1 And it came to pass, when Saul 7586 was returned 7725 from following 310 the Philistines 6430, that it was told 5046 him, saying 559, Behold, David 1732 is in the wilderness 4057 of Engedi 5872.
2 Then Saul 7586 took 3947 three 7969 thousand 505 chosen 977 men 376 out of all Israel 3478, and went 3212 to seek 1245 David 1732 and his men 582 upon 6440 the rocks 6697 of the wild goats 3277.
3 And he came 935 to the sheepcotes 1448 6629 by the way 1870, where was a cave 4631; and Saul 7586 went in 935 to cover 5526 his feet 7272: and David 1732 and his men 582 remained 3427 in the sides 3411 of the cave 4631.
4 And the men 582 of David 1732 said 559 unto him, Behold the day 3117 of which the LORD 3068 said 559 unto thee, Behold, I will deliver 5414 thine enemy 341 into thine hand 3027, that thou mayest do 6213 to him as it shall seem good 3190 unto thee 5869. Then David 1732 arose 6965, and cut off 3772 the skirt 3671 of Saul's 7586 robe 4598 privily 3909.
5 And it came to pass afterward 310, that David's 1732 heart 3820 smote 5221 him, because he had cut off 3772 Saul's 7586 skirt 3671.
6 And he said 559 unto his men 582, The LORD 3068 forbid 2486 that I should do 6213 this thing 1697 unto my master 113, the LORD'S 3068 anointed 4899, to stretch forth 7971 mine hand 3027 against him, seeing he is the anointed 4899 of the LORD 3068.
7 So David 1732 stayed 8156 his servants 582 with these words 1697, and suffered 5414 them not to rise 6965 against Saul 7586. But Saul 7586 rose up 6965 out of the cave 4631, and went 3212 on his way 1870.
8 David 1732 also arose 6965 afterward, and went out 3318 of the cave 4631, and cried 7121 after 310 Saul 7586, saying 559, My lord 113 the king 4428. And when Saul 7586 looked 5027 behind 310 him, David 1732 stooped 6915 with his face 639 to the earth 776, and bowed 7812 himself.
9 And David 1732 said 559 to Saul 7586, Wherefore hearest 8085 thou men's 120 words 1697, saying 559, Behold, David 1732 seeketh 1245 thy hurt 7451?
10 Behold, this day 3117 thine eyes 5869 have seen 7200 how that the LORD 3068 had delivered 5414 thee to day 3117 into mine hand 3027 in the cave 4631: and some bade 559 me kill 2026 thee: but mine eye spared 2347 thee; and I said 559, I will not put forth 7971 mine hand 3027 against my lord 113; for he is the LORD'S 3068 anointed 4899.
11 Moreover, my father 1, see 7200, yea, see 7200 the skirt 3671 of thy robe 4598 in my hand 3027: for in that I cut off 3772 the skirt 3671 of thy robe 4598, and killed 2026 thee not, know 3045 thou and see 7200 that there is neither evil 7451 nor transgression 6588 in mine hand 3027, and I have not sinned 2398 against thee; yet thou huntest 6658 my soul 5315 to take 3947 it.
12 The LORD 3068 judge 8199 between me and thee, and the LORD 3068 avenge 5358 me of thee: but mine hand 3027 shall not be upon thee.
13 As saith 559 the proverb 4912 of the ancients 6931, Wickedness 7562 proceedeth 3318 from the wicked 7563: but mine hand 3027 shall not be upon thee.
14 After 310 whom is the king 4428 of Israel 3478 come out 3318? after 310 whom dost thou pursue 7291? after 310 a dead 4191 dog 3611, after 310 a 259 flea 6550.
15 The LORD 3068 therefore be judge 1781, and judge 8199 between me and thee, and see 7200, and plead 7378 my cause 7379, and deliver 8199 me out of thine hand 3027.
16 And it came to pass, when David 1732 had made an end 3615 of speaking 1696 these words 1697 unto Saul 7586, that Saul 7586 said 559, Is this thy voice 6963, my son 1121 David 1732? And Saul 7586 lifted up 5375 his voice 6963, and wept 1058.
17 And he said 559 to David 1732, Thou art more righteous 6662 than I: for thou hast rewarded 1580 me good 2896, whereas I have rewarded 1580 thee evil 7451.
18 And thou hast shewed 5046 this day 3117 how that thou hast dealt 6213 well 2896 with me: forasmuch as when the LORD 3068 had delivered 5462 me into thine hand 3027, thou killedst 2026 me not.
19 For if a man 376 find 4672 his enemy 341, will he let him go 7971 well 2896 away 1870? wherefore the LORD 3068 reward 7999 thee good 2896 for that thou hast done 6213 unto me this day 3117.
20 And now, behold, I know well 3045 that thou shalt surely 4427 be king 4427, and that the kingdom 4467 of Israel 3478 shall be established 6965 in thine hand 3027.
21 Swear 7650 now therefore unto me by the LORD 3068, that thou wilt not 518 cut off 3772 my seed 2233 after 310 me, and that thou wilt not destroy 8045 my name 8034 out of my father's 1 house 1004.
22 And David 1732 sware 7650 unto Saul 7586. And Saul 7586 went 3212 home 1004; but David 1732 and his men 582 gat them up 5927 unto the hold 4686.