1 Samuel 24:8-22

Christian Standard Bible

⁸ After that, David got up, went out of the cave, and called to Saul, “My lord the king!” When Saul looked behind him, David knelt low with his face to the ground and paid homage.^{(A) 9} David said to Saul, “Why do you listen to the words of people who say, ‘Look, David intends to harm you’? ¹⁰ You can see with your own eyes that the Lord handed you over to me today in the cave.^(B) Someone advised me to kill you,^(C) but I^[a][b] took pity on you and said: I won’t lift my hand against my lord, since he is the Lord’s anointed. ¹¹ Look, my father!^(D) Look at the corner of your robe in my hand, for I cut it off, but I didn’t kill you. Recognize^[c] that I’ve committed no crime or rebellion. I haven’t sinned against you even though you are hunting me down to take my life.^(E)

¹² “May the Lord judge between me and you, and may the Lord take vengeance on you for me, but my hand will never be against you.^{(F) 13} As the old proverb says, ‘Wickedness comes from wicked people.’^(G) My hand will never be against you. ¹⁴ Who has the king of Israel come after? What are you chasing after? A dead dog? A single flea?^{(H) 15} May the Lord be judge and decide between you and me. May he take notice and plead my case and deliver^[d] me from you.”^(I)

¹⁶ When David finished saying these things to him, Saul replied, “Is that your voice, David my son?” ^(J) Then Saul wept aloud ¹⁷ and said to David, “You are more righteous than I, for you have done what is good to me though I have done what is evil to you.^{(K) 18} You yourself have told me today what good you did for me: when the Lord handed me over to you, you didn’t kill me.^{(L) 19} When a man finds his enemy, does he let him go unharmed?^[e](M) May the Lord repay you with good for what you’ve done for me today.

²⁰ “Now I know for certain you will be king, and the kingdom of Israel will be established^[f] in your hand.^{(N) 21} Therefore swear to me by the Lord that you will not cut off my descendants or wipe out my name from my father’s family.”^{(O) 22} So David swore to Saul. Then Saul went back home, and David and his men went up to the stronghold.^(P)