I Samuel 24:1-7 · Bible study
1 Samuel 24:1-7 Commentary: Why David Spared Saul
Hebrew · 10 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
David spares Saul's life in a cave at En Gedi. This passage explores divine timing, the meaning of 'the Lord's anointed,' and the power of a clear conscience.
Research Summary
- Meaning: David spares Saul in a cave, choosing to honor God's anointing over immediate revenge.
- Key words: “Heart smote him” (conscience); “anointed” (mashiach, set apart by God); “skirt” (a piece of the robe, a symbol of royal dignity).
- Main debate: Did David sin by cutting the robe? And did his men correctly interpret God's promises about the kingdom?
- Theological theme: Divine sovereignty, human patience, and the sacredness of God's established authority.
- Best use: Teaching on waiting on God, resisting revenge, and the role of conscience in moral decisions.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
1After Saul had returned from pursuing the Philistines, he was told, “David is in the wilderness of En-gedi.”
2So Saul took three thousand chosen men from all Israel and went to look for David and his men in the region of the Rocks of the Wild Goats.
3Soon Saul came to the sheepfolds along the road, where there was a cave, and he went in to relieve himself. And David and his men were hiding in the recesses of the cave.
4So David’s men said to him, “This is the day about which the LORD said to you, ‘Behold, I will deliver your enemy into your hand, that you may do with him as you wish.’” Then David crept up secretly and cut off a corner of Saul’s robe.
5Afterward, David’s conscience was stricken because he had cut off the corner of Saul’s robe.
6So he said to his men, “The LORD forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the LORD’s anointed. May I never lift my hand against him, since he is the LORD’s anointed.”
7With these words David restrained his men, and he did not let them rise up against Saul. Then Saul left the cave and went on his way.
WEB World English Bible 2000
1When Saul had returned from following the Philistines, he was told, “Behold, David is in the wilderness of En Gedi.”
2Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went to seek David and his men on the rocks of the wild goats.
3He came to the sheep pens by the way, where there was a cave; and Saul went in to relieve himself. Now David and his men were staying in the innermost parts of the cave.
4David’s men said to him, “Behold, the day of which Yahweh said to you, ‘Behold, I will deliver your enemy into your hand, and you shall do to him as it shall seem good to you.’” Then David arose and cut off the skirt of Saul’s robe secretly.
5Afterward, David’s heart struck him because he had cut off Saul’s skirt.
6He said to his men, “Yahweh forbid that I should do this thing to my lord, Yahweh’s anointed, to stretch out my hand against him, since he is Yahweh’s anointed.”
7So David checked his men with these words, and didn’t allow them to rise against Saul. Saul rose up out of the cave, and went on his way.
KJV King James Version 1769
1And it came to pass, when Saul was returned from following the Philistines, that it was told him, saying, Behold, David is in the wilderness of En–gedi.
2Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went to seek David and his men upon the rocks of the wild goats.
3And he came to the sheepcotes by the way, where was a cave; and Saul went in to cover his feet: and David and his men remained in the sides of the cave.
4And the men of David said unto him, Behold the day of which the Lord said unto thee, Behold, I will deliver thine enemy into thine hand, that thou mayest do to him as it shall seem good unto thee. Then David arose, and cut off the skirt of Saul’s robe privily.
5And it came to pass afterward, that David’s heart smote him, because he had cut off Saul’s skirt.
6And he said unto his men, The Lord forbid that I should do this thing unto my master, the Lord’s anointed, to stretch forth mine hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the Lord.
7So David stayed his servants with these words, and suffered them not to rise against Saul. But Saul rose up out of the cave, and went on his way.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
1And it came to pass, when Saul was returned from following the Philistines, that it was told him, saying, Behold, David is in the wilderness of En-gedi.
2Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went to seek David and his men upon the rocks of the wild goats.
3And he came to the sheepcotes by the way, where was a cave; and Saul went in to cover his feet. Now David and his men were abiding in the innermost parts of the cave.
4And the men of David said unto him, Behold, the day of which Jehovah said unto thee, Behold, I will deliver thine enemy into thy hand, and thou shalt do to him as it shall seem good unto thee. Then David arose, and cut off the skirt of Saul’s robe privily.
5And it came to pass afterward, that David’s heart smote him, because he had cut off Saul’s skirt.
6And he said unto his men, Jehovah forbid that I should do this thing unto my lord, Jehovah’s anointed, to put forth my hand against him, seeing he is Jehovah’s anointed.
7So David checked his men with these words, and suffered them not to rise against Saul. And Saul rose up out of the cave, and went on his way.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
1And it cometh to pass when Saul hath turned back from after the Philistines, that they declare to him, saying, `Lo, David is in the wilderness of En-gedi.'
2And Saul taketh three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and goeth to seek David and his men, on the front of the rocks of the wild goats,
3and he cometh in unto folds of the flock, on the way, and there is a cave, and Saul goeth in to cover his feet; and David and his men in the sides of the cave are abiding.
4And the men of David say unto him, `Lo, the day of which Jehovah said unto thee, Lo, I am giving thine enemy into thy hand, and thou hast done to him as it is good in thine eyes;' and David riseth and cutteth off the skirt of the upper robe which is on Saul--gently.
5And it cometh to pass afterwards that the heart of David smiteth him, because that he hath cut off the skirt which is on Saul,
6and he saith to his men, `Far be it from me, by Jehovah; I do not do this thing to my lord--to the anointed of Jehovah--to put forth my hand against him, for the anointed of Jehovah he is .'
7And David subdueth his men by words, and hath not permitted them to rise against Saul; and Saul hath risen from the cave, and goeth on the way;
Darby Darby Bible 1890
1And it came to pass when Saul had returned from following the Philistines, that it was told him, saying, Behold, David is in the wilderness of Engedi.
2And Saul took three thousand men, chosen out of all Israel, and went to seek David and his men upon the rocks of the wild goats.
3And he came to the sheepfolds by the way, where was a cave; and Saul went in to cover his feet; and David and his men were abiding in the recesses of the cave.
4And David's men said to him, Behold the day of which Jehovah said to thee, Behold, I will give thine enemy into thy hand, that thou mayest do to him as it shall seem good to thee. And David arose, and cut off the skirt of Saul's robe secretly.
5And it came to pass afterwards that David's heart smote him, because he had cut off Saul's skirt.
6And he said to his men, Jehovah forbid that I should do this thing to my master, Jehovah's anointed, to stretch forth my hand against him, for he is the anointed of Jehovah.
7And David checked his men with these words, and suffered them not to rise against Saul. And Saul rose up out of the cave, and went on [his] way.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
1Then David went up from thence, and dwelt in strong holds of Engaddi.
2And when Saul was returned from following the Philistines, they told him, saying: Behold, David is in the desert of Engaddi.
3Saul, therefore, took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went out to seek after David and his men, even upon the most craggy rocks, which are accessible only to wild goats.
4And he came to the sheepcotes which were in his way. And there was a cave, into which Saul went, to ease nature: now David and his men lay hid in the inner part of the cave.
5And the servants of David said to him: Behold the day, of which the Lord said to thee: I will deliver thy enemy unto thee, that thou mayst do to him as it shall seem good in thy eyes. Then David arose, and secretly cut off the hem of Saul's robe.
6After which David's heart struck him, because he had cut off the hem of Saul's robe.
7And he said to his men: The Lord be merciful unto me, that I may do no such thing to my master, the Lord's anointed, as to lay my hand upon him, because he is the Lord's anointed.
Verse in Context
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that this scene tests David's character and his understanding of God's anointing. David's men urge him to kill Saul, reading general promises of the kingdom as a direct command to act (Barnes, Matthew Henry). But David refuses, calling Saul “Yahweh's anointed” and forbidding any harm. Gill notes that David's conscience troubled him even for cutting the skirt, a small indignity. Clarke adds that David knew Saul could only be removed by God's authority, not human violence. The unified witness is that David's restraint, not his opportunity, defines the moral center of the passage.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Men's misinterpretation view: God never explicitly promised to deliver Saul into David's hand; the men projected their own agenda onto general promises (Matthew Henry, Clarke).
- Symbolic violation view: Cutting the skirt was a real indignity, and David's stricken conscience shows he crossed a line, however small (Gill, Cambridge).
What is clear: David chose not to harm Saul because he honored Saul as the Lord's anointed, and this decision forms the moral core of the account.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| David's men and God's promise | The men believed a general promise of deliverance applied directly to this moment. | Some commentators (e.g., Matthew Henry) say the men were overstepping and misapplying God's word; others (Gill, Barnes) see it as a natural inference from prophecies like 1 Samuel 15:28. |
| The significance of cutting the skirt | David's conscience was troubled afterward, showing that even a symbolic act against the king was weighty. | Is cutting the skirt a minor offense or a real sin? Clarke suggests David originally intended to kill Saul but relented; others see the cut as a tactful gesture to prove he had spared Saul's life. |
| Did David show weakness by not taking the throne? | David's actions displayed remarkable restraint and trust in God's timing. | Some traditions highlight David as a model of non-resistance (Anabaptist, pacifist readings); others emphasize that God used David's patience to refine his character, not to command political passivity forever. |
Historical & Cultural Context
The wilderness of En Gedi sits on the western shore of the Dead Sea, a region of steep limestone cliffs and deep ravines. Ancient travelers and shepherds used its many caves for shelter. Keil and Delitzsch describe the area as “full of caverns” that served as hiding places for outlaws. When Saul entered a cave to “cover his feet” (a euphemism for relieving himself, Cambridge Bible), he unknowingly placed himself in the hands of the very man he hunted.
David and his men were hiding “in the innermost parts of the cave.” Large caves in this region have side chambers where someone inside could see the entrance clearly while remaining invisible. This gave David the perfect vantage, and the perfect temptation. The “rocks of the wild goats” (v. 2) refer to cliffs that only ibex and chamois could scale (Cambridge, Clarke). That Saul would chase David into such terrain shows the irrational rage behind his pursuit. Earlier, Saul had returned from fighting the Philistines (a campaign that temporarily saved David, as Ellicott notes), but he immediately resumed his vendetta. The timing matters: God delivered Saul into David's hands not through David's scheming, but through the king's own relentless hatred.
Textual Notes
The supplied commentaries and translation sources note no significant textual variants in I Samuel 24:1-7. The passage is textually stable across the Hebrew manuscripts and the ancient versions (Septuagint, Vulgate, Targum).
Reception History
From the early church onward, this passage has been read as a model of Christian forbearance and respect for God's established authority. Augustine and other fathers used David's restraint to illustrate non-retaliation under persecution. In the medieval period, the story was seen as a type of Christ, who had every power to destroy His enemies but chose mercy. Reformation commentators (Calvin, Luther) focused on David's conscience as the guide that overruled even legitimate desires for justice. Modern readings often explore the psychology of temptation and the cost of obedience, while Pentecostal and charismatic traditions see in David's patience a lesson about allowing God to fight one's battles.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The trap that wasn't: Saul enters the cave blind to the danger. David has the power to end his exile with one blow. Yet the real trap is not for Saul, it is for David's character.
- The voice of the crowd vs. the voice of conscience: David's men interpret a general promise as a green light. David listens but does not obey. His heart “strikes” him even after a small act of disrespect.
- A higher throne than revenge: David refuses to touch “Yahweh's anointed.” He sees a sacred boundary that cannot be crossed, even when every earthly logic says cross it.
Five-point outline
- Saul's relentless pursuit (v. 1-2)
- The cave as stage for providence (v. 3)
- Pressure from David's men (v. 4)
- The test of a single cut (v. 4-5)
- David's veto: “Yahweh forbid” (v. 6-7)
Illustration hooks
- A coworker who undermined you leaves their computer unlocked with a damaging email open. What keeps you from reading it?
- You witness a rival driver cut someone off and then get stuck in a dead-end alley. The urge to block them in is strong, do you let them out?
Questions your congregation is asking
- Does God ever want us to “take matters into our own hands” when we have a clear opportunity?
- If David was God's chosen king, why did he have to wait so long?
- What does it mean in daily life to honor someone as “God's anointed”?
Leading a Discussion
This story invites us to examine how we respond when our enemy is vulnerable. David had every earthly reason to strike, but he stopped. Why? Read the passage together and let the details slow you down, the cave, the whisper of the men, the cut cloth, the aching heart.
Discussion questions
- What details in verses 1-3 set the scene for a standoff? Who holds the power in this moment?
- David's men claim that God said, “I will deliver your enemy into your hand.” Read 1 Samuel 23:17 and 25:28-30. Where might they have gotten this idea?
- Why do you think David cut off a piece of Saul's robe but refused to kill him? What does the “heart striking him” reveal (v. 5)?
- David calls Saul “my lord” and “the Lord's anointed” three times. What is he protecting, Saul's life or God's authority?
- How do you decide when an opportunity is a temptation rather than a door from God?
- Have you ever been pressured by well-meaning friends to act against your conscience? How did you respond?
- What would it look like this week to honor someone in authority whom you find hard to respect?
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| I Samuel 23:19 | Then the Ziphites came up to Saul to Gibeah, saying, “Doesn’t David hide himself with us in the strongholds in the woods, in the hill of Hachilah, which is on the south of the desert? |
| I Samuel 23:28 | So Saul returned from pursuing David, and went against the Philistines. Therefore they called that place Sela Hammahlekoth. |
| I Samuel 23:29 | David went up from there and lived in the strongholds of En Gedi. |
| Proverbs 25:5 | Take away the wicked from the king’s presence, and his throne will be established in righteousness. |
| Proverbs 29:12 | If a ruler listens to lies, all of his officials are wicked. |
| Ezekiel 22:9 | Slanderous men have been in you to shed blood. In you they have eaten on the mountains. They have committed lewdness among you. |
| Hosea 7:3 | They make the king glad with their wickedness, and the princes with their lies. |
| I Samuel 13:2 | Saul chose for himself three thousand men of Israel, of which two thousand were with Saul in Michmash and in the Mount of Bethel, and one thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin. He sent the rest of the people to their own tents. |
Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
9 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes notes that the phrase "rocks of the wild goats" emphasizes the rugged and precipitous nature of the landscape. He points out that someone near the mouth of a deep cave would be visible, but those in the recesses would be unseen, especially at night. David’s conscience troubled him because he felt his action toward the king was disrespectful.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentator explains that the cave’s extreme darkness allowed David to watch Saul unseen, while those outside could see nothing within. He also notes the euphemism "to cover his feet" for a natural need, and that David's followers took earlier promises of his deliverance as permission to harm the king.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note highlights David’s immediate heart-conviction after cutting only the edge of Saul’s robe. Even this small act troubled his conscience, showing that true reverence for God’s anointed ruler forbids not only murder but any dishonour, regardless of personal threat or provocation.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill explains that the cave's great size and darkness allowed David to cut Saul's robe without being noticed while Saul slept, interpreting "cover his feet" as sleeping. Even this minor act troubled David's conscience, showing his deep reverence for the Lord's anointed king.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
jfb focuses on the cave’s physical features: its dark interior and bright entrance allowed David to approach undetected while Saul was blinded by the glare. He also stresses that God never specifically promised to deliver Saul into David’s hand; David’s men wrongly assumed this from general promises of the kingdom.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch point out that David's men mistook the chance circumstances in the cave for a direct divine command to kill Saul, calling it a word from Jehovah. But David had received no such oracle; his conscience struck him even for cutting the king's robe, showing that providence does not override reverence for the Lord's anointed.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange highlights David's tender conscience: his heart smote him not for sparing Saul but for the lesser act of cutting his robe, which David saw as a failure in reverence. He also stresses that Saul's confession, though genuine, was only a temporary bright moment, not a lasting change of heart.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry notes the shocking ingratitude of Saul: fresh from God's deliverance against the Philistines, he immediately hunts David again. Saul treats God's mercy as if he were saved only to pursue more wickedness, misusing his rescue as an occasion for further sin.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley highlights the extreme danger of the rocky terrain, which Saul recklessly entered in his rage against David. He notes that God caused the exhausted Saul to sleep in the cave, providing David an opportunity to demonstrate his loyalty. Wesley also observes that David's men mistakenly read God's promises as a command to take Saul's life.