1 And it came to pass, when Saul|strong="H7586" was returned|strong="H7725" from following|strong="H0310" the Philistines|strong="H6430", that it was told|strong="H5046" him, saying|strong="H0559", Behold, David|strong="H1732" is in the wilderness|strong="H4057" of En-gedi|strong="H5872".
2 Then Saul|strong="H7586" took|strong="H3947" three|strong="H7969" thousand|strong="H0505" chosen|strong="H0977" men|strong="H0376" out of all Israel|strong="H3478", and went|strong="H3212" to seek|strong="H1245" David|strong="H1732" and his men|strong="H0582" upon|strong="H6440" the rocks|strong="H6697" of the wild goats|strong="H3277".
3 And he came|strong="H0935" to the sheepcotes|strong="H1448" by the way|strong="H1870", where was a cave|strong="H4631"; and Saul|strong="H7586" went in|strong="H0935" to cover|strong="H5526" his feet|strong="H7272": and David|strong="H1732" and his men|strong="H0582" remained|strong="H3427" in the sides|strong="H3411" of the cave|strong="H4631".
4 And the men|strong="H0582" of David|strong="H1732" said|strong="H0559" unto him, Behold the day|strong="H3117" of which the \+w LORD|strong="H3068"\+w* said|strong="H0559" unto thee, Behold, I will deliver|strong="H5414" thine enemy|strong="H0341" into thine hand|strong="H3027", that thou mayest do|strong="H6213" to him as it shall seem good|strong="H3190" unto thee|strong="H5869". Then David|strong="H1732" arose|strong="H6965", and cut off|strong="H3772" the skirt|strong="H3671" of Saul’s|strong="H7586" robe|strong="H4598" privily|strong="H3909".
5 And it came to pass afterward|strong="H0310", that David’s|strong="H1732" heart|strong="H3820" smote|strong="H5221" him, because he had cut off|strong="H3772" Saul’s|strong="H7586" skirt|strong="H3671".
6 And he said|strong="H0559" unto his men|strong="H0582", The \+w LORD|strong="H3068"\+w* forbid|strong="H2486" that I should do|strong="H6213" this thing|strong="H1697" unto my master|strong="H0113", the \+w LORD’s|strong="H3068"\+w* anointed|strong="H4899", to stretch forth|strong="H7971" mine hand|strong="H3027" against him, seeing he is the anointed|strong="H4899" of the \+w LORD|strong="H3068"\+w*.
7 So David|strong="H1732" stayed|strong="H8156" his servants|strong="H0582" with these words|strong="H1697", and suffered|strong="H5414" them not to rise|strong="H6965" against Saul|strong="H7586". But Saul|strong="H7586" rose up|strong="H6965" out of the cave|strong="H4631", and went|strong="H3212" on his way|strong="H1870".
8 David|strong="H1732" also arose|strong="H6965" afterward, and went out|strong="H3318" of the cave|strong="H4631", and cried|strong="H7121" after|strong="H0310" Saul|strong="H7586", saying|strong="H0559", My lord|strong="H0113" the king|strong="H4428". And when Saul|strong="H7586" looked|strong="H5027" behind|strong="H0310" him, David|strong="H1732" stooped|strong="H6915" with his face|strong="H0639" to the earth|strong="H0776", and bowed|strong="H7812" himself.
9 And David|strong="H1732" said|strong="H0559" to Saul|strong="H7586", Wherefore hearest|strong="H8085" thou men’s|strong="H0120" words|strong="H1697", saying|strong="H0559", Behold, David|strong="H1732" seeketh|strong="H1245" thy hurt|strong="H7451"?
10 Behold, this day|strong="H3117" thine eyes|strong="H5869" have seen|strong="H7200" how that the \+w LORD|strong="H3068"\+w* had delivered|strong="H5414" thee to day|strong="H3117" into mine hand|strong="H3027" in the cave|strong="H4631": and some bade|strong="H0559" me kill|strong="H2026" thee: but mine eye spared|strong="H2347" thee; and I said|strong="H0559", I will not put forth|strong="H7971" mine hand|strong="H3027" against my lord|strong="H0113"; for he is the \+w LORD’s|strong="H3068"\+w* anointed|strong="H4899".
11 Moreover, my father|strong="H0001", see|strong="H7200", yea, see|strong="H7200" the skirt|strong="H3671" of thy robe|strong="H4598" in my hand|strong="H3027": for in that I cut off|strong="H3772" the skirt|strong="H3671" of thy robe|strong="H4598", and killed|strong="H2026" thee not, know|strong="H3045" thou and see|strong="H7200" that there is neither evil|strong="H7451" nor transgression|strong="H6588" in mine hand|strong="H3027", and I have not sinned|strong="H2398" against thee; yet thou huntest|strong="H6658" my soul|strong="H5315" to take|strong="H3947" it.
12 The \+w LORD|strong="H3068"\+w* judge|strong="H8199" between me and thee, and the \+w LORD|strong="H3068"\+w* avenge|strong="H5358" me of thee: but mine hand|strong="H3027" shall not be upon thee.
13 As saith|strong="H0559" the proverb|strong="H4912" of the ancients|strong="H6931", Wickedness|strong="H7562" proceedeth|strong="H3318" from the wicked|strong="H7563": but mine hand|strong="H3027" shall not be upon thee.
14 After|strong="H0310" whom is the king|strong="H4428" of Israel|strong="H3478" come out|strong="H3318"? after|strong="H0310" whom dost thou pursue|strong="H7291"? after|strong="H0310" a dead|strong="H4191" dog|strong="H3611", after|strong="H0310" a|strong="H0259" flea|strong="H6550".
15 The \+w LORD|strong="H3068"\+w* therefore be judge|strong="H1781", and judge|strong="H8199" between me and thee, and see|strong="H7200", and plead|strong="H7378" my cause|strong="H7379", and deliver|strong="H8199" me out of thine hand|strong="H3027".
16 And it came to pass, when David|strong="H1732" had made an end|strong="H3615" of speaking|strong="H1696" these words|strong="H1697" unto Saul|strong="H7586", that Saul|strong="H7586" said|strong="H0559", Is this thy voice|strong="H6963", my son|strong="H1121" David|strong="H1732"? And Saul|strong="H7586" lifted up|strong="H5375" his voice|strong="H6963", and wept|strong="H1058".
17 And he said|strong="H0559" to David|strong="H1732", Thou art more righteous|strong="H6662" than I: for thou hast rewarded|strong="H1580" me good|strong="H2896", whereas I have rewarded|strong="H1580" thee evil|strong="H7451".
18 And thou hast shewed|strong="H5046" this day|strong="H3117" how that thou hast dealt|strong="H6213" well|strong="H2896" with me: forasmuch as when the \+w LORD|strong="H3068"\+w* had delivered|strong="H5462" me into thine hand|strong="H3027", thou killedst|strong="H2026" me not.
19 For if a man|strong="H0376" find|strong="H4672" his enemy|strong="H0341", will he let him go|strong="H7971" well|strong="H2896" away|strong="H1870"? wherefore the \+w LORD|strong="H3068"\+w* reward|strong="H7999" thee good|strong="H2896" for that thou hast done|strong="H6213" unto me this day|strong="H3117".
20 And now, behold, I know well|strong="H3045" that thou shalt surely|strong="H4427" be king|strong="H4427", and that the kingdom|strong="H4467" of Israel|strong="H3478" shall be established|strong="H6965" in thine hand|strong="H3027".
21 Swear|strong="H7650" now therefore unto me by the \+w LORD|strong="H3068"\+w*, that thou wilt not|strong="H0518" cut off|strong="H3772" my seed|strong="H2233" after|strong="H0310" me, and that thou wilt not destroy|strong="H8045" my name|strong="H8034" out of my father’s|strong="H0001" house|strong="H1004".
22 And David|strong="H1732" sware|strong="H7650" unto Saul|strong="H7586". And Saul|strong="H7586" went|strong="H3212" home|strong="H1004"; but David|strong="H1732" and his men|strong="H0582" gat them up|strong="H5927" unto the hold|strong="H4686".