24
1 When Saul had
returned from following
the Philistines, he
was told, “Behold, David
is in
the wilderness of En Gedi.”
2 Then
Saul took three thousand chosen men
out of all Israel,
and went to seek
David and his men
on the rocks of
the wild goats.
3 He
came to the sheep
pens by the way,
where there was
a cave; and Saul
went in to relieve
himself. Now David
and his men
were staying in
the innermost parts of
the cave.
4 David’s men
said to him, “Behold,
the day of which
the LORD said to
you, ‘Behold, I
will deliver your enemy
into your hand,
and you shall
do to him
as it shall seem
good to you.’ ”
Then David arose
and cut off
the skirt of Saul’s
robe secretly.
5 Afterward,
David’s heart struck him
because he had
cut off Saul’s
skirt.
6 He
said to his
men, “The
LORD forbid that I
should do this
thing to my lord,
the LORD’s anointed,
to stretch out
my hand against
him, since he
is the LORD’s
anointed.”
7 So
David checked his
men with these
words, and didn’t allow
them to rise
against Saul.
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!”
When Saul looked behind
him, David bowed
with his face to
the earth, and
showed respect.
9 David
said to Saul, “Why
do you listen to
men’s words, saying, ‘Behold,
David seeks to harm
you’?
10 Behold,
today your eyes have seen
how the LORD
had delivered you today
into my hand in
the cave. Some urged
me to kill you,
but I spared you.
I said, ‘I
will not stretch
out my hand
against my lord,
for he is
the LORD’s anointed.’
11 Moreover,
my father, behold,
yes, see the skirt
of your robe in
my hand; for
in that I cut
off the skirt of
your robe and didn’t
kill you, know and
see that there
is neither evil
nor disobedience in
my hand. I
have not sinned
against you,
though you hunt
for my life
to take it.
12 May
the LORD judge
between me and
you, and may
the LORD avenge me
of you; but
my hand will
not be on
you.
13 As
the proverb of
the ancients says, ‘Out
of the wicked
comes wickedness;’ but
my hand will
not be on
you.
14 Against whom
has the king
of Israel come out?
Whom do you pursue?
A dead dog? A flea?
15 May
the LORD therefore
be judge, and give sentence between
me and you,
and see, and plead
my cause,
and deliver me out
of your hand.”
16 It
came to pass,
when David
had finished speaking these words
to Saul, that Saul said, “Is
that your voice,
my son David?” Saul lifted
up his voice
and wept.
17 He
said to David, “You
are more righteous
than I; for
you have done good
to me, whereas I
have done evil to
you.
18 You
have declared today how
you have dealt
well with me,
because when the
LORD had delivered
me up into
your hand, you didn’t kill
me.
19 For if
a man finds
his enemy, will he
let him go away
unharmed? Therefore may
the LORD reward
you good for
that which you
have done to
me today.
20 Now, behold,
I know that you
will surely
be king, and that
the kingdom of Israel
will be
established in
your hand.
21 Swear
now therefore to
me by the
LORD that you
will not cut off
my offspring after
me, and that
you will
not destroy my name
out of my father’s
house.”
22 David swore
to Saul. Saul went
home, but David
and his men
went up to
the stronghold.