1 Samuel 24
1 After Saul [and his soldiers] returned [home] after fighting against the Philistia army, someone reported to Saul that David [and his men] had gone into the desert near En-Gedi.
When Saul was turned from ye Philistims, they told him, saying, Behold, Dauid is in the wildernes of En-gedi.
2 [When] Saul [heard that, he] chose 3,000 men from various areas in Israel, and they went to search for David and his men at a place named Rocks of Wild Goats.
Then Saul tooke three thousande chosen men out of all Israel, and went to seeke Dauid and his men vpon the rocks among the wilde goates.
3 At a place where the road was alongside some sheep pens, Saul [left the road and] entered a cave to defecate [EUP]. [He did not know that] David and his men were hiding further inside that same cave!
And hee came to the sheepecoates by the way where there was a caue, and Saul went in to do his easement: and Dauid and his men sate in the inward parts of the caue.
4 David’s men [saw Saul and] whispered to David, “Today is the day that Yahweh spoke about when he said, ‘I will enable you to defeat your enemy.’ You can do to him whatever you want to!” So David crept toward the entrance of the cave and [with his knife] he cut off a piece of Saul’s robe.
And the men of Dauid said vnto him, See, the day is come, whereof the Lord sayde vnto thee, Beholde, I will deliuer thine enemie into thine hande, and thou shalt doe to him as it shall seeme good to thee. Then Dauid arose and cut off the lap of Sauls garment priuily.
5 [And then he returned to his men]. But then David felt guilty for having cut off a piece of Saul’s robe.
And afterward Dauid was touched in his heart, because he had cut off the lappe which was on Sauls garment.
6 He said to his men, “I should not have done that to the king! I hope/desire that Yahweh will never allow me to attack the one whom God has appointed, because Yahweh is the one who chose him [to be the king].”
And he said vnto his men, The Lord keepe mee from doing that thing vnto my master the Lords Anoynted, to lay mine hand vpon him: for he is the Anoynted of the Lord.
7 By saying that, David restrained his men, and did not allow them to kill Saul.
So Dauid ouercame his seruants with these words, and suffered them not to arise against Saul: so Saul rose vp out of the caue and went away.
8 After Saul left the cave and started to walk on the road again, David came out of the cave and shouted to Saul, “King Saul!” Saul turned around and looked, and David bowed down with his face touching the ground.
Dauid also arose afterward, and went out of the caue, and cryed after Saul, saying, O my lorde the King. And when Saul looked behinde him, Dauid inclined his face to the earth, and bowed himselfe.
9 Then he said to Saul, “(Why do you pay attention to people when they say ‘David wants to harm you’?/You should not pay attention to people when they say ‘David wants to harm you’.) [RHQ]
And Dauid saide to Saul, Wherefore giuest thou an eare to mens words, that say, Behold, Dauid seeketh euill against thee?
10 Today you can see with your own eyes that [what they say is not true]. Yahweh put you in a place where my men and I could have killed you when you were in this cave. Some of my men told me that I should do that, but I did not do that. I said to them, ‘I will not harm my master, because he is the king whom Yahweh appointed.’
Behold, this day thine eyes haue seene, that the Lord had deliuered thee this day into mine hand in the caue, and some bade me kill thee, but I had compassion on thee, and said, I will not lay mine hande on my master: for he is the Lordes Anoynted.
11 Your majesty, look at this piece of your robe that is in my hand! I cut it from your robe, but I did not kill you. So now you should be able to understand that I am not planning to do anything evil to you. I have not done anything wrong to you, but you are searching for me to kill me.
Moreouer my father, behold: behold, I say, the lappe of thy garment in mine hand: for when I cut off the lappe of thy garment, I killed thee not. Vnderstad and see, that there is neither euil nor wickednesse in mee, neither haue I sinned against thee, yet thou huntest after my soule to take it.
12 I hope/desire that Yahweh will judge and decide which of us ([is doing what is right/pleases him]). And I hope/desire that he will punish you for the wrong things that you have done to me. But I will not try to harm you.
The Lord be iudge betweene thee and me, and the Lord auenge me of thee, and let not mine hand be vpon thee.
13 There is a proverb that has the words, ‘Evil things are done by evil people.’ But [I am not evil, so] I will not do evil things to you.
According as the olde prouerbe sayeth, Wickednesse proceedeth from the wicked, but mine hand be not vpon thee.
14 “You are the king of Israel. So (why are you pursuing me?/you should not be pursuing me.) [RHQ] I am [as harmless as] [MET] a dead dog or a flea.
After whom is the King of Israel come out? after whome doest thou pursue? after a dead dog, and after a flea?
15 I hope/desire that Yahweh will judge which of us [is doing what (he wants/is right)]. I trust that he will [act like a lawyer and] judge (my case/what I have done), and that he will rescue me from your power [MTY].”
The Lord therfore be iudge, and iudge betweene thee and me, and see, and pleade my cause, and deliuer me out of thine hand.
16 When David finished speaking, Saul [called out to him and] asked, “My son David, is that your voice [that I am hearing]?” Then he began to cry loudly.
Whe Dauid had made an end of speaking these words to Saul, Saul sayd, Is this thy voyce, my sonne Dauid? and Saul lift vp his voice, and wept,
17 He said, “You are a better man than I am. You have done something very good to me when I tried to do something very bad to you.
And sayd to Dauid, Thou art more righteous then I: for thou hast rendred me good, and I haue rendred thee euill.
18 When Yahweh put me in a place [in that cave] where you could have easily killed me, you did not do that.
And thou hast shewed this day, that thou hast dealt well with me: forasmuch as when the Lord had closed me in thine hands, thou killedst me not.
19 (Who else would/No one else would) find his enemy and allow his enemy to escape [when he could kill him instead] [RHQ]. I hope/desire that Yahweh will reward you for being kindly to me today.
For who shall finde his enemie, and let him depart free? wherefore the Lord render thee good for that thou hast done vnto me this day.
20 I know that [some day] you will surely become the king, and that your kingdom will prosper as you rule the Israeli people.
For now behold, I know that thou shalt be King, and that the kingdome of Israel shall be stablished in thine hand.
21 Now while Yahweh is listening, solemnly promise to me that you will not kill my family and get rid of all my descendants.”
Sweare now therfore vnto me by the Lord, that thou wilt not destroy my seede after me, and that thou wilt not abolish my name out of my fathers house.
22 David solemnly promised Saul that he would not [harm Saul’s family]. Then Saul went back home, and David and his men went back up into the place where they had been hiding.
So Dauid sware vnto Saul, and Saul went home: but Dauid and his men went vp vnto ye hold.
