24:3David and his 600 men found the wilderness of En-gedi a good place to hide because of the many caves in the area. These caves were used by local people for housing and as tombs. For David's men they were places of refuge. These caves can still be seen today. Some are large enough to hold thousands of people.
Life Application Study Bible1 SamuelChapter 24
1 Samuel 24
New Living Translation · Life Application Study Bible · Original pages: 449, 450
A few verse numbers on this page were hard to read in the scan and are marked with a dotted underline — compare with the original page image if in doubt.
241 Samuel 24
David Spares Saul’s Life
12 4 1*After Saul returned from fighting the Philistines, he was told that David had gone into the wilderness of En-gedi. 2So Saul chose 3,000 elite troops from all Israel and went to search for David and his men near the rocks of the wild goats. 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. 6Today 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. 8But then David's conscience began bothering him because he had cut Saul’s robe. & The LORD knows I shouldn't have done that to my lord the king,” he said to his men. “The LORD forbid that I should do this to my lord the king and attack the LORD’s anointed one, for the LORD himself has chosen him.” 7So David restrained his men and did not let them kill Saul. After Saul had left the cave and gone on his way, 8David came out and shouted after him, “My lord the king!” And when Saul looked around, David bowed low before him. °Then he shouted to Saul, “Why do you listen to the people who say I am trying to harm you? 10This very day you can see with your own eyes it isn’t true. For the LORD placed you at my mercy back there in the cave. Some of my men told me to kill you, but I spared you. For J said, ‘I will never harm the king—he is the LORD’s anointed one.’ Look, my father, at what I have in my hand. It isa piece of the hem of your robe! I cut it off, but I didn’t kill you. This proves that I am not trying to harm you and that I have not sinned against you, even though you have been hunting for me to kill me. 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. 13As that old proverb says, ‘From evil people come evil deeds.’ So you can be sure I will never harm you. *Whois the king of Israel trying to catch anyway? Should he spend his time chasing one who is as worthless as a dead dog or a single flea? 1SMay the LORD therefore judge which of us is right and punish the guilty one. He is my advocate, and he will rescue me from your power!” 16When David had finished speaking, Saul called back, “Is that really you, my son David?" Then he began to cry. 17And he said to David, “You are a better man than I am, for you have repaid me good for evil. *8Yes, you have been amazingly kind to me today, for when the LORD put me in a place where you could have killed me, you didn't do it.?Who else would let his enemy get away when he had him in his power? May the LORD reward you well for the kindness you have shown me today. 20And now I realize that you are surely going to be king, and that the kingdom of Israel will flourish under your rule. 21Now swear to me by the LORD that when that happens you will not kill my family and destroy my line of descendants!” 22So David promised this to Saul with an oath. Then Saul went home, but David and his men went back to their stronghold.
Textual footnotes
- are numbered 24:2-23 in Hebrew text.
- 24:1 Verses 24:1-22
Life Application Notes 5 notes
24:4Scripture does not record that God made any such statement to David or his men. The men were probably offering their own interpretation of some previous event such as David's anointing (16:13) or Jonathan's prediction that David would become king (23:17). When David's men saw Saul entering their cave, they wrongly assumed that this was an indication from God that they should act.
24:5,6David had great respect for Saul, in spite of the fact that Saut was trying to kill him. Although Saul was sinning and rebeljing against God, David still respected the position he held as God's anointed king. David knew he would one day be king, and he also knew it was not right to strike down the man God had placed on the throne. If he assassinated Saul, he would be setting a precedent for his awn opponents to remove him some day. Romans 13:1-7 teaches that God has placed the government and its leaders in power. We may not know why, but, like David, we are to respect the positions and roles of those to whom God has given authority. There is one exception, however. Because God is our highest authority, we should nat allow a leader to pressure us to violate God’s law.
24:16-19The means we use to accomplish a goal are just as important as the goal we are trying to accomplish. David’s goal was to become king, so his men urged him to kilt Saul when he had the chance. David’s refusal was not an example of cowardice but of courage—the courage to stand against the group and do what he knew was right. Don’t compromise your moral standards by giving in to group pressure or taking the easy way out.
24:21,22David kept his promise—he never took revenge on Saul's family or descendants. Most of Saul’s sons were killed later, however, by the Philistines (31:2) and the Gibeonites (2 Samuel 21:1-14). David had promised to be kind to the descendants of Saul’s son Jonathan (20:14, 15). and he kept this promise when he invited Mephibosheth to live in his palace (2 Samuel 9).