1 Samuel 26:19

26:19 So let my lord the king now listen to the words of his servant. If the Lord has incited you against me, may he take delight in¹ an offering. But if men have instigated this,² may they be cursed before the Lord! For they have driven me away this day from being united with the Lord’s inheritance, saying, ‘Go on, serve other gods!’

1 Samuel 26:1

David Spares Saul’s Life Again

26:1 The Ziphites came to Saul at Gibeah and said, “Isn’t David hiding on the hill of Hakilah near³ Jeshimon?”

1 Samuel 12:1

12:1 Samuel said to all Israel, “I have done⁴ everything you requested.⁵ I have given you a king.⁶

1 Samuel 14:16

14:16 Saul’s watchmen at Gibeah in the territory of Benjamin⁷ looked on⁸ as the crowd of soldiers seemed to melt away first in one direction and then in another.⁹

1 Samuel 15:30

15:30 Saul¹⁰ again replied, “I have sinned. But please honor me before the elders of my people and before Israel. Go back with me so I may worship the Lord your God.”

¹tn Heb “may he smell.” The implication is that Saul should seek to appease God, for such divine instigation to evil would a sign of God’s disfavor. For a fuller discussion of this passage see R. B. Chisholm, Jr., “Does God Deceive?” BSac 155 (1998): 19-21.

²tn Heb “but if the sons of men.”

³tn Heb “upon the face of.”

⁴tn Heb “Look, I have listened to your voice.”

⁵tn Heb “to all which you said to me.”

⁶tn Heb “and I have installed a king over you.”

⁷tn Heb “at Gibeah of Benjamin.” The words “in the territory” are supplied in the translation for clarity.

⁸tn Heb “saw, and look!”

⁹tn Heb “the crowd melted and went, even here.”

¹⁰tn Heb “he”; the referent (Saul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.