1 En daarvandaan het Dawid opgetrek en in die bergvestings van ngedi gebly.

2 En net toe Saul terugkom agter die Filistyne vandaan, is aan hom meegedeel en gesê: Kyk, Dawid is in die woestyn van ngedi.

3 Daarop het Saul drie duisend uitgesoekte manne uit die hele Israel geneem en heengegaan om Dawid en sy manne te soek teenoor die Steenbokrotse.

4 Toe hy kom by die skaapkrale langs die pad waar 'n spelonk was, het Saul daar ingegaan om sy voete te bedek, terwyl Dawid en sy manne agter in die spelonk sit.

5 En die manne van Dawid sê aan hom: Kyk, dit is die dag dat die HERE aan u sê: Nou gee Ek jou vyand in jou hand, en maak met hom soos goed is in jou oë. Toe staan Dawid op en sny stilletjies die slip van Saul se mantel af.

6 Maar daarna het Dawid se gewete hom gepla, omdat hy die slip van Saul afgesny het,

7 en hy het aan sy manne gesê: Mag die HERE my bewaar dat ek so iets aan my heer, die gesalfde van die HERE, sou doen om my hand teen hom uit te steek; want hy is die gesalfde van die HERE.

8 En Dawid het sy manne streng bestraf en hulle nie toegelaat om teen Saul op te staan nie. En Saul het uit die spelonk uit opgestaan en sy koers gegaan.

9 Daarna staan Dawid ook op en gaan uit die spelonk uit en roep agter Saul aan en sê: My heer die koning! Toe Saul agter hom omkyk, buig Dawid met sy aangesig na die aarde toe en val neer.

10 En Dawid sê vir Saul: Waarom luister u na die woorde van mense wat sê: Kyk, Dawid soek u onheil?

11 Kyk, vandag sien u eie oë dat die HERE u vandag in die spelonk in my hand gegee het; en hulle het gesê ek moet u doodmaak, maar ek het u verskoon en gesê: Ek sal my hand nie uitsteek teen my heer nie, want hy is die gesalfde van die HERE.

12 En kyk, my vader, ja, kyk die slip van u mantel in my hand! Want toe ek die slip van u mantel afgesny het, het ek u nie gedood nie. Erken en sien dat daar by my geen kwaad of oortreding is en ek nie teen u gesondig het nie, alhoewel u op my lewe loer om dit weg te neem.

13 Die HERE sal oordeel tussen my en u, en die HERE sal my aan u wreek; maar my hand sal teen u nie wees nie.

14 Soos die spreekwoord van die voorvaders sê: Uit die goddelose gaan goddeloosheid uit. Maar my hand sal nie teen u wees nie.

15 Agter wie aan het die koning van Israel uitgetrek? Agter wie kom u aangejaag? Agter 'n dooie hond, agter een enkele vlooi aan!

16 Maar die HERE sal regter wees en oordeel tussen my en u. Ja, mag Hy toesien en my saak verdedig en aan my reg verskaf teenoor u.

17 Toe Dawid hierdie woorde ten einde toe tot Saul gespreek het, sê Saul: Is dit jou stem, my seun Dawid? En Saul het sy stem verhef en geween

18 en aan Dawid gesê: Jy is regverdiger as ek, want jy het aan my goed gedoen terwyl ek aan jou kwaad gedoen het.

19 En jy het vandag bewys dat jy goed aan my gedoen het; dat naamlik die HERE my in jou hand oorgelewer het, maar jy het my nie gedood nie.

20 Want as iemand sy vyand aantref, sal hy hom op 'n goeie pad laat gaan? Maar die HERE sal jou die goeie vergelde vir wat jy vandag aan my gedoen het.

21 En nou, kyk, ek weet jy sal sekerlik koning word, en die koningskap oor Israel sal in jou hand standhou.

22 Sweer dan nou vir my by die HERE dat jy my geslag n my nie sal uitroei en my naam uit my familie nie sal uitdelg nie. [ (I Samuel 24:23) Toe sweer Dawid vir Saul. En Saul het na sy huis gegaan, maar Dawid en sy manne het na die bergvesting opgetrek. ]

1 \23:29\And from there, David went up and took cover in the safe place of En-gedi.

2 \24:1\Now when Saul came back from fighting the Philistines, news was given him that David was in the waste land of En-gedi.

3 \24:2\Then Saul took three thousand of the best men out of all Israel, and went in search of David and his men on the rocks of the mountain goats.

4 \24:3\And on the way he came to a place where sheep were kept, where there was a hollow in the rock; and Saul went in for a private purpose. Now David and his men were in the deepest part of the hollow.

5 \24:4\And David's men said to him, Now is the time when the Lord says to you, I will give up your hater into your hands to do with him whatever seems good to you. Then David, getting up, took the skirt of Saul's robe in his hand, cutting off the end of it without his knowledge.

6 \24:5\And later, David was full of regret for cutting off Saul's skirt.

7 \24:6\And David said to his men, Before the Lord, never let it be said that my hand was lifted up against my lord, the man of the Lord's selection, for the Lord's holy oil has been put on him.

8 \24:7\So with these words David kept his servants back, and did not let them make an attack on Saul. And Saul got up and went on his way.

9 \24:8\And after that David came out of the hollow rock, and crying after Saul said, My lord the king. And when Saul gave a look back, David went down on his face and gave him honour.

10 \24:9\And David said to Saul, Why do you give any attention to those who say that it is my desire to do you wrong?

11 \24:10\Look! you have seen today how the Lord gave you up into my hands even now in the hollow of the rocks: and some would have had me put you to death, but I had pity on you: for I said, Never will my hand be lifted up against my lord, who has been marked with the holy oil.

12 \24:11\And see, my father, see the skirt of your robe in my hand: for the fact that I took off the skirt of your robe and did not put you to death is witness that I have no evil purpose, and I have done you no wrong, though you are waiting for my life to take it.

13 \24:12\May the Lord be judge between me and you, and may the Lord give me my rights against you, but my hand will never be lifted up against you.

14 \24:13\There is an old saying, From the evil-doer comes evil: but my hand will never be lifted up against you.

15 \24:14\After whom has the king of Israel come out? for whom are you searching? for a dead dog, an insect.

16 \24:15\So let the Lord be judge, and give a decision between me and you, and see and give support to my cause, and keep me from falling into your hands.

17 \24:16\Now when David had said these words to Saul, Saul said, Is this your voice, David, my son? And Saul was overcome with weeping.

18 \24:17\And he said to David, You are right and I am wrong: for you have given me back good, but I have given you evil.

19 \24:18\And you have made clear to me how good you have been to me today: because, when the Lord gave me up into your hands, you did not put me to death.

20 \24:19\If a man comes across his hater, will he let him get away safe? so may you be rewarded by the Lord for what you have done for me today.

21 \24:20\And now I am certain that you will be king, and that the kingdom of Israel will be made strong under your authority.

22 \24:21\So give me your oath by the Lord, that you will not put an end to my seed after me or let my name be cut off from my father's family.

23 \24:22\And David gave Saul his oath. And Saul went back to his house; but David and his men went up to their safe place.