4. Then the men of David said unto him, Behold the day of which the Lord said unto thee, Behold, I will deliver thy enemy into thy hand that thou may do to him as it shall seem good unto thee. Then David arose and silently cut off the skirt of Saul’s robe.
5. And it came to pass afterward that David’s heart smote him because he had cut off Saul’s skirt.
6. And he said unto his men, The Lord keep me from doing this thing unto my master, the Lord’s anointed, to stretch forth my hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the Lord.
7. So David stayed his servants with these words and did not allow them to rise against Saul. But Saul rose up out of the cave and went on his way.
8. David also arose afterward and went out of the cave and cried after Saul, saying, My lord the king. And when Saul looked behind him, David stooped with his face to the earth and worshipped.
9. And David said to Saul, Why hearest thou men’s words, saying, Behold, David seeks thy hurt?
10. Behold, this day thine eyes have seen how that the Lord had delivered thee today into my hand in the cave, and some bade me kill thee, but I forgave thee, and I said, I will not put forth my hand against my lord, for he is the Lord’s anointed.