And 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.
Saul walks alone into the cave where David and his men are hiding. His men whisper that this is the day God has handed the enemy over. David answers with a title. The man hunting him is still the one the LORD anointed, and that settles everything.
God really had put Saul in David's power. But the meaning David's men drew from it was wrong.
At the back of the cave with his little troop is the man whom Saul wrongly thinks is his enemy. God's providence at this moment is delivering Saul, defenceless, into David's hands. David's companions do not understand. They conclude that God Himself is giving their master the chance to avenge himself. But David's spiritual understanding is not fooled. As the rejected king his character is grace, not judgment. It is the same with Christ. Here God's providence offers that grace a wonderful chance to show itself.
The pressure was sharper still because his men used God's own promise as their argument.
His men even quote the words of the Lord as justifying David in taking his case into his own hands... they may have turned his own words back on himself and said, "See, the hour has come. Your enemy has fallen into your hands. Will you not now fulfil that promise of God which you yourself made known to us — that He would overthrow him?"
David weighs Saul's position, not Saul's behaviour.
As long as God has not Himself carried out the sentence pronounced on Saul, Saul still bears the name "the Lord's anointed." Whatever the evil may be, we have no right to destroy what God allows to remain. No doubt we must separate ourselves fully from evil. But we are not called to set the limits of God's patience. A spiritual Christian recognises the authority God has established, even if that authority is hostile and has turned away from God. He leaves to God the care and the timing of carrying out judgment against it.
Two things that might have excused him — the wrongs done to him and the sheer convenience of the moment — are both set aside.
What God had set up, though rejected by Him, David would not raise a hand to destroy... If provocation could have justified killing Saul, David had received provocation enough. If providential circumstances had been a safe guide for David, surely, when Saul entered the cave alone, David's time to be avenged had come.
An open door is not the same as a command to walk through it.
So we see that providence may place us in a position which God would have us not use but leave. On the outside it may seem the fairest possible opportunity. But faith judges the opposite. Faith looks not to our honour but to God's; not to our ease, but to His deliverance.
David did the smallest possible thing, and even that troubled him.
Still, David cuts off the corner of Saul's robe. This was a sign meant to give his enemy proof of the grace that was sparing him. David's heart (not his conscience) reproaches him even for this act. Seen from the outside, he had fallen short of the respect and deference due to the Lord's anointed. Yet deep down he was full of grace toward the man persecuting him.
That scrap of cloth points to the kingdom David was waiting for.
But the little bit of the king's robe cut off by David might suggest to us the removal of the whole garment. Saul failed to wear it as he should, and that garment would fall to David. He would not now take it by force. One day he would wear it in royal dignity and righteousness. But David will wait for the time when he receives the robe. Until then his heart would smite him even for taking the smallest portion of royal privilege.
Refusing to strike was not passivity. David transferred the whole matter to a higher court.
He now takes higher ground, and appeals his whole case to the Lord to judge between them... but David leaves it all in God's hands. This illustrates the word, "Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, 'Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.'" He too had been heaping burning coals on his enemy, and overcoming evil with good.
The scene in the cave has a counterpart in the garden, where another follower drew a sword for his king.
Judas and the officers of the law closed in on our Lord in the garden of Gethsemane. He showed His almighty power: they drew back and fell to the ground. Peter, like David's men, might draw the sword and cut off the ear, not a piece of the robe — only for his holy Master to refuse any part in the act. He touches the ear and heals it. It is sweet to see the Master's mind in the heart of the man who pictured Him.
- Opportunity. God's providence really did put Saul in the cave, but an open door is a test of faith, not a licence to act.
- Title. God has not yet carried out His sentence, so Saul still bears the name "the Lord's anointed." What God allows to remain is not ours to destroy.
- Restraint. David touched only the corner of a robe — and even that small claim on royal privilege made his heart smite him.
- Transfer. He would not avenge himself; he moved the case to the Lord as judge, overcoming evil with good.
- Reward. The robe he refused to seize by force would one day be his — the kingdom he waited for is the kingdom worn rightly.
And 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.
David has Saul cornered in a cave at En-gedi. His men are urging him to strike, and he has already cut the corner of Saul's robe. Yet here he turns and stops them. Two men walk out of that cave alive. What restraint holds back a hunted man and his armed followers?
David's refusal covered more than his own hand. He would not let anyone else strike Saul for him either.
Saul was still his master and the Lord's anointed. Nothing could persuade David to harm a hair of his head — not by his own hand, and not through anyone else's.
That the men obeyed says something about the man they followed.
He shapes his companions by his own example. So David's character shows in everyone around him who has accepted him as their leader.
The reason David gives is not Saul's worth but Saul's title. God had anointed him, and God had not yet removed him.
Until God Himself carries out the sentence He has passed on Saul, Saul still bears the name "the Lord's anointed." However great the evil is, we have no right to destroy what God allows to remain. There must of course be full separation between us and evil. But we are not the ones who set the limits of God's patience. A spiritual Christian recognizes the authority God has set up, even when that authority is hostile and has turned away from Him. He leaves the judgement of it to God, and leaves God to choose the time. God does not arrange our circumstances to steer or direct our conduct, but to put our faith to the test.
David's men read the open cave as God handing Saul over. The circumstance was real. Their conclusion was not.
If being provoked could have justified killing Saul, David had been provoked more than enough. If circumstances were a safe guide, then David's moment for revenge had come when Saul walked into the cave alone. That is how his men saw it, and they urged him to seize his chance.
The piece of cloth in David's hand pointed at the very thing he was refusing to seize — the kingdom itself.
The small piece of the king's robe that David cut off may hint that the whole robe would be taken from the king who failed to wear it properly — a robe that was to fall to David. He would not take it by force now. One day he would wear it with royal dignity and righteousness. But David will wait until the robe is handed to him. Until then, taking even the smallest piece of royal privilege would trouble his conscience.
Ridout sees David's held-back sword as an early picture of Christ's own restraint on the night He was arrested.
When Judas and the officers of the law closed in on our Lord in the garden of Gethsemane, He showed His almighty power: they drew back and fell to the ground. Peter, like David's men, might draw the sword and cut off — not a corner of a robe, but an ear — only for his holy Master to refuse any share in the act. He touches the ear and heals it. It is sweet to see the mind of the Master in the heart of the man who pictures Him. We can be sure David's restraint was an early fruit of a grace our Lord has given, not to David only, but to all who follow Him.
The second half of the verse is quiet but telling. Saul gets up and leaves, with no idea how near death had been.
Saul has little idea where he has just been. He gets up and leaves the cave, no doubt still set on capturing David.
David's restraint reaches further than revenge. It gives up even the chance to be proved right in front of others.
When we suffer unfairly, wanting to hit back is natural — not spiritual. God may give us grace to resist that temptation, so that He keeps us from any spirit of fighting for our own rights. Even then we may take a chance to expose our opponent in front of others, so they will know we are in the right. But if we are walking with God, we will want to avoid even that. Faith can trust Him to bring everything to its proper level in the end.
- Restrained. David held back his own hand and his men's as well. What the leader's conscience refused, the whole company refused.
- Respected. What God had set up, David would not pull down — Saul kept the name "the Lord's anointed" until God Himself removed him.
- Tested. The open chance was not God's guidance but His test. Circumstances prove faith; they do not steer it.
- Waited. The cut robe pictured a crown David could have grabbed; he chose to receive it as a gift rather than take it by force.
- Reflected. David's held-back sword showed the mind of Christ, who refused Peter's sword and healed the wound — a grace given to all who follow Him.
David also arose afterwards, and went out of the cave, and cried after Saul, saying, My lord the king! And when Saul looked behind him, David bowed with his face to the earth, and did obeisance.
David has just had Saul at his mercy in the dark of the cave, and instead of striking, he walks out into the open and bows. The verse turns on two things: the title he uses for the man hunting him, and the posture he takes in front of him.
One writer reads David's walk out of the cave as an act of nerve, not weakness:
Not realising where he had been, Saul gets up and goes out of the cave, no doubt still set on seizing David. Now we have a most dramatic scene, one that cannot fail to stir the coldest heart. David, who had been fleeing from Saul all this time, now boldly throws himself before him. He would heap coals of fire on the king's head. He would give him such an object lesson of his loyalty that even Saul's hard heart softens for the moment. This is the self-abandonment and courage of love. Love sees the situation at a glance and makes the fullest use of it. There could hardly be a more powerful appeal to the heart and conscience of Saul. We may well believe our gracious God allowed it, for He would even yet bow that proud heart in true repentance.
David's first word to the man hunting him is a title of honour:
This occasion gives David the opportunity to make a personal appeal to Saul. When Saul is a little distance away, David calls to him, "My lord the king" (v.8). Saul turned, and David stooped and bowed himself, as was fitting to his position as the king's servant.
The bow was not affection for Saul, and not agreement with what he was doing. It rested on something outside Saul — God had once anointed him king:
Whatever Israel in general may have thought, to David's faith Saul was always "the Lord's anointed." As such he was entitled to the deepest respect. So when Saul's life lay in David's hand, once and again, David would not touch him… Did David sympathise with Saul's conduct and ways, or have fellowship with him and personal affection for him? Surely not. But David acted in the spirit of Christ — David's Son and yet David's Lord — who said, "The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses' seat." David leaves it to the One who put Saul on the throne to remove him in His own time and way. Meanwhile he was content to suffer, and to have his name cast out as evil by Saul.
One writer explains why the chance to kill Saul did not make it right:
God has not yet carried out the sentence He pronounced on Saul. Until He does, Saul still bears the name "the Lord's anointed." Whatever the evil may be, we have no right to destroy what God allows to remain. No doubt we must be fully separate from evil. But we are not called to set the limits of God's patience. A spiritual Christian recognises the authority God has established, even if that authority is hostile and has turned away from God. He leaves to God the care and the timing of executing judgment against it. The circumstances God allows are not meant to govern or direct our conduct. They are meant to test our faith.
The same writer explains why David answered with grace instead of the sword:
David's companions do not understand. They conclude that God Himself is giving their master the chance to avenge himself. But David's spiritual insight is not fooled. As the rejected king, his character is grace and not judgment. It is the same with Christ. And God's providence here gives grace an excellent occasion to show itself.
Another writer draws the lesson for anyone suffering unfair treatment:
When we suffer unjustly it is natural (not spiritual) that we should want to retaliate. God may give us grace to resist this temptation, so that we are kept from any spirit of fighting for our own rights. Even then we may take a chance to expose our opponent in front of others, so that they will know we are in the right. But if we are walking with God we should want to avoid even this. Faith can depend on Him to bring everything to its proper level in the end.
- Anointing, not behaviour. David bows because of what God did to Saul years earlier, not because of anything Saul is doing now.
- Opportunity is a test. A circumstance that puts an enemy in your hand is meant to try your faith, not to license your hand.
- Grace, not judgment. The king in rejection answers with mercy — the same pattern seen in Christ.
- Courage, not cowardice. Stepping out of the cave to bow took more nerve than striking would have.
- Leave the verdict to God. David hands his cause to the One who put Saul on the throne and waits for Him to settle it.
And David said to Saul, Why dost thou listen to words of men, saying, Behold, David seeks thy hurt?
David has just spared Saul's life in a cave, and now steps out to call after the king who has been hunting him. His opening words are not a charge against Saul, but a question about the voices Saul has been listening to.
David had spent this whole season running. Here he does the opposite:
David, who had been fleeing from Saul all this time, boldly now casts himself before him. He would heap coals of fire upon the king's head, and give him such an object-lesson of his loyalty that even the hard heart of Saul is for the moment softened. It is the self-abandonment and courage of love, which sees the situation at once and makes fullest use of it. No appeal could reach the heart and conscience of Saul more powerfully. We may well believe our gracious God permitted it, for He would even yet bow that proud heart in true penitence.
Notice who David does not accuse. The king's hatred was no secret, yet David's question points past Saul to the men whispering in his ear:
David lays the blame of Saul's pursuit upon others, rather than upon the king himself: "Why do you listen to the words of men who say, 'Behold, David seeks your harm'?" He generously passes over the hatred that both he and Saul knew so well. He singles out only the cowardly treachery of those who stirred the king up. These no doubt shared in his wickedness, although, of course, Saul was not thereby excused. David held in his hand the witness that he could have slain Saul — a witness of his own integrity and of Saul's treachery.
Commentators differ on how much of the trouble came from advisers. One writer reads the question as a kindness Saul had not earned:
Then David asks why Saul was listening to men who said that David was seeking to harm him. David was letting Saul down easily. It was Saul's own imagination that had formed these thoughts, though others may have dishonestly added fuel to the fire.
Saul was now defenceless. David's men read that as permission. David did not:
At the back of the cave with his little troop is the man whom Saul wrongly thinks to be his enemy. God's providence at this moment is delivering Saul, defenceless, into David's hands. David's companions do not understand. They conclude that God Himself is giving their master the chance to avenge himself. But David's spiritual understanding is not fooled. As the rejected king, his character is grace and not judgment. It is the same with Christ. Here God's providence offers grace a wonderful occasion to show itself.
The same restraint appears in the Gospels:
Peter, like David's men, might draw the sword. But what he cut off was not a corner of a robe: it was an ear. His holy Master would refuse any fellowship with the act. He touches the ear, and heals it. We may be sure it was but the early fruit of a grace which our Lord has given, not to David only, but to all who follow Him.
David's question puts the weight on the listener, not only the talker. The law itself warns against the same thing:
Note that the first thing forbidden is "a false report." The margin offers "receive" instead of "raise" as an alternative translation, and other versions tend to confirm this. False reports have done great harm among Christians! That it is wrong to raise them we all admit. Do we all realise the wrong of receiving them? An argument or dispute arises among Christians, and someone brings an evil or damaging report about the opponent. How tempting it is to take it at once as certainly true, when it is after all a false report. Examine any evil report with care and verify it before you accept it.
David does not defend himself by force. He hands the whole dispute over to God:
He now takes higher ground. He appeals his whole case to the Lord to judge between them. He goes further and speaks of the solemn time of vengeance which must fall if Saul persists in his course. But David leaves it all in God's hands, showing that word, "Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, 'Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.'" He too had been heaping coals of fire upon his enemy, and overcoming evil with good.
- Listen — David's first question is about Saul's ears. What a man agrees to hear shapes what he goes out to do.
- Shield — David blames the whisperers, not the king. Commentators differ on how much came from advisers and how much from Saul's own mind. Either way, the question shields Saul.
- Receive — The law forbids not only raising a false report but receiving one. Check any damaging story before you believe it.
- Grace — The rejected king acts in grace, not judgment. Christ did the same when He healed the ear Peter cut off.
- Judge — Having refused to strike, David asks God to decide between them. Vengeance belongs to the Lord. David overcame evil with good.
Behold, this day thine eyes have seen how that Jehovah had given thee this day into my hand in the cave; and they bade me kill thee; but [mine eye] spared thee; and I said, I will not put forth my hand against my lord, for he is the anointed of Jehovah.
David has just come out of the cave at Engedi. He holds a piece of Saul's robe and calls after the king who has been hunting him. His words explain a choice his own men could not understand: Saul lay within reach, and David would not kill him.
David's men read the moment as God's green light. One writer shows that they read more into it than God had said.
Some of David's men who were in the cave were in favour of killing Saul. They pointed out that God had indicated David would be king, but they read the facts in a way that was not quite right. We have no record that God told David He would hand Saul over for David to do with him as he pleased. Yet there was no doubt that God had done this.
The same moment could be read two ways. Another writer states the principle:
Providential circumstances are not ordained to govern our conduct or to direct it, but to put our faith to the test.
David had the chance and let it pass. What kind of king he was at that moment explains why.
David's companions do not understand. They conclude that God Himself is giving their master the chance to avenge himself, but David's spiritual insight is not fooled. As the rejected king, his character is grace and not judgment (it is the same with Christ), and God's providence here gives grace a fine chance to show itself.
Even while hunted, David still calls Saul "my lord". His one reason for holding back is not Saul's character, but who put Saul where he was.
David would not raise a hand to destroy what God had set up, even though God had rejected it. Many since his day can surely read a lesson in this. If provocation could have justified killing Saul, David had suffered provocation enough. If circumstances arranged by God were a safe guide, then when Saul entered the cave alone, David's time for revenge had come.
This was not affection for Saul, and it did not mean David approved of him.
Was it that David had sympathy with Saul's conduct and ways, or fellowship with him and personal affection for him? Surely not. But he had the spirit of Him (David's Son and yet His Lord) who said, "The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses' seat." So David leaves it to the One who put Saul on the throne to remove him in His own time and way. He was content meanwhile to suffer, and to have his name cast out as evil by Saul.
David had cut the corner of the robe, and even that troubled him. One writer sees the cut cloth as a picture of the kingship itself.
The little piece of the king's robe that David cut off might suggest to us the removal of the whole garment from the king who failed to wear it rightly. That garment was to pass to David. He would not now take it by force. One day he would wear it himself, with royal dignity and righteousness. But David will wait until the robe is given to him. Until then his heart would smite him even for taking the smallest portion of royal privilege.
That same scrap of cloth had work to do on Saul.
The skirt of this cut robe serves to vindicate before Saul the character of the servant whom he was misjudging, and to open his eyes as to his own state... So God often calls sinners through circumstances where His grace has spared them. He makes them see that their state deserved judgment. Still, if anyone hardens his heart after this, he must know that judgment will not wait.
Refusing to strike did not mean David pretended nothing was wrong. He moved the case to a higher court.
He now takes higher ground. He puts his whole case to the Lord to judge between them. He goes further, and speaks of the solemn time of vengeance which must fall if Saul keeps on this course. But David leaves it all in God's hands. He shows us that word: "Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, 'Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.'" He too had been heaping coals of fire on his enemy, and overcoming evil with good.
- Opportunity tests. An open door is not a command. God gave the circumstances to try David's faith, not to steer it.
- Faith answers. David's men read the cave as permission. David read it as a test.
- Grace acts. The rejected king met his hunter with grace, not judgment — the same character Christ shows.
- Title restrains. David's one stated reason was Saul's anointing, not Saul's worth; what God had set up he would not pull down.
- God settles. David would not seize the robe; he waited for it. He left the verdict, and the vengeance, to the Lord.