1 Samuel 26:3-12

New American Standard Bible

³ And Saul camped on the hill of Hachilah, which is opposite ^[a]Jeshimon, ^(A)beside the road, and David was staying in the wilderness. When ^(B)he saw that Saul had come after him into the wilderness, ⁴ David sent out spies, and he learned that Saul was definitely coming. ⁵ David then set out and came to the place where Saul had camped. And David saw the place where Saul lay, and ^(C)Abner the son of Ner, the commander of his army; and Saul was lying in the circle of the camp, and the people were camped around him.

⁶ Then David said to Ahimelech ^(D)the Hittite and to ^(E)Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab’s brother, saying, “Who ^(F)will go down with me to Saul in the camp?” And Abishai said, “I will go down with you.” ⁷ So David and Abishai came to the people by night, and behold, Saul lay sleeping inside the circle of the camp with his spear stuck in the ground at his head; and Abner and the people were lying around him. ⁸ Then Abishai said to David, “Today God has handed your enemy over to you; now then, please let me ^[b]pin him with the spear to the ground with one thrust, and I will not ^[c]do it to him a second time.” ⁹ But David said to Abishai, “Do not ^[d]kill him, for ^(G)who can reach out with his hand against the Lord’s anointed and remain innocent?” ¹⁰ David also said, “As the Lord lives, ^(H)the Lord certainly will strike him, or ^(I)his day will come that he dies, or ^(J)he will go down in battle and ^[e]perish. ^11 (K)The Lord forbid that I would reach out with my hand against the Lord’s anointed! But now please take the spear that is at his head and the jug of water, and let’s go.” ¹² So David took the spear and the jug of water that were at Saul’s head, and they left; and no one saw or knew about it, nor did anyone awaken, for they were all asleep, because ^(L)a deep sleep from the Lord had fallen on them.