1 Samuel 24:1-11

David Spares Saul

1 When Saul returned from pursuing the Philistines, he was told, "David is in the wilderness near En-gedi."

2 So Saul took 3,000 of Israel's choice men^[a] and went to look for David and his men in front of the Rocks of the Wild Goats.

3 When Saul came to the sheep pens along the road, a cave was there, and he went in to relieve himself.^[b] David and his men were staying in the back of the cave,

4 so they said to him, "Look, this is the day the Lord told you about: 'I will hand your enemy over to you so you can do to him whatever you desire.'" Then David got up and secretly cut off the corner of Saul's robe.

5 Afterwards, David's conscience bothered^[c] him because he had cut off the corner of Saul's robe.^[d]

6 He said to his men, "I swear before the Lord: I would never do such a thing to my lord, the Lord's anointed. [I will never] lift my hand against him, since he is the Lord's anointed."^[e]

7 With these words David persuaded^[f] 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 to Saul, "My lord the king!" When Saul looked behind him, David bowed to the ground in homage.

9 David said to Saul, "Why do you listen to the words of people who say, 'Look, David intends to harm you'?

10 You can see with your own eyes that the Lord handed you over to me today in the cave. [Someone] advised [me] to kill you, but I^[g] took pity on you and said: I won't 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 didn't kill you. Look and recognize that there is no evil or rebellion in me. I haven't sinned against you even though you are hunting me down to take my life.

1 Samuel 24:1-11 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO FIRST SAMUEL 24

Saul being returned from following the Philistines, renews his pursuit after David, 1Sa 24:1,2; and they meeting in a cave, where David had the opportunity of taking away the life of Saul, which his men pressed him to, yet only cut off the skirt of his robe, 1Sa 24:3-8; which, calling after him, he held up to him to convince him he had his life in his hands, but spared it, 1Sa 24:9,10; upon which he very pathetically reasons with him about the unreasonableness and unrighteousness of his pursuit after him, to take away his life, 1Sa 24:11-15; which so affected Saul, that he confessed he was more righteous than he, and owned that the kingdom would be his, and only desired him to swear to him not to cut off his offspring, which David did, and so they parted, 1Sa 24:16-22.

Footnotes

• [a] 1 Sm 13:2; 26:2
• [b] Lit to cover his feet
• [c] Lit David's heart struck
• [d] Some Hb mss, LXX, Syr, Vg; other Hb mss omit robe
• [e] 1 Sm 10:1; 26:9-11
• [f] Or restrained
• [g] Or my eye