David Spares Saul

¹ After Saul had returned from pursuing the Philistines, he was told, “David is in the wilderness of En-gedi.” ² So 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.

³ Soon 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. ⁴ So David’s men said to him, “This is the day about which the LORD 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.

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

⁷ With 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.

⁸ After 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 ⁹ and said to Saul, “Why do you listen to the words of men who say, ‘Look, David intends to harm you’ ? ¹⁰ Behold, this day you have seen with your own eyes that the LORD 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 the LORD’s anointed.’

¹¹ See, 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.

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

¹⁴ Against whom has the king of Israel come out? Whom are you pursuing? A dead dog? A flea? ¹⁵ May the LORD 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

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

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

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

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