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 En-gedi.
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.
And he came to the sheepcotes by the way, where was a cave; and Saul went in to cover his feet. Now David and his men were {Or, sitting}abiding in the innermost parts of the cave.
And the men of David said unto him, Behold, the day of which Jehovah said unto thee, Behold, I will deliver thine enemy into thy hand, and thou shalt do to him as it shall seem good unto thee. Then David arose, and cut off the skirt of Saul's robe privily.
And it came to pass afterward, that David's heart smote him, because he had cut off Saul's skirt.
And he said unto his men, Jehovah forbid that I should do this thing unto my lord, Jehovah's anointed, to put forth my hand against him, seeing he is Jehovah's anointed.
So David checked his men with these words, and suffered them not to rise against Saul. And Saul rose up out of the cave, and went on his way.
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 bowed with his face to the earth, and did obeisance.
And David said to Saul, Wherefore hearkenest thou to men's words, saying, Behold, David seeketh thy hurt?
Behold, this day thine eyes have seen how that Jehovah had delivered thee to-day into my hand in the cave: and some bade me kill thee; but mine eye spared thee; and I said, I will not put forth my hand against my lord; for he is Jehovah's anointed.
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 my hand, and I have not sinned against thee, though thou {Or, layest wait for}huntest after my life to take it.
Jehovah judge between me and thee, and Jehovah avenge me of thee; but my hand shall not be upon thee.
As saith the proverb of the ancients, Out of the wicked cometh forth wickedness; but my hand shall not be upon thee.
After whom is the king of Israel come out? after whom dost thou pursue? after a dead dog, after a flea.
Jehovah therefore be judge, and give sentence between me and thee, and see, and plead my cause, and {Hebrew: give sentence for me.}deliver me out of thy hand.
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.
And he said to David, Thou art more righteous than I; for thou hast rendered unto me good, whereas I have rendered unto thee evil.
And thou hast declared this day how that thou hast dealt well with me, forasmuch as when Jehovah had delivered me up into thy hand, thou killedst me not.
For if a man find his enemy, will he let him go well away? wherefore Jehovah reward thee good for that which thou hast done unto me this day.
And now, behold, I know that thou shalt surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in thy hand.
Swear now therefore unto me by Jehovah, that thou wilt not cut off my seed after me, and that thou wilt not destroy my name out of my father's house.
And David sware unto Saul. And Saul went home; but David and his men gat them up unto the stronghold.
Querverweise zu 1. Samuel 24,11 1Sam 24,11
and David arose and went, he and his men, and slew of the Philistines two hundred men; and David brought their foreskins, and they gave them in full number to the king, that he might be the king's son-in-law. And Saul gave him Michal his daughter to wife.
And he said, Wherefore doth my lord pursue after his servant? for what have I done? or what evil is in my hand?
And David abode in the wilderness in the strongholds, and remained in the hill-country in the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him every day, but God delivered him not into his hand.
And his servants came near, and spake unto him, and said, My father, if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not have done it? how much rather then, when he saith to thee, Wash, and be clean?
O Jehovah my God, if I have done this;If there be iniquity in my hands;
See therefore, and take knowledge of all the lurking-places where he hideth himself, and come ye again to me {Or, with a certainty Or, to a set place}of a certainty, and I will go with you: and it shall come to pass, if he be in the land, that I will search him out among all the {Or, families}thousands of Judah.
A soft answer turneth away wrath;But a grievous word stirreth up anger.
If I have rewarded evil unto him that was at peace with me;(Yea, I have delivered him that without cause was mine adversary);
Now therefore, let not my blood fall to the earth away from the presence of Jehovah: for the king of Israel is come out to seek a flea, as when one doth hunt a partridge in the mountains.
For without cause have they hid for me {Or, the pit of their net}their net in a pit;Without cause have they digged a pit for my soul.
And if my head exalt itself, thou huntest me as a lion;And again thou showest thyself marvellous upon me.
But this cometh to pass, that the word may be fulfilled that is written in their law, {Psalm 35:19; 69:4}They hated me without a cause.
{Hebrew: A man to tongue.}An evil speaker shall not be established in the earth:Evil shall hunt the violent man to overthrow him.
They hunt our steps, so that we cannot go in our streets:Our end is near, our days are fulfilled; for our end is come.
and say, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Woe to the women that sew pillows upon all {Hebrew: joints of the hands.}elbows, and make kerchiefs for the head of persons of every stature to hunt souls! {Or, Ye hunt…and ye save &c.}Will ye hunt the souls of my people, and save souls alive {Or, that are yours}for yourselves?
The godly man is perished out of the earth, and there is none upright among men: they all lie in wait for blood; they hunt every man his brother with a net.