¹The Ziphites came to Saul at Gibeah, saying, "Is not David hiding himself on the hill of Hakilah, over the face of the Wasteland?"

²Saul rose and went down to the wilderness of Ziph, and with him three thousand chosen men of Israel, to seek David in the wilderness of Ziph.

³Saul encamped on the hill of Hakilah, which is over the face of the Wasteland, by the road; and David dwelled in the wilderness, and he saw that Saul had come after him into the wilderness.

⁴David sent out spies, and he knew that Saul had come, for certain.

⁵David rose and went to the place where Saul had encamped, and David saw the place where Saul lay down, with Abner son of Ner, the captain of his host; and Saul was lying in the entrenchment, and the people were encamped around him.

⁶David answered and said to Ahimelech the Hittite, and to Abishai son of Zeruiah, the brother of Joab, saying, "Who will go down with me to Saul, into the camp?" And Abishai said, "I will go down with you."

⁷David and Abishai came to the people by night, and there was Saul, lying asleep in the entrenchment, with his spear pressed into the land at his head; and Abner and the people lay around him.

⁸Abishai said to David, "God has delivered up your enemy into your hand today. Now please let me strike him with the spear into the land, with one stroke, and I will not repeat it."

⁹David said to Abishai, "Do not ruin him; for who has stretched out his hand against the anointed of Yahweh and remained unpunished?"

¹⁰David said, "As Yahweh lives, only Yahweh will strike him: either his day will come and he will die, or he will go down into battle and be swept away.

¹¹Far be it for me, from Yahweh, to stretch out my hand against the anointed of Yahweh! Now, please take the spear that is at his head, and the jug of water, and let us go on our way."

¹²David took the spear, and the jug of water from beside the head of Saul, and they went their way; and no one saw, and no one knew, and no one woke up; for they were all asleep, because a deep sleep from Yahweh had fallen upon them.

¹³David crossed over to the other side and stood on the top of the mountain, far off, with a great space between them.

¹⁴David called out to the people and to Abner son of Ner, saying, "Will you not answer, Abner?" Abner answered and said, "Who are you, who have called out to the king?"

¹⁵David said to Abner, "Are you not a man? And who is in you in Israel? And to what have you not kept watch over your lord the king? For one of the people came to corrupt the king your lord.

¹⁶This word is not good, which you have done. As Yahweh lives, surely you are sons of death, who have not kept watch over your lord, over the anointed of Yahweh. And now see where the spear of the king is, and the jug of water that was at his head."

¹⁷Saul recognized the voice of David and said, "Is this your voice, my son David?" David said, "It is my voice, my lord the king."

¹⁸He said, "Why, then, is my lord pursuing his slave? For what have I done, and what evil is in my hand?

¹⁹And now, please let my lord the king hear the words of his slave. If Yahweh has incited you against me, may he smell an offering; but if it is the children of man, cursed are they, before the face of Yahweh, for they have driven me out today from joining myself to the inheritance of Yahweh, saying, 'Go, serve other gods.'

²⁰And now, let not my blood fall to the land, away from the face of Yahweh; for the king of Israel has come out to seek one flea, as one pursues the partridge in the mountains."

²¹Saul said, "I have sinned. Return, my son David, for I will not do harm to you again, because my being was precious in your eyes this day. Look, I have acted foolishly and have gone astray, very greatly."

²²David answered and said, "Here is the spear of the king; let one of the young men cross over and take it.

²³And Yahweh will return to each man his righteousness and his steadiness, since Yahweh gave you today into my hand, and I was not willing to stretch out my hand against the anointed of Yahweh."

²⁴And as your living being became great this day in my eyes, so will my living being become great in the eyes of Yahweh, and may he deliver me from all distress.

²⁵Saul said to David, "Blessed are you, my son David. You will indeed do, and you will surely prevail." David went on his way, and Saul returned to his place.