1 Samuel 24

24 ¹ After Saul returned from chasing the Philistines, he was told, "David is in the En Gedi wilderness." ² Saul took three thousand chosen men from all Israel to search for David and his men in front of the Wild Goats' Rocks. ³ He reached the sheep pens by the road, where a cave was. Saul went in to relieve himself; David and his men sat deep in the cave. ⁴ David's men said, "This is the day our Father meant when he told you, 'I am giving your enemy into your hand to do as you wish.'" David got up and quietly cut a corner off Saul's robe. ⁵ Afterward David's conscience struck him because he had cut off the corner of Saul's robe. ⁶ He told his men, "May our Father forbid I do this to my lord, his anointed—raise my hand against him, for he is our Father's anointed." ⁷ With these words David restrained his men from attacking Saul. Then Saul left the cave and went on his way. ⁸ David rose, left the cave, and called after Saul, "My lord the king!" Saul looked back, and David bowed his face to the ground.

⁹ David said to Saul, "Why listen to men who say, 'David wants to harm you'? ¹⁰ Today your eyes saw how our Father gave you into my hand in the cave. Some urged me to kill you, but I spared you and said, 'I won't raise my hand against my lord—our Father's anointed.' ¹¹ See, my father—your robe's corner in my hand! I cut it but didn't kill you. Know and see there's no evil or rebellion in my hand. I haven't sinned against you, yet you hunt my life to take it. ¹² May our Father judge between you and me, and our Father avenge me on you—but my hand won't touch you. ¹³ As the old proverb says, 'From the wicked comes wickedness.' My hand won't be against you. ¹⁴ Who has Israel's king come out against? Who are you chasing? A dead dog? A single flea? ¹⁵ May our Father judge between you and me, see it, plead my case, and rescue me from your hand.

¹⁶ When David finished saying this to Saul, Saul said, "Is that your voice, my son David?" and wept aloud. ¹⁷ He told David, "You are more just than I; you did me good, I did you harm." ¹⁸ Today you showed the good you did me: our Father put me in your hand, yet you did not kill me. ¹⁹ If a man finds his enemy, would he let him go unharmed? May our Father repay you well for what you did for me today. ²⁰ Now I know you will surely be king, and Israel's kingdom will stand firm in your hand. ²¹ So swear to me by our Father: you won't cut off my descendants after me or wipe out my name from my father's house.

²² David swore to Saul. Saul went home; David and his men went up to the stronghold.