1 W hen Saul returned from following the Philistines, he was told, Behold, David is in the Wilderness of En-gedi.

And it cometh to pass when Saul hath turned back from after the Philistines, that they declare to him, saying, `Lo, David in the wilderness of En-gedi.'

2 T hen Saul took 3, 000 chosen men out of all Israel and went to seek David and his men among the Rocks of the Wild Goats.

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 H e came to the sheepfolds on the way, where there was a cave, and Saul went in to relieve himself. Now David and his men were sitting in the cave’s innermost recesses.

and he cometh in unto folds of the flock, on the way, and there a cave, and Saul goeth in to cover his feet; and David and his men in the sides of the cave are abiding.

4 D avid’s men said to him, Behold the day of which the Lord said to you, Behold, I will deliver your enemy into your hands and you shall do to him as seems good to you. Then David arose and stealthily cut off the skirt of Saul’s robe.

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 on Saul -- gently.

5 A fterward, David’s heart smote him because he had cut off Saul’s skirt.

And it cometh to pass afterwards that the heart of David smiteth him, because that he hath cut off the skirt which on Saul,

6 H e said to his men, The Lord forbid that I should do this to my master, the Lord’s anointed, to put my hand out against him, when he is the anointed of the Lord.

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.'

7 S o David checked his men with these words and did not let them rise against Saul. But Saul rose up and left the cave and went on his way.

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 D avid also arose afterward and went out of the cave and called after Saul, saying, My lord the king! And when Saul looked behind him, David bowed with his face to the earth and did obeisance.

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 A nd David said to Saul, Why do you listen to the words of men who say, David seeks to do you harm?

And David saith to Saul, `Why dost thou hear the words of man, saying, Lo, David is seeking thine evil?

10 B ehold, your eyes have seen how the Lord gave you today into my hands in the cave. Some told me to kill you, but I spared you; I said, I will not put forth my hand against my lord, for he is the Lord’s anointed.

Lo, this day have thine eyes seen how that Jehovah hath given thee to-day into my hand in the cave; and said to slay thee, and hath pity on thee, and I say, I do not put forth my hand against my lord, for the anointed of Jehovah he.

11 S ee, my father, see the skirt of your robe in my hand! Since I cut off the skirt of your robe and did not kill you, you know and see that there is no evil or treason in my hands. I have not sinned against you, yet you hunt my life to take it.

`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 M ay the Lord judge between me and you, and may the Lord avenge me upon you, but my hand shall not be upon you.

`Jehovah doth judge between me and thee, and Jehovah hath avenged me of thee, and my hand is not on thee;

13 A s the proverb of the ancients says, Out of the wicked comes forth wickedness; but my hand shall not be against you.

as saith the simile of the ancients, From the wicked goeth out wickedness, and my hand is not on thee.

14 A fter whom has the king of Israel come out? After whom do you pursue? After a dead dog? After a flea?

`After whom hath the king of Israel come out? after whom art thou pursuing? -- after a dead dog! after one flea!

15 M ay the Lord be judge and judge between me and you, and see and plead my cause, and deliver me out of your hands.

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 W hen David had said this to Saul, Saul said, Is this your voice, my son David? And Saul lifted up his voice and wept.

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 H e said to David, You are more upright in God’s eyes than I, for you have repaid me good, but I have rewarded you evil.

And he saith unto David, `More righteous thou than I; for thou hast done me good, and I have done thee evil;

18 Y ou have declared today how you have dealt well with me; for when the Lord gave me into your hand, you did not kill me.

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 F or if a man finds his enemy, will he let him go away unharmed? Therefore may the Lord reward you with good for what you have done for me this day.

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 A nd now, behold, I well know that you shall surely be king and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in your hands.

`And, now, lo, I have known that thou dost certainly reign, and the kingdom of Israel hath stood in thy hand;

21 S wear now therefore to me by the Lord that you will not cut off my descendants after me and that you will not destroy my name out of my father’s house.

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 D avid gave Saul his oath; and Saul went home, but David and his men went up to the stronghold.

And David sweareth to Saul, and Saul goeth unto his house, and David and his men have gone up unto the fortress.