¹The Ziphites came to Saul to Gibeah , saying, “Doesn’t David hide himself in the hill of Hachilah , which is before the desert ?”

²Then Saul arose and went down to the wilderness of Ziph , having three thousand chosen men of Israel with him , to seek David in the wilderness of Ziph .

³Saul encamped in the hill of Hachilah , which is before the desert , by the way . But David stayed in the wilderness , and he saw that Saul came after him into the wilderness .

⁴David therefore sent out spies , and understood that Saul had certainly come .

⁵Then David arose and came to the place where Saul had encamped ; and David saw the place where Saul lay , with Abner the son of Ner , the captain of his army . Saul lay within the place of the wagons, and the people were encamped around him .

⁶Then David answered and said to Ahimelech the Hittite , and to Abishai the son of Zeruiah , brother of Joab , saying, “Who will go down with me to Saul to the camp ?”

Abishai said , “I will go down with you .”

⁷So David and Abishai came to the people by night ; and , behold , Saul lay sleeping within the place of the wagons, with his spear stuck in the ground at his head ; and Abner and the people lay around him .

⁸Then Abishai said to David , “God has delivered up your enemy into your hand today . Now therefore please let me strike him with the spear to the earth at one stroke , and I will not strike him the second time .”

⁹David said to Abishai, “Don’t destroy him , for who can stretch out his hand against the LORD ’s anointed , and be guiltless ?”

¹⁰David said, “As the LORD lives , the LORD will strike him ; or his day shall come to die , or he shall go down into battle and perish .

¹¹The LORD forbid that I should stretch out my hand against the LORD ’s anointed ; but now please take the spear that is at his head and the jar of water , and let ’s go .”

¹²So David took the spear and the jar of water from Saul ’s head , and they went away . No man saw it , or knew it , nor did any awake ; for they were all asleep , because a deep sleep from the LORD had fallen on them .

¹³Then David went over to the other side , and stood on the top of the mountain far away , a great space being between them ;

¹⁴and David cried to the people , and to Abner the son of Ner , saying, “Don’t you answer , Abner?”

Then Abner answered , “Who are you who calls to the king ?”

¹⁵David said to Abner, “Aren’t you a man? Who is like you in Israel ? Why then have you not kept watch over your lord the king ? For one of the people came in to destroy your lord the king .

¹⁶This thing isn’t good that you have done . As the LORD lives , you are worthy to die , because you have not kept watch over your lord , the LORD ’s anointed . Now see where the king ’s spear is , and the jar of water that was at his head .”

¹⁷Saul recognised David ’s voice , and said, “Is this your voice , my son David ?”

David said, “It is my voice , my lord, O king .”

¹⁸He said, “Why does my lord pursue his servant ? For what have I done ? What evil is in my hand ?

¹⁹Now therefore , please let my lord the king hear the words of his servant . If it is so that 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 that I shouldn’t cling to the LORD ’s inheritance , saying , ‘Go , serve other gods!’

²⁰Now therefore , don’t let my blood fall to the earth away from the presence of the LORD ; for the king of Israel has come out to seek a flea , as when one hunts a partridge in the mountains .”

²¹Then Saul said, “I have sinned . Return , my son David ; for I will no more do you harm , because my life was precious in your eyes today . Behold , I have played the fool , and have erred exceedingly .”

²²David answered , “Behold the spear , O king ! Let one of the young men come over and get it .

²³The LORD will give to every man his righteousness and his faithfulness; because the LORD delivered you into my hand today , and I wouldn’t stretch out my hand against the LORD ’s anointed .

²⁴Behold , as your life was respected today in my eyes , so let my life be respected in the LORD ’s eyes , and let him deliver me out of all oppression.”

²⁵Then Saul said to David , “You are blessed , my son David . You will both do mightily, and will surely prevail .”

So David went his way , and Saul returned to his place .