DAVID AGAIN SPARES SAUL

26 Then the Ziphites came to Saul at Gibeah saying, “David is hiding on the hill of Hachilah opposite Jeshimon.”aa 2 So Saul, accompanied by three thousand of the fit young men of Israel,ab went immediately to the Wilderness of Ziph to search for David there. 3 Saul camped beside the road at the hill of Hachilahac opposite Jeshimon. David was living in the wilderness and discovered Saul had come there after him.ad 4 So David sent out spies and knew for certain that Saul had come. 5 Immediately, David went to the place where Saul had camped. He saw the place where Saul and Abner son of Ner,ae the commander of his army, were lying down. Saul was lying inside the inner circle of the camp with the troops camped around him. 6 Then David asked Ahimelech the Hethiteaf and Joab’s brother Abishaiag son of Zeruiah, “Who will go with me into the campah to Saul?”

“I’ll go with you,” answered Abishai.

7 That night, David and Abishai came to the troops, and Saul was lying there asleep in the inner circle of the camp with his spear stuck in the ground by his head. Abner and the troops were lying around him. 8 Then Abishai said to David, “Today God has delivered your enemy to you. Let me thrust the spear through him into the ground just once. I won’t have to strike him twice!”

9 But David said to Abishai, “Don’t destroy him, for who can lift a hand against the Lord’s anointed and be innocent?”a 10 David added, “As the Lord lives, the Lord will certainly strike him down:b either his day will come and he will die, or he will go into battle and perish. 11 However, as the Lord, is my witness, I will never lift my hand against the Lord’s anointed.c Instead, take the spear and the water jug by his head, and let’s go.”

12 So David took the spear and the water jug by Saul’s head, and they went their way. No one saw them, no one knew, and no one woke up; they all remained asleep because a deep sleep from the Lordd came over them.