1 Samuel 24 in the early church

After Saul had returned from pursuing the Philistines, he was told, “David is in the wilderness of En-gedi.”

So 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.

Soon 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.

So 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 and stealthily cut off a corner of Saul’s robe.

Afterward, David’s conscience was stricken because he had cut off the corner of Saul’s robe.

So 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.”

With 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.

Behold, this day you have seen with your own eyes that the LORD delivered you into my hand in the cave. I was told to kill you, but I spared you and said, ‘I will not lift my hand against my lord, since he is the LORD’s anointed.’

When David had finished saying these things, Saul called back, “Is that your voice, David my son?” Then Saul wept aloud

and said to David, “You are more righteous than I, for you have rewarded me with good, though I have rewarded you with evil.

So now, swear to me by the LORD that you will not cut off my descendants or wipe out my name from my father’s house.”