1 Samuel 24 - Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)

David Spares Saul’s Life

24 When Saul returned from following the Philistines, he was told, “Behold, David is in the wilderness of En-ge′di.” 2 Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went to seek David and his men in front of the Wildgoats’ Rocks. 3 And he came to the sheepfolds by the way, where there was a cave; and Saul went in to relieve himself. Now David and his men were sitting in the innermost parts of the cave. 4 And the men of David said to him, “Here is the day of which the Lord said to you, ‘Behold, I will give your enemy into your hand, and you shall do to him as it shall seem good to you.’” Then David arose and stealthily cut off the skirt of Saul’s robe. 5 And afterward David’s heart smote 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 put forth my hand against him, seeing he is the Lord’s anointed.” 7 So David persuaded his men with these words, and did not permit them to attack Saul. And Saul rose up and left the cave, and went upon his way.

8 Afterward David also arose, and went out of the cave, and called after Saul, “My lord the king!” And when Saul looked behind him, David bowed with his face to the earth, and did obeisance. 9 And David said to Saul, “Why do you listen to the words of men who say, ‘Behold, David seeks your hurt’? 10 Lo, this day your eyes have seen how the Lord gave you today into my hand in the cave; and some bade me kill you, but I[a] spared you. I said, ‘I will not put forth my hand against my lord; for he is the Lord’s anointed.’ 11 See, my father, see the skirt of your robe in my hand; for by the fact that I cut off the skirt of your robe, and did not kill you, you may know and see that there is no wrong or treason in my hands. I have not sinned against you, though you hunt my life to take it. 12 May the Lord judge between me and you, may the Lord avenge me upon you; but my hand shall not be against you. 13 As the proverb of the ancients says, ‘Out of the wicked comes forth wickedness’; but my hand shall not be against you. 14 After whom has the king of Israel come out? After whom do you pursue? After a dead dog! After a flea! 15 May the Lord therefore be judge, and give sentence between me and you, and see to it, and plead my cause, and deliver me from your hand.”

16 When David had finished speaking these words to Saul, Saul said, “Is this your voice, my son David?” And Saul lifted up his voice and wept. 17 He said to David, “You are more righteous than I; for you have repaid me good, whereas I have repaid you evil. 18 And you have declared this day how you have dealt well with me, in that you did not kill me when the Lord put me into your hands. 19 For if a man finds his enemy, will he let him go away safe? So may the Lord reward you with good for what you have done to me this day. 20 And now, behold, I know that you shall surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in your hand. 21 Swear to me therefore by the Lord that you will not cut off my descendants after me, and that you will not destroy my name out of my father’s house.” 22 And David swore this to Saul. Then Saul went home; but David and his men went up to the stronghold.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 24:10 Gk Syr Tg: Heb you

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1 Samuel 24 - Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

24 And it cometh to pass when Saul hath turned back from after the Philistines, that they declare to him, saying, `Lo, David [is] in the wilderness of En-gedi.' 2 And Saul taketh three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and goeth to seek David and his men, on the front of the rocks of the wild g...
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1 Samuel 24 - Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

24 And when Saul turned again, after that he pursued [the] Philistines, they told to him, and said, Lo! David is in the desert of Engedi (Lo! David is in the wilderness of Engedi). 2 Therefore Saul took three thousand chosen men of all Israel, and went to seek David and his men, yea upon the most br...
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1 Samuel 24 - World English Bible (WEB)

24 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 the...
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1 Samuel 24 - The Voice (VOICE)

24 After Saul had returned from chasing the Philistines, he was told that David had gone to the wilderness of Engedi. 2 He gathered 3,000 hardened fighting men from across Israel and sought David in the vicinity of the Rocks of Wild Goats. 3 When he came to the sheep shelters beside the road, a ca...
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1 Samuel 24 - Tree of Life Version (TLV)

David Spares Saul at En-gedi24 Now when Saul returned from pursuing the Philistines, they told him saying, “Look, David is in the wilderness of En-gedi.” 2 So Saul took 3,000 chosen men from all Israel and went to search for David and his men near the rocks of the mountain goats. 3 When he came ac...
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1 Samuel 24 - Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)

David Spares Saul’s Life24 When Saul returned from following the Philistines, he was told, “Behold, David is in the wilderness of En-ge′di.” 2 Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went to seek David and his men in front of the Wildgoats’ Rocks. 3 And he came to the sheep...
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1 Samuel 24 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

David Spares Saul’s Life24 When Saul returned from following the Philistines, he was told, “Behold, David is in the wilderness of En-ge′di.” 2 Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went to seek David and his men in front of the Wildgoats’ Rocks. 3 And he came to the sheep...
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1 Samuel 24 - New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised (NRSVA)

David Spares Saul’s Life24 When Saul returned from following the Philistines, he was told, ‘David is in the wilderness of En-gedi.’ 2 Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went to look for David and his men in the direction of the Rocks of the Wild Goats. 3 He came to the...
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1 Samuel 24 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

David Spares Saul’s Life24 When Saul returned from following the Philistines, he was told, “David is in the wilderness of En-gedi.”(A)2 Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel and went to look for David and his men in the direction of the Rocks of the Wild Goats.(B)3 He came to th...
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1 Samuel 24 - New Living Translation (NLT)

David Spares Saul’s Life24 [a]After Saul returned from fighting the Philistines, he was told that David had gone into the wilderness of En-gedi. 2 So Saul chose 3,000 elite troops from all Israel and went to search for David and his men near the rocks of the wild goats. 3 At the place where the road...
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1 Samuel 24 - New King James Version (NKJV)

David Spares Saul24 Now it happened, (A)when Saul had returned from following the Philistines, that it was told him, saying, “Take note! David is in the Wilderness of En Gedi.” 2 Then Saul took three thousand chosen men from all Israel, and (B)went to seek David and his men on the Rocks of the Wild...
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1 Samuel 24 - New International Version - UK (NIVUK)

David spares Saul’s life24 [a]After Saul returned from pursuing the Philistines, he was told, ‘David is in the Desert of En Gedi.’ 2 So Saul took three thousand able young men from all Israel and set out to look for David and his men near the Crags of the Wild Goats. 3 He came to the sheepfolds alo...
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