1 Samuel 24

NEW JERUSALEM	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 From there David went up and installed himself in the strongholds of En-Gedi.	1 Then David ascended from there, and he lived in very secure places in Engedi.
2 Once Saul was back from pursuing the Philistines, he was told, 'David is now in the desert of En-Gedi.'	2 And when Saul had returned after pursuing the Philistines, they reported to him, saying, “Behold, David is in the desert of Engedi.”
3 Saul thereupon took three thousand men selected from al Israel and went in search of David and hismen east of the Rocks of the Mountain Goats.	3 Therefore, Saul, taking three thousand elect men from all of Israel, traveled in order to search for David and his men, even upon the most broken rocks, which are passable only to mountain goats.
4 He came to the sheepfolds along the route, where there was a cave, and went in to cover his feet.Now David and his men were sitting in the recesses of the cave;	4 And he arrived at the sheepfolds, which presented themselves along the way. And a cave was in that place, which Saul entered, so that he might ease his bowels. But David and his men were hiding in the interior part of the cave.
5 David's men said to him, 'Today is the day of which Yahweh said to you, "I shall deliver your enemyinto your power; do what you like with him." ' David got up and, unobserved, cut off the border of Saul's cloak.	5 And the servants of David said to him: “Behold the day, about which the Lord said to you, ‘I will deliver your enemy to you, so that you may do to him as it will be pleasing in your eyes.’ ” Then David rose up, and he quietly cut off the edge of Saul’s cloak.
6 Afterwards David reproached himself for having cut off the border of Saul's cloak.	6 After this, his own heart struck David, because he had cut off the edge of Saul’s cloak.
7 He said to his men, 'Yahweh preserve me from doing such a thing to my lord as to raise my handagainst him, since he is Yahweh's anointed.'	7 And he said to his men: “May the Lord be gracious to me, lest I do this thing to my lord, the Christ of the Lord, so that I lay my hand upon him. For he is the Christ of the Lord.”
8 By these words David restrained his men and would not let them attack Saul.	8 And David restrained his men with his words, and he would not permit them to rise up against Saul. And so Saul, going out of the cave, continued to undertake his journey.
9 Saul then left the cave and went on his way. After this, David too left the cave and cal ed after Saul,'My lord king!' Saul looked behind him and David, bowing to the ground, prostrated himself.	9 Then David also rose up after him. And departing from the cave, he cried out behind the back of Saul, saying: “My lord, the king!” And Saul looked behind him. And David, bowing himself face down to the ground, reverenced.
10 David then said to Saul, 'Why do you listen to people who say, "David intends your ruin"?	10 And he said to Saul: “Why do you listen to the words of men who say: ‘David seeks evil against you?’
11 This very day you have seen for yourself how Yahweh put you in my power in the cave and how,refusing to kil you, I spared you saying, "I wil not raise my hand against my lord, since he is Yahweh'sanointed."	11 Behold, this day your eyes have seen that the Lord has delivered you into my hand, in the cave. And I thought that I might kill you. But my eye has spared you. For I said: I will not extend my hand against my lord, for he is the Christ of the Lord.
12 Look, father, look at the border of your cloak in my hand. Since, although I cut the border off yourcloak, I did not kil you, surely you realise that I intend neither mischief nor crime. I have not wronged you, andyet you hunt me down to take my life.	12 Moreover, see and know, O my father, the edge of your cloak in my hand. For though I cut off the top of your cloak, I was not willing to extend my hand against you. Turn your soul and see that there is no evil in my hand, nor any iniquity or sin against you. Yet you lie in wait for my life, so that you may take it away.
13 May Yahweh be judge between me and you, and may Yahweh avenge me on you; but I shall neverlay a hand on you!	13 May the Lord judge between me and you. And may the Lord vindicate me from you. But my hand will not be against you.
14 (As the old proverb says: Wickedness comes out of wicked people, but I shal never lay a hand onyou!)	14 So too, it is said in the ancient proverb, ‘From the impious, impiety will go forth.’ Therefore, my hand will not be upon you.
15 On whose trail is the king of Israel campaigning? Whom are you pursuing? On the trail of a deaddog, of a flea!	15 Whom are you pursuing, O king of Israel? Whom are you pursuing? You are pursuing a dead dog, a single flea.
16 May Yahweh be the judge and decide between me and you; may he examine and defend my causeand give judgement for me by rescuing me from your clutches!'	16 May the Lord be the judge, and may he judge between me and you. And may he see and judge my case, and rescue me from your hand.”
17 When David had finished saying this to Saul, Saul said, 'Is that your voice, my son David?' And Saulbegan to weep aloud.	17 And when David had completed speaking words in this way to Saul, Saul said, “Could this be your voice, my son David?” And Saul lifted up his voice, and he wept.
18 'You are upright and I am not,' he said to David, 'since you have behaved wel to me, whereas I havebehaved badly to you.	18 And he said to David: “You are more just than I am. For you have distributed good to me, but I have repaid evil to you.
19 And today you have shown how well you have behaved to me, since Yahweh had put me in yourpower but you did not kil me.	19 And you have revealed this day the good that you have done for me: how the Lord delivered me into your hand, but you did not kill me.
20 When a man comes on his enemy, does he let him go unmolested? May Yahweh reward you for thegood you have done me today!	20 For who, when he will have found his enemy, will release him along a good path? So may the Lord repay you for this good turn, because you have acted on my behalf this day.
21 Now I know that you wil indeed reign and that the sovereignty in Israel wil pass into your hands.	21 And now I know certainly that you shall be king, and you shall have the kingdom of Israel in your hand.
22 Now swear to me by Yahweh that you wil not suppress my descendants once I am gone, or blot myname out of my family.'	22 Swear to me in the Lord that you will not take away my offspring after me, nor take away my name from the house of my father.”
23 This David swore to Saul, and Saul went home while David and his men went back to the stronghold.	23 And David swore to Saul. Therefore, Saul went away to his own house. And David and his men ascended to places that were more secure.