1 Samuel 24

David Spares Saul’s Life

11Now 2whenH3512 SaulH7586 returnedH7725 from pursuingH310 the PhilistinesH6430, 3it was reportedH5046 to him, sayingH559, “BeholdH2009, DavidH1732 is in the wildernessH4057 of EngediH5872.” 2Then 4SaulH7586 tookH3947 threeH7969 thousandH505 chosenH977 menH376 from allH3605 IsraelH3478 and wentH1980 to searchH1245 for DavidH1732 and his menH376 in frontH6440 of the RocksH6697 of the MountainH3277 GoatsH3277. 3And he cameH935 to the sheepfoldsH6629H1448 on the wayH1870, whereH8033 there was a caveH4631; and SaulH7586 5wentH935 inH935 to 6relieveH5526H7272 himself. Now 7DavidH1732 and his menH376 were sittingH3427 in the innerH3411 recessesH3411 of the caveH4631. 4Then David’sH1732 menH376 saidH559 to him, “BeholdH2009, 8this is the dayH3117 of whichH834 the LordH3068 saidH559 to you, ‘BeholdH2009; 9I am about to handH5414H3027 your enemyH340 overH5414 to you, and you shall doH6213 to him as it seemsH3190 goodH3190 10to you.’” Then DavidH1732 gotH6965 upH6965 and cutH3772 offH3772 the edgeH3671 of Saul’sH7586 robeH4598 secretlyH3909. 5But it cameH1961 aboutH1961 afterwardH310H3651 that 11David’sH1732 12conscienceH3820 botheredH5221 him becauseH5921H834 he had cutH3772 offH3772 the edgeH3671 of Saul’sH7586 robe. 6So he saidH559 to his menH376, “13FarH2486 be it from me becauseH4480 of the LordH3068 that I would doH6213 thisH2088 thingH1697 to my lordH113, the Lord’sH3068 anointedH4899, to reachH7971 outH7971 with my handH3027 against him, sinceH3588 he is the Lord’sH3068 anointedH4899.” 7And DavidH1732 rebukedH8156 his menH376 with these wordsH1697 and did not allowH5414 them to riseH6965 upH6965 againstH413 SaulH7586. And SaulH7586 gotH6965 upH6965, 14leftH4480 the caveH4631, and wentH1980 on his wayH1870.

8AfterwardH310H3651, however, DavidH1732 gotH6965 upH6965 and wentH3318 outH3318 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 prostratedH2331 himself. 9And DavidH1732 saidH559 to SaulH7586, “WhyH4100 do you listenH8085 to the wordsH1697 of menH120 16who sayH559, ‘BeholdH2009, DavidH1732 is seekingH1245 17to harmH7463 you’? 1018BeholdH2009, thisH2088 dayH3117 your eyesH5869 have seenH7200 that the LordH3068 had handedH5414H3027 you overH5414 to me todayH3117 in the caveH4631, and 19someone saidH559 to killH2026 you, but 20I sparedH2347 you; and I saidH559, ‘I will not reachH7971 outH7971 with my handH3027 against my lordH113, becauseH3588 he is the Lord’sH3068 anointedH4899.’ 11So, 21my fatherH1, lookH7200! IndeedH1571, lookH7200 at the edgeH3671 of your robeH4598 in my handH3027! For by the fact that I cutH3772 offH3772 the edgeH3671 of your robeH4598 but did not killH2026 you, knowH3045 and understandH7200 that thereH369 isH369 noH369 evilH7463 or 22rebellionH6588 in my handsH3027, and I have not sinnedH2398 against you, though you 23are lyingH6658 inH6658 waitH6658 for my lifeH5315, to takeH3947 it. 1224May the LordH3068 judgeH8199 betweenH996 25you and me, and may the LordH3068 takeH5358 vengeanceH5358 on you for me; but my handH3027 shall not be against you. 13As the proverbH4912 of the ancientsH6931 saysH559, ‘26OutH3318 of the wickedH7563 comesH3318 wickednessH7562’; but my handH3027 shall not be against you. 14AfterH310 whomH4310 has the kingH4428 of IsraelH3478 goneH3318 outH3318? WhomH4310 are you pursuingH7291? 27A deadH4191 dogH3611, 28a singleH259 fleaH6550? 15May 29the LordH3068 therefore be judgeH1781 and decideH8199 betweenH996 30you and me; and may He seeH7200 and 31pleadH7378 my causeH7379 and saveH8199 me from your handH3027.”

16When DavidH1732 had finishedH3615 speakingH1696 theseH428 wordsH1697 to SaulH7586, SaulH7586 saidH559, “32Is thisH2088 your voiceH6963, my sonH1121 DavidH1732?” Then SaulH7586 raisedH5375 his voiceH6963 and weptH1058. 1733And he saidH559 to DavidH1732, “You are moreH4480 righteousH6662 thanH4480 I; for 34you have dealtH1580 wellH2899 with me, while I have dealtH1580 maliciouslyH7463 with you. 18You have declaredH5046 todayH3117 that you have doneH6213 goodH2899 to me, that 35the LordH3068 handedH5462H3027 me overH5462 to you and yet you did not killH2026 me. 19Though ifH3588 a manH376 36findsH4672 his enemyH340, will he let him goH7971 awayH7971 37unharmedH2896H1870? May the LordH3068 therefore rewardH7999 you with goodH2899 inH8478 returnH8478 forH8478 whatH834 you have doneH6213 to me thisH2088 dayH3117. 20NowH6258, beholdH2009, 38I knowH3045 that you will certainlyH4427 beH4427 kingH4427, and that 39the kingdomH4467 of IsraelH3478 will be establishedH6965 in your handH3027. 21So nowH6258 40swearH7650 to me by the LordH3068 that you will not cutH3772 offH3772 my 41descendantsH2233 afterH310 me, and that you will not eliminateH8045 my nameH8034 from my father’sH1 householdH1004.” 22And DavidH1732 sworeH7650 an oath to SaulH7586. Then SaulH7586 wentH1980 to his homeH1004, but DavidH1732 and his menH376 wentH5927 upH5927 to 42the strongholdH4686.