And the Ziphites came to Sha'ul at Gib'ah, saying, 'Is not David hiding himself in the hill of Hachilah, before the desert?'

And Sha'ul arose and went down to the wilderness of Ziph, and with him three thousand men, chosen of Yisra'el, to seek David in the wilderness of Ziph.

And Sha'ul encamped in the hill of Hachilah, which is before the desert, by the way. But David was abiding in the wilderness. And he saw that Sha'ul came after him into the wilderness.

David therefore sent out spies, and understood that Sha'ul had come indeed.

And David arose and came to the place where Sha'ul had encamped. And David saw the place where Sha'ul lay, and Avner, the son of Ner, captain of his army. And Sha'ul was lying within the camp, and the people were encamped around him.

Then David answered and said to Aḥimélekh the Hittite, and to Avishai the son of Zeru'ah, brother of Yo'av, saying, 'Who will go down with me to Sha'ul to the camp?' And Avishai said, 'I will go down with you.'

So David and Avishai came to the people by night. And behold, Sha'ul was lying asleep in the midst of the camp, and his spear was stuck in the ground by his head. And Avner and the people were lying around him.

Then Avishai said to David, 'Elohim has shut up your enemy into your hand today. Now therefore let me strike him, I pray you, with the spear to the earth at once, and I will not strike him the second time.'

And David said to Avishai, 'Do not destroy him. For who has stretched forth his hand against יהוה's anointed, and been guiltless?'

David said moreover, 'As יהוה lives, unless יהוה strikes him, or his day comes that he dies, or he goes down into battle and perishes.'

'יהוה forbid that I should stretch forth my hand against יהוה's anointed. But now take, I pray you, the spear that is by his head, and the pitcher of water, and let us go.'

So David took the spear and the pitcher of water from by Sha'ul's head. And they went away, and no one saw, nor knew, nor awoke, for they were all asleep, because a deep sleep from יהוה had fallen upon them.

And David went over to the other side, and stood on the top of a mountain afar off, a great distance being between them.

And David cried out to the people, and to Avner the son of Ner, saying, 'Will you not answer, Avner?' Then Avner answered and said, 'Who are you that cries out to the king?'

And David said to Avner, 'Are you not a man? And who is like you in Yisra'el? Why then have you not kept watch over your Adonai the king? For one of the people came in to destroy the king your Adonai.'

'This thing that you have done is not good. As יהוה lives, you are worthy of death, because you have not kept watch over your Adonai, יהוה's anointed. And now see where the king's spear is, and the pitcher of water that was by his head.'

And Sha'ul knew David's voice and said, 'Is this your voice, my son David?' And David said, 'It is my voice, my Adonai the king.'

And he said, 'Why is my Adonai pursuing after his servant? For what have I done? Or what evil is in my hand?'

'Now therefore, let my Adonai the king hear the words of his servant. If יהוה has stirred you up against me, let him accept an offering. But if it is the children of men, they are cursed before יהוה, because they have driven me out today from abiding in the inheritance of יהוה, saying, 'Go, serve other elohim.''

'Therefore let not my blood fall to the earth from the presence of יהוה. For the king of Yisra'el has come out to seek a flea, as one hunts a partridge in the mountains.'

Then Sha'ul said, 'I have sinned. Return, my son David, for I will no more do you harm, because my life was precious in your sight today. Behold, I have played the fool, and have erred greatly.'

And David answered and said, 'Behold the king's spear! Let one of the young men come over and fetch it.'

'And יהוה will repay every man for his righteousness and for his faithfulness, because you delivered me today into my hand, and I did not stretch forth my hand against יהוה's anointed.'

'And as your life was precious today in my sight, so may my life be precious in the sight of יהוה, and may he deliver me from all trouble.'

And Sha'ul said to David, 'Blessed are you, my son David! You shall both do and prevail.' So David went on his way, and Sha'ul returned to his place.