1 Samuel 24
1 And it came to pass, when Saul had returned from following the Philistines, that it was told to him, saying, Behold, David is in the wilderness of Engedi.
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.
2 Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went to seek David and his men upon the rocks of the wild goats.
[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.
3 And he came to the sheepfolds by the way, where was a cave; and Saul went in to cover his feet: and David and his men remained in the sides of the cave.
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!
4 And the men of David said to him, Behold the day of which the LORD said to thee, Behold, I will deliver thy enemy into thy hand, that thou mayest do to him as it shall seem good to thee. Then David arose, and secretly cut off the skirt of Saul’s robe.
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.
5 And it came to pass afterward, that David’s heart smote him, because he had cut off Saul’s skirt.
[And then he returned to his men]. But then David felt guilty for having cut off a piece of Saul’s robe.
6 And he said to his men, The LORD forbid that I should do this thing to my master, the LORD’S anointed, to stretch forth my hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the LORD.
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].”
7 So David restrained his servants with these words, and permitted them not to rise against Saul. But Saul rose out of the cave, and went on his way.
By saying that, David restrained his men, and did not allow them to kill Saul.
8 David also rose afterward, and went out of the cave, and cried after Saul, saying, My lord the king. And when Saul looked behind him, David stooped with his face to the earth, and bowed himself.
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.
9 And David said to Saul, Why hearest thou men’s words, saying, Behold, David seeketh thy harm?
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]
10 Behold, this day thy eyes have seen how the LORD hath delivered thee to day into my hand in the cave: and some bade me kill thee: but my eye spared thee; and I said, I will not put forth my hand against my lord; for he is the LORD’S anointed.
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.’
11 Moreover, my father, see, yea, see the skirt of thy robe in my hand: for in that I cut off the skirt of thy robe, and killed thee not, know thou and see that there is neither evil nor transgression in my hand, and I have not sinned against thee; yet thou huntest my soul to take it.
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.
12 The LORD judge between me and thee, and the LORD avenge me of thee: but my hand shall not be upon thee.
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.
13 As saith the proverb of the ancients, Wickedness proceedeth from the wicked: but my hand shall not be upon thee.
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.
14 After whom is the king of Israel come out? after whom dost thou pursue? after a dead dog, after a flea.
“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.
15 The LORD therefore be judge, and judge between me and thee, and see, and plead my cause, and deliver me out of thy hand.
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].”
16 And it came to pass, when David had finished speaking these words to Saul, that Saul said, Is this thy voice, my son David? And Saul lifted up his voice, and wept.
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.
17 And he said to David, Thou art more righteous than I: for thou hast rewarded me with good, though I have rewarded thee with evil.
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.
18 And thou hast showed this day how thou hast dealt with me: forasmuch as when the LORD had delivered me into thy hand, thou didst not kill me.
When Yahweh put me in a place [in that cave] where you could have easily killed me, you did not do that.
19 For if a man findeth his enemy, will he let him go away well? therefore the LORD reward thee with good for what thou hast done to me this day.
(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.
20 And now, behold, I know well that thou shalt surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in thy hand.
I know that [some day] you will surely become the king, and that your kingdom will prosper as you rule the Israeli people.
21 Swear now therefore to me by the LORD, that thou wilt not cut off my seed after me, and that thou wilt not destroy my name out of my father’s house.
Now while Yahweh is listening, solemnly promise to me that you will not kill my family and get rid of all my descendants.”
22 And David swore to Saul. And Saul went home; but David and his men went up to the strong hold.
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.
