1 Samuel 24 Parallel Bible Translations

1 Samuel 24 ▼
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1 After Saul returned from fighting the Philistines, he was told that David had gone into the wilderness of En-gedi. When Saul returned from following the Philistines, he was told, “Behold, David is in the wilderness of Engedi.” After Saul returned from pursuing the Philistines, he was told, “David is in the Desert of En Gedi.”
2 So 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. Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel and went to seek David and his men in front of the Wildgoats’ Rocks. So Saul took three thousand able young men from all Israel and set out to look for David and his men near the Crags of the Wild Goats.
3 At 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! And 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. He came to the sheep pens along the way; a cave was there, and Saul went in to relieve himself. David and his men were far back in 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. And 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. The men said, “This is the day the LORD spoke of when he said to you, ‘I will give your enemy into your hands for you to deal with as you wish.’” Then David crept up unnoticed and cut off a corner of Saul’s robe.
5 But then David’s conscience began bothering him because he had cut Saul’s robe. And afterward David’s heart struck him, because he had cut off a corner of Saul’s robe. Afterward, David was conscience-stricken for having cut off a corner of his robe.
6 He 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.” He 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.” He said to his men, “The LORD forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the LORD’s anointed, or lay my hand on him; for he is the anointed of the LORD.”
7 So David restrained his men and did not let them kill Saul. After Saul had left the cave and gone on his way, So 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. With these words David sharply rebuked his men and did not allow them to attack Saul. And Saul left the cave and went his way.
8 David came out and shouted after him, “My lord the king!” And when Saul looked around, David bowed low before him. Afterward 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. Then David went out of the cave and called out to Saul, “My lord the king!” When Saul looked behind him, David bowed down and prostrated himself with his face to the ground.
9 Then he shouted to Saul, “Why do you listen to the people who say I am trying to harm you? And David said to Saul, “Why do you listen to the words of men who say, ‘Behold, David seeks your harm’? He said to Saul, “Why do you listen when men say, ‘David is bent on harming you’?
10 This 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.’ Behold, 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.’ This day you have seen with your own eyes how the LORD delivered you into my hands in the cave. Some urged me to kill you, but I spared you; I said, ‘I will not lay my hand on my lord, because he is the LORD’s anointed.’
11 Look, 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. See, 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. See, my father, look at this piece of your robe in my hand! I cut off the corner of your robe but did not kill you. See that there is nothing in my hand to indicate that I am guilty of wrongdoing or rebellion. I have not wronged you, but you are hunting me down 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. May the LORD judge between me and you, may the LORD avenge me against you, but my hand shall not be against you. May the LORD judge between you and me. And may the LORD avenge the wrongs you have done to me, but my hand will not touch you.
13 As that old proverb says, ‘From evil people come evil deeds.’ So you can be sure I will never harm you. As the proverb of the ancients says, ‘Out of the wicked comes wickedness.’ But my hand shall not be against you. As the old saying goes, ‘From evildoers come evil deeds,’ so my hand will not touch you.
14 Who 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? After whom has the king of Israel come out? After whom do you pursue? After a dead dog! After a flea! “Against whom has the king of Israel come out? Who are you pursuing? A dead dog? A flea?
15 May 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!” May 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.” May the LORD be our judge and decide between us. May he consider my cause and uphold it; may he vindicate me by delivering me from your hand.”
16 When David had finished speaking, Saul called back, “Is that really you, my son David?” Then he began to cry. As 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. When David finished saying this, Saul asked, “Is that your voice, David my son?” And he wept aloud.
17 And he said to David, “You are a better man than I am, for you have repaid me good for evil. He said to David, “You are more righteous than I, for you have repaid me good, whereas I have repaid you evil. “You are more righteous than I,” he said. “You have treated me well, but I have treated you badly.
18 Yes, 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. And 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. You have just now told me about the good you did to me; the LORD delivered me into your hands, but you did not kill me.
19 Who 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. For 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. When a man finds his enemy, does he let him get away unharmed? May the LORD reward you well for the way you treated me today.
20 And now I realize that you are surely going to be king, and that the kingdom of Israel will flourish under your rule. And now, behold, I know that you shall surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in your hand. I know that you will surely be king and that the kingdom of Israel will be established in your hands.
21 Now swear to me by the LORD that when that happens you will not kill my family and destroy my line of descendants!” Swear 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.” Now swear to me by the LORD that you will not kill off my descendants or wipe out my name from my father’s family.”
22 So David promised this to Saul with an oath. Then Saul went home, but David and his men went back to their stronghold. And David swore this to Saul. Then Saul went home, but David and his men went up to the stronghold. So David gave his oath to Saul. Then Saul returned home, but David and his men went up to the stronghold.
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