρχονται οἱ Ζιφαῖοι ἐκ τῆς αὐχμώδους πρὸς τὸν Σαοὺλ εἰς τὸν βουνὸν, λέγοντες, ἰδοὺ Δαυὶδ σκεπάζεται μεθʼ ἡμῶν ἐν τῷ βουνῷ τῷ ʼΕχελὰ, κατὰ πρόσωπον τοῦ Ἰεσσεμοῦ.

2And Saul arose, and went down to the wilderness of Ziph, and with him went three thousand men chosen out of Israel, to seek David in the wilderness of Ziph.Καὶ ἀνέστη Σαοὺλ, καὶ κατέβη εἰς τὴν ἔρημον Ζὶφ, καὶ μετʼ αὐτοὺ τρεῖς χιλιάδες ἀνδρῶν ἐκλεκτοὶ ἐξ Ἰσραὴλ, ζητεῖν τὸν Δαυὶδ ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ Ζίφ.

3And Saul encamped in the hill of Echela in front of Jessemon, by the way, and David lived in the wilderness: and David saw that Saul * came after him into the wilderness.Καὶ παρενέβαλε Σαοὺλ ἐν τῷ βουνῷ τῷ Ἐχελὰ τῷ ἐπὶ προσώπου τοῦ Ἰεσσεμοῦ ἐπὶ τῆς ὁδοῦ, καὶ Δαυὶδ ἐκάθισεν ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ· καὶ εἶδε Δαυὶδ, ὅτι ἥκει Σαοὺλ ὀπίσω αὐτοῦ εἰς τὴν ἔρημον.

4And David sent spies, and ascertained that Saul was come prepared out of Keila.Καὶ ἀπέστειλε Δαυὶδ κατασκόπους, καὶ ἔγνω ὅτι ἥκει Σαοὺλ ἕτοιμος ἐκ Κεϊλά.

5And David arose secretly, and goes into the place where Saul was sleeping, and there was Abenner the son of Ner, the captain of his host: and Saul was sleeping in a chariot, and the people had encamped along round about him.Καὶ ἀνέστη Δαυὶδ λάθρα, καὶ εἰσπορεύεται εἰς τὸν τόπον οὗ ἐκάθευδεν ἐκεῖ Σαοὺλ, καὶ ἐκεῖ Ἀβεννὴρ υἱὸς Νὴρ ἀρχιστράτηγος αὐτοῦ· καὶ Σαοὺλ ἐκάθευδεν ἐν λαμπήνῃ, καὶ ὁ λαὸς παρεμβεβληκὼς κύκλῳ αὐτοῦ.

6And David answered and spoke to Abimelech the Chettite, and to Abessa the son Saruia the brother of Joab, saying, Who will go in with me to Saul into the camp? And Abessa said, I will go in with you.Καὶ ἀπεκρίθη Δαυὶδ, καὶ εἶπε πρὸς Ἀβιμέλεχ τὸν Χετταῖον, καὶ πρὸς Ἀβεσσὰ υἱὸν Σαρουίας ἀδελφὸν Ἰωὰβ, λέγων, τίς εἰσελεύσεται μετʼ ἐμοῦ πρὸς Σαοὺλ εἰς τὴν παρεμβολήν; καὶ εἶπεν Ἀβεσσὰ, ἐγὼ εἰσελεύσομαι μετὰ σοῦ.

7So David and Abessa go in among the people by night: and behold, Saul was fast asleep in the chariot, and his spear was stuck in the ground near his head, and Abenner and his people slept round about him.Καὶ εἰσπορεύεται Δαυὶδ καὶ Ἀβεσσὰ εἰς τὸν λαὸν τὴν νύκτα· καὶ ἰδοὺ Σαοὺλ καθεύδων ὕπνῳ ἐν λαμπήνῃ, καὶ τὸ δόρυ αὐτοῦ ἐμπεπηγὸς εἰς τὴν γῆν πρὸς κεφαλῆς αὐτοῦ, καὶ Ἀβεννὴρ καὶ ὁ λαὸς αὐτοῦ ἐκάθευδε κύκλῳ αὐτοῦ.

8And Abessa said to David, The Lord has this day shut up your enemy into your hands, and now I will † strike him to the earth with the spear to the ground once for all, and I will not strike him again.Καὶ εἶπεν Ἀβεσσὰ πρὸς Δαυὶδ, ἀπέκλεισε Κύριος σήμερον τὸν ἐχθρόν σου εἰς χεῖράς σου· καὶ νῦν πατάξω αὐτὸν τῷ δόρατι εἰς τὴν γῆν ἅπαξ, καὶ οὐ δευτερώσω αὐτῷ.

9And David said to Abessa, Do not lay him low, for who shall lift up his hand against the anointed of the Lord, and be guiltless?Καὶ εἶπε Δαυὶδ πρὸς Ἀβεσσὰ, μὴ ταπεινώσῃς αὐτὸν, ὅτι τίς ἐποίσει χεῖρα αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ χριστὸν Κυρίου καὶ ἀθωωθήσεται;

10And David said, As the Lord lives, if the Lord strike him not, or his day come and he die, or he go down to battle and be added to his fathers, do not so.Καὶ εἶπε Δαυὶδ, ζῇ Κύριος, ἐὰν μὴ Κύριος παίσῃ αὐτὸν, ἢ ἡμέρα αὐτοῦ ἔλθῃ καὶ ἀποθάνῃ, ἢ εἰς πόλεμον καταβῇ καὶ προστεθῇ.

11The Lord forbid it me that I should lift up my hand against the anointed of the Lord: and now take, I pray you, the spear from his bolster, and the pitcher of water, and let us return ‡ home.Μηδαμῶς μοι παρὰ Κυρίου ἐπενεγκεῖν χεῖρά μου ἐπὶ χριστὸν Κυρίου· καὶ νῦν λάβε δὴ τὸ δόρυ ἀπὸ προσκεφαλῆς αὐτοῦ, καὶ τὸν φακὸν τοῦ ὕδατος, καὶ ἀπέλθωμεν ἡμεῖς καθʼ ἑαυτούς.

12So David took the spear, and the pitcher of water from his bolster, and they went home: and there was no one that saw, and no one that knew, and there was no one that awoke, all being asleep, for a stupor from the Lord had fallen upon them.Καὶ ἔλαβε Δαυὶδ τὸ δόρυ, καὶ τὸν φακὸν τοῦ ὕδατος ἀπὸ προσκεφαλῆς αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἀπῆλθον καθʼ ἑαυτούς· καὶ οὐκ ἦν ὁ βλέπων, καὶ οὐκ ἦν ὁ γινώσκων, καὶ οὐκ ἦν ὁ ἐξεγειρόμενος, πάντες ὑπνοῦντες, ὅτι θάμβος Κυρίου ἐπέπεσεν ἐπʼ αὐτούς.

13So David went over to the other side, and stood on the top of a hill afar off, and there was a good distance between them.Καὶ διέβη Δαυὶδ εἰς τὸ πέραν, καὶ ἔστη ἐπὶ τὴν κορυφὴν τοῦ ὄρους μακρόθεν, καὶ πολλὴ ἡ ὁδὸς ἀναμέσον αὐτῶν.

14And David called to the people, and spoke to Abenner, saying, Will you not answer, Abenner? and Abenner answered and said, Who are you that call? §Καὶ προσεκαλέσατο Δαυὶδ τὸν λαὸν, καὶ τῷ Ἀβεννὴρ ἐλάλησε, λέγεν, οὐκ ἀποκριθήσῃ Ἀβεννήρ; καὶ ἀπεκρίθη ʼΑβεννὴρ, καὶ εἶπε, τίς εἶ σὺ ὁ καλῶν;

15And David said to Abenner, Are not you a man? and who is like you in Israel? Why then do you not guard your lord the king? for one out of the people went in to destroy your lord the king.Καὶ εἶπε Δαυὶδ πρὸς Ἀβεννὴρ, οὐκ ἀνὴρ σύ; καὶ τίς, ὡς σὺ, ἐν Ἰσραήλ; καὶ διατί οὐ φυλάσσεις τὸν κύριόν σου τὸν βασιλέα; ὅτι εἰσῆλθεν εἷς ἐκ τοῦ λαοῦ διαφθεῖραι τὸν κύριόν σου τὸν βασιλέα.

16And this thing is not good which you have done. As the Lord lives, you are ** worthy of death, you who guard your lord the king, the anointed of the Lord: and now behold, I pray you, the spear of the king, and the cruse of water: where are the articles that should be at his head?Καὶ οὐκ ἀγαθὸν τὸ ῥῆμα τοῦτο, ὃ πεποίηκας· ζῇ Κύριος, ὅτι υἱοὶ θανατώσεως ὑμεῖς, οἱ φυλάσσοντες τὸν βασιλέα τὸν κύριον ὑμῶν τὸν χριστὸν Κυρίου· καὶ νῦν ἴδε δὴ τὸ δόρυ τοῦ βασιλέως, καὶ ὁ φακὸς τοῦ ὕδατος, ποῦ ἐστι τὰ πρὸς κεφαλῆς αὐτοῦ;

17And Saul recognized the voice of David, and said, Is this your voice, son David? and David said, I am your servant, my lord, O king.Καὶ ἐπέγνω Σαοὺλ τὴν φωνὴν Δαυὶδ, καὶ εἶπεν, ἡ φωνή σου αὕτη, τέκνον Δαυίδ; καὶ εἶπε Δαυίδ, δοῦλός σου κύριε βασιλεῦ.

18And he said, Why does my lord thus pursue after his servant? for in what have I sinned? and what unrighteousness has been found in me?Καὶ εἶπεν, ἱνατί τοῦτο καταδιώκει ὁ κύριος ὀπίσω τοῦ δούλου αὐτοῦ; ὅτι τί ἡμάρτηκα; καὶ τί εὑρέθη ἐν ἐμοὶ ἀδίκημα;

19And now let my lord the king hear the word of his servant. If God stirs you up against me, let your offering be acceptable: but if the sons of men, they are cursed before the Lord, for they have cast me out this day so that I should not be established in the inheritance of the Lord, saying, Go, serve other Gods.Καὶ νῦν ἀκουσάτω ὁ κύριός μου ὁ βασιλεὺς τὸ ῥῆμα τοῦ δούλου αὐτοῦ· εἰ ὁ Θεὸς ἐπισείει σε ἐπʼ ἐμὲ, ὀσφρανθείη θυσία σου· καὶ εἰ υἱοὶ ἀνθρώπων, ἐπικατάρατοι οὗτοι ἐνώπιον Κυρίου, ὅτι ἐξέβαλόν με σήμερον μὴ ἐστηρίθαι ἐν κληρονομίᾳ Κυρίου, λέγοντες, πορεύου, δούλευε θεοῖς ἑτέροις.

20And now let not my blood fall to the ground before †† the Lord, for the king of Israel has come forth to seek your life, as the night hawk pursues its prey in the mountains.Καὶ νῦν μὴ πέσοι τὸ αἷμά μου ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν ἐξεναντίας προσώπου Κυρίου, ὅτι ἐξελήλυθεν ὁ βασιλεὺς Ἰσραὴλ ζητεῖν ψυχήν μου, καθὼς καταδιώκει ὁ νυκτικόραξ ἐν τοῖς ὄρεσι.

21And Saul said, I have sinned: turn, son David, for I will not hurt you, because my life was precious in your eyes; and today I have been foolish and have erred exceedingly.Καὶ εἶπε Σαοὺλ, ἡμάρτηκα· ἐπίστρεφε, τέκνον Δαυὶδ, ὅτι οὐ κακοποιήσω σε, ἀνθʼ ὧν ἔντιμος ψυχή μου ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς σου, καὶ ἐν τῇ σήμερον μεματαίωμαι καὶ ἠγνόηκα πολλὰ σφόδρα.

22And David answered and said, Behold, the spear of the king: let one of the servants come over and take it.Καὶ ἀπεκρίθη Δαυὶδ, καὶ εἶπεν, ἰδοὺ τὸ δόρυ τοῦ βασιλέως· διελθέτω εἷς τῶν παιδαρίων καὶ λαβέτω αὐτό·

23And the Lord shall recompense each according to his righteousness and his truth, since the Lord delivered you this day into my hands, and I would not lift my hand against the Lord's anointed.Καὶ Κύριος ἐπιστρέψει ἑκάστῳ κατὰ τὰς δικαιοσύνας αὐτοῦ καὶ τὴν πίστιν αὐτοῦ· ὡς παρέδωκέ σε Κύριος σήμερον εἰς χεῖράς μου, καὶ οὐκ ἠθέλησα ἐπενεγκεῖν χεῖρά μου ἐπὶ χριστὸν Κυρίου.

24And, behold, as your life has been ‡‡ precious this very day in my eyes, so let my life be §§ precious before the Lord, and may he protect me, and *** deliver me out of all affliction.Καὶ ἰδοὺ καθὼς ἐμεγαλύνθη ἡ ψυχή σου σήμερον ἐν ταύτῃ ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς μου, οὕτως μεγαλυνθείη ἡ ψυχή μου ἐνώπιον Κυρίου, καὶ σκεπάσαι με, καὶ ἐξελεῖταί με ἐκ πάσης θλίψεως.

25And Saul said to David, Blessed be you, my son; and you shall surely do valiantly, and surely prevail. And David went on his way, and Saul returned to his place.Καὶ εἶπε Σαοὺλ πρὸς Δαυὶδ, εὐλογημένος σὺ, τέκνον· καὶ ποιῶν ποιήσεις, καὶ δυνάμενος δυνήσῃ· καὶ ἀπῆλθε Δαυὶδ εἰς τὴν ὁδὸν αὐτοῦ, καὶ Σαοὺλ ἀπέστρεψεν εἰς τὸν τόπον αὐτοῦ.

Translator's Notes

These notes come from the printed edition of Sir Lancelot Brenton's classic English translation of the Septuagint (LXX), and record where the Greek differs from the English rendering or admits more than one reading.

• v. 3*Gr. comes.
• v. 8†Gr. double the stroke to him.
• v. 11‡Gr. καθ᾿ ἑαυτούς. q.d. chez nous.
• v. 14§Heb.+ to the king. Alex. 'me to the king.'
• v. 16**Gr. sons of slaughter.
• v. 20††Gr. the face of the Lord.
• v. 24‡‡Gr. magnified.
• v. 24§§Gr. magnified.
• v. 24***Gr. shall deliver.