1 Samuel 24
New Century Version
David Shames Saul
24 After Saul returned from chasing the Philistines, he was told, “David is in the Desert of En Gedi.” 2 So he took three thousand chosen men from all Israel and began looking for David and his men near the Rocks of the Wild Goats.
3 Saul came to the sheep pens beside the road. A cave was there, and he went in to relieve himself. Now David and his men were hiding far back in the cave. 4 The men said to David, “Today is the day the Lord spoke of when he said, ‘I will give your enemy over to you. Do anything you want with him.’”
Then David crept up to Saul and quietly cut off a corner of Saul’s robe. 5 Later David felt guilty because he had cut off a corner of Saul’s robe. 6 He said to his men, “May the Lord keep me from doing such a thing to my master! Saul is the Lord’s appointed king. I should not do anything against him, because he is the Lord’s appointed king!” 7 David used these words to stop his men; he did not let them attack Saul. Then Saul left the cave and went his way.
8 When David came out of the cave, he shouted to Saul, “My master and king!” Saul looked back, and David bowed facedown on the ground. 9 He said to Saul, “Why do you listen when people say, ‘David wants to harm you’? 10 You have seen something with your own eyes today. The Lord put you in my power in the cave. They said I should kill you, but I was merciful. I said, ‘I won’t harm my master, because he is the Lord’s appointed king.’ 11 My father, look at this piece of your robe in my hand! I cut off the corner of your robe, but I didn’t kill you. Now understand and know I am not planning any evil against you. I did nothing wrong to you, but you are hunting me to kill me. 12 May the Lord judge between us, and may he punish you for the wrong you have done to me! But I am not against you. 13 There is an old saying: ‘Evil things come from evil people.’ But I am not against you. 14 Whom is the king of Israel coming out against? Whom are you chasing? It’s as if you are chasing a dead dog or a flea. 15 May the Lord be our judge and decide between you and me. May he support me and show that I am right. May he save me from you!”
16 When David finished saying these words, Saul asked, “Is that your voice, David my son?” And he cried loudly. 17 He said, “You are a better man than I am. You have been good to me, but I have done wrong to you. 18 You told me what good things you did. The Lord handed me over to you, but you did not kill me. 19 People don’t normally let an enemy get away like this, do they? May the Lord reward you because you were good to me today. 20 I know you will surely be king, and you will rule the kingdom of Israel. 21 Now swear to me by the Lord that you will not kill my descendants and that you won’t wipe out my name from my father’s family.”
22 So David made the promise to Saul. Then Saul went back home, and David and his men went up to their hideout.
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
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.
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