1Samuel 24:12 - Prayer Tents

David Spares Saul

24Now it happened, when Saul had returned from following the Philistines, that it was told him, saying, "Take note! David is in the Wilderness of En Gedi."H7586H7725H310H6430H5046H559H1732H4057H5872

2Then Saul took three thousand chosen men from all Israel, and went to seek David and his men on the Rocks of the Wild Goats.H7586H3947H7969H505H977H376H3478H3212H1245H1732H582H6440H6697H3277

3So he came to the sheepfolds by the road, where there was a cave; and Saul went in to attend to his needs. (David and his men were staying in the recesses of the cave.)H935H1448H6629H1870H4631H7586H935H5526H7272H1732H582H3427H3411H4631

4Then the men of David said to him, "This is the day of which the LORD said to you, 'Behold, I will deliver your enemy into your hand, that you may do to him as it seems good to you.'" And David arose and secretly cut off a corner of Saul's robe.H582H1732H559H3117H3068H559H5414H341H3027H6213H3190H5869H1732H6965H3772H3671H7586H4598H3909

5Now it happened afterward that David's heart troubled him because he had cut Saul's robe.H310H1732H3820H5221H3772H7586H3671

6And he said to his men, "The LORD forbid that I should do this thing to my master, the LORD'S anointed, to stretch out my hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the LORD."H559H582H3068H2486H6213H1697H113H3068H4899H7971H3027H4899H3068

7So David restrained his servants with these words, and did not allow them to rise against Saul. And Saul got up from the cave and went on his way.H1732H8156H582H1697H5414H6965H7586H7586H6965H4631H3212H1870

8David also arose afterward, went out of the cave, and called out to Saul, saying, "My lord the king!" And when Saul looked behind him, David stooped with his face to the earth, and bowed down.H1732H6965H3318H4631H7121H310H7586H559H113H4428H7586H5027H310H1732H6915H639H776H7812

9And David said to Saul: "Why do you listen to the words of men who say, 'Indeed David seeks your harm'?H1732H559H7586H8085H120H1697H559H1732H1245H7451

10"Look, this day your eyes have seen that the LORD delivered you today into my hand in the cave, and someone urged me to kill you. But my eye spared you, and I said, 'I will not stretch out my hand against my lord, for he is the LORD'S anointed.'H3117H5869H7200H3068H5414H3117H3027H4631H559H2026H2347H559H7971H3027H113H3068H4899

11"Moreover, my father, see! Yes, see the corner of your robe in my hand! For in that I cut off the corner of your robe, and did not kill you, know and see that there is neither evil nor rebellion in my hand, and I have not sinned against you. Yet you hunt my life to take it.H1H7200H7200H3671H4598H3027H3772H3671H4598H2026H3045H7200H7451H6588H3027H2398H6658H5315H3947

12"Let the LORD judge between you and me, and let the LORD avenge me on you. But my hand shall not be against you.H3068H8199H3068H5358H3027

13"As the proverb of the ancients says, 'Wickedness proceeds from the wicked.' But my hand shall not be against you.H559H4912H6931H7562H3318H7563H3027

14"After whom has the king of Israel come out? Whom do you pursue? A dead dog? A flea?H310H4428H3478H3318H310H7291H310H4191H3611H310H259H6550

15"Therefore let the LORD be judge, and judge between you and me, and see and plead my case, and deliver me out of your hand."H3068H1781H8199H7200H7378H7379H8199H3027

16So it was, when David had finished speaking these words to Saul, that Saul said, "Is this your voice, my son David?" And Saul lifted up his voice and wept.H1732H3615H1696H1697H7586H7586H559H6963H1121H1732H7586H5375H6963H1058

17Then he said to David: "You are more righteous than I; for you have rewarded me with good, whereas I have rewarded you with evil.H559H1732H6662H1580H2896H1580H7451

18"And you have shown this day how you have dealt well with me; for when the LORD delivered me into your hand, you did not kill me.H5046H3117H6213H2896H3068H5462H3027H2026

19"For if a man finds his enemy, will he let him get away safely? Therefore may the LORD reward you with good for what you have done to me this day.H376H4672H341H7971H2896H1870H3068H7999H2896H6213H3117

20"And now I know indeed that you shall surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in your hand.H3045H4427H4427H4467H3478H6965H3027

21"Therefore swear now to me by the LORD that you will not cut off my descendants after me, and that you will not destroy my name from my father's house."H7650H3068H518H3772H2233H310H8045H8034H1H1004

22So David swore to Saul. And Saul went home, but David and his men went up to the stronghold.H1732H7650H7586H7586H3212H1004H1732H582H5927H4686