1 Samuel 24
1 And when Saul was returned from following the Philistines, they told him, saying: Behold, David is in the desert of Engaddi.
After Saul had returned from pursuing the Philistines, he was told, “David is in the wilderness of En-gedi.”
2 Saul 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.
So Saul took three thousand chosen men from all Israel and went to look for David and his men in the region of the Rocks of the Wild Goats.
3 And 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.
Soon Saul came to the sheepfolds along the road, where there was a cave, and he went in to relieve himself. And David and his men were hiding in the recesses of the cave.
4 And 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.
So David’s men said to him, “This is the day about which the LORD said to you, ‘Behold, I will deliver your enemy into your hand, that you may do with him as you wish.’” Then David crept up secretly and cut off a corner of Saul’s robe.
5 After which David’s heart struck him, because he had cut off the hem of Saul’s robe.
Afterward, David’s conscience was stricken because he had cut off the corner of Saul’s robe.
6 And 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.
So he said to his men, “The LORD forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the LORD’s anointed. May I never lift my hand against him, since he is the LORD’s anointed.”
7 And 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.
With these words David restrained his men, and he did not let them rise up against Saul. Then Saul left the cave and went on his way.
8 And 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,
After that, David got up, went out of the cave, and called out to Saul, “My lord the king!” When Saul looked behind him, David bowed facedown in reverence
9 And said to Saul: Why dost thou hear the words of men that say David seeketh thy hurt?
and said to Saul, “Why do you listen to the words of men who say, ‘Look, David intends to harm you’?
10 Behold 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.
Behold, this day you have seen with your own eyes that the LORD delivered you into my hand in the cave. I was told to kill you, but I spared you and said, ‘I will not lift my hand against my lord, since he is the LORD’s anointed.’
11 Moreover 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.
See, my father, look at the corner of your robe in my hand. For I cut it off, but I did not kill you. See and know that there is no evil or rebellion in my hands. I have not sinned against you, even though you are hunting me down to take my life.
12 The Lord judge between me and thee, and the Lord revenge me of thee: but my hand shall not be upon thee.
May the LORD judge between you and me, and may the LORD take vengeance on you, but my hand will never be against you.
13 As 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?
As the old proverb says, ‘Wickedness proceeds from the wicked.’ But my hand will never be against you.
14 After whom dost thou pursue? After a dead dog, after a flea.
Against whom has the king of Israel come out? Whom are you pursuing? A dead dog? A flea?
15 Be the Lord judge, and judge between me and thee, and see, and judge my cause, and deliver me out of thy hand.
May the LORD be our judge and decide between you and me. May He take notice and plead my case and deliver me from your hand.”
16 And 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.
When David had finished saying these things, Saul called back, “Is that your voice, David my son?” Then Saul wept aloud
17 And he said to David: Thou art more just than I: for thou hast done good to me, and I have rewarded thee with evil.
and said to David, “You are more righteous than I, for you have rewarded me with good, though I have rewarded you with evil.
18 And 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.
And you have shown this day how well you have dealt with me; for when the LORD delivered me into your hand, you did not kill me.
19 For 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.
When a man finds his enemy, does he let him go away unharmed? May the LORD reward you with good for what you have done for me this day.
20 And now as I know that thou shalt surely be king, and have the kingdom of Israel in thy hand:
Now I know for sure that you will be king, and that the kingdom of Israel will be established in your hands.
21 Swear 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.
So now, swear to me by the LORD that you will not cut off my descendants or wipe out my name from my father’s house.”
22 And David swore to Saul. So Saul went home: and David and his men went up into safer places.
So David gave his oath to Saul. Then Saul returned home, but David and his men went up to the stronghold.
