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
1When Saul returned from chasing the Philistines, it was reported to him, “David is in the Desert of En-gedi.” 2So Saul took three thousand specially-picked men from all Israel and went searching for David and his men in the area around Wild Goats' Rocks. 3As Saul passed the sheep pens on the way, there was a cave, and he went in to relieve himself. David and his men were hiding deep inside the cave.
4David's men said to him, “Today's the day the Lord promised you when he told you, ‘Listen, I'm going to hand over your enemy to you, so you can do to him whatever you want.’” Then David crept up quietly and cut a piece from the edge of Saul's robe.
5But afterwards David felt really bad because he'd cut off a piece of Saul's robe. 6He told his men, “May the Lord prevent me from doing anything like this#24:6. “Like this”: probably referring his men's desire to attack the king. to my master, the Lord's anointed one. I will never attack him, for he is the Lord's anointed one.” 7He reprimanded his men and didn't allow them to attack Saul.
Saul stood up and went on his way. 8A little later David came out of the cave and shouted, “My master the king!” When Saul looked around, David bowed down with his face to the ground.
9“Why do you pay attention to people who say, ‘Watch out, David wants to harm you’?” David asked. 10“Just look! You've seen with your own eyes today that the Lord handed you over to me in the cave. Some urged me to kill you, but I showed you compassion, and said, ‘I refuse to attack my master, for he is the Lord's anointed one.’ 11Take a look, my father! You see this piece of your robe I'm holding. Yes, I did cut it off, but I didn't kill you. Now you can see for yourself and you can be sure that I have done nothing evil or rebellious. I have not sinned against you, but you are hunting me down, trying to kill me.
12May the Lord decide between you and me as to who of us is right, and may the Lord punish you, but I myself will never try to harm you. 13As the old saying goes, ‘From the wicked comes wickedness,’ but I myself will never try to harm you. 14Who is the king of Israel coming after? Who are you chasing? A dead dog! Just a flea! 15May the Lord decide and choose between you and me. May he pay attention to my case and support it; may he save me from you.”
16After David finished saying this, Saul asked, “Is that you speaking, David my son?” and he wept out loud. 17He told David, “You are a better person than I am, because you have repaid me with good, but I have repaid you with evil. 18Today you have demonstrated how well you have treated me—for when the Lord handed me over to you, you didn't kill me. 19For if a man caught hold of his enemy, would he let him escape unharmed? The Lord reward you well for how you've treated me today. 20Listen, I know you definitely will be king, and your rule over the kingdom of Israel will be secure. 21Now swear to me by the Lord that you will not destroy my descendants who follow me, and that you will not wipe out my name from my family line.”
22So David promised this to Saul with an oath. Then Saul went back home, but David and his men returned to the stronghold.
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Dr. Jonathan Gallagher. Released under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 Unported License. Version 4.3. For corrections send email to jonathangallagherfbv@gmail.com