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 returned from chasing the Philistines, he was told, “David is in the wilderness of Engedi.”
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 took three thousand chosen men from all Israel and went to seek David and his men on the Rocks of the Wild Goats.
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!
He came to sheep pens on the way, where there was a cave. Saul went inside to cover his feet. Now David and his men were sitting far back in the cave.
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.
David's men said to him, “This is the day of which Yahweh spoke when he said to you, 'I will give your enemy into your hand, for you to do with him as you wish.'” Then David arose and quietly crept forward and cut off the corner of Saul's robe.
5 [And then he returned to his men]. But then David felt guilty for having cut off a piece of Saul’s robe.
Afterward David's heart afflicted him because he had cut a corner off Saul's robe.
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].”
He said to his men, “May Yahweh forbid that I should do this thing to my master, Yahweh's anointed, to put out my hand against him, seeing he is Yahweh's anointed.”
7 By saying that, David restrained his men, and did not allow them to kill Saul.
So David rebuked his men with these words, and did not permit them to attack Saul. Saul stood up, left the cave, and went on his way.
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.
Afterward, David also stood up, left the cave, and called out after Saul: “My master the king.” When Saul looked behind him, David bowed with his face to the ground and showed him respect.
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]
David said to Saul, “Why do you listen to the men who say, 'See, David is seeking your harm?'
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.’
Today your eyes have seen how Yahweh put you into my hand when we were in the cave. Some told me to kill you, but I spared you. I said, 'I will not put out my hand against my master; for he is Yahweh's anointed.'
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.
See, my father, see the corner of your robe in my hand. For the fact that I cut off the corner of your robe and did not kill you, you may know and see that there is no evil or treason in my hand, and I have not sinned against you, even though you hunt my life 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.
May Yahweh judge between you and me, and may Yahweh avenge me against you, but my hand shall not be against you.
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.
As the proverb of the ancients says, 'Out of the wicked comes wickedness.' But my hand will not be against you.
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 has the king of Israel come out? After whom do you pursue? After a dead dog! 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].”
May Yahweh be judge and give judgment between you and me, and see to it, and plead my cause and permit me to escape from your 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.
When David had finished speaking these words to Saul, Saul said, “Is this your voice, my son David?” Saul lifted up 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.
He said to David, “You are more righteous than I am. For you have repaid me good, where I have repaid you evil.
18 When Yahweh put me in a place [in that cave] where you could have easily killed me, you did not do that.
You have declared today how you have done good to me, for you did not kill me when Yahweh had put me at your mercy.
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 if a man finds his enemy, will he let him go safely? May Yahweh reward you with good for what you have done to me today.
20 I know that [some day] you will surely become the king, and that your kingdom will prosper as you rule the Israeli people.
Now, I know that you will surely be king and that the kingdom of Israel will be established in your 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.”
Swear to me by Yahweh that you will not cut off my descendants after me, and that you will not destroy my name out of my father's 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 David made an oath to Saul. Then Saul went home, but David and his men went up to the stronghold.
