1Now the Ziphites came to Saul at Gibeah, saying, Is David not hiding in the hill of Hachilah, before the desert? 2Then Saul rose up 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. 3And Saul 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 knew for sure that Saul had come. 5And David rose up and came to the place where Saul had encamped. And David saw the place where Saul lay, and Abner the son of Ner, the commander of his army. And Saul was lying within the entrenchment, with the people encamped all around him. 6Then David answered, and said to Ahimelech the Hittite and to Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab’s brother, saying, Who will go down with me to Saul in the camp? And Abishai said, I will go down with you. 7So David and Abishai came to the people by night; and behold Saul was lying down sleeping within the entrenchment, with his spear stuck in the ground by his head. And Abner and the people were lying all around him. 8Then Abishai said to David, God has delivered your enemy into your hand this day. Now therefore, please, let me strike him with the spear, into the earth one time; and I will not strike him again. 9And David said to Abishai, Do not destroy him; for who can stretch out his hand against the anointed of Jehovah, and be guiltless? 10David said furthermore, As Jehovah lives, Jehovah shall strike him, or his day shall come to have died, or he shall go out to battle and will have perished. 11Jehovah forbid that I should stretch out my hand against the anointed of Jehovah. But please, take now the spear and the jug of water that are by his head, and let us go. 12So David took the spear and the jug of water by Saul’s head, and they got away; and no man saw it or knew it or awoke. For they were all asleep, because a deep sleep from Jehovah had fallen upon them. 13And David went over to the other side, and stood on the top of a hill afar off, with a great distance between them. 14And David called out to the people and to Abner the son of Ner, saying, Do you not answer, Abner? Then Abner answered and said, Who are you, calling out to the king? 15And David said to Abner, Are you not a man? And 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 your lord the king. 16This thing that you have done is not good. As Jehovah lives, you are sons of death, because you have not guarded your master, the anointed of Jehovah. And now see where the king’s spear is, and the jug of water that was by his head. 17And Saul recognized David’s voice, and said, Is that your voice, my son David? And David said, It is my voice, my lord, O king. 18And he said, Why does my lord thus pursue his servant? For what have I done, or what evil is in my hand? 19Now therefore, please, let my lord the king hear the words of his servant: If Jehovah has stirred you up against me, let Him accept an offering. But if it is the sons of men, may they be cursed before Jehovah, for they have driven me out this day from joining in the inheritance of Jehovah, saying, Go, serve other gods. 20So now, do not let my blood fall to the earth before the face of Jehovah. 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 harm you no more, because my soul was precious in your eyes this day. Indeed I have acted foolishly and erred exceedingly. 22And David answered and said, Here is the king’s spear. Let one of the young men come over and get it. 23May Jehovah repay every man for his righteousness and his faithfulness; for Jehovah has delivered you into my hand today, but I would not stretch out my hand against the anointed of Jehovah. 24And behold, as your soul has been magnified this day in my eyes, so let my soul be magnified in the eyes of Jehovah, and let Him deliver me out of all distress. 25Then Saul said to David, May you be blessed, my son David! You shall bring about to do, and shall prevail to accomplish. So David went his way, and Saul returned to his place.