While David was hiding himself in the wilderness, Saul came chasing after him with three thousand chosen men of Israel. When he saw that Saul was camping on the hill, he sent out spies and learned that Saul had indeed come. Then David rose and came to the place where Saul had encamped, and saw the place where Saul lay with Abner the commander of his army. Saul was lying within the encampment while the army was encamped around him.

David along with his trusted commander Abishai sneaked into their camp at night and beheld Saul sleeping within the encampment with his spear stuck in the ground at his head, and Abner and the army lay around him.

Then Abishai said to David, “God has given your enemy into your hand this day. Now please let me pin him to the earth with one stroke of the spear, and I will not strike him twice”. But David refused Abishai saying “Do not destroy him, for who can put out his hand against the LORD’s anointed and be guiltless?”. David further said that God might strike Saul or his day would come to die, or he might go down into battle and perish, but God forbade him to put out his hand against the LORD’s anointed.

But they took the spear the was at his head and the jar of water and left. During this act no man saw it or knew it  nor did any awake because a deep sleep from the LORD had fallen upon them.

Then David went over to the other side and stood far off on the top of the hill with a great space between them. David shouted to Abner saying, “Will you not answer, Abner? Are you not a man? Why have you not kept watch over your lord the king? For one of the people came to destroy the king your lord. You do not deserve to live, see where the king’s spear and the jar of water that was at his head are?’

Saul recognized David’s voice and said, “Is this your voice my son David?”. And David said “It is my voice, my lord O king. Why does the lord pursue after his servant? For what have I done? What evil is on my hands? If it is the LORD who has stirred you up against me, may he accept an offering, but if it is men, may they be cursed before the LORD. Let not my blood fall to the earth away from the presence of the LORD, for the king of Israel has come out to seek a single flea like one who hunts a partridge in the mountains.”

Saul was overwhelmed by David’s actions and feeling extremely guilty promised David to cause him no more harm. David then returned the spear to one of Saul’s young men, saying the LORD rewards every man for his righteousness and his faithfulness for the LORD gave you into my hand today, but I would not put out my hand against the LORD’s anointed. Saul replied, “Blessed be you my son David! You will do many things and will succeed in them.”  So David went his way and Saul returned to his place.