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David Spares Saul's Life

^1 (F1)Now ^(C1)when Saul returned from pursuing the Philistines, ^(C2)it was reported to him, saying, "Behold, David is in the wilderness of Engedi."² Then ^(C1)Saul took three thousand chosen men from all Israel and went to search for David and his men in front of the Rocks of the Mountain Goats.³ And he came to the sheepfolds on the way, where there was a cave; and Saul ^(C1)went in to ^(F1)relieve himself. Now David and his men were sitting in the inner recesses of the cave.⁴ Then David's men said to him, "Behold, ^(C1)this is the day of which the LORD said to you, 'Behold; ^(C2)I am about to hand your enemy over to you, and you shall do to him as it seems good ^(F1)to you.'" Then David got up and cut off the edge of Saul's robe secretly.⁵ But it came about afterward that ^(C1)David's ^(F1)conscience bothered him because he had cut off the edge of Saul's robe.⁶ So he said to his men, "^(C1)Far be it from me because of the LORD that I would do this thing to my lord, the LORD'S anointed, to reach out with my hand against him, since he is the LORD'S anointed."⁷ And David rebuked his men with these words and did not allow them to rise up against Saul. And Saul got up, ^(F1)left the cave, and went on his way.

⁸ Afterward, however, David got up and went out of the cave, and called after Saul, saying, "My lord the king!" And when Saul looked behind him, ^(C1)David bowed with his face to the ground and prostrated himself.⁹ And David said to Saul, "Why do you listen to the words of men ^(F1)who say, 'Behold, David is seeking ^(F2)to harm you'?¹⁰ "^(C1)Behold, this day your eyes have seen that the LORD had handed you over to me today in the cave, and ^(C2)someone said to kill you, but ^(F1)I spared you; and I said, 'I will not reach out with my hand against my lord, because he is the LORD'S anointed.'¹¹ "So, ^(C1)my father, look! Indeed, look at the edge of your robe in my hand! For by the fact that I cut off the edge of your robe but did not kill you, know and understand that there is no evil or ^(F1)rebellion in my hands, and I have not sinned against you, though you ^(C2)are lying in wait for my life, to take it.¹² "^(C1)May the LORD judge between ^(F1)you and me, and may the LORD take vengeance on you for me; but my hand shall not be against you.¹³ "As the proverb of the ancients says, '^(C1)Out of the wicked comes wickedness'; but my hand shall not be against you.¹⁴ "After whom has the king of Israel gone out? Whom are you pursuing? ^(C1)A dead dog, ^(C2)a single flea?¹⁵ "May ^(C1)the LORD therefore be judge and decide between ^(F1)you and me; and may He see and ^(C2)plead my cause and save me from your hand."

¹⁶ When David had finished speaking these words to Saul, Saul said, "^(C1)Is this your voice, my son David?" Then Saul raised his voice and wept.^17 (C1)And he said to David, "You are more righteous than I; for ^(C2)you have dealt well with me, while I have dealt maliciously with you.¹⁸ "You have declared today that you have done good to me, that ^(C1)the LORD handed me over to you and yet you did not kill me.¹⁹ "Though if a man ^(C1)finds his enemy, will he let him go away ^(F1)unharmed? May the LORD therefore reward you with good in return for what you have done to me this day.²⁰ "Now, behold, ^(C1)I know that you will certainly be king, and that ^(C2)the kingdom of Israel will be established in your hand.²¹ "So now ^(C1)swear to me by the LORD that you will not cut off my ^(F1)descendants after me, and that you will not eliminate my name from my father's household."²² And David swore an oath to Saul. Then Saul went to his home, but David and his men went up to ^(C1)the stronghold.