David Spares Saul’s Life
In Hebrew texts 24:1-22 is numbered 24:22-23. 1After Saul returned from pursuing the Philistines, he was told, “David is in the Desert of En Gedi.” 2So Saul took three thousand able young men from all Israel and set out to look for David and his men near the Crags of the Wild Goats.
3He came to the sheep pens along the way; a cave was there, and Saul went in to relieve himself. David and his men were far back in the cave. 4The men said, “This is the day the Lord spoke of when he said24:4 Or “Today the Lord is saying to you, ‘I will give your enemy into your hands for you to deal with as you wish.’ ” Then David crept up unnoticed and cut off a corner of Saul’s robe.
5Afterward, David was conscience-stricken for having cut off a corner of his robe. 6He said to his men, “The Lord forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the Lord’s anointed, or lay my hand on him; for he is the anointed of the Lord.” 7With these words David sharply rebuked his men and did not allow them to attack Saul. And Saul left the cave and went his way.
8Then David went out of the cave and called out to Saul, “My lord the king!” When Saul looked behind him, David bowed down and prostrated himself with his face to the ground. 9He said to Saul, “Why do you listen when men say, ‘David is bent on harming you’? 10This day you have seen with your own eyes how the Lord delivered you into my hands in the cave. Some urged me to kill you, but I spared you; I said, ‘I will not lay my hand on my lord, because he is the Lord’s anointed.’ 11See, my father, look at this piece of your robe in my hand! I cut off the corner of your robe but did not kill you. See that there is nothing in my hand to indicate that I am guilty of wrongdoing or rebellion. I have not wronged you, but you are hunting me down to take my life. 12May the Lord judge between you and me. And may the Lord avenge the wrongs you have done to me, but my hand will not touch you. 13As the old saying goes, ‘From evildoers come evil deeds,’ so my hand will not touch you.
14“Against whom has the king of Israel come out? Who are you pursuing? A dead dog? A flea? 15May the Lord be our judge and decide between us. May he consider my cause and uphold it; may he vindicate me by delivering me from your hand.”
16When David finished saying this, Saul asked, “Is that your voice, David my son?” And he wept aloud. 17“You are more righteous than I,” he said. “You have treated me well, but I have treated you badly. 18You have just now told me about the good you did to me; the Lord delivered me into your hands, but you did not kill me. 19When a man finds his enemy, does he let him get away unharmed? May the Lord reward you well for the way you treated me today. 20I know that you will surely be king and that the kingdom of Israel will be established in your hands. 21Now swear to me by the Lord that you will not kill off my descendants or wipe out my name from my father’s family.”
22So David gave his oath to Saul. Then Saul returned home, but David and his men went up to the stronghold.
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.
