1 Samuel 24

David Spares Saul

¹After Saul had returned from pursuing the Philistines, he was told, “David is in the wilderness of En-gedi.” ²So Saul took three thousand chosen men from all Israel and went to look for David and his men in the region of the Rocks of the Wild Goats.

³Soon Saul came to the sheepfolds along the road, where there was a cave, and he went in to relieve himself. And David and his men were hiding in the recesses of the cave. ⁴So David’s men said to him, “This is the day about which Yahweh said to you, ‘Behold, I will deliver your enemy into your hand, that you may do with him as you wish.’”

Then David crept up and stealthily cut off a corner of Saul’s robe.

⁵Afterward, David’s heart struck him because he had cut off the corner of Saul’s robe. ⁶So he said to his men, “Yahweh forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, Yahweh’s anointed. May I never lift my hand against him, since he is Yahweh’s anointed.”

• 1SA 24:5[HEART]David's heart struck him because he cut the corner of Saul's robe. A soft heart feels even small sins.
• 1SA 24:6[NOTE]YAHWEH'S ANOINTED. David will not touch Saul, because God put him there. He waits for God to give him the throne.

⁷With these words David restrained his men, and he did not let them rise up against Saul. Then Saul left the cave and went on his way.

⁸After that, David got up, went out of the cave, and called out to Saul, “My lord the king!”

When Saul looked behind him, David bowed facedown in reverence ⁹and said to Saul, “Why do you listen to the words of men who say, ‘Look, David intends to harm you’? ¹⁰Behold, this day you have seen with your own eyes that Yahweh delivered you into my hand in the cave. I was told to kill you, but I spared you and said, ‘I will not lift my hand against my lord, since he is Yahweh’s anointed.’

¹¹See, my father, look at the corner of your robe in my hand. For I cut it off, but I did not kill you. Know and see that there is no evil or rebellion in my hands. I have not sinned against you, even though you are hunting me down to take my life.

¹²May Yahweh judge between you and me, and may Yahweh take vengeance on you, but my hand will never be against you. ¹³As the old proverb says, ‘Wickedness proceeds from the wicked.’ But my hand will never be against you.

¹⁴Against whom has the king of Israel come out? Whom are you pursuing? A dead dog? A flea? ¹⁵May Yahweh be our judge and decide between you and me. May He take notice and plead my case and deliver me from your hand.”

David’s Oath to Saul

¹⁶When David had finished saying these things, Saul called back, “Is that your voice, David my son?”

Then Saul wept aloud ¹⁷and said to David, “You are more righteous than I, for you have rewarded me with good, though I have rewarded you with evil. ¹⁸And you have declared this day how you have treated me well, for when Yahweh delivered me into your hand, you did not kill me. ¹⁹When a man finds his enemy, does he let him go away unharmed? May Yahweh reward you with good for what you have done for me this day.

²⁰Now I know for sure that you will be king and that the kingdom of Israel will be established in your hands. ²¹So now, swear to me by Yahweh that you will not cut off my descendants or wipe out my name from my father’s house.”

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