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
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.