1 SamuelChapter 24

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¹Saul came back from chasing the Philistines. Then he was told, "David is in the wilderness of En-gedi." ²So Saul took three thousand of the best men from all Israel. He went to look for David and his men near the Rocks of the Wild Goats. ³Saul came to the sheep pens along the road. A cave was there. Saul went in to go to the bathroom. David and his men were hiding far back in the cave. ⁴David's men said to him, "This is the day the LORD told you about! He said to you, 'I will hand your enemy over to you. You can do to him whatever you want.'" Then David crept up quietly. He cut off a corner of Saul's robe without being seen. ⁵Afterward, David felt guilty in his heart because he had cut off the corner of Saul's robe. ⁶He said to his men, "May the LORD keep me from doing such a thing to my master. He is the LORD's anointed king. I must never raise my hand against him. He is the LORD's anointed." ⁷With these words David held his men back. He did not let them attack Saul. Then Saul left the cave and went on his way. ⁸After that, David got up and went out of the cave. He called out to Saul, "My master, the king!" Saul looked behind him. David bowed down with his face to the ground to honor him. ⁹He said to Saul, "Why do you listen to people who say, 'Look, David wants to harm you'? ¹⁰Today you have seen with your own eyes that the LORD handed you over to me in the cave. Some told me to kill you. But I spared you. I said, 'I will not raise my hand against my master. He is the LORD's anointed.' ¹¹Look, my father! Look at the corner of your robe in my hand! I cut it off, but I didn't kill you. Now you can know and see that I'm not planning evil or rebellion. I have not sinned against you. But you are hunting me down to kill me. ¹²May the LORD judge between you and me. May the LORD pay you back for what you've done to me. But my hand will never be against you. ¹³There's an old saying: 'Evil things come from evil people.' But my hand will never be against you. ¹⁴Who has the king of Israel come out against? Who are you chasing? A dead dog? A flea? ¹⁵May the LORD be our judge and decide between you and me. May he see this and stand up for me. May he save me from your hand." ¹⁶David finished saying these things. Then Saul called back, "Is that your voice, David my son?" And Saul cried out loud. ¹⁷He said to David, "You are more in the right than I am. You have paid me back with good. But I have paid you back with evil. ¹⁸Today you have told me how well you treated me. The LORD handed me over to you, but you didn't kill me. ¹⁹When a man finds his enemy, does he let him go away unharmed? May the LORD reward you with good for what you did for me today. ²⁰Now I know for sure that you will be king. The kingdom of Israel will be made strong in your hands. ²¹So now, make a promise to me by the LORD. Promise that you won't wipe out my children after me. Promise that you won't wipe out my name from my father's family." ²²So David made the promise to Saul. Then Saul went home. But David and his men went up to the stronghold.