1 Samuel 24

When Saul returned from pursuing the Philistines, he was told, “David is in the wilderness of En-gedi.” So Saul took three thousand chosen men from all Israel and went to look for David and his men near the rocks of the wild goats. He came to the sheepfolds beside the road, where there was a cave. Saul went in to relieve himself, while David and his men were sitting in the farthest part of the cave. David’s men said to him, “This is the day the LORD spoke of when he said to you, ‘I am giving your enemy into your hand, and you may do to him whatever seems good to you.’” Then David got up and secretly cut off the corner of Saul’s robe. Afterward, David’s heart troubled him because he had cut off the corner of Saul’s robe. He said to his men, “The LORD forbid that I should do such a thing to my lord, the LORD’s anointed, as to raise my hand against him, for he is the LORD’s anointed.” With these words David restrained his men and did not allow them to attack Saul. Saul got up, left the cave and went on his way. Afterward David got up, came out of the cave and called after Saul, “My lord the king!” When Saul looked behind him, David bowed with his face to the ground and paid him homage. David said to Saul, “Why do you listen to people who say, ‘David seeks to harm you’? Today your own eyes have seen how the LORD gave you into my hand in the cave. Someone urged me to kill you, but I spared you. I said, ‘I will not raise my hand against my lord, for he is the LORD’s anointed.’ Look, my father, look at the corner of your robe in my hand! I cut off the corner of your robe and did not kill you. Know and see that there is no evil or rebellion in my hand, and I have not sinned against you. Yet you hunt me down to take my life. May the LORD judge between you and me, and may the LORD avenge me on you, but my hand will not be against you. As the ancient proverb says, ‘From the wicked comes wickedness.’ But my hand will not be against you. After whom has the king of Israel come out? Whom are you pursuing? A dead dog? A single flea? May the LORD be judge and judge between you and me. May he see, plead my cause and deliver me from your hand.” When David finished saying these things to Saul, Saul said, “Is that your voice, David my son?” Then Saul wept aloud. He said to David, “You are more righteous than I am, for you have done good to me, while I have done evil to you. Today you have shown the good you have done to me: the LORD delivered me into your hand, but you did not kill me. When a man finds his enemy, does he let him go away unharmed? May the LORD reward you with good for what you have done to me today. Now I know that you will surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel will be established in your hand. So swear to me by the LORD that you will not cut off my descendants after me or destroy my name from my father’s house.” David swore this to Saul. Saul went home, but David and his men went up to the stronghold.

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