Harming someone is spoken of as if it were placing one's hand on that person. Here, Saul is referring to killing David. See how you translated a similar phrase in [1 Samuel 18:17](./17.md). Alternate translation: "so that the Philistines may kill him" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-euphemism]])