Revised Version 1895

1 Samuel 24:1-17

1And itcameH5927to pass, when Saul wasreturnedH5927from following the Philistines, that it was told him, saying, Behold,DavidH1732is in the wilderness of En-gedi.

2ThenSaulH7586tookH1961three thousand chosenmenH559out ofallהִנֵּ֣הhi.NehH2009Israel, andwentשָׁ֣בshavH7725to seekDavidH1732and hismenH559uponH1961the rocks of the wild goats.

3And hecameH376to the sheepcotes by thewayפְּנֵ֖יpe.NeiH6440,whereH5921was a cave; andSaulH7586wentH376in to cover his feet. NowDavidH1732and hismenאִ֥ישׁ'ishH376were abiding in the innermost parts of the cave.

4And themenH376ofDavidH1732saidאֶל־'el-H413unto him, Behold, the day ofwhichוְשָׁ֣םve.ShamH8033the LORDsaidאֵלָ֗יו'e.LavH413unto thee, Behold, I will deliver thine enemyintoאֵלֶ֗יךָ'e.Lei.khaH413thine hand, and thou shaltdoH935to him as it shall seem good unto thee. ThenDavidH1732arose, and cutoffעַל־'al-H5921the skirt ofSaul’sH7586robe privily.

5And itcameH413topassוַיָּ֣קָםvai.Ya.komH6965afterward, thatDavid’sH1732heart smote himbecauseH834he hadcutכָּרַ֔תka.RatH3772offוַיִּכְרֹ֛תvai.yikh.RotH3772Saul’sH7586skirtH3671.

6And hesaidH3651unto hismenכָּרַ֔תka.RatH3772, The LORD forbid that I should do thisthingH3651unto my lord, the LORD’S anointed, to put forth mine handagainstעַ֚ל'alH5921him, seeing he is the LORD’S anointed.

7Soאֶעֱשֶׂה֩'e.'e.SehH6213DavidH3027checked hismenH376withtheseH2088wordsבַּדְּבָרִ֔יםba.de.va.RimH1697, and suffered themnotH2088to riseagainstH3027SaulH559. AndSaulH559roseupH853outלִשְׁלֹ֥חַlish.Lo.achH7971of the cave, andwentH376on hiswayהַדָּבָ֨רha.da.VarH1697.

8DavidH1732alsoaroseH6965afterward, andwentH6965outH413of thecaveH4631, andcriedנְתָנָ֖םne.ta.NamH5414afterH413SaulH7586,sayingבַּדְּבָרִ֔יםba.de.va.RimH1697, My lord the king. And whenSaulH7586looked behind him,DavidH1732bowed with his face to the earth, anddidוְלֹ֥אve.Lo'H3808obeisance.

9AndDavidH1732saidH559toSaulH7586, Wherefore hearkenest thou to men’s words,sayingH559,Beholdוַיַּבֵּ֤טvai.ya.BetH5027,DavidH1732seeketh thy hurt?

10Beholdהִנֵּה֩hi.NehH2009, this day thine eyes have seenhowלָ֧מָּהLa.mahH4100that the LORD had delivered thee today into mine hand in the cave: andsomeהִנֵּ֣הhi.NehH2009bademeH1697kill thee: but mine eye spared thee; and IsaidH559, I willnotH1732putforthתִשְׁמַ֛עtish.Ma'H8085mine handagainstH1697my lord; for he is the LORD’S anointed.

11Moreoverהִנֵּה֩hi.NehH2009, my father,seeרְאֵ֔הre.'EhH7200,yeaH3588,seeרָא֣וּra.'UH7200the skirt of thy robe in myhandH3027: for in that I cutoffH5921the skirt of thy robe, andkilledH2026theenotH3808, know thou andseeרְאֵ֛הre.'EhH7200that there isneitherH3808evilnorH3808transgression in minehandH3027, and I havenotH3808sinnedagainstH5921thee,thoughH3588thou huntestafterH5921my soul totakeוּרְאֵה֙u.re.'EhH7200it.

12The LORD judge betweenmeH5315and thee, and the LORD avengemeH5315of thee: but minehandH3027shallnotH3808beuponH7200thee.

13As saith the proverb of the ancients,OutH4480of the wicked cometh forth wickedness: butmineH4480handH3027shallnotH3808beuponH1961thee.

14AfterH1961whomH834is the king of IsraelcomeH1961outH3318?afterH1961whomH834dost thou pursue?afterH1961a dead dog,afterH1961a flea.

15The LORD therefore be judge, and give sentence betweenmeH310and thee, and see, and plead my cause, and delivermeH310outיָצָא֙ya.Tza'H3318of thine hand.

16And itcameH1961topassH1961, whenDavidH3027hadmadeH1961an end of speaking these words unto Saul, that Saul said, Is this thy voice, my sonDavidH3027? And Saul liftedupוְיֵ֙רֶא֙ve.Ye.re'H7200his voice, and wept.

17And hesaidH559toDavidH1732, Thou art more righteous than I: for thou hastrenderedH559untomeH413good, whereas I haverenderedH559unto thee evil.

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Revised Version 1895 — 1895 — Public Domain