| New Living Translation | NET Bible |
| 1 After Saul returned from fighting the Philistines, he was told that David had gone into the wilderness of En-gedi. | 1When Saul returned from pursuing the Philistines, they told him, "Look, David is in the desert of En Gedi." |
| 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. | 2So Saul took three thousand select men from all Israel and went to find David and his men in the region of the rocks of the mountain goats. |
| 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! | 3He came to the sheepfolds by the road, where there was a cave. Saul went into it to relieve himself. Now David and his men were sitting in the recesses of the cave. |
| 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. | 4David's men said to him, "This is the day about which the LORD said to you, 'I will give your enemy into your hand, and you can do to him whatever seems appropriate to you.'" So David got up and quietly cut off an edge of Saul's robe. |
| 5But then David’s conscience began bothering him because he had cut Saul’s robe. | 5Afterward David's conscience bothered him because he had cut off an edge of Saul's robe. |
| 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.” | 6He said to his men, "May the LORD keep me far away from doing such a thing to my lord, who is the LORD's chosen one, by extending my hand against him. After all, he is the LORD's chosen one." |
| 7So David restrained his men and did not let them kill Saul. After Saul had left the cave and gone on his way, | 7David restrained his men with these words and did not allow them to rise up against Saul. Then Saul left the cave and started down the road. |
| 8David came out and shouted after him, “My lord the king!” And when Saul looked around, David bowed low before him. | 8Afterward David got up and went out of the cave. He called out after Saul, "My lord, O king!" When Saul looked behind him, David kneeled down and bowed with his face to the ground. |
| 9Then he shouted to Saul, “Why do you listen to the people who say I am trying to harm you? | 9David said to Saul, "Why do you pay attention when men say, 'David is seeking to do you harm'? |
| 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.’ | 10Today your own eyes see how the LORD delivered you--this very day--into my hands in the cave. Some told me to kill you, but I had pity on you and said, 'I will not extend my hand against my lord, for he is the LORD's chosen one.' |
| 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. | 11Look, my father, and see the edge of your robe in my hand! When I cut off the edge of your robe, I didn't kill you. So realize and understand that I am not planning evil or rebellion. Even though I have not sinned against you, you are waiting in ambush to take my life. |
| 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. | 12May the LORD judge between the two of us, and may the LORD vindicate me over you, but my hand will 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. | 13It's like the old proverb says: 'From evil people evil proceeds.' But my hand will not be against you. |
| 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? | 14Who has the king of Israel come out after? Who is it that you are pursuing? A dead dog? A single flea? |
| 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!” | 15May the LORD be our judge and arbiter. May he see and arbitrate my case and deliver me from your hands!" |
| 16When David had finished speaking, Saul called back, “Is that really you, my son David?” Then he began to cry. | 16When David finished speaking these words to Saul, Saul said, "Is that your voice, my son David?" Then Saul wept loudly. |
| 17And he said to David, “You are a better man than I am, for you have repaid me good for evil. | 17He said to David, "You are more innocent than I, for you have treated me well, even though I have tried to harm you! |
| 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. | 18You have explained today how you have treated me well. The LORD delivered me into your hand, but you did not kill me. |
| 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. | 19Now if a man finds his enemy, does he send him on his way in good shape? May the LORD repay you with good this day for what you have done to me. |
| 20And now I realize that you are surely going to be king, and that the kingdom of Israel will flourish under your rule. | 20Now look, I realize that you will in fact be king and that the kingdom of Israel will be established in your hand. |
| 21Now swear to me by the LORD that when that happens you will not kill my family and destroy my line of descendants!” | 21So now swear to me in the LORD's name that you will not kill my descendants after me or destroy my name from the house of my father." |
| 22So David promised this to Saul with an oath. Then Saul went home, but David and his men went back to their stronghold. | 22David promised Saul this on oath. Then Saul went to his house, and David and his men went up to the stronghold. |
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