1 Samuel 26:10–23

¹⁰David said furthermore, “As the Lord lives, ^jthe Lord shall strike him, or ^khis day shall come to die, or he shall ^lgo out to battle and perish. ^11mThe Lord forbid that I should stretch out my hand against the Lord’s anointed. But please, take now the spear and the jug of water that are by his head, and let us go.” ¹²So David took the spear and the jug of water by Saul’s head, and they got away; and no man saw or knew it or awoke. For they were all asleep, because ⁿa deep sleep from the Lord had fallen on them.

¹³Now David went over to the other side, and stood on the top of a hill afar off, a great distance being between them. ¹⁴And David called out to the people and to Abner the son of Ner, saying, “Do you not answer, Abner?”

Then Abner answered and said, “Who are you, calling out 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 in to destroy your lord the king. ¹⁶This thing that you have done is not good. As the Lord lives, you deserve to die, because you have not guarded your master, the Lord’s anointed. And now see where the king’s spear is, and the jug of water that was by his head.”

¹⁷Then Saul knew David’s voice, and said, ^o“Is that your voice, my son David?”

David said, “It is my voice, my lord, O king.” ¹⁸And he said, ^p“Why does my lord thus pursue his servant? For what have I done, or what evil is in my hand? ¹⁹Now therefore, please, let my lord the king hear the words of his servant: If the Lord has ^qstirred you up against me, let Him accept an offering. But if it is the children of men, may they be cursed before the Lord, ^rfor they have driven me out this day from sharing in the ^sinheritance of the Lord, saying, ‘Go, serve other gods.’ ²⁰So now, do not let my blood fall to the earth before the face of the Lord. For the king of Israel has come out to seek ^ta flea, as when one hunts a partridge in the mountains.”

²¹Then Saul said, ^u“I have sinned. Return, my son David. For I will harm you no more, because my life was precious in your eyes this day. Indeed I have played the fool and erred exceedingly.”

²²And David answered and said, “Here is the king’s spear. Let one of the young men come over and get it. ^23vMay the Lord ^wrepay every man for his righteousness and his faithfulness; for the Lord delivered you into my hand today, but I would not stretch out my hand against the Lord’s anointed.