Saul pursues David again. David and Abishai enter Saul's camp at night, but David again refuses to harm Saul and takes his spear and water jug. Saul acknowledges his wrong.
1 And the Ziphites came unto Saul to Gibeah , saying , Doth not David hide himself in the hill of Hachilah , which is before Jeshimon ?
2 Then 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 .
3 And Saul pitched in the hill of Hachilah , which is before Jeshimon , by the way . But David abode in the wilderness , and he saw that Saul came after him into the wilderness .
4 David therefore sent out spies , and understood that Saul was come in very deed .
5 And David arose , and came to the place where Saul had pitched : and David beheld the place where Saul lay , and Abner the son of Ner , the captain of his host : and Saul lay in the trench , and the people pitched round about him.
6 Then answered David and said to Ahimelech the Hittite , and to Abishai the son of Zeruiah , brother to Joab , saying , Who will go down with me to Saul to the camp ? And Abishai said , I will go down with thee.
7 So David and Abishai came to the people by night : and, behold, Saul lay sleeping within the trench , and his spear stuck in the ground at his bolster : but Abner and the people lay round about him.
8 Then said Abishai to David , God hath delivered thine enemy into thine hand this day : now therefore let me smite him, I pray thee, with the spear even to the earth at once , and I will not smite him the second time .
9 And David said to Abishai , Destroy him not: for who can stretch forth his hand against the LORD'S anointed , and be guiltless ?
10 David said furthermore, As the LORD liveth , the LORD shall smite him; or his day shall come to die ; or he shall descend into battle , and perish .
11 The LORD forbid that I should stretch forth mine hand against the LORD'S anointed : but, I pray thee, take thou now the spear that is at his bolster , and the cruse of water , and let us go .
12 So David took the spear and the cruse of water from Saul's bolster ; and they gat them away , and no man saw it, nor knew it, neither awaked : for they were all asleep ; because a deep sleep from the LORD was fallen upon them.
13 Then David went over to the other side , and stood on the top of an hill afar off ; a great space being between them:
14 And David cried to the people , and to Abner the son of Ner , saying , Answerest thou not, Abner ? Then Abner answered and said , Who art thou that criest to the king ?
15 And David said to Abner , Art not thou a valiant man ? and who is like to thee in Israel ? wherefore then hast thou not kept thy lord the king ? for there came one of the people in to destroy the king thy lord .
16 This thing is not good that thou hast done . As the LORD liveth , ye are worthy to die , because ye have not kept your master , the LORD'S anointed . And now see where the king's spear is, and the cruse of water that was at his bolster .
17 And Saul knew David's voice , and said , Is this thy voice , my son David ? And David said , It is my voice , my lord , O king .
18 And he said , Wherefore doth my lord thus pursue after his servant ? for what have I done ? or what evil is in mine hand ?
19 Now therefore, I pray thee, let my lord the king hear the words of his servant . If the LORD have stirred thee up against me, let him accept an offering : but if they be the children of men , cursed be they before the LORD ; for they have driven me out this day from abiding in the inheritance of the LORD , saying , Go , serve other gods .
20 Now therefore, let not my blood fall to the earth before the face of the LORD : for the king of Israel is come out to seek a flea , as when one doth hunt a partridge in the mountains .
21 Then said Saul , I have sinned : return , my son David : for I will no more do thee harm , because my soul was precious in thine eyes this day : behold, I have played the fool , and have erred exceedingly .
22 And David answered and said , Behold the king's spear ! and let one of the young men come over and fetch it.
23 The LORD render to every man his righteousness and his faithfulness : for the LORD delivered thee into my hand to day , but I would not stretch forth mine hand against the LORD'S anointed .
24 And, behold, as thy life was much set by this day in mine eyes , so let my life be much set by in the eyes of the LORD , and let him deliver me out of all tribulation .
25 Then Saul said to David , Blessed be thou, my son David : thou shalt both do great things, and also shalt still prevail . So David went on his way , and Saul returned to his place .