The First Book of Samuel

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- Chapter 24 -

After Saul and his soldiers returned home after fighting against the Philistine army, someone reported to Saul that David and his men had gone into the wilderness near EnGedi.

When Saul heard that, he chose three thousand men from various areas in Israel, and they went to search for David and his men at the Rocks of Wild Goats.

At a place where the road was alongside some sheep pens, Saul left the road and entered a cave to relieve himself. He did not know that David and his men were hiding further inside that same cave!

David’s men saw Saul and whispered to David, “Today is the day that Yahweh spoke about when he said, ‘I will enable you to defeat your enemy.’ You can do to him whatever you want to!” So David crept toward the entrance of the cave and cut off with his knife a small piece of Saul’s robe.

And then he returned to his men. But David felt guilty for having cut off a piece of Saul’s robe.

He said to his men, “I should not have done that to the king! I hope that Yahweh will never allow me to attack the one whom God has appointed, because Yahweh is the one who chose him to be the king.”

By saying that, David restrained his men and did not allow them to kill Saul.

After Saul left the cave and started to walk on the road again, David came out of the cave and shouted to Saul, “King Saul!” Saul turned around and looked, and David bowed down with his face touching the ground.

Then he said to Saul, “Why do you pay attention to people when they say ‘David wants to harm you’?

Today you can see with your own eyes that what they say is not true. Yahweh put you in a place where I and my men could have killed you when you were in this cave. Some of my men told me that I should do that, but I did not allow them to do that. I said to them, ‘I will not harm my master, because he is the king whom Yahweh appointed.’

Your majesty, look at this piece of your robe that is in my hand! I cut it from your robe, but I did not kill you. So now you should be able to understand that I am not planning to do anything evil to you. I have not done anything wrong to you, but you are searching for me to kill me.

I desire that Yahweh may punish you for the wrong things that you have done to me. But I will never try to harm you.

There is a proverb that has the words, ‘Evil things are done by evil people.’ But I am not evil, so I will not do evil things to you.

You are the king of Israel. So why are you pursuing me? What is it you are chasing? I am nothing more than a dead dog or a flea.

I hope that Yahweh will decide who is right in this matter, you or I? And when he decides in my favor, I hope he will defend me and save me from your power.”

David’s Oath to Saul

When David finished saying that to Saul, Saul called out to him and asked, “My son David, is that your voice that I am hearing?” Then he cried loudly.

He said, “You are a better man than I am. You have done something very good to me when I tried to do something very bad to you.

When Yahweh put me in a place in that cave where you could have easily killed me, you did not do that.

No one lets his enemy go free after he finds him. But you have done this. I hope that Yahweh will reward you for your acting kindly toward me today.

I know that some day you will surely become the king, and that your kingdom will prosper as you rule the Israelite people.

Now while Yahweh is listening, solemnly promise me that you will not kill my family and get rid of all my descendants.”

David solemnly promised Saul that he would not harm Saul’s family. Then Saul went back home, and David and his men went back up into the place where they had been hiding.

When Saul had returned from following the Philistines, he was told, “Behold, David is in the wilderness of En Gedi.”

Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went to seek David and his men on the rocks of the wild goats.

He came to the sheep pens by the way, where there was a cave; and Saul went in to relieve himself. Now David and his men were staying in the innermost parts of the cave.

David’s men said to him, “Behold, the day of which the LORD said to you, ‘Behold, I will deliver your enemy into your hand, and you shall do to him as it shall seem good to you.’” Then David arose and cut off the skirt of Saul’s robe secretly.

Afterward, David’s heart struck him because he had cut off Saul’s skirt.

He said to his men, “The LORD forbid that I should do this thing to my lord, the LORD’s anointed, to stretch out my hand against him, since he is the LORD’s anointed.”

So David checked his men with these words, and didn’t allow them to rise against Saul. Saul rose up out of the cave, and went on his way.

David also arose afterward, and went out of the cave and cried after Saul, saying, “My lord the king!” When Saul looked behind him, David bowed with his face to the earth, and showed respect.

David said to Saul, “Why do you listen to men’s words, saying, ‘Behold, David seeks to harm you’?

Behold, today your eyes have seen how the LORD had delivered you today into my hand in the cave. Some urged me to kill you, but I spared you. I said, ‘I will not stretch out my hand against my lord, for he is the LORD’s anointed.’

Moreover, my father, behold, yes, see the skirt of your robe in my hand; for in that I cut off the skirt of your robe and didn’t kill you, know and see that there is neither evil nor disobedience in my hand. I have not sinned against you, though you hunt for my life to take it.

May the LORD judge between me and you, and may the LORD avenge me of you; but my hand will not be on you.

As the proverb of the ancients says, ‘Out of the wicked comes wickedness;’ but my hand will not be on you.

Against whom has the king of Israel come out? Whom do you pursue? A dead dog? A flea?

May the LORD therefore be judge, and give sentence between me and you, and see, and plead my cause, and deliver me out of your hand.”

David’s Oath to Saul

It came to pass, when David had finished speaking these words to Saul, that Saul said, “Is that your voice, my son David?” Saul lifted up his voice and wept.

He said to David, “You are more righteous than I; for you have done good to me, whereas I have done evil to you.

You have declared today how you have dealt well with me, because when the LORD had delivered me up into your hand, you didn’t kill me.

For if a man finds his enemy, will he let him go away unharmed? Therefore may the LORD reward you good for that which you have done to me today.

Now, behold, I know that you will surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel will be established in your hand.

Swear now therefore to me by the LORD that you will not cut off my offspring after me, and that you will not destroy my name out of my father’s house.”

David swore to Saul. Saul went home, but David and his men went up to the stronghold.