After Saul returned from fighting the Philistines, he was told that David had gone into the wilderness of En-gedi. So Saul chose 3,000 elite troops from all Israel and went to search for David and his men near the rocks of the wild goats.
At the place where the road passes some sheepfolds, Saul went into a cave to relieve himself. But as it happened, David and his men were hiding further back in that very cave!
“Now is your opportunity!” David’s men whispered to him. “Today the Lord is telling you, ‘I will certainly put your enemy into your power do as you wish.'” So david crept forward and cut off a pice of the hem of Saul’s robe. (vv. 1-4, NLT)
After Saul had left the cave and gone his way, David came out and shouted after him,”My lord the king!” And when Saul looked around, David bowed low before him.
Then he shouted to Saul, “Why do you listen to people who say I am trying to harm you.? This ver day you can see with your own eyes it isn’t true. For the Lord placed you at my mercy back there in the cave. Some of my men told me to kill you, but I spared you. For I said,’I will never harm the king-he is the Lord’s anointed one.’ Look, my father, at what I have in my hand. It is a piece of the hem of your robe! I cut it off, but I didn’t kill you. This proves that I am not trying to harm you and that I have not sinned against you, even though you have been hunting for me to kill me.” (vv. 7b-11, NLT)
And he [Saul] said to David, “You are a better man than I am, for you have repaid me good for evil. Yes, you have been amazingly kind to me today, for when the Lord put me in a place where you could have killed me you didn’t. Who else would let his enemy get away when he had him in his power? May the Lord reward you well for the kindness you have shown me today. And now I realize that you are surely going to be king, and that the kingdom of Israel will flourish under your rule. Now swear to me by the Lord that when that happens, you will not kill my family and destroy the line of my descendants.!”
So David promised this to Saul with an oath. Then Saul went home, but David and his ment went back to their stronghold. (vv. 17-22, NLT)