1 And it came to pass when Saul had returned from following the Philistines, that it was told him, saying, Behold, David is in the wilderness of Engedi.2 And Saul took three thousand men, chosen out of all Israel, and went to seek David and his men upon the rocks of the wild goats.3 And he came to the sheepfolds by the way, where was a cave; and Saul went in to cover his feet; and David and his men were abiding in the recesses of the cave.4 And David's men said to him, Behold the day of which Jehovah said to thee, Behold, I will give thine enemy into thy hand, that thou mayest do to him as it shall seem good to thee. And David arose, and cut off the skirt of Saul's robe secretly.5 And it came to pass afterwards that David's heart smote him, because he had cut off Saul's skirt.6 And he said to his men, Jehovah forbid that I should do this thing to my master, Jehovah's anointed, to stretch forth my hand against him, for he is the anointed of Jehovah.7 And David checked his men with these words, and suffered them not to rise against Saul. And Saul rose up out of the cave, and went on {his} way.8 David also arose afterwards, and went out of the cave, and cried after Saul, saying, My lord the king! And when Saul looked behind him, David bowed with his face to the earth, and did obeisance.9 And David said to Saul, Why dost thou listen to words of men, saying, Behold, David seeks thy hurt?10 Behold, this day thine eyes have seen how that Jehovah had given thee this day into my hand in the cave; and they bade me kill thee; but {mine eye} spared thee; and I said, I will not put forth my hand against my lord, for he is the anointed of Jehovah.11 And see, my father, yes, see the skirt of thy robe in my hand. For in that I cut off the skirt of thy robe, and killed thee not, know and see that there is neither evil nor transgression in my hand, and I have not sinned against thee; yet thou liest in wait for my life to take it.12 Jehovah judge between me and thee, and Jehovah avenge me of thee; but my hand shall not be upon thee.13 As saith the proverb of the ancients, Wickedness proceedeth from the wicked; but my hand shall not be upon thee.14 After whom is the king of Israel come out? after whom dost thou pursue? after a dead dog, after a single flea.15 Jehovah therefore shall be judge, and judge between me and thee, and see, and plead my cause, and do me justice {in delivering me} out of thy hand.16 And as soon as David had ended speaking these words to Saul, Saul said, Is this thy voice, my son David? And Saul lifted up his voice and wept.17 And he said to David, Thou art more righteous than I; for thou hast rewarded me good, whereas I have rewarded thee evil.18 And thou hast shewed this day how that thou hast dealt well with me, forasmuch as when Jehovah had delivered me up into thy hand, thou didst not kill me.19 For if a man find his enemy, will he let him go well away? wherefore Jehovah reward thee good for that thou hast done to me this day.20 And now behold, I know that thou shalt certainly be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in thy hand.21 Swear now therefore to me by Jehovah, that thou wilt not cut off my seed after me, and that thou wilt not destroy my name out of my father's house.22 And David swore to Saul. And Saul went home; and David and his men went up to the stronghold.

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 geween18 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. ]