 1 The Ziphites came to Saul at Gibeah saying, Is not David hiding himself in the hill of Hachilah, on the edge of the desert? 2 Saul arose and went down to the wilderness of Ziph to seek David in the wilderness of Ziph, having 3,000 chosen men of Israel with him. 3 Saul pitched in the hill of Hachilah, which is on the edge of the desert, by the highway. And David was staying in the wilderness. And he saw that Saul came after him into the wilderness. 4 David sent out spies and knew that Saul had come indeed. 5 David arose and came to the place where Saul had pitched. And David saw the place where Saul lay. And Abner the son of Ner, the captain of his army, and Saul were lying within the barricade. And the people pitched all around him. 6 David said to Ahimelech the Hittite, and to Abishai the son of Zeruiah, the brother of Joab saying, Who will go down with me to the camp to Saul? And Abishai said, I will go down with you. 7 So David and Abishai came to the people by night. And behold, Saul lay sleeping in the tent, and his spear stuck in the ground at his head. But Abner and the people lay around him. 8 Abishai said to David, God has shut up your enemy to you this day. And please let me strike him with the spear even to the earth at once, and I will not repeat it to him. 9 David said to Abishai, Do not destroy him. For who can stretch forth his hand against the Lord's anointed and be guiltless? 10 David said, As the Lord lives, except the Lord strike him, or his day shall come, and he dies, or he goes down to battle and is consumed, 11 far be it from me by the Lord, from putting forth my hand against the Lord's anointed. Now, please take the spear at his head and the cruse of water, and we will go. 12 David took the spear and the cruse of water from Saul's head and they went away. No one saw and no one knew. No one was awake. All of them were sleeping because a deep sleep from the Lord had fallen on them. 13 David went over to the other side and stood on the top of a hill far off, a great space between them. 14 David called to the people and to Abner the son of Ner saying, Do you not answer, Abner? Abner said, Who are you that calls to the king? 15 David said to Abner, Are you not a man? Who is like you in Israel? But why have you not watched over your lord the king? For one of the people came in to destroy your lord the king. 16 This thing that you have done is not good. As the Lord lives, because you have not watched over your master, the Lord's anointed, you also are worthy to die. Now see where the king's spear is, and the cruse of water that was at his head. 17 Saul knew David's voice and said, Is this your voice, my son David? And David said, It is my voice, my lord and king. 18 He said, Why does my lord pursue after his servant this way? For what have I done? Or what evil is in my hand? 19 Now, please let my lord the king hear the words of his servant. If the Lord has stirred you up against me, let Him accept an offering. But if it is the children of men, they are cursed before the Lord. For they have driven me out today from joining myself with the inheritance of the Lord saying, Go, serve other gods. 20 Now, do not let my blood fall to the earth before the face of the Lord. For the king of Israel has come out to seek a flea, as when one hunts a partridge in the mountains. 21 Saul said, I have sinned. Return, my son David. For I will never do harm to you any more because my life was precious in your eyes this day. I have acted foolishly and have greatly erred. 22 David said, Here is the king's spear. Let one of the young men come over and get it. 23 May the Lord give to each his righteousness and his faithfulness. For the Lord delivered you to me today. But I would not stretch forth my hand against the Lord's anointed. 24 Behold, as your life was precious in my eyes this day, so let my life be precious in the eyes of the Lord, and let Him deliver me out of all tribulation. 25 Saul said to David, Blessed are you, my son David. You do great things and will still prevail. So David went on his way and Saul returned to his place.
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