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1. After Saul returned from fighting the Philistines, he was told that David had gone into the wilderness of En-gedi.
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1. And it came to pass H1961 , when H834 Saul H7586 was returned H7725 from following H4480 H310 the Philistines H6430 , that it was told H5046 him, saying H559 , Behold H2009 , David H1732 is in the wilderness H4057 of En H5872 -gedi.
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2. So Saul chose 3,000 elite troops from all Israel and went to search for David and his men near the rocks of the wild goats.
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2. Then Saul H7586 took H3947 three H7969 thousand H505 chosen H977 men H376 out of all H4480 H3605 Israel H3478 , and went H1980 to seek H1245 H853 David H1732 and his men H376 upon H592 H6440 the rocks H6697 of the wild goats H3277 .
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3. At the place where the road passes some sheepfolds, Saul went into a cave to relieve himself. But as it happened, David and his men were hiding farther back in that very cave!
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3. And he came H935 to H413 the sheepcotes H1448 H6629 by H5921 the way H1870 , where H8033 was a cave H4631 ; and Saul H7586 went in H935 to cover H5526 H853 his feet H7272 : and David H1732 and his men H376 remained H3427 in the sides H3411 of the cave H4631 .
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4. "Now's your opportunity!" David's men whispered to him. "Today the LORD is telling you, 'I will certainly put your enemy into your power, to do with as you wish.' " So David crept forward and cut off a piece of the hem of Saul's robe.
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4. And the men H376 of David H1732 said H559 unto H413 him, Behold H2009 the day H3117 of which H834 the LORD H3068 said H559 unto H413 thee, Behold H2009 , I H595 will deliver H5414 H853 thine enemy H341 into thine hand H3027 , that thou mayest do H6213 to him as H834 it shall seem good H3190 H5869 unto thee . Then David H1732 arose H6965 , and cut off H3772 H853 the skirt H3671 of Saul H7586 's robe H4598 privily H3909 .
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5. But then David's conscience began bothering him because he had cut Saul's robe.
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5. And it came to pass H1961 afterward H310 H3651 , that David H1732 's heart H3820 smote H5221 him, because H5921 H834 he had cut off H3772 H853 Saul H7586 's skirt H3671 .
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6. "The LORD knows I shouldn't have done that to my lord the king," he said to his men. "The LORD forbid that I should do this to my lord the king and attack the LORD's anointed one, for the LORD himself has chosen him."
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6. And he said H559 unto his men H376 , The LORD H4480 H3068 forbid H2486 that H518 I should do H6213 H853 this H2088 thing H1697 unto my master H113 , the LORD H3068 's anointed H4899 , to stretch forth H7971 mine hand H3027 against him, seeing H3588 he H1931 is the anointed H4899 of the LORD H3068 .
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7. So David restrained his men and did not let them kill Saul.After Saul had left the cave and gone on his way,
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7. So David H1732 stayed H8156 H853 his servants H376 with these words H1697 , and suffered H5414 them not H3808 to rise H6965 against H413 Saul H7586 . But Saul H7586 rose up H6965 out of the cave H4480 H4631 , and went H1980 on his way H1870 .
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8. David came out and shouted after him, "My lord the king!" And when Saul looked around, David bowed low before him.
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8. David H1732 also arose H6965 afterward H310 H3651 , and went out H3318 of H4480 the cave H4631 , and cried H7121 after H310 Saul H7586 , saying H559 , My lord H113 the king H4428 . And when Saul H7586 looked H5027 behind H310 him, David H1732 stooped H6915 with his face H639 to the earth H776 , and bowed himself H7812 .
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9. Then he shouted to Saul, "Why do you listen to the people who say I am trying to harm you?
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9. And David H1732 said H559 to Saul H7586 , Wherefore H4100 hearest H8085 thou H853 men H120 's words H1697 , saying H559 , Behold H2009 , David H1732 seeketh H1245 thy hurt H7451 ?
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10. This very day you can see with your own eyes it isn't true. For the LORD placed you at my mercy back there in the cave. Some of my men told me to kill you, but I spared you. For I said, 'I will never harm the king-- he is the LORD's anointed one.'
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10. Behold H2009 , this H2088 day H3117 thine eyes H5869 have seen H7200 H853 how H834 that the LORD H3068 had delivered H5414 thee today H3117 into mine hand H3027 in the cave H4631 : and some bade H559 me kill H2026 thee : but mine eye spared H2347 H5921 thee ; and I said H559 , I will not H3808 put forth H7971 mine hand H3027 against my lord H113 ; for H3588 he H1931 is the LORD H3068 's anointed H4899 .
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11. Look, my father, at what I have in my hand. It is a piece of the hem of your robe! I cut it off, but I didn't kill you. This proves that I am not trying to harm you and that I have not sinned against you, even though you have been hunting for me to kill me.
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11. Moreover , my father H1 , see H7200 , yea H1571 , see H7200 H853 the skirt H3671 of thy robe H4598 in my hand H3027 : for H3588 in that I cut off H3772 H853 the skirt H3671 of thy robe H4598 , and killed H2026 thee not H3808 , know H3045 thou and see H7200 that H3588 there is neither H369 evil H7451 nor transgression H6588 in mine hand H3027 , and I have not H3808 sinned H2398 against thee ; yet thou H859 huntest H6658 H853 my soul H5315 to take H3947 it.
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12. "May the LORD judge between us. Perhaps the LORD will punish you for what you are trying to do to me, but I will never harm you.
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12. The LORD H3068 judge H8199 between H996 me and thee , and the LORD H3068 avenge H5358 me of H4480 thee : but mine hand H3027 shall not H3808 be H1961 upon thee.
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13. As that old proverb says, 'From evil people come evil deeds.' So you can be sure I will never harm you.
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13. As H834 saith H559 the proverb H4912 of the ancients H6931 , Wickedness H7562 proceedeth H3318 from the wicked H4480 H7563 : but mine hand H3027 shall not H3808 be H1961 upon thee.
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14. Who is the king of Israel trying to catch anyway? Should he spend his time chasing one who is as worthless as a dead dog or a single flea?
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14. After H310 whom H4310 is the king H4428 of Israel H3478 come out H3318 ? after H310 whom H4310 dost thou H859 pursue H7291 ? after H310 a dead H4191 dog H3611 , after H310 a H259 flea H6550 .
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15. May the LORD therefore judge which of us is right and punish the guilty one. He is my advocate, and he will rescue me from your power!"
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15. The LORD H3068 therefore be H1961 judge H1781 , and judge H8199 between H996 me and thee , and see H7200 , and plead H7378 H853 my cause H7379 , and deliver H8199 me out of thine hand H4480 H3027 .
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16. When David had finished speaking, Saul called back, "Is that really you, my son David?" Then he began to cry.
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16. And it came to pass H1961 , when David H1732 had made an end H3615 of speaking H1696 H853 these H428 words H1697 unto H413 Saul H7586 , that Saul H7586 said H559 , Is this H2088 thy voice H6963 , my son H1121 David H1732 ? And Saul H7586 lifted up H5375 his voice H6963 , and wept H1058 .
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17. And he said to David, "You are a better man than I am, for you have repaid me good for evil.
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17. And he said H559 to H413 David H1732 , Thou H859 art more righteous H6662 than H4480 I: for H3588 thou H859 hast rewarded H1580 me good H2896 , whereas I H589 have rewarded H1580 thee evil H7451 .
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18. Yes, you have been amazingly kind to me today, for when the LORD put me in a place where you could have killed me, you didn't do it.
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18. And thou H859 hast showed H5046 this day H3117 H853 how that H834 thou hast dealt H6213 well H2896 with H854 me: H853 forasmuch as when H834 the LORD H3068 had delivered H5462 me into thine hand H3027 , thou killedst H2026 me not H3808 .
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19. Who else would let his enemy get away when he had him in his power? May the LORD reward you well for the kindness you have shown me today.
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19. For if H3588 a man H376 find H4672 H853 his enemy H341 , will he let him go H7971 well H2896 away H1870 ? wherefore the LORD H3068 reward H7999 thee good H2896 for H8478 that H834 thou hast done H6213 unto me this H2088 day H3117 .
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20. And now I realize that you are surely going to be king, and that the kingdom of Israel will flourish under your rule.
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20. And now H6258 , behold H2009 , I know well H3045 that H3588 thou shalt surely be king H4427 H4427 , and that the kingdom H4467 of Israel H3478 shall be established H6965 in thine hand H3027 .
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21. Now swear to me by the LORD that when that happens you will not kill my family and destroy my line of descendants!"
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21. Swear H7650 now H6258 therefore unto me by the LORD H3068 , that H518 thou wilt not cut off H3772 H853 my seed H2233 after H310 me , and that H518 thou wilt not destroy H8045 H853 my name H8034 out of my father's house H4480 H1004 H1 .
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22. So David promised this to Saul with an oath. Then Saul went home, but David and his men went back to their stronghold.
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22. And David H1732 swore H7650 unto Saul H7586 . And Saul H7586 went H1980 H413 home H1004 ; but David H1732 and his men H376 got them up H5927 unto H5921 the hold H4686 .
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