24:1 And it came to pass, when Saul 7586 was returned 7725 8804 from following 310 the Philistines 6430, that it was told 5046 8686 him, saying 559 8800, Behold, David 1732 [is] in the wilderness 4057 of Engedi 5872.(following: Heb. after)

24:2 Then Saul 7586 took 3947 8799 three 7969 thousand 505 chosen 977 8803 men 376 out of all Israel 3478, and went 3212 8799 to seek 1245 8763 David 1732 and his men 582 upon 6440 the rocks 6697 of the wild goats 3277.

24:3 And he came 935 8799 to the sheepcotes 1448 6629 by the way 1870, where [was] a cave 4631; and Saul 7586 went in 935 8799 to cover 5526 8687 his feet 7272: and David 1732 and his men 582 remained 3427 8802 in the sides 3411 of the cave 4631.

24:4 And the men 582 of David 1732 said 559 8799 unto him, Behold the day 3117 of which the LORD 3068 said 559 8804 unto thee, Behold, I will deliver 5414 8802 thine enemy 341 8802 into thine hand 3027, that thou mayest do 6213 8804 to him as it shall seem good 3190 8799 unto thee 5869. Then David 1732 arose 6965 8799, and cut off 3772 8799 the skirt 3671 of Saul's 7586 robe 4598 privily 3909.(Saul's…: Heb. the robe which was Saul's)

24:5 And it came to pass afterward 310, that David's 1732 heart 3820 smote 5221 8686 him, because he had cut off 3772 8804 Saul's 7586 skirt 3671.

24:6 And he said 559 8799 unto his men 582, The LORD 3068 forbid 2486 that I should do 6213 8799 this thing 1697 unto my master 113, the LORD'S 3068 anointed 4899, to stretch forth 7971 8800 mine hand 3027 against him, seeing he [is] the anointed 4899 of the LORD 3068.

24:7 So David 1732 stayed 8156 8762 his servants 582 with these words 1697, and suffered 5414 8804 them not to rise 6965 8800 against Saul 7586. But Saul 7586 rose up 6965 8804 out of the cave 4631, and went 3212 8799 on [his] way 1870.(stayed: Heb. cut off)

24:8 David 1732 also arose 6965 8799 afterward, and went out 3318 8799 of the cave 4631, and cried 7121 8799 after 310 Saul 7586, saying 559 8800, My lord 113 the king 4428. And when Saul 7586 looked 5027 8686 behind 310 him, David 1732 stooped 6915 8799 with his face 639 to the earth 776, and bowed 7812 8691 himself.

24:9 And David 1732 said 559 8799 to Saul 7586, Wherefore hearest 8085 8799 thou men's 120 words 1697, saying 559 8800, Behold, David 1732 seeketh 1245 8764 thy hurt 7451?

24:10 Behold, this day 3117 thine eyes 5869 have seen 7200 8804 how that the LORD 3068 had delivered 5414 8804 thee to day 3117 into mine hand 3027 in the cave 4631: and [some] bade 559 8804 [me] kill 2026 8800 thee: but [mine eye] spared 2347 8799 thee; and I said 559 8799, I will not put forth 7971 8799 mine hand 3027 against my lord 113; for he [is] the LORD'S 3068 anointed 4899.

24:11 Moreover, my father 1, see 7200 8798, yea, see 7200 8798 the skirt 3671 of thy robe 4598 in my hand 3027: for in that I cut off 3772 8800 the skirt 3671 of thy robe 4598, and killed 2026 8804 thee not, know 3045 8798 thou and see 7200 8798 that [there is] neither evil 7451 nor transgression 6588 in mine hand 3027, and I have not sinned 2398 8804 against thee; yet thou huntest 6658 8802 my soul 5315 to take 3947 8800 it.

24:12 The LORD 3068 judge 8199 8799 between me and thee, and the LORD 3068 avenge 5358 8804 me of thee: but mine hand 3027 shall not be upon thee.

24:13 As saith 559 8799 the proverb 4912 of the ancients 6931, Wickedness 7562 proceedeth 3318 8799 from the wicked 7563: but mine hand 3027 shall not be upon thee.

24:14 After 310 whom is the king 4428 of Israel 3478 come out 3318 8804? after 310 whom dost thou pursue 7291 8802? after 310 a dead 4191 8801 dog 3611, after 310 a 259 flea 6550.

24:15 The LORD 3068 therefore be judge 1781, and judge 8199 8804 between me and thee, and see 7200 8799, and plead 7378 8799 my cause 7379, and deliver 8199 8799 me out of thine hand 3027.(deliver: Heb. judge)

24:16 And it came to pass, when David 1732 had made an end 3615 8763 of speaking 1696 8763 these words 1697 unto Saul 7586, that Saul 7586 said 559 8799, [Is] this thy voice 6963, my son 1121 David 1732? And Saul 7586 lifted up 5375 8799 his voice 6963, and wept 1058 8799.

24:17 And he said 559 8799 to David 1732, Thou [art] more righteous 6662 than I: for thou hast rewarded 1580 8804 me good 2896, whereas I have rewarded 1580 8804 thee evil 7451.

24:18 And thou hast shewed 5046 8689 this day 3117 how that thou hast dealt 6213 8804 well 2896 with me: forasmuch as when the LORD 3068 had delivered 5462 8765 me into thine hand 3027, thou killedst 2026 8804 me not.(delivered: Heb. shut up)

24:19 For if a man 376 find 4672 8799 his enemy 341 8802, will he let him go 7971 8765 well 2896 away 1870? wherefore the LORD 3068 reward 7999 8762 thee good 2896 for that thou hast done 6213 8804 unto me this day 3117.

24:20 And now, behold, I know well 3045 8804 that thou shalt surely 4427 8800 be king 4427 8799, and that the kingdom 4467 of Israel 3478 shall be established 6965 8804 in thine hand 3027.

24:21 Swear 7650 8734 now therefore unto me by the LORD 3068, that thou wilt not 518 cut off 3772 8686 my seed 2233 after 310 me, and that thou wilt not destroy 8045 8686 my name 8034 out of my father's 1 house 1004.

24:22 And David 1732 sware 7650 8735 unto Saul 7586. And Saul 7586 went 3212 8799 home 1004; but David 1732 and his men 582 gat them up 5927 8804 unto the hold 4686.

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