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 came to pass, when Saul was returned from following the Philistines, that it was told 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.
Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went to seek David and his men upon 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 came to the sheepcotes by the way, where was a cave; and Saul went in to cover his feet. 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, 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 said unto him, Behold, the day of which the LORD said unto thee, Behold, I will deliver thine enemy into thine hand, and thou shalt do to him as it shall seem good unto thee. Then David arose, and cut off the skirt of Saul’s robe privily.
5 After which David’s heart struck him, because he had cut off the hem of Saul’s robe.
And it came to pass afterward, that David’s heart smote him because he had cut off Saul’s skirt.
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 said unto his men, The LORD forbid that I should do this thing unto my lord, the LORD’S anointed, to put forth mine hand against him, seeing 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.
So 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.
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,
David also arose afterward, 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.
9 And said to Saul: Why dost thou hear the words of men that say David seeketh thy hurt?
And David said to Saul, Wherefore hearkenest thou to men’s words, saying, Behold, David seeketh thy hurt?
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 thine eyes have seen how that the LORD had delivered thee today into mine hand in the cave: and some bade me kill thee: but [mine eye] spared thee; and I said, I will not put forth mine hand against my lord; for 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.
Moreover, my father, see, yea, 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 thou and see that there is neither evil nor transgression in mine hand, and I have not sinned against thee, though thou huntest after 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.
The LORD judge between me and thee, and the LORD avenge me of thee: but mine hand shall not be upon thee.
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 saith the proverb of the ancients, Out of the wicked cometh forth wickedness: but mine hand shall not be upon thee.
14 After whom dost thou pursue? After a dead dog, after a flea.
After whom is the king of Israel come out? after whom dost thou pursue? after a dead dog, after 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.
The LORD therefore be judge, and give sentence between me and thee, and see, and plead my cause, and deliver me out of thine 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 came to pass, when David had made an end of speaking these words unto Saul, that Saul said, Is this thy voice, my son David? And Saul lifted up his voice, and wept.
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 said to David, Thou art more righteous than I: for thou hast rendered unto me good, whereas I have rendered unto thee 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 thou hast declared this day how that thou hast dealt well with me: forasmuch as when the LORD had delivered me up into thine hand, thou killedst me not.
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 find his enemy, will he let him go well away? wherefore the LORD reward thee good for that thou hast done unto 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 know that thou shalt surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in thine 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.
Swear now therefore unto me by the LORD, that thou wilt not cut off my seed after me, and that thou wilt not destroy my name out of my father’s house.
22 And David swore to Saul. So Saul went home: and David and his men went up into safer places.
And David sware unto Saul. And Saul went home; but David and his men gat them up unto the hold.
