1 Samuel 24
1 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.”
After Saul had returned from pursuing the Philistines, he was told, “David is in the wilderness of En-gedi.”
2 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,
So Saul took three thousand chosen men from all Israel and went to look for David and his men in the region of the Rocks of the Wild Goats.
3 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.
Soon Saul came to the sheepfolds along the road, where there was a cave, and he went in to relieve himself. And David and his men were hiding in the recesses of the cave.
4 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.
So David’s men said to him, “This is the day about which the LORD said to you, ‘Behold, I will deliver your enemy into your hand, that you may do with him as you wish.’” Then David crept up secretly and cut off a corner of Saul’s robe.
5 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,
Afterward, David’s conscience was stricken because he had cut off the corner of Saul’s robe.
6 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.”
So he said to his men, “The LORD forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the LORD’s anointed. May I never lift my hand against him, since he is the LORD’s anointed.”
7 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;
With these words David restrained his men, and he did not let them rise up against Saul. Then Saul left the cave and went on his way.
8 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.
After that, David got up, went out of the cave, and called out to Saul, “My lord the king!” When Saul looked behind him, David bowed facedown in reverence
9 And David says to Saul, “Why do you hear the words of man, saying, Behold, David is seeking your calamity?
and said to Saul, “Why do you listen to the words of men who say, ‘Look, David intends to harm you’?
10 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.
Behold, this day you have seen with your own eyes that the LORD delivered you into my hand in the cave. I was told to kill you, but I spared you and said, ‘I will not lift my hand against my lord, since he is the LORD’s anointed.’
11 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!
See, my father, look at the corner of your robe in my hand. For I cut it off, but I did not kill you. See and know that there is no evil or rebellion in my hands. I have not sinned against you, even though you are hunting me down to take my life.
12 YHWH judges between me and you, and YHWH has avenged me of you, and my hand is not on you;
May the LORD judge between you and me, and may the LORD take vengeance on you, but my hand will never be against you.
13 as the allegory of the ancients says, Wickedness goes out from the wicked, and my hand is not on you.
As the old proverb says, ‘Wickedness proceeds from the wicked.’ But my hand will never be against you.
14 After whom has the king of Israel come out? After whom are you pursuing? After a dead dog! After one flea!
Against whom has the king of Israel come out? Whom are you pursuing? A dead dog? A flea?
15 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.”
May the LORD be our judge and decide between you and me. May He take notice and plead my case and deliver me from your hand.”
16 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.
When David had finished saying these things, Saul called back, “Is that your voice, David my son?” Then Saul wept aloud
17 And he says to David, “You [are] more righteous than I; for you have done me good, and I have done you evil;
and said to David, “You are more righteous than I, for you have rewarded me with good, though I have rewarded you with evil.
18 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,
And you have shown this day how well you have dealt with me; for when the LORD delivered me into your hand, you did not kill me.
19 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.
When a man finds his enemy, does he let him go away unharmed? May the LORD reward you with good for what you have done for me this day.
20 And now, behold, I have known that you certainly reign, and the kingdom of Israel has stood in your hand;
Now I know for sure that you will be king, and that the kingdom of Israel will be established in your hands.
21 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.”
So now, swear to me by the LORD that you will not cut off my descendants or wipe out my name from my father’s house.”
22 And David swears to Saul, and Saul goes to his house, and David and his men have gone up to the fortress.
So David gave his oath to Saul. Then Saul returned home, but David and his men went up to the stronghold.
