1 After Saul returned from pursuing the Philistines, he was told, "David is in the Desert of En Gedi."
2 So Saul took three thousand able young men from all Israel and set out to look for David and his men near the Crags of the Wild Goats.
3 He came to the sheep pens along the way; a cave was there, and Saul went in to relieve himself. David and his men were far back in the cave.
4 The men said, "This is the day the LORD spoke of when he said "to you, 'I will give your enemy into your hands for you to deal with as you wish.'" Then David crept up unnoticed and cut off a corner of Saul's robe.
5 Afterward, David was conscience-stricken for having cut off a corner of his robe.
6 He said to his men, "The LORD forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the LORD's anointed, or lay my hand on him; for he is the anointed of the LORD."
7 With these words David sharply rebuked his men and did not allow them to attack Saul. And Saul left the cave and went his way.
8 Then David went out of the cave and called out to Saul, "My lord the king!" When Saul looked behind him, David bowed down and prostrated himself with his face to the ground.
9 He said to Saul, "Why do you listen when men say, 'David is bent on harming you'?
10 This day you have seen with your own eyes how the LORD delivered you into my hands in the cave. Some urged me to kill you, but I spared you; I said, 'I will not lay my hand on my lord, because he is the LORD's anointed.'
11 See, my father, look at this piece of your robe in my hand! I cut off the corner of your robe but did not kill you. See that there is nothing in my hand to indicate that I am guilty of wrongdoing or rebellion. I have not wronged you, but you are hunting me down to take my life.
12 May the LORD judge between you and me. And may the LORD avenge the wrongs you have done to me, but my hand will not touch you.
13 As the old saying goes, 'From evildoers come evil deeds,' so my hand will not touch you.
14 "Against whom has the king of Israel come out? Who are you pursuing? A dead dog? A flea?
15 May the LORD be our judge and decide between us. May he consider my cause and uphold it; may he vindicate me by delivering me from your hand."
16 When David finished saying this, Saul asked, "Is that your voice, David my son?" And he wept aloud.
17 "You are more righteous than I," he said. "You have treated me well, but I have treated you badly.
18 You have just now told me about the good you did to me; the LORD delivered me into your hands, but you did not kill me.
19 When a man finds his enemy, does he let him get away unharmed? May the LORD reward you well for the way you treated me today.
20 I know that you will surely be king and that the kingdom of Israel will be established in your hands.
21 Now swear to me by the LORD that you will not kill off my descendants or wipe out my name from my father's family."
22 So David gave his oath to Saul. Then Saul returned home, but David and his men went up to the stronghold.
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 Engedi.
2 Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went to seek David and his men on 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 to him, Behold the day of which the LORD said to you, Behold, I will deliver your enemy into your hand, that you may do to him as it shall seem good to you. Then David arose, and cut off the skirt of Saul' robe privately.
5 And it came to pass afterward, that David' heart smote him, because he had cut off Saul' skirt.
6 And he said to his men, The LORD forbid that I should do this thing to my master, the LORD' anointed, to stretch forth my 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, Why hear you men' words, saying, Behold, David seeks your hurt?
10 Behold, this day your eyes have seen how that the LORD had delivered you to day into my hand in the cave: and some bade me kill you: but my eye spared you; and I said, I will not put forth my hand against my lord; for he is the LORD' anointed.
11 Moreover, my father, see, yes, see the skirt of your robe in my hand: for in that I cut off the skirt of your robe, and killed you not, know you 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.
12 The LORD judge between me and you, and the LORD avenge me of you: but my hand shall not be on you.
13 As said the proverb of the ancients, Wickedness proceeds from the wicked: but my hand shall not be on you.
14 After whom is the king of Israel come out? after whom do you pursue? after a dead dog, after a flea.
15 The LORD therefore be judge, and judge between me and you, and see, and plead my cause, and deliver me out of your hand.
16 And it came to pass, when David had made an end of speaking these words to Saul, that Saul said, Is this your voice, my son David? And Saul lifted up his voice, and wept.
17 And he said to David, You are more righteous than I: for you have rewarded me good, whereas I have rewarded you evil.
18 And you have showed this day how that you have dealt well with me: for as much as when the LORD had delivered me into your hand, you killed me not.
19 For if a man find his enemy, will he let him go well away? why the LORD reward you good for that you have done to me this day.
20 And now, behold, I know well that you shall surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in your hand.
21 Swear now therefore to me by the LORD, that you will not cut off my seed after me, and that you will not destroy my name out of my father' house.
22 And David swore to Saul. And Saul went home; but David and his men got them up to the hold.