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
EasyEnglish Bible
David refuses to kill Saul
24 When Saul had finished fighting against the Philistines, he returned to his home. Someone told him that David was in the desert at En Gedi. 2 So Saul chose 3,000 of the best soldiers in Israel. They went to look for David and his men near Wild Goat Rocks.
3 Saul came to the place near the road where the shepherds keep their sheep. There was a cave near to this place. Saul went in there to use it as a toilet.
David and his men were hiding at the back of the same cave. 4 David's men said to him, ‘This is the day that the Lord told you about! The Lord said to you, “I will give your enemy to you. Then you can decide what is the right thing to do to him.” ’ So David stood up very quietly. He went and he cut off a small piece of cloth from Saul's coat. Saul did not know what had happened.
5 After that, David thought that he had done something wrong. He felt sorry that he had cut a piece of cloth from Saul's coat. 6 David said to his men, ‘I ask the Lord to stop me doing anything wrong to my master. The Lord has chosen him to be Israel's king. I must never do anything to hurt him. He is the king that the Lord has chosen.’ 7 David spoke like this to stop his men from attacking Saul.
Then Saul left the cave and he started to travel along the road.
8 After that, David went out of the cave. He shouted to Saul, ‘My master and my king!’ Saul looked behind him. David went down on his knees with his face on the ground to respect the king. 9 David said to Saul, ‘You should not listen to the people who say, “David wants to hurt you.” 10 You can see that the Lord has kept you safe today when I had a chance to hurt you in the cave. Some of my men wanted me to kill you, but I did not agree. I said, “I will not hurt my master, because the Lord has chosen him to be king.” 11 My father, look at what I have in my hand! It is a small piece of your coat. I cut this off the corner of your coat, but I did not kill you. So you must know that I do not want to do anything bad against you. I have not turned against you. I am not guilty of anything, but you are chasing after me so that you can kill me. 12 The Lord is the judge who will decide which of us is guilty. I pray that he will punish you for what you are doing to me. But I myself will never do anything to hurt you. 13 You know the proverb, “Evil people do evil things.” But I will never try to hurt you. 14 You are Israel's king. So why are you chasing after someone like me? I am less important than a dead dog or a little fly! 15 The Lord will be the judge to decide who is right. I pray that he will see that I am not guilty. I pray that he will save me from your power.’
16 When David stopped speaking, Saul said, ‘Is that really you, David my son?’ Then Saul started to weep loudly. 17 He said to David, ‘You are a better man than I am. You have been kind to me even when I have tried to hurt you. 18 You have shown me today how kind you have been to me. The Lord gave you a chance to hurt me, but you did not kill me. 19 If someone catches his enemy, he does not let him escape. But you have not tried to hurt me today. So I ask that the Lord will bless you in return. 20 I know that you will be the king of Israel one day. The kingdom will be strong when you rule. 21 So promise me in the Lord's name that you will not kill any of my descendants. Please make sure that people do not forget my family's name.’
22 So David made a strong promise to Saul. Then Saul returned to his home. But David and his men went back to the place where they had been hiding.
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