David Spares Saul in the Cave

¹After Saul returned from pursuing the Philistines, he was informed, "David is in the wilderness of Engedi." ²So Saul handpicked 3,000 of Israel's best soldiers and went searching for David and his men among the rocky cliffs where wild goats roam. ³Along the way, he came to some sheep pens near a cave. Saul went inside to relieve himself — not knowing that David and his men were hiding deep in the back of that very cave. ⁴David's men said to him, "Look, this is the day the LORD spoke of when He said, 'I will deliver your enemy into your hand, and you can do to him as you see fit.'" Then David got up and secretly cut off the skirt of Saul's robe. ⁵And afterward, David's heart troubled him because he had cut off the skirt of Saul's robe. ⁶He told his men, "The LORD forbid that I would ever do such a thing to my master. He is the LORD's anointed king. I will not raise my hand against him." ⁷With those words, David held his men back and wouldn't let them attack Saul. Meanwhile, Saul got up and walked out of the cave, continuing on his way. ⁸Then David came out of the cave after him and called out, "My lord the king!" When Saul turned around, David bowed down with his face to the ground. ⁹David said to Saul, "Why do you listen to people who tell you, 'David is trying to harm you'? ¹⁰Look, today you have seen with your own eyes how the LORD delivered you into my hand in the cave. Some urged me to kill you, but my eye spared you; I said, 'I will not raise my hand against my master, for he is the LORD's anointed.' ¹¹Moreover, my father, look, look at the skirt of your robe in my hand. I cut off the skirt of your robe but did not kill you. Know and see that there is neither evil nor transgression in my hand, and I have not sinned against you. Yet you hunt my soul to take it. ¹²Let the LORD be the judge between us. Let the LORD take up my cause against you — but I will never raise my hand against you myself. ¹³There's an old proverb that says, 'Wickedness comes from wicked people.' But my hand will not touch you. ¹⁴Think about who the king of Israel is chasing! Who are you pursuing? A dead dog? A single flea? ¹⁵Let the LORD be the judge and decide between us. Let him see the truth, argue my case, and rescue me from your hand." ¹⁶When David finished speaking, Saul said, "Is that really your voice, my son David?" Then Saul broke down and wept. ¹⁷He said to David, "You are more righteous than I am, for you have repaid me with good, while I have repaid you with evil." ¹⁸Today you've shown just how good you are to me. The LORD handed me over to you, and you didn't kill me. ¹⁹What man finds his enemy and lets him go safely on his way? May the LORD reward you with good for what you have done for me today. ²⁰I know now — I'm certain of it — that you will become king, and that the kingdom of Israel will be firmly established under your rule. ²¹So swear to me by the LORD that you won't wipe out my descendants after I'm gone, and that you won't erase my family's name." ²²David gave Saul his oath. Then Saul went home, but David and his men went back up to their stronghold.