1 Samuel 24

¹And when Saul had returned from following the Philistines, they told him, saying, 'Look, David is in the wilderness of Engedi.'

²Saul took three thousand chosen men from all Israel and went to seek David and his men in front of the Rocks of the Wild Goats.

³And he came to the sheepfolds along the way, and there was a cave there; and Saul went in to cover his feet, while David and his men were sitting in the innermost parts of the cave.

⁴David's men said to him, 'Look, this is the day of which the LORD said to you, "Behold, I am giving your enemy into your hand; do to him as seems good in your eyes."' Then David arose and cut off the corner of Saul's robe secretly.

⁵And afterward the heart of David struck him, because he had cut the corner of Saul's robe.

⁶He said to his men, 'Far be it from me, by the LORD, that I should do this thing to my lord — to stretch out my hand against him, for he is the anointed of the LORD.'

⁷And David rebuked his men with words and did not permit them to rise against Saul; and Saul rose from the cave and went on his way.

⁸Afterward David arose and went out of the cave and called out after Saul, saying, 'My lord the king!' And Saul looked behind him, and David bowed down with his face to the ground and prostrated himself.

⁹And David said to Saul, 'Why do you listen to the words of men who say, "Look, David is seeking your harm"?'

¹⁰Look, this day your own eyes have seen how the LORD gave you into my hand in the cave. Some urged me to kill you, but I spared you and said, 'I will not stretch out my hand against my lord, for he is the anointed of the LORD.'

¹¹And my father, see — yes, see the corner of your robe in my hand! For when I cut the corner of your robe I did not kill you. Know and see that there is no wrongdoing and no transgression in my hand, and I have not sinned against you; yet you are hunting my life to take it.

¹²May the LORD judge between me and you, and may the LORD avenge me on you; but my hand shall not be against you.

¹³As the ancient proverb says, 'From wicked people comes wickedness' — but my hand will not be against you.

¹⁴After whom has the king of Israel come out? After whom are you pursuing? After a dead dog! After a single flea!

¹⁵May the LORD be judge and judge between me and you, and may he see and plead my cause and deliver me from your hand.

¹⁶And when David had finished speaking these words to Saul, Saul said, 'Is this your voice, my son David?' And Saul lifted his voice and wept.

¹⁷He said to David, 'You are more righteous than I, for you have repaid me good, whereas I have repaid you bad.'

¹⁸And you have declared today what you did to me — that it was good — for the LORD delivered me into your hand, and you did not kill me.

¹⁹For if a man finds his enemy, and sends him on his way unharmed — may the LORD repay you with good for what you have done to me this day.

²⁰And now, behold, I know that you will surely reign, and the kingdom of Israel will be established in your hand.

²¹And now, swear to me by the LORD that you will not cut off my descendants after me, and that you will not destroy my name from my father's house.

²²So David swore an oath to Saul. And Saul went to his home, and David and his men went up to the stronghold.