1 Samuel Chapter 24

1 Samuel Chapter 24
1 (24:2) When Saul was turned from the
Philistines, they told him, saying,
Behold, David is in the wilderness of
En-gedi.
2 (24:3) Then Saul took three thousand
chosen men out of all Israel, and went to
seek David and his men upon the rocks
among the wild goats. 3 (24:4) And he
came to the sheepcotes by the way
where there was a cave, and Saul went
in to do his easement: and David and his
men sat in the inward parts of the cave.
4 (24:5) And the men of David said unto
him, See, the day is come, whereof the
Lord said unto thee, Behold, I will
deliver thine enemy into thine hand, and
thou shalt do to him as it shall seem
good to thee. Then David arose and cut
off the lap of Saul's garment privily.
5 (24:6) And afterward David was
touched in his heart, because he had cut
off the lap which was on Saul's garment.
6 (24:7) And he said unto his men, The
Lord keep me from doing that thing unto
my master the Lord's anointed, to lay
mine hand upon him: for he is the
anointed of the Lord.
7 (24:8) So David overcame his
servants with these words, and suffered
them not to arise against Saul: so Saul
rose up out of the cave and went away. 8
(24:9) David also arose afterward, and
went out of the cave, and cried after
Saul, saying, O my lord the king. And
when Saul looked behind him, David
inclined his face to the earth, and bowed
himself.
9 (24:10) And David said to Saul,
Wherefore givest thou an ear to men's
words, that say, Behold, David seeketh
evil against thee?
10 (24:11) Behold, this day thine eyes
have seen, that the Lord had delivered
thee this day into mine hand in the cave,
and some bade me kill thee, but I had
compassion on thee, and said, I will not
lay mine hand on my master: for he is the
Lord's anointed.
11 (24:12) Moreover my father, behold:
behold, I say, the lap of thy garment in
mine hand: for when I cut off the lap of
thy garment, I killed thee not. Understand
and see, that there is neither evil nor
wickedness in me, neither have I sinned
against thee, yet thou huntest after my
soul to take it. 12 (24:13) The Lord be
judge between thee and me, and the Lord
avenge me of thee, and let not mine hand
be upon thee.
13 (24:14) According as the old proverb
sayeth, Wickedness proceedeth from the
wicked, but mine hand be not upon thee.
14 (24:15) After whom is the king of
Israel come out? After whom dost thou
pursue? After a dead dog, and after a
flea?
15 (24:16) The Lord therefore be judge,
and judge between thee and me, and see,
and plead my cause, and deliver me out
of thine hand.
16 (24:17) When David had made an
end of speaking these words to Saul,
Saul said, Is this thy voice, my son
David? And Saul lift up his voice, and
wept,
17 (24:18) And said to David, Thou art
more righteous than I: for thou hast
rendered me good, and I have rendered
thee evil.
18 (24:19) And thou hast showed this
day, that thou hast dealt well with me:
forasmuch as when the Lord had closed
me in thine hands, thou killest me not.
19 (24:20) For who shall find his
enemy, and let him depart free?
Wherefore the Lord render thee good for
that thou hast done unto me this day. 20
(24:21) For now behold, I know that
thou shalt be king, and that the kingdom
of Israel shall be stablished in thine
hand.
21 (24:22) Swear now therefore unto me
by the Lord, that thou wilt not destroy my
seed after me, and that thou wilt not
abolish my name out of my father's
house.
22 (24:23) So David swear unto Saul,
and Saul went home: but David and his
men went up unto the hold.