¹ 24:1 Then David went up from there and stayed in the strongholds of En Gedi.

24:2 When Saul returned from pursuing the Philistines, they told him, “Look, David is in the desert of En Gedi.” 24:3 So Saul took three thousand select men from all Israel and went to seek out David and his men in the region of the rocks of the mountain goats. 24:4 He came to the sheepfolds by the road, and Saul went into a cave located there in order to relieve himself.²

Now David and his men were sitting in the recesses of the cave. 24:5 David’s men said to him, “This is the day about which the LORD said to you, ‘I am about to give your enemy into your hand, and you can do with him whatever seems appropriate to you.’” So David got up undetected and cut off an edge of Saul’s robe. 24:6 Afterwards David’s conscience bothered him³ because he had cut off an edge of Saul’s robe. 24:7 He said to his men, “May the LORD keep me far away from doing this thing to my lord, who is the LORD’s anointed, by stretching out my hand against him. For he is the LORD’s anointed.” 24:8 David restrained his men with these words and did not allow them to arise against Saul. Now Saul left the cave and went further on the road.

24:9 Afterwards David got up and went out of the cave. He called out after Saul, “My lord the king!” When Saul looked behind him, David bowed his face to the ground and prostrated himself. 24:10 David said to Saul, “Why do you pay attention when men say, ‘David is seeking to do you harm’? 24:11 This day your own eyes have seen that the LORD delivered you this very day into my hands in the cave. Someone told me to kill you, but I had pity⁴ on you and said, ‘I will not stretch out my hand against my lord, for he is the LORD’s anointed.’ 24:12 Look, my father, and see the edge of your robe in my hand. When I cut off the edge of your robe, I didn’t kill you. So realize and understand that I do not harbor⁵ evil or rebellion. Even though I have not sinned against you, you are lying in wait in order to take my life. 24:13 May the LORD judge between the two of us, and may the LORD vindicate me over you, but my hand will not be against you. 24:14 It’s like the old proverb says, ‘From evil people only evil proceeds.” But my hand will not be against you. 24:15 In pursuit of whom has the king of Israel come out? Who is it that you are pursuing? A dead dog? A single flea? 24:16 May the LORD be our judge and arbiter. May he see and arbitrate my case so that he delivers me from your hands!”

24:17 When David finished speaking these words to Saul, Saul said, “Is that your voice, my son David?” Then Saul wept loudly.⁶ 24:18 He said to David, “You are more righteous than I, for you have dealt well with me, even though I have dealt shabbily with you. 24:19 You have related this very day how you have dealt well with me. The LORD delivered me into your hand, but you did not kill me. 24:20 Now if a man finds his enemy, does he send him on his way in good shape? May the LORD repay you with good this day for what you have done to me. 24:21 Now look, I realize that you will in fact be king and that the kingdom of Israel will be established in your hand. 24:22 So now swear to me by the LORD that you will not cut off my descendants after me nor destroy my name from the house of my father.”

24:23 So David swore to Saul. Then Saul went to his house, and David and his men went up to the stronghold.