1 Un Dāvids aizgāja no turienes un apmetās En-Gedija nepieejamās kalnu augstienēs. 2 Un notika, kad Sauls bija atgriezies atpakaļ no filistiešu vajāšanas, tad viņam pateica, ka pēc ļaužu runām Dāvids esot En-Gedija tuksnesī. 3 Tad Sauls ņēma trīs tūkstošus izlasītu vīru no visa Israēla un devās meklēt Dāvidu un viņa vīrus uz kalnu kazu klintīm. 4 Un, kad viņš nonāca pie avju aplokiem ceļa malā, tur bija kāda ala, un Sauls tur iegāja dabiskās vajadzībās. Bet Dāvids un viņa vīri atradās alas dibenā. 5 Tad Dāvida vīri tam sacīja: "Redzi, šī patiesi ir tā diena, par kuru Tas Kungs tev ir sacījis: redzi, Es tavu ienaidnieku nodošu tavā rokā, un tu viņam darīsi, kas tavām acīm labi patiks." Un Dāvids piecēlās un slepus nogrieza Saula virssvārku stūri. 6 Bet vēlāk Dāvidam sirds jo strauji lēca krūtīs, tādēļ ka viņš bija nogriezis apģērba stūri, kas piederēja Saulam. 7 Un viņš teica saviem vīriem: "Lai Tas Kungs mani no tā pasargā, ka es ko nodarītu savam pavēlniekam, Tā Kunga svaidītam, un ka es pret to nekad nepaceļu savu roku, jo viņš ir Tā Kunga svaidītais!" 8 Un Dāvids ar vārdiem apsauca pats savus vīrus, un viņš tiem neļāva uzbrukt Saulam; un Sauls piecēlās un izgāja no alas. 9 Tūliņ pēc tam cēlās arī Dāvids, izgāja no alas un sauca Saulam nopakaļ: "Mans pavēlniek un ķēniņ!" Kad Sauls atskatījās atpakaļ, tad Dāvids noliecās ar savu vaigu pie zemes, tā parādīdams tam godu. 10 Un Dāvids sacīja Saulam: "Kāpēc tu klausi ļaužu valodām, kas saka: redzi, Dāvids meklē tavu nelaimi? 11 Redzi, šodien tavas acis redz, ka Tas Kungs tevi šodien tanī alā bija nodevis manā rokā; un, kaut gan kāds gribēja mani pierunāt, lai es tevi nogalinu, es tevi žēloju un domāju: es tomēr necelšu savu roku pret savu pavēlnieku, jo viņš ir Tā Kunga svaidītais. 12 Un nu, mans tēvs, skaties šurp! Tu redzi te savu virssvārku stūri manā rokā; un redzi, es esmu gan nogriezis tavu virssvārku stūri, bet tevi neesmu nogalinājis; tāpēc atzīsti un saproti, ka manā prātā nav nedz ļaunuma, nedz viltus un ka es neesmu pret tevi apgrēkojies, bet tu gan uzglūni manai dvēselei, lai man to atrautu. 13 Lai Tas Kungs pats ir tiesnesis starp mani un tevi, un lai Tas Kungs pats atdara un atriebj tev manā vietā, bet mana roka nebūs pret tevi! 14 Tēvutēvu sakāmvārds saka: no bezdievīgiem iziet bezdievība. - Bet mana roka nebūs pret tevi! 15 Ko tu, Israēla ķēniņ, esi izgājis vajāt? Ko tu īsteni vajā? Vienu beigtu suni, vienu atsevišķu blusu! 16 Tāpēc lai Tas Kungs ir tiesnesis un lai izspriež taisnību un tiesu starp mani un tevi! Viņš arī izmeklēs manu lietu, aizstāvēs un atbrīvos mani no tavas rokas." 17 Kad Dāvids bija beidzis šos vārdus ar Saulu runāt, tad notika, ka Sauls sacīja: "Vai šī nav tava balss, mans dēls Dāvid?" Un Sauls pacēla savu balsi un gauži raudāja. 18 Un viņš sacīja Dāvidam: "Tu esi taisnāks nekā es, jo tu man esi labu darījis, bet es pret tevi esmu bijis ļauns. 19 Un šodien tu esi savu mīlestību pret mani parādījis it sevišķi spēcīgi, jo, kad Tas Kungs mani bija nodevis tavā rokā, tu tomēr mani neesi nogalinājis. 20 Vai tad ir kāds, kas, savu ienaidnieku atradis, to atlaistu, novēlēdams viņam labu ceļu? Lai Tas Kungs tev par to atmaksā ar labu, ko tu šodien man esi darījis! 21 Un redzi, tagad es zinu, ka tu tiešām valdīsi kā ķēniņš un ka tavā rokā pastāvēs Israēla ķēniņa valstība. 22 Un tagad zvērē pie Tā Kunga, ka tu manu dzimumu pēc manis neizdeldēsi un manu vārdu mana tēva namā neiznīcināsi!" 23 Tad Dāvids zvērēja Saulam, un Sauls atgriezās savās mājās, bet Dāvids un viņa vīri devās kalnup uz savām nocietinātām kalnu vietām.
David Lets Saul Live
1 When Saul got back from fighting off the Philistines, he heard that David was in the desert around En-Gedi. 2 Saul led 3,000 of Israel's best soldiers out to look for David and his men near Wild Goat Rocks at En-Gedi. 3 There were some sheep pens along the side of the road, and one of them was built around the entrance to a cave. Saul went into the cave to relieve himself.
David and his men were hiding at the back of the cave. 4 They whispered to David, “The Lord told you he was going to let you defeat your enemies and do whatever you want with them. This must be the day the Lord was talking about.”
David sneaked over and cut off a small piece of Saul's robe, but Saul didn't notice a thing. 5 Afterwards, David was sorry that he had even done that, 6-7 and he told his men, “Stop talking foolishly. We're not going to attack Saul. He's my king, and I pray that the Lord will keep me from doing anything to harm his chosen king.”
Saul left the cave and started down the road. 8 Soon, David also got up and left the cave. “Your Majesty!” he shouted from a distance.
Saul turned around to look. David bowed down very low 9 and said:
Your Majesty, why do you listen to people who say that I'm trying to harm you? 10 You can see for yourself that the Lord gave me the chance to catch you in the cave today. Some of my men wanted to kill you, but I wouldn't let them do it. I told them, “I will not harm the Lord's chosen king!” 11 Your Majesty, look at what I'm holding. You can see that it's a piece of your robe. If I could cut off a piece of your robe, I could have killed you. But I let you live, and that should prove I'm not trying to harm you or to rebel. I haven't done anything to you, and yet you keep trying to ambush and kill me.
12 I'll let the Lord decide which one of us has done right. I pray that the Lord will punish you for what you're doing to me, but I won't do anything to you. 13 An old proverb says, “Only evil people do evil things,” and so I won't harm you.
14 Why should the king of Israel be out chasing me, anyway? I'm as worthless as a dead dog or a flea. 15 I pray that the Lord will help me escape and show that I am in the right.
16 “David, my son—is that you?” Saul asked. Then he started crying 17 and said:
David, you're a better person than I am. You treated me with kindness, even though I've been cruel to you. 18 You've told me how you were kind enough not to kill me when the Lord gave you the chance. 19 If you really were my enemy, you wouldn't have let me leave here alive. I pray that the Lord will give you a big reward for what you did today.
20 I realize now that you will be the next king, and a powerful king at that. 21 Promise me with the Lord as your witness, that you won't wipe out my descendants. Let them live to keep my family name alive.
22 So David promised, and Saul went home. David and his men returned to their hideout.
