1 Samuel 24
1 When Saul returned from chasing the Philistines, it was reported to him, “David is in the Desert of En-gedi.”
When Saul had returned from following the Philistines, he was told, “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.
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.
He came to the sheep pens by the way, where there was a cave; and Saul went in to relieve himself. Now David and his men were staying in the innermost parts 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.
David’s men said to him, “Behold, the day of which the LORD said to you, ‘Behold, I will deliver your enemy into your hand, and you shall do to him as it shall seem good to you.’” Then David arose and cut off the skirt of Saul’s robe secretly.
5 But afterwards David felt really bad because he'd cut off a piece of Saul's robe.
Afterward, David’s heart struck 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.”
He said to his men, “The LORD forbid that I should do this thing to my lord, the LORD’s anointed, to stretch out my hand against him, since he is the LORD’s anointed.”
7 He reprimanded his men and didn't allow them to attack Saul. Saul stood up and went on his way.
So David checked his men with these words, and didn’t allow them to rise against Saul. 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!” When Saul looked behind him, David bowed with his face to the earth, and showed respect.
9 “Why do you pay attention to people who say, ‘Watch out, David wants to harm you’?” David asked.
David said to Saul, “Why do you listen to men’s words, saying, ‘Behold, David seeks to harm 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, today your eyes have seen how the LORD had delivered you today into my hand in the cave. Some urged me to kill you, but I spared you. I said, ‘I will not stretch out 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, behold, yes, see the skirt of your robe in my hand; for in that I cut off the skirt of your robe and didn’t kill you, know and see that there is neither evil nor disobedience in my hand. I have not sinned against you, though you hunt for my life 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.
May the LORD judge between me and you, and may the LORD avenge me of you; but my hand will 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 the proverb of the ancients says, ‘Out of the wicked comes wickedness;’ but my hand will not be on you.
14 Who is the king of Israel coming after? Who are you chasing? A dead dog! Just a flea!
Against whom has the king of Israel come out? Whom do you pursue? A dead dog? 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.”
May the LORD therefore be judge, and give sentence 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.
It came to pass, when David had finished speaking these words to Saul, that Saul said, “Is that your voice, my son David?” 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.
He said to David, “You are more righteous than I; for you have done good to me, whereas I have done 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.
You have declared today how you have dealt well with me, because when the LORD had delivered me up into your hand, you didn’t 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 if a man finds his enemy, will he let him go away unharmed? Therefore may the LORD reward you good for that which you have done to me today.
20 Listen, I know you definitely will be king, and your rule over the kingdom of Israel will be secure.
Now, behold, I know that you will surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel will 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 offspring 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.
David swore to Saul. Saul went home, but David and his men went up to the stronghold.
