| English Standard Version | New Living Translation |
| 1When Saul returned from following the Philistines, he was told, “Behold, David is in the wilderness of Engedi.” | 1 After Saul returned from fighting the Philistines, he was told that David had gone into the wilderness of 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 chose 3,000 elite troops from all Israel and went to search for David and his men near 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. | 3At the place where the road passes some sheepfolds, Saul went into a cave to relieve himself. But as it happened, David and his men were hiding farther back in that very 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. | 4“Now’s your opportunity!” David’s men whispered to him. “Today the LORD is telling you, ‘I will certainly put your enemy into your power, to do with as you wish.’” So David crept forward and cut off a piece of the hem of Saul’s robe. |
| 5And afterward David’s heart struck him, because he had cut off a corner of Saul’s robe. | 5But then David’s conscience began bothering him because he had cut 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, “The LORD forbid that I should do this to my lord the king. I shouldn’t attack the LORD’s anointed one, for the LORD himself has chosen him.” |
| 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. | 7So David restrained his men and did not let them kill Saul. After Saul had left the cave and gone 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. | 8David came out and shouted after him, “My lord the king!” And when Saul looked around, David bowed low before him. |
| 9And David said to Saul, “Why do you listen to the words of men who say, ‘Behold, David seeks your harm’? | 9Then he shouted to Saul, “Why do you listen to the people who say I am trying 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.’ | 10This very day you can see with your own eyes it isn’t true. For the LORD placed you at my mercy back there in the cave. Some of my men told me to kill you, but I spared you. For I said, ‘I will never harm the king—he is the LORD’s anointed one.’ |
| 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, at what I have in my hand. It is a piece of the hem of your robe! I cut it off, but I didn’t kill you. This proves that I am not trying to harm you and that I have not sinned against you, even though you have been hunting for me to kill me. |
| 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 us. Perhaps the LORD will punish you for what you are trying to do to me, but I will never harm you. |
| 13As the proverb of the ancients says, ‘Out of the wicked comes wickedness.’ But my hand shall not be against you. | 13As that old proverb says, ‘From evil people come evil deeds.’ So you can be sure I will never harm you. |
| 14After whom has the king of Israel come out? After whom do you pursue? After a dead dog! After a flea! | 14Who is the king of Israel trying to catch anyway? Should he spend his time chasing one who is as worthless as a dead dog or 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 therefore judge which of us is right and punish the guilty one. He is my advocate, and he will rescue me from your power!” |
| 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 had finished speaking, Saul called back, “Is that really you, my son David?” Then he began to cry. |
| 17He said to David, “You are more righteous than I, for you have repaid me good, whereas I have repaid you evil. | 17And he said to David, “You are a better man than I am, for you have repaid me good for evil. |
| 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. | 18Yes, you have been amazingly kind to me today, for when the LORD put me in a place where you could have killed me, you didn’t do it. |
| 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. | 19Who else would let his enemy get away when he had him in his power? May the LORD reward you well for the kindness you have shown 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. | 20And now I realize that you are surely going to be king, and that the kingdom of Israel will flourish under your rule. |
| 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.” | 21Now swear to me by the LORD that when that happens you will not kill my family and destroy my line of descendants!” |
| 22And David swore this to Saul. Then Saul went home, but David and his men went up to the stronghold. | 22So David promised this to Saul with an oath. Then Saul went home, but David and his men went back to their 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. | Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. |
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