8. Then said Avishai to Dovid, Elohim hath delivered thine oyev into thine yad today; now therefore let me strike him, now, with the khanit, pinning him to the ground once; I will not strike him the second time.
9. And Dovid said to Avishai, Destroy him not; for who can stretch forth his yad against Hashem's moshiach, and be guiltless?
10. Dovid said furthermore, As Hashem liveth, Hashem shall strike him; or his day shall come to die; or he shall descend into milchamah, and perish.
11. Chalilah (far be it) from me by Hashem that I should stretch forth mine yad against Hashem's moshiach; but, take now thou the khanit (spear) that is at his head, and the flask of mayim, and let us go.
12. So Dovid took the khanit and the flask of mayim from near Sha'ul's head; and they got them away, and no one saw it, nor knew it, neither awaked; for they were all asleep; because a tardamat Hashem was fallen upon them.
13. Then Dovid went over to the other side, and stood on the top of the har afar off; a great space being between them;
14. And Dovid called out to the people, and to Avner Ben Ner, saying, Answerest thou not, Avner? Then Avner answered and said, Who art thou that calls out to HaMelech?
15. And Dovid said to Avner, Art not thou an ish (man)? And who is like to thee in Yisroel? Wherefore then hast thou not been shomer over adonecha HaMelech? For there came one of HaAm in to destroy HaMelech adonecha.
16. This thing is not tov that thou hast done. As Hashem liveth, ye are worthy for mavet, because ye have not been shomer over adoneichem, Hashem's moshiach. And now see where the khanit of HaMelech is, and the flask of mayim that was near his head.
17. And Sha'ul knew the voice of Dovid, and said, Is this thy voice, beni, Dovid? And Dovid said, It is my voice, adoni HaMelech.
18. And he said, Why doth adoni thus pursue after his eved? For what have I done? Or what ra'ah is in mine yad?
19. Now therefore, let adoni HaMelech hear the devarim of his eved. If Hashem have stirred thee up against me, let Him accept a minchah; but if they be bnei adam, cursed be they before Hashem; for they have driven me out this day from abiding in the nachalah of Hashem, saying, Go, serve elohim acharim.
20. Now therefore, let not my dahm fall to the earth before the face of Hashem; for the Melech Yisroel is come out to search for a parosh (flea), as when one doth hunt the partridge in the harim.
21. Then said Sha'ul, I have sinned; return, beni Dovid; for I will no more do thee harm, because my nefesh was precious in thine eyes this day; hinei, I was foolish, and have erred exceedingly.
22. And Dovid answered and said, Hinei the khanit HaMelech! Let one of the ne'arim come over and bring it back.
23. Hashem repay to every ish his tzedakah and his emunah; for Hashem delivered thee into my yad today, but I would not stretch forth mine yad against Hashem's moshiach.
24. And, hinei, as thy nefesh was much valued this day in mine eyes, so let my nefesh be much valued in the eyes of Hashem, and let Him deliver me out of all tzarah (trouble).