וַיָּבֹאוּ הַזִּפִים אֶל שָׁאוּל הַגִּבְעָתָה לֵאמֹר הֲלוֹא דָוִד מִסְתַּתֵּר בְּגִבְעַת הַחֲכִילָה עַל פְּנֵי הַיְשִׁימֹן

The Zifites once again came to Saul to Giva, Givat Shaul, saying: Truly, David is hiding on the hill of Hakhila, which is before the wasteland. David had hidden there in the past, and the Zifites had already informed on him to the king (see 23:19). Perhaps the entire region was populated by members of the house of Caleb, who were generally unsympathetic to David (see commentary on 25:3), or they simply wanted to rid themselves of their uninvited guest, as he had become a burden to them.

וַיָּקָם שָׁאוּל וַיֵּרֶד אֶל מִדְבַּר זִיף וְאִתּוֹ שְׁלֹשֶׁת אֲלָפִים אִישׁ בְּחוּרֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לְבַקֵּשׁ אֶת דָּוִד בְּמִדְבַּר זִיף

Saul rose, and went down to the wilderness of Zif, and with him were once again three thousand select men of Israel, to seek David in the wilderness of Zif.

וַיִּחַן שָׁאוּל בְּגִבְעַת הַחֲכִילָה אֲשֶׁר עַל פְּנֵי הַיְשִׁימֹן עַל הַדָּרֶךְ וְדָוִד יֹשֵׁב בַּמִּדְבָּר וַיַּרְא כִּי בָא שָׁאוּל אַחֲרָיו הַמִּדְבָּרָה

Saul encamped on the hill of Hakhila, which is before the wasteland, and his encampment was situated on the way that leads to the hill of Hakhila. And David was staying in hiding in the wilderness, near the hill, and he, David, saw that Saul had come after him to the wilderness.

וַיִּשְׁלַח דָּוִד מְרַגְּלִים וַיֵּדַע כִּי בָא שָׁאוּל אֶל נָכוֹן

David spotted the troops, but was still unsure to whom they belonged. David sent spies, and he knew that Saul was certainly coming.

וַיָּקָם דָּוִד וַיָּבֹא אֶל הַמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר חָנָה שָׁם שָׁאוּל וַיַּרְא דָּוִד אֶת הַמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר שָׁכַב שָׁם שָׁאוּל וְאַבְנֵר בֶּן נֵר שַׂר צְבָאוֹ וְשָׁאוּל שֹׁכֵב בַּמַּעְגָּל וְהָעָם חֹנִים סְבִיבֹתָיו

David rose, and he came to the place where Saul had encamped. David beheld the place where Saul, and near him, Avner son of Ner, commander of his army, were lying; Saul was lying within the circle [ma’agal], in the center of the camp. Perhaps the center point of a circle is called ma’agal in biblical Hebrew. And the people were encamped around him.

וַיַּעַן דָּוִד וַיֹּאמֶר אֶל אֲחִימֶלֶךְ הַחִתִּי וְאֶל אֲבִישַׁי בֶּן צְרוּיָה אֲחִי יוֹאָב לֵאמֹר מִי יֵרֵד אִתִּי אֶל שָׁאוּל אֶל הַמַּחֲנֶה וַיֹּאמֶר אֲבִישַׁי אֲנִי אֵרֵד עִמָּךְ

David spoke up and said to Ahimelekh the Hitite, one of several converts who had joined David, because they had no inheritance of land among the people, and he also spoke to Avishai son of Tzeruya, Yoav’s brother, one of the heads of David’s camp, saying: Who of you two will go down with me to Saul, to the camp Saul has pitched? Avishai said: I will go down with you. Saul’s camp was not heavily guarded, because the king and his soldiers knew that David’s army was far smaller than theirs, and they did not anticipate that David would dare initiate any contact.

וַיָּבֹא דָוִד וַאֲבִישַׁי אֶל הָעָם לַיְלָה וְהִנֵּה שָׁאוּל שֹׁכֵב יָשֵׁן בַּמַּעְגָּל וַחֲנִיתוֹ מְעוּכָה בָאָרֶץ מְרַאֲשֹׁתָיו וְאַבְנֵר וְהָעָם שֹׁכְבִים סְבִיבֹתָיו

David and Avishai came to the people at night, stealing up to them; and behold, Saul was lying asleep within the circle, and his spear was stuck in the ground near his head, and Avner and the people were lying asleep around him.

וַיֹּאמֶר אֲבִישַׁי אֶל דָּוִד סִגַּר אֱלֹהִים הַיּוֹם אֶת אוֹיִבְךָ בְּיָדֶךָ וְעַתָּה אַכֶּנּוּ נָא בַּחֲנִית וּבָאָרֶץ פַּעַם אַחַת וְלֹא אֶשְׁנֶה לוֹ

Avishai said to David: God has delivered your enemy into your hand today. Now, let me please smite him once with the spear into the ground. I will kill him by stabbing him with a spear, which will pierce through his body and land in the earth (see 18:11). And thus I will not have to do it to him again. Furthermore, if I act in this manner, no one will hear him being killed.

וַיֹּאמֶר דָּוִד אֶל אֲבִישַׁי אַל תַּשְׁחִיתֵהוּ כִּי מִי שָׁלַח יָדוֹ בִּמְשִׁיחַ ה' וְנִקָּה

David said to Avishai: Do not destroy him, for who has extended his hand against the anointed of the Lord and been exonerated? It is forbidden to do such a thing to the anointed of God.

וַיֹּאמֶר דָּוִד חַי ה'כִּי אִם ה' יִגָּפֶנּוּ אוֹ יוֹמוֹ יָבוֹא וָמֵת אוֹ בַמִּלְחָמָה יֵרֵד וְנִסְפָּה

David said, in the form of an oath: As the Lord lives; rather, the Lord will strike him by an illness or something similar before his time; or his day will come and he will die by natural means, without suffering from a disease; or he will go forth to war, and perish.

חָלִילָה לִּי מֵה' מִשְּׁלֹחַ יָדִי בִּמְשִׁיחַ ה' וְעַתָּה קַח נָא אֶת הַחֲנִית אֲשֶׁר מְרַאֲשֹׁתָיו וְאֶת צַפַּחַת הַמַּיִם וְנֵלֲכָה לָּנוּ

Far be it from me before the Lord to extend my hand against the anointed one of the Lord. Now, please take only the spear that is stuck in the ground near his head and the flask of water and let us go.

וַיִּקַּח דָּוִד אֶת הַחֲנִית וְאֶת צַפַּחַת הַמַּיִם מֵרַאֲשֹׁתֵי שָׁאוּל וַיֵּלְכוּ לָהֶם וְאֵין רֹאֶה וְאֵין יוֹדֵעַ וְאֵין מֵקִיץ כִּי כֻלָּם יְשֵׁנִים כִּי תַּרְדֵּמַת ה'נָפְלָה עֲלֵיהֶם

David, who perhaps regretted giving the order to Avishai, and was concerned that he might kill the king if he was allowed near him, took the spear himself, and the flask of water from near Saul’s head, and they went, and no one saw, and no one knew, and no one awoke, as they were all asleep because a deep sleep from the Lord had fallen upon them.

וַיַּעֲבֹר דָּוִד הָעֵבֶר וַיַּעֲמֹד עַל רֹאשׁ הָהָר מֵרָחֹק רַב הַמָּקוֹם בֵּינֵיהֶם

David crossed to the other side of the valley, and he stood atop the mountain from afar; the space between them was great.

וַיִּקְרָא דָוִד אֶל הָעָם וְאֶל אַבְנֵר בֶּן נֵר לֵאמֹר הֲלוֹא תַעֲנֶה אַבְנֵר וַיַּעַן אַבְנֵר וַיֹּאמֶר מִי אַתָּה קָרָאתָ אֶל הַמֶּלֶךְ

David called to the people and to Avner son of Ner, saying: Will you not answer, Avner? Avner answered and said: Who are you who called near the king?

וַיֹּאמֶר דָּוִד אֶל אַבְנֵר הֲלוֹא אִישׁ אַתָּה וּמִי כָמוֹךָ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל וְלָמָּה לֹא שָׁמַרְתָּ אֶל אֲדֹנֶיךָ הַמֶּלֶךְ כִּי בָא אַחַד הָעָם לְהַשְׁחִית אֶת הַמֶּלֶךְ אֲדֹנֶיךָ

David said to Avner: Aren’t you a personage? Who is like you in Israel? Avner was not only the commander of Saul’s army, but a renowned figure throughout the kingdom. Why did you not guard your lord, the king, as what would happen if one of the people came to destroy the king, your lord? As head of the army, you bear ultimate responsibility for the king’s safety.

לֹא טוֹב הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה אֲשֶׁר עָשִׂיתָ חַי ה'כִּי בְנֵי מָוֶת אַתֶּם אֲשֶׁר לֹא שְׁמַרְתֶּם עַל אֲדֹנֵיכֶם עַל מְשִׁיחַ ה' וְעַתָּה רְאֵה אֵי חֲנִית הַמֶּלֶךְ וְאֶת צַפַּחַת הַמַּיִם אֲשֶׁר מְרַאֲשֹׁתָיו

This thing that you did is not good, as the Lord lives, for you deserve to die, as you did not guard over your lord, over the anointed one of the Lord. Now, see, where is the king’s spear and also (see 17:34) the flask of water that was near his head?

וַיַּכֵּר שָׁאוּל אֶת קוֹל דָּוִד וַיֹּאמֶר הֲקוֹלְךָ זֶה בְּנִי דָוִד וַיֹּאמֶר דָּוִד קוֹלִי אֲדֹנִי הַמֶּלֶךְ

In the meantime, others had woken up in Saul’s camp. Saul recognized David’s voice, and he said: Is that your voice, my son David? David said: It is my voice, my lord the king.

וַיֹּאמֶר לָמָּה זֶּה אֲדֹנִי רֹדֵף אַחֲרֵי עַבְדּוֹ כִּי מֶה עָשִׂיתִי וּמַה בְּיָדִי רָעָה

He, David, said: Why is it that my lord is pursuing his servant, for what have I done, and what evil is in my hand?

וְעַתָּה יִשְׁמַע נָא אֲדֹנִי הַמֶּלֶךְ אֵת דִּבְרֵי עַבְדּוֹ אִם ה' הֱסִיתְךָ בִי יָרַח מִנְחָה וְאִם בְּנֵי הָאָדָם אֲרוּרִים הֵם לִפְנֵי ה'כִּי גֵרְשׁוּנִי הַיּוֹם מֵהִסְתַּפֵּחַ בְּנַחֲלַת ה'לֵאמֹר לֵךְ עֲבֹד אֱלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים

Now please, let my lord the king hear the words of his servant. If the Lord incited you against me, may He be propitiated with an offering; we can offer Him a sacrifice for atonement; and if it is people who have incited you to chase me, they are cursed before the Lord, for this day they have driven me away from cleaving to the inheritance of the Lord. They have caused me to flee from the Land of Israel, or from the people of Israel, which is also called “the inheritance of the Lord.” They have done so, saying: Go, worship other gods. Exile to a foreign land and to impure soil is comparable to idolatry, even if David did not actually worship idols.

וְעַתָּה אַל יִפֹּל דָּמִי אַרְצָה מִנֶּגֶד פְּנֵי ה' כִּי יָצָא מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל לְבַקֵּשׁ אֶת פַּרְעֹשׁ אֶחָד כַּאֲשֶׁר יִרְדֹּף הַקֹּרֵא בֶּהָרִים

Now, let my blood not fall to the ground away from the presence of the Lord. My life will not be hidden from God. Alternatively, David is saying that God will see and avenge his spilled blood; for the king of Israel has gone out to seek a single flea, as the partridge, a wilderness bird, pursues in the mountains, or alternatively, as a partridge chases after insects for its food, so you pursue a flea in the mountains.

וַיֹּאמֶר שָׁאוּל חָטָאתִי שׁוּב בְּנִי דָוִד כִּי לֹא אָרַע לְךָ עוֹד תַּחַת אֲשֶׁר יָקְרָה נַפְשִׁי בְּעֵינֶיךָ הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה הִנֵּה הִסְכַּלְתִּי וָאֶשְׁגֶּה הַרְבֵּה מְאֹד

Saul said: I have sinned. Come back to me, my son David, for I will not harm you any longer, as my soul was precious in your eyes this day; you were right next to me, but did me no harm. Behold, I have been foolish, and I have erred exceedingly by suspecting you of disloyalty and chasing after you time and again.

וַיַּעַן דָּוִד וַיֹּאמֶר הִנֵּה חֲנִית הַמֶּלֶךְ וְיַעֲבֹר אֶחָד מֵהַנְּעָרִים וְיִקָּחֶהָ

David answered and said: Here is the king’s spear. I am returning it to his majesty. Let one of the lads cross over to me and take it.

וַה' יָשִׁיב לָאִישׁ אֶת צִדְקָתוֹ וְאֶת אֱמֻנָתוֹ אֲשֶׁר נְתָנְךָ ה' הַיּוֹם בְּיָד וְלֹא אָבִיתִי לִשְׁלֹחַ יָדִי בִּמְשִׁיחַ ה'

The Lord will repay the man for his righteousness and his faithfulness. Some commentaries note that David is referring to himself here. As the Lord delivered you into one’s hand today. In the Hebrew, David simply says “into a hand,” without explicitly mentioning his own hand, out of respect for the king. And I was unwilling to extend my hand against the anointed one of the Lord.

וְהִנֵּה כַּאֲשֶׁר גָּדְלָה נַפְשְׁךָ הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה בְּעֵינָי כֵּן תִּגְדַּל נַפְשִׁי בְּעֵינֵי ה' וְיַצִּלֵנִי מִכָּל צָרָה

Behold, as your soul was important, precious, in my eyes this day, and I brought you no harm, so may my soul be important in the eyes of the Lord, and may He deliver me from every trouble.

וַיֹּאמֶר שָׁאוּל אֶל דָּוִד בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה בְּנִי דָוִד גַּם עָשֹׂה תַעֲשֶׂה וְגַם יָכֹל תּוּכָל וַיֵּלֶךְ דָּוִד לְדַרְכּוֹ וְשָׁאוּל שָׁב לִמְקוֹמוֹ

Saul said to David: Blessed are you, my son David; you will both act and succeed. I know that you will do great things and that you will be successful. David went on his way, and Saul returned to his place. On this occasion as well, the encounter between the two ends quietly and without a confrontation. However, the situation remains unresolved. Although Saul once again expressed regret and admitted his mistake, David knows that he cannot rely on such declarations. Nevertheless, for the time being, the king stops chasing him and returns home with his men.