Whenוַיְהִי כַּאֲשֶׁרSaulשָׁאוּלreturnedשָׁבfrom followingמֵאַחֲרֵיthe Philistines,פְּלִשְׁתִּיםthey toldוַיַּגִּדוּhim,לוֹsaying,לֵאמֹר“Look,הִנֵּהDavidדָוִדis in the wildernessבְּמִדְבַּרof En-gedi.”עֵין גֶּדִי
Saulשָׁאוּלtookוַיִּקַּחthreeשְׁלֹשֶׁתthousandאֲלָפִיםchosenבָּחוּרmenאִישׁfrom allמִכָּלIsraelיִשְׂרָאֵלand wentוַיֵּלֶךְto seekלְבַקֵּשׁDavidדָּוִדand his menוַאֲנָשָׁיוin front ofעַל פְּנֵיthe Rocksצוּרֵיof the Wild Goats.הַיְּעֵלִים
He cameוַיָּבֹאtoאֶלthe sheepfoldsגִּדְרוֹת הַצֹּאןbyעַלthe road,הַדֶּרֶךְand thereוְשָׁםwas a cave;מְעָרָהand Saulוַ שָׁאוּלwent inיָּבֹאto coverלְהָסֵךְhis feet.רַגְלָיוNow Davidוְדָוִדand his menוַאֲנָשָׁיוwere sittingיֹשְׁבִיםin the innermost partsבְּיַרְכְּתֵיof the cave.הַמְּעָרָה
David’sדָוִדmenאַנְשֵׁיsaidוַיֹּאמְרוּto him,אֵלָיו“Look,הִנֵּהthe dayהַיּוֹםof whichאֲשֶׁרYHWHיְהוָהsaidאָמַרto you,אֵלֶיךָ‘Look,הִנֵּהIאָנֹכִיam givingנֹתֵןyour enemyאֹיִבְךָinto your hand,בְּיָדֶךָand you shall doוְעָשִׂיתָto himלּוֹasכַּאֲשֶׁרseems goodיִטַבin your eyes.’”בְּעֵינֶיךָDavidדָּוִדaroseוַיָּקָםand cut offוַיִּכְרֹתthe edgeכְּנַףof the robeהַמְּעִילthatאֲשֶׁרbelonged to Saulלְשָׁאוּלsecretly.בַּלָּט
Afterwardוַיְהִי אַחֲרֵי כֵןDavid’sדָּוִדheartלֵבstruckוַיַּךְhim,אֹתוֹbecauseעַל אֲשֶׁרhe had cut offכָּרַתthe edgeכָּנָףthatאֲשֶׁרbelonged to Saul.לְשָׁאוּל
He saidוַיֹּאמֶרto his men,לַאֲנָשָׁיו“Far be itחָלִילָהfrom me,לִּיby YHWH,מֵיהוָהthatאִםI should doאֶעֱשֶׂהthisהַזֶּהthingהַדָּבָרto my lord,לַאדֹנִיto the anointedלִמְשִׁיחַof YHWH,יְהוָהto stretch outלִשְׁלֹחַmy handיָדִיagainst him,בּוֹforכִּיheהוּאis the anointedמְשִׁיחַof YHWH.”יְהוָה
Davidדָּוִדrestrainedוַיְשַׁסַּעhis menאֲנָשָׁיוwith these wordsבַּדְּבָרִיםand did notוְלֹאallow themנְתָנָםto riseלָקוּםagainstאֶלSaul.שָׁאוּלAnd Saulוְשָׁאוּלroseקָםfrom the caveמֵהַמְּעָרָהand wentוַיֵּלֶךְon his way.בַּדָּרֶךְ
Afterwardאַחֲרֵי כֵןDavidדָּוִדaroseוַיָּקָםand went outוַיֵּצֵאfrom the caveמֵהַמְּעָרָהand calledוַיִּקְרָאafterאַחֲרֵיSaul,שָׁאוּלsaying,לֵאמֹר“My lordאֲדֹנִיthe king!”הַמֶּלֶךְSaulשָׁאוּלlookedוַיַּבֵּטbehind him,אַחֲרָיוand Davidוַ דָּוִדbowedיִּקֹּדwith his faceאַפַּיִםto the groundאַרְצָהand prostrated himself.וַיִּשְׁתָּחוּ
Davidדָּוִדsaidוַיֹּאמֶרto Saul,לְשָׁאוּל“Whyלָמָּהdo you listenתִשְׁמַעto the wordsדִּבְרֵיof peopleאָדָםwho say,לֵאמֹר‘Look,הִנֵּהDavidדָוִדseeksמְבַקֵּשׁyour harm’?רָעָתֶךָ
Look,הִנֵּהthisהַ הַזֶּהdayיּוֹםyour eyesעֵינֶיךָhave seenרָאוּhowאֵת אֲשֶׁרYHWHיְהוָהgave youנְתָנְךָtodayהַיּוֹםinto my handבְּיָדִיin the cave;בַּמְּעָרָהand some saidוְאָמַרto kill you,לַהֲרָגֲךָbut my eye had pityוַתָּחָסon you,עָלֶיךָand I said,וָאֹמַר‘I will notלֹאstretch outאֶשְׁלַחmy handיָדִיagainst my lord,בַּאדֹנִיforכִּיheהוּאis the anointedמְשִׁיחַof YHWH.’יְהוָה
And, my father,וְאָבִיsee,רְאֵהyes, seeגַּם רְאֵהthe edgeכְּנַףof your robeמְעִילְךָin my hand!בְּיָדִיForכִּיin that I cut offבְּכָרְתִיthe edgeכְּנַףof your robeמְעִילְךָand did notוְלֹאkill you,הֲרַגְתִּיךָknowדַּעand seeוּרְאֵהthatכִּיthere is noאֵיןevilרָעָהor rebellionוָפֶשַׁעin my hand,בְּיָדִיand I have notוְלֹאsinnedחָטָאתִיagainst you;לָךְbut youוְאַתָּהare huntingצֹדֶהmy lifeנַפְשִׁיto take it.לְקַחְתָּהּ
May YHWHיְהוָהjudgeיִשְׁפֹּטbetween meבֵּינִיand you,וּבֵינֶךָand may YHWHוּ יְהוָהavenge meנְקָמַנִיon you;מִמֶּךָּbut my handוְיָדִיshall notלֹאbeתִהְיֶהagainst you.בָּךְ
Asכַּאֲשֶׁרthe proverbמְשַׁלof the ancientsהַקַּדְמֹנִיsays,יֹאמַר‘From the wickedמֵרְשָׁעִיםcomesיֵצֵאwickedness’;רֶשַׁעbut my handוְיָדִיshall notלֹאbeתִהְיֶהagainst you.בָּךְ
Afterאַחֲרֵיwhomמִיhas the kingמֶלֶךְof Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלcome out?יָצָאAfterאַחֲרֵיwhomמִיare youאַתָּהpursuing?רֹדֵףAfterאַחֲרֵיa deadמֵתdog!כֶּלֶבAfterאַחֲרֵיa singleאֶחָדflea!פַּרְעֹשׁ
May YHWHוְ יְהוָהbeהָיָהjudgeלְדַיָּןand judgeוְשָׁפַטbetween meבֵּינִיand you,וּבֵינֶךָand may he seeוְיֵרֶאand defendוְיָרֵבmy causeרִיבִיand judge me freeוְיִשְׁפְּטֵנִיfrom your hand.”מִיָּדֶךָ
Whenוַיְהִי כְּDavidדָּוִדhad finishedכַלּוֹתspeakingלְדַבֵּרtheseהָאֵלֶּהwordsהַדְּבָרִיםtoאֶלSaul,שָׁאוּלSaulשָׁאוּלsaid,וַיֹּאמֶר“Isהֲthisזֶהyour voice,קֹלְךָmy sonבְּנִיDavid?”דָוִדAnd Saulוַ שָׁאוּלlifted upיִּשָּׂאhis voiceקֹלוֹand wept.וַיֵּבְךְּ
He saidוַיֹּאמֶרtoאֶלDavid,דָּוִד“Youאַתָּהare more righteousצַדִּיקthan I,מִמֶּנִּיforכִּיyouאַתָּהhave repaid meגְּמַלְתַּנִיwith good,הַטּוֹבָהand Iוַאֲנִיhave repaid youגְּמַלְתִּיךָwith evil.הָרָעָה
Youוְאַתָּהhave made knownהִגַּדְתָּtodayהַיּוֹםhowאֵת אֲשֶׁרyou have dealtעָשִׂיתָהwellטוֹבָהwith me,אִתִּיin thatאֵת אֲשֶׁרYHWHיְהוָהdelivered meסִגְּרַנִיinto your hand,בְּיָדְךָand you did notוְלֹאkill me.הֲרַגְתָּנִי
Whenוְכִיa manאִישׁfindsיִמְצָאhis enemy,אֹיְבוֹwill he send him offוְשִׁלְּחוֹon a goodטוֹבָהway?בְּדֶרֶךְMay YHWHוַיהוָהrepay youיְשַׁלֶּמְךָwith goodטוֹבָהforתַּחַתwhatאֲשֶׁרyou have doneעָשִׂיתָהto meלִיthisהַזֶּהday.הַיּוֹם
Now,וְעַתָּהlook,הִנֵּהI knowיָדַעְתִּיthatכִּיyou will surely be king,מָלֹךְ תִּמְלוֹךְand the kingdomוְ מַמְלֶכֶתof Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלwill stand firmקָמָהin your hand.בְּיָדְךָ
Nowוְעַתָּהswearהִשָּׁבְעָהto meלִּיby YHWHבַּיהוָהthat you will not cut offאִם תַּכְרִיתmy offspringזַרְעִיafter me,אַחֲרָיand that you will notוְאִםdestroyתַּשְׁמִידmy nameשְׁמִיfrom the houseמִבֵּיתof my father.”אָבִי
Davidדָּוִדsworeוַיִּשָּׁבַעto Saul.לְשָׁאוּלSaulשָׁאוּלwentוַיֵּלֶךְtoאֶלhis house,בֵּיתוֹbut Davidוְדָוִדand his menוַאֲנָשָׁיוwent upעָלוּtoעַלthe stronghold.הַמְּצוּדָה