1 Samuel 24
1 And when Saul had returned after pursuing the Philistines, they reported to him, saying, “Behold, David is in the desert of Engedi.”
It happened, when Saul was returned from following the Philistines, that it was told him, saying, "Look, David is in the wilderness of En Gedi."
2 Therefore, Saul, taking three thousand elect men from all of Israel, traveled in order to search for David and his men, even upon the most broken rocks, which are passable only to mountain goats.
Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went to seek David and his men on the rocks of the wild goats.
3 And he arrived at the sheepfolds, which presented themselves along the way. And a cave was in that place, which Saul entered, so that he might ease his bowels. But David and his men were hiding in the interior part of the cave.
He came to the sheep pens by the way, where there was a cave; and Saul went in to relieve himself. Now David and his men were abiding in the innermost parts of the cave.
4 And the servants of David said to him: “Behold the day, about which the Lord said to you, ‘I will deliver your enemy to you, so that you may do to him as it will be pleasing in your eyes.’” Then David rose up, and he quietly cut off the edge of Saul’s cloak.
The men of David said to him, "Look, the day of which YHWH said to you, 'Look, I will deliver your enemy into your hand, and you shall do to him as it shall seem good to you.'" Then David arose, and cut off an edge of Saul's robe secretly.
5 After this, his own heart struck David, because he had cut off the edge of Saul’s cloak.
It happened afterward, that David's heart struck him, because he had cut off an edge of Saul's robe.
6 And he said to his men: “May the Lord be gracious to me, lest I do this thing to my lord, the Christ of the Lord, so that I lay my hand upon him. For he is the Christ of the Lord.”
He said to his men, "YHWH forbid that I should do this thing to my lord, YHWH's anointed, to put forth my hand against him, since he is YHWH's anointed."
7 And David restrained his men with his words, and he would not permit them to rise up against Saul. And so Saul, going out of the cave, continued to undertake his journey.
So David persuaded his men with these words and did not allow them to rise up against Saul. Then Saul got up, and went down the road.
8 Then David also rose up after him. And departing from the cave, he cried out behind the back of Saul, saying: “My lord, the king!” And Saul looked behind him. And David, bowing himself face down to the ground, reverenced.
Afterward David also got up and left the cave, and called out after Saul, saying, "My lord the king." When Saul looked behind him, David bowed with his face to the ground and did homage.
9 And he said to Saul: “Why do you listen to the words of men who say: ‘David seeks evil against you?’
David said to Saul, "Why do you listen to men's words, saying, 'Look, David seeks your harm?'
10 Behold, this day your eyes have seen that the Lord has delivered you into my hand, in the cave. And I thought that I might kill you. But my eye has spared you. For I said: I will not extend my hand against my lord, for he is the Christ of the Lord.
Look, this day your eyes have seen how that YHWH had delivered you today into my hand in the cave, but I refused to kill you, and my eye spared you; and I said, 'I will not put forth my hand against my lord; for he is YHWH's anointed.'
11 Moreover, see and know, O my father, the edge of your cloak in my hand. For though I cut off the top of your cloak, I was not willing to extend my hand against you. Turn your soul and see that there is no evil in my hand, nor any iniquity or sin against you. Yet you lie in wait for my life, so that you may take it away.
Now look, the skirt of your robe in my hand. When I cut off the skirt, and did not kill you, know and see that there is neither evil nor disobedience in my hand, and I have not sinned against you, though you hunt for my life to take it.
12 May the Lord judge between me and you. And may the Lord vindicate me from you. But my hand will not be against you.
May YHWH judge between me and you, and may YHWH avenge me of you; but my hand shall not be on you.
13 So too, it is said in the ancient proverb, ‘From the impious, impiety will go forth.’ Therefore, my hand will not be upon you.
As the proverb of the ancients says, 'Out of the wicked comes forth wickedness;' but my hand shall not be on you.
14 Whom are you pursuing, O king of Israel? Whom are you pursuing? You are pursuing a dead dog, a single flea.
Against whom has the king of Israel come out? Whom do you pursue? After a dead dog, or one flea?
15 May the Lord be the judge, and may he judge between me and you. And may he see and judge my case, and rescue me from your hand.”
May YHWH therefore be judge and give sentence between me and you. May he see and plead my cause, and deliver me out of your hand."
16 And when David had completed speaking words in this way to Saul, Saul said, “Could this be your voice, my son David?” And Saul lifted up his voice, and he wept.
It came to pass, when David had made an end of speaking these words to Saul, that Saul said, "Is this your voice, my son David?" Saul lifted up his voice, and wept.
17 And he said to David: “You are more just than I am. For you have distributed good to me, but I have repaid evil to you.
He said to David, "You are more righteous than I; for you have done good to me, whereas I have done evil to you.
18 And you have revealed this day the good that you have done for me: how the Lord delivered me into your hand, but you did not kill me.
And you have declared this day how you have dealt well with me, in that YHWH had delivered me up into your hand and you did not kill me.
19 For who, when he will have found his enemy, will release him along a good path? So may the Lord repay you for this good turn, because you have acted on my behalf this day.
For if a man finds his enemy, will he let him go away unharmed? Therefore may YHWH reward you good for that which you have done this day.
20 And now I know certainly that you shall be king, and you shall have the kingdom of Israel in your hand.
Now, look, I know that you shall surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in your hand.
21 Swear to me in the Lord that you will not take away my offspring after me, nor take away my name from the house of my father.”
Swear now therefore to me by YHWH, that you will not cut off my descendants after me, and that you will not destroy my name out of my father's house."
22 And David swore to Saul. Therefore, Saul went away to his own house. And David and his men ascended to places that were more secure.
David swore to Saul. Saul went home; but David and his men went up to the stronghold.
