1 After Saul returned from pursuing the Philistines, he was told, "David is in the Desert of En Gedi."2 So Saul took three thousand able young men from all Israel and set out to look for David and his men near the Crags of the Wild Goats.3 He came to the sheep pens along the way; a cave was there, and Saul went in to relieve himself. David and his men were far back in the cave.4 The men said, "This is the day the LORD spoke of when he said "to you, 'I will give your enemy into your hands for you to deal with as you wish.'" Then David crept up unnoticed and cut off a corner of Saul's robe.5 Afterward, David was conscience-stricken for having cut off a corner of his robe.6 He said to his men, "The LORD forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the LORD's anointed, or lay my hand on him; for he is the anointed of the LORD."7 With these words David sharply rebuked his men and did not allow them to attack Saul. And Saul left the cave and went his way.8 Then David went out of the cave and called out to Saul, "My lord the king!" When Saul looked behind him, David bowed down and prostrated himself with his face to the ground.9 He said to Saul, "Why do you listen when men say, 'David is bent on harming you'?10 This day you have seen with your own eyes how the LORD delivered you into my hands in the cave. Some urged me to kill you, but I spared you; I said, 'I will not lay my hand on my lord, because he is the LORD's anointed.'11 See, my father, look at this piece of your robe in my hand! I cut off the corner of your robe but did not kill you. See that there is nothing in my hand to indicate that I am guilty of wrongdoing or rebellion. I have not wronged you, but you are hunting me down to take my life.12 May the LORD judge between you and me. And may the LORD avenge the wrongs you have done to me, but my hand will not touch you.13 As the old saying goes, 'From evildoers come evil deeds,' so my hand will not touch you.14 "Against whom has the king of Israel come out? Who are you pursuing? A dead dog? A flea?15 May the LORD be our judge and decide between us. May he consider my cause and uphold it; may he vindicate me by delivering me from your hand."16 When David finished saying this, Saul asked, "Is that your voice, David my son?" And he wept aloud.17 "You are more righteous than I," he said. "You have treated me well, but I have treated you badly.18 You have just now told me about the good you did to me; the LORD delivered me into your hands, but you did not kill me.19 When a man finds his enemy, does he let him get away unharmed? May the LORD reward you well for the way you treated me today.20 I know that you will surely be king and that the kingdom of Israel will be established in your hands.21 Now swear to me by the LORD that you will not kill off my descendants or wipe out my name from my father's family."22 So David gave his oath to Saul. Then Saul returned home, but David and his men went up to the stronghold.

1 Ascendit ergo David inde : et habitavit in locis tutissimis Engaddi. 2 Cumque reversus esset Saul, postquam persecutus est Philisthos, nuntiaverunt ei, dicentes : Ecce David in deserto est Engaddi. 3 Assumens ergo Saul tria millia electorum virorum ex omni Isral, perrexit ad investigandum David et viros ejus, etiam super abruptissimas petras, qu solis ibicibus pervi sunt. 4 Et venit ad caulas ovium, qu se offerebant vianti : eratque ibi spelunca, quam ingressus est Saul ut purgaret ventrem : porro David et viri ejus in interiore parte spelunc latebant. 5 Et dixerunt servi David ad eum : Ecce dies de qua locutus est Dominus ad te : Ego tradam tibi inimicum tuum, ut facias ei sicut placuerit in oculis tuis. Surrexit ergo David, et prcidit oram chlamydis Saul silenter. 6 Post hc percussit cor suum David, eo quod abscidisset oram chlamydis Saul. 7 Dixitque ad viros suos : Propitius sit mihi Dominus, ne faciam hanc rem domino meo, christo Domini, ut mittam manum meam in eum : quia christus Domini est. 8 Et confregit David viros suos sermonibus, et non permisit eos ut consurgerent in Saul : porro Saul exsurgens de spelunca, pergebat cpto itinere.9 Surrexit autem et David post eum : et egressus de spelunca, clamavit post tergum Saul, dicens : Domine mi rex. Et respexit Saul post se : et inclinans se David pronus in terram adoravit, 10 dixitque ad Saul : Quare audis verba hominum loquentium : David qurit malum adversum te ? 11 Ecce hodie viderunt oculi tui quod tradiderit te Dominus in manu mea in spelunca : et cogitavi ut occiderem te, sed pepercit tibi oculus meus : dixi enim : Non extendam manum meam in dominum meum, quia christus Domini est. 12 Quin potius pater mi, vide, et cognosce oram chlamydis tu in manu mea : quoniam cum prscinderem summitatem chlamydis tu, nolui extendere manum meam in te : animadverte, et vide, quoniam non est in manu mea malum, neque iniquitas, neque peccavi in te : tu autem insidiaris anim me ut auferas eam. 13 Judicet Dominus inter me et te, et ulciscatur me Dominus ex te : manus autem mea non sit in te. 14 Sicut et in proverbio antiquo dicitur : Ab impiis egredietur impietas : manus ergo mea non sit in te. 15 Quem persequeris, rex Isral ? quem persequeris ? canem mortuum persequeris, et pulicem unum. 16 Sit Dominus judex, et judicet inter me et te : et videat, et judicet causam meam, et eruat me de manu tua. 17 Cum autem complesset David loquens sermones hujuscemodi ad Saul, dixit Saul : Numquid vox hc tua est, fili mi David ? Et levavit Saul vocem suam, et flevit : 18 dixitque ad David : Justior tu es quam ego : tu enim tribuisti mihi bona, ego autem reddidi tibi mala. 19 Et tu indicasti hodie qu feceris mihi bona : quomodo tradiderit me Dominus in manum tuam, et non occideris me. 20 Quis enim cum invenerit inimicum suum, dimittet eum in via bona ? sed Dominus reddat tibi vicissitudinem hanc pro eo quod hodie operatus es in me. 21 Et nunc quia scio quod certissime regnaturus sis, et habiturus in manu tua regnum Isral : 22 jura mihi in Domino, ne deleas semen meum post me, neque auferas nomen meum de domo patris mei. 23 Et juravit David Sauli. Abiit ergo Saul in domum suam : et David et viri ejus ascenderunt ad tutiora loca.