A reading from the book of 1 Samuel.

Then the Ziphytes came to Saul at Ghibia, saying,

Is not David hiding himself on the hill of Hekela, which is on the east of Jashimon?

So Saul arose and went down to the wilderness of Zip, with three thousand chosen men of

Israel to seek David in the wilderness of Zip.

And Saul encamped on the hill of Hakila, which is beside the road on the east of Jishiman.

But David remained in the wilderness.

When he saw that Saul came after him into the wilderness, David sent out spies and learned that Saul had indeed come.

Then David rose and came to the place where Saul had encamped.

And David saw the place where Saul lay with Abner, the son of Nur, the commander of his army.

Saul was lying within the encampment while the army

was encamped around him. Then David said to Ahimelech the Hittite and to Joab's brother Abishai,

the son of Zeruya, who will go down with me into the camp to Saul? And Abashai said, I will go down with you.

So David and Abishai went to the army by night, and there lay Saul sleeping within the

encampment, with his spear stuck on the ground at his head, and Abner and the army lay

around him.

Then Abashai 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 said to Abishai, do not destroy him, for who can put out his hand against the Lord's anointed and be

guiltless. And David said, as the Lord lives, the Lord will strike him, or his day will come to die,

or he will go down into battle and perish. The Lord forbid that I should put out my hand against the Lord's anointed. But take now

the spear that is at his head and the jar of water, and let us go. So David took the spear

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