1 Samuel 24
New English Translation
David Spares Saul’s Life
24 (24:2) When Saul returned from pursuing the Philistines, he was told, “Look, David is in the desert of En Gedi.” 2 So Saul took 3,000 select men from all Israel and went to find[a] David and his men in the region of[b] the rocks of the mountain goats.[c] 3 He came to the sheepfolds by the road, where there was a cave. Saul went into it to relieve himself.[d]
Now David and his men were sitting in the recesses of the cave. 4 David’s men said to him, “This is the day about which the Lord said to you, ‘I will give your enemy into your hand, and you can do to him whatever seems appropriate to you.’”[e] So David got up and quietly cut off an edge of Saul’s robe. 5 Afterward David’s conscience bothered him[f] because he had cut off an edge of Saul’s robe. 6 He said to his men, “May the Lord keep me far away from doing such a thing to my lord, who is the Lord’s chosen one,[g] by extending my hand against him. After all,[h] he is the Lord’s chosen one.” 7 David restrained his men with these words and did not allow them to rise up against Saul. Then Saul left the cave and started down[i] the road.
8 Afterward David got up and went out of the cave. He called out to Saul, “My lord, O king!” When Saul looked behind him, David kneeled down and bowed with his face to the ground. 9 David said to Saul, “Why do you pay attention when men say, ‘David is seeking to do you harm’? 10 Today your own eyes see how the Lord delivered you—this very day—into my hands in the cave. Some told me to kill you, but I had pity[j] on you and said, ‘I will not extend my hand against my lord, for he is the Lord’s chosen one.’[k] 11 Look, my father, and see the edge of your robe in my hand! When I cut off the edge of your robe, I didn’t kill you. So realize and understand that I am not planning[l] evil or rebellion. Even though I have not sinned against you, you are waiting in ambush to take my life. 12 May the Lord judge between the two of us, and may the Lord vindicate me over you, but my hand will not be against you. 13 It’s like the old proverb says: ‘From evil people evil proceeds.’ But my hand will not be against you. 14 Who has the king of Israel come out after? Who is it that you are pursuing? A dead dog? A single flea? 15 May the Lord be our judge and arbiter. May he see and arbitrate my case and deliver me from your hands.”
16 When David finished speaking these words to Saul, Saul said, “Is that your voice, my son David?” Then Saul wept loudly.[m] 17 He said to David, “You are more innocent[n] than I, for you have treated me well, even though I have tried to harm you. 18 You have explained today how you have treated me well. The Lord delivered me into your hand, but you did not kill me. 19 Now if a man finds his enemy, does he send him on his way in good shape? May the Lord repay you with good this day for what you have done to me. 20 Now look, I realize that you will in fact be king and that the kingdom of Israel will be established in your hands. 21 So now swear to me in the Lord’s name[o] that you will not kill[p] my descendants after me or destroy my name from the house of my father.”
22 David promised Saul this on oath.[q] Then Saul went to his house, and David and his men went up to the stronghold.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 1 Samuel 24:2 tn Heb “to search [for].”
- 1 Samuel 24:2 tn Heb “upon the face of.”
- 1 Samuel 24:2 tn Or “the region of the Rocks of the Mountain Goats,” if this expression is understood as a place name (cf. NASB, NIV, NRSV, TEV, CEV).
- 1 Samuel 24:3 tn Heb “to cover his feet,” an idiom (euphemism) for relieving oneself (cf. NAB “to ease nature”).
- 1 Samuel 24:4 tn Heb “is good in your eyes.”
- 1 Samuel 24:5 tn Heb “the heart of David struck him.”
- 1 Samuel 24:6 tn Heb “anointed.” Also at the end of this verse.
- 1 Samuel 24:6 tn Or “for.”
- 1 Samuel 24:7 tn Heb “went on.”
- 1 Samuel 24:10 tn Heb “it had pity,” apparently with the understood subject being “my eye,” in accordance with a common expression.
- 1 Samuel 24:10 tn Heb “anointed.”
- 1 Samuel 24:11 tn Heb “there is not in my hand.”
- 1 Samuel 24:16 tn Heb “lifted his voice and wept.”
- 1 Samuel 24:17 tn Or “righteous” (so KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV); NAB “you are in the right”; NLT “are a better man than I am.”
- 1 Samuel 24:21 tn Heb “by the Lord.”
- 1 Samuel 24:21 tn Heb “cut off.”
- 1 Samuel 24:22 tn Heb “and David swore an oath to Saul.”
1 Samuel 24
Christian Standard Bible
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 sheep pens 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 Afterward, 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. Recognize[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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