David Spares Saul's Life
1 When Saul came back from fighting the Philistines, he was told that David was in the wilderness near Engedi. 2 Saul took three thousand of the best soldiers in Israel and went looking for David and his men east of Wild Goat Rocks. 3 He came to a cave close to some sheep pens by the road and went in to relieve himself. It happened to be the very cave in which David and his men were hiding far back in the cave. 4 They said to him, “This is your chance! The Lord has told you that he would put your enemy in your power and you could do to him whatever you wanted to.” David crept over and cut off a piece of Saul's robe without Saul's knowing it. 5 But then David's conscience began to hurt, 6 and he said to his men, “May the Lord keep me from doing any harm to my master, whom the Lord chose as king! I must not harm him in the least, because he is the king chosen by the Lord!” 7 So David convinced his men that they should not attack Saul.
Saul got up, left the cave, and started away. 8 Then David went out after him and called to him, “Your Majesty!” Saul turned around, and David bowed down to the ground in respect 9 and said, “Why do you listen to people who say that I am trying to harm you? 10 You can see for yourself that just now in the cave the Lord put you in my power. Some of my men told me to kill you, but I felt sorry for you and said that I would not harm you in the least, because you are the one whom the Lord chose to be king. 11 Look, my father, look at the piece of your robe I am holding! I could have killed you, but instead I only cut this off. This should convince you that I have no thought of rebelling against you or of harming you. You are hunting me down to kill me, even though I have not done you any wrong. 12 May the Lord judge which one of us is wrong! May he punish you for your action against me, for I will not harm you in the least. 13 You know the old saying, ‘Evil is done only by evil people.’ And so I will not harm you. 14 Look at what the king of Israel is trying to kill! Look at what he is chasing! A dead dog, a flea! 15 The Lord will judge, and he will decide which one of us is wrong. May he look into the matter, defend me, and save me from you.”
16 When David had finished speaking, Saul said, “Is that really you, David my son?” And he started crying. 17 Then he said to David, “You are right, and I am wrong. You have been so good to me, while I have done such wrong to you! 18 Today you have shown how good you are to me, because you did not kill me, even though the Lord put me in your power. 19 How often does someone catch an enemy and then let him get away unharmed? The Lord bless you for what you have done to me today! 20 Now I am sure that you will be king of Israel and that the kingdom will continue under your rule. 21 But promise me in the Lord's name that you will spare my descendants, so that my name and my family's name will not be completely forgotten.” 22 David promised that he would.
Then Saul went back home, and David and his men went back to their hiding place.
Dāvids saudzē Saula dzīvību
1 No turienes Dāvids kāpa augšā un apmetās Ēn-Gedī nocietinājumā. 2 Kad Sauls atgriezās no filistiešu vajāšanas, viņam pastāstīja: “Redzi, Dāvids ir Ēn-Gedī tuksnesī!”
3 Sauls ņēma trīs tūkstošus vīru, kas izraudzīti no visa Israēla, un devās meklēt Dāvidu un viņa vīrus pa kalnu kazu klintīm. 4 Pa ceļam viņš nonāca pie avju aplokiem. Tur bija ala, un Sauls iegāja alā atviegloties, bet Dāvids ar saviem vīriem sēdēja alas dziļumā. 5 Dāvida vīri sacīja viņam: “Redzi, brīdis, par kuru Kungs tev sacīja: redzi, es nododu ienaidnieku tavās rokās, dari ar viņu, ko gribi!” Dāvids piecēlās un slepus nogrieza Saula tērpam stūri. 6 Taču pēc tam Dāvida sirds strauji sitās par to, ka viņš nogriezis Saula tērpam stūri.
7 Un viņš teica saviem vīriem: “Lai Kungs mani pasargā, ka es ko tādu darītu savam kungam, Kunga svaidītajam, ka paceltu roku pret viņu – viņš ir Kunga svaidītais!” 8 Dāvids ar šiem vārdiem modināja šaubas savos vīros un neļāva tiem uzbrukt Saulam. Un Sauls alā piecēlās un devās tālāk.
9 Pēc tam arī Dāvids cēlās, iznāca no alas un sauca Saulam pakaļ: “Mans kungs, ķēniņ!” Kad Sauls atskatījās, Dāvids krita uz sava vaiga pie zemes un zemojās.
10 Dāvids teica Saulam: “Kāpēc tu klausies ļaužu runas, kuri saka: re, Dāvids vēl tev ļaunu! – 11 Redzi, šodien pats savām acīm tu redzēji, ka Kungs tevi tajā alā bija nodevis manās rokās. Mani skubināja tevi nokaut, bet manas acis iežēlojās par tevi, un es teicu: nepacelšu roku pret savu kungu, jo viņš ir Kunga svaidītais! – 12 Skaties, mans tēvs, paraugies uz sava tērpa stūri manā rokā! Es gan nogriezu tavam tērpam stūri, bet tevi es nenokāvu. Zini un redzi – manī nav nedz ļauna, nedz pārkāpuma, un es neesmu pret tevi grēkojis! Tu uzglūni manai dzīvībai, lai to laupītu! 13 Kungs izspriedīs starp mani un tevi, Kungs tev atmaksās par mani, bet mana roka nebūs pret tevi! 14 Kā saka sena paruna:
no ļaundariem nāk ļaundarība! –
bet mana roka nebūs pret tevi. 15 Ko gan Israēla ķēniņš ir izgājis vajāt? Kam tu dzenies pakaļ? Beigtam sunim! Vienai vienīgai blusai! 16 Kungs būs tiesnesis un izspriedīs starp mani un tevi. Viņš redzēs un izcīnīs manu cīņu un iztiesās mani no tavām rokām!”
17 Kad Dāvids to visu bija Saulam pateicis, Sauls sacīja: “Vai tā ir tava balss, mans dēls Dāvid?” Un Sauls sāka skaļi raudāt. 18 Viņš teica Dāvidam: “Tu esi taisnāks par mani, jo tu man atdarīji ar labu, bet es tev atdarīju ar ļaunu. 19 Tu man šodien pierādīji, ko esi man labu darījis – kad Kungs mani lika tavās rokās, tu mani nenokāvi! 20 Ja kāds sastop savu ienaidnieku, vai viņš to atlaidīs ar labu? Kungs tev atmaksās ar labu par šo dienu – par to, ko tu man esi darījis! 21 Nu redzi, es zinu, ka tu valdīsi kā ķēniņš un ar tevi nostiprināsies Israēla valstība. 22 Tagad zvēri man pie Kunga, ka nepārtrauksi manu dzimumu pēc manis un neiznīcināsi manu vārdu no mana tēva nama!” 23 Dāvids zvērēja Saulam, un Sauls atgriezās mājās, bet Dāvids ar saviem vīriem devās augšā uz cietoksni.
