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 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 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.
Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went to seek David and his men on the rocks of the wild 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 came to the sheepcotes by the way, where was a cave; and Saul went in to cover his feet: and David and his men remained in the sides 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 men of David said to him, Behold the day of which the LORD said to you, Behold, I will deliver your enemy into your hand, that you may do to him as it shall seem good to you. Then David arose, and cut off the skirt of Saul’s robe privately.
5 But afterwards David felt really bad because he'd cut off a piece 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 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, The LORD forbid that I should do this thing to my master, the LORD’s anointed, to stretch forth my hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the LORD.
7 He reprimanded his men and didn't allow them to attack Saul. Saul stood up and went on his way.
So David stayed his servants with these words, and suffered them not to rise against Saul. But Saul rose up out of the cave, and went on his way.
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.
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 stooped with his face to the earth, and bowed himself.
9 “Why do you pay attention to people who say, ‘Watch out, David wants to harm you’?” David asked.
And David said to Saul, Why hear you men’s words, saying, Behold, David seeks your hurt?
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 how that the LORD had delivered you to day into my hand in the cave: and some bade me kill you: but my eye spared you; and I said, I will not put forth my hand against my lord; for he is the LORD’s anointed.
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, my father, see, yes, see the skirt of your robe in my hand: for in that I cut off the skirt of your robe, and killed you not, know you and see that there is neither evil nor transgression in my hand, and I have not sinned against you; yet you hunt my soul to take it.
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.
The LORD judge between me and you, and the LORD avenge me of you: but my hand shall not be on you.
13 As the old saying goes, ‘From the wicked comes wickedness,’ but I myself will never try to harm you.
As says the proverb of the ancients, Wickedness proceeds from the wicked: but my hand shall not be on you.
14 Who is the king of Israel coming after? Who are you chasing? A dead dog! Just a flea!
After whom is the king of Israel come out? after whom do you pursue? after a dead dog, after a 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.”
The LORD therefore be judge, and judge between me and you, and see, and plead my cause, and deliver me out of your hand.
16 After David finished saying this, Saul asked, “Is that you speaking, David my son?” and he wept out loud.
And it came to pass, when David had made an end of speaking these words to Saul, that Saul said, Is this your voice, my son David? And Saul lifted up his voice, and 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 righteous than I: for you have rewarded me good, whereas I have rewarded you evil.
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 showed this day how that you have dealt well with me: for as much as when the LORD had delivered me into your hand, you killed me not.
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 if a man find his enemy, will he let him go well away? why the LORD reward you good for that you have done to me this day.
20 Listen, I know you definitely will be king, and your rule over the kingdom of Israel will be secure.
And now, behold, I know well that you shall surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established 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 now therefore to me by the LORD, that you will not cut off my seed after me, and that you will not destroy my name out of my father’s house.
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. And Saul went home; but David and his men got them up to the hold.
