1 Samuel 24:1–7

David Does Not Kill Saul

¹Now ^awhen Saul returned from pursuing the Philistines, ^bhe was told, saying, “Behold, David is in the wilderness of Engedi.”

²Then ^aSaul took three thousand chosen men from all Israel and went to seek David and his men in front of the Rocks of the Wild Goats.

³And he came to the sheepfolds on the way, where there was a cave; and Saul ^awent in to ¹relieve himself. Now ^bDavid and his men were sitting in the inner recesses of the cave.

⁴Then the men of David said to him, “Behold, ^athis is the day of which Yahweh said to you, ‘Behold, ^bI am about to give your enemy into your hand, and you shall do to him as it seems good in your eyes.’” Then David arose and cut off the edge of Saul’s robe secretly.

⁵And it happened afterward that ^aDavid’s heart struck him because he had cut off the edge of Saul’s robe.

⁶So he said to his men, “^aFar be it from me because of Yahweh that I should do this thing to my lord, the anointed of Yahweh, to send forth my hand against him, since he is the anointed of Yahweh.”

⁷And David tore his men to pieces with these words and did not allow them to rise up against Saul. And Saul arose, ¹left the cave, and went on his way.