1 Samuel 26

26 ¹ The men of Ziph came to Saul at Gibeah and said, "Is not David hiding on the hill of Hachilah, which faces Jeshimon?" ² So Saul set out and went down to the Wilderness of Ziph, taking with him three thousand chosen men of Israel, to search for David there. ³ Saul camped beside the road on the hill of Hachilah, which faces Jeshimon, while David was staying in the wilderness. When David saw that Saul had come after him into the wilderness, ⁴ he sent out scouts and learned that Saul had indeed arrived. ⁵ Then David set out and came to the place where Saul had camped. He saw the place where Saul lay, with Abner son of Ner, the commander of his army. Saul was lying inside the camp, with the troops camped around him. ⁶ David then said to Ahimelech the Hittite and to Abishai son of Zeruiah, Joab's brother, "Who will go down with me into the camp to Saul?" "I will go down with you," Abishai answered.

⁷ So David and Abishai came to the troops by night, and there was Saul, lying asleep inside the camp with his spear stuck in the ground by his head, while Abner and the troops lay around him. ⁸ Abishai said to David, "Our Father has handed your enemy over to you today. Now let me pin him to the ground with one thrust of the spear; I will not need a second."

⁹ But David said to Abishai, "Do not destroy him! Who can lift a hand against our Father's anointed and be without guilt?" ¹⁰ And David said, "As surely as our Father lives, our Father himself will strike him down; or his day will come and he will die; or he will go into battle and perish. ¹¹ Far be it from me, before our Father, to lift my hand against our Father's anointed. But take the spear by 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 left. No one saw them, no one knew, and no one woke, for a deep sleep from our Father had fallen on them.

David Calls Out to Abner Across the Valley

¹³ Then David crossed over to the other side and stood on top of the hill some distance away, with a wide space between them. ¹⁴ He called out to the troops and to Abner son of Ner, "Aren't you going to answer, Abner?" "Who are you, calling to the king?" Abner replied.

¹⁵ David said to Abner, "You are a man, aren't you? And who is like you in Israel? Why then did you not guard your lord the king? For someone came in to destroy the king, your lord. ¹⁶ What you have done is not good. As surely as our Father lives, you all deserve to die, because you did not keep watch over your lord, our Father's anointed. Now look: where are the king's spear and the water jug that were by his head?"

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

¹⁸ And he added, "Why is my lord pursuing his servant? What have I done? What wrong is in my hand? ¹⁹ Now then, may my lord the king listen to the words of his servant. If our Father has stirred you up against me, then may he accept an offering. But if it is people who have done it, may they be cursed before him, for they have driven me out today from my share in his inheritance, saying, 'Go, serve other gods.' ²⁰ Now do not let my blood fall to the ground far from the presence of our Father. For the king of Israel has come out to hunt a single flea, as one chases a partridge in the mountains.

Saul Confesses He Has Sinned

²¹ Then Saul said, "I have sinned. Come back, my son David. I will never harm you again, because my life was precious in your eyes today. I have acted like a fool and have been terribly wrong."

²² David answered, "Here is the king's spear. Let one of the young men come over and get it. ²³ Our Father repays each person for their righteousness and their faithfulness. Today he gave you into my hand, but I would not lift my hand against his anointed. ²⁴ As surely as I valued your life highly today, so may our Father value my life highly and deliver me from all trouble."

²⁵ Then Saul said to David, "May you be blessed, my son David. You will do great things and surely prevail." So David went on his way, and Saul returned home.