David Shames Saul

24 After Saul returned from chasing the Philistines, he was told, “David is in the ·Desert [Wilderness] of En Gedi.” ² So he took three thousand ·chosen men [elite soldiers] from all Israel and began looking for David and his men near the ·Rocks [Crags] of the ·Wild [Mountain] Goats.

³ Saul came to the sheep ·pens [folds] ·beside the road [along the way]. A cave was there, and he went in to ·relieve himself [^Lcover his feet]. Now David and his men were hiding ·far back in [in the inner recesses of] the cave. ⁴ The men said to David, “Today is the day the Lord spoke of when he said, ‘I will give your enemy ·over to you [^Linto your hand]. ·Do anything you want with him [Deal with him as you wish/as is good in your eyes].’”

Then David crept up to Saul and ·quietly [secretly; stealthily] cut off ·a corner [the border/edge/hem] of Saul’s robe. ⁵ Later ·David felt guilty [David’s conscience bothered him; ^Lthe heart/mind of David struck him] because he had cut off a corner of Saul’s robe. ⁶ He said to his men, “May the Lord ·keep [forbid; preserve] me from doing such a thing to my master! Saul is the Lord’s ·appointed king [anointed]. I should not ·do anything [raise/^Lsend my hand] against him, because he is the Lord’s ·appointed king [anointed]!” ⁷ David used these words to ·stop [restrain; persuade; rebuke; scold] his men; he did not let them attack Saul. Then Saul left the cave and went his way.

⁸ When David came out of the cave, he ·shouted [called] to Saul, “My ·master [lord] ·and [the] king!” Saul looked back, and David bowed ·facedown [prostrate] on the ground. ⁹ He said to Saul, “Why do you listen when people say, ‘David wants to harm you’? ¹⁰ You have seen ·something with [with] your own eyes today. ·The […how the] Lord ·put you in my power [^Lgave you into my hand] in the cave. ·They [Some] said I should kill you, but I ·was merciful [pitied/spared you]. I said, ‘I won’t ·harm [raise/^Lsend my hand against] my master, because he is the Lord’s ·appointed king [anointed].’ ¹¹ My father, look at this ·piece [border; edge; hem] of your robe in my hand! I cut off the ·corner [border; edge; hem] of your robe, but I didn’t kill you. ·Now understand and know [This proves] ·I am not planning any evil [there is no wrong or rebellion/treason] against you. I ·did nothing wrong to [have not sinned against] you, but you are hunting me to ·kill me [^Ltake my life]. ¹² May the Lord judge between us, and may he ·punish [avenge me on] you for the wrong you have done to me! But I ·am not against you [will not harm you/lay a hand on you]. ¹³ There is an old ·saying [proverb]: ‘Evil ·things [deeds] come ·from [out of] evil people.’ ·But [So] I ·am not [will not harm/raise my hand] against you. ¹⁴ Whom is the king of Israel ·coming out against [attacking]? Whom are you ·chasing [pursuing]? ·It’s as if you are chasing a [A…?] dead dog or a flea. ¹⁵ May the Lord be our judge and decide ·between you and me [which of us is right]. May he ·support me [consider/see me] and ·show that I am right [uphold/plead my cause]. May he ·save [rescue; deliver] me from ·you [^Lyour hand/power]!”

¹⁶ When David finished saying these words, Saul asked, “Is that your voice, David my son?” And he cried loudly. ¹⁷ He said, “You are ·a better man [more righteous] than I am. You have ·been good [behaved well; ^Lrepaid good] to me, but I have ·done wrong [behaved badly; ^Lrepaid evil] to you. ¹⁸ You [^Lhave just] told me what good things you did [^Lto me]. The Lord handed me over to you, but you did not kill me. ¹⁹ ·People don’t normally let an enemy get away like this, do they [^LFor who has found his enemy and sends him on his way safely]? May the Lord reward you ·because you were good to [or with good for what you have done for] me today. ²⁰ I [^Lnow] know you will surely be king, and ·you will rule [in your hand will be established] the kingdom of Israel. ²¹ Now swear to me by the Lord that you will not ·kill [^Lcut off] my ·descendants [^Lseed] and that you won’t wipe out my name from my father’s ·family [household; ^Cby killing all Saul’s children].”

²² So David ·made the promise [swore] to Saul. Then Saul went back home, and David and his men went up to their ·hideout [stronghold].