24:1 After Saul returned from pursuing the Philistines, he was told, “David is in the Desert of En Gedi.”
24:2 So Saul took three thousand chosen men from all Israel and set out to look for David and his men near the Crags of the Wild Goats.
24:3 He came to the sheep pens along the way; a cave was there, and Saul went in to relieve himself. David and his men were far back in the cave.
24:4 The men said, “This is the day the LORD spoke of when he said to you, ‘I will give your enemy into your hands for you to deal with as you wish.’” Then David crept up unnoticed and cut off a corner of Saul’s robe.
24:5 Afterward, David was conscience-stricken for having cut off a corner of his robe.
24:6 He said to his men, “The LORD forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the LORD’S anointed, or lift my hand against him; for he is the anointed of the LORD.”
24:7 With these words David rebuked his men and did not allow them to attack Saul. And Saul left the cave and went his way.
24:8 Then David went out of the cave and called out to Saul, “My lord the king!” When Saul looked behind him, David bowed down and prostrated himself with his face to the ground.
24:9 He said to Saul, “Why do you listen when men say, ‘David is bent on harming you’?
24:10 This day you have seen with your own eyes how the LORD delivered you into my hands in the cave. Some urged me to kill you, but I spared you; I said, ‘I will not lift my hand against my master, because he is the LORD’S anointed.’
24:11 See, my father, look at this piece of your robe in my hand! I cut off the corner of your robe but did not kill you. Now understand and recognize that I am not guilty of wrongdoing or rebellion. I have not wronged you, but you are hunting me down to take my life.
24:12 May the LORD judge between you and me. And may the LORD avenge the wrongs you have done to me, but my hand will not touch you.
24:13 As the old saying goes, ‘From evildoers come evil deeds,’ so my hand will not touch you.
24:14 “Against whom has the king of Israel come out? Whom are you pursuing? A dead dog? A flea?
24:15 May the LORD be our judge and decide between us. May he consider my cause and uphold it; may he vindicate me by delivering me from your hand.”
24:16 When David finished saying this, Saul asked, “Is that your voice, David my son?” And he wept aloud.
24:17 “You are more righteous than I,” he said. “You have treated me well, but I have treated you badly.
24:18 You have just now told me of the good you did to me; the LORD delivered me into your hands, but you did not kill me.
24:19 When a man finds his enemy, does he let him get away unharmed? May the LORD reward you well for the way you treated me today.
24:20 I know that you will surely be king and that the kingdom of Israel will be established in your hands.
24:21 Now swear to me by the LORD that you will not cut off my descendants or wipe out my name from my father’s family.”
24:22 So David gave his oath to Saul. Then Saul returned home, but David and his men went up to the stronghold.
24:1 And when Saul returned from following the Philistines, some told him, saying, David is now in the wilderness of En-gedi.
24:2 And Saul took three thousand choice men from all Israel and went to seek David and his men upon the Rocks of the Wild Goats.
24:3 And he came to the sheepfolds along the way, and a cave was there. And Saul went in to relieve himself. Now David and his men were sitting in the innermost part of the cave.
24:4 And David s men said to him, The day is here of which Jehovah said to you, I am about to give your enemy into your hand. Do then to him according to what seems good in your sight. So David rose up and cut off a corner of Saul s cloak without being noticed.
24:5 But afterward David s heart smote him because he had cut off a corner of Saul s cloak.
24:6 And he said to his men, Jehovah forbid that I should do such a thing to my lord, Jehovah s anointed, as stretch out my hand against him; for he is Jehovah s anointed.
24:7 So David checked his men with these words and would not allow them to rise up against Saul. And Saul rose up out of the cave and went on his way.
24:8 Then David rose up afterward and came out of the cave. And he called after Saul, saying, My lord the king. And when Saul looked behind him, David bowed with his face to the ground and paid him homage.
24:9 And David said to Saul, Why do you listen to men s words that say, David now seeks your harm?
24:10 Just this day your eyes have seen that Jehovah gave you into my hand today in the cave. And though some told me to kill you, I spared you and said, I will not stretch out my hand against my lord, for he is Jehovah s anointed.
24:11 Now my father, look, indeed, look at the corner of your cloak in my hand; for in that I cut off the corner of your cloak and did not kill you, know and see that there is no harm or transgression in my hand. And though I have not sinned against you, you hunt after my life in order to take it.
24:12 May Jehovah judge between me and you, and may Jehovah avenge me of you; but my hand will not be against you.
24:13 As the proverb of the ancients says, Out of the wicked comes forth wickedness; but my hand will not be against you.
24:14 After whom does the king of Israel come out? Whom do you pursue? A dead dog; a single flea.
24:15 May Jehovah then be Judge and decide between me and you. And may He see and plead my cause and release me through His judgment out of your hand.
24:16 And when David finished speaking these words to Saul, Saul said, Is this your voice, my son David? And Saul lifted up his voice and wept.
24:17 And he said to David, You are more righteous than I; for you have repaid me with good, while I have repaid you with evil.
24:18 And you have declared today how you did good to me, because Jehovah delivered me up into your hand, but you would not kill me.
24:19 For if a man finds his enemy, will he send him away safely? May Jehovah therefore reward you with good for what you have done to me this day.
24:20 And now I indeed know that you will surely be king and that the kingdom of Israel will be established in your hand.
24:21 Now therefore swear to me by Jehovah that you will not cut off my seed after me and that you will not destroy my name from my father s house.
24:22 So David swore to Saul. And Saul went to his house, and David and his men went up to the stronghold.