1 Samuel 24
24
David Lets Saul Live
1When Saul got back from fighting off the Philistines, he heard that David was in the desert around En-Gedi. 2Saul led 3,000 of Israel's best soldiers out to look for David and his men near Wild Goat Rocks at En-Gedi. 3#Ps 57 Title; Ps 142 Title. There were some sheep pens along the side of the road, and one of them was built around the entrance to a cave. Saul went into the cave to relieve himself.
David and his men were hiding at the back of the cave. 4They whispered to David, “The Lord told you he was going to let you defeat your enemies and do whatever you want with them. This must be the day the Lord was talking about.”
David sneaked over and cut off a small piece#24.4 small piece: Hebrew “corner” or “lower hem.” of Saul's robe, but Saul didn't notice a thing. 5Afterwards, David was sorry that he had even done that, 6-7#1 S 26.11. and he told his men, “Stop talking foolishly. We're not going to attack Saul. He's my king, and I pray that the Lord will keep me from doing anything to harm his chosen king.”
Saul left the cave and started down the road. 8Soon, David also got up and left the cave. “Your Majesty!” he shouted from a distance.
Saul turned around to look. David bowed down very low 9and said:
Your Majesty, why do you listen to people who say that I'm trying to harm you? 10You can see for yourself that the Lord gave me the chance to catch you in the cave today. Some of my men wanted to kill you, but I wouldn't let them do it. I told them, “I will not harm the Lord's chosen king!” 11Your Majesty, look at what I'm holding. You can see that it's a piece of your robe. If I could cut off a piece of your robe, I could have killed you. But I let you live, and that should prove I'm not trying to harm you or to rebel. I haven't done anything to you, and yet you keep trying to ambush and kill me.
12I'll let the Lord decide which one of us has done right. I pray that the Lord will punish you for what you're doing to me, but I won't do anything to you. 13An old proverb says, “Only evil people do evil things,” and so I won't harm you.
14 #
1 S 26.20. Why should the king of Israel be out chasing me, anyway? I'm as worthless as a dead dog or a flea. 15I pray that the Lord will help me escape and show that I am in the right.
16“David, my son—is that you?” Saul asked. Then he started crying 17and said:
David, you're a better person than I am. You treated me with kindness, even though I've been cruel to you. 18You've told me how you were kind enough not to kill me when the Lord gave you the chance. 19If you really were my enemy, you wouldn't have let me leave here alive. I pray that the Lord will give you a big reward for what you did today.
20I realize now that you will be the next king, and a powerful king at that. 21Promise me with the Lord as your witness, that you won't wipe out my descendants. Let them live to keep my family name alive.
22So David promised, and Saul went home. David and his men returned to their hideout.
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1 Samuel 24: CEV
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Contemporary English Version, Second Edition (CEV®)
© 2006 American Bible Society. All rights reserved.
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.