26:1 The Ziphites came to Saul at Gibeah and said, “Isn’t David hiding on the hill of Hakilah toward Jeshimon?” 26:2 So Saul got up and went down to the desert of Ziph, accompanied by three thousand select men of Israel to look for David in the desert of Ziph. 26:3 Saul camped by the road on the hill of Hakilah toward Jeshimon, but David was staying in the desert. When he realized that Saul had come to the desert after him, 26:4 David sent spies and determined that in fact Saul had come.
26:5 So David arose and went to the place where Saul was camped. David saw the place where Saul and Abner the son of Ner, leader of his army, had lain down. Now Saul was lying in the entrenchment, and the army was bivouacked all around him. 26:6 David said to Ahimelech the Hittite and Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab’s brother, “Who will go down with me to Saul in the camp?” Abishai replied, “I will go down with you.”
26:7 So David and Abishai went to the army by night and found Saul lying asleep in the entrenchment with his spear stuck in the ground by his head. Abner and the army were lying all around him. 26:8 Abishai said to David, “Today God has delivered your enemy into your hands. Now let me strike him down to the ground with one jab of the spear! A second jab won’t be necessary!”
26:9 But David said to Abishai, “Don’t kill him! Who can stretch out his hand against the LORD’s anointed and remain guiltless?” 26:10 David went on to say, “As the LORD lives, the LORD himself will strike him down. Either his day will come and he will die, or he will go down into battle and be swept away in death. 26:11 But may the LORD keep far from me the sending of my hand against the LORD’s anointed. Now take the spear and the jug of water by Saul’s head, and let’s get out of here!”
26:12 So David took the spear and the jug of water by Saul’s head, and they got out of there. There was no one who saw or who was aware or who woke up. All of them were asleep, for the LORD had caused a deep sleep to fall on them.
26:13 Then David crossed over to the other side and stood on the top of the hill quite some distance away; there was a considerable space between them. 26:14 David called to the army and to Abner the son of Ner, “Won’t you answer, Abner?” Abner replied, “Who are you, that you have called to the king?” 26:15 David said to Abner, “Aren’t you a man? After all, who is like you in Israel? Why then haven’t you protected your lord the king? One of the troops came to kill the your lord the king. 26:16 This thing that you have done isn’t good. As surely as the LORD lives, you people who have not protected your lord, the anointed of the LORD, are as good as dead.1 Now look where the king’s spear and the jug of water that was by his head are!”
26:17 When Saul recognized David’s voice, he said, “Is that your voice, my son David?” David replied, “Yes, it’s my voice, my lord the king.” 26:18 He went on to say, “Why is my lord pursuing after his servant? What have I done? What evil is in my hand? 26:19 So let my lord the king now listen to the words of his servant. If it is the LORD who has instigated you against me, may he take delight in2 an offering. However, if human beings have done this, may they be cursed before the LORD! For they have driven me away this day from being united with the LORD’s inheritance, saying, ‘Go on, serve other gods!’ 26:20 Now don’t let my blood fall to the ground away from the presence of the LORD, for the king of Israel has gone out to look for a flea the way one looks for a partridge in the hill country.”
26:21 Saul replied, “I have sinned. Come back, my son David. I won’t harm you, for my life was treated with value by you3 this day. I have behaved foolishly and have very much gone astray.” 26:22 David replied, “Here is the king’s spear.” Let one of the servants cross over and take it. 26:23 The LORD repays each one’s faithful righteousness.4 Even though today the LORD delivered you into my hand, I was not willing to stretch out my hand against the LORD’s anointed. 26:24 In the same way that I valued your life this day,5 may the LORD value my life6 and deliver me from every adversity.”
26:25 Saul replied to David, “You are blessed, my son David. You will without question be successful.”7
So David went his way, and Saul returned to his place.