1 Samuel 24
1 And it cometh to pass when Saul hath turned back from after the Philistines, that they declare to him, saying, 'Lo, David [is] in the wilderness of En-gedi.'
And it came to pass, when Saul had returned from following the Philistines, that it was told him, saying: Lo! David is in the wilderness of En-gedi.
2 And Saul taketh three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and goeth 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, over the face of the rocks of the mountain-goats.
3 and he cometh in unto folds of the flock, on the way, and there [is] a cave, and Saul goeth in to cover his feet; and David and his men in the sides of the cave are abiding.
And he came into the sheep-folds by the way, there, being a cave, which Saul entered, to cover his feet, —David and his men, in the hinder part of the cave, having taken up their abode.
4 And the men of David say unto him, 'Lo, the day of which Jehovah said unto thee, Lo, I am giving thine enemy into thy hand, and thou hast done to him as it is good in thine eyes;' and David riseth and cutteth off the skirt of the upper robe which [is] on Saul — gently.
So David’s men said unto him—Lo! the day of which Yahweh said unto thee—Lo! I am about to deliver up thine enemy, into thy hand: therefore shall thou do unto him, as shall be good in thine eyes. And David arose, and cut off the corner of the robe which belonged to Saul, by stealth.
5 And it cometh to pass afterwards that the heart of David smiteth him, because that he hath cut off the skirt which [is] on Saul,
And it came to pass afterwards that David’s heart smote him, —because he had cut off the corner [of the robe] which belonged to Saul.
6 and he saith to his men, 'Far be it from me, by Jehovah; I do not do this thing to my lord — to the anointed of Jehovah — to put forth my hand against him, for the anointed of Jehovah he [is].'
And he said unto his men—Far be it from me, of Yahweh, that I should do this thing unto my lord, unto the Anointed of Yahweh, to thrust forth my hand against him, —for, the Anointed of Yahweh, is he!
7 And David subdueth his men by words, and hath not permitted them to rise against Saul; and Saul hath risen from the cave, and goeth on the way;
So David did chide his men with the words, and did not suffer them to rise up against Saul. And, Saul, rose up out of the cave, and went on his way.
8 and David riseth afterwards, and goeth out from the cave, and calleth after Saul, saying, 'My lord, O king!' And Saul looketh attentively behind him, and David boweth — face to the earth — and doth obeisance.
Then David rose up, afterwards, and went forth out of the cave, and cried out after Saul, saying—My lord, O king! And, when Saul looked about behind him, David inclined his face to the earth, and bowed himself down.
9 And David saith to Saul, 'Why dost thou hear the words of man, saying, Lo, David is seeking thine evil?
Then said David to Saul, Wherefore shouldst thou hearken unto the words of the sons of earth, saying, —Lo! David is seeking thy hurt?
10 Lo, this day have thine eyes seen how that Jehovah hath given thee to-day into my hand in the cave; and [one] said to slay thee, and [mine eye] hath pity on thee, and I say, I do not put forth my hand against my lord, for the anointed of Jehovah he [is].
Lo! this day, have thine own eyes seen, how Yahweh had delivered thee up, to-day, into my hand in the cave, and, when one bade me slay thee, I looked with compassion upon thee, —and I said—I will not thrust forth my hand against my lord, for, the Anointed of Yahweh, is he!
11 'And, my father, see, yea see the skirt of thine upper robe in my hand; for by cutting off the skirt of thy upper robe, and I have not slain thee, know and see that there is not in my hand evil and transgression, and I have not sinned against thee, and thou art hunting my soul to take it!
But, my father, see, yea, see, the corner of thy robe in my hand, —for, in that I cut off the corner of thy robe, and yet did not slay thee, know thou, and see, that there is not in my hand either wrong or transgression, neither have I sinned against thee, yet art thou hunting my life, to take it.
12 'Jehovah doth judge between me and thee, and Jehovah hath avenged me of thee, and my hand is not on thee;
Let Yahweh do justice betwixt me and thee, and let Yahweh avenge me of thee, —but, mine own hand, shall not be upon thee.
13 as saith the simile of the ancients, From the wicked goeth out wickedness, and my hand is not on thee.
As saith the proverb of the ancients, From the lawless, proceedeth lawlessness, —mine own hand, therefore shall not be upon thee.
14 'After whom hath the king of Israel come out? after whom art thou pursuing? — after a dead dog! after one flea!
After whom, hath the king of Israel come forth? After whom, art thou in pursuit? After a dead dog! after a single flea!
15 And Jehovah hath been for judge, and hath judged between me and thee, yea, he seeth and pleadeth my cause, and doth deliver me out of thy hand.'
Therefore shall, Yahweh, become, judge, and do justice betwixt me and thee, —that he may see, and plead my cause, and justly deliver me out of thy hand.
16 And it cometh to pass, when David completeth to speak these words unto Saul, that Saul saith, 'Is this thy voice, my son David?' and Saul lifteth up his voice, and weepeth.
And it came to pass, when David had made an end of speaking these words unto Saul, that Saul said, Thy voice, is this, my son David? And Saul lifted up his voice, and wept.
17 And he saith unto David, 'More righteous thou [art] than I; for thou hast done me good, and I have done thee evil;
And he said unto David, More righteous, art thou than I, for, thou, hast requited me, good, but, I, have requited thee, evil.
18 and thou hast declared to-day how that thou hast done good with me, how that Jehovah shut me up into thy hand, and thou didst not slay me,
Thou, then, hast told to-day, how thou hast dealt with me, for good, —how, when Yahweh had surrendered me into thy hand, thou didst not slay me.
19 and that a man doth find his enemy, and hath sent him away in a good manner; and Jehovah doth repay thee good for that which thou didst to me this day.
Yet, when a man findeth his enemy, will he let him get easily away? Yahweh, then, give thee, good, reward for what, this day, thou hast done unto me.
20 'And, now, lo, I have known that thou dost certainly reign, and the kingdom of Israel hath stood in thy hand;
Now, therefore, lo! I know that thou, shalt indeed become king, —and that the kingdom of Israel, shall be established in thy hand.
21 and, now, swear to me by Jehovah — thou dost not cut off my seed after me, nor dost thou destroy my name from the house of my father.'
Now, therefore, swear unto me by Yahweh, that thou wilt not eat off my seed, after me, —and wilt not destroy my name out of the house my father.
22 And David sweareth to Saul, and Saul goeth unto his house, and David and his men have gone up unto the fortress.
So David sware unto Saul, —and Saul departed unto his own house, but, David and his men, went up on the stronghold.
