1 Samuel 24

1 Samuel 24 (Listen)

David Spares Saul’s Life

24:1 When Saul returned from following the Philistines, he was told, “Behold, David is in the wilderness of Engedi.” 2 Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel and went to seek David and his men in front of the Wildgoats’ Rocks. 3 And he came to the sheepfolds by the way, where there was a cave, and Saul went in to relieve himself.¹ Now David and his men were sitting in the innermost parts of the cave. 4 And the men of David said to him, “Here is the day of which the LORD said to you, ‘Behold, I will give your enemy into your hand, and you shall do to him as it shall seem good to you.’” Then David arose and stealthily cut off a corner of Saul’s robe. 5 And afterward David’s heart struck him, because he had cut off a corner of Saul’s robe. 6 He said to his men, “The LORD forbid that I should do this thing to my lord, the LORD’s anointed, to put out my hand against him, seeing he is the LORD’s anointed.” 7 So David persuaded his men with these words and did not permit them to attack Saul. And Saul rose up and left the cave and went on his way.

8 Afterward David also arose and went out of the cave, and called after Saul, “My lord the king!” And when Saul looked behind him, David bowed with his face to the earth and paid homage. 9 And David said to Saul, “Why do you listen to the words of men who say, ‘Behold, David seeks your harm’? 10 Behold, this day your eyes have seen how the LORD gave you today into my hand in the cave. And some told me to kill you, but I spared you.² I said, ‘I will not put out my hand against my lord, for he is the LORD’s anointed.’ 11 See, my father, see the corner of your robe in my hand. For by the fact that I cut off the corner of your robe and did not kill you, you may know and see that there is no wrong or treason in my hands. I have not sinned against you, though you hunt my life to take it. 12 May the LORD judge between me and you, may the LORD avenge me against you, but my hand shall not be against you. 13 As the proverb of the ancients says, ‘Out of the wicked comes wickedness.’ But my hand shall not be against you. 14 After whom has the king of Israel come out? After whom do you pursue? After a dead dog! After a flea! 15 May the LORD therefore be judge and give sentence between me and you, and see to it and plead my cause and deliver me from your hand.”

16 As soon as David had finished speaking these words to Saul, Saul said, “Is this your voice, my son David?” And Saul lifted up his voice and wept. 17 He said to David, “You are more righteous than I, for you have repaid me good, whereas I have repaid you evil. 18 And you have declared this day how you have dealt well with me, in that you did not kill me when the LORD put me into your hands. 19 For if a man finds his enemy, will he let him go away safe? So may the LORD reward you with good for what you have done to me this day. 20 And now, behold, I know that you shall surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in your hand. 21 Swear to me therefore by the LORD that you will not cut off my offspring after me, and that you will not destroy my name out of my father’s house.” 22 And David swore this to Saul. Then Saul went home, but David and his men went up to the stronghold.

(ESV)

1 Samuel 24 Commentary

In 1 Samuel 24, Saul pursues David with 3,000 men and unknowingly enters a cave where David and his men are hiding (1 Samuel 24:1-3). David’s men encourage him to kill Saul, but David only cuts off a corner of Saul’s robe (1 Samuel 24:4-5). David feels guilty for even doing this, and he assures his men that he will not harm Saul, as Saul is the Lord’s anointed (1 Samuel 24:6-7).

David then calls out to Saul, showing him the piece of Saul’s robe as proof that he could have killed him but chose not to (1 Samuel 24:8-11). David declares that the Lord will judge between them and promises not to harm Saul (1 Samuel 24:12-15). Saul acknowledges David’s righteousness and weeps, recognizing that David will be the next king of Israel (1 Samuel 24:16-20). Saul requests that David swear not to harm his descendants, and David agrees (1 Samuel 24:21-22). Saul returns home, and David and his men go to the stronghold (1 Samuel 24:22).

Irony At En-Gedi

Following the events of 1 Samuel 23, David retreats with his men to the caves of the wilderness of En-Gedi. This would have been in the region of the Dead Sea. This was a strategic move and a very good one on David’s part. The canyon of En-Gedi is a “tropical paradise” in the middle of the desert. It is essentially a desert oasis. The canyon has a variety of caves and vegetation, so it was perfect for a defensive strategy. It also would have provided David the ability to see enemies coming a long way off.

Saul just so happens to go relieve himself in the cave David is hiding in! Coincidence? No way. Essentially, David has the chance to easily and quickly end Saul’s life. The man who has been trying to kill him (not to mention going completely against God’s ways) is standing point-blank in front of him without his guards nearby. And yet, even when tempted by his own men, David will not commit murder.

Instead, David cuts off the corner of Saul’s robe. We read that and think, “No big deal.” It’s just a piece of clothing. No. David probably cut Saul’s tzitzit. A tzitzit was an essential part of Jewish life.

In the Bible, the tzitzit would have referred to the corner or “fringe” of the tallit, the Jewish prayer shawl. For a king, the tzitzit and tallit would have been a status symbol. They represented the covenant between God and Israel, a reminder of God’s commandments (Numbers 15:38-40). For a king like Saul, his robe, including the tzitzit, was not just a garment but a symbol of his royal authority, his leadership, and his position as God’s anointed.

“This act was far from meaningless because David’s confiscation of a portion of the royal robe signified the transfer of power from the house of Saul to the house of David. Furthermore, by removing the corner of the robe, David made Saul’s robe to be in a state of noncompliance with Torah requirements (cf. Num 15:38–39; Deut 22:12); thus, Saul’s most obvious symbol of kingship was made unwearable. In essence, David had symbolically invalidated Saul’s claim to kingship.”

The New American Commentary

Even if David didn’t specifically cut the tzitzit, the metaphor still holds true. The act of cutting off the corner of Saul’s robe was highly symbolic, and its meaning extends beyond a simple physical action. It represented the rejection of Saul’s authority as king. It speaks to God’s sovereignty and the eventual transition of kingship from Saul to David.

In fact, when Saul finds out what David has done, look at what he says to him.

“Now I know for certain you will be king, and the kingdom of Israel will be established in your hand. [21] Therefore swear to me by the LORD that you will not cut off my descendants or wipe out my name from my father’s family.”

1 Samuel 24:20-21 CSB

Saul has been consumed by jealousy, paranoia, and a desire to kill David. But in this moment, he seems to have a brief moment of humility and honesty. He recognizes David’s loyalty and perhaps sees just how far he has fallen from God’s will. Saul, knowing that David will be king, asks him to swear that he won’t wipe out his family (1 Samuel 24:21). In ancient times, it was common for new dynasties to eliminate the previous ruler’s descendants to prevent challenges to the throne. Saul’s plea shows that, despite his weeping, he is still thinking about his own legacy.

Psalm 37

In Psalm 37, David writes that a Kingdom-minded man does not take matters into his own hands. He waits and trusts the Lord.

“Be silent before the LORD and wait expectantly for him; do not be agitated by one who prospers in his way, by the person who carries out evil plans. [8] Refrain from anger and give up your rage; do not be agitated—it can only bring harm. [9] For evildoers will be destroyed, but those who put their hope in the LORD will inherit the land. [10] A little while, and the wicked person will be no more; though you look for him, he will not be there.”

Psalms 37:7-10 CSB

The most difficult part of this whole scenario is that it takes faith to believe that God will restore the righteous and destroy the wicked. We are living in a time when right is wrong and wrong is right. People are so deceived. The psalmist’s prescription for dealing with this problem is two-fold.

Trust the Lord and do good. This may seem obvious, but how many of us are pushing forward living righteous and holy lives despite what we see around us? There is a temptation to engage in prosperous evil like others. There is also a temptation to go out and correct all the wrongs that we see. This is not the prescription that the psalmist recommends. He encourages us to seek and find our happiness in the Lord. He promises us that if we seek God, He will give us greater prosperity than material blessings. He will give us HIS best for us.

Be patient and don’t worry about the wicked. This is difficult. Patience is something we all struggle with. It is much easier to wait for something that we can see than to wait for something that seems contrary to the facts at hand. When evil and suffering overwhelm us, the psalmist urges us to wait on the Lord. Wait on Him for your blessings, but also wait for Him to punish the wicked. In fact, worrying about the wicked is a slippery slope because it leads to all kinds of other issues. Becoming angry and wrathful at the wicked only leads to more wrongdoing. Let the Lord fight your battles as David did!

It is extremely tempting to sin in order to fulfill a perfectly legitimate promise that we know God has placed in our hearts. It is tempting to sin in order to “right” a wrong. However, as David shows here, you can’t correct wickedness with more sin. There are so many who would justify killing Saul in this position, and many more who would say it’s fair. It seems “right” in our minds. David would not take this shortcut. He had a radical and obedient faith in God’s timing and plan.