1 And Dauid went thence, and dwelt in holdes at En-gedi. 2 When Saul was turned from ye Philistims, they told him, saying, Behold, Dauid is in the wildernes of En-gedi. 3 Then Saul tooke three thousande chosen men out of all Israel, and went to seeke Dauid and his men vpon the rocks among the wilde goates. 4 And hee came to the sheepecoates by the way where there was a caue, and Saul went in to do his easement: and Dauid and his men sate in the inward parts of the caue. 5 And the men of Dauid said vnto him, See, the day is come, whereof the Lord sayde vnto thee, Beholde, I will deliuer thine enemie into thine hande, and thou shalt doe to him as it shall seeme good to thee. Then Dauid arose and cut off the lap of Sauls garment priuily. 6 And afterward Dauid was touched in his heart, because he had cut off the lappe which was on Sauls garment. 7 And he said vnto his men, The Lord keepe mee from doing that thing vnto my master the Lords Anoynted, to lay mine hand vpon him: for he is the Anoynted of the Lord. 8 So Dauid ouercame his seruants with these words, and suffered them not to arise against Saul: so Saul rose vp out of the caue and went away. 9 Dauid also arose afterward, and went out of the caue, and cryed after Saul, saying, O my lorde the King. And when Saul looked behinde him, Dauid inclined his face to the earth, and bowed himselfe. 10 And Dauid saide to Saul, Wherefore giuest thou an eare to mens words, that say, Behold, Dauid seeketh euill against thee? 11 Behold, this day thine eyes haue seene, that the Lord had deliuered thee this day into mine hand in the caue, and some bade me kill thee, but I had compassion on thee, and said, I will not lay mine hande on my master: for he is the Lordes Anoynted. 12 Moreouer my father, behold: behold, I say, the lappe of thy garment in mine hand: for when I cut off the lappe of thy garment, I killed thee not. Vnderstad and see, that there is neither euil nor wickednesse in mee, neither haue I sinned against thee, yet thou huntest after my soule to take it. 13 The Lord be iudge betweene thee and me, and the Lord auenge me of thee, and let not mine hand be vpon thee. 14 According as the olde prouerbe sayeth, Wickednesse proceedeth from the wicked, but mine hand be not vpon thee. 15 After whom is the King of Israel come out? after whome doest thou pursue? after a dead dog, and after a flea? 16 The Lord therfore be iudge, and iudge betweene thee and me, and see, and pleade my cause, and deliuer me out of thine hand. 17 Whe Dauid had made an end of speaking these words to Saul, Saul sayd, Is this thy voyce, my sonne Dauid? and Saul lift vp his voice, and wept, 18 And sayd to Dauid, Thou art more righteous then I: for thou hast rendred me good, and I haue rendred thee euill. 19 And thou hast shewed this day, that thou hast dealt well with me: forasmuch as when the Lord had closed me in thine hands, thou killedst me not. 20 For who shall finde his enemie, and let him depart free? wherefore the Lord render thee good for that thou hast done vnto me this day. 21 For now behold, I know that thou shalt be King, and that the kingdome of Israel shall be stablished in thine hand. 22 Sweare now therfore vnto me by the Lord, that thou wilt not destroy my seede after me, and that thou wilt not abolish my name out of my fathers house. 23 So Dauid sware vnto Saul, and Saul went home: but Dauid and his men went vp vnto ye hold.
David Spares Saul's Life
1 When Saul came back from fighting the Philistines, he was told that David was in the wilderness near Engedi. 2 Saul took three thousand of the best soldiers in Israel and went looking for David and his men east of Wild Goat Rocks. 3 He came to a cave close to some sheep pens by the road and went in to relieve himself. It happened to be the very cave in which David and his men were hiding far back in the cave. 4 They said to him, “This is your chance! The Lord has told you that he would put your enemy in your power and you could do to him whatever you wanted to.” David crept over and cut off a piece of Saul's robe without Saul's knowing it. 5 But then David's conscience began to hurt, 6 and he said to his men, “May the Lord keep me from doing any harm to my master, whom the Lord chose as king! I must not harm him in the least, because he is the king chosen by the Lord!” 7 So David convinced his men that they should not attack Saul.
Saul got up, left the cave, and started away. 8 Then David went out after him and called to him, “Your Majesty!” Saul turned around, and David bowed down to the ground in respect 9 and said, “Why do you listen to people who say that I am trying to harm you? 10 You can see for yourself that just now in the cave the Lord put you in my power. Some of my men told me to kill you, but I felt sorry for you and said that I would not harm you in the least, because you are the one whom the Lord chose to be king. 11 Look, my father, look at the piece of your robe I am holding! I could have killed you, but instead I only cut this off. This should convince you that I have no thought of rebelling against you or of harming you. You are hunting me down to kill me, even though I have not done you any wrong. 12 May the Lord judge which one of us is wrong! May he punish you for your action against me, for I will not harm you in the least. 13 You know the old saying, ‘Evil is done only by evil people.’ And so I will not harm you. 14 Look at what the king of Israel is trying to kill! Look at what he is chasing! A dead dog, a flea! 15 The Lord will judge, and he will decide which one of us is wrong. May he look into the matter, defend me, and save me from you.”
16 When David had finished speaking, Saul said, “Is that really you, David my son?” And he started crying. 17 Then he said to David, “You are right, and I am wrong. You have been so good to me, while I have done such wrong to you! 18 Today you have shown how good you are to me, because you did not kill me, even though the Lord put me in your power. 19 How often does someone catch an enemy and then let him get away unharmed? The Lord bless you for what you have done to me today! 20 Now I am sure that you will be king of Israel and that the kingdom will continue under your rule. 21 But promise me in the Lord's name that you will spare my descendants, so that my name and my family's name will not be completely forgotten.” 22 David promised that he would.
Then Saul went back home, and David and his men went back to their hiding place.