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David Spares Saul’s Life

24 (24:2) When Saul returned from pursuing the Philistines, he was told, “Look, David is in the desert of En Gedi.” So Saul took 3,000 select men from all Israel and went to find[a] David and his men in the region of[b] the rocks of the mountain goats.[c] He came to the sheepfolds by the road, where there was a cave. Saul went into it to relieve himself.[d]

Now David and his men were sitting in the recesses of the cave. David’s men said to him, “This is the day about which the Lord said to you, ‘I will give your enemy into your hand, and you can do to him whatever seems appropriate to you.’”[e] So David got up and quietly cut off an edge of Saul’s robe. Afterward David’s conscience bothered him[f] because he had cut off an edge of Saul’s robe. He said to his men, “May the Lord keep me far away from doing such a thing to my lord, who is the Lord’s chosen one,[g] by extending my hand against him. After all,[h] he is the Lord’s chosen one.” David restrained his men with these words and did not allow them to rise up against Saul. Then Saul left the cave and started down[i] the road.

Afterward David got up and went out of the cave. He called out to Saul, “My lord, O king!” When Saul looked behind him, David kneeled down and bowed with his face to the ground. David said to Saul, “Why do you pay attention when men say, ‘David is seeking to do you harm’? 10 Today your own eyes see how the Lord delivered you—this very day—into my hands in the cave. Some told me to kill you, but I had pity[j] on you and said, ‘I will not extend my hand against my lord, for he is the Lord’s chosen one.’[k] 11 Look, my father, and see the edge of your robe in my hand! When I cut off the edge of your robe, I didn’t kill you. So realize and understand that I am not planning[l] evil or rebellion. Even though I have not sinned against you, you are waiting in ambush to take my life. 12 May the Lord judge between the two of us, and may the Lord vindicate me over you, but my hand will not be against you. 13 It’s like the old proverb says: ‘From evil people evil proceeds.’ But my hand will not be against you. 14 Who has the king of Israel come out after? Who is it that you are pursuing? A dead dog? A single flea? 15 May the Lord be our judge and arbiter. May he see and arbitrate my case and deliver me from your hands.”

16 When David finished speaking these words to Saul, Saul said, “Is that your voice, my son David?” Then Saul wept loudly.[m] 17 He said to David, “You are more innocent[n] than I, for you have treated me well, even though I have tried to harm you. 18 You have explained today how you have treated me well. The Lord delivered me into your hand, but you did not kill me. 19 Now if a man finds his enemy, does he send him on his way in good shape? May the Lord repay you with good this day for what you have done to me. 20 Now look, I realize that you will in fact be king and that the kingdom of Israel will be established in your hands. 21 So now swear to me in the Lord’s name[o] that you will not kill[p] my descendants after me or destroy my name from the house of my father.”

22 David promised Saul this on oath.[q] Then Saul went to his house, and David and his men went up to the stronghold.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 24:2 tn Heb “to search [for].”
  2. 1 Samuel 24:2 tn Heb “upon the face of.”
  3. 1 Samuel 24:2 tn Or “the region of the Rocks of the Mountain Goats,” if this expression is understood as a place name (cf. NASB, NIV, NRSV, TEV, CEV).
  4. 1 Samuel 24:3 tn Heb “to cover his feet,” an idiom (euphemism) for relieving oneself (cf. NAB “to ease nature”).
  5. 1 Samuel 24:4 tn Heb “is good in your eyes.”
  6. 1 Samuel 24:5 tn Heb “the heart of David struck him.”
  7. 1 Samuel 24:6 tn Heb “anointed.” Also at the end of this verse.
  8. 1 Samuel 24:6 tn Or “for.”
  9. 1 Samuel 24:7 tn Heb “went on.”
  10. 1 Samuel 24:10 tn Heb “it had pity,” apparently with the understood subject being “my eye,” in accordance with a common expression.
  11. 1 Samuel 24:10 tn Heb “anointed.”
  12. 1 Samuel 24:11 tn Heb “there is not in my hand.”
  13. 1 Samuel 24:16 tn Heb “lifted his voice and wept.”
  14. 1 Samuel 24:17 tn Or “righteous” (so KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV); NAB “you are in the right”; NLT “are a better man than I am.”
  15. 1 Samuel 24:21 tn Heb “by the Lord.”
  16. 1 Samuel 24:21 tn Heb “cut off.”
  17. 1 Samuel 24:22 tn Heb “and David swore an oath to Saul.”

Davide Amusiya Sauli Wosamupha

24 Sauli atabwera kuchokera kumene amathamangitsa Afilisti anamva kuti, “Davide ali mʼchipululu cha Eni Gedi.” Tsono Sauli anatenga asilikali 3,000 odziwa kumenya bwino nkhondo kuchokera pakati pa Aisraeli onse ndipo anapita kukafunafuna Davide ndi anthu ake ku Matanthwe a Mbalale.

Iye anafika ku makola a nkhosa amene anali mʼmbali mwa njira. Kumeneko kunali phanga, ndipo Sauli analowa mʼphangamo kuti akadzithandize. Davide ndi anthu ake ankabisala mʼkati mwenimweni mwa phangalo. Tsono anthu a Davide anamuwuza kuti, “Tsiku lija lafika limene Yehova anakuwuzani kuti, ‘Ndidzapereka mdani wanu mʼmanja mwanu, ndi kumuchita chimene chidzakukomereni.’ ” Koma Davide anapita mwakachetechete ndi kukadula msonga ya mkanjo wa Sauli.

Atachita izi, Davide anatsutsika mu mtima chifukwa anadula msonga ya mkanjo wa Sauli. Tsono anawuza anthu ake kuti, “Yehova asalole kuti ndimuchite choyipa mbuye wanga, wodzozedwa wa Yehova. Ndisamupweteke pakuti ndi wodzozedwa wa Yehova.” Choncho Davide anabweza mitima ya anthu ake ndi mawu amenewa, ndipo sanawalole kuti aphe Sauli. Pambuyo pake Sauli anatuluka mʼphangamo ndipo anachoka.

Kenaka Davide anatuluka mʼphanga muja ndipo anayitana Sauli, “Mbuye wanga!” Sauli atayangʼana mʼmbuyo, Davide anawerama ndi kugunditsa nkhope yake pansi. Anafunsa Sauli kuti, “Nʼchifukwa chiyani mumamvera mawu a anthu kuti, ‘Davide wakukonzerani chiwembu?’ 10 Lero lino inu mwadzionera nokha kuti Yehova anakuperekani mʼmanja mwanga mʼphanga muja. Ena anandiwuza kuti ndikupheni, koma ndakusiyani. Ndinati, ‘Sindidzapha mbuye wanga pakuti ndiye wodzozedwa wa Yehova.’ 11 Tsono abambo anga, onanitu kansalu ka mkanjo wanu kali mʼdzanja langali! Popeza kuti ndinatha kudula msonga ya mkanjo wanu koma osakuphani, pamenepo mudziwe kuti ine ndilibe maganizo woti ndikuchiteni choyipa kapena kukuwukirani. Sindinakulakwireni ngakhale kuti inu mukufuna moyo wanga kuti mundiphe. 12 Yehova aweruze pakati pa inu ndi ine, akulangeni chifukwa cha zoyipa zimene mukundichitazi, koma dzanja langa silidzakukhudzani. 13 Paja anthu akale anati, ‘Munthu woyipa, ntchito zakenso ndi zoyipa.’ Kotero dzanja langa silidzakukhudzani.

14 “Kodi mfumu ya Israeli yadzalondola yani. Inu mukuthamangitsa yani? Galu wakufa kodi? Nsabwe kodi? 15 Nʼchifukwa chake Yehova agamule, inde aweruze pakati pa inu ndi ine ndi kupeza wolakwa. Yehova anditeteze ndi kundipulumutsa mʼdzanja lanu.”

16 Davide atatsiriza kuyankhula mawu awa, Sauli anafunsa kuti, “Kodi mawu amenewa ndi akodi mwana wanga Davide?” Sauli anayamba kulira mokweza. 17 Anawuza Davide kuti, “Ndiwe wolungama kuposa ine. Iwe wandikomera mtima pamene ine ndakuchitira zoyipa. 18 Iweyo lero lino wandifotokozera zabwino zimene wandichitira. Yehova anandipereka mʼdzanja lako koma iwe sunandiphe. 19 Kodi munthu atapeza mdani wake angamulole kuti apite wosamuvulaza? Motero Yehova akuchitire iwe zabwino chifukwa cha zimene wandichitira lerozi. 20 Ona tsono, Ine ndikudziwa kuti udzakhala mfumu ndithu ndipo ufumu wa Israeli udzakhazikika mʼmanja mwako. 21 Tsopano undilonjeze molumbira lero mʼdzina la Yehova kuti sudzapha zidzukulu zanga ine nditamwalira kapena kufuta dzina langa pa banja la makolo anga.”

22 Choncho Davide analumbira pamaso pa Sauli. Pambuyo pake Sauli anabwerera kwawo, koma Davide ndi anthu ake anapitanso ku phanga kuja.