er part of the cave.

24:5. And the servants of David said to him: Behold the day, of which
the Lord said to thee: I will deliver thy enemy unto thee, that thou
mayst do to him as it shall seem good in thy eyes. Then David arose, and
secretly cut off the hem of Saul's robe.

24:6. After which David's heart struck him, because he had cut off the
hem of Saul's robe.

Heart struck him... Viz., with remorse, as fearing he had done amiss.

24:7. And he said to his men: The Lord be merciful unto me, that I may
do no such thing to my master, the Lord's anointed, as to lay my hand
upon him, because he is the Lord's anointed.

24:8. And David stopped his men with his words, and suffered them not to
rise against Saul: but Saul, rising up out of the cave, went on his way.

24:9. And David also rose up after him: and going out of the cave, cried
after Saul, saying: My lord the king. And Saul looked behind him: and
David bowing himself down to the ground, worshipped,

24:10. And said to Saul: Why dost thou hear the words of men that say:
David seeketh thy hurt?

24:11 Behold this day thy eyes have seen, that the Lord hath delivered
thee into my hand, in the cave, and I had a thought to kill thee, but my
eye hath spared thee. For I said: I will not put out my hand against my
lord, because he is the Lord's anointed.

A thought to kill thee... That is, a suggestion, to which I did not
consent.

24:12. Moreover, see and know, O my father, the hem of thy robe in my
hand, that when I cut off the hem of thy robe, I would not put out my
hand against thee. Reflect, and see, that there is no evil in my hand,
nor iniquity, neither have I sinned against thee: but thou liest in wait
for my life, to take it away.

24:13. The Lord judge between me and thee and the Lord revenge me of
thee: but my hand shall not be upon thee.

Revenge me of thee... Or, as it is in the Hebrew, will revenge me. The
meaning is, that he refers his whole cause to God, to judge and punish
according to his justice: yet so as to keep himself in the mean time,
from all personal hatred to Saul, or desire of gratifying his own
passion, by seeking revenge. So far from it, that when Saul was
afterwards slain, we find, that instead of rejoicing at his death, he
mourned most bitterly for him.

24:14. As also it is said in the old proverb: From the wicked shall
wickedness come forth: therefore my hand shall not be upon thee. After
whom dost thou come out, O king of