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.”
Now when Saul came back from fighting the Philistines, news was given him that David was in the waste land 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,
Then Saul took three thousand of the best men out of all Israel, and went in search of David and his men on the rocks of the mountain 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.
And on the way he came to a place where sheep were kept, where there was a hollow in the rock; and Saul went in for a private purpose. Now David and his men were in the deepest part of the hollow.
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.
And David's men said to him, Now is the time when the Lord says to you, I will give up your hater into your hands to do with him whatever seems good to you. Then David, getting up, took the skirt of Saul's robe in his hand, cutting off the end of it without his knowledge.
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,
And later, David was full of regret for cutting off Saul's skirt.
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.”
And David said to his men, Before the Lord, never let it be said that my hand was lifted up against my lord, the man of the Lord's selection, for the Lord's holy oil has been put on him.
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;
So with these words David kept his servants back, and did not let them make an attack on Saul. And Saul got up 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.
And after that David came out of the hollow rock, and crying after Saul said, My lord the king. And when Saul gave a look back, David went down on his face and gave him honour.
9 And David says to Saul, “Why do you hear the words of man, saying, Behold, David is seeking your calamity?
And David said to Saul, Why do you give any attention to those who say that it is my desire to do you wrong?
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.
Look! you have seen today how the Lord gave you up into my hands even now in the hollow of the rocks: and some would have had me put you to death, but I had pity on you: for I said, Never will my hand be lifted up against my lord, who has been marked with the holy oil.
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!
And see, my father, see the skirt of your robe in my hand: for the fact that I took off the skirt of your robe and did not put you to death is witness that I have no evil purpose, and I have done you no wrong, though you are waiting for my life to take it.
12 YHWH judges between me and you, and YHWH has avenged me of you, and my hand is not on you;
May the Lord be judge between me and you, and may the Lord give me my rights against you, but my hand will never be lifted up against you.
13 as the allegory of the ancients says, Wickedness goes out from the wicked, and my hand is not on you.
There is an old saying, From the evil-doer comes evil: but my hand will never be lifted up against you.
14 After whom has the king of Israel come out? After whom are you pursuing? After a dead dog! After one flea!
After whom has the king of Israel come out? for whom are you searching? for a dead dog, an insect.
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.”
So let the Lord be judge, and give a decision between me and you, and see and give support to my cause, and keep me from falling into your hands.
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.
Now when David had said these words to Saul, Saul said, Is this your voice, David, my son? And Saul was overcome with weeping.
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 he said to David, You are right and I am wrong: for you have given me back good, but I have given you 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 made clear to me how good you have been to me today: because, when the Lord gave me up into your hands, you did not put me to death.
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.
If a man comes across his hater, will he let him get away safe? so may you be rewarded by the Lord for what you have done for me today.
20 And now, behold, I have known that you certainly reign, and the kingdom of Israel has stood in your hand;
And now I am certain that you will be king, and that the kingdom of Israel will be made strong under your authority.
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 give me your oath by the Lord, that you will not put an end to my seed after me or let my name be cut off from my father's family.
22 And David swears to Saul, and Saul goes to his house, and David and his men have gone up to the fortress.
And David gave Saul his oath. And Saul went back to his house; but David and his men went up to their safe place.
