1 וַיְהִי כַּאֲשֶׁר שָׁב שָׁאוּל מֵאַחֲרֵי פְּלִשְׁתִּים וַיַּגִּדוּ לֹו לֵאמֹר הִנֵּה דָוִד בְּמִדְבַּר עֵין גֶּדִי׃ ס | 1 David then went up from there and stayed in the refuges behind Engedi. |
2 וַיִּקַּח שָׁאוּל שְׁלֹשֶׁת אֲלָפִים אִישׁ בָּחוּר מִכָּל־יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיֵּלֶךְ לְבַקֵּשׁ אֶת־דָּוִד וַאֲנָשָׁיו עַל־פְּנֵי צוּרֵי הַיְּעֵלִים | 2 And when Saul returned from the pursuit of the Philistines, he was told that David was in the desert near Engedi. |
3 וַיָּבֹא אֶל־גִּדְרֹות הַצֹּאן עַל־הַדֶּרֶךְ וְשָׁם מְעָרָה וַיָּבֹא שָׁאוּל לְהָסֵךְ אֶת־רַגְלָיו וְדָוִד וַאֲנָשָׁיו בְּיַרְכְּתֵי הַמְּעָרָה יֹשְׁבִים | 3 So Saul took three thousand picked men from all Israel and went in search of David and his men in the direction of the wild goat crags. |
4 וַיֹּאמְרוּ אַנְשֵׁי דָוִד אֵלָיו הִנֵּה הַיֹּום אֲשֶׁר־אָמַר יְהוָה אֵלֶיךָ הִנֵּה אָנֹכִי נֹתֵן אֶת־ [אֹיְבֵיךָ כ] (אֹיִבְךָ ק) בְּיָדֶךָ וְעָשִׂיתָ לֹּו כַּאֲשֶׁר יִטַב בְּעֵינֶיךָ וַיָּקָם דָּוִד וַיִּכְרֹת אֶת־כְּנַף־הַמְּעִיל אֲשֶׁר־לְשָׁאוּל בַּלָּט | 4 When he came to the sheepfolds along the way, he found a cave, which he entered to ease nature. David and his men were occupying the inmost recesses of the cave. |
5 וַיְהִי אַחֲרֵי־כֵן וַיַּךְ לֵב־דָּוִד אֹתֹו עַל אֲשֶׁר כָּרַת אֶת־כָּנָף אֲשֶׁר לְשָׁאוּל׃ ס | 5 David's servants said to him, "This is the day of which the LORD said to you, 'I will deliver your enemy into your grasp; do with him as you see fit.'" So David moved up and stealthily cut off an end of Saul's mantle. |
6 וַיֹּאמֶר לַאֲנָשָׁיו חָלִילָה לִּי מֵיהוָה אִם־אֶעֱשֶׂה אֶת־הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה לַאדֹנִי לִמְשִׁיחַ יְהוָה לִשְׁלֹחַ יָדִי בֹּו כִּי־מְשִׁיחַ יְהוָה הוּא | 6 Afterward, however, David regretted that he had cut off an end of Saul's mantle. |
7 וַיְשַׁסַּע דָּוִד אֶת־אֲנָשָׁיו בַּדְּבָרִים וְלֹא נְתָנָם לָקוּם אֶל־שָׁאוּל וְשָׁאוּל קָם מֵהַמְּעָרָה וַיֵּלֶךְ בַּדָּרֶךְ׃ ס | 7 He said to his men, "The LORD forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the LORD'S anointed, as to lay a hand on him, for he is the Lord's anointed." |
8 וַיָּקָם דָּוִד אַחֲרֵי־כֵן וַיֵּצֵא [מִן־הַמְּעָרָה כ] (מֵהַמְּעָרָה ק) וַיִּקְרָא אַחֲרֵי־שָׁאוּל לֵאמֹר אֲדֹנִי הַמֶּלֶךְ וַיַּבֵּט שָׁאוּל אַחֲרָיו וַיִּקֹּד דָּוִד אַפַּיִם אַרְצָה וַיִּשְׁתָּחוּ׃ ס | 8 With these words David restrained his men and would not permit them to attack Saul. Saul then left the cave and went on his way. |
9 וַיֹּאמֶר דָּוִד לְשָׁאוּל לָמָּה תִשְׁמַע אֶת־דִּבְרֵי אָדָם לֵאמֹר הִנֵּה דָוִד מְבַקֵּשׁ רָעָתֶךָ | 9 David also stepped out of the cave, calling to Saul, "My lord the king!" When Saul looked back, David bowed to the ground in homage |
10 הִנֵּה הַיֹּום הַזֶּה רָאוּ עֵינֶיךָ אֵת אֲשֶׁר־נְתָנְךָ יְהוָה ׀ הַיֹּום ׀ בְּיָדִי בַּמְּעָרָה וְאָמַר לַהֲרָגֲךָ וַתָּחָס עָלֶיךָ וָאֹמַר לֹא־אֶשְׁלַח יָדִי בַּאדֹנִי כִּי־מְשִׁיחַ יְהוָה הוּא | 10 and asked Saul: "Why do you listen to those who say, 'David is trying to harm you'? |
11 וְאָבִי רְאֵה גַּם רְאֵה אֶת־כְּנַף מְעִילְךָ בְּיָדִי כִּי בְּכָרְתִי אֶת־כְּנַף מְעִילְךָ וְלֹא הֲרַגְתִּיךָ דַּע וּרְאֵה כִּי אֵין בְּיָדִי רָעָה וָפֶשַׁע וְלֹא־חָטָאתִי לָךְ וְאַתָּה צֹדֶה אֶת־נַפְשִׁי לְקַחְתָּהּ | 11 You see for yourself today that the LORD just now delivered you into my grasp in the cave. I had some thought of killing you, but I took pity on you instead. I decided, 'I will not raise a hand against my lord, for he is the LORD'S anointed and a father to me.' |
12 יִשְׁפֹּט יְהוָה בֵּינִי וּבֵינֶךָ וּנְקָמַנִי יְהוָה מִמֶּךָּ וְיָדִי לֹא תִהְיֶה־בָּךְ | 12 Look here at this end of your mantle which I hold. Since I cut off an end of your mantle and did not kill you, see and be convinced that I plan no harm and no rebellion. I have done you no wrong, though you are hunting me down to take my life. |
13 כַּאֲשֶׁר יֹאמַר מְשַׁל הַקַּדְמֹנִי מֵרְשָׁעִים יֵצֵא רֶשַׁע וְיָדִי לֹא תִהְיֶה־בָּךְ | 13 The LORD will judge between me and you, and the LORD will exact justice from you in my case. I shall not touch you. |
14 אַחֲרֵי מִי יָצָא מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל אַחֲרֵי מִי אַתָּה רֹדֵף אַחֲרֵי כֶּלֶב מֵת אַחֲרֵי פַּרְעֹשׁ אֶחָד | 14 The old proverb says, 'From the wicked comes forth wickedness.' So I will take no action against you. |
15 וְהָיָה יְהוָה לְדַיָּן וְשָׁפַט בֵּינִי וּבֵינֶךָ וְיֵרֶא וְיָרֵב אֶת־רִיבִי וְיִשְׁפְּטֵנִי מִיָּדֶךָ׃ פ | 15 Against whom are you on campaign, O king of Israel? Whom are you pursuing? A dead dog, or a single flea! |
16 וַיְהִי ׀ כְּכַלֹּות דָּוִד לְדַבֵּר אֶת־הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה אֶל־שָׁאוּל וַיֹּאמֶר שָׁאוּל הֲקֹלְךָ זֶה בְּנִי דָוִד וַיִּשָּׂא שָׁאוּל קֹלֹו וַיֵּבְךְּ | 16 The LORD will be the judge; he will decide between me and you. May he see this, and take my part, and grant me justice beyond your reach!" |
17 וַיֹּאמֶר אֶל־דָּוִד צַדִּיק אַתָּה מִמֶּנִּי כִּי אַתָּה גְּמַלְתַּנִי הַטֹּובָה וַאֲנִי גְּמַלְתִּיךָ הָרָעָה | 17 When David finished saying these things to Saul, Saul answered, "Is that your voice, my son David?" And he wept aloud. |
18 [וְאַתְּ כ] (וְאַתָּה ק) הִגַּדְתָּ הַיֹּום אֵת אֲשֶׁר־עָשִׂיתָה אִתִּי טֹובָה אֵת אֲשֶׁר סִגְּרַנִי יְהוָה בְּיָדְךָ וְלֹא הֲרַגְתָּנִי | 18 Saul then said to David: "You are in the right rather than I; you have treated me generously, while I have done you harm. |
19 וְכִי־יִמְצָא אִישׁ אֶת־אֹיְבֹו וְשִׁלְּחֹו בְּדֶרֶךְ טֹובָה וַיהוָה יְשַׁלֶּמְךָ טֹובָה תַּחַת הַיֹּום הַזֶּה אֲשֶׁר עָשִׂיתָה לִי | 19 Great is the generosity you showed me today, when the LORD delivered me into your grasp and you did not kill me. |
20 וְעַתָּה הִנֵּה יָדַעְתִּי כִּי מָלֹךְ תִּמְלֹוךְ וְקָמָה בְּיָדְךָ מַמְלֶכֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל | 20 For if a man meets his enemy, does he send him away unharmed? May the LORD reward you generously for what you have done this day. |
21 וְעַתָּה הִשָּׁבְעָה לִּי בַּיהוָה אִם־תַּכְרִית אֶת־זַרְעִי אַחֲרָי וְאִם־תַּשְׁמִיד אֶת־שְׁמִי מִבֵּית אָבִי | 21 And now, since I know that you shall surely be king and that sovereignty over Israel shall come into your possession, |
22 וַיִּשָּׁבַע דָּוִד לְשָׁאוּל וַיֵּלֶךְ שָׁאוּל אֶל־בֵּיתֹו וְדָוִד וַאֲנָשָׁיו עָלוּ עַל־הַמְּצוּדָה׃ פ | 22 swear to me by the LORD that you will not destroy my descendants and that you will not blot out my name and family." |
| 23 David gave Saul his oath and Saul returned home, while David and his men went up to the refuge. |