1 Now Saul had chased the Philistines away. Then he was told, “David is in the Desert of En Gedi.”
2 So he chose 3,000 men from all Israel. He took these men and began looking for David and his men. They looked near the Rocks of the Wild Goats.
3 Saul came to the sheep pens beside the road. A cave was there, and he went in to relieve himself. Now David and his men were hiding far back in the cave.
4 The men said to David, “Today is the day the Lord talked about! The Lord told you, ‘I will give your enemy to you. You can do anything you want with him.’”Then David crawled near Saul. He cut off a corner of Saul’s robe. But Saul did not notice him.
5 Later David felt guilty because he had cut off a corner of Saul’s robe.
6 He said to his men, “May the Lord keep me from doing such a thing to my master! Saul is the Lord’s appointed king. I should not do anything against him, because he is the Lord’s appointed king!”
7 David used these words to stop his men. He did not let them attack Saul. Then Saul left the cave and went his way.
8 When David came out of the cave, he shouted to Saul, “My master and king!” Saul looked back, and David bowed facedown on the ground.
9 He said to Saul, “Why do you listen when people say, ‘David plans to harm you’?
10 You have seen something with your own eyes today. You have seen how the Lord put you in my power in the cave. But I refused to kill you. I was merciful to you. I said, ‘I won’t harm my master, because he is the Lord’s appointed king.’
11 My father, look at this piece of your robe in my hand! I cut off the corner of your robe, but I didn’t kill you. Now understand and know I am not planning any evil against you. I did nothing wrong to you, but you are hunting me to kill me.
12 May the Lord judge between us. And may he punish you for the wrong you have done to me! But I won’t fight you.
13 There is an old saying: ‘Evil things come from evil people.’ So I won’t hurt you.
14 Whom is the king of Israel coming out against? Whom are you chasing? You’re not chasing someone who will hurt you! It’s as if you are chasing a dead dog or a flea.
15 May the Lord be our judge and decide between you and me. May the Lord support me and show that I am right. May he save me from you!”
16 David finished saying these words. Then Saul asked, “Is that your voice, David my son?” And he cried loudly.
17 He said, “You are right, and I am wrong. You have been good to me. But I have done wrong to you.
18 You told me what good things you did. The Lord brought me to you, but you did not kill me.
19 If a man finds his enemy, he won’t send him away with goodness, will he? May the Lord reward you because you were good to me today.
20 I know you will surely be king. You will rule the kingdom of Israel.
21 Now make a promise to me. Promise in the name of the Lord that you will not kill my descendants. Promise me that you won’t wipe out my name from my father’s family.”
22 So David made the promise to Saul. Then Saul went back home. David and his men went up to the protected place.