| Christian Standard Bible | NET Bible |
| 1When Saul returned from pursuing the Philistines, he was told, "David is in the wilderness near En-gedi." | 1When Saul returned from pursuing the Philistines, they told him, "Look, David is in the desert of En Gedi." |
| 2So Saul took three thousand of Israel's fit young men and went to look for David and his men in front of 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. |
| 3When Saul came to the sheep pens along the road, a cave was there, and he went in to relieve himself. David and his men were staying in the recesses of the 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. |
| 4so they said to him, "Look, this is the day the LORD told you about: 'I will hand your enemy over to you so you can do to him whatever you desire.'" Then David got up and secretly cut off the corner 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. |
| 5Afterward, David's conscience bothered him because he had cut off the corner of 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, "I swear before the LORD: I would never do such a thing to my lord, the LORD's anointed. I will never lift my hand against him, since he is the LORD's anointed." | 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." |
| 7With these words David persuaded his men, and he did not let them rise up against Saul. Then Saul left the cave and went 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. |
| 8After that, David got up, went out of the cave, and called to Saul, "My lord the king!" When Saul looked behind him, David knelt low with his face to the ground and paid homage. | 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. |
| 9David said to Saul, "Why do you listen to the words of people who say, 'Look, David intends to harm you'? | 9David said to Saul, "Why do you pay attention when men say, 'David is seeking to do you harm'? |
| 10You can see with your own eyes that the LORD handed you over to me today in the cave. Someone advised me to kill you, but I took pity on you and said: I won't lift my hand against my lord, since he is the LORD's anointed. | 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! Look at the corner of your robe in my hand, for I cut it off, but I didn't kill you. Recognize that I've committed no crime or rebellion. I haven't sinned against you even though you are hunting me down to take my life. | 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 me and you, and may the LORD take vengeance on you for me, but my hand will never be against 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 the old proverb says, 'Wickedness comes from wicked people.' My hand will never be against you. | 13It's like the old proverb says: 'From evil people evil proceeds.' But my hand will not be against you. |
| 14Who has the king of Israel come after? What are you chasing after? A dead dog? 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 be judge and decide between you and me. May he take notice and plead my case and deliver me from you." | 15May the LORD be our judge and arbiter. May he see and arbitrate my case and deliver me from your hands!" |
| 16When David finished saying these things to him, Saul replied, "Is that your voice, David my son?" Then Saul wept aloud | 16When David finished speaking these words to Saul, Saul said, "Is that your voice, my son David?" Then Saul wept loudly. |
| 17and said to David, "You are more righteous than I, for you have done what is good to me though I have done what is evil to you. | 17He said to David, "You are more innocent than I, for you have treated me well, even though I have tried to harm you! |
| 18You yourself have told me today what good you did for me: when the LORD handed me over to you, you didn't kill me. | 18You have explained today how you have treated me well. The LORD delivered me into your hand, but you did not kill me. |
| 19When a man finds his enemy, does he let him go unharmed? May the LORD repay you with good for what you've done for 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. |
| 20"Now I know for certain you will be king, and the kingdom of Israel will be established in your hand. | 20Now look, I realize that you will in fact be king and that the kingdom of Israel will be established in your hand. |
| 21Therefore swear to me by the LORD that you will not cut off my descendants or wipe out my name from my father's family." | 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 swore to Saul. Then Saul went back home, and David and his men went up to the 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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