1 扫罗追赶非利士人回来的时候， 有人告诉他说： "看哪， 大卫在隐．基底的旷野。"（本节在《马索拉抄本》为24:2） 2 扫罗就从以色列人中选出三千精兵， 带领他们到野羊磐石去搜索大卫和跟随他的人。 3 到了路旁的羊圈， 那里有一个洞， 扫罗进去大解； 那时， 大卫和跟随他的人正坐在洞里的深处。 4 跟随大卫的人对他说： "耶和华曾应许你说： ‘我要把你的仇敌交在你的手里， 你可以随意待他。’看哪！ 今天就是时候了。"于是大卫起来， 悄悄地割下扫罗外袍的衣边。 5 事后， 大卫为了割下扫罗的衣边， 心中自责， 6 就对跟随他的人说： "我在耶和华面前绝对不能这样对待我主耶和华的受膏者， 我绝对不能动手攻击他， 因为他是耶和华的受膏者。" 7 大卫用这些话阻止了跟随他的人， 不让他们起来攻击扫罗。扫罗起来， 出了山洞， 继续走他的路去了。 8 随后， 大卫也起来， 离开了山洞， 在扫罗背后呼叫， 说： "我主！ 我王！ "扫罗回头向后看的时候， 大卫就脸伏于地， 向他叩拜。 9 大卫对扫罗说： "你为什么听信人的话， 说： ‘大卫想要害你’呢？ 10 现在你亲眼看到， 今天耶和华在山洞里， 把你交在我手里。有人叫我杀你， 我却爱惜你。我说： ‘我不敢下手伤害我主， 因为他是耶和华的受膏者。’ 11 我父啊， 请看， 你外袍的衣边在我手中。我割下了你外袍的衣边， 却没有杀你。你从此可以知道， 也可以看出我手中没有邪恶， 也没有过犯。我虽然没有得罪你， 你却要猎取我的性命。 12 愿耶和华在你我之间判断是非； 愿耶和华在你身上为我伸冤。我的手却不敢伤害你。 13 正如古时的格言： ‘恶事出于恶人。’所以， 我的手不敢伤害你。 14 以色列的王出去追捕谁呢？你现在追赶谁呢？不过是追赶一条死狗， 一只跳蚤吧了！ 15 愿耶和华在你我中间施行审判， 断定是非； 愿他鉴察， 为我的案件伸冤， 救我脱离你的手。" 16 大卫对扫罗说完了这些话， 扫罗就说： "我儿大卫啊， 这是你的声音吗？"于是扫罗放声大哭， 17 对大卫说： "你比我公义， 因为你以良善待我， 我却以恶待你。 18 今天你所作的说明了你以良善待我， 因为耶和华把我交在你手里， 你却没有杀我。 19 如果人遇见仇敌， 怎会让他平平安安离去呢？愿耶和华因你今天对我所作的报答你。 20 现在我知道你必要作王， 以色列的王国必在你手里坚立起来。 21 现在你要指着耶和华向我起誓， 不剪除我的后裔， 也不从我父家消灭我的名。" 22 于是大卫向扫罗起誓， 扫罗就回自己的家去了， 大卫和跟随他的人也上山寨去了。

1 And it cometh to pass when Saul hath turned back from after the Philistines, that they declare to him, saying, `Lo, David [is] in the wilderness of En-gedi.`2 And Saul taketh three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and goeth to seek David and his men, on the front of the rocks of the wild goats,3 and he cometh in unto folds of the flock, on the way, and there [is] a cave, and Saul goeth in to cover his feet; and David and his men in the sides of the cave are abiding.4 And the men of David say unto him, `Lo, the day of which Jehovah said unto thee, Lo, I am giving thine enemy into thy hand, and thou hast done to him as it is good in thine eyes;` and David riseth and cutteth off the skirt of the upper robe which [is] on Saul -- gently.5 And it cometh to pass afterwards that the heart of David smiteth him, because that he hath cut off the skirt which [is] on Saul,6 and he saith to his men, `Far be it from me, by Jehovah; I do not do this thing to my lord -- to the anointed of Jehovah -- to put forth my hand against him, for the anointed of Jehovah he [is].`7 And David subdueth his men by words, and hath not permitted them to rise against Saul; and Saul hath risen from the cave, and goeth on the way;8 and David riseth afterwards, and goeth out from the cave, and calleth after Saul, saying, `My lord, O king!` And Saul looketh attentively behind him, and David boweth -- face to the earth -- and doth obeisance.9 And David saith to Saul, `Why dost thou hear the words of man, saying, Lo, David is seeking thine evil?10 Lo, this day have thine eyes seen how that Jehovah hath given thee to-day into my hand in the cave; and [one] said to slay thee, and [mine eye] hath pity on thee, and I say, I do not put forth my hand against my lord, for the anointed of Jehovah he [is].11 `And, my father, see, yea see the skirt of thine upper robe in my hand; for by cutting off the skirt of thy upper robe, and I have not slain thee, know and see that there is not in my hand evil and transgression, and I have not sinned against thee, and thou art hunting my soul to take it!12 `Jehovah doth judge between me and thee, and Jehovah hath avenged me of thee, and my hand is not on thee;13 as saith the simile of the ancients, From the wicked goeth out wickedness, and my hand is not on thee.14 `After whom hath the king of Israel come out? after whom art thou pursuing? -- after a dead dog! after one flea!15 And Jehovah hath been for judge, and hath judged between me and thee, yea, he seeth and pleadeth my cause, and doth deliver me out of thy hand.`16 And it cometh to pass, when David completeth to speak these words unto Saul, that Saul saith, `Is this thy voice, my son David?` and Saul lifteth up his voice, and weepeth.17 And he saith unto David, `More righteous thou [art] than I; for thou hast done me good, and I have done thee evil;18 and thou hast declared to-day how that thou hast done good with me, how that Jehovah shut me up into thy hand, and thou didst not slay me,19 and that a man doth find his enemy, and hath sent him away in a good manner; and Jehovah doth repay thee good for that which thou didst to me this day.20 `And, now, lo, I have known that thou dost certainly reign, and the kingdom of Israel hath stood in thy hand;21 and, now, swear to me by Jehovah -- thou dost not cut off my seed after me, nor dost thou destroy my name from the house of my father.`22 And David sweareth to Saul, and Saul goeth unto his house, and David and his men have gone up unto the fortress.