1 After Saul had|strong="H1732" chased the|strong="H8033" Philistines away|strong="H5927", people|strong="H3427" told him|strong="H1732", “David|strong="H1732" is|strong="H8033" in|strong="H3427" the|strong="H8033" desert area near|strong="H8033" En Gedi.”
2 So|strong="H1961" Saul|strong="H7586" chose 3000 men|strong="H0559" from|strong="H7725" all|strong="H2009" over Israel and|strong="H7725" began|strong="H1961" searching for|strong="H1732" David|strong="H1732" and|strong="H7725" his|strong="H7725" men|strong="H0559". They|strong="H0834" looked|strong="H2009" near Wild Goat Rocks.
3 Saul|strong="H7586" came|strong="H0376" to|strong="H5921" some|strong="H0376" sheep pens beside|strong="H5921" the|strong="H3605" road. There|strong="H3605" was|strong="H3478" a|strong="H3947" cave near|strong="H6440" there|strong="H3605", so|strong="H3947" Saul|strong="H7586" went|strong="H0376" in|strong="H5921" to|strong="H5921" relieve himself|strong="H6440". David|strong="H1732" and|strong="H3478" his|strong="H3605" men|strong="H0376" were|strong="H3478" deep inside|strong="H6440" that|strong="H3605" same|strong="H0853" cave.
4 David’s|strong="H1732" men|strong="H0376" told|strong="H0413" him|strong="H0413", “This|strong="H0935" is|strong="H0376" day the|strong="H0853" LORD told|strong="H0413" you|strong="H5921" about|strong="H5921" when|strong="H0935" he|strong="H8033" said|strong="H0413", ‘I|strong="H5921" will|strong="H0376" give|strong="H0935" your|strong="H5921" enemy to|strong="H0413" you|strong="H5921", and|strong="H0935" you|strong="H5921" can|strong="H0935" do|strong="H0935" whatever you|strong="H5921" want to|strong="H0413" him|strong="H0413".’”
5 Later, David|strong="H1732" felt bad about|strong="H0413" what|strong="H0834" he|strong="H0834" did|strong="H6213".
6 He|strong="H0834" said|strong="H3651" to|strong="H1961" his|strong="H5921" men|strong="H3772", “I|strong="H0834" pray the|strong="H0853" LORD never lets me|strong="H5921" do anything like|strong="H1961" that|strong="H0834" to|strong="H1961" my|strong="H5921" master again|strong="H0310". I|strong="H0834" must|strong="H0853" not|strong="H1961" do anything against|strong="H5921" Saul|strong="H7586", because|strong="H5921" he|strong="H0834" is|strong="H0834" the|strong="H0853" LORD’S chosen king|strong="H5921".”
7 David|strong="H3027" said|strong="H0559" these|strong="H2088" things|strong="H1697" to|strong="H0559" stop his|strong="H3068" men|strong="H0376". He|strong="H1931" would|strong="H3068" not|strong="H2088" let|strong="H7971" his|strong="H3068" men|strong="H0376" hurt Saul|strong="H0559".
8 Later, David|strong="H1732" came|strong="H0413" out|strong="H0413" of|strong="H0376" the|strong="H0853" cave|strong="H4631" and|strong="H6965" called out|strong="H0413" to|strong="H0413" Saul|strong="H7586", “My|strong="H5414" lord the|strong="H0853" king!”
9 David|strong="H1732" said|strong="H0559" to|strong="H0559" Saul|strong="H7586", “Why|strong="H3651" do|strong="H3318" you|strong="H4480" listen when|strong="H3318" people|strong="H0776" say|strong="H0559", ‘David|strong="H1732" plans to|strong="H0559" hurt you’?
10 You|strong="H0853" can|strong="H4100" see|strong="H2009" that|strong="H8085" with|strong="H1697" your|strong="H8085" own eyes that|strong="H8085" is|strong="H4100" not|strong="H1732" true. The|strong="H0853" LORD put you|strong="H0853" within my|strong="H8085" grasp today in|strong="H8085" the|strong="H0853" cave, but|strong="H2009" I|strong="H2009" refused|strong="H8085" to|strong="H0559" kill you|strong="H0853". I|strong="H2009" was|strong="H1732" merciful to|strong="H0559" you|strong="H0853". I|strong="H2009" said|strong="H0559", ‘I|strong="H2009" won’t hurt my|strong="H8085" master|strong="H0559". Saul|strong="H7586" is|strong="H4100" the|strong="H0853" LORD’S chosen king.’
11 Look|strong="H2009" at|strong="H5921" this|strong="H2088" piece of|strong="H3068" cloth in|strong="H5921" my|strong="H5414" hand|strong="H3027". I|strong="H0834" cut off|strong="H5921" the|strong="H0853" corner of|strong="H3068" your|strong="H3068" robe. I|strong="H0834" could|strong="H2088" have|strong="H0834" killed|strong="H2026" you|strong="H0834", but|strong="H3588" I|strong="H0834" didn’t|strong="H3808". Now|strong="H2009", I|strong="H0834" want you|strong="H0834" to|strong="H0559" understand|strong="H7200" this|strong="H2088". I|strong="H0834" want you|strong="H0834" to|strong="H0559" know that|strong="H0834" I|strong="H0834" am|strong="H3068" not|strong="H3808" planning|strong="H0559" anything|strong="H3808" against|strong="H5921" you|strong="H0834". I|strong="H0834" did|strong="H0834" nothing|strong="H3808" wrong to|strong="H0559" you|strong="H0834", but|strong="H3588" you|strong="H0834" are|strong="H0834" hunting me|strong="H5414" and|strong="H3068" trying to|strong="H0559" kill|strong="H2026" me|strong="H5414".
12 Let|strong="H3808" the|strong="H0853" LORD be|strong="H3808" the|strong="H0853" judge. I|strong="H3588" hope the|strong="H0853" LORD will|strong="H1571" punish you|strong="H0859" for|strong="H3588" the|strong="H0853" wrong|strong="H7451" you|strong="H0859" did|strong="H3808" to|strong="H0369" me|strong="H5315", but|strong="H3588" I|strong="H3588" won’t|strong="H3808" fight you|strong="H0859" myself|strong="H5315".
13 There|strong="H1961" is|strong="H3068" an|strong="H1961" old saying:
14 Who|strong="H0834" are|strong="H0834" you|strong="H0834" chasing? Did|strong="H0834" the|strong="H0559" king of|strong="H3027" Israel bring|strong="H3318" an|strong="H1961" army to|strong="H0559" chase a|strong="H1961" single flea or|strong="H3808" a|strong="H1961" dying dog?
15 Let the|strong="H0310" LORD be|strong="H4191" the|strong="H0310" judge. Let him|strong="H0310" decide|strong="H3318" between you|strong="H0859" and|strong="H3478" me|strong="H0310". He|strong="H0310" will|strong="H4310" support me|strong="H0310" and|strong="H3478" show that|strong="H3478" I|strong="H0259" am right. He|strong="H0310" will|strong="H4310" save me|strong="H0310" from|strong="H3318" you|strong="H0859".”
16 When|strong="H1961" David|strong="H3027" finished speaking, Saul asked, “Is|strong="H3068" that|strong="H7200" your|strong="H3068" voice, David|strong="H3027" my|strong="H3068" son?” Then|strong="H1961" Saul lifted his|strong="H3068" voice and|strong="H3068" began|strong="H1961" to|strong="H1961" cry.
17 He|strong="H1732" said|strong="H0559", “You|strong="H0853" are|strong="H0428" right, and|strong="H1121" I|strong="H1697" am|strong="H1961" wrong. You|strong="H0853" were|strong="H1961" good to|strong="H0413" me|strong="H0413", even|strong="H0853" though I|strong="H1697" have|strong="H1961" been|strong="H1961" bad to|strong="H0413" you|strong="H0853".
18 You|strong="H0859" yourself|strong="H0859" said|strong="H0559" it|strong="H3588" when|strong="H3588" you|strong="H0859" told|strong="H0559" me|strong="H0413" about|strong="H0413" the|strong="H0559" good|strong="H2896" things you|strong="H0859" did|strong="H1580". The|strong="H0559" LORD|strong="H6662" put my|strong="H1732" life in|strong="H0413" your|strong="H3588" hands, but|strong="H3588" you|strong="H0859" did|strong="H1580" not|strong="H1732" kill me|strong="H0413".
19 This|strong="H0834" shows that|strong="H0834" you|strong="H0859" are|strong="H0834" not|strong="H3808" my|strong="H3068" enemy. A|strong="H0834" man doesn’t|strong="H3808" catch his|strong="H3068" enemy, and|strong="H3068" then|strong="H0853" just|strong="H0834" let|strong="H3808" him|strong="H0853" go. He|strong="H0834" doesn’t|strong="H3808" do|strong="H6213" good|strong="H2896" things|strong="H0834" for|strong="H3027" his|strong="H3068" enemy. May|strong="H3068" the|strong="H0853" LORD|strong="H3068" reward you|strong="H0859" for|strong="H3027" being good|strong="H2896" to|strong="H3068" me|strong="H5046" today|strong="H3117".
20 Now|strong="H3117", I|strong="H0834" know that|strong="H0834" you|strong="H0834" will|strong="H3068" become the|strong="H0853" new king. You|strong="H0834" will|strong="H3068" rule the|strong="H0853" kingdom of|strong="H0376" Israel.
21 Now|strong="H6258" make|strong="H3045" a|strong="H3588" promise to|strong="H3478" me|strong="H6965" with|strong="H3045" an|strong="H3588" oath using the|strong="H3588" LORD’S name. Promise that|strong="H3588" you|strong="H3588" will|strong="H3478" not|strong="H3588" kill my|strong="H3045" descendants, even|strong="H3588" after|strong="H3588" I|strong="H3588" die. Promise me|strong="H6965" that|strong="H3588" you|strong="H3588" will|strong="H3478" not|strong="H3588" erase my|strong="H3045" name from|strong="H3027" my|strong="H3045" father’s family.”
22 So|strong="H6258" David made|strong="H3772" a|strong="H3772" promise|strong="H7650" to|strong="H3068" Saul. He|strong="H0518" promised|strong="H7650" that|strong="H3068" he|strong="H0518" would|strong="H3068" not|strong="H0518" kill|strong="H3772" Saul’s family|strong="H1004". Then|strong="H6258" Saul went|strong="H1004" back|strong="H0310" home|strong="H1004". David and|strong="H3068" his|strong="H3068" men|strong="H3772" went|strong="H1004" back|strong="H0310" up|strong="H0853" to|strong="H3068" the|strong="H0853" fort.