1 Samuel 24:1-9

1 After Saul returned from chasing the Philistines, he was told, "David is in the Desert of En Gedi."

2 So he took three thousand chosen men from all Israel and began looking for David and his men near the Rocks of the Wild Goats.

3 Saul came to the sheep pens beside the road. A cave was there, and he went in to relieve himself. Now David and his men were hiding far back in the cave.

4 The men said to David, "Today is the day the Lord spoke of when he said, 'I will give your enemy over to you. Do anything you want with him.'" Then David crept up to Saul and quietly cut off a corner of Saul's robe.

5 Later David felt guilty because he had cut off a corner of Saul's robe.

6 He said to his men, "May the Lord keep me from doing such a thing to my master! Saul is the Lord's appointed king. I should not do anything against him, because he is the Lord's appointed king!"

7 David used these words to stop his men; he did not let them attack Saul. Then Saul left the cave and went his way.

8 When David came out of the cave, he shouted to Saul, "My master and king!" Saul looked back, and David bowed facedown on the ground.

9 He said to Saul, "Why do you listen when people say, 'David wants to harm you'?

1 Samuel 24:1-9 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.