1 Samuel 26 The Ziphites came to Saul at Gibeah, saying, "Is not David hiding on the hill of Hakilah opposite Jeshimon?"

VIN⁽ⁱ⁾ ¹ The Ziphites came to Saul at Gibeah, saying, "Is not David hiding on the hill of Hakilah opposite Jeshimon?" ² Saul went to the desert of Ziph. He took three thousand of Israel's best-trained men to search for David. ³ Saul encamped by the road on the hill of Hachilah, which is before the desert, but David stayed in the wilderness. When he saw that Saul had come after him into the wilderness, ⁴ David sent out spies, and learned that Saul was certainly come. ⁵ Then David went to the place where Saul camped. David saw the place where Saul and Ner's son Abner, the commander of the army, were lying. Saul was lying in the camp. The troops were camped around him. ⁶ David asked Ahimelech the Hittite, and Abishai the brother of Joab: "Who will go to Saul’s camp with me?" "I will," Abishai answered. ⁷ So David and Abishai came to the army by night, and there was Saul lying asleep in the encampment with his spear thrust into the ground near his head, and Abner and the army were lying all around him. ⁸ Abishai said to David, "Today God has delivered your enemy into your hand. Let me run the spear through him into the ground with a single blow. I won't need to strike him twice!" ⁹ But David said to Abishai, "Destroy him not — for who can lay his hand on the LORD's anointed and be guiltless?" ¹⁰ As the LORD lives, the LORD will strike him down, or his time will come to die, or he will go into battle and perish. ¹¹ The LORD forbid that I should raise my hand against the LORD's anointed. Now take the spear that is at his head and the jug of water, and let's go." ¹² So David took the spear and the jar of water from Saul's head and they went away; and no-one saw it or knew about it, neither did anyone awake, for they were all asleep because a deep sleep from the LORD had fallen on them. ¹³ Then David crossed over to the other side and stood on top of the hill some distance away with a large distance between them. ¹⁴ David called out to the army and to Ner's son Abner, "Abner, won't you answer me?" Abner answered: "Who are you who calls out to the king?" ¹⁵ David said to Abner, "Are you not a man, and who is like you in Israel? Why didn't you guard your lord, the king? Indeed, a soldier came to destroy the king, your lord. ¹⁶ What you have done is not good. As the LORD lives, you are worthy to die because you have not kept watch over your lord, the LORD's anointed. Where are the king's spear and the jar of water that was at his head? ¹⁷ Saul recognized David's voice and said: "Is that your voice my son David?" And David said: "It is my voice, my lord the king. ¹⁸ Why does my lord pursue his servant? What have I done? What evil am I guilty of? ¹⁹ Now let your majesty listen to the words of his servant. If the LORD incited you against me, then may he accept an offering. But if it is people, may they be cursed before the LORD, because they have driven me out today from sharing in the inheritance of the LORD by saying, 'Go serve other gods.' ²⁰ And so then, do not let my blood fall to the ground away from the presence of the LORD, for the king of Israel has gone out to seek a single flea, as one hunts a partridge in the mountains." ²¹ Then Saul said, "I have sinned! Come back, David my son, for I will not harm you again, because my life was precious in your eyes this day. Look, I have acted like a fool and have made a terrible mistake." ²² David replied, "Here's the king's spear. Have one of the young men come over and get it. ²³ The LORD reward every man's righteousness and faith: for the LORD delivered thee into my hand this day, but I would not lay my hand upon the LORD's anointed. ²⁴ And so, as your life was dear to me today, may my life be dear to the Lord, and may he make me free from all my troubles. ²⁵ Then Saul said to David, May you be blessed, my son David. You will do great things and will surely triumph. So David went on his way, and Saul returned home.