David Spares Saul's Life

1 Samuel 24

1 1 y When Saul returned from following the Philistines, he was told, "Behold, David is in the wilderness of Engedi." 2 Then Saul took z three thousand chosen men out of all Israel and went to seek David and his men in front of the Wildgoats' Rocks. 3 And he came to the sheepfolds by the way, where there was a cave, and Saul went in a to relieve himself. 2 Now David and his men were sitting in the innermost parts b of the cave. 4 And the men of David said to him, c "Here is the day of which the Lord said to you, 'Behold, I will give your enemy into your hand, and you shall do to him as it shall seem good to you.'" Then David arose and stealthily cut off a corner of Saul's robe. 5 And afterward d David's heart struck him, because he had cut off a corner of Saul's robe. 6 He said to his men, e "The Lord forbid that I should do this thing to my lord, the Lord's anointed, to put out my hand against him, seeing he is f the Lord's anointed." 7 So David persuaded his men with these words g and did not permit them to attack Saul. And Saul rose up and left the cave and went on his way.

8 Afterward David also arose and went out of the cave, and called after Saul, "My lord the king!" And when Saul looked behind him, David bowed with his face to the earth and paid homage. 9 And David said to Saul, "Why do you listen to the words of men who say, 'Behold, David seeks your harm'? 10 Behold, this day your eyes have seen how the Lord gave you today into my hand in the cave. h And some told me to kill you, but I spared you. 3 I said, 'I will not put out my hand against my lord, f for he is the Lord's anointed.' 11 See, my father, see the corner of your robe in my hand. For by the fact that I cut off the corner of your robe and did not kill you, you may know and see that i there is no wrong or treason in my hands. I have not sinned against you, though j you hunt my life to take it. 12 k May the Lord judge between me and you, may the Lord avenge me against you, but my hand shall not be against you. 13 As the proverb of the ancients says, 'Out of the wicked comes wickedness.' But my hand shall not be against you. 14 After whom has the king of Israel come out? After whom do you pursue? l After a dead dog! m After a flea! 15 k May the Lord therefore be judge and give sentence between me and you, and see to it and n plead my cause and deliver me from your hand."

16 As soon as David had finished speaking these words to Saul, Saul said, o "Is this your voice, my son David?" And Saul lifted up his voice and wept. 17 He said to David, "You are more righteous than I, p for you have repaid me good, whereas I have repaid you evil. 18 And you have declared this day how you have dealt well with me, in that you did not kill me when the Lord put me into your hands. 19 For if a man finds his enemy, will he let him go away safe? So may the Lord reward you with good for what you have done to me this day. 20 And now, behold, q I know that you shall surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in your hand. 21 r Swear to me therefore by the Lord that you will not cut off my offspring after me, and s that you will not destroy my name out of my father's house." 22 And David swore this to Saul. Then Saul went home, but David and his men went up t to the stronghold.

  1. Cross References
    1 Samuel 23:28
    So Saul returned from pursuing after David and went against the Philistines. Therefore that place was called the Rock of Escape.
  2. Cross References
    1 Samuel 26:2
    So Saul arose and went down to the wilderness of Ziph with three thousand chosen men of Israel to seek David in the wilderness of Ziph.
  3. Cross References
    Judges 3:24
    When he had gone, the servants came, and when they saw that the doors of the roof chamber were locked, they thought, "Surely he is relieving himself in the closet of the cool chamber.
  4. Cross References
    Psalms 57:1
    Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me, for in you my soul takes refuge; in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge, till the storms of destruction pass by.
    Psalms 142:1
    With my voice I cry out to the Lord ; with my voice I plead for mercy to the Lord.
  5. Cross References
    1 Samuel 24:7
    So David persuaded his men with these words and did not permit them to attack Saul. And Saul rose up and left the cave and went on his way.
    1 Samuel 26:8
    Then said Abishai to David, "God has given your enemy into your hand this day. Now please let me pin him to the earth with one stroke of the spear, and I will not strike him twice.
  6. Cross References
    2 Samuel 24:10
    But David's heart struck him after he had numbered the people. And David said to the Lord, "I have sinned greatly in what I have done. But now, O Lord, please take away the iniquity of your servant, for I have done very foolishly.
  7. Cross References
    1 Samuel 26:11
    The Lord forbid that I should put out my hand against the Lord 's anointed. But take now the spear that is at his head and the jar of water, and let us go.
  8. Cross References
    1 Samuel 12:3
    Here I am; testify against me before the Lord and before his anointed. Whose ox have I taken? Or whose donkey have I taken? Or whom have I defrauded? Whom have I oppressed? Or from whose hand have I taken a bribe to blind my eyes with it? Testify against me and I will restore it to you.
  9. Cross References
    Psalms 7:4
    If I have repaid my friend with evil or plundered my enemy without cause.
  10. Cross References
    1 Samuel 24:4
    And the men of David said to him, "Here is the day of which the Lord said to you, 'Behold, I will give your enemy into your hand, and you shall do to him as it shall seem good to you.'" Then David arose and stealthily cut off a corner of Saul's robe.
  11. Cross References
    1 Samuel 24:6
    He said to his men, "The Lord forbid that I should do this thing to my lord, the Lord 's anointed, to put out my hand against him, seeing he is the Lord 's anointed.
  12. Cross References
    Psalms 7:3
    O Lord my God, if I have done this, if there is wrong in my hands.
  13. Cross References
    1 Samuel 26:20
    Now therefore, let not my blood fall to the earth away from the presence of the Lord, for the king of Israel has come out to seek a single flea like one who hunts a partridge in the mountains.
  14. Cross References
    Genesis 16:5
    And Sarai said to Abram, "May the wrong done to me be on you! I gave my servant to your embrace, and when she saw that she had conceived, she looked on me with contempt. May the Lord judge between you and me!
    Judges 11:27
    I therefore have not sinned against you, and you do me wrong by making war on me. The Lord, the Judge, decide this day between the people of Israel and the people of Ammon.
  15. Cross References
    1 Samuel 17:43
    And the Philistine said to David, "Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?" And the Philistine cursed David by his gods.
  16. Cross References
    1 Samuel 26:20
    Now therefore, let not my blood fall to the earth away from the presence of the Lord, for the king of Israel has come out to seek a single flea like one who hunts a partridge in the mountains.
  17. Cross References
    1 Samuel 24:12
    May the Lord judge between me and you, may the Lord avenge me against you, but my hand shall not be against you.
  18. Cross References
    1 Samuel 25:39
    When David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, "Blessed be the Lord who has avenged the insult I received at the hand of Nabal, and has kept back his servant from wrongdoing. The Lord has returned the evil of Nabal on his own head." Then David sent and spoke to Abigail, to take her as his wife.
    Psalms 35:1
    Contend, O Lord, with those who contend with me; fight against those who fight against me!
    Psalms 43:1
    Vindicate me, O God, and defend my cause against an ungodly people, from the deceitful and unjust man deliver me!
    Psalms 119:154
    Plead my cause and redeem me; give me life according to your promise!
  19. Cross References
    1 Samuel 26:17
    Saul recognized David's voice and said, "Is this your voice, my son David?" And David said, "It is my voice, my lord, O king.
  20. Cross References
    1 Samuel 26:21
    Then Saul said, "I have sinned. Return, my son David, for I will no more do you harm, because my life was precious in your eyes this day. Behold, I have acted foolishly, and have made a great mistake.
  21. Cross References
    1 Samuel 23:17
    And he said to him, "Do not fear, for the hand of Saul my father shall not find you. You shall be king over Israel, and I shall be next to you. Saul my father also knows this.
  22. Cross References
    Genesis 21:23
    Now therefore swear to me here by God that you will not deal falsely with me or with my descendants or with my posterity, but as I have dealt kindly with you, so you will deal with me and with the land where you have sojourned.
  23. Cross References
    2 Samuel 21:7
    But the king spared Mephibosheth, the son of Saul's son Jonathan, because of the oath of the Lord that was between them, between David and Jonathan the son of Saul.
  24. Cross References
    1 Samuel 23:29
    And David went up from there and lived in the strongholds of Engedi.
English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.
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