1 Samuel 26:1-9 ▼

1 People from Ziph came to Saul in Gibeah and informed him, |David is hiding on the hill of Hachilah which is across from Jeshimon, isn't he?|

2 So Saul rose and went down with 3,000 select men of Israel to the Wilderness of Ziph, to look for David in the Wilderness of Ziph.

3 Saul camped by the road on the hill of Hachilah, across from Jeshimon, while David was staying in the wilderness. When he realized that Saul had come after him in the wilderness,

4 David sent out spies and found out for certain that Saul had arrived.

5 David rose and went to the place where Saul was camped. David saw the place where Saul and Abner, his Commander-in-Chief, lay down. Saul was lying down within the encampment, and the army was camped all around him.

6 David said to Ahimelech the Hittite, and to Joab's brother Abishai, Zeruiah's son, |Who will go down with me to Saul in the camp?| Abishai said, |I'll go down with you.|

7 David and Abishai went to the army at night, and Saul was lying there asleep in the encampment. His spear was stuck in the ground at his head, and Abner and the army were lying all around him.

8 Abishai told David, |Today God has delivered your enemy into your hand. Let me run the spear through him into the ground with a single blow. I won't need to strike him twice!|

9 David told Abishai, |Don't destroy him. Who can raise his hand to strike the LORD's anointed and remain innocent?