1 Samuel 24
Lexham English Bible
David Spares Saul in the Cave at En Gedi
24 When Saul returned from pursuing the Philistines, they told him, “Look, David is in the wilderness of En Gedi.” 2 So Saul took three thousand chosen men from all Israel, and he and his men went to search for David in the direction of[a] the Rocks of the Mountain Goats.[b] 3 He came to the sheep pens beside the road, and a cave was there. Then Saul went in to relieve himself.[c] Now David and his men were sitting in the innermost part of the cave. 4 And David’s men said to him, “Look, today is the day about which Yahweh said to you, ‘See, I am giving your enemy[d] into your hand, and you can do to him whatever seems good to you.’”[e] So David got up and secretly cut the hem of Saul’s robe. 5 And then[f] afterward David felt guilty,[g] because he had cut the hem of Saul’s robe.[h] 6 He said to his men, “Far be it from me in[i] Yahweh, that I do this thing to my lord, to Yahweh’s anointed one, by stretching out my hand against him! For he is the anointed one of Yahweh.” 7 So David rebuked his men with the words and did not allow them to rise against Saul. And Saul got up from the cave, and he went on his[j] way.
8 Then David got up afterward and went out of the cave and called after Saul, “My lord the king!” When Saul looked after him, David knelt down with his face to the ground and bowed down. 9 Then David said to Saul, “Why do you listen to the words of people who say: ‘Look, David is seeking to do you harm’?[k] 10 Look, this day your eyes have seen that Yahweh gave you today into my hand in the cave, and some said to kill you. But I took pity[l] on you and said, ‘I will not stretch out my hand against my lord, because he is Yahweh’s anointed one.’ 11 Now, my father, see, yes, see, the hem of your robe in my hand! For when I cut[m] the hem of your robe I did not kill you. Know and realize[n] that there is no evil or rebellion in my hand. I did not sin against you, but you are hunting down my life to take it. 12 May Yahweh judge between me and you, and may Yahweh avenge me on you, but my hand will not be against you! 13 Just as the ancient proverb says, ‘From the wicked, wickedness goes out,’ but my hand will not be against you! 14 After whom did the king of Israel go out? After whom are you pursuing? After a dead dog? After one flea? 15 May Yahweh be the judge, and let him judge between me and you, and may he see and plead my case. May he vindicate me against you!”[o]
16 When David finished speaking these words to Saul, Saul said, “Is this your voice, my son David?” And Saul lifted up his voice and wept. 17 Then he said to David, “You are more righteous than I, for you have repaid me the good, but I have repaid you the evil. 18 You have explained to me today that you have dealt well with me, how[p] Yahweh delivered me into your hand but you did not kill me. 19 For a man has found his enemy but sent him on his way safely. Now may Yahweh reward you with good in return for this day, for what you have done for me. 20 So now then, look, I know that you will certainly be king and the kingdom of Israel will be established in your hand. 21 So then, swear to me by Yahweh that you will not cut off my descendants[q] after me and that you will not wipe out my name from my father’s house.” 22 So David swore this on oath to Saul, and Saul went to his house, but David and his men went up to the stronghold.
Footnotes
- 1 Samuel 24:2 Literally “on the face of”
- 1 Samuel 24:2 Hebrew “of the Jael”
- 1 Samuel 24:3 Literally “to cover his feet”
- 1 Samuel 24:4 The Masoretic Hebrew text (Kethib) reads “enemies,” but the reading tradition (Qere) has the singular “enemy”
- 1 Samuel 24:4 Literally “as that which is good in your eyes”
- 1 Samuel 24:5 Literally “And it happened”
- 1 Samuel 24:5 Literally “the heart of David struck him”
- 1 Samuel 24:5 Literally “the hem which was for Saul”
- 1 Samuel 24:6 Hebrew “from”
- 1 Samuel 24:7 Hebrew “the”
- 1 Samuel 24:9 Literally “seeking your evil”
- 1 Samuel 24:10 Literally “she took pity,” with “she” = “my eye,” a common Hebrew expression
- 1 Samuel 24:11 Literally “at my cutting”
- 1 Samuel 24:11 Literally “see”
- 1 Samuel 24:15 Literally “May he judge me from your hand”
- 1 Samuel 24:18 Hebrew “that”
- 1 Samuel 24:21 Literally “seed”
1 Samuel 24
New Living Translation
David Spares Saul’s Life
24 [a]After Saul returned from fighting the Philistines, he was told that David had gone into the wilderness of En-gedi. 2 So Saul chose 3,000 elite troops from all Israel and went to search for David and his men near the rocks of the wild goats.
3 At the place where the road passes some sheepfolds, Saul went into a cave to relieve himself. But as it happened, David and his men were hiding farther back in that very cave!
4 “Now’s your opportunity!” David’s men whispered to him. “Today the Lord is telling you, ‘I will certainly put your enemy into your power, to do with as you wish.’” So David crept forward and cut off a piece of the hem of Saul’s robe.
5 But then David’s conscience began bothering him because he had cut Saul’s robe. 6 He said to his men, “The Lord forbid that I should do this to my lord the king. I shouldn’t attack the Lord’s anointed one, for the Lord himself has chosen him.” 7 So David restrained his men and did not let them kill Saul.
After Saul had left the cave and gone on his way, 8 David came out and shouted after him, “My lord the king!” And when Saul looked around, David bowed low before him.
9 Then he shouted to Saul, “Why do you listen to the people who say I am trying to harm you? 10 This very day you can see with your own eyes it isn’t true. For the Lord placed you at my mercy back there in the cave. Some of my men told me to kill you, but I spared you. For I said, ‘I will never harm the king—he is the Lord’s anointed one.’ 11 Look, my father, at what I have in my hand. It is a piece of the hem of your robe! I cut it off, but I didn’t kill you. This proves that I am not trying to harm you and that I have not sinned against you, even though you have been hunting for me to kill me.
12 “May the Lord judge between us. Perhaps the Lord will punish you for what you are trying to do to me, but I will never harm you. 13 As that old proverb says, ‘From evil people come evil deeds.’ So you can be sure I will never harm you. 14 Who is the king of Israel trying to catch anyway? Should he spend his time chasing one who is as worthless as a dead dog or a single flea? 15 May the Lord therefore judge which of us is right and punish the guilty one. He is my advocate, and he will rescue me from your power!”
16 When David had finished speaking, Saul called back, “Is that really you, my son David?” Then he began to cry. 17 And he said to David, “You are a better man than I am, for you have repaid me good for evil. 18 Yes, you have been amazingly kind to me today, for when the Lord put me in a place where you could have killed me, you didn’t do it. 19 Who else would let his enemy get away when he had him in his power? May the Lord reward you well for the kindness you have shown me today. 20 And now I realize that you are surely going to be king, and that the kingdom of Israel will flourish under your rule. 21 Now swear to me by the Lord that when that happens you will not kill my family and destroy my line of descendants!”
22 So David promised this to Saul with an oath. Then Saul went home, but David and his men went back to their stronghold.
Footnotes
- 24:1 Verses 24:1-22 are numbered 24:2-23 in Hebrew text.
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