1 Samuel 24
1 When Saul returned from chasing the Philistines, it was reported to him, “David is in the Desert of En-gedi.”
And when Saul had returned after pursuing the Philistines, they reported to him, saying, “Behold, David is in the desert of Engedi.”
2 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.
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.
3 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.
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.
4 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.
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.
5 But afterwards David felt really bad because he'd cut off a piece of Saul's robe.
After this, his own heart struck David, because he had cut off the edge of Saul’s cloak.
6 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.”
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.”
7 He reprimanded his men and didn't allow them to attack Saul. Saul stood up and went on his way.
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.
8 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.
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.
9 “Why do you pay attention to people who say, ‘Watch out, David wants to harm you’?” David asked.
And he said to Saul: “Why do you listen to the words of men who say: ‘David seeks evil against you?’
10 “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.’
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.
11 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.
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.
12 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.
May the Lord judge between me and you. And may the Lord vindicate me from you. But my hand will not be against you.
13 As the old saying goes, ‘From the wicked comes wickedness,’ but I myself will never try to harm you.
So too, it is said in the ancient proverb, ‘From the impious, impiety will go forth.’ Therefore, my hand will not be upon you.
14 Who is the king of Israel coming after? Who are you chasing? A dead dog! Just a flea!
Whom are you pursuing, O king of Israel? Whom are you pursuing? You are pursuing a dead dog, a single flea.
15 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.”
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.”
16 After David finished saying this, Saul asked, “Is that you speaking, David my son?” and he wept out loud.
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.
17 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.
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.
18 Today you have demonstrated how well you have treated me—for when the Lord handed me over to you, you didn't kill me.
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.
19 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.
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.
20 Listen, I know you definitely will be king, and your rule over the kingdom of Israel will be secure.
And now I know certainly that you shall be king, and you shall have the kingdom of Israel in your hand.
21 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.”
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.”
22 So David promised this to Saul with an oath. Then Saul went back home, but David and his men returned to the stronghold.
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.
