1 Samuel 24

¹When Saul was returned from following the Philistines, it was told him, saying, “Behold, David is in the wilderness of En Gedi.”And it came to pass, when Saul was returned from following the Philistines, that it was told him, saying, Behold, David is in the wilderness of En–gedi.

²Then 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.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.

³He 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.And he came to the sheepcotes 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.

⁴The men of David said to him, “Behold, the day of which Yahweh said to you, ‘Behold, 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 the skirt of Saul’s robe secretly.And the men of David said unto him, Behold the day of which the Lord said unto thee, Behold, I will deliver thine enemy into thine hand, that thou mayest do to him as it shall seem good unto thee. Then David arose, and cut off the skirt of Saul’s robe privily.

⁵Afterward, David’s heart struck him, because he had cut off Saul’s skirt.And it came to pass afterward, that David’s heart smote him, because he had cut off Saul’s skirt.

⁶He said to his men, “Yahweh forbid that I should do this thing to my lord, Yahweh’s anointed, to stretch out my hand against him, since he is Yahweh’s anointed.”And he said unto his men, The Lord forbid that I should do this thing unto my master, the Lord’s anointed, to stretch forth mine hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the Lord.

⁷So David checked his men with these words, and didn’t allow them to rise against Saul. Saul rose up out of the cave, and went on his way.So David stayed his servants with these words, and suffered them not to rise against Saul. But Saul rose up out of the cave, and went on his way.

⁸David also arose afterward, and went out of the cave, and cried after Saul, saying, “My lord the king!” When Saul looked behind him, David bowed with his face to the earth, and showed respect.David also arose 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.

⁹David said to Saul, “Why do you listen to men’s words, saying, ‘Behold, David seeks your hurt?’And David said to Saul, Wherefore hearest thou men’s words, saying, Behold, David seeketh thy hurt?

¹⁰Behold, this day your eyes have seen how that Yahweh had delivered you today into my hand in the cave. Some urged me to kill you; but I spared you; and I said, I will not stretch out my hand against my lord; for he is Yahweh’s anointed.Behold, this day thine eyes have seen how that the Lord had delivered thee to day into mine hand in the cave: and some bade me kill thee: but mine eye spared thee; and I said, I will not put forth mine hand against my lord; for he is the Lord’s anointed.

¹¹Moreover, my father, behold, yes, see the skirt of your robe in my hand; for in that I cut off the skirt of your robe, and didn’t 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.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 mine hand, and I have not sinned against thee; yet thou huntest my soul to take it.

¹²May Yahweh judge between me and you, and may Yahweh avenge me of you; but my hand shall not be on you.The Lord judge between me and thee, and the Lord avenge me of thee: but mine hand shall not be upon thee.

¹³As the proverb of the ancients says, ‘Out of the wicked comes wickedness;’ but my hand shall not be on you.As saith the proverb of the ancients, Wickedness proceedeth from the wicked: but mine hand shall not be upon thee.

¹⁴Against whom has the king of Israel come out? Whom do you pursue? A dead dog? A flea?After whom is the king of Israel come out? after whom dost thou pursue? after a dead dog, after a flea.

¹⁵May Yahweh therefore be judge, and give sentence between me and you, and see, and plead my cause, and deliver me out of your hand.”The Lord therefore be judge, and judge between me and thee, and see, and plead my cause, and deliver me out of thine hand.

¹⁶It 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.And it came to pass, when David had made an end of speaking these words unto Saul, that Saul said, Is this thy voice, my son David? And Saul lifted up his voice, and wept.

¹⁷He said to David, “You are more righteous than I; for you have done good to me, whereas I have done evil to you.And he said to David, Thou art more righteous than I: for thou hast rewarded me good, whereas I have rewarded thee evil.

¹⁸You have declared this day how you have dealt well with me, because when Yahweh had delivered me up into your hand, you didn’t kill me.And thou hast shewed this day how that thou hast dealt well with me: forasmuch as when the Lord had delivered me into thine hand, thou killedst me not.

¹⁹For if a man finds his enemy, will he let him go away unharmed? Therefore may Yahweh reward you good for that which you have done to me this day.For if a man find his enemy, will he let him go well away? wherefore the Lord reward thee good for that thou hast done unto me this day.

²⁰Now, behold, I know that you shall surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in your hand.And now, behold, I know well that thou shalt surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in thine hand.

²¹Swear now therefore to me by Yahweh, that you will not cut off my seed after me, and that you will not destroy my name out of my father’s house.”Swear now therefore unto 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.

²²David swore to Saul. Saul went home; but David and his men went up to the stronghold.And David sware unto Saul. And Saul went home; but David and his men gat them up unto the hold.