¹Then the Ziphites came to Saul in Gibeah and said, “Isn't David hiding in the hill of Hachilah opposite Jeshimon?” ²And Saul arose and went down to the Desert of Ziph, and with him were three thousand men – young men of Israel – to seek David in the Desert of Ziph. ³And Saul encamped at the hill of Hachilah, which is opposite Jeshimon on the way there. Now David was living in the desert, and he saw that Saul had come after him in the desert. ⁴So David sent spies, and he found out that Saul had indeed come. ⁵Then David arose and went to the place where Saul had encamped, and David saw the place where Saul was stationed, with Abner the son of Ner, the commander of his army, with Saul located in a circular barricade of wagons, with the people encamped around him. ⁶And David reacted and spoke to Ahimelech the Hittite and to Abishai the son of Zeruiah, the brother of Joab, and he said, “Who will go down with me, to Saul, to the camp?” And Abishai said, “I will go down with you.” ⁷So David and Abishai went to the people by night, and they saw Saul lying asleep in the circular barricade of wagons, with his spear stuck in the ground at his head-end and Abner and the people lying around him. ⁸Then Abishai said to David, “God has delivered your enemy into your hand today, so now I will strike him, if I may, with a spear to the ground, in one go, and I will not need to do it to him a second time.” ⁹But David said to Abishai, “Do not dispatch him, for who can lay his hand on the Lord's anointed and be held guiltless?” ¹⁰And David said, “As the Lord lives, let rather the Lord strike him, or let his day come when he dies, or let him go down to battle and perish. ¹¹Far be it from me with the Lord that I should lay my hand on the Lord's anointed, so now, take, would you, the spear which is at his head-end, and the water-flask, and let us go our way.” ¹²So David took the spear and the water-flask from Saul's head-end, and they went their way, and no-one saw, and no-one knew, and no-one woke up, for they were all asleep, for a deep sleep from the Lord had fallen on them. ¹³Then David crossed to the opposite side and stood on the peak of the mountain at a distance, the distance between them being large. ¹⁴And David called out to the people and to Abner the son of Ner and said, “Do you not answer, Abner?” And Abner answered and said, “Who are you who have called out to the king?” ¹⁵And David said to Abner, “Are you not a man? And who is like you in Israel? So why have you not kept guard over your lord the king? For one of the people came to dispatch your lord the king. ¹⁶This thing that you have done is not right – as the Lord lives – for you deserve death, in that you did not keep guard over your lord, over the Lord's anointed. So now, look for the king's spear and water-flask which were at his head-end.” ¹⁷And Saul recognized David's voice, and he said, “Is this your voice, my son David?” And David said, “It is my voice, my lord the king.” ¹⁸Then he said, “Why is it that my lord pursues his servant, because what have I done, and what wrong is to my charge? ¹⁹So now, let my lord the king hear the words of his servant. If the Lord has stirred you up against me, let him smell an offering. But if the incitement is from the sons of men, they are accursed before the Lord, for they drove me out today from joining the Lord's inheritance, and they said, ‘Go and serve other gods.’ ²⁰So now, don't let my blood fall to the ground in the presence of the Lord, for the king of Israel came out to seek a single flea, like one chasing a partridge in the mountains.” ²¹Then Saul said, “I have sinned. Return, my son David, for I will not harm you any more, because my life was valued in your sight this day. Look, I have acted foolishly, and I have erred very greatly.” ²²Then David answered and said, “Here is the spear, O king. Now let one of the lads come across and fetch it. ²³And the Lord will render to each his righteousness and his faithfulness, in that the Lord delivered you into my hand today, but I was not willing to lay my hand on the Lord's anointed. ²⁴And look, just as your life was valued in my sight this day, so may my life be valued in the Lord's sight, and may he deliver me from all adversity.” ²⁵Then Saul said to David, “Blessed are you, my son David. You will both accomplish much and prevail strongly.” Then David went his way, and Saul returned to his place.