24When Saul returned from pursuing the Philistines, he was told, "Look, David is in the wilderness of En Gedi."H7586H7725H310H6430H5046H559H1732H4057H58722Saul took 3,000 of his best troops from all over Israel, and he went to look for David and his men in the direction of the Rocks of the Wild Goats.H7586H3947H7969H505H977H376H3478H3212H1245H1732H582H6440H6697H32773He came to the sheepfolds beside the road. There was a cave there, and Saul went in to relieve himself. Now David and his men were sitting in the inner recesses of the cave.H935H1448H6629H1870H4631H7586H935H5526H7272H1732H582H3427H3411H46314David's men said to him, "Look, today is the day about which the Lord spoke to you when he said, 'I'll give your enemy into your hand.' Do to him whatever you want!" David rose and stealthily cut off the corner of Saul's robe.H582H1732H559H3117H3068H559H5414H341H3027H6213H3190H5869H1732H6965H3772H3671H7586H4598H39095Afterwards, David's conscience bothered him because he had cut off the corner of Saul's robe.H310H1732H3820H5221H3772H7586H36716He said to his men, "God forbid that I should do this thing to your majesty, the Lord's anointed, by stretching out my hand against him, since he's the Lord's anointed."H559H582H3068H2486H6213H1697H113H3068H4899H7971H3027H4899H30687David restrained his men with his words and did not allow them to rebel against Saul. Saul got up from the cave and started off.H1732H8156H582H1697H5414H6965H7586H7586H6965H4631H3212H18708Then David got up, went out of the cave, and called out to Saul: "Your majesty!" Saul looked behind him, and David bowed down with his face to the ground and prostrated himself.H1732H6965H3318H4631H7121H310H7586H559H113H4428H7586H5027H310H1732H6915H639H776H78129Then David said to Saul, "Why do you listen to the words of those who say, 'Look, David is trying to harm you?'H1732H559H7586H8085H120H1697H559H1732H1245H745110Look, this very day you saw with your own eyes that the Lord gave you into my control in the cave, and one of my men said to kill you, but I had pity on you and responded, 'I won't lift my hand against his majesty because he's the Lord's anointed.'H3117H5869H7200H3068H5414H3117H3027H4631H559H2026H2347H559H7971H3027H113H3068H489911See, my father, see! The corner of your robe is in my hand. Indeed, by my cutting off the corner of your robe and not killing you, you may know and understand that I have no evil intent or transgression - I haven't wronged you, even though you are hunting me to take my life.H1H7200H7200H3671H4598H3027H3772H3671H4598H2026H3045H7200H7451H6588H3027H2398H6658H5315H394712May the Lord judge between me and you, and may he take vengeance on you for me, but I won't be attacking you.H3068H8199H3068H5358H302713Just like the ancient proverb says, 'From wicked people comes wickedness,' but I'm not against you.H559H4912H6931H7562H3318H7563H302714After whom is the king of Israel going out?Whom are you pursuing?A dead dog or a single flea?H310H4428H3478H3318H310H7291H310H4191H3611H310H259H655015May the Lord act as judge, and may he decide between me and you. May he see, may he plead my case, and may he vindicate me in this dispute against you."24H3068H1781H8199H7200H7378H7379H8199H302716When David had finished saying these things to Saul, Saul asked, "Is this your voice, my son David?" Then Saul cried loudlyH1732H3615H1696H1697H7586H7586H559H6963H1121H1732H7586H5375H6963H105817to David, "You are more righteous than I am, because you have treated me well even though I've treated you poorly.H559H1732H6662H1580H2896H1580H745118You have explained how you treated me well, in that the Lord delivered me into your hand but you didn't kill me.H5046H3117H6213H2896H3068H5462H3027H202619For who would find his enemy and then send him away safely?May the Lord repay you for what you have done for me today.H376H4672H341H7971H2896H1870H3068H7999H2896H6213H311720Now I know for certain that you will be king, and that the kingdom will be established under your authority.H3045H4427H4427H4467H3478H6965H302721Now swear to me by the Lord that you will never eliminate my descendants after me, and that you won't erase my name from my father's family."H7650H3068H518H3772H2233H310H8045H8034H1H100422David made this vow to Saul, and then Saul went home, while David and his men went up to the stronghold.H1732H7650H7586H7586H3212H1004H1732H582H5927H4686