1 Samuel 26:6–12

⁶Then David spoke to Ahimelech, the Hittite. He also spoke to Joab’s brother Abishai, the son of Zeruiah. He asked them, “Who will go down with me into the camp to Saul?”

“I’ll go with you,” said Abishai.

⁷So that night David and Abishai went into the camp. They found Saul lying asleep inside the camp. His spear was stuck in the ground near his head. Abner and the soldiers were lying asleep around him.

⁸Abishai said to David, “Today God has handed your enemy over to you. So let me pin him to the ground. I can do it with one jab of my spear. I won’t even have to strike him twice.”

⁹But David said to Abishai, “Don’t destroy him! No one can lay a hand on the Lord’s anointed king and not be guilty. ¹⁰You can be sure that the Lord lives,” he said. “And you can be just as sure that the Lord himself will strike Saul down. Perhaps he’ll die a natural death. Or perhaps he’ll go into battle and be killed. ¹¹May the Lord keep me from laying a hand on his anointed king. Now get the spear and water jug that are near his head. Then let’s leave.”

¹²So David took the spear and water jug that were near Saul’s head. Then he and Abishai left. No one saw them. No one knew about what they had done. In fact, no one even woke up. Everyone was sleeping. That’s because the Lord had put them into a deep sleep.