1 Samuel 24
24
David Doesn’t Kill Saul When He Has the Chance
1Saul returned from chasing the Philistines. Then he was told, “David is in the Desert of En Gedi.” 2So Saul took 3,000 of the best soldiers from the whole nation of Israel. He started out to look for David and his men. He planned to look near the Rocky Cliffs of the Wild Goats.
3He came to some sheep pens along the way. A cave was there. Saul went in to go to the toilet. David and his men were far back in the cave. 4David’s men said, “This is the day the Lord told you about. He said to you, ‘I will hand your enemy over to you. Then you can deal with him as you want to.’ ” So David came up close to Saul without being seen. He cut off a corner of Saul’s robe.
5Later, David felt sorry that he had cut off a corner of Saul’s robe. 6He said to his men, “May the Lord keep me from doing a thing like that again to my master. He is the Lord’s anointed king. So I promise that I will never lay my hand on him. The Lord has anointed him.” 7David said that to correct his men. He wanted them to know that they should never suggest harming the king. He didn’t allow them to attack Saul. So Saul left the cave and went on his way.
8Then David went out of the cave. He called out to Saul, “King Saul! My master!” When Saul looked behind him, David bowed down. He lay down flat with his face toward the ground. 9He said to Saul, “Why do you listen when men say, ‘David is trying to harm you’? 10This day you have seen with your own eyes how the Lord handed you over to me in the cave. Some of my men begged me to kill you. But I didn’t. I said, ‘I will never lay my hand on my master. He is the Lord’s anointed king.’ 11Look, my father! Look at this piece of your robe in my hand! I cut off the corner of your robe. But I didn’t kill you. See, there is nothing in my hand that shows I am guilty of doing anything wrong. I haven’t turned against you. I haven’t done anything to harm you. But you are hunting me down. You want to kill me. 12May the Lord judge between you and me. And may the Lord pay you back because of the wrong things you have done to me. But I won’t do anything to hurt you. 13People say, ‘Evil acts come from those who do evil.’ So I won’t do anything to hurt you.
14“King Saul, who are you trying to catch? Who do you think you are chasing? I’m nothing but a dead dog or a flea! 15May the Lord be our judge. May he decide between us. May he consider my case and stand up for me. May he show that I’m not guilty of doing anything wrong. May he save me from you.”
16When David finished speaking, Saul asked him a question. He said, “My son David, is that your voice?” And Saul wept out loud. 17“You are a better person than I am,” he said. “You have treated me well. But I’ve treated you badly. 18You have just now told me about the good things you did to me. The Lord handed me over to you. But you didn’t kill me. 19Suppose a man finds his enemy. He doesn’t let him get away without harming him. May the Lord reward you with many good things. May he do it because of the way you treated me today. 20I know for sure that you will be king. I know that the kingdom of Israel will be made secure under your control. 21Now make a promise in the name of the Lord. Promise me that you won’t kill the children of my family. Also promise me that you won’t wipe out my name from my family line.”
22So David made that promise to Saul. Then Saul returned home. But David and his men went up to his usual place of safety.
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1 Samuel 24: NIrV
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1 Samuel 24
24
David Spares Saul.#The first of two accounts (see chap. 26) in which David spares Saul’s life. The two accounts, which do not make reference to each other, are probably alternative versions of the same story. 1David then went up from there and stayed in the strongholds of Engedi. 2When Saul returned from the pursuit of the Philistines, he was told that David was in the desert near Engedi. 3So Saul took three thousand of the best men from all Israel and went in search of David and his men in the direction of the wild goat crags. 4When he came to the sheepfolds along the way, he found a cave, which he entered to relieve himself. David and his men were occupying the inmost recesses of the cave.#Ps 57.
5David’s servants said to him, “This is the day about which the Lord said to you: I will deliver your enemy into your hand; do with him as you see fit.” So David moved up and stealthily cut off an end of Saul’s robe. 6Afterward, however, David regretted that he had cut off an end of Saul’s robe.#1 Sm 15:27. 7He said to his men, “The Lord forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the Lord’s anointed, to lay a hand on him, for he is the Lord’s anointed.”#1 Sm 10:1; 26:9; 31:4; 2 Sm 1:14. 8With these words David restrained his men and would not permit them to attack Saul. Saul then left the cave and went on his way. 9David also stepped out of the cave, calling to Saul, “My lord the king!” When Saul looked back, David bowed, his face to the ground in homage, 10and asked Saul: “Why do you listen to those who say, ‘David is trying to harm you’? 11You see for yourself today that the Lord just now delivered you into my hand in the cave. I was told to kill you, but I took pity on you instead. I decided, ‘I will not raise a hand against my master, for he is the Lord’s anointed.’ 12Look here, my father. See the end of your robe which I hold. I cut off an end of your robe and did not kill you. Now see and be convinced that I plan no harm and no rebellion. I have done you no wrong, though you are hunting me down to take my life.#Rom 12:19. 13May the Lord judge between me and you. May the Lord exact justice from you in my case. I shall not lay a hand on you. 14As the old proverb says, ‘From the wicked comes wickedness.’ Thus I will not lay a hand on you. 15What is the king of Israel attacking? What are you pursuing? A dead dog! A single flea!#2 Sm 9:8; 16:9. 16The Lord will be the judge to decide between us. May the Lord see this, defend my cause, and give me justice against you!”#1 Sm 18:19, 31; 26:19; Ps 35:1–3; 43:1.
Saul’s Remorse. 17When David finished saying these things to Saul, Saul answered, “Is that your voice, my son David?” And he wept freely. 18Saul then admitted to David: “You are more in the right than I am. You have treated me graciously, while I have treated you badly. 19You have declared this day how you treated me graciously: the Lord delivered me into your hand and you did not kill me. 20For if someone comes upon an enemy, do they send them graciously on their way? So may the Lord reward you graciously for what you have done this day. 21And now, since I know that you will certainly become king and that the kingship over Israel shall come into your possession,#1 Sm 26:25. 22swear to me by the Lord that you will not cut off my descendants and that you will not blot out my name from my father’s house.”#2 Sm 9:1–3. 23David gave Saul his oath and Saul returned home, while David and his men went up to the stronghold.
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