13
Then David went over to the other side and stood out of the way on the top of the mountain, a great space
being between them;
14
and David cried to the people and to Abner, the son of Ner, saying, Dost thou not answer, Abner? Then Abner answered and said, Who
art thou
that dost cry to the king?
15
And David said to Abner,
Art not thou a man? And who
is there like unto thee in Israel? Why then hast thou not kept thy lord the king? For one of the people came in to destroy the king thy lord.
16
This thing
is not good that thou hast done.
As the LORD lives, ye
are worthy to die because ye have not kept your master, the LORD’s anointed. And now see where the king’s spear
is and the cruse of water that
was at his head.
17
And Saul knew David’s voice and said,
Is this thy voice, my son David? And David said,
It is my voice, my lord, O king.
18
And he said, Why does my lord thus pursue after his slave? What have I done? What evil is in my hand?
19
Now, therefore, I pray thee, let my lord the king hear the words of his slave. If the LORD has stirred thee up against me, let him smell
the fragrance of an offering, but if
they were the sons of men,
let them
be cursed before the LORD, for they have driven me out this day from joining myself to the inheritance of the LORD, saying, Go, serve other gods.
20
Now therefore, do not let my blood fall to the earth before the face of the LORD, for the king of Israel is come out to seek a flea as when one hunts a partridge in the mountains.
21
Then Saul said, I have sinned; return, my son David; for I will do no more harm unto thee because my life was precious in thine eyes today. Behold, I have played the fool and have erred exceedingly.
22
And David answered and said, Behold the king’s spear! Let one of the servants come over and take it.
23
The LORD render to each one his righteousness and his faithfulness, for the LORD delivered thee into
my hand today, but I would not stretch forth my hand against the LORD’s anointed.