1 Samuelsboken 24
Svenska Folkbibeln
David och Saul i grottan
24 David drog upp därifrån och uppehöll sig bland En-Gedis bergfästen. 2 När Saul kom tillbaka från filisteerna, talade man om för honom att David var i En-Gedis öken. 3 Då tog Saul tretusen män, utvalda ur hela Israel, och gav sig av för att söka efter David och hans män på Stenbocksklipporna. 4 När han kom till fårfållorna vid vägen, fanns där en grotta. Dit gick han in för att uträtta sina behov. Men David och hans män satt längst inne i grottan. 5 Davids män sade till honom: "Se, detta är den dag som Herren har talat till dig om: Se, jag ger din fiende i din hand, så att du får göra vad du vill med honom." Då reste David sig och skar obemärkt av en flik på Sauls mantel. 6 Men efteråt slog Davids samvete honom för att han hade skurit av fliken på Sauls mantel. 7 Han sade till sina män: " Herren förbjude att jag skulle göra detta mot min herre, mot Herrens smorde, att jag skulle räcka ut min hand mot honom. Han är ju Herrens smorde." 8 David höll tillbaka sina män med stränga ord och tillät dem inte att överfalla Saul.
Och Saul steg upp och gick ut ur grottan och fortsatte sin väg. 9 Då steg också David upp och gick ut ur grottan och ropade efter Saul: "Min herre och konung!" När Saul såg sig tillbaka, böjde David sig ner med ansiktet mot jorden och bugade sig. 10 Han sade till Saul: "Varför lyssnar du till sådana människor som säger att David vill din olycka? 11 Du har ju nu med egna ögon sett hur jag skonade dig, när Herren i dag hade gett dig i min hand i grottan och man uppmanade mig att döda dig. Jag tänkte: Jag skall inte räcka ut handen mot min herre. Han är ju Herrens smorde. 12 Se själv, min fader, ja, se här fliken av din mantel i min hand. Genom att jag skar av fliken på din mantel men inte dödade dig, kan du se och förstå att jag inte har velat göra något ont eller begå något brott och att jag inte har syndat mot dig. Men du jagar mig för att ta mitt liv. 13 Herren skall döma mellan mig och dig, och Herren skall hämnas mig på dig, men min hand skall inte komma vid dig. 14 Det är som det gamla ordspråket säger: "Från de ogudaktiga kommer vad ogudaktigt är." Min hand skall inte komma vid dig.
15 Vem har Israels konung dragit ut efter? Vem är det du jagar? En död hund? En loppa? 16 Må Herren vara domare och döma mellan mig och dig. Må han se till detta och utföra min sak, ja, må han döma mig fri från din hand."
17 När David hade sagt detta sade Saul: "Är det inte din röst, min son David?" Och Saul brast ut i gråt 18 och sade till David: "Du är mer rättfärdig än jag, för du har gjort gott mot mig fastän jag har gjort ont mot dig. 19 Du har i dag låtit mig se din godhet mot mig och inte dödat mig, då Herren hade överlämnat mig i din hand. 20 När någon träffar på sin fiende, brukar han då låta honom gå sin väg i frid? Herren må löna dig med gott för vad du har gjort mot mig i dag. 21 Nu vet jag säkert att du skall bli kung och att Israels kungadöme skall förbli i din hand. 22 Men lova mig nu med ed vid Herren att du inte utrotar mina efterkommande och inte utplånar mitt namn ur min fars hus." 23 Då lovade David detta med ed inför Saul. Därefter vände Saul hem. Men David och hans män drog upp till bergsfästet.
1 Samuel 24
English Standard Version
David Spares Saul's Life
24 [a] (A)When Saul returned from following the Philistines, he was told, “Behold, David is in the wilderness of Engedi.” 2 Then Saul took (B)three thousand chosen men out of all Israel and went to seek David and his men in front of the Wildgoats' Rocks. 3 And he came to the sheepfolds by the way, where there was a cave, and Saul went in (C)to relieve himself.[b] Now David and his men were sitting in the innermost parts (D)of the cave. 4 And the men of David said to him, (E)“Here is the day of which the Lord said to you, ‘Behold, I will give your enemy into your hand, and you shall do to him as it shall seem good to you.’” Then David arose and stealthily cut off a corner of Saul's robe. 5 And afterward (F)David's heart struck him, because he had cut off a corner of Saul's robe. 6 He said to his men, (G)“The Lord forbid that I should do this thing to my lord, the Lord's anointed, to put out my hand against him, seeing he is (H)the Lord's anointed.” 7 So David persuaded his men with these words (I)and did not permit them to attack Saul. And Saul rose up and left the cave and went on his way.
8 Afterward David also arose and went out of the cave, and called after Saul, “My lord the king!” And when Saul looked behind him, David bowed with his face to the earth and paid homage. 9 And David said to Saul, “Why do you listen to the words of men who say, ‘Behold, David seeks your harm’? 10 Behold, this day your eyes have seen how the Lord gave you today into my hand in the cave. (J)And some told me to kill you, but I spared you.[c] I said, ‘I will not put out my hand against my lord, (K)for he is the Lord's anointed.’ 11 See, my father, see the corner of your robe in my hand. For by the fact that I cut off the corner of your robe and did not kill you, you may know and see that (L)there is no wrong or treason in my hands. I have not sinned against you, though (M)you hunt my life to take it. 12 (N)May the Lord judge between me and you, may the Lord avenge me against you, but my hand shall not be against you. 13 As the proverb of the ancients says, ‘Out of the wicked comes wickedness.’ But my hand shall not be against you. 14 After whom has the king of Israel come out? After whom do you pursue? (O)After a dead dog! (P)After a flea! 15 (Q)May the Lord therefore be judge and give sentence between me and you, and see to it and (R)plead my cause and deliver me from your hand.”
16 As soon as David had finished speaking these words to Saul, Saul said, (S)“Is this your voice, my son David?” And Saul lifted up his voice and wept. 17 He said to David, “You are more righteous than I, (T)for you have repaid me good, whereas I have repaid you evil. 18 And you have declared this day how you have dealt well with me, in that you did not kill me when the Lord put me into your hands. 19 For if a man finds his enemy, will he let him go away safe? So may the Lord reward you with good for what you have done to me this day. 20 And now, behold, (U)I know that you shall surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in your hand. 21 (V)Swear to me therefore by the Lord that you will not cut off my offspring after me, and (W)that you will not destroy my name out of my father's house.” 22 And David swore this to Saul. Then Saul went home, but David and his men went up (X)to the stronghold.
Footnotes
- 1 Samuel 24:1 Ch 24:2 in Hebrew
- 1 Samuel 24:3 Hebrew cover his feet
- 1 Samuel 24:10 Septuagint, Syriac, Targum; Hebrew it [my eye] spared you
1 Samuel 24
Christian Standard Bible Anglicised
David Spares Saul
24 When Saul returned from pursuing the Philistines,(A) he was told, ‘David is in the wilderness near En-gedi.’(B) 2 So Saul took three thousand of Israel’s fit young men(C) and went to look for David and his men in front of the Rocks of the Wild Goats. 3 When Saul came to the sheepfolds along the road, a cave was there, and he went in to relieve himself.[a](D) David and his men were staying in the recesses of the cave,(E) 4 so they said to him, ‘Look, this is the day the Lord told you about: “I will hand your enemy over to you so you can do to him whatever you desire.” ’ Then David got up and secretly cut off the corner of Saul’s robe.
5 Afterwards, David’s conscience bothered[b](F) him because he had cut off the corner of Saul’s robe.[c] 6 He said to his men, ‘As the Lord is my witness, I would never do such a thing to my lord, the Lord’s anointed.(G) I will never lift my hand against him, since he is the Lord’s anointed.’(H) 7 With these words David persuaded[d] his men, and he did not let them rise up against Saul.
Then Saul left the cave and went on his way. 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.(I) 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.(J) Someone advised me to kill you,(K) but I[e][f] 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!(L) Look at the corner of your robe in my hand, for I cut it off, but I didn’t kill you. Recognise[g] 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.(M)
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.(N) 13 As the old proverb says, “Wickedness comes from wicked people.”(O) 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?(P) 15 May the Lord be judge and decide between you and me. May he take notice and plead my case and deliver[h] me from you.’(Q)
16 When David finished saying these things to him, Saul replied, ‘Is that your voice, David my son? ’(R) 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.(S) 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.(T) 19 When a man finds his enemy, does he let him go unharmed?[i](U) 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[j] in your hand.(V) 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.’(W) 22 So David swore to Saul. Then Saul went back home, and David and his men went up to the stronghold.(X)
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