1 Samuel 24
24
David Doesn’t Kill Saul When He Has the Chance
1Saul returned from chasing the Philistines. Then he was told, “David is in the Desert of En Gedi.” 2So Saul took 3,000 of the best soldiers from the whole nation of Israel. He started out to look for David and his men. He planned to look near the Rocky Cliffs of the Wild Goats.
3He came to some sheep pens along the way. A cave was there. Saul went in to go to the toilet. David and his men were far back in the cave. 4David’s men said, “This is the day the Lord told you about. He said to you, ‘I will hand your enemy over to you. Then you can deal with him as you want to.’ ” So David came up close to Saul without being seen. He cut off a corner of Saul’s robe.
5Later, David felt sorry that he had cut off a corner of Saul’s robe. 6He said to his men, “May the Lord keep me from doing a thing like that again to my master. He is the Lord’s anointed king. So I promise that I will never lay my hand on him. The Lord has anointed him.” 7David said that to correct his men. He wanted them to know that they should never suggest harming the king. He didn’t allow them to attack Saul. So Saul left the cave and went on his way.
8Then David went out of the cave. He called out to Saul, “King Saul! My master!” When Saul looked behind him, David bowed down. He lay down flat with his face toward the ground. 9He said to Saul, “Why do you listen when men say, ‘David is trying to harm you’? 10This day you have seen with your own eyes how the Lord handed you over to me in the cave. Some of my men begged me to kill you. But I didn’t. I said, ‘I will never lay my hand on my master. He is the Lord’s anointed king.’ 11Look, my father! Look at this piece of your robe in my hand! I cut off the corner of your robe. But I didn’t kill you. See, there is nothing in my hand that shows I am guilty of doing anything wrong. I haven’t turned against you. I haven’t done anything to harm you. But you are hunting me down. You want to kill me. 12May the Lord judge between you and me. And may the Lord pay you back because of the wrong things you have done to me. But I won’t do anything to hurt you. 13People say, ‘Evil acts come from those who do evil.’ So I won’t do anything to hurt you.
14“King Saul, who are you trying to catch? Who do you think you are chasing? I’m nothing but a dead dog or a flea! 15May the Lord be our judge. May he decide between us. May he consider my case and stand up for me. May he show that I’m not guilty of doing anything wrong. May he save me from you.”
16When David finished speaking, Saul asked him a question. He said, “My son David, is that your voice?” And Saul wept out loud. 17“You are a better person than I am,” he said. “You have treated me well. But I’ve treated you badly. 18You have just now told me about the good things you did to me. The Lord handed me over to you. But you didn’t kill me. 19Suppose a man finds his enemy. He doesn’t let him get away without harming him. May the Lord reward you with many good things. May he do it because of the way you treated me today. 20I know for sure that you will be king. I know that the kingdom of Israel will be made secure under your control. 21Now make a promise in the name of the Lord. Promise me that you won’t kill the children of my family. Also promise me that you won’t wipe out my name from my family line.”
22So David made that promise to Saul. Then Saul returned home. But David and his men went up to his usual place of safety.
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1 Samuel 24: NIrV
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Holy Bible, New International Reader’s Version®, NIrV®
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1 Samuel 24
24
David Spares Saul
1When Saul returned from pursuing the Philistines, # 1Sm 23:28-29 he was told, “David is in the wilderness near En-gedi.” # 1Sm 23:19 2So Saul took 3,000 of Israel’s choice men # 1Sm 13:2; 26:2 and went to look for David and his men in front of the Rocks of the Wild Goats. 3When Saul came to the sheep pens along the road, a cave was there, and he went in to relieve himself. # Lit to cover his feet # Jdg 3:24 David and his men were staying in the back of the cave, # Pss 57, 142 titles 4so they said to him, “Look, this is the day the Lord told you about: ‘I will hand your enemy over to you so you can do to him whatever you desire.’ ” Then David got up and secretly cut off the corner of Saul’s robe.
5Afterward, David’s conscience bothered # Lit David’s heart struck # 2Sm 24:10 him because he had cut off the corner of Saul’s robe. # Some Hb mss, LXX, Syr, Vg; other Hb mss omit robe 6He said to his men, “I swear before the Lord: I would never do such a thing to my lord, the Lord’s anointed. # 1Sm 26:9-11 I will never lift my hand against him, since he is the Lord’s anointed.” # 1Sm 10:1 7With these words David persuaded # Or restrained his men, and he did not let them rise up against Saul.
Then Saul left the cave and went on his way. 8After that, David got up, went out of the cave, and called to Saul, “My lord the king! ” When Saul looked behind him, David bowed to the ground in homage. # 1Sm 25:23-24; 1Kg 1:31 9David said to Saul, “Why do you listen to the words of people who say, ‘Look, David intends to harm you’? 10You can see with your own eyes that the Lord handed you over to me today in the cave. # Ps 7:3-4 Someone advised me to kill you, # 1Sm 24:4 but I # LXX, Syr, Tg; MT reads she or it # Or my eye took pity on you and said: I won’t lift my hand against my lord, since he is the Lord’s anointed. 11See, my father! # 2Kg 5:13 Look at the corner of your robe in my hand, for I cut it off, but I didn’t kill you. Look and recognize that there is no evil or rebellion in me. I haven’t sinned against you even though you are hunting me down to take my life. # 1Sm 23:14,23; 26:20
12“May the Lord judge between you and me, and may the Lord take vengeance on you for me, but my hand will never be against you. # 1Sm 26:10-11,23 13As the old proverb says, ‘Wickedness comes from wicked people.’ # Mt 7:16-20; Lk 6:43-45 My hand will never be against you. 14Who has the king of Israel come after? What are you chasing after? A dead dog? A flea? # 1Sm 26:20; 2Sm 9:8 15May the Lord be judge and decide between you and me. May He take notice and plead my case and deliver # Lit render a verdict for me from you.” # Ps 35:1
16When David finished saying these things to him, Saul replied, “Is that your voice, David my son? ” # 1Sm 26:17 Then Saul wept aloud 17and said to David, “You are more righteous than I, for you have done what is good to me though I have done what is evil to you. # 1Sm 26:21 18You yourself have told me today what good you did for me: when the Lord handed me over to you, you didn’t kill me. # 1Sm 26:23 19When a man finds his enemy, does he let him go unharmed? # Lit go on a good way # 1Sm 23:17; Pr 16:29 May the Lord repay you with good for what you’ve done for me today.
20“Now I know for certain you will be king, and the kingdom of Israel will be established # Or will flourish in your hand. # 1Sm 13:14; 16:1-13 21Therefore swear to me by the Lord that you will not cut off my descendants or wipe out my name from my father’s family.” # Gn 21:23; 1Sm 20:14-17; 2Sm 21:6-8 22So David swore to Saul. Then Saul went back home, and David and his men went up to the stronghold. # 1Sm 23:29
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