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David Spares Saul’s Life a Second Time

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Then the Ziphites came to Saul at Gibeah, saying, “David is in hiding on the hill of Hachilah, which is opposite Jeshimon.” ²So Saul rose and went down to the Wilderness of Ziph, with three thousand chosen men of Israel, to seek David in the Wilderness of Ziph. ³Saul encamped on the hill of Hachilah, which is opposite Jeshimon beside the road. But David remained in the wilderness. When he learned that Saul had come after him into the wilderness, ⁴David sent out spies, and learned that Saul had indeed arrived. ⁵Then David set out and came to the place where Saul had encamped; and David saw the place where Saul lay, with Abner son of Ner, the commander of his army. Saul was lying within the encampment, while the army was encamped around him.

⁶ Then David said to Ahimelech the Hittite, and to Joab’s brother Abishai son of Zeruiah, “Who will go down with me into the camp to Saul?” Abishai said, “I will go down with you.” ⁷So David and Abishai went to the army by night; there Saul lay sleeping within the encampment, with his spear stuck in the ground at his head; and Abner and the army lay around him. ⁸Abishai said to David, “God has given your enemy into your hand today; now therefore let me pin him to the ground with one stroke of the spear; I will not strike him twice.” ⁹But David said to Abishai, “Do not destroy him; for who can raise his hand against the L ord’s anointed, and be guiltless?” ¹⁰David said, “As the L ord lives, the L ord will strike him down; or his day will come to die; or he will go down into battle and perish. ¹¹The L ord forbid that I should raise my hand against the L ord’s anointed; but now take the spear that is at his head, and the water jar, and let us go.” ¹²So David took the spear that was at Saul’s head and the water jar, and they went away. No one saw it, or knew it, nor did anyone awake; for they were all asleep, because a deep sleep from the L ord had fallen upon them.

¹³ Then David went over to the other side, and stood on top of a hill far away, with a great distance between them. ¹⁴David called to the army and to Abner son of Ner, saying, “Abner! Will you not answer?” Then Abner replied, “Who are you that calls to the king?” ¹⁵David said to Abner, “Are you not a man? Who is like you in Israel? Why then have you not kept watch over 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 L ord lives, you deserve to die, because you have not kept watch over your lord, the L ord’s anointed. See now, where is the king’s spear, or the water jar that was at his head?”

¹⁷ Saul recognized David’s voice, and said, “Is this your voice, my son David?” David said, “It is my voice, my lord, O king.” ¹⁸And he added, “Why does my lord pursue his servant? For what have I done? What guilt is on my hands? ¹⁹Now therefore let my lord the king hear the words of his servant. If it is the L ord who has stirred you up against me, may he accept an offering; but if it is mortals, may they be cursed before the L ord, for they have driven me out today from my share in the heritage of the L ord, saying, ‘Go, serve other gods.’ ²⁰Now therefore, do not let my blood fall to the ground, away from the presence of the L ord; for the king of Israel has come out to seek a single flea, like one who hunts a partridge in the mountains.”

²¹ Then Saul said, “I have done wrong; come back, my son David, for I will never harm you again, because my life was precious in your sight today; I have been a fool, and have made a great mistake.” ²²David replied, “Here is the spear, O king! Let one of the young men come over and get it. ²³The L ord rewards everyone for his righteousness and his faithfulness; for the L ord gave you into my hand today, but I would not raise my hand against the L ord’s anointed. ²⁴As your life was precious today in my sight, so may my life be precious in the sight of the L ord, and may he rescue me from all tribulation.” ²⁵Then Saul said to David, “Blessed be you, my son David! You will do many things and will succeed in them.” So David went his way, and Saul returned to his place.