1 Samuel 24
New King James Version
David Spares Saul
24 Now it happened, (A)when Saul had returned from following the Philistines, that it was told him, saying, “Take note! David is in the Wilderness of En Gedi.” 2 Then Saul took three thousand chosen men from all Israel, and (B)went to seek David and his men on the Rocks of the Wild Goats. 3 So he came to the sheepfolds by the road, where there was a cave; and (C)Saul went in to (D)attend to his needs. ((E)David and his men were staying in the recesses of the cave.) 4 (F)Then the men of David said to him, “This is the day of which the Lord said to you, ‘Behold, I will deliver your enemy into your hand, that you may do to him as it seems good to you.’ ” And David arose and secretly cut off a corner of Saul’s robe. 5 Now it happened afterward that (G)David’s heart troubled him because he had cut Saul’s robe. 6 And he said to his men, (H)“The Lord forbid that I should do this thing to my master, the Lord’s anointed, to stretch out my hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the Lord.” 7 So David (I)restrained his servants with these words, and did not allow them to rise against Saul. And Saul got up from the cave and went on his way.
8 David also arose afterward, went out of the cave, and called out to Saul, saying, “My lord the king!” And when Saul looked behind him, David stooped with his face to the earth, and bowed down. 9 And David said to Saul: (J)“Why do you listen to the words of men who say, ‘Indeed David seeks your harm’? 10 Look, this day your eyes have seen that the Lord delivered you today into my hand in the cave, and someone urged me to kill you. But my eye spared you, and I said, ‘I will not stretch out my hand against my lord, for he is the Lord’s anointed.’ 11 Moreover, my father, see! Yes, see the corner of your robe in my hand! For in that I cut off the corner of your robe, and did not kill you, know and see that there is (K)neither evil nor rebellion in my hand, and I have not sinned against you. Yet you (L)hunt my life to take it. 12 (M)Let the Lord judge between you and me, and let the Lord avenge me on you. But my hand shall not be against you. 13 As the proverb of the ancients says, (N)‘Wickedness proceeds from the wicked.’ But my hand shall not be against you. 14 After whom has the king of Israel come out? Whom do you pursue? (O)A dead dog? (P)A flea? 15 (Q)Therefore let the Lord be judge, and judge between you and me, and (R)see and (S)plead my case, and deliver me out of your hand.”
16 So it was, when David had finished speaking these words to Saul, that Saul said, (T)“Is this your voice, my son David?” And Saul lifted up his voice and wept. 17 (U)Then he said to David: “You are (V)more righteous than I; for (W)you have rewarded me with good, whereas I have rewarded you with evil. 18 And you have shown this day how you have dealt well with me; for when (X)the Lord delivered me into your hand, you did not kill me. 19 For if a man finds his enemy, will he let him get away safely? Therefore may the Lord reward you with good for what you have done to me this day. 20 And now (Y)I know indeed that you shall surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in your hand. 21 (Z)Therefore swear now to me by the Lord (AA)that you will not cut off my descendants after me, and that you will not destroy my name from my father’s house.”
22 So David swore to Saul. And Saul went home, but David and his men went up to (AB)the stronghold.
1 Samuel 24
King James Version
24 And it came to pass, when Saul was returned from following the Philistines, that it was told him, saying, Behold, David is in the wilderness of Engedi.
2 Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went to seek David and his men upon the rocks of the wild goats.
3 And he came to the sheepcotes by the way, where was a cave; and Saul went in to cover his feet: and David and his men remained in the sides of the cave.
4 And the men of David said unto him, Behold the day of which the Lord said unto thee, Behold, I will deliver thine enemy into thine hand, that thou mayest do to him as it shall seem good unto thee. Then David arose, and cut off the skirt of Saul's robe privily.
5 And it came to pass afterward, that David's heart smote him, because he had cut off Saul's skirt.
6 And he said unto his men, The Lord forbid that I should do this thing unto my master, the Lord's anointed, to stretch forth mine hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the Lord.
7 So David stayed his servants with these words, and suffered them not to rise against Saul. But Saul rose up out of the cave, and went on his way.
8 David also arose afterward, and went out of the cave, and cried after Saul, saying, My lord the king. And when Saul looked behind him, David stooped with his face to the earth, and bowed himself.
9 And David said to Saul, Wherefore hearest thou men's words, saying, Behold, David seeketh thy hurt?
10 Behold, this day thine eyes have seen how that the Lord had delivered thee to day into mine hand in the cave: and some bade me kill thee: but mine eye spared thee; and I said, I will not put forth mine hand against my lord; for he is the Lord's anointed.
11 Moreover, my father, see, yea, see the skirt of thy robe in my hand: for in that I cut off the skirt of thy robe, and killed thee not, know thou and see that there is neither evil nor transgression in mine hand, and I have not sinned against thee; yet thou huntest my soul to take it.
12 The Lord judge between me and thee, and the Lord avenge me of thee: but mine hand shall not be upon thee.
13 As saith the proverb of the ancients, Wickedness proceedeth from the wicked: but mine hand shall not be upon thee.
14 After whom is the king of Israel come out? after whom dost thou pursue? after a dead dog, after a flea.
15 The Lord therefore be judge, and judge between me and thee, and see, and plead my cause, and deliver me out of thine hand.
16 And it came to pass, when David had made an end of speaking these words unto Saul, that Saul said, Is this thy voice, my son David? And Saul lifted up his voice, and wept.
17 And he said to David, Thou art more righteous than I: for thou hast rewarded me good, whereas I have rewarded thee evil.
18 And thou hast shewed this day how that thou hast dealt well with me: forasmuch as when the Lord had delivered me into thine hand, thou killedst me not.
19 For if a man find his enemy, will he let him go well away? wherefore the Lord reward thee good for that thou hast done unto me this day.
20 And now, behold, I know well that thou shalt surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in thine hand.
21 Swear now therefore unto me by the Lord, that thou wilt not cut off my seed after me, and that thou wilt not destroy my name out of my father's house.
22 And David sware unto Saul. And Saul went home; but David and his men gat them up unto the hold.
Fyrri Samúelsbók 24
Icelandic Bible
24 Davíð fór þaðan og hafðist við uppi í fjallvígjum við Engedí.
2 Og þegar Sál kom aftur úr herförinni móti Filistum, báru menn honum tíðindi og sögðu: "Sjá, Davíð er í Engedí-eyðimörk."
3 Þá tók Sál þrjár þúsundir manns, einvalalið úr öllum Ísrael, og lagði af stað til að leita Davíðs og hans manna austan í Steingeitahömrum.
4 Og hann kom að fjárbyrgjunum við veginn. Þar var hellir, og gekk Sál inn í hann erinda sinna. En Davíð og hans menn höfðu lagst fyrir innst í hellinum.
5 Þá sögðu menn Davíðs við hann: "Nú er dagurinn kominn, sá er Drottinn talaði um við þig: ,Sjá, ég mun gefa óvin þinn í hendur þér, svo að þú getir við hann gjört það, er þér vel líkar."` Og Davíð stóð upp og sneið leynilega lafið af skikkju Sáls.
6 En eftir á sló samviskan Davíð, að hann hafði sniðið lafið af skikkju Sáls.
7 Og hann sagði við menn sína: "Drottinn láti það vera fjarri mér, að ég gjöri slíkt við herra minn, Drottins smurða, að ég leggi hönd á hann, því að Drottins smurði er hann."
8 Og Davíð átaldi menn sína harðlega og leyfði þeim ekki að ráðast á Sál. Sál stóð upp og gekk út úr hellinum og fór leiðar sinnar.
9 Þá reis Davíð upp og gekk út úr hellinum og kallaði á eftir Sál: "Minn herra konungur!" Þá leit Sál aftur, en Davíð hneigði andlit sitt til jarðar og laut honum.
10 Og Davíð sagði við Sál: "Hví hlýðir þú á tal þeirra manna, sem segja: ,Sjá, Davíð situr um að vinna þér mein`?
11 Sjá, nú hefir þú sjálfur séð, hversu Drottinn gaf þig í mínar hendur í dag í hellinum. Og menn eggjuðu mig á að drepa þig, en ég þyrmdi þér og hugsaði með mér: ,Ég skal eigi leggja hendur á herra minn, því að Drottins smurði er hann.`
12 En líttu á, faðir, já líttu á lafið af skikkju þinni í hendi mér. Af því, að ég sneið lafið af skikkju þinni og drap þig ekki _ af því mátt þú skynja og skilja, að ég bý eigi yfir illsku og svikum og að ég hefi eigi syndgað á móti þér. En þú situr um að ráða mig af dögum.
13 Drottinn dæmi milli mín og þín, og Drottinn hefni mín á þér, en hendur legg ég ekki á þig.
14 Eins og gamalt máltæki segir: ,Ills er af illum von,` en hendur legg ég ekki á þig.
15 Hvern eltir Ísraelskonungur? Hvern ofsækir þú? Dauðan hund, eina fló!
16 Drottinn sé dómari og dæmi okkar í milli og sjái til og flytji mál mitt og reki réttar míns í hendur þér."
17 Þegar Davíð hafði mælt þessum orðum til Sáls, þá kallaði Sál: "Er það ekki þín rödd, Davíð sonur minn?" og Sál tók að gráta hástöfum.
18 Og hann mælti til Davíðs: "Þú ert réttlátari en ég, því að þú hefir gjört mér gott, en ég hefi gjört þér illt.
19 Og þú hefir í dag aukið á það góða, sem þú hefir auðsýnt mér, þar sem Drottinn seldi mig í þínar hendur, en þú drapst mig ekki.
20 Því að hitti einhver óvin sinn, mun hann þá láta hann fara leiðar sinnar í friði? En Drottinn mun umbuna þér þennan dag góðu, fyrir það sem þú gjörðir mér.
21 Og sjá, nú veit ég, að þú munt konungur verða og að konungdómur Ísraels mun staðfestast í þinni hendi.
22 Vinn mér því eið að því við Drottin, að þú skulir ekki uppræta niðja mína eftir mig og ekki afmá nafn mitt úr ætt minni."
23 Og Davíð vann Sál eið að því. Fór Sál því næst heim til sín, en Davíð og menn hans fóru upp í fjallvígið.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
by Icelandic Bible Society