David Spares Saul’s Life

24 When Saul returned from following the Philistines, he was told, ‘David is in the wilderness of En-gedi.’ ² Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went to look for David and his men in the direction of the Rocks of the Wild Goats. ³ He came to the sheepfolds beside the road, where there was a cave; and Saul went in to relieve himself.^[a] Now David and his men were sitting in the innermost parts of the cave. ⁴ The men of David said to him, ‘Here is the day of which the Lord said to you, “I will give your enemy into your hand, and you shall do to him as it seems good to you.”’ Then David went and stealthily cut off a corner of Saul’s cloak. ⁵ Afterwards David was stricken to the heart because he had cut off a corner of Saul’s cloak. ⁶ He said to his men, ‘The Lord forbid that I should do this thing to my lord, the Lord’s anointed, to raise my hand against him; for he is the Lord’s anointed.’ ⁷ So David scolded his men severely and did not permit them to attack Saul. Then Saul got up and left the cave, and went on his way.

⁸ Afterwards David also rose up and went out of the cave and called after Saul, ‘My lord the king!’ When Saul looked behind him, David bowed with his face to the ground, and did obeisance. ⁹ David said to Saul, ‘Why do you listen to the words of those who say, “David seeks to do you harm”? ¹⁰ This very day your eyes have seen how the Lord gave you into my hand in the cave; and some urged me to kill you, but I spared^[b] you. I said, “I will not raise my hand against my lord; for he is the Lord’s anointed.” ¹¹ See, my father, see the corner of your cloak in my hand; for by the fact that I cut off the corner of your cloak, and did not kill you, you may know for certain that there is no wrong or treason in my hands. I have not sinned against you, though you are hunting me to take my life. ¹² May the Lord judge between me and you! May the Lord avenge me on you; but my hand shall not be against you. ¹³ As the ancient proverb says, “Out of the wicked comes forth wickedness”; but my hand shall not be against you. ¹⁴ Against whom has the king of Israel come out? Whom do you pursue? A dead dog? A single flea? ¹⁵ May the Lord therefore be judge, and give sentence between me and you. May he see to it, and plead my cause, and vindicate me against you.’

¹⁶ When David had finished speaking these words to Saul, Saul said, ‘Is that your voice, my son David?’ Saul lifted up his voice and wept. ¹⁷ He said to David, ‘You are more righteous than I; for you have repaid me good, whereas I have repaid you evil.

¹² He said also to the one who had invited him, ‘When you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbours, in case they may invite you in return, and you would be repaid. ¹³ But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. ¹⁴ And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you, for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.’

The Parable of the Great Dinner

¹⁵ One of the dinner guests, on hearing this, said to him, ‘Blessed is anyone who will eat bread in the kingdom of God!’ ¹⁶ Then Jesus^[a] said to him, ‘Someone gave a great dinner and invited many. ¹⁷ At the time for the dinner he sent his slave to say to those who had been invited, “Come; for everything is ready now.” ¹⁸ But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said to him, “I have bought a piece of land, and I must go out and see it; please accept my apologies.” ¹⁹ Another said, “I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to try them out; please accept my apologies.” ²⁰ Another said, “I have just been married, and therefore I cannot come.” ²¹ So the slave returned and reported this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and said to his slave, “Go out at once into the streets and lanes of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame.” ²² And the slave said, “Sir, what you ordered has been done, and there is still room.” ²³ Then the master said to the slave, “Go out into the roads and lanes, and compel people to come in, so that my house may be filled. ²⁴ For I tell you,^[b] none of those who were invited will taste my dinner.”’