1.Samuel 26 | King James Version

1 And the Ziphites came unto Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doth not David hide himself in the hill of Hachilah, which is before Jeshimon? 2 Then Saul arose, and went down to the wilderness of Ziph, having three thousand chosen men of Israel with him, to seek David in the wilderness of Ziph. 3 And Saul pitched in the hill of Hachilah, which is before Jeshimon, by the way. But David abode in the wilderness, and he saw that Saul came after him into the wilderness. 4 David therefore sent out spies, and understood that Saul was come in very deed. 5 And David arose, and came to the place where Saul had pitched: and David beheld the place where Saul lay, and Abner the son of Ner, the captain of his host: and Saul lay in the trench, and the people pitched round about him. 6 Then answered David and said to Ahimelech the Hittite, and to Abishai the son of Zeruiah, brother to Joab, saying, Who will go down with me to Saul to the camp? And Abishai said, I will go down with thee. 7 So David and Abishai came to the people by night: and, behold, Saul lay sleeping within the trench, and his spear stuck in the ground at his bolster: but Abner and the people lay round about him. 8 Then said Abishai to David, God hath delivered thine enemy into thine hand this day: now therefore let me smite him, I pray thee, with the spear even to the earth at once, and I will not smite him the second time. 9 And David said to Abishai, Destroy him not: for who can stretch forth his hand against the LORD' anointed, and be guiltless? 10 David said furthermore, As the LORD liveth, the LORD shall smite him; or his day shall come to die; or he shall descend into battle, and perish. 11 The LORD forbid that I should stretch forth mine hand against the LORD' anointed: but, I pray thee, take thou now the spear that is at his bolster, and the cruse of water, and let us go. 12 So David took the spear and the cruse of water from Saul' bolster; and they gat them away, and no man saw it , nor knew it , neither awaked: for they were all asleep; because a deep sleep from the LORD was fallen upon them. 13 Then David went over to the other side, and stood on the top of an hill afar off; a great space being between them: 14 And David cried to the people, and to Abner the son of Ner, saying, Answerest thou not, Abner? Then Abner answered and said, Who art thou that criest to the king? 15 And David said to Abner, Art not thou a valiant man? and who is like to thee in Israel? wherefore then hast thou not kept thy lord the king? for there came one of the people in to destroy the king thy lord. 16 This thing is not good that thou hast done. As the LORD liveth, ye are worthy to die, because ye have not kept your master, the LORD' anointed. And now see where the king' spear is , and the cruse of water that was at his bolster. 17 And Saul knew David' voice, and said, Is this thy voice, my son David? And David said, It is my voice, my lord, O king. 18 And he said, Wherefore doth my lord thus pursue after his servant? for what have I done? or what evil is in mine hand? 19 Now therefore, I pray thee, let my lord the king hear the words of his servant. If the LORD have stirred thee up against me, let him accept an offering: but if they be the children of men, cursed be they before the LORD; for they have driven me out this day from abiding in the inheritance of the LORD, saying, Go, serve other gods. 20 Now therefore, let not my blood fall to the earth before the face of the LORD: for the king of Israel is come out to seek a flea, as when one doth hunt a partridge in the mountains. 21 Then said Saul, I have sinned: return, my son David: for I will no more do thee harm, because my soul was precious in thine eyes this day: behold, I have played the fool, and have erred exceedingly. 22 And David answered and said, Behold the king' spear! and let one of the young men come over and fetch it. 23 The LORD render to every man his righteousness and his faithfulness: for the LORD delivered thee into my hand to day, but I would not stretch forth mine hand against the LORD' anointed. 24 And, behold, as thy life was much set by this day in mine eyes, so let my life be much set by in the eyes of the LORD, and let him deliver me out of all tribulation. 25 Then Saul said to David, Blessed be thou, my son David: thou shalt both do great things , and also shalt still prevail. So David went on his way, and Saul returned to his place.

New International Reader’s Version

Once again David doesn’t kill Saul when he has the chance

1 Some people from Ziph went to Saul at Gibeah. They said, ‘David is hiding on the hill of Hakilah. It faces Jeshimon.’ 2 So Saul went down to the Desert of Ziph. He took 3,000 of the best soldiers in Israel with him. They went to the desert to look for David. 3 Saul set up his camp beside the road. It was on the hill of Hakilah facing Jeshimon. But David stayed in the desert. He saw that Saul had followed him there. 4 So he sent out scouts. From them he learned that Saul had arrived. 5 Then David started out. He went to the place where Saul had camped. He saw where Saul and Abner were lying down. Saul was lying inside the camp. The army was camped all around him. Abner was commander of the army. He was the son of Ner. 6 Then David spoke to Ahimelek, the Hittite. He also spoke to Joab’s brother Abishai, the son of Zeruiah. He asked them, ‘Who will go down with me into the camp to Saul?’ ‘I’ll go with you,’ said Abishai. 7 So that night David and Abishai went into the camp. They found Saul lying asleep inside the camp. His spear was stuck in the ground near his head. Abner and the soldiers were lying asleep around him. 8 Abishai said to David, ‘Today God has handed your enemy over to you. So let me pin him to the ground. I can do it with one jab of the spear. I won’t even have to strike him twice.’ 9 But David said to Abishai, ‘Don’t destroy him! No one can do any harm to the LORD’s anointed king and not be guilty. 10 You can be sure that the LORD lives,’ he said. ‘And you can be just as sure that the LORD himself will strike Saul down. Perhaps he’ll die a natural death. Or perhaps he’ll go into battle and be killed. 11 May the LORD keep me from doing anything to harm his anointed king. Now get the spear and water jug that are near his head. Then let’s leave.’ 12 So David took the spear and water jug that were near Saul’s head. Then he and Abishai left. No one saw them. No one knew about what they had done. In fact, no one even woke up. Everyone was sleeping. That’s because the LORD had put them into a deep sleep. 13 David went across to the other side of the valley. He stood on top of a hill far away from Saul’s camp. There was a wide space between them. 14 He called out to the army and to Abner, the son of Ner. He said, ‘Abner! Aren’t you going to answer me?’ Abner replied, ‘Who is calling out to the king?’ 15 David said, ‘You are a great soldier, aren’t you? There isn’t anyone else like you in Israel. So why didn’t you guard the king? He’s your master, isn’t he? Someone came into the camp to destroy him. 16 You didn’t guard him. And that isn’t good. You can be sure that the LORD lives. And you can be just as sure that you and your men must die. That’s because you didn’t guard your master. He’s the LORD’s anointed king. Look around you. Where are the king’s spear and water jug that were near his head?’ 17 Saul recognised David’s voice. He said, ‘My son David, is that your voice?’ David replied, ‘Yes it is, King Saul, my master.’ 18 He continued, ‘Why are you chasing me? What evil thing have I done? What am I guilty of? 19 King Saul, please listen to what I’m saying. Was it the LORD who made you angry with me? If it was, may he accept my offering. Was it people who made you angry at me? If it was, may the LORD see them cursed. They have driven me today from my share of the LORD’s land. By doing that, they might as well have said, “Go and serve other gods.” 20 Don’t spill my blood on the ground far away from where the LORD lives. King Saul, you have come out to look for nothing but a flea. It’s as if you were hunting a partridge in the mountains.’ 21 Then Saul said, ‘I have sinned. My son David, come back. Today you thought my life was very special. So I won’t try to harm you again. I’ve really acted like a foolish person. I’ve made a huge mistake.’ 22 ‘Here’s your spear,’ David answered. ‘Send one of your young men over to get it. 23 The LORD rewards everyone for doing what is right and being faithful. He handed you over to me today. But I wouldn’t harm you. You are the LORD’s anointed king. 24 Today I thought your life had great value. In the same way, may the LORD think of my life as having great value. May he save me from all trouble.’ 25 Then Saul said to David, ‘May the LORD bless you, David my son. You will do great things. You will also have great success.’ So David went on his way. And Saul returned home.

1.Samuel 26 | King James Version New International Reader’s Version

Once again David doesn’t kill Saul when he has the chance