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26.13 between them. And David cried to the people, and to Abner the son of Ner, saying: 'Answerest thou not, Abner?' Then Abner answered and said: 'Who art thou that criest to the king?' And David said to Abner: 'Art not thou a valiant man? and who is like to thee in Israel? wherefore then hast thou not kept watch over thy lord the king? for there came one of the people in to destroy the king thy lord. This thing is not good that thou hast done. As the liveth, ye deserve to die, because ye have not kept watch over your lord, the  anointed. And now, see, where the king's spear is, and the cruse of water that was at his head.'

And Saul knew David's voice, and said: 'Is this thy voice, my son David?' And David said: 'It is my voice, my lord, O king.' And he said: 'Wherefore doth my lord pursue after his servant? for what have I done? or what evil is in my hand? Now therefore, I pray thee, let my lord the king hear the words of his servant. If it be the that hath stirred thee up against me, let Him accept an offering; but if it be the children of men, cursed be they before the ; for they have driven me out this day that I should not cleave unto the inheritance of the, saying: Go, serve other gods. Now therefore, let not my blood fall to the earth away from the presence of the ; for the king of Israel is come out to seek a single flea, as when one doth hunt a partridge in the mountains.'

Then said Saul: 'I have sinned; return, my son David; for I will no more do thee harm, because my life was precious in thine eyes this day; behold, I have played the fool and erred exceedingly.' And David answered and said: 'Behold the king's spear! let then one of the young men come over and fetch it. And the will render to every man his righteousness and his faithfulness; forasmuch as the  delivered thee into my hand to-day, and I would not put forth my hand against the  anointed. And, behold, as thy life was much set by this day in mine eyes, so let my life be much set by in the eyes of the, and let Him deliver me out of all tribulation.' Then Saul said to David: 'Blessed be thou, my son David; thou shalt both do mightily, and shalt surely prevail.' So David went his way, and Saul returned to his place.

And David said in his heart: 'I shall now be swept away one day by the hand of Saul; there is nothing better for me than that I should escape into the land of the Philistines; and Saul will despair of me, to seek me any more in all the borders of Israel; so shall I escape out of his hand.' And David arose, and passed over, he and the six hundred men that were with him, unto Achish the son of Maoch, king of Gath. And David dwelt with Achish at Gath, he and his men, every man with his household, even David with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the Carmelitess, Nabal's wife. And it was told Saul that David was fled to Gath; and he sought no more again for him.

And David said unto Achish: 'If now I have found favour in thine eyes, let them give me a place in one of the cities in the country, that I may dwell there; for why should thy servant dwell in the royal city with thee?' Then Achish gave him Ziklag that day; wherefore Ziklag belongeth unto the kings of Judah unto this day.