1 Samuel 24:1–7

David Spares Saul’s Life

24 a After Saul returned from pursuing the Philistines, he was told, “David is in the Desert of En Gedi.g” 2 So Saul took three thousand able young men from all Israel and set out to lookh for David and his men near the Crags of the Wild Goats.

3 He came to the sheep pens along the way; a cavei was there, and Saul went in to relievej himself. David and his men were far back in the cave. 4 The men said, “This is the day the Lord spokek of when he saidb to you, ‘I will give your enemy into your hands for you to deal with as you wish.’ ”l Then David crept up unnoticed and cutm off a corner of Saul’s robe.

5 Afterward, David was conscience-strickenn for having cut off a corner of his robe. 6 He said to his men, “The Lord forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the Lord’s anointed,o or lay my hand on him; for he is the anointed of the Lord.” 7 With these words David sharply rebuked his men and did not allow them to attack Saul. And Saul left the cave and went his way.