1 Samuel 24:5

5 And it came to pass afterward, that David's heart smote him, because he had cut off Saul's skirt.

1 Samuel 24:5 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 24:5

And it came to pass afterward, that David's heart smote him,
&c.] His conscience accused him, and he repented of what he had done:

because he had cut off Saul's skirt;
which though less than what his servants put him upon, and he might have thoughts of doing, yet was considered by him as a great indignity to his sovereign, and therefore sat uneasy on his mind.

1 Samuel 24:5 In-Context

3 And he came to the sheep-cotes by the way, where [was] a cave; and Saul went in to cover his feet: and David and his men remained in the sides of the cave.

4 And the men of David said to him, Behold the day of which the LORD said to thee, Behold, I will deliver thy enemy into thy hand, that thou mayest do to him as it shall seem good to thee. Then David arose, and privately cut off the skirt of Saul's robe.

5 And it came to pass afterward, that David's heart smote him, because he had cut off Saul's skirt.

6 And he said to his men, The LORD forbid that I should do this thing to my master, the LORD'S anointed, to stretch forth my hand against him, seeing he [is] the anointed of the LORD.

7 So David restrained his servants with these words, and suffered them not to rise against Saul. But Saul rose out of the cave, and went on [his] way.