He came to the sheep pens along the way; a cave(A) was there, and Saul went in to relieve(B) himself. David and his men were far back in the cave. The men said, “This is the day the Lord spoke(C) of when he said[a] to you, ‘I will give your enemy into your hands for you to deal with as you wish.’”(D) Then David crept up unnoticed and cut(E) off a corner of Saul’s robe.

Afterward, David was conscience-stricken(F) for having cut off a corner of his robe. He said to his men, “The Lord forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the Lord’s anointed,(G) or lay my hand on him; for he is the anointed of the Lord.” 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.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 24:4 Or “Today the Lord is saying

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.

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.

And it came to pass afterward, that David's heart smote him, because he had cut off Saul's skirt.

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.

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.

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