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¹After Saul had returned from pursuing the Philistines, he was told, “David is in the wilderness of En-gedi.”[ † ]Joshua 15:622 Chronicles 20:2 ²So Saul took three thousand chosen men from all Israel and went to look for David and his men in the region of the Rocks of the Wild Goats.[ † ]1 Samuel 23:19-28, 29

³Soon Saul came to the sheepfolds along the road, where there was a cave, and he went in to relieve himself. And David and his men were hiding in the recesses of the cave.[ † ]1 Samuel 26:2Psalms 38:121 Samuel 24:10Judges 3:24

⁴So David’s men said to him, “This is the day about which the Lord said to you, ‘Behold, I will deliver your enemy into your hand, that you may do with him as you wish.’” Then David crept up and stealthily cut off a corner of Saul’s robe.[ † ]Psalms 57:titlePsalms 142:title

⁵Afterward, David’s conscience was stricken because he had cut off the corner of Saul’s robe.[ † ]1 Samuel 26:8-11 ⁶So he said to his men, “The Lord forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the Lord’s anointed. May I never lift my hand against him, since he is the Lord’s anointed.”[ † ]2 Samuel 24:10

⁷With these words David restrained his men, and he did not let them rise up against Saul. Then Saul left the cave and went on his way.[ † ]1 Samuel 26:11

⁸After that, David got up, went out of the cave, and called out to Saul, “My lord the king!” When Saul looked behind him, David bowed facedown in reverence ⁹and said to Saul, “Why do you listen to the words of men who say, ‘Look, David intends to harm you’?[ † ]Psalms 7:4Matthew 5:44Romans 12:17-19 ¹⁰Behold, this day you have seen with your own eyes that the Lord delivered you into my hand in the cave. I was told to kill you, but I spared you and said, ‘I will not lift my hand against my lord, since he is the Lord’s anointed.’

¹¹See, my father, look at the corner of your robe in my hand. For I cut it off, but I did not kill you. Know and see that there is no evil or rebellion in my hands. I have not sinned against you, even though you are hunting me down to take my life.[ † ]Psalms 141:6Proverbs 16:28Proverbs 17:9Judges 11:27Psalms 7:3Psalms 35:7

¹²May the Lord judge between you and me, and may the Lord take vengeance on you, but my hand will never be against you.[ † ]1 Samuel 26:20 ¹³As the old proverb says, ‘Wickedness proceeds from the wicked.’ But my hand will never be against you.[ † ]Genesis 16:5Judges 11:271 Samuel 26:10-23Job 5:8

¹⁴Against whom has the king of Israel come out? Whom are you pursuing? A dead dog? A flea?[ † ]Matthew 7:16-201 Samuel 17:432 Samuel 9:8 ¹⁵May the Lord be our judge and decide between you and me. May He take notice and plead my case and deliver me from your hand.”[ † ]1 Samuel 26:201 Samuel 24:122 Chronicles 24:22

¹⁶When David had finished saying these things, Saul called back, “Is that your voice, David my son?” Then Saul wept aloud[ † ]Psalms 35:1Psalms 43:1Psalms 119:154Micah 7:9 ¹⁷and said to David, “You are more righteous than I, for you have rewarded me with good, though I have rewarded you with evil.[ † ]1 Samuel 26:171 Samuel 26:21Genesis 38:26 ¹⁸And you have declared this day how you have treated me well, for when the Lord delivered me into your hand, you did not kill me.[ † ]Matthew 5:44 ¹⁹When a man finds his enemy, does he let him go away unharmed? May the Lord reward you with good for what you have done for me this day.

²⁰Now I know for sure that you will be king and that the kingdom of Israel will be established in your hands.[ † ]1 Samuel 26:23 ²¹So now, swear to me by the Lord that you will not cut off my descendants or wipe out my name from my father’s house.”[ † ]1 Samuel 23:17Genesis 21:231 Samuel 20:14-17

²²So David gave his oath to Saul. Then Saul returned home, but David and his men went up to the stronghold.[ † ]2 Samuel 21:6-8