6David spoke up and asked Ahimelech the Hittite and Abishai son of Zeruiah, Joab’s brother, “Who will go down with me into the camp to Saul?” And Abishai answered, “I will go down with you.” 7So David and Abishai approached the troops by night, and found Saul fast asleep inside the barricade,b his spear stuck in the ground at his head, and Abner and the troops sleeping around him. 8And Abishai said to David, “God has delivered your enemy into your hands today. Let me pin him to the ground with a single thrust of the spear. I will not have to strike him twice.” 9But David said to Abishai, “Don’t do him violence! No one can lay hands on the LORD’s anointed with impunity.” 10And David went on, “As the LORD lives, the LORD Himself will strike him down, or his time will come and he will die, or he will go down to battle and perish. 11But the LORD forbid that I should lay a hand on the LORD’s anointed! Just take the spear and the water jar at his head and let’s be off.” 12So David took away the spear and the water jar at Saul’s head, and they left. No one saw or knew or woke up; all remained asleep; a deep sleep from the LORD had fallen upon them.
13David crossed over to the other side and stood afar on top of a hill; there was considerable distance between them. 14And David shouted to the troops and to Abner son of Ner, “Abner, aren’t you going to answer?” And Abner shouted back, “Who are you to shout at the king?” 15And David answered Abner, “You are a man, aren’t you? And there is no one like you in Israel! So why didn’t you keep watch over your lord the king? For one of [our] troops came to do violence to your lord the king. 16You have not given a good account of yourself! As the LORD lives, [all of] you deserve to die, because you did not keep watch over your lord, the LORD’s anointed. Look around, where are the king’s spear and the water jar that were at his head?”
17Saul recognized David’s voice, and he asked, “Is that your voice, my son David?” And David replied, “It is, my lord king.” 18And he went on, “But why does my lord continue to pursue his servant? What have I done, and what wrong am I guilty of? 19Now let my lord the king hear his servant out. If the LORD has incited you against me, let Him be appeasedc by an offering; but if it is men, may they be accursed of the LORD! For they have driven me out today, so that I cannot have a share in the LORD’s possession, but am told, ‘Go and worship other gods.’ 20Oh, let my blood not fall to the ground, away from the presence of the LORD! For the king of Israel has come out to seek a single flea—as if he were hunting a partridge in the hills.”
21And Saul answered, “I am in the wrong. Come back, my son David, for I will never harm you again, seeing how you have held my life precious this day. Yes, I have been a fool, and I have erred so very much.” 22David replied, “Here is Your Majesty’s spear. Let one of the young men come over and get it. 23And the LORD will requite every man for his right conduct and loyalty—for this day the LORD delivered you into myd hands and I would not raise a hand against the LORD’s anointed. 24And just as I valued your life highly this day, so may the LORD value my life and may He rescue me from all trouble.” 25Saul answered David, “May you be blessed, my son David. You shall achieve, and you shall prevail.”
David then went his way, and Saul returned home.
27 David said to himself, “Some day I shall certainly perish at the hands of Saul. The best thing for me is to flee to the land of the Philistines; Saul will then give up hunting me throughout the territory of Israel, and I will escape him.” 2So David and the six hundred men with him went and crossed over to King Achish son of Maoch of Gath. 3David and his men stayed with Achish in Gath, each man with his family, and David with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelite and Abigail wife of Nabal the Carmelite. 4And when Saul was told that David had fled to Gath, he did not pursue him any more.
5David said to Achish, “If you please, let a place be granted me in one of the country towns where I can live; why should your servant remain with you in the royal city?” 6At that time Achish granted him Ziklag; that is how Ziklag came to belong to the kings of Judah, as is still the case. 7The length of time that David lived in Philistine territory was a year and four months.
8David and his men went up and raided the Geshurites, the Gizrites, and the Amalekites—who were the inhabitants of the region of Olam,a all the way to Shur and to the land of Egypt.—9When David attacked a region, he would leave no man or woman alive; he would take flocks, herds, asses, camels, and clothing. When he returned and cameb to Achish, 10Achish would ask, “Wherec did you raid today?” and David would reply, “The Negebd of Judah,” or “the Negeb of the Jerahmeelites,” or “the Negeb of the Kenites.” 11David would leave no man or woman alive to be brought to Gath; for he thought, “They might tell about us: David did this.” Such was his practice as long as he stayed in the territory of the Philistines. 12Achish trusted David. He thought: e-“He has aroused the wrath of-e his own people Israel, and so he will be my vassal forever.”
28 At that time the Philistines mustered their forces for war, to take the field against Israel. Achish said to David, “You know, of course, that you and your men must march out with my forces.” 2David answered Achish, “You surely know what your servant will do.” “In that case,” Achish replied to David, “I will appoint you my bodyguard for life.”
3aNow Samuel had died and all Israel made lament for him; and he was buried in his own town of Ramah. And Saul had forbidden [recourse to] ghosts and familiar spirits in the land.
4The Philistines mustered and they marched to Shunem and encamped; and Saul gathered all Israel, and they encamped at Gilboa. 5When Saul saw the Philistine force, his heart trembled with fear. 6And Saul inquired of the LORD, but the LORD did not answer him, either by dreams or by Urimb or by prophets. 7Then Saul said to his courtiers, “Find me a woman who consults ghosts, so that I can go to her and inquire through her.” And his courtiers told him that there was a woman in En-dor who consulted ghosts.
8Saul disguised himself; he put on different clothes and set out with two men. They came to the woman by night, and he said, “Please divine for me by a ghost. Bring up for me the one I shall name to you.” 9But the woman answered him, “You know what Saul has done, how he has banned [the use of] ghosts and familiar spirits in the land. So why are you laying a trap for me, to get me killed?” 10Saul swore to her by the LORD: “As the LORD lives, you won’t get into trouble over this.” 11At that, the woman asked, “Whom shall I bring up for you?” He answered, “Bring up Samuel for me.” 12Then the woman recognized Samuel,c and she shrieked loudly, and said to Saul, “Why have you deceived me? You are Saul!” 13The king answered her, “Don’t be afraid. What do you see?” And the woman said to Saul, “I see a divine being coming up from the earth.” 14“What does he look like?” he asked her. “It is an old man coming up,” she said, “and he is wrapped in a robe.” Then Saul knew that it was Samuel; and he bowed low in homage with his face to the ground.
15Samuel said to Saul, “Why have you disturbed me and brought me up?” And Saul answered, “I am in great trouble. The Philistines are attacking me and God has turned away from me; He no longer answers me, either by prophets or in dreams. So I have called you to tell me what I am to do.” 16Samuel said, “Why do you ask me, seeing that the LORD has turned away from you and has become your adversary?d 17The LORD has done e-for Himself-e as He foretold through me: The LORD has torn the kingship out of your hands and has given it to your fellow, to David, 18because you
