1 Samuel 26:10–23

¹⁰David also said, “As the Lord lives, ^asurely the Lord will strike him, or ^bhis day will come that he dies, or ^che will go down into battle and perish.

¹¹“^aThe Lord forbid that I should stretch out my hand against the Lord’s anointed; but now please take the spear that is at his head and the jug of water, and let us go.”

¹²So David took the spear and the jug of water from beside Saul’s head, and they went away, but no one saw or knew it, nor did any awake, for they were all asleep, because ^aa sound sleep from the Lord had fallen on them.

¹³Then David crossed over to the other side and stood on top of the mountain at a distance with a large area between them.

¹⁴David called to the people and to Abner the son of Ner, saying, “Will you not answer, Abner?” Then Abner replied, “Who are you who calls to the king?”

¹⁵So David said to Abner, “Are you not a man? And who is like you in Israel? Why then have you not guarded your lord the king? For one of the people came to destroy the king your lord.

¹⁶“This thing that you have done is not good. As the Lord lives, all of you ^1amust surely die, because you did not guard your lord, the Lord’s anointed. And now, see where the king’s spear is and the jug of water that was at his head.”

¹⁷Then Saul recognized David’s voice and said, “^aIs this your voice, my son David?” And David said, “It is my voice, my lord the king.”

¹⁸He also said, “^aWhy then is my lord pursuing his servant? For what have I done? Or what evil is in my hand?

¹⁹“Now therefore, please let my lord the king listen to the words of his servant. If ^athe Lord has stirred you up against me, ^blet Him ¹accept an offering; but ^cif it is ²men, cursed are they before the Lord, for ^dthey have driven me out today so that I would have no attachment with the inheritance of the Lord, saying, ‘Go, serve other gods.’

²⁰“Now then, do not let my blood fall to the ground away from the presence of the Lord; for the king of Israel has come out to search for ^aa single flea, just as one hunts a partridge in the mountains.”

²¹Then Saul said, “^aI have sinned. Return, my son David, for I will not harm you again because my life was precious in your sight this day. Behold, I have played the fool and have committed a serious error.”

²²David replied, “Behold the spear of the king! Now let one of the young men come over and take it.

²³“^aThe Lord will repay each man for his righteousness and his faithfulness; for the Lord delivered you into my hand today, but ^bI refused to stretch out my hand against the Lord’s anointed.