1Sa 23:19-24, 24:11-12, 1Sa 26, Psa 56:6, 120:7 | ESV | STEP | Then the Ziphites went up to Saul at Gibeah , saying , Is not David hiding among us in the strongholds at Horesh , on the hill of Hachilah , which is south of Jeshimon ?

19 ^aThen the Ziphites went up to Saul at Gibeah, saying, “Is not David hiding among us in the strongholds at Horesh, on the hill of Hachilah, which is south of ^bJeshimon? 20 Now come down, O king, according to all your heart’s desire to come down, ^cand our part shall be to surrender him into the king’s hand.” 21 And Saul said, ^d“May you be blessed by the Lord, ^efor you have had compassion on me. 22 Go, make yet more sure. Know and see the place where his foot is, and who has seen him there, for it is told me that he is very cunning. 23 See therefore and take note of all the lurking places where he hides, and come back to me with sure information. Then I will go with you. And if he is in the land, I will search him out among all the thousands of Judah.” 24 And they arose and went to Ziph ahead of Saul.

Now David and his men were ^fin the wilderness of Maon, ^gin the Arabah to the south of ^hJeshimon.

1 Samuel 24:11-12

11 See, my father, see the corner of your robe in my hand. For by the fact that I cut off the corner of your robe and did not kill you, you may know and see that ⁱthere is no wrong or treason in my hands. I have not sinned against you, though ^jyou hunt my life to take it. 12 ^kMay the Lord judge between me and you, may the Lord avenge me against you, but my hand shall not be against you.

1 Samuel 26

David Spares Saul Again

1 ^lThen the Ziphites came to Saul at Gibeah, saying, “Is not David hiding himself on the hill of Hachilah, which is on the east of Jeshimon?” 2 So Saul arose and went down to ^mthe wilderness of Ziph with ⁿthree thousand chosen men of Israel to seek David in the wilderness of Ziph. 3 And Saul encamped on the hill of Hachilah, which is beside the road on the east of Jeshimon. But David remained in the wilderness. When he saw that Saul came after him into the wilderness, 4 David sent out spies and learned that Saul had indeed come. 5 Then David rose and came to the place where Saul had encamped. And David saw the place where Saul lay, with ^oAbner the son of Ner, the commander of his army. Saul was lying within ^pthe encampment, while the army was encamped around him.

6 Then David said to Ahimelech the Hittite, and to Joab’s brother ^qAbishai the son of Zeruiah, ^r“Who will go down with me into the camp to Saul?” And Abishai said, “I will go down with you.” 7 So David and Abishai went to the army by night. And there lay Saul sleeping within ^sthe encampment, with his spear stuck in the ground ^tat his head, and Abner and the army lay around him. 8 Then Abishai said to David, ^u“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.” 9 But David said to Abishai, “Do not destroy him, for who can put out his hand ^vagainst the Lord’s anointed and be guiltless?” 10 And David said, ^w“As the Lord lives, ^xthe Lord will strike him, or ^yhis day will come to die, ^zor he will go down into battle and perish. 11 ^aaThe Lord forbid that I should put out my hand against the Lord’s anointed. But take now the spear that is ^abat his head and the jar of water, and let us go.” 12 So David took the spear and the jar of water from Saul’s head, and they went away. No man saw it or knew it, nor did any awake, for they were all asleep, because ^aca deep sleep from the Lord had fallen upon them.

13 Then David went over to the other side and stood far off on the top of the hill, with a great space between them. 14 And David called to the army, and to Abner the son of Ner, saying, “Will you not answer, Abner?” Then Abner answered, “Who are you who calls to the king?” 15 And David said to Abner, “Are you not a man? Who is like you in Israel? Why then have you not kept watch over your lord the king? For one of the people came in to destroy the king your lord. 16 This thing that you have done is not good. ^adAs the Lord lives, you deserve to die, because you have not kept watch over your lord, the Lord’s anointed. And now see where the king’s spear is and the jar of water that was ^aeat his head.”

17 Saul recognized David’s voice and said, ^af“Is this your voice, my son David?” And David said, “It is my voice, my lord, O king.” 18 And he said, ^ag“Why does my lord pursue after his servant? For what have I done? What evil is on my hands? 19 Now therefore let my lord the king hear the words of his servant. 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, ^ahfor they have driven me out this day that I should have no share in ^aithe heritage of the Lord, saying, ‘Go, serve other gods.’ 20 Now therefore, 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 ^aja single flea like one who hunts a partridge in the mountains.”

21 Then Saul said, ^ak“I have sinned. Return, my son David, for I will no more do you harm, because my life was precious in your eyes this day. Behold, I have acted foolishly, and have made a great mistake.” 22 And David answered and said, “Here is the spear, O king! Let one of the young men come over and take it. 23 ^alThe Lord rewards every man for his righteousness and his faithfulness, for the Lord gave you into my hand today, and I would not put out my hand against the Lord’s anointed. 24 Behold, as your life was precious this day in my sight, so may my life be precious in the sight of the Lord, and may he deliver me out of all tribulation.” 25 Then Saul said to David, “Blessed be you, my son David! You will do many things and will ^amsucceed in them.” So David went his way, and Saul returned to his place.

Psalms 56:6

6 They ^anstir up strife, they ^aolurk;
they ^apwatch my steps,
as they have waited for my life.

Psalms 120:7

7 ^aqI am for peace,
but when I speak, they are for war!