וַיְהִי כַּאֲשֶׁר שָׁב שָׁאוּל מֵאַחֲרֵי פְּלִשְׁתִּים וַיַּגִּדוּ לוֹ לֵאמֹר הִנֵּה דָוִד בְּמִדְבַּר עֵין גֶּדִי

It was when Saul returned from following after, and repelling the Philistines, they told him, saying: Behold, David is in the wilderness of Ein Gedi.

וַיִּקַּח שָׁאוּל שְׁלֹשֶׁת אֲלָפִים אִישׁ בָּחוּר מִכָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיֵּלֶךְ לְבַקֵּשׁ אֶת דָּוִד וַאֲנָשָׁיו עַל פְּנֵי צוּרֵי הַיְּעֵלִים

Saul took three thousand select men from all Israel, and he went to seek David and his men upon the rocks of the ibexes, large rocks which still surround Ein Gedi. These rocks are named after the ibexes, a type of wild goat that lives in the area. Indeed, the name Ein Gedi is likely derived from young wild goats [gedi’im]. Three thousand was the number of soldiers designated by Saul when he first established his permanent army (see 13:2).

וַיָּבֹא אֶל גִּדְרוֹת הַצֹּאן עַל הַדֶּרֶךְ וְשָׁם מְעָרָה וַיָּבֹא שָׁאוּל לְהָסֵךְ אֶת רַגְלָיו ודָוִד וַאֲנָשָׁיו בְּיַרְכְּתֵי הַמְּעָרָה יֹשְׁבִים

He came to the sheep enclosures upon the way, near Ein Gedi, and there was a cave there. Saul came alone into the cave to relieve himself. He confidently entered the large cave, as his army was located in close proximity, and David and his men were coincidentally sitting in the depths of the cave.

וַיֹּאמְרוּ אַנְשֵׁי דָוִד אֵלָיו הִנֵּה הַיּוֹם אֲשֶׁר אָמַר ה' אֵלֶיךָ הִנֵּה אָנֹכִי נֹתֵן אֶת אֹיִבְךָ בְּיָדֶךָ וְעָשִׂיתָ לּוֹ כַּאֲשֶׁר יִטַב בְּעֵינֶיךָ וַיָּקָם דָּוִד וַיִּכְרֹת אֶת כְּנַף הַמְּעִיל אֲשֶׁר לְשָׁאוּל בַּלָּט

David’s men said to him: Behold, this is the day, you have been given the opportunity to realize that of which the Lord said to you, when He designated you as king over Israel: Behold, I am delivering your enemy into your hand, and you shall do to him as is good in your eyes. David rose, and he severed the corner of Saul’s robe stealthily.

וַיְהִי אַחֲרֵי כֵן וַיַּךְ לֵב דָּוִד אֹתוֹ עַל אֲשֶׁר כָּרַת אֶת כָּנָף אֲשֶׁר לְשָׁאוּל

It was thereafter, David’s heart tormented him; his conscience troubled him, because he had severed the corner that was Saul’s, as he considered even such a small action an affront to the king.

וַיֹּאמֶר לַאֲנָשָׁיו חָלִילָה לִּי מֵה' אִם אֶעֱשֶׂה אֶת הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה לַאדֹנִי לִמְשִׁיחַ ה' לִשְׁלֹחַ יָדִי בּוֹ כִּי מְשִׁיחַ ה' הוּא

He said to his men: Far be it from me before the Lord that I would do this thing to my lord, my king, to the anointed one of the Lord, to extend my hand against him to kill him, as he is the anointed one of the Lord. God commanded that Saul should be anointed as king, and therefore he may not be harmed.

וַיְשַׁסַּע דָּוִד אֶת אֲנָשָׁיו בַּדְּבָרִים וְלֹא נְתָנָם לָקוּם אֶל שָׁאוּל וְשָׁאוּל קָם מֵהַמְּעָרָה וַיֵּלֶךְ בַּדָּרֶךְ

David cut off his men with words. He refused to listen to any further attempts to persuade him to take this opportunity to kill the king, and he did not allow them to rise against Saul. Saul rose from the cave, and went on the way.

וַיָּקָם דָּוִד אַחֲרֵי כֵן וַיֵּצֵא מֵהַמְּעָרָה וַיִּקְרָא אַחֲרֵי שָׁאוּל לֵאמֹר אֲדֹנִי הַמֶּלֶךְ וַיַּבֵּט שָׁאוּל אַחֲרָיו וַיִּקֹּד דָּוִד אַפַּיִם אַרְצָה וַיִּשְׁתָּחוּ

Thereafter, David rose and went out of the cave, and he called after Saul, when there was a significant distance separating the pair, and David was standing in a strategically secure location, saying: My lord, the king. Saul looked behind him, and David bowed with his face to the ground and prostrated himself before the king.

וַיֹּאמֶר דָּוִד לְשָׁאוּל לָמָּה תִשְׁמַע אֶת דִּבְרֵי אָדָם לֵאמֹר הִנֵּה דָוִד מְבַקֵּשׁ רָעָתֶךָ

David said to Saul: Why do you heed and accept the words of a person, the comments of those people who are saying: Behold, David seeks your harm?

הִנֵּה הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה רָאוּ עֵינֶיךָ אֵת אֲשֶׁר נְתָנְךָ ה' הַיּוֹם בְּיָדִי בַּמְּעָרָה וְאָמַר לַהֲרָגֲךָ וַתָּחָס עָלֶיךָ וָאֹמַר לֹא אֶשְׁלַח יָדִי בַּאדֹנִי כִּי מְשִׁיחַ ה' הוּא

Behold, this day your eyes have seen that the Lord delivered you today into my hand in the cave, and one said to kill you, but I had compassion on you. I had mercy upon you. The Sages homiletically explain that Saul’s positive qualities, such as his modesty, protected him. And I said: I will not extend my hand against my lord, for he is the anointed one of the Lord.

וְאָבִי רְאֵה גַּם רְאֵה אֶת כְּנַף מְעִילְךָ בְּיָדִי כִּי בְּכָרְתִי אֶת כְּנַף מְעִילְךָ וְלֹא הֲרַגְתִּיךָ דַּע וּרְאֵה כִּי אֵין בְּיָדִי רָעָה וָפֶשַׁע וְלֹא חָטָאתִי לָךְ וְאַתָּה צֹדֶה אֶת נַפְשִׁי לְקַחְתָּהּ

My father, a reference to Saul, who was David’s king, patron, and also his father-in-law, see, indeed, see the corner of your robe in my hand, for as I cut off the corner of your robe and did not kill you, know and see that there is no evil or rebellion in my hand, and I have not sinned against you, as you were delivered into my hands, but I did not harm you; but you are intent after my life to take it.

יִשְׁפֹּט ה' בֵּינִי וּבֵינֶךָ וּנְקָמַנִי ה' מִמֶּךָּ וְיָדִי לֹא תִהְיֶה בָּךְ

May the Lord judge between me and you, and may the Lord avenge me from you. Let God take vengeance on my behalf for what you are doing to me; but my own hand will not be against you.

כַּאֲשֶׁר יֹאמַר מְשַׁל הַקַּדְמֹנִי מֵרְשָׁעִים יֵצֵא רֶשַׁע וְיָדִי לֹא תִהְיֶה בָּךְ

As the ancient proverb says: From the wicked, wickedness will come forth. An evil act emerges from a wicked person, whereas the innocent are spared from wrongdoing; therefore, David stresses: But my hand will not be against you.

אַחֲרֵי מִי יָצָא מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל אַחֲרֵי מִי אַתָּה רֹדֵף אַחֲרֵי כֶּלֶב מֵת אַחֲרֵי פַּרְעֹשׁ אֶחָד

David adds: After whom has the king of Israel gone out? Who am I that you attach such importance to me? Whom are you pursuing? Is it not after a dead dog, after a single mere flea that jumps from place to place?

וְהָיָה ה' לְדַיָּן וְשָׁפַט בֵּינִי וּבֵינֶךָ וְיֵרֶא וְיָרֵב אֶת רִיבִי וְיִשְׁפְּטֵנִי מִיָּדֶךָ

David reiterates: May the Lord be judge, and adjudicate between me and you, and He will see and advocate my cause and vindicate me from your hand.

וַיְהִי כְּכַלּוֹת דָּוִד לְדַבֵּר אֶת הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה אֶל שָׁאוּל וַיֹּאמֶר שָׁאוּל הֲקֹלְךָ זֶה בְּנִי דָוִד

It was when David finished speaking these words to Saul, Saul said: Is this your voice, my son David? Despite the king’s somewhat unbalanced state of mind, he listened carefully to David and internalized his message. Saul raised his voice, and he wept over his situation, as he realized that he was responsible for his own misery, and that he was pursuing a person who loved him.

וַיִּשָּׂא שָׁאוּל קֹלוֹ וַיֵּבְךְּ וַיֹּאמֶר אֶל דָּוִד צַדִּיק אַתָּה מִמֶּנִּי כִּי אַתָּה גְּמַלְתַּנִי הַטּוֹבָה וַאֲנִי גְּמַלְתִּיךָ הָרָעָה

He said to David: You are more righteous than I, for you have repaid me with good, but I have repaid you with evil.

וְאַתָּה הִגַּדְתָּ הַיּוֹם אֵת אֲשֶׁר עָשִׂיתָה אִתִּי טוֹבָה אֵת אֲשֶׁר סִגְּרַנִי ה' בְּיָדְךָ וְלֹא הֲרַגְתָּנִי

You have told, or proven, today that you performed good with me, that the Lord delivered me into your hand, but nevertheless you did not kill me.

וְכִי יִמְצָא אִישׁ אֶת אֹיְבוֹ וְשִׁלְּחוֹ בְּדֶרֶךְ טוֹבָה וַה' יְשַׁלֶּמְךָ טוֹבָה תַּחַת הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה אֲשֶׁר עָשִׂיתָה לִי

And if a man finds his enemy, would he send him off on a good path? Evidently, you are not my adversary. May the Lord reward you with good for that good which you did for me this day.

וְעַתָּה הִנֵּה יָדַעְתִּי כִּי מָלֹךְ תִּמְלוֹךְ וְקָמָה בְּיָדְךָ מַמְלֶכֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל

Saul adds a comment and a request which reveal his awareness of a different reality, and also that his conscience is bothering him. Now, behold, I know that ultimately you will be king and the kingdom of Israel will be established under your hand.

וְעַתָּה הִשָּׁבְעָה לִּי בַּה' אִם תַּכְרִית אֶת זַרְעִי אַחֲרָי וְאִם תַּשְׁמִיד אֶת שְׁמִי מִבֵּית אָבִי

Now, take an oath to me by the Lord, that you will surely not eliminate my descendants after me, and that you will surely not eradicate my name from my father’s house. When Saul realized that David would eventually rule over Israel, he insisted that the future king take an oath of peace, just as his son Yehonatan had done (20:12–15).

וַיִּשָּׁבַע דָּוִד לְשָׁאוּל וַיֵּלֶךְ שָׁאוּל אֶל בֵּיתוֹ וְדָוִד וַאֲנָשָׁיו עָלוּ עַל הַמְּצוּדָה

David took an oath to that effect to Saul, as the king requested. Saul went to his home, and David and his men went up to the citadel, and did not return with Saul, as David knew that he could not trust the king.