1 Samuel
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3 4 5
6 7 8
9 10 11
12 13 14
15 16 17
18 19
20 21 22 23
24 25 26
27 28 29
30 31
1 And
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.
2 Then 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.
3 And 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.
4 And 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.
5 And it came to pass afterward,
that David’s heart smote him, because he had cut off Saul’s skirt.
6 And 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.
7 So 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.
8 David 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.
9 And David said to
Saul, Wherefore hearest thou men’s words, saying, Behold, David seeketh
thy hurt?
10 Behold, 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.
11 Moreover, 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.
12 The LORD judge between me and
thee, and the LORD avenge me of thee: but mine hand shall not be upon
thee.
13 As saith
the proverb of the ancients, Wickedness proceedeth from the wicked: but
mine hand shall not be upon thee.
14 After whom is the king of Israel
come out? after whom dost thou pursue? after a dead dog, after a flea.
15 The LORD therefore be judge, and
judge between me and thee, and see, and plead my cause, and deliver me out
of thine hand.
16 And 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.
17 And he said to David, Thou art
more righteous than I: for thou hast rewarded me good, whereas I have
rewarded thee evil.
18 And 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.
19 For 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.
20 And now, behold, I know well that
thou shalt surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be
established in thine hand.
21 Swear 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.
22 And David sware unto Saul. And
Saul went home; but David and his men gat them up unto the hold.
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