e no
longer followed him. So David lived in the Wilderness of Ziph and stayed
in the mountain strongholds.

Then the Ziphites came to Saul at Gibeah, saying, "Is not David hiding
in the hill country of Hachilah?" So Saul went down to the Wilderness of
Ziph with three thousand men of Israel to hunt for David. And Saul
camped in the hill country of Hachilah; but David stayed in the
wilderness. When David saw that Saul was following him into the
wilderness, he sent out scouts and learned that Saul had come to the
place just in front of him. David then arose and went to the place where
Saul had camped. And he saw the place where Saul lay, with Abner the son
of Ner, the commander of his army; and Saul was within the barricade,
and the people were camped about him.

Then David turned to Ahimelech the Hittite and to Abishai the son of
Zeruiah, Joab's brother, and said, "Who will go down with me to Saul's
camp?" Abishai said, "I will go with you." So David and Abishai came to
the people by night, and Saul was lying asleep inside the barricade,
with his spear stuck into the earth at his head and with Abner and the
soldiers lying about him.

Then Abishai said to David, "God has given your enemy to you to-day. Now
let me pin him to the earth with his spear at one stroke, for I will not
need to strike him twice!" David replied, "As surely as Jehovah lives,
either Jehovah will smite him, or his day will come to die, or he will
go down into battle and meet his end. Jehovah forbid that I should harm
him whom Jehovah has called to rule! But now take the spear that is at
his head and the jug of water, and let us go." So David took the spear
and the jug of water from Saul's head, and they departed. But no man saw
it or knew it, for they were all asleep, and no one awoke, for a deep
sleep from Jehovah had fallen upon them.

Then David went across and stood on the top of a hill at a distance with
a great space between them. And David called to the soldiers and to
Abner, the son of Ner, and said, "Do you make no answer, Abner?" Abner
answered, "Who are you that calls?" David said to Abner, "Are you not a
man, and who is like you in Israel? Why then have you not kept guard
over your lord the ruler of Israel? For one of the people came to
destroy your lord. You have not done what is right. As surely as Jehovah
lives you ought to be put to death, for you have not kept watch over
your master whom Jehovah has called to rule. Now see where hi