Immerse: Kingdoms Full Volume - Flipbook - Page 142
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IMMERSE
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KINGDOMS
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“No!” David said. “Don’t kill him. For who can remain innocent after
attacking the Lord’s anointed one? Surely the Lord will strike Saul down
someday, or he will die of old age or in battle. The Lord forbid that I
should kill the one he has anointed! But take his spear and that jug of water
beside his head, and then let’s get out of here!”
So David took the spear and jug of water that were near Saul’s head.
Then he and Abishai got away without anyone seeing them or even waking
up, because the Lord had put Saul’s men into a deep sleep.
David climbed the hill opposite the camp until he was at a safe distance.
Then he shouted down to the soldiers and to Abner son of Ner, “Wake
up, Abner!”
“Who is it?” Abner demanded.
“Well, Abner, you’re a great man, aren’t you?” David taunted. “Where
in all Israel is there anyone as mighty? So why haven’t you guarded your
master the king when someone came to kill him? This isn’t good at all!
I swear by the Lord that you and your men deserve to die, because you
failed to protect your master, the Lord’s anointed! Look around! Where
are the king’s spear and the jug of water that were beside his head?”
Saul recognized Dav id’s voice and called out, “Is that you, my son
David?”
And David replied, “Yes, my lord the king. Why are you chasing me?
What have I done? What is my crime? But now let my lord the king listen
to his servant. If the Lord has stirred you up against me, then let him
accept my offering. But if this is simply a human scheme, then may those
involved be cursed by the Lord. For they have driven me from my home,
so I can no longer live among the Lord’s people, and they have said, ‘Go,
worship pagan gods.’ Must I die on foreign soil, far from the presence of
the Lord? Why has the king of Israel come out to search for a single flea?
Why does he hunt me down like a partridge on the mountains?”
Then Saul confessed, “I have sinned. Come back home, my son, and I
will no longer try to harm you, for you valued my life today. I have been a
fool and very, very wrong.”
“Here is your spear, O king,” David replied. “Let one of your young men
come over and get it. The Lord gives his own reward for doing good and
for being loyal, and I refused to kill you even when the Lord placed you
in my power, for you are the Lord’s anointed one. Now may the Lord
value my life, even as I have valued yours today. May he rescue me from
all my troubles.”
And Saul said to David, “Blessings on you, my son David. You will do
many heroic deeds, and you will surely succeed.” Then David went away,
and Saul returned home.