The Ziphites went to Saul at Gibeah and said, "Is not David hiding on the hill of Hakilah, which faces Jeshimon?"
So Saul went down to the Desert of Ziph with his three thousand chosen men of Israel to search for David. Saul made his camp beside the road on the hill of Hakilah, facing Jeshimon, but David stayed in the desert. When he saw that Saul had followed him there, he sent out scouts and confirmed that Saul had indeed arrived.
David then went to the place where Saul had made camp. He saw Saul and Abner, the son of Ner and commander of the army, lying down. Saul was inside the camp with the army encamped around him.
David asked Ahimelech the Hittite and Abishai, son of Zeruiah and brother of Joab, "Who will go down into the camp with me to Saul?"
"I'll go with you," said Abishai.
That night, David and Abishai went to the army, and there lay Saul, asleep inside the camp, with his spear stuck in the ground near his head, and Abner and the soldiers sleeping around him.
Abishai said to David, "Today God has delivered your enemy into your hands. Let me pin him to the ground with one thrust of my spear; I won't strike twice."
But David replied, "Don't destroy him! Who can lay a hand on the LORD'S anointed and be guiltless? As surely as the LORD lives, He will strike him; either his time will come and he will die, or he will go into battle and perish. But the LORD forbid that I should lay a hand on the LORD'S anointed. Now get the spear and water jug near his head, and let's go."
So David took the spear and water jug that were near Saul's head, and they left quietly. No one saw or knew about it; all were sleeping because the LORD had put them into a deep sleep.
David crossed to the other side of the hill and stood at a distance, calling out to the army and to Abner, "Aren't you going to answer me, Abner?"
"Who are you who calls to the king?" Abner replied.
David said, "You are a man, aren't you? And who is like you in Israel? Why didn't you guard your lord the king? Someone came to destroy your lord the king. What you have done is not good. As surely as the LORD lives, you and your men deserve to die, because you did not guard the LORD'S anointed. Look around you—where are the king's spear and water jug that were near his head?"
Saul recognized David's voice and said, "Is that your voice, David my son?"
"Yes, my lord the king," David replied.
He added, "Why is my lord pursuing his servant? What have I done, and what wrong am I guilty of? Now let my lord the king listen to his servant. If the LORD has incited you against me, may He accept an offering. But if men have done it, may they be cursed before the LORD! They have now driven me from my share in the LORD'S inheritance and said, 'Go, serve other gods.' Do not let my blood fall to the ground far from the presence of the LORD. The king of Israel has come out to look for a flea, as one hunts a partridge in the mountains."
Then Saul said, "I have sinned. Come back, David my son. Because you considered my life precious today, I will not try to harm you again. Surely I have acted like a fool and erred greatly."
David answered, "Here is the king's spear. Let one of your young men come and get it. The LORD rewards every man for his righteousness and faithfulness. The LORD delivered you into my hands today, but I would not lay a hand on the LORD'S anointed. As I valued your life today, so may the LORD value my life and deliver me from all trouble."
Then Saul said to David, "May you be blessed, my son David; you will do great things and surely triumph." So David went on his way, and Saul returned home.