1 Samuel 24

Modern

Literal

David Spares Saul

¹After Saul had returned from pursuing the Philistines, he was told, “David is in the wilderness of En-gedi.”

¹And it came to pass, when Saul had returned from after the Philistines, that it was declared to him, saying, “Behold, David is in the Wilderness of En-gedi.”

²So Saul took three thousand chosen men from all Israel and went to look for David and his men in the region of the Rocks of the Wild Goats.

²And Saul took three thousand chosen men from all Israel, and he went to seek David and his men on the face of the Rocks of the Wild Goats.

³Soon Saul came to the sheepfolds along the road, where there was a cave, and he went in to relieve himself.^a And David and his men were hiding in the recesses of the cave.

³And he came to the folds of the flock by the road, and there was a cave. And Saul went in to cover his feet. And David and his men were staying in the recesses of the cave.

⁴So David’s men said to him, “This is the day about which the LORD said to you, ‘Behold, I will deliver your enemy into your hand, that you may do with him as you wish.’”

Then David crept up and stealthily cut off a corner of Saul’s robe.

⁴And the men of David said to him, “This is the day of which YHWH said to you, ‘Behold, I will deliver your enemy into your hand, that you may do to him as is good in your eyes.’” And David arose and cut off a corner of the robe that was on Saul—in secrecy.

⁵Afterward, David’s conscience was stricken because he had cut off the corner of Saul’s robe.

⁵And it came to pass after thus, that the heart of David troubled him, upon that he had cut off the skirt that was on Saul.

⁶So he said to his men, “The LORD forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the LORD’s anointed. May I never lift my hand against him, since he is the LORD’s anointed.”

⁶And he said to his men, “Far be it from me, YHWH, that I should do this thing to my master—to the anointed of YHWH—to stretch out my hand against him, since he is the anointed of YHWH.”

⁷With these words David restrained his men, and he did not let them rise up against Saul. Then Saul left the cave and went on his way.

⁷And David restrained his servants with words, and he did not allow them to rise against Saul. And Saul got up from the cave and went on his way.

⁸After that, David got up, went out of the cave, and called out to Saul, “My lord the king!”

When Saul looked behind him, David bowed facedown in reverence

⁸And David arose after thus, and he went out of the cave, and he called out to Saul, saying, “My lord the king!” And Saul looked behind him, and David bowed nostrils to the earth, and bowed down.

⁹and said to Saul, “Why do you listen to the words of men who say, ‘Look, David intends to harm you’ ?

⁹And David said to Saul, “Why do you listen to the words of a man saying, ‘Behold, David is seeking your harm’?

¹⁰Behold, this day you have seen with your own eyes that the LORD delivered you into my hand in the cave. I was told to kill you, but I spared you and said, ‘I will not lift my hand against my lord, since he is the LORD’s anointed.’

¹⁰behold, this day your eyes have seen that YHWH had delivered you today into my hand in the cave. And one said to kill you, and I had pity on you, and I said, ‘I will not stretch out my hand against my lord; for he is the anointed of YHWH.’

¹¹See, my father, look at the corner of your robe in my hand. For I cut it off, but I did not kill you. Know and see that there is no evil or rebellion in my hands. I have not sinned against you, even though you are hunting me down to take my life.

¹¹And my father, see, yes, see the corner of your robe in my hand! For by cutting off the skirt of your robe and not killing you, know and see that evil and rebellion are not in my hand, and I have not sinned against you, and you hunt my life to take it.

¹²May the LORD judge between you and me, and may the LORD take vengeance on you, but my hand will never be against you.

¹²May YHWH judge between me and between you, and may YHWH avenge me on you. And my hand shall not be against you.

¹³As the old proverb says, ‘Wickedness proceeds from the wicked.’ But my hand will never be against you.

¹³As says the proverb of the ancients, ‘From the wicked proceeds wickedness,’ and my hand shall not be against you.

¹⁴Against whom has the king of Israel come out? Whom are you pursuing? A dead dog? A flea?

¹⁴After whom has the king of Israel come out? After whom do you pursue? After a dead dog? After one flea?

¹⁵May the LORD be our judge and decide between you and me. May He take notice and plead my case and deliver me from your hand.”

¹⁵And may YHWH be judge, and judge between me and between you, and may He see and plead my case and deliver me out of your hand.”

David’s Oath to Saul

¹⁶When David had finished saying these things, Saul called back, “Is that your voice, David my son?”

Then Saul wept aloud

¹⁶And it came to pass, when David had finished speaking these words to Saul, that Saul said, “Is this your voice, my son David?” And Saul lifted up his voice and wept.

¹⁷and said to David, “You are more righteous than I, for you have rewarded me with good, though I have rewarded you with evil.

¹⁷And he said to David, “You are more righteous than I, for you have done me the good, and I have done you the evil.

¹⁸And you have declared this day how you have treated me well, for when the LORD delivered me into your hand, you did not kill me.

¹⁸And you have shown today how you have done good with me; that YHWH delivered me into your hand, and you did not kill me.

¹⁹When a man finds his enemy, does he let him go away unharmed? May the LORD reward you with good for what you have done for me this day.

¹⁹When a man finds his enemy, does he send him away in a good manner? And YHWH repays you with good for what you have done to me this day.

²⁰Now I know for sure that you will be king and that the kingdom of Israel will be established in your hands.

²⁰And behold, I know that you shall surely reign, and the kingdom of Israel shall stand in your hand.

²¹So now, swear to me by the LORD that you will not cut off my descendants or wipe out my name from my father’s house.”

²¹And now, swear to me by YHWH that you will not cut off my seed after me or destroy my name from the house of my father.”

²²So David gave his oath to Saul. Then Saul returned home, but David and his men went up to the stronghold.

²²And David swore to Saul. And Saul went to his house; and David and his men went up to the stronghold.