1 Samuel 24
New English Translation
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.” 2 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] 3 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. 4 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. 5 Afterward David’s conscience bothered him[f] because he had cut off an edge of Saul’s robe. 6 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.” 7 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.
8 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. 9 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 Samuel 24:2 tn Heb “to search [for].”
- 1 Samuel 24:2 tn Heb “upon the face of.”
- 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).
- 1 Samuel 24:3 tn Heb “to cover his feet,” an idiom (euphemism) for relieving oneself (cf. NAB “to ease nature”).
- 1 Samuel 24:4 tn Heb “is good in your eyes.”
- 1 Samuel 24:5 tn Heb “the heart of David struck him.”
- 1 Samuel 24:6 tn Heb “anointed.” Also at the end of this verse.
- 1 Samuel 24:6 tn Or “for.”
- 1 Samuel 24:7 tn Heb “went on.”
- 1 Samuel 24:10 tn Heb “it had pity,” apparently with the understood subject being “my eye,” in accordance with a common expression.
- 1 Samuel 24:10 tn Heb “anointed.”
- 1 Samuel 24:11 tn Heb “there is not in my hand.”
- 1 Samuel 24:16 tn Heb “lifted his voice and wept.”
- 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.”
- 1 Samuel 24:21 tn Heb “by the Lord.”
- 1 Samuel 24:21 tn Heb “cut off.”
- 1 Samuel 24:22 tn Heb “and David swore an oath to Saul.”
1 Samuel 24
Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition
24 Then David went up from thence, and dwelt in strong holds of Engaddi.
2 And when Saul was returned from following the Philistines, they told him, saying: Behold, David is in the desert of Engaddi.
3 Saul therefore took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went out to seek after David, and his men, even upon the most craggy rocks, which are accessible only to wild goats.
4 And he came to the sheepcotes, which were in his way. And there was a cave, into which Saul went, to ease nature: now David and his men lay hid in the inner part of the cave.
5 And the servants of David said to him: Behold the day, of which the Lord said to thee: I will deliver thy enemy unto thee, that thou mayest do to him as it shall seem good in thy eyes. Then David arose, and secretly cut off the hem of Saul's robe.
6 After which David's heart struck him, because he had cut off the hem of Saul's robe.
7 And he said to his men: The Lord be merciful unto me, that I may do no such thing to my master the Lord's anointed, as to lay my hand upon him, because he is the Lord's anointed.
8 And David stopped his men with his words, and suffered them not to rise against Saul. But Saul rising up out of the cave, went on his way.
9 And David also rose up after him: and going out of the cave cried after Saul, saying: My lord the king. And Saul looked behind him: and David bowing himself down to the ground, worshipped,
10 And said to Saul: Why dost thou hear the words of men that say David seeketh thy hurt?
11 Behold this day thy eyes have seen, that the Lord hath delivered thee into my hand, in the cave, and I had a thought to kill thee, but my eye hath spared thee. For I said: I will not put out my hand against my lord, because he is the Lord's anointed.
12 Moreover see and know, O my father, the hem of thy robe in my hand, that when I cut, off the hem of thy robe, I would not put out my hand against thee. Reflect, and see, that there is no evil in my hand, nor iniquity, neither have I sinned against thee: but thou liest in wait for my life, to take it away.
13 The Lord judge between me and thee, and the Lord revenge me of thee: but my hand shall not be upon thee.
14 As also it is said in the old proverb: From the wicked shall wickedness come forth: therefore my hand shall not be upon thee. After whom dost thou come out, O king of Israel?
15 After whom dost thou pursue? After a dead dog, after a flea.
16 Be the Lord judge, and judge between me and thee, and see, and judge my cause, and deliver me out of thy hand.
17 And when David had made an end of speaking these words to Saul, Saul said: Is this thy voice, my son David? And Saul lifted up his voice, and wept.
18 And he said to David: Thou art more just than I: for thou hast done good to me, and I have rewarded thee with evil.
19 And thou hast shewn this day what good things thou hast done to me: how the Lord delivered me into thy hand, and thou hast not killed me.
20 For who when he hath found his enemy, will let him go well away? But the Lord reward thee for this good turn, for what thou hast done to me this day.
21 And now as I know that thou shalt surely be king, and have the kingdom of Israel in thy hand:
22 Swear to me by the Lord, that thou wilt not destroy my seed after me, nor take away my name from the house of my father.
23 And David swore to Saul. So Saul went home: and David and his men went up into safer places.
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