The Complete Jewish Bible CJB
New Living Translation NLT
1 When Sha'ul returned from pursuing the P'lishtim, he was told that David was in the desert at 'Ein-Gedi.
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After Saul returned from fighting the Philistines, he was told that David had gone into the wilderness of En-gedi.
2 Sha'ul took three thousand men chosen from all Isra'el and went searching for David and his men on the cliffs where the mountain goats are.
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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 Near some sheep pens along the way was a cave, and Sha'ul went inside to relieve himself. It happened that David and his men were sitting in the recesses at the back of the cave;
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At the place where the road passes some sheepfolds, Saul went into a cave to relieve himself. But as it happened, David and his men were hiding farther back in that very cave!
4 and David's men said to him, "Look! The day has come that ADONAI told you about when he said to you, 'I will turn your enemy over to you, and you will do to him whatever seems good to you.'"Then David stole over unobserved and cut off the corner of Sha'ul's cloak.
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“Now’s your opportunity!” David’s men whispered to him. “Today the LORD is telling you, ‘I will certainly put your enemy into your power, to do with as you wish.’” So David crept forward and cut off a piece of the hem of Saul’s robe.
5 But after doing this, David felt remorse over cutting Sha'ul's garment.
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But then David’s conscience began bothering him because he had cut Saul’s robe.
6 He said to his men, "ADONAI forbid that I should do such a thing to my lord, ADONAI's anointed, as raise my hand against him! After all, he is ADONAI's anointed."
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He said to his men, “The LORD forbid that I should do this to my lord the king. I shouldn’t attack the LORD ’s anointed one, for the LORD himself has chosen him.”
7 By saying this, David stopped his men and would not let them do anything to Sha'ul. Sha'ul got up, left the cave and went on his way.
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So David restrained his men and did not let them kill Saul. After Saul had left the cave and gone on his way,
8 Then David too got up and went outside the cave, where he called after Sha'ul, "My lord the king!" When Sha'ul looked behind him, David bowed with his face to the ground and prostrated himself.
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David came out and shouted after him, “My lord the king!” And when Saul looked around, David bowed low before him.
9 David said to Sha'ul, "Why do you listen to people who say, 'David is out to harm you?'
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Then he shouted to Saul, “Why do you listen to the people who say I am trying to harm you?
10 Here, today you have seen with your own eyes that ADONAI put you in my power there in the cave. Some of my men said I should kill you, but I spared you; I said, 'I won't raise my hand against my lord, because he is ADONAI's anointed.'
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This very day you can see with your own eyes it isn’t true. For the LORD placed you at my mercy back there in the cave. Some of my men told me to kill you, but I spared you. For I said, ‘I will never harm the king—he is the LORD ’s anointed one.’
11 Moreover, my father, look! Here in my hand you see the corner of your cloak. By the fact that I only cut off a piece of your cloak and didn't kill you, you can see and understand that I have no plan to do harm or rebel, and that I haven't sinned against you -even though you are seeking every chance you get to take my life.
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Look, my father, at what I have in my hand. It is a piece of the hem of your robe! I cut it off, but I didn’t kill you. This proves that I am not trying to harm you and that I have not sinned against you, even though you have been hunting for me to kill me.
12 May ADONAI judge between you and me, and may ADONAI avenge me on you! But I will not lay a hand on you -
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“May the LORD judge between us. Perhaps the LORD will punish you for what you are trying to do to me, but I will never harm you.
13 as the old saying has it, 'Out of the wicked comes wickedness, but I will not lay a hand on you.'
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As that old proverb says, ‘From evil people come evil deeds.’ So you can be sure I will never harm you.
14 The king of Isra'el has come on a campaign - after whom? Whom are you chasing? A dead dog! A single flea!
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Who is the king of Israel trying to catch anyway? Should he spend his time chasing one who is as worthless as a dead dog or a single flea?
15 ADONAI be the judge; let him decide between you and me. May he take my side and rescue me from your power!"
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May the LORD therefore judge which of us is right and punish the guilty one. He is my advocate, and he will rescue me from your power!”
16 After David had finished speaking to Sha'ul, Sha'ul said, "Is that your voice, my son David?" Then Sha'ul cried out and wept;
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When David had finished speaking, Saul called back, “Is that really you, my son David?” Then he began to cry.
17 and he said to David, "You are more righteous than I, because you have treated me well, while I have been treating you badly.
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And he said to David, “You are a better man than I am, for you have repaid me good for evil.
18 You have made it clear to me today that you have done me good; for when ADONAI put my fate in your hands, you didn't kill me.
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Yes, you have been amazingly kind to me today, for when the LORD put me in a place where you could have killed me, you didn’t do it.
19 A man finds his enemy and lets him go unharmed?! May ADONAI reward you well for what you did to me today.
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Who else would let his enemy get away when he had him in his power? May the LORD reward you well for the kindness you have shown me today.
20 Now I'm certain that you will indeed become king, and that the kingship of Isra'el will be established in your hands.
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And now I realize that you are surely going to be king, and that the kingdom of Israel will flourish under your rule.
21 So swear to me by ADONAI that you will not kill my descendants after I die or blot out my name from my father's family."
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Now swear to me by the LORD that when that happens you will not kill my family and destroy my line of descendants!”
22 David swore to Sha'ul, and Sha'ul went home, but David and his men went back up to the stronghold.
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So David promised this to Saul with an oath. Then Saul went home, but David and his men went back to their stronghold.
Complete Jewish Bible Copyright 1998 by David H. Stern. Published by Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by
Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.