1 Samuel 24
1 When Saul had returned from following the Philistines, he was told, “Behold, David is in the wilderness of En Gedi.”
And when Saul was returned from following the Philistines, they told him, saying: Behold, David is in the desert of Engaddi.
2 Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went to seek David and his men on the rocks of the wild goats.
Saul therefore took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went out to seek after David, and his men, even upon the most craggy rocks, which are accessible only to wild goats.
3 He came to the sheep pens by the way, where there was a cave; and Saul went in to relieve himself. Now David and his men were staying in the innermost parts of the cave.
And he came to the sheepcotes, which were in his way. And there was a cave, into which Saul went, to ease nature: now David and his men lay hid in the inner part of the cave.
4 David’s men said to him, “Behold, the day of which the LORD said to you, ‘Behold, I will deliver your enemy into your hand, and you shall do to him as it shall seem good to you.’” Then David arose and cut off the skirt of Saul’s robe secretly.
And the servants of David said to him: Behold the day, of which the Lord said to thee: I will deliver thy enemy unto thee, that thou mayest do to him as it shall seem good in thy eyes. Then David arose, and secretly cut off the hem of Saul’s robe.
5 Afterward, David’s heart struck him because he had cut off Saul’s skirt.
After which David’s heart struck him, because he had cut off the hem of Saul’s robe.
6 He said to his men, “The LORD forbid that I should do this thing to my lord, the LORD’s anointed, to stretch out my hand against him, since he is the LORD’s anointed.”
And he said to his men: The Lord be merciful unto me, that I may do no such thing to my master the Lord’s anointed, as to lay my hand upon him, because he is the Lord’s anointed.
7 So David checked his men with these words, and did not allow them to rise against Saul. Saul rose up out of the cave, and went on his way.
And David stopped his men with his words, and suffered them not to rise against Saul. But Saul rising up out of the cave, went on his way.
8 David also arose afterward, and went out of the cave and cried after Saul, saying, “My lord the king!” When Saul looked behind him, David bowed with his face to the earth, and showed respect.
And David also rose up after him: and going out of the cave cried after Saul, saying: My lord the king. And Saul looked behind him: and David bowing himself down to the ground, worshipped,
9 David said to Saul, “Why do you listen to men’s words, saying, ‘Behold, David seeks to harm you’?
And said to Saul: Why dost thou hear the words of men that say David seeketh thy hurt?
10 Behold, today your eyes have seen how the LORD had delivered you today into my hand in the cave. Some urged me to kill you, but I spared you. I said, ‘I will not stretch out my hand against my lord, for he is the LORD’s anointed.’
Behold this day thy eyes have seen, that the Lord hath delivered thee into my hand, in the cave, and I had a thought to kill thee, but my eye hath spared thee. For I said: I will not put out my hand against my lord, because he is the Lord’s anointed.
11 Moreover, my father, behold, yes, see the skirt of your robe in my hand; for in that I cut off the skirt of your robe and did not kill you, know and see that there is neither evil nor disobedience in my hand. I have not sinned against you, though you hunt for my life to take it.
Moreover see and know, O my father, the hem of thy robe in my hand, that when I cut, off the hem of thy robe, I would not put out my hand against thee. Reflect, and see, that there is no evil in my hand, nor iniquity, neither have I sinned against thee: but thou liest in wait for my life, to take it away.
12 May the LORD judge between me and you, and may the LORD avenge me of you; but my hand will not be on you.
The Lord judge between me and thee, and the Lord revenge me of thee: but my hand shall not be upon thee.
13 As the proverb of the ancients says, ‘Out of the wicked comes wickedness;’ but my hand will not be on you.
As also it is said in the old proverb: From the wicked shall wickedness come forth: therefore my hand shall not be upon thee. After whom dost thou come out, O king of Israel?
14 Against whom has the king of Israel come out? Whom do you pursue? A dead dog? A flea?
After whom dost thou pursue? After a dead dog, after a flea.
15 May the LORD therefore be judge, and give sentence between me and you, and see, and plead my cause, and deliver me out of your hand.”
Be the Lord judge, and judge between me and thee, and see, and judge my cause, and deliver me out of thy hand.
16 It came to pass, when David had finished speaking these words to Saul, that Saul said, “Is that your voice, my son David?” Saul lifted up his voice and wept.
And when David had made an end of speaking these words to Saul, Saul said: Is this thy voice, my son David? And Saul lifted up his voice, and wept.
17 He said to David, “You are more righteous than I; for you have done good to me, whereas I have done evil to you.
And he said to David: Thou art more just than I: for thou hast done good to me, and I have rewarded thee with evil.
18 You have declared today how you have dealt well with me, because when the LORD had delivered me up into your hand, you did not kill me.
And thou hast shewn this day what good things thou hast done to me: how the Lord delivered me into thy hand, and thou hast not killed me.
19 For if a man finds his enemy, will he let him go away unharmed? Therefore may the LORD reward you good for that which you have done to me today.
For who when he hath found his enemy, will let him go well away? But the Lord reward thee for this good turn, for what thou hast done to me this day.
20 Now, behold, I know that you will surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel will be established in your hand.
And now as I know that thou shalt surely be king, and have the kingdom of Israel in thy hand:
21 Swear now therefore to me by the LORD that you will not cut off my offspring after me, and that you will not destroy my name out of my father’s house.”
Swear to me by the Lord, that thou wilt not destroy my seed after me, nor take away my name from the house of my father.
22 David swore to Saul. Saul went home, but David and his men went up to the stronghold.
And David swore to Saul. So Saul went home: and David and his men went up into safer places.
