1 Tendo Saul voltado de perseguir os filisteus, foi-lhe dito: Eis que Davi está no deserto de En-Gedi.
2 Tomando Saul três mil homens, escolhidos dentre todo o Israel, foi em busca de Davi e dos seus homens até sobre as penhas das cabras monteses.
3 Chegou no caminho a uns currais de ovelhas, onde havia uma cova; entrou nela Saul a aliviar o ventre. Ora Davi e seus homens estavam sentados na parte mais interna da cova.
4 Disseram-lhe os homens de Davi: Este é o dia, do qual te disse Jeová: Eis que te entrego nas mãos o teu inimigo e far-lhe-ás o que bem te parecer. Davi levantou-se, e de mansinho cortou a orla do manto de Saul.
5 Depois bateu o coração de Davi, por ter cortado a orla do manto de Saul.
6 Disse aos seus homens: Deus me guarde de que eu faça isso ao meu senhor, ao ungido de Jeová, a saber, que eu estenda a mão contra ele, visto que ele é o ungido de Jeová.
7 Com estas palavras conteve Davi os seus homens e não lhes permitiu que se lançassem contra Saul. Saindo Saul da cova, prosseguiu o seu caminho.
8 Levantou-se também Davi depois dele e, tendo saído da cova, gritou a Saul, dizendo: Ó rei, meu senhor. Olhando Saul para trás, prostrou-se Davi com o rosto em terra, e fez-lhe uma reverência.
9 Disse Davi a Saul: Por que dás ouvidos às palavras dos que dizem: Davi procura fazer-te mal?
10 Eis que os teus próprios olhos viram hoje que Jeová te entregou nas minhas mãos quando estavas na cova, e foi-me dito que eu te matasse, porém a minha mão te poupou, e eu disse: Não estenderei a minha mão contra o meu senhor porque é o ungido de Jeová.
11 Vê, meu pai, vê a orla do manto na minha mão. No fato de cortar eu a orla do manto sem te matar, reconhece que não há na minha mão nem mal nem transgressão, e que não pequei contra ti, ainda que tu andes à caça da minha vida para ma tirares.
12 Jeová seja o juiz entre mim e ti, e Jeová me vingue de ti; a minha mão, porém, não será contra ti.
13 Como diz o provérbio dos antigos: Dos ímpios procede a impiedade. A minha mão, porém, não será contra ti.
14 Após quem saiu o rei de Israel? a quem persegues tu? Persegues a um cão morto, a uma pulga.
15 Seja Jeová juiz, e julgue entre mim e ti, e veja e pleiteie a minha causa, e me livre das tuas mãos.
16 Tendo Davi acabado de falar a Saul estas palavras, perguntou Saul: É esta a tua voz, meu filho Davi? Então Saul levantou a voz e chorou.
17 Disse a Davi: Tu és mais justo do que eu; pois tu me tens feito o bem, e eu te tenho feito o mal.
18 Tu me mostraste hoje que grande bem me fizeste, pois, tendo-me Jeová entregado nas tuas mãos, não me tiraste a vida.
19 Por que quem há que, encontrando a seu inimigo, o deixará sem lhe fazer mal? Jeová te pague com o bem o que hoje me fizeste.
20 Agora sei que sem falta hás de ser rei, e que o reino de Israel há de se firmar na tua mão.
21 Agora jura-me por Jeová que não exterminarás a minha semente depois de mim, e que não extinguirás o meu nome da casa de meu pai.
22 Davi o jurou a Saul. Voltou Saul para sua casa, mas Davi e seus homens subiram ao lugar seguro.
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.