6. Then David asked Ahimelech the Hittite and Joab’s brother Abishai son of Zeruiah, “Who will go with me into the camp to Saul? ”“I’ll go with you,” answered Abishai.
7. That night, David and Abishai came to the troops, and Saul was lying there asleep in the inner circle of the camp with his spear stuck in the ground by his head. Abner and the troops were lying around him.
8. Then Abishai said to David, “Today God has handed your enemy over to you. Let me thrust the spear through him into the ground just once. I won’t have to strike him twice! ”
9. But David said to Abishai, “Don’t destroy him, for who can lift a hand against the Lord’s anointed and be blameless? ”
10. David added, “As the Lord lives, the Lord will certainly strike him down: either his day will come and he will die, or he will go into battle and perish.
11. However, because of the Lord, I will never lift my hand against the Lord’s anointed. Instead, take the spear and the water jug by his head, and let’s go.”
12. So David took the spear and the water jug by Saul’s head, and they went their way. No one saw them, no one knew, and no one woke up; they all remained asleep because a deep sleep from the Lord came over them.
13. David crossed to the other side and stood on top of the mountain at a distance; there was a considerable space between them.
14. Then David shouted to the troops and to Abner son of Ner: “Aren’t you going to answer, Abner? ”“Who are you who calls to the king? ” Abner asked.
15. David called to Abner, “You’re a man, aren’t you? Who in Israel is your equal? So why didn’t you protect your lord the king when one of the people came to destroy him?
16. What you have done is not good. As the Lord lives, all of you deserve to die since you didn’t protect your lord, the Lord’s anointed. Now look around; where are the king’s spear and water jug that were by his head? ”
17. Saul recognized David’s voice and asked, “Is that your voice, my son David? ” “It is my voice, my lord and king,” David said.
18. Then he continued, “Why is my lord pursuing his servant? What have I done? What evil is in my hand?
19. Now, may my lord the king please hear the words of his servant: If it is the Lord who has incited you against me, then may He accept an offering. But if it is people, may they be cursed in the presence of the Lord, for today they have driven me away from sharing in the inheritance of the Lord saying, ‘Go and worship other gods.’
20. So don’t let my blood fall to the ground far from the Lord’s presence, for the king of Israel has come out to search for a flea, like one who pursues a partridge in the mountains.”