1 Samuel 26

¹ The Ziphites came to Saul at Gibeah, saying, "Is not David hiding on the hill of Hachilah, which faces Jeshimon?"

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

³ Saul camped on the hill of Hachilah, which faces Jeshimon, beside the road. David was staying in the wilderness, and he saw that Saul came after him into the wilderness.

⁴ David sent out spies and learned that Saul had indeed come.

⁵ David arose and came to the place where Saul had camped. David saw the place where Saul lay, with Abner son of Ner, the commander of his army. Saul was lying within the encampment, and the people were camped around him.

⁶ David spoke to Ahimelech the Hittite and to Abishai son of Zeruiah, Joab's brother, saying, "Who will go down with me to Saul into the camp?" Abishai said, "I will go down with you."

⁷ David and Abishai went to the people by night, and there lay Saul sleeping within the encampment with his spear stuck in the ground at his head. Abner and the people lay around him.

⁸ Abishai said to David, "God has delivered your enemy into your hand today. Now please let me pin him to the ground with one stroke of the spear. I will not need to strike him twice."

⁹ But David said to Abishai, "Do not destroy him, for who can stretch out his hand against the LORD's anointed and be guiltless?"

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

¹¹ "The LORD forbid that I should stretch out my hand against the LORD's anointed. Now take the spear that is at his head and the water jug, and let us go."

¹² So David took the spear and the water jug from beside Saul's head, and they went away. No one saw, no one knew, and no one woke up—they were all asleep because a deep sleep from the LORD had fallen on them.

¹³ David crossed over to the other side and stood on top of the hill far away, with a great distance between them.

¹⁴ David called to the people and to Abner son of Ner, saying, "Will you not answer, Abner?" Abner answered, "Who are you, calling to the king?"

¹⁵ David said to Abner, "Are you not a man? Who is like you in Israel? Why then have you not guarded your lord the king? For one of the people came in to destroy the king your lord.

¹⁶ "This thing that you have done is not good. As the LORD lives, you deserve to die because you have not guarded your lord, the LORD's anointed. Now look—where is the king's spear and the water jug that was at his head?"

¹⁷ Saul recognized David's voice and said, "Is that your voice, my son David?" David said, "It is my voice, my lord the king."

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

¹⁹ "Now please let my lord the king hear the words of his servant. If it is the LORD who has stirred you up against me, let him accept an offering. But if it is human beings, may they be cursed before the LORD, for they have driven me out today from sharing in the inheritance of the LORD, saying, 'Go, serve other gods.'

²⁰ "Now do not let my blood fall to the ground away from the presence of the LORD, for the king of Israel has come out to seek a single flea—as one hunts a partridge in the mountains."

²¹ Saul said, "I have sinned. Return, my son David, for I will not harm you again, because my life was precious in your eyes today. I have acted foolishly and have erred greatly."

²² David answered, "Here is the king's spear. Let one of the young men come over and get it.

²³ "The LORD repays every man for his righteousness and his faithfulness. The LORD gave you into my hand today, but I would not stretch out my hand against the LORD's anointed.

²⁴ "As your life was valued in my eyes today, so may my life be valued in the eyes of the LORD, and may he deliver me from all distress."

²⁵ Saul said to David, "Blessed be you, my son David. You will accomplish much and will surely prevail." Then David went on his way, and Saul returned to his place.