The In-Dept Study of the Bible
Samuel 24
1 When Saul had returned from following the Philistines, he was told, “Behold,
David is in the wilderness of En Gedi.”
2 Then Saul took three thousand chosen
men out of all Israel, and went to seek
David and his men on the rocks of the wild
goats.
3 He came to the sheep pens by the way,
where there was a cave; and Saul went in
to relieve himself. Now David and his men
were staying in the innermost parts of the
cave.
4 David’s men said to him, “Behold, the
day of which Yahweh said to you, ‘Behold,
I will deliver your enemy into your hand,
and you shall do to him as it shall seem
good to you.’ ” Then David arose and cut off
the skirt of Saul’s robe secretly.
5 Afterward, David’s heart struck him
because he had cut off Saul’s skirt.
6 He said to his men, “Yahweh forbid that
I should do this thing to my lord, Yahweh’s
anointed, to stretch out my hand against
him, since he is Yahweh’s anointed.”
7 So David checked his men with these
words, and didn’t allow them to rise
against Saul. Saul rose up out of the cave,
and went on his way.
8 David also arose afterward, and went
out of the cave and cried after Saul, saying,
“My lord the king!”
When Saul looked behind him, David
bowed with his face to the earth, and
showed respect.
9 David said to Saul, “Why do you listen to men’s words, saying, ‘Behold, David
seeks to harm you’?
10 Behold, today your eyes have seen
how Yahweh had delivered you today into
my hand in the cave. Some urged me to
kill you, but I spared you. I said, ‘I will not
stretch out my hand against my lord,for he
is Yahweh’s anointed.’
11 Moreover, my father, behold, yes, see
the skirt of your robe in my hand; for in
that I cut off the skirt of your robe and
didn’t kill you, know and see that there is
neither evil nor disobedience in my hand.
I have not sinned against you, though you
hunt for my life to take it.
12 May Yahweh judge between me and
you, and may Yahweh avenge me of you;
but my hand will not be on you.
13 As the proverb of the ancients says,
‘Out of the wicked comes wickedness;’ but
my hand will not be on you.
14 Against whom has the king of Israel
come out? Whom do you pursue? A dead
dog? A flea?
15 May Yahweh therefore be judge, and
give sentence between me and you, and
see, and plead my cause, and deliver me
out of your hand.”
16 It came to pass, when David had finished speaking these words to Saul, that
Saul said, “Is that your voice, my son
David?” Saul lifted up his voice and wept.
17 He said to David, “You are more righteous than I;for you have done good to me,
whereas I have done evil to you.
18 Youhavedeclaredtodayhow youhave
dealt well with me, because when Yahweh
had delivered me up into your hand, you
didn’t kill me.
19 For if a man finds his enemy, will he let
him go away unharmed? Therefore may
Yahweh reward you good for that which
you have done to me today.
20 Now, behold, I know that you will
surely be king, and that the kingdom of
Israel will be established in your hand.
21 Swear now therefore to me by Yahweh
that you will not cut off my offspring after
me, and that you will not destroy my name
out of my father’s house.”
22 David swore to Saul. Saul went home,
but David and his men went up to the
stronghold.