1 And the Ziphites2130 came935 to Saul7586 to Gibeah,1390 saying,559 Does not David1732 hide5641 himself in the hill1389 of Hachilah,2444 which834 is before5921 6440 Jeshimon?3452

2 Then Saul7586 arose,6965 and went3381 down3381 to the wilderness4057 of Ziph,2128 having three7969 thousand505 chosen970 men376 of Israel3478 with him, to seek1245 David1732 in the wilderness4057 of Ziph.2128

3 And Saul7586 pitched2583 in the hill1389 of Hachilah,2444 which834 is before5921 6440 Jeshimon,3452 by the way.1870 But David1732 stayed3427 in the wilderness,4057 and he saw7200 that Saul7586 came935 after310 him into the wilderness.4057

4 David1732 therefore sent7971 out spies,7270 and understood3045 that Saul7586 was come935 in very3559 deed.3559

5 And David1732 arose,6965 and came935 to the place4725 where834 8033 Saul7586 had pitched:2583 and David1732 beheld7200 the place4725 where834 8033 Saul7586 lay,7901 and Abner74 the son1121 of Ner,5369 the captain8269 of his host:6635 and Saul7586 lay7901 in the trench,4570 and the people5971 pitched2583 round5439 about him.

6 Then answered6030 David1732 and said559 to Ahimelech288 the Hittite,2850 and to Abishai52 the son1121 of Zeruiah,6870 brother251 to Joab,3097 saying,559 Who4310 will go3381 down3381 with me to Saul7586 to the camp?4264 And Abishai52 said,559 I will go3381 down3381 with you.

7 So David1732 and Abishai52 came935 to the people5971 by night:3915 and, behold,2009 Saul7586 lay7901 sleeping3463 within the trench,4570 and his spear2595 stuck4600 in the ground776 at his bolster:4763 but Abner74 and the people5971 lay7901 round5439 about him.

8 Then said559 Abishai52 to David,1732 God430 has delivered5462 your enemy341 into your hand3027 this day:3117 now6258 therefore let me smite5221 him, I pray4994 you, with the spear2595 even to the earth776 at once,6471 259 and I will not smite him the second8138 time.

9 And David1732 said559 to Abishai,52 Destroy7843 him not: for who4310 can stretch7971 forth his hand3027 against the LORD's3068 anointed,4899 and be guiltless?5352

10 David1732 said559 furthermore, As the LORD3068 lives,2416 the LORD3068 shall smite5062 him; or176 his day3117 shall come935 to die;4191 or he shall descend3381 into battle,4421 and perish.5595

11 The LORD3068 forbid2486 that I should stretch7971 forth my hand3027 against the LORD's3068 anointed:4899 but, I pray4994 you, take3947 you now6258 the spear2595 that is at his bolster,4763 and the cruse6835 of water,4325 and let us go.3212

12 So David1732 took3947 the spear2595 and the cruse6835 of water4325 from Saul's7586 bolster;4763 and they got3212 them away,3212 and no369 man saw7200 it, nor369 knew3045 it, neither369 awaked:6974 for they were all3605 asleep;3463 because3588 a deep8639 sleep8639 from the LORD3068 was fallen5307 on them.

13 Then David1732 went5674 over5674 to the other5676 side,5676 and stood5975 on5921 the top7218 of an hill2022 afar7350 off; a great7227 space4725 being between996 them:

14 And David1732 cried7121 to the people,5971 and to Abner74 the son1121 of Ner,5369 saying,559 Answer6030 you not, Abner?74 Then Abner74 answered6030 and said,559 Who4310 are you that cry7121 to the king?4428

15 And David1732 said559 to Abner,74 Are not you a valiant man?376 and who4310 is like3644 to you in Israel?3478 why4100 then have you not kept8104 your lord113 the king?4428 for there came935 one259 of the people5971 in to destroy7843 the king4428 your lord.113

16 This2088 thing1697 is not good2896 that you have done.6213 As the LORD3068 lives,2416 you are worthy1121 to die,4194 because834 you have not kept8104 your master,113 the LORD's3068 anointed.4899 And now6258 see7200 where335 the king's4428 spear2595 is, and the cruse6835 of water4325 that was at his bolster.4763

17 And Saul7586 knew5234 David's1732 voice,6963 and said,559 Is this2088 your voice,6963 my son1121 David?1732 And David1732 said,559 It is my voice,6963 my lord,113 O king.4428

18 And he said,559 Why4100 does my lord113 thus2088 pursue7291 after310 his servant?5650 for what4100 have I done?6213 or what4100 evil7451 is in my hand?3027

19 Now6258 therefore, I pray4994 you, let my lord113 the king4428 hear8085 the words1697 of his servant.5650 If518 the LORD3068 have stirred5496 you up against me, let him accept7306 an offering:4503 but if518 they be the children1121 of men,120 cursed779 be they before6440 the LORD;3068 for they have driven1644 me out this day3117 from abiding5596 in the inheritance5159 of the LORD,3068 saying,559 Go,3212 serve5647 other312 gods.430

20 Now6258 therefore, let not my blood1818 fall5307 to the earth776 before5048 the face6440 of the LORD:3068 for the king4428 of Israel3478 is come3318 out to seek1245 a flea,6550 as when834 one does hunt7291 a partridge7124 in the mountains.2022

21 Then said559 Saul,7586 I have sinned:2398 return,7725 my son1121 David:1732 for I will no3808 more5750 do you harm,7489 because8478 834 my soul5315 was precious3365 in your eyes5869 this2088 day:3117 behold,2009 I have played the fool,5528 and have erred7683 exceedingly.7235 3966

22 And David1732 answered6030 and said,559 Behold2009 the king's4428 spear!2595 and let one259 of the young5288 men come5674 over5674 and fetch3947 it.

23 The LORD3068 render7725 to every man376 his righteousness6666 and his faithfulness;530 for the LORD3068 delivered5414 you into my hand3027 to day,3117 but I would14 not stretch7971 forth my hand3027 against the LORD's3068 anointed.4899

24 And, behold,2009 as your life5315 was much1431 set1431 by this2088 day3117 in my eyes,5869 so3651 let my life5315 be much1431 set1431 by in the eyes5869 of the LORD,3068 and let him deliver5337 me out of all3605 tribulation.6869

25 Then Saul7586 said559 to David,1732 Blessed1288 be you, my son1121 David:1732 you shall both1571 do6213 great things, and also1571 shall still prevail.3201 So David1732 went3212 on his way,1870 and Saul7586 returned7725 to his place.4725