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.
When Saul returned from chasing the Philistines, it was reported to him, “David is in the Desert 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 specially-picked men from all Israel and went searching for David and his men in the area around Wild Goats' Rocks.
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.
As Saul passed the sheep pens on the way, there was a cave, and he went in to relieve himself. David and his men were hiding deep inside 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.
David's men said to him, “Today's the day the Lord promised you when he told you, ‘Listen, I'm going to hand over your enemy to you, so you can do to him whatever you want.’” Then David crept up quietly and cut a piece from the edge of Saul's robe.
5 After which David’s heart struck him, because he had cut off the hem of Saul’s robe.
But afterwards David felt really bad because he'd cut off a piece 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.
He told his men, “May the Lord prevent me from doing anything like this to my master, the Lord's anointed one. I will never attack him, for he is the Lord's anointed one.”
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.
He reprimanded his men and didn't allow them to attack Saul. Saul stood up 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,
A little later David came out of the cave and shouted, “My master the king!” When Saul looked around, David bowed down with his face to the ground.
9 And said to Saul: Why dost thou hear the words of men that say David seeketh thy hurt?
“Why do you pay attention to people who say, ‘Watch out, David wants to harm you’?” David asked.
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.
“Just look! You've seen with your own eyes today that the Lord handed you over to me in the cave. Some urged me to kill you, but I showed you compassion, and said, ‘I refuse to attack my master, for he is the Lord's anointed one.’
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.
Take a look, my father! You see this piece of your robe I'm holding. Yes, I did I cut it off, but I didn't kill you. Now you can see for yourself and you can be sure that I have done nothing evil or rebellious. I have not sinned against you, but you are hunting me down, trying to kill me.
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 decide between you and me as to who of us is right, and may the Lord punish you, but I myself will never try to harm 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 saying goes, ‘From the wicked comes wickedness,’ but I myself will never try to harm you.
14 After whom dost thou pursue? After a dead dog, after a flea.
Who is the king of Israel coming after? Who are you chasing? A dead dog! Just 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 decide and choose between you and me. May he pay attention to my case and support it; may he save me from you.”
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.
After David finished saying this, Saul asked, “Is that you speaking, David my son?” and he wept out loud.
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.
He told David, “You are a better person than I am, because you have repaid me with good, but I have repaid 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.
Today you have demonstrated how well you have treated me—for when the Lord handed me over to you, you didn't 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.
For if a man caught hold of his enemy, would he let him escape unharmed? The Lord reward you well for how you've treated me today.
20 And now as I know that thou shalt surely be king, and have the kingdom of Israel in thy hand:
Listen, I know you definitely will be king, and your rule over the kingdom of Israel will be secure.
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.
Now swear to me by the Lord that you will not destroy my descendants who follow me, and that you will not wipe out my name from my family line.”
22 And David swore to Saul. So Saul went home: and David and his men went up into safer places.
So David promised this to Saul with an oath. Then Saul went back home, but David and his men returned to the stronghold.
