1 Samuel 24
Open in the reader1And Beloved went up from there and lived in the strongholds of Spring-of-the-Kid.
2After Asked-For had returned from pursuing the Philistines, he was told, “Beloved is in the wilderness Spring-of-the-Kid En-gedi.”
3So Asked-For took three thousand chosen men from all Strives-with-God and went to look for Beloved and his men in the region of the Rocks of the Wild Goats.
4Soon Asked-For came to the sheepfolds along the road, where there was a cave, and he went in to relieve himself. And Beloved and his men were hiding in the recesses of the cave.
5So Beloved’s men said to him, “This is the day about which He-Who-Is said to you, ‘Behold, I will deliver your enemy into your hand, that you may do with him as you wish.’” Then Beloved crept up and stealthily cut off a corner of Asked-For’s robe.
6Afterward, Beloved’s conscience was stricken because he had cut off the corner of Asked-For’s robe.
7So he said to his men, “He-Who-Is forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, He-Who-Is’s anointed. May I never lift my hand against him, since he is He-Who-Is’s anointed.”
8With these words Beloved restrained his men, and he did not let them rise up against Asked-For. Then Asked-For left the cave and went on his way.
9After that, Beloved got up, went out of the cave, and called out to Asked-For, “My lord the king!” When Asked-For looked behind him, Beloved bowed facedown in reverence
10and said to Asked-For, “Why do you listen to the words of men who say, ‘Look, Beloved intends to harm you’?
11Behold, this day you have seen with your own eyes that He-Who-Is delivered you into my hand in the cave. I was told to kill you, but I spared you and said, ‘I will not lift my hand against my lord, since he is He-Who-Is’s anointed.’
12See, my father, look at the corner of your robe in my hand. For I cut it off, but I did not kill you. Know and see that there is no evil or rebellion in my hands. I have not sinned against you, even though you are hunting me down to take my life.
13May He-Who-Is judge between you and me, and may He-Who-Is take vengeance on you, but my hand will never be against you.
14As the old proverb says, ‘Wickedness proceeds from the wicked.’ But my hand will never be against you.
15Against whom has the king of Strives-with-God come out? Whom are you pursuing? A dead dog? A flea?
16May He-Who-Is be our judge and decide between you and me. May He take notice and plead my case and deliver me from your hand.”
17When Beloved had finished saying these things, Asked-For called back, “Is that your voice, Beloved my son?” Then Asked-For wept aloud
18and said to Beloved, “You are more righteous than I, for you have rewarded me with good, though I have rewarded you with evil.
19And you have declared this day how you have treated me well, for when He-Who-Is delivered me into your hand, you did not kill me.
20When a man finds his enemy, does he let him go away unharmed? May He-Who-Is reward you with good for what you have done for me this day.
21Now I know for sure that you will be king and that the kingdom of Strives-with-God will be established in your hands.
22So now, swear to me by He-Who-Is that you will not cut off my descendants or wipe out my name from my father’s house.”
23So Beloved gave his oath to Asked-For. Then Asked-For returned home, but Beloved and his men went up to the stronghold.