² So Saul went down to the Desert of Ziph, with his three thousand select Israelite troops, to search^(A) there for David.

⁷ So David and Abishai went to the army by night, and there was Saul, lying asleep inside the camp with his spear stuck in the ground near his head. Abner and the soldiers were lying around him.

⁸ Abishai said to David, “Today God has delivered your enemy into your hands. Now let me pin him to the ground with one thrust of the spear; I won’t strike him twice.”

⁹ But David said to Abishai, “Don’t destroy him! Who can lay a hand on the Lord’s anointed^(A) and be guiltless?^(B)

¹² So David took the spear and water jug near Saul’s head, and they left. No one saw or knew about it, nor did anyone wake up. They were all sleeping, because the Lord had put them into a deep sleep.^(A)

¹³ Then David crossed over to the other side and stood on top of the hill some distance away; there was a wide space between them.

²² “Here is the king’s spear,” David answered. “Let one of your young men come over and get it. ²³ The Lord rewards^(A) everyone for their righteousness^(B) and faithfulness. The Lord delivered^(C) you into my hands today, but I would not lay a hand on the Lord’s anointed.