1 Samuel 24
24
David Shames Saul
1Now Saul had chased the Philistines away. Then he was told, “David is in the Desert of En Gedi.” 2So he chose 3,000 men from all Israel. He took these men and began looking for David and his men. They looked near the Rocks of the Wild Goats.
3Saul came to the sheep pens beside the road. A cave was there, and he went in to relieve himself. Now David and his men were hiding far back in the cave. 4The men said to David, “Today is the day the Lord talked about! The Lord told you, ‘I will give your enemy to you. You can do anything you want with him.’”
Then David crawled near Saul. He cut off a corner of Saul’s robe. But Saul did not notice him. 5Later David felt guilty because he had cut off a corner of Saul’s robe. 6He said to his men, “May the Lord keep me from doing such a thing to my master! Saul is the Lord’s appointed king. I should not do anything against him, because he is the Lord’s appointed king!” 7David used these words to stop his men. He did not let them attack Saul. Then Saul left the cave and went his way.
8When David came out of the cave, he shouted to Saul, “My master and king!” Saul looked back, and David bowed facedown on the ground. 9He said to Saul, “Why do you listen when people say, ‘David plans to harm you’? 10You have seen something with your own eyes today. You have seen how the Lord put you in my power in the cave. But I refused to kill you. I was merciful to you. I said, ‘I won’t harm my master, because he is the Lord’s appointed king.’ 11My 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. Now understand and know I am not planning any evil against you. I did nothing wrong to you, but you are hunting me to kill me. 12May the Lord judge between us. And may he punish you for the wrong you have done to me! But I won’t fight you. 13There is an old saying: ‘Evil things come from evil people.’ So I won’t hurt you. 14Whom is the king of Israel coming out against? Whom are you chasing? You’re not chasing someone who will hurt you! It’s as if you are chasing a dead dog or a flea. 15May the Lord be our judge and decide between you and me. May the Lord support me and show that I am right. May he save me from you!”
16David finished saying these words. Then Saul asked, “Is that your voice, David my son?” And he cried loudly. 17He said, “You are right, and I am wrong. You have been good to me. But I have done wrong to you. 18You told me what good things you did. The Lord brought me to you, but you did not kill me. 19If a man finds his enemy, he won’t send him away with goodness, will he? May the Lord reward you because you were good to me today. 20I know you will surely be king. You will rule the kingdom of Israel. 21Now make a promise to me. Promise in the name of the Lord that you will not kill my descendants. Promise me that you won’t wipe out my name from my father’s family.”
22So David made the promise to Saul. Then Saul went back home. David and his men went up to the protected place.
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1 Samuel 24: ICB
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1 Kings 24
24
1Then David went up from thence, and dwelt in strong holds of Engaddi.
2And when Saul was returned from following the Philistines they told him, saying: Behold, David is in the desert of Engaddi.
3Saul therefore took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went out to seek after David, and his men, even upon the most craggy rocks, which are accessible only to wild goats.
4And he came to the sheepcotes, which were in his way. And there was a cave, into which Saul went, to ease nature. Now David and his men lay hid in the inner part of the cave.
5And the servants of David said to him: Behold the day, of which the Lord said to thee: I will deliver thy enemy unto thee, that thou mayest do to him as it shall seem good in thy eyes. Then David arose, and secretly cut off the hem of Saul's robe.
6After which David's heart struck him, because he had cut off the hem of Saul's robe.
7And he said to his men: The Lord be merciful unto me, that I may do no such thing to my master the Lord's anointed, as to lay my hand upon him, because he is the Lord's anointed.
8And David stopped his men with his words, and suffered them not to rise against Saul. But Saul rising up out of the cave, went on his way.
9And David also rose up after him: and going out of the cave cried after Saul, saying: My lord the king. And Saul looked behind him: and David, bowing himself down to the ground, worshipped,
10And said to Saul: Why dost thou hear the words of men that say, David seeketh thy hurt?
11Behold this day thy eyes have seen, that the Lord hath delivered thee into my hand, in the cave, and I had a thought to kill thee, but my eye hath spared thee. For I said: I will not put out my hand against my lord, because he is the Lord's anointed.
12Moreover see and know, O my father, the hem of thy robe in my hand, that when I cut off the hem of thy robe I would not put out my hand against thee. Reflect, and see, that there is no evil in my hand, nor iniquity; neither have I sinned against thee: but thou liest in wait for my life, to take it away.
13The Lord judge between me and thee; and the Lord revenge me of thee: but my hand shall not be upon thee.
14As also it is said in the old proverb: From the wicked shall wickedness come forth: therefore my hand shall not be upon thee. After whom dost thou come out, O king of Israel?
15After whom dost thou pursue? After a dead dog? After a flea?
16Be the Lord judge; and judge between me and thee; and see, and judge my cause; and deliver me out of thy hand.
17And when David had made an end of speaking these words to Saul, Saul said: Is this thy voice, my son David? And Saul lifted up his voice, and wept.
18And he said to David: Thou art more just than I. For thou hast done good to me; and I have rewarded thee with evil.
19And thou hast shewn this day what good things thou hast done to me: how the Lord delivered me into thy hand; and thou hast not killed me.
20For who, when he hath found his enemy, will let him go well away? But the Lord reward thee for this good turn, for what thou hast done to me this day.
21And now as I know that thou shalt surely be king, and have the kingdom of Israel in thy hand;
22Swear to me by the Lord, that thou wilt not destroy my seed after me, nor take away my name from the house of my father.
23And David swore to Saul. So Saul went home: and David and his men went up into safer places.
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An historical text maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society.