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.'
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 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,
[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 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.
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 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.
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 cometh to pass afterwards that the heart of David smiteth him, because that he hath cut off the skirt which [is] on Saul,
[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 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].'
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 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;
By saying that, David restrained his men, and did not allow them to kill Saul.
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.
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 saith to Saul, 'Why dost thou hear the words of man, saying, Lo, David is seeking thine evil?
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 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].
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 '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!
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 'Jehovah doth judge between me and thee, and Jehovah hath avenged me of thee, and my hand is not on 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 simile of the ancients, From the wicked goeth out wickedness, and my hand is not on 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 hath the king of Israel come out? after whom art thou pursuing? — after a dead dog! after one 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 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.'
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 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.
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 saith unto David, 'More righteous thou [art] than I; for thou hast done me good, and I have done thee 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 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,
When Yahweh put me in a place [in that cave] where you could have easily killed me, you did not do that.
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.
(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, lo, I have known that thou dost certainly reign, and the kingdom of Israel hath stood 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 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 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 sweareth to Saul, and Saul goeth unto his house, and David and his men have gone up unto the fortress.
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.
