David Doesn’t Kill Saul When He Has the Chance
1Saul returned from chasing the Philistines. Then he was told, “David is in the Desert of En Gedi.” 2So Saul took 3,000 of the best soldiers from the whole nation of Israel. He started out to look for David and his men. He planned to look near the Rocky Cliffs of the Wild Goats.
3He came to some sheep pens along the way. A cave was there. Saul went in to go to the toilet. David and his men were far back in the cave. 4David’s men said, “This is the day the Lord told you about. He said to you, ‘I will hand your enemy over to you. Then you can deal with him as you want to.’ ” So David came up close to Saul without being seen. He cut off a corner of Saul’s robe.
5Later, David felt sorry that he had cut off a corner of Saul’s robe. 6He said to his men, “May the Lord keep me from doing a thing like that again to my master. He is the Lord’s anointed king. So I promise that I will never lay my hand on him. The Lord has anointed him.” 7David said that to correct his men. He wanted them to know that they should never suggest harming the king. He didn’t allow them to attack Saul. So Saul left the cave and went on his way.
8Then David went out of the cave. He called out to Saul, “King Saul! My master!” When Saul looked behind him, David bowed down. He lay down flat with his face toward the ground. 9He said to Saul, “Why do you listen when men say, ‘David is trying to harm you’? 10This day you have seen with your own eyes how the Lord handed you over to me in the cave. Some of my men begged me to kill you. But I didn’t. I said, ‘I will never lay my hand on my master. He is the Lord’s anointed king.’ 11Look, my father! Look at this piece of your robe in my hand! I cut off the corner of your robe. But I didn’t kill you. See, there is nothing in my hand that shows I am guilty of doing anything wrong. I haven’t turned against you. I haven’t done anything to harm you. But you are hunting me down. You want to kill me. 12May the Lord judge between you and me. And may the Lord pay you back because of the wrong things you have done to me. But I won’t do anything to hurt you. 13People say, ‘Evil acts come from those who do evil.’ So I won’t do anything to hurt you.
14“King Saul, who are you trying to catch? Who do you think you are chasing? I’m nothing but a dead dog or a flea! 15May the Lord be our judge. May he decide between us. May he consider my case and stand up for me. May he show that I’m not guilty of doing anything wrong. May he save me from you.”
16When David finished speaking, Saul asked him a question. He said, “My son David, is that your voice?” And Saul wept out loud. 17“You are a better person than I am,” he said. “You have treated me well. But I’ve treated you badly. 18You have just now told me about the good things you did to me. The Lord handed me over to you. But you didn’t kill me. 19Suppose a man finds his enemy. He doesn’t let him get away without harming him. May the Lord reward you with many good things. May he do it because of the way you treated me today. 20I know for sure that you will be king. I know that the kingdom of Israel will be made secure under your control. 21Now make a promise in the name of the Lord. Promise me that you won’t kill the children of my family. Also promise me that you won’t wipe out my name from my family line.”
22So David made that promise to Saul. Then Saul returned home. But David and his men went up to his usual place of safety.
Daudi Amwacha Sauli Hai
124:1 Yos 15:62; 1Sam 23:28-29Baada ya Sauli kurudi kuwafuatia Wafilisti, akaambiwa kwamba, “Daudi yuko katika Jangwa la En-Gedi.” 224:2 1Sam 26:2; Za 38:12Basi Sauli akachukua watu hodari 3,000 kutoka Israeli yote kwenda kumsaka Daudi na watu wake karibu na Majabali ya Mbuzi-Mwitu.
324:3 Amu 3:24Akaja mpaka kwenye mazizi ya kondoo kando ya njia, hapo palikuwa na pango, na Sauli akaingia ndani kujipumzisha. Daudi na watu wake walikuwa wamo mle pangoni kwa ndani zaidi. 424:4 1Sam 25:28-30; 2Sam 4:8; 1Sam 23; 17; 26:8Watu wa Daudi wakasema, “Hii ndiyo siku aliyonena Bwana akikuambia, ‘Nitamtia adui yako mikononi mwako ili wewe umtendee utakavyo.’ ” Basi Daudi akanyemelea bila kuonekana na kukata upindo wa joho la Sauli.
524:5 1Sam 26:9; 2Sam 24:10Baada ya hilo, dhamiri ya Daudi ikataabika kwa kukata upindo wa joho la Sauli. 624:6 Mwa 26:11; 1Sam 12:3; 26:11; 2Sam 1:14; Ay 31:29, 30Akawaambia watu wake, “Bwana na apishie mbali nisije nikafanya jambo kama hilo kwa bwana wangu, yeye ambaye ni mpakwa mafuta wa Bwana, au kuinua mkono wangu dhidi yake; kwani yeye ni mpakwa mafuta wa Bwana.” 724:7 Za 7:4; Mt 5:44; Rum 12:17Kwa maneno haya Daudi akawaonya watu wake na hakuwaruhusu wamshambulie Sauli. Naye Sauli akaondoka pangoni na kwenda zake.
824:8 1Sam 20:41; 25:23-24Ndipo Daudi naye akatoka pangoni na kumwita Sauli akisema, “Mfalme, bwana wangu!” Sauli alipotazama nyuma, Daudi akainama na kusujudu uso wake mpaka nchi. 924:9 Za 141:6; Mit 16:28; 17:9Akamwambia Sauli, “Kwa nini unasikiliza wakati watu wanapokuambia, ‘Daudi amenuia kukudhuru’? 10Leo umeona kwa macho yako mwenyewe jinsi Bwana alivyokutia mikononi mwangu huko pangoni. Watu wengine walisisitiza nikuue, lakini nilikuacha, nikisema, ‘Sitainua mkono wangu dhidi ya bwana wangu, kwa sababu yeye ni mpakwa mafuta wa Bwana.’ 1124:11 Za 7:3; 1Sam 25:28; Za 35:7; Mwa 31:36; 1Sam 26:20; 20:1Tazama, baba yangu, ona kipande hiki cha joho lako mkononi mwangu! Nilikata upindo wa joho lako lakini sikukuua. Basi ujue na kutambua kuwa sina hatia ya kutenda mabaya wala ya kuasi. Wewe sijakukosea, lakini wewe unaniwinda mimi ili kuuondoa uhai wangu. 1224:12 Mwa 16:5; 1Sam 25:38; Ay 9:15; Hes 31:3; Amu 11:27Bwana na ahukumu kati yangu na wewe. Naye Bwana alipize mabaya unayonitendea, lakini mkono wangu hautakugusa. 1324:13 Mt 7:20Kama msemo wa kale usemavyo, ‘Kutoka kwa watenda maovu hutoka matendo maovu,’ kwa hiyo mkono wangu hautakugusa wewe.
1424:14 1Sam 17:43; 26:20; 2Sam 9:8; Ay 32:9; Mit 5:23“Je, mfalme wa Israeli ametoka dhidi ya nani? Ni nani unayemfuatia? Je, ni mbwa mfu? Ni kiroboto? 1524:15 Za 35:1, 23; Isa 49:25; Za 26:1; 35:24; 43:1; 50:4; 54:1; 135:14; 119:134; 2Sam 9:8Bwana na awe mwamuzi wetu, yeye na aamue kati yetu. Yeye na anitetee shauri langu; anihesabie haki kwa kuniokoa mkononi mwako.”
1624:16 1Sam 16:17; 26:17Daudi alipomaliza kusema haya, Sauli akamuuliza, “Je, hiyo ni sauti yako, Daudi mwanangu?” Ndipo Sauli akalia kwa sauti kuu, akisema, 1724:17 Mwa 38:26; Mt 5:44; Kut 9:27; 1Sam 26:21“Wewe ni mwenye haki kuliko mimi; umenitendea mema, lakini mimi nimekutendea mabaya. 1824:18 1Sam 26:23Sasa umeniambia juu ya mema uliyonitendea. Bwana alinitia mikononi mwako, lakini wewe hukuniua. 1924:19 Rut 2:12; 2Nya 15:7Je, mtu ampatapo adui yake, humwacha aende zake bila kumdhuru? Bwana na akulipe mema kwa jinsi ulivyonitenda leo. 2024:20 1Sam 20:31; 13:14; 23:17; 23:17; 2Sam 3:17; Ay 15:25; Mt 2:3-6, 13, 14Ninajua kwamba hakika utakuwa mfalme na ya kwamba ufalme wa Israeli utakuwa imara mikononi mwako. 2124:21 Mwa 21:23; 47:31; 1Sam 18:3; 2Sam 21:1-9; 1Sam 20:14-15Sasa niapie kwa Bwana kwamba hutakatilia mbali uzao wangu wala kulifuta jina langu kutoka jamaa ya baba yangu.”
2224:22 1Sam 23:29Basi Daudi akamwapia Sauli. Kisha Sauli akarudi zake nyumbani, lakini Daudi na watu wake wakapanda kwenda ngomeni.
