Episode 113: David cuts off Saul's skirt

1 Samuel 23-24

God tells David to smite the Philistines

23 ¹ Someone told David that the Philistines attacked the city of Keilah.

² So David asked God, "Should I go smite the Philistines?"

God answered, "Yes. Go smite the Philistines and save Keilah."

³ But David's men said to him, "We're afraid of the Philistines."

⁴ So David asked God again. And God said, "Go to Keilah. I'll deliver the Philistines into your hand."

⁵ So David and his men went to Keilah and killed the Philistines with a great slaughter.

God warns David (via ephod) about Saul

⁶ Abiathar the son of Ahimelech came to visit David with an ephod in his hand.

⁷ When Saul found out that David was in Keilah, he said,

The Lord has delivered him into my hands.

⁸ So Saul declared war and led his soldiers to Keilah.

⁹ David knew that Saul was after him, so he said to Abiathar, "Bring me your ephod."

¹⁰ With the ephod in hand, David asked God,

¹¹ Will Saul come down to Keilah, as I've heard he will?

God said, "Yes, he’ll come down."

¹² David said, "Will the men of Keilah deliver me into Saul's hand?"

God said, "Yes, they will."

Jonathan and David have a secret meeting

¹³ After David's conversation with God, he and his 600 men left Keilah and went wherever they could go.

Saul heard that David escaped from Keilah, so he decided not to go there.

¹⁴ David and his men went to on a mountain in the wilderness of Ziph.

¹⁶ Meanwhile, David and Jonathan had a secret meeting in the forest. Jonathan said to David,

¹⁷ Don't worry. My father will never find you.

You’ll be king of Israel, and I will be at your side.

¹⁸ David and Jonathan made a covenant before God.

Then Jonathan returned to his house and David lived in the forest.

David cuts off Saul's skirt (while he's going to the bathroom)

24 ^1-2Saul was told that David was hiding in the wilderness, so he took 3000 men to go find David and his men.

³ When Saul arrived, he went into a cave to go to the bathroom.

⁴ While he was busy with that, David snuck in and cut off a piece of his skirt. Saul didn't even see David or notice that his skirt was cut.

David and Saul make up

⁵ But later, David felt bad about cutting off Saul's skirt.

⁸ So David ran after him and cried out, "My lord king!"

Saul looked behind him and saw David with his face to the ground.

⁹ Then David made a little speech, saying:

Where'd you get the idea that I wanted to hurt you?

¹⁰ God delivered you into my hands when you were relieving yourself in the cave, and some wanted me to kill you then, but I decided not to, saying, "I won't hurt God's anointed."

¹¹ Look at your skirt in my hand. I cut off your skirt and didn't kill you.

So you see that I am innocent. Why then are you trying to kill me?

¹⁴ Who are you chasing? A dead dog? A flea?

¹⁵ Let God judge between you and me. (He'll be on my side.)

¹⁶ When Saul heard these words he began to cry. He said,

Is this really you, David?

¹⁷ You are more righteous than I, because you have rewarded me with good, whereas I have rewarded you with evil.

¹⁸ Today God delivered me into your hand (when I was going to the bathroom in the cave) yet you didn't kill me.

¹⁹ God will reward you for the good that you did to me today.

²⁰ I know you'll be king someday.

²¹ So swear to me that you won't destroy my name or kill my descendants.

²² David swore to Saul. Then Saul went home, but David and his men returned to their cave.