8. Abishai said to David, “Today God has let you defeat your enemy! Let me pin Saul to the ground with the spear. I’ll only do it once! I won’t hit him twice.”
9. But David said to Abishai, “Don’t kill Saul! No one can harm the Lord’s appointed king and still be innocent!
10. As surely as the Lord lives, the Lord himself will punish Saul. Maybe Saul will die naturally. Or maybe he will go into battle and be killed.
11. But may the Lord keep me from harming his appointed king! Now pick up the spear and water jug that are near Saul’s head. Then let’s go.”
12. So David took the spear and water jug that were near Saul’s head. They left, and no one saw them. No one knew about it or woke up. The Lord had made them stay asleep.
13. David crossed over to the other side of the hill. He stood on top of the mountain far from Saul’s camp. David’s and Saul’s camps were far apart.
14. David shouted to the army and to Abner son of Ner, “Answer me, Abner!”Abner answered, “Who is calling for the king? Who are you?”
15. David said, “You’re the greatest man in Israel. Isn’t that true? Then why didn’t you guard your master the king? Someone came into your camp to kill your master the king!