The Ziphites came to Talut1 at Gibeah, saying, “Does not Dawud2 hide himself in the hill of Hachilah, which is before the desert?”
2Then Talut arose, and went down to the wilderness of Ziph, having three thousand chosen men of Israel with him, to look for Dawud in the wilderness of Ziph. 3Talut encamped in the hill of Hachilah, which is before the desert, by the road. But Dawud stayed in the wilderness, and he saw that Talut came after him into the wilderness. 4Dawud therefore sent out spies, and understood that Talut had come for sure. 5Dawud arose, and came to the place where Talut had encamped; and Dawud saw the place where Talut lay, and Abner son of Ner, the captain of his army: and Talut lay within the place of the wagons, and the people were encamped all around him.
6Then Dawud answered and said to Ahimelech the Hittite, and to Abishai son of Zeruiah, brother to Joab, saying, “Who will go down with me to Talut in the camp?”
Abishai said, “I will go down with you.” 7So Dawud and Abishai came to the people by night: and, behold, Talut lay sleeping within the place of the wagons, with his spear stuck in the ground at his head; and Abner and the people lay all around him. 8Then Abishai said to Dawud, “God3 has delivered up your enemy into your hand this day: now therefore please let me strike him with the spear to the earth with one stroke, and I will not strike him the second time.”
9Dawud said to Abishai, “Do not destroy him; for who can put forth his hand against YAHWEH’s anointed4, and be guiltless?” 10Dawud said, “As YAHWEH5 lives, YAHWEH will strike him; or his day shall come to die; or he shall go down into battle and perish. 11YAHWEH forbid that I should put forth my hand against YAHWEH’s anointed: but now please take the spear that is at his head, and the jar of water, and let us go.”
12So Dawud took the spear and the jar of water from Talut’s head; and they got away: and no man saw it, nor knew it, neither did any awake; for they were all asleep, because a deep sleep from YAHWEH was fallen on them. 13Then Dawud went over to the other side, and stood on the top of the mountain afar off; a great space being between them; 14and Dawud called out to the people, and to Abner son of Ner, saying, “Don’t you answer, Abner?”
Then Abner answered, “Who are you who calls to the king?”
15Dawud said to Abner, “Aren’t you a valiant man? Who is like you in Israel? Why then have you not kept watch over your lord, the king? For there came one of the people in to destroy the king your lord. 16This thing isn’t good that you have done. As YAHWEH lives, you are worthy to die, because you have not kept watch over your lord, YAHWEH’s anointed. Now see where the king’s spear is, and the jar of water that was at his head.”
17Talut recognized Dawud’s voice, and said, “Is that your voice, Dawud my son?”
Dawud said, “It is my voice, my lord, O king.” 18He said, “Why does my lord pursue after his servant? For what have I done? Or what evil is in my hand? 19Now therefore, please let my lord the king hear the words of his servant. If it be YAHWEH that has stirred you up against me, let him accept an offering: but if it be the children of men, may they be cursed before YAHWEH: for they have driven me out this day that I should not cling to YAHWEH’s inheritance, saying, ‘Go, worship other gods.’ 20Now therefore, do not let my blood fall to the earth away from the presence of YAHWEH: for the king of Israel has come out to seek a flea, as when one hunts a partridge in the mountains.”
21Then Talut said, “I have sinned: return, my son Dawud; for I will no more do you harm, because my life was precious in your eyes this day: behold, I have played the fool, and have erred greatly.”
22Dawud answered, “Behold the spear, O king! Let then one of the young men come over and get it. 23YAHWEH will render to every man his righteousness and his faithfulness; because YAHWEH delivered you into my hand today, and I wouldn’t put forth my hand against YAHWEH’s anointed. 24Behold, as your life was highly esteemed this day in my eyes, so let my life be highly esteemed in the eyes of YAHWEH, and let him deliver me out of all oppression.”
25Then Talut said to Dawud, “Blessed be you, my son Dawud: you shall both do mightily, and shall surely prevail.”
So Dawud went his way, and Talut returned to his place.
- 26:1` Talut, the Quranic Arabic version of the name of the first king of Israel. The Hebrew text reads Saul or Shaul. ↩︎
- 26:1 Dawud, this Arabic name is derived from David (Hebrew) and means “Beloved.” ↩︎
- 26:8 God, in Hebrew elohim, which is related to the Arabic allah. Both words translate correctly as “God,” referring to the one true God. ↩︎
- 26:9 anointed, in Hebrew mashiah, which gives rise to the Arabic masih, and the English messiah. In ancient Israel, kings, priests and prophets were anointed with oil to signify their divine appointment to office. All of these anointed individuals point ahead to the ultimate Anointed One or Messiah (AL-MASIH) whose coming God has promised in his holy word. Al-Kitab unanimously points to ‘ISA Ibn Maryam as the only person worthy to bear the title AL-MASIH. He is the one whom God sent into this world to save people from sin, and to usher in God’s Kingdom at his Second Coming. ↩︎
- 26:10 YAHWEH, God’s personal Name revealed to Prophet Musa in the Taurat, Exodus 3:15: ‘God said moreover to Musa, “You shall tell Bani-Israel this, ‘YAHWEH, the God of your fathers, the God of Ibrahim, the God of Ishaq, and the God of Yaqub, has sent me to you.’ This is my Name forever, and this is how I am to be remembered to all generations.”’ ↩︎