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.
And it comes to pass, when Saul has turned back from after the Philistines, that they declare to him, saying, “Behold, 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.
And Saul takes three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and goes to seek David and his men, on the front 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.
and he comes to folds of the flock, on the way, and there [is] a cave, and Saul goes in to cover his feet; and David and his men are abiding in the sides 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.
And the men of David say to him, “Behold, the day of which YHWH said to you, Behold, I am giving your enemy into your hand, and you have done to him as it is good in your eyes”; and David rises and cuts off the skirt of the upper robe which [is] on Saul with stealth.
5 After which David’s heart struck him, because he had cut off the hem of Saul’s robe.
And it comes to pass afterward that the heart of David strikes him, because that he has cut off the skirt which [is] on Saul,
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.
and he says to his men, “Far be it from me, by YHWH; I do not do this thing to my lord—to the anointed of YHWH—to put forth my hand against him, for he [is] the anointed of YHWH.”
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.
And David subdues his men by words, and has not permitted them to rise against Saul; and Saul has risen from the cave, and goes on the 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,
and David rises afterward, and goes out from the cave, and calls after Saul, saying, “My lord, O king!” And Saul looks attentively behind him, and David bows—face to the earth—and pays respect.
9 And said to Saul: Why dost thou hear the words of men that say David seeketh thy hurt?
And David says to Saul, “Why do you hear the words of man, saying, Behold, David is seeking your calamity?
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 your eyes have seen how that YHWH has given you into my hand today in the cave; and [one] said to slay you, and [my eye] has pity on you, and I say, I do not put forth my hand against my lord, for he [is] the anointed of YHWH.
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.
And my father, see, indeed see the skirt of your upper robe in my hand; for by cutting off the skirt of your upper robe, and I have not slain you, know and see that there is not evil and transgression in my hand, and I have not sinned against you, and you are hunting my soul to take it!
12 The Lord judge between me and thee, and the Lord revenge me of thee: but my hand shall not be upon thee.
YHWH judges between me and you, and YHWH has avenged me of you, and my hand is not on 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 allegory of the ancients says, Wickedness goes out from the wicked, and my hand is not on you.
14 After whom dost thou pursue? After a dead dog, after a flea.
After whom has the king of Israel come out? After whom are you pursuing? After a dead dog! After one 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.
And YHWH has been for judge, and has judged between me and you, indeed, He sees and pleads my cause, and delivers me out of 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.
And it comes to pass, when David completes to speak these words to Saul, that Saul says, “Is this your voice, my son David?” And Saul lifts up his voice, and weeps.
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 he says to David, “You [are] more righteous than I; for you have done me good, and I have done you 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 declared today how that you have done good with me, how that YHWH shut me up into your hand, and you did not slay 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.
and that a man finds his enemy, and has sent him away in a good manner; and YHWH repays you good for that which you did to me this day.
20 And now as I know that thou shalt surely be king, and have the kingdom of Israel in thy hand:
And now, behold, I have known that you certainly reign, and the kingdom of Israel has stood in your hand;
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.
and now, swear to me by YHWH [that] you do not cut off my seed after me, nor do you destroy my name from the house of my father.”
22 And David swore to Saul. So Saul went home: and David and his men went up into safer places.
And David swears to Saul, and Saul goes to his house, and David and his men have gone up to the fortress.
