12. “May the lord judge between us. Perhaps the lord will punish you for what you are trying to do to me, but I will never harm you.
13. As that old proverb says, ‘From evil people come evil deeds.’ So you can be sure I will never harm you.
14. Who is the king of Israel trying to catch anyway? Should he spend his time chasing one who is as worthless as a dead dog or a single flea?
15. May the lord therefore judge which of us is right and punish the guilty one. He is my advocate, and he will rescue me from your power!”
16. When David had finished speaking, Saul called back, “Is that really you, my son David?” Then he began to cry.
17. And he said to David, “You are a better man than I am, for you have repaid me good for evil.
18. Yes, you have been amazingly kind to me today, for when the lord put me in a place where you could have killed me, you didn’t do it.
19. Who else would let his enemy get away when he had him in his power? May the lord reward you well for the kindness you have shown me today.
20. And now I realize that you are surely going to be king, and that the kingdom of Israel will flourish under your rule.
21. Now swear to me by the lord that when that happens you will not kill my family and destroy my line of descendants!”
22. So David promised this to Saul with an oath. Then Saul went home, but David and his men went back to their stronghold.