¹Now ^awhen Saul returned from pursuing the Philistines, ^bit was reported to him, saying, “Behold, David is in the wilderness of Engedi.” 2 Then ^aSaul took three thousand chosen men from all Israel and went to search for David and his men in front of the Rocks of the Mountain Goats. 3 And he came to the sheepfolds on the way, where there was a cave; and Saul ^awent in to ¹relieve himself. Now ^bDavid and his men were sitting in the inner recesses of the cave. 4 Then David’s men said to him, “Behold, ^athis is the day of which the LORD said to you, ‘Behold; ^bI am about to hand your enemy over to you, and you shall do to him as it seems good ¹to you.’” Then David got up and cut off the edge of Saul’s robe secretly. 5 But it came about afterward that ^aDavid’s ¹conscience bothered him because he had cut off the edge of Saul’s robe. 6 So he said to his men, “^aFar be it from me because of the LORD that I would do this thing to my lord, the LORD’S anointed, to reach out with my hand against him, since he is the LORD’S anointed.” 7 And David rebuked his men with these words and did not allow them to rise up against Saul. And Saul got up, ¹left the cave, and went on his way.

8 Afterward, however, David got up and went out of the cave, and called after Saul, saying, “My lord the king!” And when Saul looked behind him, ^aDavid bowed with his face to the ground and prostrated himself. 9 And David said to Saul, “Why do you listen to the words of men ¹who say, ‘Behold, David is seeking ²to harm you’? 10 ^aBehold, this day your eyes have seen that the LORD had handed you over to me today in the cave, and ^bsomeone said to kill you, but ¹I spared you; and I said, ‘I will not reach out with my hand against my lord, because he is the LORD’S anointed.’ 11 So, ^amy father, look! Indeed, look at the edge of your robe in my hand! For by the fact that I cut off the edge of your robe but did not kill you, know and understand that there is no evil or ¹rebellion in my hands, and I have not sinned against you, though you ^bare lying in wait for my life, to take it. 12 ^aMay the LORD judge between ¹you and me, and may the LORD take vengeance on you for me; but my hand shall not be against you. 13 As the proverb of the ancients says, ‘^aOut of the wicked comes wickedness’; but my hand shall not be against you. 14 After whom has the king of Israel gone out? Whom are you pursuing? ^aA dead dog, ^ba single flea? 15 May ^athe LORD therefore be judge and decide between ¹you and me; and may He see and ^bplead my cause and save me from your hand.”

16 When David had finished speaking these words to Saul, Saul said, “^aIs this your voice, my son David?” Then Saul raised his voice and wept. 17 ^aAnd he said to David, “You are more righteous than I; for ^byou have dealt well with me, while I have dealt maliciously with you. 18 You have declared today that you have done good to me, that ^athe LORD handed me over to you and yet you did not kill me. 19 Though if a man ^afinds his enemy, will he let him go away ¹unharmed? May the LORD therefore reward you with good in return for what you have done to me this day. 20 Now, behold, ^aI know that you will certainly be king, and that ^bthe kingdom of Israel will be established in your hand. 21 So now ^aswear to me by the LORD that you will not cut off my ¹descendants after me, and that you will not eliminate my name from my father’s household.” 22 And David swore an oath to Saul. Then Saul went to his home, but David and his men went up to ^athe stronghold.