11. Your Majesty, look at what I'm holding. You can see that it's a piece of your robe. If I could cut off a piece of your robe, I could have killed you. But I let you live, and that should prove I'm not trying to harm you or to rebel. I haven't done anything to you, and yet you keep trying to ambush and kill me.
12. I'll let the Lord decide which one of us has done right. I pray that the Lord will punish you for what you're doing to me, but I won't do anything to you.
13. An old proverb says, “Only evil people do evil things,” and so I won't harm you.
14. Why should the king of Israel be out chasing me, anyway? I'm as worthless as a dead dog or a flea.
15. I pray that the Lord will help me escape and show that I am in the right.
16. “David, my son—is that you?” Saul asked. Then he started crying
17. and said:David, you're a better person than I am. You treated me with kindness, even though I've been cruel to you.
18. You've told me how you were kind enough not to kill me when the Lord gave you the chance.
19. If you really were my enemy, you wouldn't have let me leave here alive. I pray that the Lord will give you a big reward for what you did today.
20. I realize now that you will be the next king, and a powerful king at that.
21. Promise me with the Lord as your witness, that you won't wipe out my descendants. Let them live to keep my family name alive.
22. So David promised, and Saul went home. David and his men returned to their hideout.