| English Standard Version | King James Bible |
| 1When Saul returned from following the Philistines, he was told, “Behold, David is in the wilderness of Engedi.” | 1And it came to pass, when Saul was returned from following the Philistines, that it was told him, saying, Behold, David is in the wilderness of Engedi. |
| 2Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel and went to seek David and his men in front of the Wildgoats’ Rocks. | 2Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went to seek David and his men upon the rocks of the wild goats. |
| 3And he came to the sheepfolds by the way, where there was a cave, and Saul went in to relieve himself. Now David and his men were sitting in the innermost parts of the cave. | 3And he came to the sheepcotes by the way, where was a cave; and Saul went in to cover his feet: and David and his men remained in the sides of the cave. |
| 4And the men of David said to him, “Here is the day of which the LORD said to you, ‘Behold, I will give your enemy into your hand, and you shall do to him as it shall seem good to you.’” Then David arose and stealthily cut off a corner of Saul’s robe. | 4And the men of David said unto him, Behold the day of which the LORD said unto thee, Behold, I will deliver thine enemy into thine hand, that thou mayest do to him as it shall seem good unto thee. Then David arose, and cut off the skirt of Saul's robe privily. |
| 5And afterward David’s heart struck him, because he had cut off a corner of Saul’s robe. | 5And it came to pass afterward, that David's heart smote him, because he had cut off Saul's skirt. |
| 6He said to his men, “The LORD forbid that I should do this thing to my lord, the LORD’s anointed, to put out my hand against him, seeing he is the LORD’s anointed.” | 6And he said unto his men, The LORD forbid that I should do this thing unto my master, the LORD'S anointed, to stretch forth mine hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the LORD. |
| 7So David persuaded his men with these words and did not permit them to attack Saul. And Saul rose up and left the cave and went on his way. | 7So David stayed his servants with these words, and suffered them not to rise against Saul. But Saul rose up out of the cave, and went on his way. |
| 8Afterward David also arose and went out of the cave, and called after Saul, “My lord the king!” And when Saul looked behind him, David bowed with his face to the earth and paid homage. | 8David also arose afterward, and went out of the cave, and cried after Saul, saying, My lord the king. And when Saul looked behind him, David stooped with his face to the earth, and bowed himself. |
| 9And David said to Saul, “Why do you listen to the words of men who say, ‘Behold, David seeks your harm’? | 9And David said to Saul, Wherefore hearest thou men's words, saying, Behold, David seeketh thy hurt? |
| 10Behold, this day your eyes have seen how the LORD gave you today into my hand in the cave. And some told me to kill you, but I spared you. I said, ‘I will not put out my hand against my lord, for he is the LORD’s anointed.’ | 10Behold, this day thine eyes have seen how that the LORD had delivered thee to day into mine hand in the cave: and some bade me kill thee: but mine eye spared thee; and I said, I will not put forth mine hand against my lord; for he is the LORD'S anointed. |
| 11See, my father, see the corner of your robe in my hand. For by the fact that I cut off the corner of your robe and did not kill you, you may know and see that there is no wrong or treason in my hands. I have not sinned against you, though you hunt my life to take it. | 11Moreover, my father, see, yea, see the skirt of thy robe in my hand: for in that I cut off the skirt of thy robe, and killed thee not, know thou and see that there is neither evil nor transgression in mine hand, and I have not sinned against thee; yet thou huntest my soul to take it. |
| 12May the LORD judge between me and you, may the LORD avenge me against you, but my hand shall not be against you. | 12The LORD judge between me and thee, and the LORD avenge me of thee: but mine hand shall not be upon thee. |
| 13As the proverb of the ancients says, ‘Out of the wicked comes wickedness.’ But my hand shall not be against you. | 13As saith the proverb of the ancients, Wickedness proceedeth from the wicked: but mine hand shall not be upon thee. |
| 14After whom has the king of Israel come out? After whom do you pursue? After a dead dog! After a flea! | 14After whom is the king of Israel come out? after whom dost thou pursue? after a dead dog, after a flea. |
| 15May the LORD therefore be judge and give sentence between me and you, and see to it and plead my cause and deliver me from your hand.” | 15The LORD therefore be judge, and judge between me and thee, and see, and plead my cause, and deliver me out of thine hand. |
| 16As soon as David had finished speaking these words to Saul, Saul said, “Is this your voice, my son David?” And Saul lifted up his voice and wept. | 16And it came to pass, when David had made an end of speaking these words unto Saul, that Saul said, Is this thy voice, my son David? And Saul lifted up his voice, and wept. |
| 17He said to David, “You are more righteous than I, for you have repaid me good, whereas I have repaid you evil. | 17And he said to David, Thou art more righteous than I: for thou hast rewarded me good, whereas I have rewarded thee evil. |
| 18And you have declared this day how you have dealt well with me, in that you did not kill me when the LORD put me into your hands. | 18And thou hast shewed this day how that thou hast dealt well with me: forasmuch as when the LORD had delivered me into thine hand, thou killedst me not. |
| 19For if a man finds his enemy, will he let him go away safe? So may the LORD reward you with good for what you have done to me this day. | 19For if a man find his enemy, will he let him go well away? wherefore the LORD reward thee good for that thou hast done unto me this day. |
| 20And now, behold, I know that you shall surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in your hand. | 20And now, behold, I know well that thou shalt surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in thine hand. |
| 21Swear to me therefore by the LORD that you will not cut off my offspring after me, and that you will not destroy my name out of my father’s house.” | 21Swear now therefore unto me by the LORD, that thou wilt not cut off my seed after me, and that thou wilt not destroy my name out of my father's house. |
| 22And David swore this to Saul. Then Saul went home, but David and his men went up to the stronghold. | 22And David sware unto Saul. And Saul went home; but David and his men gat them up unto the hold. |
| ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved. | King James Bible, text courtesy of BibleProtector.com. |
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