1 Samuel 24

David Spared Saul’s Life in A Cave Near Engedi

In this section, we learn about the first of two opportunities that David refused to take to end his suffering and assume authority in Israel.  

Chapters 24-26 form a discrete literary unit within 1 Samuel. Chapters 24 and 26 are virtually mirror images of each other, beginning with Saul’s receiving a report about David’s latest hiding place, focusing on David’s refusal to lift a hand against Saul, ’the Lord’s anointed’, and concluding with the words of a remorseful Saul and his returning home from his pursuit of David. The two chapters form a frame around the central chapter 25, where the churlish Nabal functions as an alter ego of the rejected Saul. In addition, divine protection that keeps David from shedding innocent blood runs as a unifying thread through all three chapters.           - Ronald F. Youngblood

A Cave Was There

Three Thousand Soldiers

Vs. 2 - Saul took three thousand of Israel’s fit young men and went to look for David and his men

Having dealt with the Philistines, Saul resumed his pursuit of David. Saul had in his court a group of zealous followers, probably Benjaminites, who accused David of plotting against the king and urged Saul on to destroy him.         - Don Fleming

David and his hundreds were being pursued by Saul and his thousands.  Who were these young men?  Did they even fully understand what they were doing, or had they been conditioned and then commissioned to serve their king regardless of the mission? 

The Corner of Saul’s Robe

Vs. 3 - When Saul came to the sheep pens along the road, a cave was there, and he went in to relieve himself.

Vs. 4 - Then David got up and secretly cut off the corner of Saul’s robe.

The hem or edge of a person’s garment in the ancient Near East made a statement about his or her social standing. A king’s hem was especially ornate and identified him as the king. By cutting off this piece of Saul’s robe, which Saul may have laid aside as he relieved himself, David suggested that he could cut off Saul’s reign just as easily. His act constituted mild rebellion against Saul’s authority.           - Thomas Constable

He Is The Lord’s Anointed

Whatever You Desire

Vs. 4 - so they said to him, “Look, this is the day the Lord told you about: ‘I will hand your enemy over to you so you can do to him whatever you desire.’”

David’s men were excited at the opportunity and believed it was a gift from God. They knew it was no coincidence that Saul came alone into that cave at that moment. They thought this was an opportunity from God to kill Saul.  They believed that this was the fulfillment of the promise and that David needed to seize the promise by faith and by the sword.       - David Guzik

It must have been very tempting for David to “help” God keep His own promises here, to view this opportunity to kill Saul as divine provision.  Surely he and his men were exhausted from running and hiding, exasperated by false accusations and betrayal.  Who would not be tempted by such an opportunity to end his own suffering?

Brent Kercheville notes a Messianic parallel here in David refusing to heed the advice of his own men to seize the kingdom through violence.  Jesus’ disciples experienced great difficulty understanding why the Messiah’s path to exaltation required that He pass through a season of suffering. 

David’s Conscience

Vs. 5 - David’s conscience bothered him because he had cut off the corner of Saul’s robe.

Almost immediately David realized that his clever trick was inappropriate. Since Saul was the king, David had no right to tamper with his clothing. Furthermore, David realized that any attempt to take the kingdom from Saul, as he had taken the symbol of that kingdom, was contrary to God’s will. Since Saul was God’s anointed, it was God’s place to remove him, not David’s.            - Thomas Constable

May The Lord Be Judge

David Knelt Low

Vs. 7-8 - Then Saul left the cave and went on his way. After that, David got up, went out of the cave, and called to Saul, “My lord the king!” When Saul looked behind him, David knelt low with his face to the ground and paid homage.

David made a great effort to present himself humbly here to convince a jealous and angry Saul that he had no intention to seize power in Israel.  He even blamed the king’s paranoia on “the words of people who say, ‘Look, David intends to harm you.’” 

My Hand Will Never Be Against You

Vs. 10 - I won’t lift my hand against my lord, since he is the Lord’s anointed.

Vs. 13 - My hand will never be against you.

Here, and again in chapter 26, we find an anointed king who was willing to be humbled and to pass through a divinely determined season of suffering before assuming his promised position of prominence.  

Saul Wept Aloud

You Are More Righteous

Vs. 16-17 - When David finished saying these things to him, Saul replied, “Is that your voice, David my son?” Then Saul wept aloud and said to David, “You are more righteous than I, for you have done what is good to me though I have done what is evil to you.

Did Saul believe his own words in this moment?  Was this a passing moment of clarity for the tormented king? Commentators note that David must have questioned the sincerity of Saul’s tears because, even after this dramatic display of contrition, he and his men returned to their secure “stronghold.”  

You Will Be King

Vs. 20 - Now I know for certain you will be king, and the kingdom of Israel will be established in your hand. 

Even in his rebellious and rejected state, Saul could clearly see that God was preserving and preparing David for the throne.  That he would persist in pursuing David until the day of his death was all the more damning after this declaration. 

Swear to Me

Vs. 21-22 - 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. So David swore to Saul. 

It was customary in the ancient Near East for a new king to kill all the descendants of the ruler whom he replaced. This prevented them from rising up and reestablishing the dead king’s dynasty. David had already promised Jonathan that he would not kill his descendants (1 Samuel 20:14-17), and he now made the same promise to Saul. To cut off someone’s name meant to obliterate the memory of him. David even agreed to spare Saul’s reputation in Israel.                  - Thomas Constable