1 Samuel 24:1-22
David Spares Saul
1 Now it happened, when Saul had returned from following the Philistines, that it was told him, saying, “Take note! David is in the Wilderness of En Gedi.” 2 Then Saul took three thousand chosen men from all Israel, and went to seek David and his men on the Rocks of the Wild Goats. 3 So he came to the sheepfolds by the road, where there was a cave; and Saul went in to attend to his needs. (David and his men were staying in the recesses of the cave.) 4 Then the men of David said to him, “This is 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 seems good to you.’” And David arose and secretly cut off a corner of Saul’s robe. 5 Now it happened afterward that David’s heart troubled him because he had cut Saul’s robe. 6 And he said to his men, “The LORD forbid that I should do this thing to my master, the LORD’s anointed, to stretch out my hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the LORD.” 7 So David restrained his servants with these words, and did not allow them to rise against Saul. And Saul got up from the cave and went on his way.
8 David also arose afterward, went out of the cave, and called out to Saul, saying, “My lord the king!” And when Saul looked behind him, David stooped with his face to the earth, and bowed down. 9 And David said to Saul: “Why do you listen to the words of men who say, ‘Indeed David seeks your harm’? 10 Look, this day your eyes have seen that the LORD delivered you today into my hand in the cave, and someone urged me to kill you. But my eye spared you, and I said, ‘I will not stretch out my hand against my lord, for he is the LORD’s anointed.’ 11 Moreover, my father, see! Yes, see the corner of your robe in my hand! For in that I cut off the corner of your robe, and did not kill you, know and see that there is neither evil nor rebellion in my hand, and I have not sinned against you. Yet you hunt my life to take it. 12 Let the LORD judge between you and me, and let the LORD avenge me on you. But my hand shall not be against you. 13 As the proverb of the ancients says, ‘Wickedness proceeds from the wicked.’ But my hand shall not be against you. 14 After whom has the king of Israel come out? Whom do you pursue? A dead dog? A flea? 15 Therefore let the LORD be judge, and judge between you and me, and see and plead my case, and deliver me out of your hand.”
16 So it was, when David had finished speaking these words to Saul, that Saul said, ”Is this your voice, my son David?” And Saul lifted up his voice and wept. 17 Then he said to David: “You are more righteous than I; for you have rewarded me with good, whereas I have rewarded you with evil. 18 And you have shown this day how you have dealt well with me; for when the LORD delivered me into your hand, you did not kill me. 19 For if a man finds his enemy, will he let him get away safely? Therefore may the LORD reward you with good for what you have done to me this day. 20 And now I know indeed that you shall surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in your hand. 21 Therefore swear now to me by the LORD that you will not cut off my descendants after me, and that you will not destroy my name from my father’s house.”
22 So David swore to Saul. And Saul went home, but David and his men went up to the stronghold.
David and his men were holed up in a cave in En Gedi in the place called the Rocks of the Wild Goats when Saul went in the cave and David’s men urged him to kill Saul while he was alone and exposed. David refused to do evil to his enemy in such a way and cut off a piece of the king’s robe instead to prove his loyalty and righteousness in mercy for the one God had put in place as the king, evil as he was. We are also called to protect our leaders and do them no evil, even those who do evil and seek to do us harm as believers, for (Romans 13:1-2, 4-5) the Lord has put them there for His purposes. David showed submission to God’s will and under the authority of the evil king because he accepted the situation as being under His sovereign control and so did no evil of his own to take advantage of the serendipitous situation where he could have killed Saul to end his pursuit of David and assumed the throne himself. He did not. He showed mercy even as others called for vengeance and blood. Then David followed Saul out of the cave and called out to Saul, “My lord the king!” to gain his attention as he made himself vulnerable to attack. He reminded Saul that if he intended to kill the king he could have easily done so just then. David even told him that his men urged him to kill Saul and he had refused because of the position the LORD had put Saul in as king. Then he showed the corner of Saul’s robe he removed as proof of his proximity and resulting ability to have killed him. He then quoted a proverb and a promise with, “‘Wickedness proceeds from the wicked.’ But my hand shall not be against you.” He reminded Saul that he was small and insignificant compared to the king and that therefore he was no threat and need not be pursued to the death. David called on the LORD to judge between them. Saul admitted David was more righteous in showing mercy and good for evil, just as we are called (Matthew 5:44, Romans 12:14) to do. Saul blessed David and his actions that day and admitted that one day David would be king in a prophetic utterance contrary to his past and future actions to prevent that and put his own son Jonathan on the throne. He only asked that his descendants be allowed to continue and not be wiped out when he came to reign. David swore to do so and they went their separate ways. Note that David trusted this but still acted wisely to go back to the stronghold in the mountain for protection. He trusted God but not Saul completely because of his past promises and pursuit. May we be so wise as deceitful serpents but remain harmless as doves of peace (Matthew 10:16-17, Colossians 4:5-6) ourselves as we trust God’s sovereign will of providence and protection. Do no evil to your enemies.
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