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¹ The Zifim came to Sha'ul to Gevah, saying, Doesn't David hide himself in the hill of Hakhilah, which is before the desert? ² Then Sha'ul arose, and went down to the wilderness of Zif, having three thousand chosen men of Yisra'el with him, to seek David in the wilderness of Zif. ³ Sha'ul encamped in the hill of Hakhilah, which is before the desert, by the way. But David abode in the wilderness, and he saw that Sha'ul came after him into the wilderness. ⁴ David therefore sent out spies, and understood that Sha'ul was come of a certainty. ⁵ David arose, and came to the place where Sha'ul had encamped; and David saw the place where Sha'ul lay, and Aviner the son of Ner, the captain of his host: and Sha'ul lay within the place of the wagons, and the people were encamped round about him.

⁶ Then answered David and said to Achimelekh the Hittite, and to Avishai the son of Tzeru'yah, brother to Yo'av, saying, Who will go down with me to Sha'ul to the camp? Avishai said, I will go down with you. ⁷ So David and Avishai came to the people by night: and, behold, Sha'ul lay sleeping within the place of the wagons, with his spear stuck in the ground at his head; and Aviner and the people lay round about him. ⁸ Then said Avishai to David, God has delivered up your enemy into your hand this day: now therefore please let me strike him with the spear to the eretz at one stroke, and I will not strike him the second time. ⁹ David said to Avishai, Don't destroy him; for who can put forth his hand against the LORD's anointed, and be guiltless? ¹⁰ David said, As the LORD lives, the LORD will strike him; or his day shall come to die; or he shall go down into battle and perish. ¹¹ The LORD forbid that I should put forth my hand against the LORD's anointed: but now please take the spear that is at his head, and the jar of water, and let us go. ¹² So David took the spear and the jar of water from Sha'ul's head; and they got them away: and no man saw it, nor knew it, neither did any awake; for they were all asleep, because a deep sleep from the LORD was fallen on them.

¹³ Then David went over to the other side, and stood on the top of the mountain afar off; a great space being between them; ¹⁴ and David cried to the people, and to Aviner the son of Ner, saying, Don't you answer, Aviner? Then Aviner answered, Who are you who cries to the king? ¹⁵ David said to Aviner, Aren't you a [valiant] man? and who is like you in Yisra'el? why then have you not kept watch over your lord, the king? for there came one of the people in to destroy the king your lord. ¹⁶ This thing isn't good that you have done. As the LORD lives, you are worthy to die, because you have not kept watch over your lord, the LORD's anointed. Now see where the king's spear is, and the jar of water that was at his head. ¹⁷ Sha'ul knew David's voice, and said, Is this your voice, my son David? David said, It is my voice, my lord, O king. ¹⁸ He said, Why does my lord pursue after his servant? for what have I done? or what evil is in my hand? ¹⁹ Now therefore, please let my lord the king hear the words of his servant. If it be the LORD that has stirred you up against me, let him accept an offering: but if it be the children of men, cursed be they before the LORD: for they have driven me out this day that I shouldn't cling to the LORD's inheritance, saying, Go, serve other gods. ²⁰ Now therefore, don't let my blood fall to the eretz away from the presence of the LORD: for the king of Yisra'el is come out to seek a flea, as when one does hunt a partridge in the mountains.

²¹ Then said Sha'ul, I have sinned: return, my son David; for I will no more do you harm, because my life was precious in your eyes this day: behold, I have played the fool, and have erred exceedingly. ²² David answered, Behold the spear, O king! let then one of the young men come over and get it. ²³ The LORD will render to every man his righteousness and his faithfulness; because the LORD delivered you into my hand today, and I wouldn't put forth my hand against the LORD's anointed. ²⁴ Behold, as your life was much set by this day in my eyes, so let my life be much set by in the eyes of the LORD, and let him deliver me out of all oppression. ²⁵ Then Sha'ul said to David, Blessed be you, my son David: you shall both do mightily, and shall surely prevail. So David went his way, and Sha'ul returned to his place.