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 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 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.
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 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 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 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 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 But afterwards David felt really bad because he'd cut off a piece 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 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 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 He reprimanded his men and didn't allow them to attack Saul. Saul stood up and 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 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.
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 “Why do you pay attention to people who say, ‘Watch out, David wants to harm you’?” David asked.
And David says to Saul, “Why do you hear the words of man, saying, Behold, David is seeking your calamity?
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 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 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.
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 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.
YHWH judges between me and you, and YHWH has avenged me of you, and my hand is not on you;
13 As the old saying goes, ‘From the wicked comes wickedness,’ but I myself will never try to harm you.
as the allegory of the ancients says, Wickedness goes out from the wicked, and my hand is not on you.
14 Who is the king of Israel coming after? Who are you chasing? A dead dog! Just a flea!
After whom has the king of Israel come out? After whom are you pursuing? After a dead dog! After one 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.”
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 After David finished saying this, Saul asked, “Is that you speaking, David my son?” and he wept out loud.
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 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 says to David, “You [are] more righteous than I; for you have done me good, and I have done 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 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 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.
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 Listen, I know you definitely will be king, and your rule over the kingdom of Israel will be secure.
And now, behold, I have known that you certainly reign, and the kingdom of Israel has stood 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.”
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 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 swears to Saul, and Saul goes to his house, and David and his men have gone up to the fortress.
