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
1And it came to pass when Saul had returned from following the Philistines, that it was told him, saying, Behold, David is in the wilderness of Engedi. 2And Saul took three thousand men, chosen out of all Israel, and went to seek David and his men upon the rocks of the wild goats. 3And he came to the sheepfolds by the way, where was a cave; and Saul went in to cover his feet; and David and his men were abiding in the recesses of the cave. 4And David's men said to him, Behold the day of which Jehovah said to thee, Behold, I will give thine enemy into thy hand, that thou mayest do to him as it shall seem good to thee. And David arose, and cut off the skirt of Saul's robe secretly. 5And it came to pass afterwards that David's heart smote him, because he had cut off Saul's skirt. 6And he said to his men, Jehovah forbid that I should do this thing to my master, Jehovah's anointed, to stretch forth my hand against him, for he is the anointed of Jehovah. 7And David checked his men with these words, and suffered them not to rise against Saul. And Saul rose up out of the cave, and went on his way. 8David also arose afterwards, and went out of the cave, and cried after Saul, saying, My lord the king! And when Saul looked behind him, David bowed with his face to the earth, and did obeisance.
9And David said to Saul, Why dost thou listen to words of men, saying, Behold, David seeks thy hurt? 10Behold, this day thine eyes have seen how that Jehovah had given thee this day into my hand in the cave; and they bade me kill thee; but mine eye spared thee; and I said, I will not put forth my hand against my lord, for he is the anointed of Jehovah. 11And see, my father, yes, see the skirt of thy robe in my hand. For in that I cut off the skirt of thy robe, and killed thee not, know and see that there is neither evil nor transgression in my hand, and I have not sinned against thee; yet thou liest in wait for my life to take it. 12Jehovah judge between me and thee, and Jehovah avenge me of thee; but my hand shall not be upon thee. 13As saith the proverb of the ancients, Wickedness proceedeth from the wicked; but my hand shall not be upon thee. 14After whom is the king of Israel come out? after whom dost thou pursue? after a dead dog, after a single flea. 15Jehovah therefore shall be judge, and judge between me and thee, and see, and plead my cause, and do me justice in delivering me out of thy hand.
16And as soon as David had ended speaking these words to Saul, Saul said, Is this thy voice, my son David? And Saul lifted up his voice and wept. 17And he said to David, Thou art more righteous than I; for thou hast rewarded me good, whereas I have rewarded thee evil. 18And thou hast shewed this day how that thou hast dealt well with me, forasmuch as when Jehovah had delivered me up into thy hand, thou didst not kill me. 19For if a man find his enemy, will he let him go well away? wherefore Jehovah reward thee good for that thou hast done to me this day. 20And now behold, I know that thou shalt certainly be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in thy hand. 21Swear now therefore to me by Jehovah, that thou wilt not cut off my seed after me, and that thou wilt not destroy my name out of my father's house. 22And David swore to Saul. And Saul went home; and David and his men went up to the stronghold.
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First published in 1890. This edition is maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society.