1 Samuel 24
1 After Saul [and his soldiers] returned [home] after fighting against the Philistia army, someone reported to Saul that David [and his men] had gone into the desert near En-Gedi.
After Saul had returned from pursuing the Philistines, he was told, “David is in the wilderness of En-gedi.”
2 [When] Saul [heard that, he] chose 3,000 men from various areas in Israel, and they went to search for David and his men at a place named Rocks of 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 At a place where the road was alongside some sheep pens, Saul [left the road and] entered a cave to defecate [EUP]. [He did not know that] David and his men were hiding further inside that same 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 David’s men [saw Saul and] whispered to David, “Today is the day that Yahweh spoke about when he said, ‘I will enable you to defeat your enemy.’ You can do to him whatever you want to!” So David crept toward the entrance of the cave and [with his knife] he cut off a piece of Saul’s robe.
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 then he returned to his men]. But then David felt guilty for having cut off a piece of Saul’s robe.
Afterward, David’s conscience was stricken because he had cut off the corner of Saul’s robe.
6 He said to his men, “I should not have done that to the king! I hope/desire that Yahweh will never allow me to attack the one whom God has appointed, because Yahweh is the one who chose him [to be the king].”
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 By saying that, David restrained his men, and did not allow them to kill Saul.
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 After Saul left the cave and started to walk on the road again, David came out of the cave and shouted to Saul, “King Saul!” Saul turned around and looked, and David bowed down with his face touching the ground.
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 Then he said to Saul, “(Why do you pay attention to people when they say ‘David wants to harm you’?/You should not pay attention to people when they say ‘David wants to harm you’.) [RHQ]
and said to Saul, “Why do you listen to the words of men who say, ‘Look, David intends to harm you’?
10 Today you can see with your own eyes that [what they say is not true]. Yahweh put you in a place where my men and I could have killed you when you were in this cave. Some of my men told me that I should do that, but I did not do that. I said to them, ‘I will not harm my master, because he is the king whom Yahweh appointed.’
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 Your majesty, look at this piece of your robe that is in my hand! I cut it from your robe, but I did not kill you. So now you should be able to understand that I am not planning to do anything evil to you. I have not done anything wrong to you, but you are searching for me to kill me.
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 I hope/desire that Yahweh will judge and decide which of us ([is doing what is right/pleases him]). And I hope/desire that he will punish you for the wrong things that you have done to me. But I will not try to harm 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 There is a proverb that has the words, ‘Evil things are done by evil people.’ But [I am not evil, so] I will not do evil things to you.
As the old proverb says, ‘Wickedness proceeds from the wicked.’ But my hand will never be against you.
14 “You are the king of Israel. So (why are you pursuing me?/you should not be pursuing me.) [RHQ] I am [as harmless as] [MET] a dead dog or a flea.
Against whom has the king of Israel come out? Whom are you pursuing? A dead dog? A flea?
15 I hope/desire that Yahweh will judge which of us [is doing what (he wants/is right)]. I trust that he will [act like a lawyer and] judge (my case/what I have done), and that he will rescue me from your power [MTY].”
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 When David finished speaking, Saul [called out to him and] asked, “My son David, is that your voice [that I am hearing]?” Then he began to cry loudly.
When David had finished saying these things, Saul called back, “Is that your voice, David my son?” Then Saul wept aloud
17 He said, “You are a better man than I am. You have done something very good to me when I tried to do something very bad to you.
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 When Yahweh put me in a place [in that cave] where you could have easily killed me, you did not do that.
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 (Who else would/No one else would) find his enemy and allow his enemy to escape [when he could kill him instead] [RHQ]. I hope/desire that Yahweh will reward you for being kindly to me today.
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 I know that [some day] you will surely become the king, and that your kingdom will prosper as you rule the Israeli people.
Now I know for sure that you will be king, and that the kingdom of Israel will be established in your hands.
21 Now while Yahweh is listening, solemnly promise to me that you will not kill my family and get rid of all my descendants.”
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 David solemnly promised Saul that he would not [harm Saul’s family]. Then Saul went back home, and David and his men went back up into the place where they had been hiding.
So David gave his oath to Saul. Then Saul returned home, but David and his men went up to the stronghold.
