New International Version NIV
Young's Literal Translation YLT
1 After Saul returned from pursuing the Philistines, he was told, “David is in the Desert of En Gedi.”
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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 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.
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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 goats,
3 He came to the sheep pens along the way; a cave was there, and Saul went in to relieve himself. David and his men were far back in the cave.
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and he cometh in unto folds of the flock, on the way, and there [is] a cave, and Saul goeth in to cover his feet; and David and his men in the sides of the cave are abiding.
4 The men said, “This is the day the LORD spoke of when he said to you, ‘I will give your enemy into your hands for you to deal with as you wish.’ ” Then David crept up unnoticed and cut off a corner of Saul’s robe.
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And the men of David say unto him, `Lo, the day of which Jehovah said unto thee, Lo, I am giving thine enemy into thy hand, and thou hast done to him as it is good in thine eyes;' and David riseth and cutteth off the skirt of the upper robe which [is] on Saul -- gently.
5 Afterward, David was conscience-stricken for having cut off a corner of his robe.
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And it cometh to pass afterwards that the heart of David smiteth him, because that he hath cut off the skirt which [is] on Saul,
6 He said to his men, “The LORD forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the LORD’s anointed, or lay my hand on him; for he is the anointed of the LORD.”
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and he saith to his men, `Far be it from me, by Jehovah; I do not do this thing to my lord -- to the anointed of Jehovah -- to put forth my hand against him, for the anointed of Jehovah he [is].'
7 With these words David sharply rebuked his men and did not allow them to attack Saul. And Saul left the cave and went his way.
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And David subdueth his men by words, and hath not permitted them to rise against Saul; and Saul hath risen from the cave, and goeth on the way;
8 Then David went out of the cave and called out to Saul, “My lord the king!” When Saul looked behind him, David bowed down and prostrated himself with his face to the ground.
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and David riseth afterwards, and goeth out from the cave, and calleth after Saul, saying, `My lord, O king!' And Saul looketh attentively behind him, and David boweth -- face to the earth -- and doth obeisance.
9 He said to Saul, “Why do you listen when men say, ‘David is bent on harming you’?
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And David saith to Saul, `Why dost thou hear the words of man, saying, Lo, David is seeking thine evil?
10 This day you have seen with your own eyes how the LORD delivered you into my hands in the cave. Some urged me to kill you, but I spared you; I said, ‘I will not lay my hand on my lord, because he is the LORD’s anointed.’
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Lo, this day have thine eyes seen how that Jehovah hath given thee to-day into my hand in the cave; and [one] said to slay thee, and [mine eye] hath pity on thee, and I say, I do not put forth my hand against my lord, for the anointed of Jehovah he [is].
11 See, my father, look at this piece of your robe in my hand! I cut off the corner of your robe but did not kill you. See that there is nothing in my hand to indicate that I am guilty of wrongdoing or rebellion. I have not wronged you, but you are hunting me down to take my life.
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`And, my father, see, yea see the skirt of thine upper robe in my hand; for by cutting off the skirt of thy upper robe, and I have not slain thee, know and see that there is not in my hand evil and transgression, and I have not sinned against thee, and thou art hunting my soul to take it!
12 May the LORD judge between you and me. And may the LORD avenge the wrongs you have done to me, but my hand will not touch you.
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`Jehovah doth judge between me and thee, and Jehovah hath avenged me of thee, and my hand is not on thee;
13 As the old saying goes, ‘From evildoers come evil deeds,’ so my hand will not touch you.
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as saith the simile of the ancients, From the wicked goeth out wickedness, and my hand is not on thee.
14 “Against whom has the king of Israel come out? Who are you pursuing? A dead dog? A flea?
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`After whom hath the king of Israel come out? after whom art thou pursuing? -- after a dead dog! after one flea!
15 May the LORD be our judge and decide between us. May he consider my cause and uphold it; may he vindicate me by delivering me from your hand.”
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And Jehovah hath been for judge, and hath judged between me and thee, yea, he seeth and pleadeth my cause, and doth deliver me out of thy hand.'
16 When David finished saying this, Saul asked, “Is that your voice, David my son?” And he wept aloud.
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And it cometh to pass, when David completeth to speak these words unto Saul, that Saul saith, `Is this thy voice, my son David?' and Saul lifteth up his voice, and weepeth.
17 “You are more righteous than I,” he said. “You have treated me well, but I have treated you badly.
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And he saith unto David, `More righteous thou [art] than I; for thou hast done me good, and I have done thee evil;
18 You have just now told me about the good you did to me; the LORD delivered me into your hands, but you did not kill me.
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and thou hast declared to-day how that thou hast done good with me, how that Jehovah shut me up into thy hand, and thou didst not slay me,
19 When a man finds his enemy, does he let him get away unharmed? May the LORD reward you well for the way you treated me today.
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and that a man doth find his enemy, and hath sent him away in a good manner; and Jehovah doth repay thee good for that which thou didst to me this day.
20 I know that you will surely be king and that the kingdom of Israel will be established in your hands.
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`And, now, lo, I have known that thou dost certainly reign, and the kingdom of Israel hath stood in thy hand;
21 Now swear to me by the LORD that you will not kill off my descendants or wipe out my name from my father’s family.”
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and, now, swear to me by Jehovah -- thou dost not cut off my seed after me, nor dost thou destroy my name from the house of my father.'
22 So David gave his oath to Saul. Then Saul returned home, but David and his men went up to the stronghold.
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And David sweareth to Saul, and Saul goeth unto his house, and David and his men have gone up unto the fortress.
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Young's Literal Translation is in the public domain.