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24 After Saul’s return from his battle with the Philistines, he was told that David had gone into the wilderness of Engedi; so he took three thousand special troops and went to search for him among the rocks and wild goats of the desert. At the place where the road passes some sheepfolds, Saul went into a cave to go to the bathroom, but as it happened, David and his men were hiding in the cave!

“Now’s your time!” David’s men whispered to him. “Today is the day the Lord was talking about when he said, ‘I will certainly put Saul into your power, to do with as you wish’!” Then David crept forward and quietly slit off the bottom of Saul’s robe! But then his conscience began bothering him.

“I shouldn’t have done it,” he said to his men. “It is a serious sin to attack God’s chosen king in any way.”

7-8 These words of David persuaded his men not to kill Saul.

After Saul had left the cave and gone on his way, David came out and shouted after him, “My lord the king!” And when Saul looked around, David bowed low before him.

9-10 Then he shouted to Saul, “Why do you listen to the people who say I am trying to harm you? This very day you have seen it isn’t true. For the Lord placed you at my mercy back there in the cave, and some of my men told me to kill you, but I spared you. For I said, ‘I will never harm him—he is the Lord’s chosen king.’ 11 See what I have in my hand? It is the hem of your robe! I cut it off, but I didn’t kill you! Doesn’t this convince you that I am not trying to harm you and that I have not sinned against you, even though you have been hunting for my life?

12 “The Lord will decide between us. Perhaps he will kill you for what you are trying to do to me, but I will never harm you. 13 As that old proverb says, ‘Wicked is as wicked does,’ but despite your wickedness, I’ll not touch you. 14 And 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 flea? 15 May the Lord judge as to which of us is right and punish whichever one of us is guilty. He is my lawyer and defender, and he will rescue me from your power!”

16 Saul called back, “Is it 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 wonderfully kind to me today, for when the Lord delivered me into your hand, you didn’t kill me. 19 Who else in all the world 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 Israel shall be yours to rule. 21 Oh, 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, and Saul went home, but David and his men went back to their cave.

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.(A) So Saul took three thousand able young men from all Israel and set out to look(B) for David and his men near the Crags of the Wild Goats.

He came to the sheep pens along the way; a cave(C) was there, and Saul went in to relieve(D) himself. David and his men were far back in the cave. The men said, “This is the day the Lord spoke(E) of when he said[b] to you, ‘I will give your enemy into your hands for you to deal with as you wish.’”(F) Then David crept up unnoticed and cut(G) off a corner of Saul’s robe.

Afterward, David was conscience-stricken(H) for having cut off a corner of his robe. He said to his men, “The Lord forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the Lord’s anointed,(I) or lay my hand on him; for he is the anointed of the Lord.” 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.

Then David went out of the cave and called out to Saul, “My lord the king!” When Saul looked behind him, David bowed down and prostrated himself with his face to the ground.(J) He said to Saul, “Why do you listen(K) when men say, ‘David is bent on harming(L) you’? 10 This day you have seen with your own eyes how the Lord delivered you into my hands in the cave. Some urged me to kill you, but I spared(M) you; I said, ‘I will not lay my hand on my lord, because he is the Lord’s anointed.’ 11 See, my father, look at this piece of your robe in my hand! I cut(N) off the corner of your robe but did not kill you. See that there is nothing in my hand to indicate that I am guilty(O) of wrongdoing(P) or rebellion. I have not wronged(Q) you, but you are hunting(R) me down to take my life.(S) 12 May the Lord judge(T) between you and me. And may the Lord avenge(U) the wrongs you have done to me, but my hand will not touch you. 13 As the old saying goes, ‘From evildoers come evil deeds,(V)’ so my hand will not touch you.

14 “Against whom has the king of Israel come out? Who are you pursuing? A dead dog?(W) A flea?(X) 15 May the Lord be our judge(Y) and decide(Z) between us. May he consider my cause and uphold(AA) it; may he vindicate(AB) me by delivering(AC) me from your hand.”

16 When David finished saying this, Saul asked, “Is that your voice,(AD) David my son?” And he wept aloud. 17 “You are more righteous than I,”(AE) he said. “You have treated me well,(AF) but I have treated you badly.(AG) 18 You have just now told me about the good you did to me; the Lord delivered(AH) me into your hands, but you did not kill me. 19 When a man finds his enemy, does he let him get away unharmed? May the Lord reward(AI) you well for the way you treated me today. 20 I know that you will surely be king(AJ) and that the kingdom(AK) of Israel will be established in your hands. 21 Now swear(AL) to me by the Lord that you will not kill off my descendants or wipe out my name from my father’s family.(AM)

22 So David gave his oath to Saul. Then Saul returned home, but David and his men went up to the stronghold.(AN)

Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 24:1 In Hebrew texts 24:1-22 is numbered 24:2-23.
  2. 1 Samuel 24:4 Or “Today the Lord is saying