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
1 Then David ascended from there, and he lived in very secure places in Engedi.
2 And when Saul had returned after pursuing the Philistines, they reported to him, saying, "Behold, David is in the desert of Engedi."
3 Therefore, Saul, taking three thousand elect men from all of Israel, traveled in order to search for David and his men, even upon the most broken rocks, which are passable only to mountain goats.
4 And he arrived at the sheepfolds, which presented themselves along the way. And a cave was in that place, which Saul entered, so that he might ease his bowels. But David and his men were hiding in the interior part of the cave.
5 And the servants of David said to him: "Behold the day, about which the Lord said to you, 'I will deliver your enemy to you, so that you may do to him as it will be pleasing in your eyes.' " Then David rose up, and he quietly cut off the edge of Saul's cloak.
6 After this, his own heart struck David, because he had cut off the edge of Saul's cloak.
7 And he said to his men: "May the Lord be gracious to me, lest I do this thing to my lord, the Christ of the Lord, so that I lay my hand upon him. For he is the Christ of the Lord."
8 And David restrained his men with his words, and he would not permit them to rise up against Saul. And so Saul, going out of the cave, continued to undertake his journey.
9 Then David also rose up after him. And departing from the cave, he cried out behind the back of Saul, saying: "My lord, the king!" And Saul looked behind him. And David, bowing himself face down to the ground, reverenced.
10 And he said to Saul: "Why do you listen to the words of men who say: 'David seeks evil against you?'
11 Behold, this day your eyes have seen that the Lord has delivered you into my hand, in the cave. And I thought that I might kill you. But my eye has spared you. For I said: I will not extend my hand against my lord, for he is the Christ of the Lord.
12 Moreover, see and know, O my father, the edge of your cloak in my hand. For though I cut off the top of your cloak, I was not willing to extend my hand against you. Turn your soul and see that there is no evil in my hand, nor any iniquity or sin against you. Yet you lie in wait for my life, so that you may take it away.
13 May the Lord judge between me and you. And may the Lord vindicate me from you. But my hand will not be against you.
14 So too, it is said in the ancient proverb, 'From the impious, impiety will go forth.' Therefore, my hand will not be upon you.
15 Whom are you pursuing, O king of Israel? Whom are you pursuing? You are pursuing a dead dog, a single flea.
16 May the Lord be the judge, and may he judge between me and you. And may he see and judge my case, and rescue me from your hand."
17 And when David had completed speaking words in this way to Saul, Saul said, "Could this be your voice, my son David?" And Saul lifted up his voice, and he wept.
18 And he said to David: "You are more just than I am. For you have distributed good to me, but I have repaid evil to you.
19 And you have revealed this day the good that you have done for me: how the Lord delivered me into your hand, but you did not kill me.
20 For who, when he will have found his enemy, will release him along a good path? So may the Lord repay you for this good turn, because you have acted on my behalf this day.
21 And now I know certainly that you shall be king, and you shall have the kingdom of Israel in your hand.
22 Swear to me in the Lord that you will not take away my offspring after me, nor take away my name from the house of my father."
23 And David swore to Saul. Therefore, Saul went away to his own house. And David and his men ascended to places that were more secure.
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