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1 Samuel 24 :: New American Standard Bible 2020 (NASB20)

David Spares Saul’s Life

1Sa 24:1

1Sa 24:1

[fn]Now when Saul returned from pursuing the Philistines, it was reported to him, saying, “Behold, David is in the wilderness of Engedi.”

1Sa 24:2

1Sa 24:2Then Saul took three thousand chosen men from all Israel and went to search for David and his men in front of the Rocks of the Mountain Goats.

1Sa 24:3

1Sa 24:3And he came to the sheepfolds on the way, where there was a cave; and Saul went in to [fn]relieve himself. Now David and his men were sitting in the inner recesses of the cave.

1Sa 24:4

1Sa 24:4Then David’s men said to him, “Behold, this is the day of which the LORD said to you, ‘Behold; I am about to hand your enemy over to you, and you shall do to him as it seems good [fn]to you.’” Then David got up and cut off the edge of Saul’s robe secretly.

1Sa 24:5

1Sa 24:5But it came about afterward that David’s [fn]conscience bothered him because he had cut off the edge of Saul’s robe.

1Sa 24:6

1Sa 24:6So he said to his men, “Far be it from me because of the LORD that I would do this thing to my lord, the LORD’S anointed, to reach out with my hand against him, since he is the LORD’S anointed.”

1Sa 24:7

1Sa 24:7And David rebuked his men with these words and did not allow them to rise up against Saul. And Saul got up, [fn]left the cave, and went on his way.

1Sa 24:8

1Sa 24:8

Afterward, however, David got up and went out of the cave, and called after Saul, saying, “My lord the king!” And when Saul looked behind him, David bowed with his face to the ground and prostrated himself.

1Sa 24:9

1Sa 24:9And David said to Saul, “Why do you listen to the words of men [fn]who say, ‘Behold, David is seeking [fn]to harm you’?

1Sa 24:10

1Sa 24:10“Behold, this day your eyes have seen that the LORD had handed you over to me today in the cave, and someone said to kill you, but [fn]I spared you; and I said, ‘I will not reach out with my hand against my lord, because he is the LORD’S anointed.’

1Sa 24:11

1Sa 24:11“So, my father, look! Indeed, look at the edge of your robe in my hand! For by the fact that I cut off the edge of your robe but did not kill you, know and understand that there is no evil or [fn]rebellion in my hands, and I have not sinned against you, though you are lying in wait for my life, to take it.

1Sa 24:12

1Sa 24:12“May the LORD judge between [fn]you and me, and may the LORD take vengeance on you for me; but my hand shall not be against you.

1Sa 24:13

1Sa 24:13“As the proverb of the ancients says, ‘Out of the wicked comes wickedness’; but my hand shall not be against you.

1Sa 24:14

1Sa 24:14“After whom has the king of Israel gone out? Whom are you pursuing? A dead dog, a single flea?

1Sa 24:15

1Sa 24:15“May the LORD therefore be judge and decide between [fn]you and me; and may He see and plead my cause and save me from your hand.”

1Sa 24:16

1Sa 24:16

When David had finished speaking these words to Saul, Saul said, “Is this your voice, my son David?” Then Saul raised his voice and wept.

1Sa 24:17

1Sa 24:17And he said to David, “You are more righteous than I; for you have dealt well with me, while I have dealt maliciously with you.

1Sa 24:18

1Sa 24:18“You have declared today that you have done good to me, that the LORD handed me over to you and yet you did not kill me.

1Sa 24:19

1Sa 24:19“Though if a man finds his enemy, will he let him go away [fn]unharmed? May the LORD therefore reward you with good in return for what you have done to me this day.

1Sa 24:20

1Sa 24:20“Now, behold, I know that you will certainly be king, and that the kingdom of Israel will be established in your hand.

1Sa 24:21

1Sa 24:21“So now swear to me by the LORD that you will not cut off my [fn]descendants after me, and that you will not eliminate my name from my father’s household.”

1Sa 24:22

1Sa 24:22And David swore an oath to Saul. Then Saul went to his home, but David and his men went up to the stronghold.
See the NASB20 Preface (Especially for Parenthesis, Brackets, & Asterisks).
NASB20 Footnotes
Ch 24:2 in Heb
Lit cover his feet
Lit in your eyes
Lit heart struck
Lit from
Lit saying
Lit your harm
As in ancient versions; MT, my eye had pity on
Lit offense
Lit me and you
Lit me and you
Lit on a good road
Lit seed
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1 Samuel Chapter 24 — Additional Translations:

King James Version New King James Version New Living Translation New International Version English Standard Version Christian Standard Bible New American Standard Bible 1995 Legacy Standard Bible Amplified Bible New English Translation Revised Standard Version American Standard Version Young's Literal Translation Darby Translation Webster's Bible Hebrew Names Version Latin Vulgate Open New Arabic Version Westminster Leningrad Codex Septuagint Smith Van Dyck Arabic Bible Brenton's English Septuagint Reina Valera 1909 Reina-Valera 1960 Bible in Basic English Chinese Traditional Union Espanol Moderno Korean Holy Bible Louis Segond German Luther Russian Synodal Translation Sagradas Escrituras