| English Standard Version | Christian Standard Bible |
| 1When Saul returned from following the Philistines, he was told, “Behold, David is in the wilderness of Engedi.” | 1When Saul returned from pursuing the Philistines, he was told, "David is in the wilderness near En-gedi." |
| 2Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel and went to seek David and his men in front of the Wildgoats’ Rocks. | 2So Saul took three thousand of Israel's fit young men and went to look for David and his men in front of the Rocks of the Wild Goats. |
| 3And he came to the sheepfolds by the way, where there was a cave, and Saul went in to relieve himself. Now David and his men were sitting in the innermost parts of the cave. | 3When Saul came to the sheep pens along the road, a cave was there, and he went in to relieve himself. David and his men were staying in the recesses of the cave, |
| 4And the men of David said to him, “Here is the day of which the LORD said to you, ‘Behold, I will give your enemy into your hand, and you shall do to him as it shall seem good to you.’” Then David arose and stealthily cut off a corner of Saul’s robe. | 4so they said to him, "Look, this is the day the LORD told you about: 'I will hand your enemy over to you so you can do to him whatever you desire.'" Then David got up and secretly cut off the corner of Saul's robe. |
| 5And afterward David’s heart struck him, because he had cut off a corner of Saul’s robe. | 5Afterward, David's conscience bothered him because he had cut off the corner of Saul's robe. |
| 6He said to his men, “The LORD forbid that I should do this thing to my lord, the LORD’s anointed, to put out my hand against him, seeing he is the LORD’s anointed.” | 6He said to his men, "I swear before the LORD: I would never do such a thing to my lord, the LORD's anointed. I will never lift my hand against him, since he is the LORD's anointed." |
| 7So David persuaded his men with these words and did not permit them to attack Saul. And Saul rose up and left the cave and went on his way. | 7With these words David persuaded his men, and he did not let them rise up against Saul. Then Saul left the cave and went on his way. |
| 8Afterward David also arose and went out of the cave, and called after Saul, “My lord the king!” And when Saul looked behind him, David bowed with his face to the earth and paid homage. | 8After that, David got up, went out of the cave, and called to Saul, "My lord the king!" When Saul looked behind him, David knelt low with his face to the ground and paid homage. |
| 9And David said to Saul, “Why do you listen to the words of men who say, ‘Behold, David seeks your harm’? | 9David said to Saul, "Why do you listen to the words of people who say, 'Look, David intends to harm you'? |
| 10Behold, this day your eyes have seen how the LORD gave you today into my hand in the cave. And some told me to kill you, but I spared you. I said, ‘I will not put out my hand against my lord, for he is the LORD’s anointed.’ | 10You can see with your own eyes that the LORD handed you over to me today in the cave. Someone advised me to kill you, but I took pity on you and said: I won't lift my hand against my lord, since he is the LORD's anointed. |
| 11See, my father, see the corner of your robe in my hand. For by the fact that I cut off the corner of your robe and did not kill you, you may know and see that there is no wrong or treason in my hands. I have not sinned against you, though you hunt my life to take it. | 11Look, my father! Look at the corner of your robe in my hand, for I cut it off, but I didn't kill you. Recognize that I've committed no crime or rebellion. I haven't sinned against you even though you are hunting me down to take my life. |
| 12May the LORD judge between me and you, may the LORD avenge me against you, but my hand shall not be against you. | 12"May the LORD judge between me and you, and may the LORD take vengeance on you for me, but my hand will never be against you. |
| 13As the proverb of the ancients says, ‘Out of the wicked comes wickedness.’ But my hand shall not be against you. | 13As the old proverb says, 'Wickedness comes from wicked people.' My hand will never be against you. |
| 14After whom has the king of Israel come out? After whom do you pursue? After a dead dog! After a flea! | 14Who has the king of Israel come after? What are you chasing after? A dead dog? A single flea? |
| 15May the LORD therefore be judge and give sentence between me and you, and see to it and plead my cause and deliver me from your hand.” | 15May the LORD be judge and decide between you and me. May he take notice and plead my case and deliver me from you." |
| 16As soon as David had finished speaking these words to Saul, Saul said, “Is this your voice, my son David?” And Saul lifted up his voice and wept. | 16When David finished saying these things to him, Saul replied, "Is that your voice, David my son?" Then Saul wept aloud |
| 17He said to David, “You are more righteous than I, for you have repaid me good, whereas I have repaid you evil. | 17and said to David, "You are more righteous than I, for you have done what is good to me though I have done what is evil to you. |
| 18And you have declared this day how you have dealt well with me, in that you did not kill me when the LORD put me into your hands. | 18You yourself have told me today what good you did for me: when the LORD handed me over to you, you didn't kill me. |
| 19For if a man finds his enemy, will he let him go away safe? So may the LORD reward you with good for what you have done to me this day. | 19When a man finds his enemy, does he let him go unharmed? May the LORD repay you with good for what you've done for me today. |
| 20And now, behold, I know that you shall surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in your hand. | 20"Now I know for certain you will be king, and the kingdom of Israel will be established in your hand. |
| 21Swear to me therefore by the LORD that you will not cut off my offspring after me, and that you will not destroy my name out of my father’s house.” | 21Therefore swear to me by the LORD that you will not cut off my descendants or wipe out my name from my father's family." |
| 22And David swore this to Saul. Then Saul went home, but David and his men went up to the stronghold. | 22So David swore to Saul. Then Saul went back home, and David and his men went up to the stronghold. |
| ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved. | The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. |
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