The Bible

22 verses

1 Samuel Chapter 24

¹When Saul had returned from following the Philistines he was told, saying, "Behold, David is in the wilderness of En Gedi." ²Then 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.

³He came to the sheep pens along the road, where there was a cave; and Saul went in to relieve himself. Now David and his men were abiding in the innermost parts of the cave.

⁴The men of David said to him, "Behold, the day of which ForeverOne said to you, 'Behold, I will deliver your enemy into your hand, and you shall do to him as it shall seem good to you.'" Then David arose, and cut off the skirt of Saul's robe secretly.

⁵Afterward, David's heart struck him, because he had cut off Saul's skirt.

⁶He said to his men, "ForeverOne forbid that I should do this thing to my lord, ForeverOne's anointed, to reach out my hand against him, since he is ForeverOne's anointed." ⁷So David checked his men with these words, and didn't allow them to rise against Saul. Saul rose up out of the cave, and went on his way.

⁸David also arose afterward, and went out of the cave, and cried after Saul, saying, "My lord the king!" When Saul looked behind him, David bowed with his face to the earth, and showed respect.

⁹David said to Saul, "Why do you listen to men's words, saying, 'Behold, David seeks your hurt?' ¹⁰Behold, today your eyes have seen how ForeverOne had delivered you today into my hand in the cave. Some urged me to kill you; but I spared you; and I said, I will not reach out my hand against my lord; for he is ForeverOne's anointed.

¹¹Moreover, my father, behold, yes, see the skirt of your robe in my hand; for in that I cut off the skirt of your robe, and didn't kill you, know and see that there is neither evil nor disobedience in my hand, and I have not sinned against you, though you hunt for my life to take it.

¹²May ForeverOne judge between me and you, and may ForeverOne avenge me of you; but my hand shall not be on you.

¹³As the proverb of the ancients says, 'Out of the wicked comes out wickedness;' but my hand shall not be on you.

¹⁴Against whom has the king of Israel come out? Whom do you pursue? A dead dog? A flea?

¹⁵May ForeverOne therefore be judge, and give sentence between me and you, and see, and plead my cause, and deliver me out of your hand." ¹⁶It came to pass, when David had finished speaking these words to Saul, that Saul said, "Is this your voice, my son David?" Saul lifted up his voice, and wept.

¹⁷He said to David, "You are more righteous than I; for you have done good to me, whereas I have done evil to you.

¹⁸You have declared today how you have dealt well with me, because when ForeverOne had delivered me up into your hand, you didn't kill me.

¹⁹For if a man finds his enemy, will he let him go away unharmed? Therefore may ForeverOne reward you good for what you have done to me today.

²⁰Now, behold, I know that you shall surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in your hand.

²¹Swear now therefore to me by ForeverOne, that you will not cut off my offspring after me, and that you will not destroy my name out of my father's house." ²²David swore to Saul. Saul went home; but David and his men went up to the stronghold.