1 Samuel 24
24
David Spares Saul’s Life
1 # 24:1 Ch 24:2 in Hebrew #ch. 23:28When Saul returned from following the Philistines, he was told, “Behold, David is in the wilderness of Engedi.” 2Then Saul took #ch. 26:2three thousand chosen men out of all Israel and went to seek David and his men in front of the Wildgoats’ Rocks. 3And he came to the sheepfolds by the way, where there was a cave, and Saul went in #Judg. 3:24 to relieve himself.#24:3 Hebrew cover his feet Now David and his men were sitting in the innermost parts #See Ps. 57; 142of the cave. 4And the men of David said to him, #ver. 7; [ch. 26:8]“Here is the day of which the Lord said to you, ‘Behold, I will give your enemy into your hand, and you shall do to him as it shall seem good to you.’” Then David arose and stealthily cut off a corner of Saul’s robe. 5And afterward #2 Sam. 24:10David’s heart struck him, because he had cut off a corner of Saul’s robe. 6He said to his men, #ch. 26:11 “The Lord forbid that I should do this thing to my lord, the Lord’s anointed, to put out my hand against him, seeing he is #See ch. 12:3the Lord’s anointed.” 7So David persuaded his men with these words #[Ps. 7:4]and did not permit them to attack Saul. And Saul rose up and left the cave and went on his way.
8Afterward David also arose and went out of the cave, and called after Saul, “My lord the king!” And when Saul looked behind him, David bowed with his face to the earth and paid homage. 9And David said to Saul, “Why do you listen to the words of men who say, ‘Behold, David seeks your harm’? 10Behold, this day your eyes have seen how the Lord gave you today into my hand in the cave. #ver. 4 And some told me to kill you, but I spared you.#24:10 Septuagint, Syriac, Targum; Hebrew it [my eye] spared you I said, ‘I will not put out my hand against my lord, #[See ver. 6 above]for he is the Lord’s anointed.’ 11See, my father, see the corner of your robe in my hand. For by the fact that I cut off the corner of your robe and did not kill you, you may know and see that #Ps. 7:3 there is no wrong or treason in my hands. I have not sinned against you, though #ch. 26:20you hunt my life to take it. 12#Gen. 16:5; Judg. 11:27May the Lord judge between me and you, may the Lord avenge me against you, but my hand shall not be against you. 13As the proverb of the ancients says, ‘Out of the wicked comes wickedness.’ But my hand shall not be against you. 14After whom has the king of Israel come out? After whom do you pursue? #See ch. 17:43 After a dead dog! #ch. 26:20After a flea! 15#[See ver. 12 above] May the Lord therefore be judge and give sentence between me and you, and see to it and #ch. 25:39; Ps. 35:1; 43:1; 119:154plead my cause and deliver me from your hand.”
16As soon as David had finished speaking these words to Saul, Saul said, #ch. 26:17“Is this your voice, my son David?” And Saul lifted up his voice and wept. 17He said to David, “You are more righteous than I, #[ch. 26:21]for you have repaid me good, whereas I have repaid you evil. 18And you have declared this day how you have dealt well with me, in that you did not kill me when the Lord put me into your hands. 19For if a man finds his enemy, will he let him go away safe? So may the Lord reward you with good for what you have done to me this day. 20And now, behold, #ch. 23:17I know that you shall surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in your hand. 21#[Gen. 21:23] Swear to me therefore by the Lord that you will not cut off my offspring after me, and #[2 Sam. 21:7]that you will not destroy my name out of my father’s house.” 22And David swore this to Saul. Then Saul went home, but David and his men went up #ch. 23:29to the stronghold.
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The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
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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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