And the Ziphites{H2130} came{H935} unto Saul{H7586} to Gibeah,{H1390} saying,{H559} Doth not David{H1732} hide{H5641} himself in the hill{H1389} of Hachilah,{H2444} which is before{H6440} the desert?{H3452}

Then Saul{H7586} arose,{H6965} and went down{H3381} to the wilderness{H4057} of Ziph,{H2128} having three{H7969} thousand{H505} chosen{H977} men{H376} of Israel{H3478} with him, to seek{H1245} David{H1732} in the wilderness{H4057} of Ziph.{H2128}

And Saul{H7586} encamped{H2583} in the hill{H1389} of Hachilah,{H2444} which is before{H6440} the desert,{H3452} by the way.{H1870} But David{H1732} abode{H3427} in the wilderness,{H4057} and he saw{H7200} that Saul{H7586} came{H935} after{H310} him into the wilderness.{H4057}

David{H1732} therefore sent out{H7971} spies,{H7270} and understood{H3045} that Saul{H7586} was come{H935} of a certainty.{H3559}

And David{H1732} arose,{H6965} and came{H935} to the place{H4725} where Saul{H7586} had encamped;{H2583} and David{H1732} beheld{H7200} the place{H4725} where Saul{H7586} lay,{H7901} and Abner{H74} the son{H1121} of Ner,{H5369} the captain{H8269} of his host:{H6635} and Saul{H7586} lay{H7901} within the place{H4570} of the wagons, and the people{H5971} were encamped{H2583} round about{H5439} him.

Then answered{H6030} David{H1732} and said{H559} to Ahimelech{H288} the Hittite,{H2850} and to Abishai{H52} the son{H1121} of Zeruiah,{H6870} brother{H251} to Joab,{H3097} saying,{H559} Who will go down{H3381} with me to Saul{H7586} to the camp?{H4264} And Abishai{H52} said,{H559} I will go down{H3381} with thee.

So David{H1732} and Abishai{H52} came{H935} to the people{H5971} by night:{H3915} and, behold, Saul{H7586} lay{H7901} sleeping{H3463} within the place{H4570} of the wagons, with his spear{H2595} stuck{H4600} in the ground{H776} at his head;{H4763} and Abner{H74} and the people{H5971} lay{H7901} round about{H5439} him.

Then said{H559} Abishai{H52} to David,{H1732} God{H430} hath delivered{H5462} up thine enemy{H341} into thy hand{H3027} this day:{H3117} now therefore let me smite{H5221} him, I pray thee, with the spear{H2595} to the earth{H776} at one stroke,{H6471} and I will not smite him the second time.{H8138}

And David{H1732} said{H559} to Abishai,{H52} Destroy{H7843} him not; for who can put forth{H7971} his hand{H3027} against Jehovah's{H3068} anointed,{H4899} and be guiltless?{H5352}

And David{H1732} said,{H559} As Jehovah{H3068} liveth,{H2416} Jehovah{H3068} will smite{H5062} him; or his day{H3117} shall come{H935} to die;{H4191} or he shall go{H935} down into battle{H4421} and perish.{H5595}

Jehovah{H3068} forbid{H2486} that I should put forth{H7971} my hand{H3027} against Jehovah's{H3068} anointed:{H4899} but now take,{H3947} I pray thee, the spear{H2595} that is at his head,{H4763} and the cruse{H6835} of water,{H4325} and let us go.{H3212}

So David{H1732} took{H3947} the spear{H2595} and the cruse{H6835} of water{H4325} from Saul's{H7586} head;{H7226} and they gat them away:{H3212} and no man saw{H7200} it, nor knew{H3045} it, neither did any awake;{H6974} for they were all asleep,{H3463} because a deep sleep{H8639} from Jehovah{H3068} was fallen{H5307} upon them.

Then David{H1732} went over{H5674} to the other side,{H5676} and stood{H5975} on the top{H7218} of the mountain{H2022} afar off;{H7350} a great{H7227} space{H4725} being between them;

and David{H1732} cried{H7121} to the people,{H5971} and to Abner{H74} the son{H1121} of Ner,{H5369} saying,{H559} Answerest{H6030} thou not, Abner?{H74} Then Abner{H74} answered{H6030} and said,{H559} Who art thou that criest{H7121} to the king?{H4428}

And David{H1732} said{H559} to Abner,{H74} Art not thou a [valiant] man?{H376} and who is like to thee in Israel?{H3478} wherefore then hast thou not kept{H8104} watch over thy lord{H113} the king?{H4428} for there came{H935} one{H259} of the people{H5971} in to destroy{H7843} the king{H4428} thy lord.{H113}

This thing{H1697} is not good{H2896} that thou hast done.{H6213} As Jehovah{H3068} liveth,{H2416} ye are worthy{H1121} to die,{H4194} because ye have not kept{H8104} watch over your lord,{H113} Jehovah's{H3068} anointed.{H4899} And now see{H7200} where the king's{H4428} spear{H2595} is, and the cruse{H6835} of water{H4325} that was at his head.{H4763}

And Saul{H7586} knew{H5234} David's{H1732} voice,{H6963} and said,{H559} Is this thy voice,{H6963} my son{H1121} David?{H1732} And David{H1732} said,{H559} It is my voice,{H6963} my lord,{H113} O king.{H4428}

And he said,{H559} Wherefore doth my lord{H113} pursue{H7291} after{H310} his servant?{H5650} for what have I done?{H6213} or what evil{H7451} is in my hand?{H3027}

Now therefore, I pray thee, let my lord{H113} the king{H4428} hear{H8085} the words{H1697} of his servant.{H5650} If it be Jehovah{H3068} that hath stirred thee up{H5496} against me, let him accept{H7306} an offering:{H4503} but if it be the children{H1121} of men,{H120} cursed{H779} be they before{H6440} Jehovah:{H3068} for they have driven{H1644} me out this day{H3117} that I should not cleave{H5596} unto the inheritance{H5159} of Jehovah,{H3068} saying,{H559} Go,{H3212} serve{H5647} other{H312} gods.{H430}

Now therefore, let not my blood{H1818} fall{H5307} to the earth{H776} away from the presence{H6440} of Jehovah:{H3068} for the king{H4428} of Israel{H3478} is come out{H3318} to seek{H1245} a{H259} flea,{H6550} as when one doth hunt{H7291} a partridge{H7124} in the mountains.{H2022}

Then said{H559} Saul,{H7586} I have sinned:{H2398} return,{H7725} my son{H1121} David;{H1732} for I will no more do thee harm,{H7489} because my life{H5315} was precious{H3365} in thine eyes{H5869} this day:{H3117} behold, I have played the fool,{H5528} and have erred{H7686} exceedingly.{H7235}

And David{H1732} answered{H6030} and said,{H559} Behold the spear,{H2595} O king!{H4428} let then one{H259} of the young men{H5288} come over{H5674} and fetch{H3947} it.

And Jehovah{H3068} will render{H7725} to every man{H376} his righteousness{H6666} and his faithfulness;{H530} forasmuch as Jehovah{H3068} delivered{H5414} thee into my hand{H3027} to-day,{H3117} and I would{H14} not put forth{H7971} my hand{H3027} against Jehovah's{H3068} anointed.{H4899}

And, behold, as thy life{H5315} was much set by{H1431} this day{H3117} in mine eyes,{H5869} so let my life{H5315} be much set by{H1431} in the eyes{H5869} of Jehovah,{H3068} and let him deliver{H5337} me out of all tribulation.{H6869}

Then Saul{H7586} said{H559} to David,{H1732} Blessed{H1288} be thou, my son{H1121} David:{H1732} thou shalt both do{H6213} mightily,{H6213} and shalt surely{H3201} prevail.{H3201} So David{H1732} went{H3212} his way,{H1870} and Saul{H7586} returned{H7725} to his place.{H4725}