1 Samuel 24:1–22

David Spares Saul’s Life

24^{1 y}When Saul returned from following the Philistines, he was told, “Behold, David is in the wilderness of Engedi.” ²Then Saul took ^zthree thousand chosen men out of all Israel and went to seek David and his men in front of the Wildgoats’ Rocks. ³And he came to the sheepfolds by the way, where there was a cave, and Saul went in ^ato relieve himself.² Now David and his men were sitting in the innermost parts ^bof the cave. ⁴And the men of David said to him, ^c“Here is the day of which the Lord said to you, ‘Behold, I will give your enemy into your hand, and you shall do to him as it shall seem good to you.’ ” Then David arose and stealthily cut off a corner of Saul’s robe. ⁵And afterward ^dDavid’s heart struck him, because he had cut off a corner of Saul’s robe. ⁶He said to his men, ^e“The Lord forbid that I should do this thing to my lord, the Lord’s anointed, to put out my hand against him, seeing he is ^fthe Lord’s anointed.” ⁷So David persuaded his men with these words ^gand did not permit them to attack Saul. And Saul rose up and left the cave and went on his way.

⁸Afterward David also arose and went out of the cave, and called after Saul, “My lord the king!” And when Saul looked behind him, David bowed with his face to the earth and paid homage. ⁹And David said to Saul, “Why do you listen to the words of men who say, ‘Behold, David seeks your harm’? ¹⁰Behold, this day your eyes have seen how the Lord gave you today into my hand in the cave. ^hAnd some told me to kill you, but I spared you.³ I said, ‘I will not put out my hand against my lord, ^ffor he is the Lord’s anointed.’ ¹¹See, my father, see the corner of your robe in my hand. For by the fact that I cut off the corner of your robe and did not kill you, you may know and see that ⁱthere is no wrong or treason in my hands. I have not sinned against you, though ^jyou hunt my life to take it. ^12kMay the Lord judge between me and you, may the Lord avenge me against you, but my hand shall not be against you. ¹³As the proverb of the ancients says, ‘Out of the wicked comes wickedness.’ But my hand shall not be against you. ¹⁴After whom has the king of Israel come out? After whom do you pursue? ^lAfter a dead dog! ^mAfter a flea! ^15kMay the Lord therefore be judge and give sentence between me and you, and see to it and ⁿplead my cause and deliver me from your hand.”

¹⁶As soon as David had finished speaking these words to Saul, Saul said, ^o“Is this your voice, my son David?” And Saul lifted up his voice and wept. ¹⁷He said to David, “You are more righteous than I, ^pfor you have repaid me good, whereas I have repaid you evil. ¹⁸And you have declared this day how you have dealt well with me, in that you did not kill me when the Lord put me into your hands. ¹⁹For if a man finds his enemy, will he let him go away safe? So may the Lord reward you with good for what you have done to me this day. ²⁰And now, behold, ^qI know that you shall surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in your hand. ^21rSwear to me therefore by the Lord that you will not cut off my offspring after me, and ^sthat you will not destroy my name out of my father’s house.” ²²And David swore this to Saul. Then Saul went home, but David and his men went up ^tto the stronghold.