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’s 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’s 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’s 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’s anointed. And now see where the king’s spear is, and the cruse of water that was at his bolster. 17 And Saul knew David’s 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’s 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’s 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.

1 西弗人基比亚来见扫罗， 说： "大卫不是在旷野前面的哈基拉山中躲藏起来吗？"

2 扫罗就动身， 下到西弗旷野去， 跟随他的有三千以色列精兵， 要在西弗的旷野寻索大卫。

3 那时， 扫罗在旷野前面的哈基拉山的路旁安营， 大卫仍然住在旷野。大卫看见扫罗来到旷野追寻他，

4 就派出探子， 知道扫罗已经到了纳康。

5 大卫起来， 来到扫罗安营的地方， 看见扫罗和他的元帅， 尼珥的儿子押尼珥睡卧的地方。扫罗睡在军营的中央， 众人都在他的周围安营。

6 大卫问赫人亚希米勒和洗鲁雅的儿子约押的兄弟亚比筛， 说： "谁愿与我一起下到扫罗的营里去呢？"亚比筛回答： "我愿与你一起下去。"

7 于是大卫和亚比筛趁着夜里到了众军那里。扫罗正躺在军营的中央睡着了， 他的矛插在头旁的地上； 押尼珥和众军都躺在他的周围。

8 亚比筛对大卫说： "今天 神把你的仇敌交在你手里了。现在求你容我用矛把他刺透在地上， 一刺就够， 不必再刺。"

9 大卫却对亚比筛说： "不可杀死他， 因为有谁伸手伤害耶和华的受膏者而无罪呢？"

10 大卫说： "我指着永活的耶和华起誓， 他或被耶和华击打， 或死期到了， 或下到战场阵亡了，

11 我在耶和华面前， 绝对不敢伸手伤害耶和华的受膏者。现在， 你可以把扫罗头旁的矛和水袋拿来， 我们就走吧！ "

12 于是大卫从扫罗的头旁拿了矛和水袋， 他们二人就走了。没有人看见， 没有人知道， 也没有人醒来。他们都睡着了， 因为耶和华使他们沉睡。

13 然后大卫过到另一边去， 远远地站在山顶上， 两者之间的距离很远。

14 大卫呼叫众人和尼珥的儿子押尼珥说： "押尼珥啊， 你不答话吗？"押尼珥回答说： "你是谁， 竟敢呼叫王？"

15 大卫对押尼珥说： "你不是一个男子汉吗？以色列人中有谁能与你相比呢？众民中有一个人来要杀害王你的主， 你为什么没有保护王你的主呢？

16 你所作的这事不好。我指着永活的耶和华起誓， 你们都是该死的， 因为你们没有保护你的主， 就是耶和华的受膏者。现在你看看王头旁的矛和水袋在哪里？"

17 扫罗认出是大卫的声音， 就说： "我儿大卫啊！ 这是你的声音吗？"大卫说： "我主我王啊！ 是我的声音。"

18 又说： "我主为什么这样追赶仆人呢？我作了什么？我手里犯了什么过错？

19 现在求我主我王听你仆人的话。如果是耶和华激动你攻击我， 愿耶和华收纳祭物； 如果是人激动你， 愿他们在耶和华面前受咒诅， 因为他们今天把我赶出来， 不容我在耶和华的产业上有分， 说： ‘你去服事别的神吧！ ’

20 现在， 求王不要让我的血流在远离耶和华的地上， 因为以色列王出来寻索我的性命， 就像人在山中猎取一只鹧鸪一样。"

21 扫罗说： "我有罪了， 我儿大卫啊， 你回来吧！ 因为今天你看我的命为宝贵， 我必不再害你。看哪！ 我作了糊涂事了， 并且错得很厉害。"

22 大卫回答说： "看哪！ 王的矛在这里， 可以叫一个仆人过来拿去。

23 耶和华必按着各人的公义和信实报答他； 今天耶和华把你交在我手里， 我却不愿伸手伤害耶和华的受膏者。

24 看哪， 我今天怎样看重你的命， 愿耶和华也怎样看重我的命， 并且救我脱离一切患难。"

25 扫罗对大卫说： "我儿大卫啊， 愿你得福， 你必作成你所要作的， 也必得胜。"于是大卫离去了， 扫罗也回自己的地方去了。