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.
Currently Selected:
1 Kings 24: DRC1752
Highlight
Share
Copy
![None](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimageproxy.youversionapi.com%2F58%2Fhttps%3A%2F%2Fweb-assets.youversion.com%2Fapp-icons%2Fen.png&w=128&q=75)
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
An historical text maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society.
1 Samuel 24
24
David Spares Saul’s Life
1 # 24:1 Verses 24:1-22 are numbered 24:2-23 in Hebrew text. After Saul returned from fighting the Philistines, he was told that David had gone into the wilderness of En-gedi. 2So Saul chose 3,000 elite troops from all Israel and went to search for David and his men near the rocks of the wild goats.
3At the place where the road passes some sheepfolds, Saul went into a cave to relieve himself. But as it happened, David and his men were hiding farther back in that very cave!
4“Now’s your opportunity!” David’s men whispered to him. “Today the Lord is telling you, ‘I will certainly put your enemy into your power, to do with as you wish.’” So David crept forward and cut off a piece of the hem of Saul’s robe.
5But then David’s conscience began bothering him because he had cut Saul’s robe. 6He said to his men, “The Lord forbid that I should do this to my lord the king. I shouldn’t attack the Lord’s anointed one, for the Lord himself has chosen him.” 7So David restrained his men and did not let them kill Saul.
After Saul had left the cave and gone on his way, 8David came out and shouted after him, “My lord the king!” And when Saul looked around, David bowed low before him.
9Then he shouted to Saul, “Why do you listen to the people who say I am trying to harm you? 10This very day you can see with your own eyes it isn’t true. For the Lord placed you at my mercy back there in the cave. Some of my men told me to kill you, but I spared you. For I said, ‘I will never harm the king—he is the Lord’s anointed one.’ 11Look, my father, at what I have in my hand. It is a piece of the hem of your robe! I cut it off, but I didn’t kill you. This proves that I am not trying to harm you and that I have not sinned against you, even though you have been hunting for me to kill me.
12“May the Lord judge between us. Perhaps the Lord will punish you for what you are trying to do to me, but I will never harm you. 13As that old proverb says, ‘From evil people come evil deeds.’ So you can be sure I will never harm you. 14Who is the king of Israel trying to catch anyway? Should he spend his time chasing one who is as worthless as a dead dog or a single flea? 15May the Lord therefore judge which of us is right and punish the guilty one. He is my advocate, and he will rescue me from your power!”
16When David had finished speaking, Saul called back, “Is that really you, my son David?” Then he began to cry. 17And he said to David, “You are a better man than I am, for you have repaid me good for evil. 18Yes, you have been amazingly kind to me today, for when the Lord put me in a place where you could have killed me, you didn’t do it. 19Who else would let his enemy get away when he had him in his power? May the Lord reward you well for the kindness you have shown me today. 20And now I realize that you are surely going to be king, and that the kingdom of Israel will flourish under your rule. 21Now swear to me by the Lord that when that happens you will not kill my family and destroy my line of descendants!”
22So David promised this to Saul with an oath. Then Saul went home, but David and his men went back to their stronghold.
Currently Selected:
:
Highlight
Share
Copy
![None](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimageproxy.youversionapi.com%2F58%2Fhttps%3A%2F%2Fweb-assets.youversion.com%2Fapp-icons%2Fen.png&w=128&q=75)
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
Holy Bible, New Living Translation copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation.
For more information about the NLT: