1And the Ziphites2130 came935 unto Saul7586 to Gibeah1390, saying559, Doth not David1732 hide5641 himself in the hill1389 of Hachilah2444, which is before6440 Jeshimon3452?
2Then Saul7586 arose6965, and went down3381 to the wilderness4057 of Ziph2128, having three7969 thousand505 chosen977 men376 of Israel3478 with him, to seek1245 David1732 in the wilderness4057 of Ziph2128.
3And Saul7586 pitched2583 in the hill1389 of Hachilah2444, which is before6440 Jeshimon3452, by the way1870. But David1732 abode3427 in the wilderness4057, and he saw7200 that Saul7586 came935 after310 him into the wilderness4057.
4David1732 therefore sent out7971 spies7270, and understood3045 that Saul7586 was come935 in very deed3559.
5And David1732 arose6965, and came935 to the place4725 where Saul7586 had pitched2583: and David1732 beheld7200 the place4725 where Saul7586 lay7901, and Abner74 the son1121 of Ner5369, the captain8269 of his host6635: and Saul7586 lay7901 in the trench4570, and the people5971 pitched2583 round about5439 him.
6Then answered6030 David1732 and said559 to Ahimelech288 the Hittite2850, and to Abishai52 the son1121 of Zeruiah6870, brother251 to Joab3097, saying559, Who will go down3381 with me to Saul7586 to the camp4264? And Abishai52 said559, I will go down3381 with thee.
7So David1732 and Abishai52 came935 to the people5971 by night3915: and, behold, Saul7586 lay7901 sleeping3463 within the trench4570, and his spear2595 stuck4600 in the ground776 at his bolster4763: but Abner74 and the people5971 lay7901 round about5439 him.
8Then said559 Abishai52 to David1732, God430 hath delivered5462 thine enemy341 into thine hand3027 this day3117: now therefore let me smite5221 him, I pray thee, with the spear2595 even to the earth776 at once6471 259, and I will not smite him the second time8138.
9And David1732 said559 to Abishai52, Destroy7843 him not: for who can stretch forth7971 his hand3027 against the LORD'S3068 anointed4899, and be guiltless5352?
10David1732 said559 furthermore, As the LORD3068 liveth2416, the LORD3068 shall smite5062 him; or his day3117 shall come935 to die4191; or he shall descend3381 into battle4421, and perish5595.
11The LORD3068 forbid2486 that I should stretch forth7971 mine hand3027 against the LORD'S3068 anointed4899: but, I pray thee, take3947 thou now the spear2595 that is at his bolster4763, and the cruse6835 of water4325, and let us go3212.
12So David1732 took3947 the spear2595 and the cruse6835 of water4325 from Saul's7586 bolster7226; and they gat them away3212, and no man saw7200 it, nor knew3045 it, neither awaked6974: for they were all asleep3463; because a deep sleep8639 from the LORD3068 was fallen5307 upon them.
13Then David1732 went over5674 to the other side5676, and stood5975 on the top7218 of an hill2022 afar off7350; a great7227 space4725 being between them:
14And David1732 cried7121 to the people5971, and to Abner74 the son1121 of Ner5369, saying559, Answerest6030 thou not, Abner74? Then Abner74 answered6030 and said559, Who art thou that criest7121 to the king4428?
15And David1732 said559 to Abner74, Art not thou a valiant man376? and who is like to thee in Israel3478? wherefore then hast thou not kept8104 thy lord113 the king4428? for there came935 one259 of the people5971 in to destroy7843 the king4428 thy lord113.
16This thing1697 is not good2896 that thou hast done6213. As the LORD3068 liveth2416, ye are worthy1121 to die4194, because ye have not kept8104 your master113, the LORD'S3068 anointed4899. And now see7200 where the king's4428 spear2595 is, and the cruse6835 of water4325 that was at his bolster4763.
17And Saul7586 knew5234 David's1732 voice6963, and said559, Is this thy voice6963, my son1121 David1732? And David1732 said559, It is my voice6963, my lord113, O king4428.
18And he said559, Wherefore doth my lord113 thus pursue7291 after310 his servant5650? for what have I done6213? or what evil7451 is in mine hand3027?
19Now therefore, I pray thee, let my lord113 the king4428 hear8085 the words1697 of his servant5650. If the LORD3068 have stirred thee up5496 against me, let him accept7306 an offering4503: but if they be the children1121 of men120, cursed779 be they before6440 the LORD3068; for they have driven1644 me out this day3117 from abiding5596 in the inheritance5159 of the LORD3068, saying559, Go3212, serve5647 other312 gods430.
20Now therefore, let not my blood1818 fall5307 to the earth776 before the face6440 of the LORD3068: for the king4428 of Israel3478 is come out3318 to seek1245 a259 flea6550, as when one doth hunt7291 a partridge7124 in the mountains2022.
21Then said559 Saul7586, I have sinned2398: return7725, my son1121 David1732: for I will no more do thee harm7489, because my soul5315 was precious3365 in thine eyes5869 this day3117: behold, I have played the fool5528, and have erred7686 exceedingly7235 3966.
22And David1732 answered6030 and said559, Behold the king's4428 spear2595! and let one259 of the young men5288 come over5674 and fetch3947 it.
23The LORD3068 render7725 to every man376 his righteousness6666 and his faithfulness530: for the LORD3068 delivered5414 thee into my hand3027 to day3117, but I would14 not stretch forth7971 mine hand3027 against the LORD'S3068 anointed4899.
24And, behold, as thy life5315 was much set by1431 this day3117 in mine eyes5869, so let my life5315 be much set by1431 in the eyes5869 of the LORD3068, and let him deliver5337 me out of all tribulation6869.
25Then Saul7586 said559 to David1732, Blessed1288 be thou, my son1121 David1732: thou shalt both do6213 great6213 things, and also shalt still3201 prevail3201. So David1732 went3212 on his way1870, and Saul7586 returned7725 to his place4725.