1 AND it came to pass, when Saul was returned from following the Philistines, that it was told him, saying, Behold, David is in the wilderness of En-gedi.
2 Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went to seek David and his men upon the rocks of the wild goats.
3 And he came to the sheepcotes by the way, where was a cave; and Saul went in to cover his feet: and David and his men remained in the sides of the cave.
4 And the men of David said unto him, Behold the day of which the Lord said unto thee, Behold, I will deliver thine enemy into thine hand, that thou mayest do to him as it shall seem good unto thee. Then David arose, and cut off the skirt of Saul’s robe privily.
5 And it came to pass afterward, that David’s heart smote him, because he had cut off Saul’s skirt.
6 And he said unto his men, The Lord forbid that I should do this thing unto my master, the Lord’s anointed, to stretch forth mine hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the Lord.
7 So David stayed his servants with these words, and suffered them not to rise against Saul. But Saul rose up out of the cave, and went on his way.
8 David also arose afterward, and went out of the cave, and cried after Saul, saying, My lord the king. And when Saul looked behind him, David stooped with his face to the earth, and bowed himself.
9 And David said to Saul, Wherefore hearest thou men’s words, saying, Behold, David seeketh thy hurt?
10 Behold, this day thine eyes have seen how that the Lord had delivered thee to day into mine hand in the cave: and some bade me kill thee: but mine eye spared thee; and I said, I will not put forth mine hand against my lord; for he is the Lord’s anointed.
11 Moreover, my father, see, yea, see the skirt of thy robe in my hand: for in that I cut off the skirt of thy robe, and killed thee not, know thou and see that there is neither evil nor transgression in mine hand, and I have not sinned against thee; yet thou huntest my soul to take it.
12 The Lord judge between me and thee, and the Lord avenge me of thee: but mine hand shall not be upon thee.
13 As saith the proverb of the ancients, Wickedness proceedeth from the wicked: but mine hand shall not be upon thee.
14 After whom is the king of Israel come out? after whom dost thou pursue? after a dead dog, after a flea.
15 The Lord therefore be judge, and judge between me and thee, and see, and plead my cause, and deliver me out of thine hand.
16 And it came to pass, when David had made an end of speaking these words unto Saul, that Saul said, Is this thy voice, my son David? And Saul lifted up his voice, and wept.
17 And he said to David, Thou art more righteous than I: for thou hast rewarded me good, whereas I have rewarded thee evil.
18 And thou hast shewed this day how that thou hast dealt well with me: forasmuch as when the Lord had delivered me into thine hand, thou killedst me not.
19 For if a man find his enemy, will he let him go well away? wherefore the Lord reward thee good for that thou hast done unto me this day.
20 And now, behold, I know well that thou shalt surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in thine hand.
21 Swear now therefore unto me by the Lord, that thou wilt not cut off my seed after me, and that thou wilt not destroy my name out of my father’s house.
22 And David sware unto Saul. And Saul went home; but David and his men gat them up unto the hold.

1And it came to passe when Saul was returned from folowing the Philistines, that it was told him, saying, Behold, Dauid is in the wildernesse En-gedi.

2Then Saul tooke three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went to secke Dauid and his men vpon the rockes of the wilde goates.

3And hee came to the sheepe coates by the way, where was a caue, and Saul went in to couer his feete: and Dauid and his men remained in the sides of the caue.

4And the men of Dauid sayd vnto him, Beholde the day of which the Lord sayd vnto thee, Behold, I wil deliuer thine enemy into thine hand, that thou mayest doe to him as it shall seeme good vnto thee. Then Dauid arose, and cut off the skirt of Sauls robe priuily.

5And it came to passe afterward, that Dauids heart smote him, because he had cut off Sauls skirt.

6And hee sayd vnto his men, The Lord forbid that I should doe this thing vnto my master the Lords Anoynted, to stretch forth mine hand against him, seeing he is the Anoynted of the Lord.

7So Dauid stayed his seruants with these wordes, and suffered them not to rise against Saul: but Saul rose vp out of the caue, and went on his way.

8Dauid also rose afterward, and went out of the caue, and cryed after Saul, saying, My lord the king. And when Saul looked behinde him, Dauid stouped with his face to the earth, and bowed himselfe.

9 And Dauid said to Saul, Wherfore hearest thou mens words, saying, Behold, Dauid seeketh thy hurt?

10Behold, this day thine eyes haue seene, how that the Lord had deliuered thee to day into mine hand in the caue: and some bade me kill thee, but mine eye spared thee, and I said, I will not put foorth mine hand against my lord, for hee is the Lords Anointed.

11Moreouer my father, See, yea see the skirt of thy robe in my hand: for in that I cut off the skirt of thy robe, and killed thee not, know thou and see, that there is neither euill nor transgression in mine hand, and I haue not sinned against thee; yet thou huntest my soule, to take it.

12The Lord iudge betweene me and thee, and the Lord auenge me of thee: but mine hand shall not be vpon thee.

13As saith the prouerbe of the ancients, Wickednesse proceedeth from the wicked: but mine hand shall not be vpon thee.

14After whom is the king of Israel come out? after whom doest thou pursue? After a dead dogge, after a flea.

15The Lord therfore be Iudge, and iudge betweene me and thee, and see, and plead my cause, and deliuer me out of thine hand.

16 And it came to passe when Dauid had made an ende of speaking these words vnto Saul, that Saul said, Is this thy voice, my sonne Dauid? And Saul lift vp his voice, and wept.

17And he said to Dauid, Thou art more righteous then I: for thou hast rewarded mee good, whereas I haue rewarded thee euill.

18And thou hast shewed this day how that thou hast dealt well with me: forasmuch as when the Lord had deliuered me into thine hand, thou killedst me not.

19For if a man finde his enemie, will hee let him goe well away? wherefore the Lord reward thee good, for that thou hast done vnto me this day.

20And now behold, I know well that thou shalt surely be King, and that the kingdome of Israel shall be established in thine hand.

21Sweare now therefore vnto me by the Lord, that thou wilt not cut off my seede after mee, and that thou wilt not destroy my name out of my fathers house.

22And Dauid sware vnto Saul, and Saul went home: but Dauid and his men gate them vp vnto the holde.

I == 1st Sam 23:28

 

II == Ps 38:12

 

 

III == Judg 3:24 ; Ps 141:6

 

 

IV == 1st Sam 26:8

 

 

 

V == 2nd Sam 24:10

 

VI == 1st Sam 26:11

 

 

VII == Ps 7:4 ; Matt 5:44 ; Rom 12:17 , 19

 

 

 

 

 

IX == Ps 141:6 ; Prov 16:28 ; 17:9

 

 

 

 

 

XI == 1st Sam 26:20 ; Ps 7:3 ; 35:7

 

 

 

 

XII == Gen 16:5 ; Judg 11:27 ; 1st Sam 26:10 ; Job 5:8

 

 

XIV == 1st Sam 17:43 ; 26:20 ; 2nd Sam 9:8

 

XV == 1st Sam 24:12 ; 2nd Chr 24:22 ; Ps 35:1 ; 43:1 ; 119:154 ; mIC 7:9

XVI == 1st Ssm 26:17

 

XVII == Gen 38:26 ; 1st Sam 26:21 ; Matt 5:44

XVIII == 1st Sam 23:12 ; 26:8 , 23

 

 

 

 

 

XX == 1st Sam 23:17

 

XXI == Gen 21:23 ; 2nd Sam 21:6 , 8

 

XXII == 1st Sam 23:29

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1 David then went up from there and stayed in the refuges behind Engedi.

2 And when Saul returned from the pursuit of the Philistines, he was told that David was in the desert near Engedi.

3 So Saul took three thousand picked men from all Israel and went in search of David and his men in the direction of the wild goat crags.

4 When he came to the sheepfolds along the way, he found a cave, which he entered to ease nature. David and his men were occupying the inmost recesses of the cave.

5 David's servants said to him, "This is the day of which the LORD said to you, 'I will deliver your enemy into your grasp; do with him as you see fit.'" So David moved up and stealthily cut off an end of Saul's mantle.

6 Afterward, however, David regretted that he had cut off an end of Saul's mantle.

7 He said to his men, "The LORD forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the LORD'S anointed, as to lay a hand on him, for he is the Lord's anointed."

8 With these words David restrained his men and would not permit them to attack Saul. Saul then left the cave and went on his way.

9 David also stepped out of the cave, calling to Saul, "My lord the king!" When Saul looked back, David bowed to the ground in homage

10 and asked Saul: "Why do you listen to those who say, 'David is trying to harm you'?

11 You see for yourself today that the LORD just now delivered you into my grasp in the cave. I had some thought of killing you, but I took pity on you instead. I decided, 'I will not raise a hand against my lord, for he is the LORD'S anointed and a father to me.'

12 Look here at this end of your mantle which I hold. Since I cut off an end of your mantle and did not kill you, 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.

13 The LORD will judge between me and you, and the LORD will exact justice from you in my case. I shall not touch you.

14 The old proverb says, 'From the wicked comes forth wickedness.' So I will take no action against you.

15 Against whom are you on campaign, O king of Israel? Whom are you pursuing? A dead dog, or a single flea!

16 The LORD will be the judge; he will decide between me and you. May he see this, and take my part, and grant me justice beyond your reach!"

17 When David finished saying these things to Saul, Saul answered, "Is that your voice, my son David?" And he wept aloud.

18 Saul then said to David: "You are in the right rather than I; you have treated me generously, while I have done you harm.

19 Great is the generosity you showed me today, when the LORD delivered me into your grasp and you did not kill me.

20 For if a man meets his enemy, does he send him away unharmed? May the LORD reward you generously for what you have done this day.

21 And now, since I know that you shall surely be king and that sovereignty over Israel shall come into your possession,

22 swear to me by the LORD that you will not destroy my descendants and that you will not blot out my name and family."

23 David gave Saul his oath and Saul returned home, while David and his men went up to the refuge.

v 1-6. Trouble with the Philistines being over, Saul went after David in earnest with 3000 of the top soldiers in Israel. It would have been hot, and Saul went into the same cave to rest in which David’s men were hiding farther in. (The modern interpretation that Saul went into the cave to relieve himself but he could of done that any where) David’s men urged him to kill Saul, but David merely cut a piece off the skirt of Saul’s robe while he slept. Even that convicted David that he had done that to the Lord’s anointed.

 

 

 

 

 

v 7,8. David restrained his men from harming Saul, and after he left the cave, David followed and called to him, doing obeisance to him.

 

 

v 9--15. As proof that David would not harm the king, he held up the portion of his robe to show that he could have easily killed him. He called upon the Lord to judge between them, that he would not harm Saul, and in humility compared himself to a dead dog or a flea that Saul was chasing. Again David says he would rely on the Lord to be the judge and deliver him.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

v 16. Saul must have been deeply convicted by these words and wept. Hearing David’s voice, he addressed him as “my son”. No doubt it reminded him of the times David had played for him and done many good deeds for him.

v 17-21. Saul acknowledged that David was more righteous than himself, that David had rewarded good for evil and deserved the blessing of the Lord. Saul had known before that David was to be king, but now he knows it in a practical, personal way. He asks David not to destroy his family when he became king, which he would probably have done if the circumstances were reversed.

 

 

 

 

v 22. David promised this to Saul, and kept his promise. Saul’s conviction and  repentance did not last, see chapter 26, and David expected as much, so he remained in strongholds and secret places.
Look at the ups and downs of faith in David’s life, and compare them to situations in our own .