1 Samuel 26

The Ziphites came to Talut at Gibeah, saying, Does not Dawud hide himself in the hill of Hachilah, which is before the desert? ²Then Talut arose, and went down to the wilderness of Ziph, having three thousand chosen men of Israel with him, to seek Dawud in the wilderness of Ziph. ³Talut encamped in the hill of Hachilah, which is before the desert, by the road. But Dawud stayed in the wilderness, and he saw that Talut came after him into the wilderness. ⁴Dawud therefore sent out spies, and understood that Talut had come for sure. ⁵Dawud arose, and came to the place where Talut had encamped; and Dawud saw the place where Talut lay, and Abner Ibn Ner, the captain of his army: and Talut lay within the place of the wagons, and the people were encamped all around him. ⁶Then Dawud answered and said to Ahimelech the Hittite, and to Abishai Ibn Zeruiah, brother to Joab, saying, Who will go down with me to Talut in the camp? Abishai said, I will go down with you. ⁷So Dawud and Abishai came to the people by night: and, behold, Talut lay sleeping within the place of the wagons, with his spear stuck in the ground at his head; and Abner and the people lay all around him. ⁸Then Abishai said to Dawud, God has delivered up your enemy into your hand this day: now therefore please let me strike him with the spear to the earth with one stroke, and I will not strike him the second time. ⁹Dawud said to Abishai, Do not destroy him; for who can put forth his hand against Allah's anointed, and be guiltless? ¹⁰Dawud said, As Allah lives, Allah will strike him; or his day shall come to die; or he shall go down into battle and perish. ¹¹Allah forbid that I should put forth my hand against Allah's anointed: but now please take the spear that is at his head, and the jar of water, and let us go. ¹²So Dawud took the spear and the jar of water from Talut's head; and they got away: and no man saw it, nor knew it, neither did any awake; for they were all asleep, because a deep sleep from Allah was fallen on them. ¹³Then Dawud went over to the other side, and stood on the top of the mountain afar off; a great space being between them; ¹⁴and Dawud called out to the people, and to Abner Ibn Ner, saying, Don't you answer, Abner? Then Abner answered, Who are you who calls to the king? ¹⁵Dawud said to Abner, Aren't you a valiant man? Who is like you in Israel? Why then have you not kept watch over your lord, the king? For there came one of the people in to destroy the king your lord. ¹⁶This thing isn't good that you have done. As Allah lives, you are worthy to die, because you have not kept watch over your lord, Allah's anointed. Now see where the king's spear is, and the jar of water that was at his head. ¹⁷Talut recognized Dawud's voice, and said, Is that your voice, Dawud my son? Dawud said, It is my voice, my lord, O king. ¹⁸He said, Why does my lord pursue after his servant? For what have I done? Or what evil is in my hand? ¹⁹Now therefore, please let my lord the king hear the words of his servant. If it be Allah that has stirred you up against me, let him accept an offering: but if it be the children of men, cursed be they before Allah: for they have driven me out this day that I should not cling to Allah's inheritance, saying, Go, worship other gods. ²⁰Now therefore, do not let my blood fall to the earth away from the presence of Allah: for the king of Israel has come out to seek a flea, as when one hunts a partridge in the mountains. ²¹Then Talut said, I have sinned: return, my son Dawud; for I will no more do you harm, because my life was precious in your eyes this day: behold, I have played the fool, and have erred greatly. ²²Dawud answered, Behold the spear, O king! Let then one of the young men come over and get it. ²³Allah will render to every man his righteousness and his faithfulness; because Allah delivered you into my hand today, and I wouldn't put forth my hand against Allah's anointed. ²⁴Behold, as your life was highly esteemed this day in my eyes, so let my life be highly esteemed in the eyes of Allah, and let him deliver me out of all oppression. ²⁵Then Talut said to Dawud, Blessed be you, my son Dawud: you shall both do mightily, and shall surely prevail. So Dawud went his way, and Talut returned to his place.