1 Samuel 24:1-22, NLT
1 Samuel 24
David Spares Saul’s Life
1*24:1 Verses 24:1-22 are numbered 24:2-23 in Hebrew text.After Saul returned from fighting the Philistines, he was told that David had gone into the wilderness of En-gedi.
3At the place where the road passes some sheepfolds, Saul went into a cave to relieve himself. But as it happened, David and his men were hiding farther back in that very cave!
4“Now’s your opportunity!” David’s men whispered to him. “Today the Lord is telling you, ‘I will certainly put your enemy into your power, to do with as you wish.’” So David crept forward and cut off a piece of the hem of Saul’s robe.
5But then David’s conscience began bothering him because he had cut Saul’s robe.
After Saul had left the cave and gone on his way,
9Then he shouted to Saul, “Why do you listen to the people who say I am trying to harm you?
12“May the Lord judge between us. Perhaps the Lord will punish you for what you are trying to do to me, but I will never harm you.
16When David had finished speaking, Saul called back, “Is that really you, my son David?” Then he began to cry.
22So David promised this to Saul with an oath. Then Saul went home, but David and his men went back to their stronghold.