14 David stayed in the wilderness in the strongholds, and remained in the hill country in the wilderness of aZiph. And Saul sought him every day, but bGod did not deliver him into his hand.

Saul Pursues David

15 Now David 1became aware that Saul had come out to seek his life while David was in the wilderness of Ziph at Horesh.

16 And Jonathan, Saul’s son, arose and went to David at Horesh, and 1aencouraged him in God.

17 Thus he said to him, “aDo not be afraid, because the hand of Saul my father will not find you, and you will be king over Israel and I will be next to you; and bSaul my father knows that also.”

18 So athe two of them made a covenant before the Lord; and David stayed at Horesh while Jonathan went to his house.

19 Then aZiphites came up to Saul at Gibeah, saying, “Is David not hiding with us in the strongholds at Horesh, on bthe hill of Hachilah, which is on the 1south of 2Jeshimon?

20 “Now then, O king, come down according to all the desire of your soul to 1do so; and aour part shall be to surrender him into the king’s hand.”

21 Saul said, “May you be blessed of the Lord, afor you have had compassion on me.

22 “Go now, make more sure, and investigate and see his place where his 1haunt is, and who has seen him there; for I am told that he is very cunning.

23 “So look, and learn about all the hiding places where he hides himself and return to me with certainty, and I will go with you; and if he is in the land, I will search him out among all the thousands of Judah.”

24 Then they arose and went to Ziph before Saul. Now David and his men were in the wilderness of aMaon, in the Arabah to the 1south of 2Jeshimon.

25 When Saul and his men went to seek him, they told David, and he came down to the rock and stayed in the wilderness of Maon. And when Saul heard it, he pursued David in the wilderness of Maon.

26 Saul went on one side of the mountain, and David and his men on the other side of the mountain; and David was hurrying to get away from Saul, for Saul and his men awere surrounding David and his men to seize them.

27 But a messenger came to Saul, saying, “Hurry and come, for the Philistines have made a raid on the land.”

28 So Saul returned from pursuing David and went to meet the Philistines; therefore they called that place 1the Rock of Escape.

29 1David went up from there and stayed in the strongholds of aEngedi.

Chapter 24

David Spares Saul’s Life

1 Now awhen Saul returned from pursuing the Philistines, bhe was told, saying, “Behold, David is in the wilderness of Engedi.”

2 Then aSaul took three thousand chosen men from all Israel and went to seek David and his men in front of the Rocks of the Wild Goats.

3 He came to the sheepfolds on the way, where there was a cave; and Saul awent in to 1relieve himself. Now bDavid and his men were sitting in the inner recesses of the cave.

4 The men of David said to him, “Behold, athis is the day of which the Lord said to you, ‘Behold; bI am about to give your enemy into your hand, and you shall do to him as it seems good 1to you.’ ” Then David arose and cut off the edge of Saul’s robe secretly.

5 It came about afterward that aDavid’s 1conscience bothered him because he had cut off the edge of Saul’s robe.

6 So he said to his men, “aFar be it from me because of the Lord that I should do this thing to my lord, the Lord’s anointed, to stretch out my hand against him, since he is the Lord’s anointed.”

7 David 1persuaded his men with these words and did not allow them to rise up against Saul. And Saul arose, 2left the cave, and went on his way.

8 Now afterward David arose and went out of the cave and called after Saul, saying, “My lord the king!” And when Saul looked behind him, aDavid bowed with his face to the ground and prostrated himself.

9 David said to Saul, “Why do you listen to the words of men, saying, ‘Behold, David seeks 1to harm you’?

10 “aBehold, this day your eyes have seen that the Lord had given you today into my hand in the cave, and bsome said to kill you, but my eye had pity on you; and I said, ‘I will not stretch out my hand against my lord, for he is the Lord’s anointed.’

11 “Now, amy father, see! Indeed, see the edge of your robe in my hand! For in that I cut off the edge of your robe and did not kill you, know and perceive that there is no evil or 1rebellion in my hands, and I have not sinned against you, though you bare lying in wait for my life to take it.

12 “aMay the Lord judge between 1you and me, and may the Lord avenge me on you; but my hand shall not be against you.

13 “As the proverb of the ancients says, ‘aOut of the wicked comes forth wickedness’; but my hand shall not be against you.

14 “After whom has the king of Israel come out? Whom are you pursuing? aA dead dog, ba single flea?

15 “aThe Lord therefore be judge and decide between 1you and me; and may He see and bplead my cause and 2deliver me from your hand.”

16 When David had finished speaking these words to Saul, Saul said, “aIs this your voice, my son David?” Then Saul lifted up his voice and wept.

17 aHe said to David, “You are more righteous than I; for byou have dealt well with me, while I have dealt wickedly with you.

18 “You have declared today that you have done good to me, that athe Lord delivered me into your hand and yet you did not kill me.

19 “For if a man afinds his enemy, will he let him go away 1safely? May the Lord therefore reward you with good in return for what you have done to me this day.

20 “Now, behold, aI know that you will surely be king, and that bthe kingdom of Israel will be established in your hand.

21 “So now aswear to me by the Lord that you will not cut off my 1descendants after me and that you will not destroy my name from my father’s household.”

22 David swore to Saul. And Saul went to his home, but David and his men went up to athe stronghold.