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.”
It happened, when Saul was returned from following the Philistines, that it was told him, saying, "Look, 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,
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 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.
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 abiding in the innermost parts 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.
The men of David said to him, "Look, the day of which Jehovah said to you, 'Look, 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 an edge of Saul's robe secretly.
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,
It happened afterward, that David's heart struck him, because he had cut off an edge 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.”
He said to his men, "Jehovah forbid that I should do this thing to my lord, Jehovah's anointed, to put forth my hand against him, since he is Jehovah'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;
So David persuaded his men with these words and did not allow them to rise up against Saul. Then Saul got up, and went down the road.
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.
Afterward David also got up and left the cave, and called out after Saul, saying, "My lord the king." When Saul looked behind him, David bowed with his face to the ground and did homage.
9 And David says to Saul, “Why do you hear the words of man, saying, Behold, David is seeking your calamity?
David said to Saul, "Why do you listen to men's words, saying, 'Look, David seeks your harm?'
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, this day your eyes have seen how that Jehovah had delivered you today into my hand in the cave, but I refused to kill you, and my eye spared you; and I said, 'I will not put forth my hand against my lord; for he is Jehovah'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!
Now look, the skirt of your robe in my hand. When I cut off the skirt, and did not kill you, know and see that there is neither evil nor disobedience in my hand, and I have not sinned against you, though you hunt 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 Jehovah judge between me and you, and may Jehovah avenge me of you; but my hand shall not be on you.
13 as the allegory of the ancients says, Wickedness goes out from the wicked, and my hand is not on you.
As the proverb of the ancients says, 'Out of the wicked comes forth wickedness;' but my hand shall not be on 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 do you pursue? After a dead dog, or one 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 Jehovah therefore be judge and give sentence between me and you. May he see and plead my cause, and deliver me out of 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.
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?" Saul lifted up his voice, and wept.
17 And he says to David, “You [are] more righteous than I; for you have done me good, and I have done you 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 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 declared this day how you have dealt well with me, in that Jehovah had delivered me up into your hand and 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.
For if a man finds his enemy, will he let him go away unharmed? Therefore may Jehovah reward you good for that which you have done this day.
20 And now, behold, I have known that you certainly reign, and the kingdom of Israel has stood in your hand;
Now, look, I know that you shall surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in your hand.
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.”
Swear now therefore to me by Jehovah, that you will not cut off my descendants after me, and that you will not destroy my name out of 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.
David swore to Saul. Saul went home; but David and his men went up to the stronghold.
