1 Samuel 24

David Spares Saul’s Life

1Now 1whenH3512 SaulH7586 returnedH7725 from pursuingH310 the PhilistinesH6430, 2he was toldH5046, sayingH559, “BeholdH2009, DavidH1732 is in the wildernessH4057 of EngediH5872.” 2Then 3SaulH7586 tookH3947 threeH7969 thousandH505 chosenH977 menH376 from allH3605 IsraelH3478 and wentH1980 to seekH1245 DavidH1732 and his menH376 in frontH6440 of the RocksH6697 of the WildH3277 GoatsH3277. 3He cameH935 to the sheepfoldsH6629H1448 on the wayH1870, whereH8033 thereH8033 was a caveH4631; and SaulH7586 4wentH935 in to 5relieveH5526H7272 himself. Now 6DavidH1732 and his menH376 were sittingH3427 in the innerH3411 recessesH3411 of the caveH4631. 4The menH376 of DavidH1732 saidH559 to him, “BeholdH2009, 7this is the dayH3117 of whichH834 the LordH3068 saidH559 to you, ‘BeholdH2009; 8I am about to giveH5414 your enemyH340 into your handH3027, and you shall doH6213 to him as it seemsH3190 goodH3190 9to you.’” Then DavidH1732 aroseH6965 and cutH3772 offH3772 the edgeH3671 of Saul’sH7586 robeH4598 secretlyH3909. 5It cameH1961 about afterwardH310H3651 that 10David’sH1732 11conscienceH3820 botheredH5221 him becauseH5921H834 he had cutH3772 offH3772 the edgeH3671 of Saul’sH7586 robe. 6So he saidH559 to his menH376, “12FarH2486 be it from me becauseH4480 of the LordH3068 that I should doH6213 thisH2088 thingH1697 to my lordH113, the Lord’sH3068 anointedH4899, to stretchH7971 out my handH3027 against him, sinceH3588 he is the Lord’sH3068 anointedH4899.” 7DavidH1732 13persuadedH8156 his menH376 with these wordsH1697 and did not allowH5414 them to riseH6965 up againstH413 SaulH7586. And SaulH7586 aroseH6965, 14leftH4480 the caveH4631, and wentH1980 on his wayH1870.

8Now afterwardH310H3651 DavidH1732 aroseH6965 and wentH3318 out of the caveH4631 and calledH7121 afterH310 SaulH7586, sayingH559, “My lordH113 the kingH4428!” And when SaulH7586 lookedH5027 behindH310 him, 15DavidH1732 bowedH6915 with his faceH639 to the groundH776 and prostratedH7812 himself. 9DavidH1732 saidH559 to SaulH7586, “WhyH4100 do you listenH8085 to the wordsH1697 of menH120, sayingH559, ‘BeholdH2009, DavidH1732 seeksH1245 16to harmH7463 you’? 1017BeholdH2009, thisH2088 dayH3117 your eyesH5869 have seenH7200 that the LordH3068 had givenH5414 you todayH3117 into my handH3027 in the caveH4631, and 18some saidH559 to killH2026 you, but my eye had pityH2347 on you; and I saidH559, ‘I will not stretchH7971 out my handH3027 against my lordH113, for he is the Lord’sH3068 anointedH4899.’ 11Now, 19my fatherH1, seeH7200! IndeedH1571, seeH7200 the edgeH3671 of your robeH4598 in my handH3027! For in that I cutH3772 offH3772 the edgeH3671 of your robeH4598 and did not killH2026 you, knowH3045 and perceiveH7200 that thereH369 is noH369 evilH7463 or 20rebellionH6588 in my handsH3027, and I have not sinnedH2398 against you, though you 21are lyingH6658 in waitH6658 for my lifeH5315 to takeH3947 it. 1222May the LordH3068 judgeH8199 betweenH996 23you and me, and may the LordH3068 avengeH5358 me on you; but my handH3027 shall not be against you. 13As the proverbH4912 of the ancientsH6931 saysH559, ‘24Out of the wickedH7563 comesH3318 forthH3318 wickednessH7562’; but my handH3027 shall not be against you. 14AfterH310 whomH4310 has the kingH4428 of IsraelH3478 comeH3318 out? WhomH4310 are you pursuingH7291? 25A deadH4191 dogH3611, 26a singleH259 fleaH6550? 1527The LordH3068 therefore be judgeH1781 and decideH8199 betweenH996 28you and me; and may He seeH7200 and 29pleadH7378 my causeH7379 and 30deliverH8199 me from your handH3027.”

16When DavidH1732 had finishedH3615 speakingH1696 theseH428 wordsH1697 to SaulH7586, SaulH7586 saidH559, “31Is thisH2088 your voiceH6963, my sonH1121 DavidH1732?” Then SaulH7586 liftedH5375 up his voiceH6963 and weptH1058. 1732He saidH559 to DavidH1732, “You are moreH4480 righteousH6662 thanH4480 I; for 33you have dealtH1580 wellH2899 with me, while I have dealtH1580 wickedlyH7463 with you. 18You have declaredH5046 todayH3117 that you have doneH6213 goodH2899 to me, that 34the LordH3068 deliveredH5462 me into your handH3027 and yet you did not killH2026 me. 19For ifH3588 a manH376 35findsH4672 his enemyH340, will he let him goH7971 awayH7971 36safelyH2896H1870? May the LordH3068 therefore rewardH7999 you with goodH2899 in returnH8478 for whatH834 you have doneH6213 to me thisH2088 dayH3117. 20NowH6258, beholdH2009, 37I knowH3045 that you will surelyH4427 be kingH4427, and that 38the kingdomH4467 of IsraelH3478 will be establishedH6965 in your handH3027. 21So nowH6258 39swearH7650 to me by the LordH3068 that you will not cutH3772 offH3772 my 40descendantsH2233 afterH310 me and that you will not destroyH8045 my nameH8034 from my father’sH1 householdH1004.” 22DavidH1732 sworeH7650 to SaulH7586. And SaulH7586 wentH1980 to his homeH1004, but DavidH1732 and his menH376 wentH5927 up to 41the strongholdH4686.