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¹ And it happened, when Saul had returned from after the Philistines, they told him, saying, Behold, David is in the wilderness of En-gedi.² And Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went to seek David and his men on the front of the rocks of the wild goats.³ And on the way he came in to the folds of the flock. And there was a cave. And Saul went in to cover his feet. And David and his men were staying in the recesses of the cave.⁴ And David's men said to him, Behold, the day of which Jehovah said to you, Behold, I will deliver your enemy into your hand, and you shall do to him as it is good in your eyes. But David rose up and quietly cut off the skirt of Saul's robe.⁵ And it happened afterward, the heart of David struck him, because he had cut off Saul's skirt.⁶ And he said to his men, Far be it from me, by Jehovah. I shall not do this thing to my lord, to the anointed of Jehovah, to put out my hand against him. For he is the anointed of Jehovah.⁷ And David held back his men by words, and did not allow them to rise up against Saul. And Saul rose up from the cave and went in the way.⁸ And David rose up afterward and went out from the cave and called after Saul, saying, My lord the king! And Saul looked behind him. And David was bowing face to the earth and prostrated himself.

⁹ And David said to Saul, Why do you listen to the words of man, saying, Behold, David seeks to do you evil?¹⁰ See, this day your eyes have seen how Jehovah has delivered you today into my hand in the cave. And one said to kill you, but I had pity on you. And I said, I shall not put out myhand against my lord, for he is the anointedof Jehovah.¹¹ And 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 did not kill you, know and see that there is neither evil nor transgression in my hand, and I have not sinned against you.Yet you are hunting my soul, to take it.¹² Jehovah shall judge between you and me, and Jehovah shall avenge me of you. But my hand shall not be on you.¹³ As the proverb of the ancients says, Wickedness proceeds from the wicked. But my hand shall not be on you.¹⁴ After whom has the king of Israel come out? After whom are you pursuing? After a dead dog? After a flea?¹⁵ Yea, Jehovah shall be judge, and shall judge between you and me. Yea, He shall see and contend for my cause, and shall deliver me out of your hand.

¹⁶ And it happened, when David finished speaking these words to Saul, Saul said, Is this your voice, my son David? And Saul lifted up his voice and wept.¹⁷ And he said to David, You are more righteous than I. For you have done good to me, and I have rewarded you with evil.¹⁸ And you have today shown that you have dealt well with me, in that Jehovah shut me up into your hand, and you did not kill me.¹⁹ For if a man finds his enemy, will he let him go on his way well? And Jehovah will repay you good for that which you have done to me today.²⁰ And now, behold, I know that you shall certainly reign, and the kingdom of Israel shall be established in your hand.²¹ And now, swear to me by Jehovah that you shall not cut off my seed after me, nor shall you destroy my name from the house of my father.²² And David swore to Saul. And Saul went to his house, and David and his men went up into the stronghold.