And he said unto his men, The LORD forbid that I should do this thing unto my master, the LORD’s anointed, to stretch forth mine hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the LORD.
David said to his men, 'May the LORD prevent me from doing such a thing to my master, the LORD's chosen king. I will not raise my hand against him, because he is the one the LORD has anointed.'
David refuses to harm King Saul, even though he has the perfect opportunity, because he respects that God chose Saul as king.
📚 Historical Context
This occurs when David and his men are hiding in a cave and Saul enters alone, giving David's men the perfect chance to kill the king who has been hunting them. David had just secretly cut off a piece of Saul's robe but immediately felt guilty even for this small act. Despite Saul's relentless pursuit to kill him, David maintained deep respect for God's authority in placing Saul on the throne.
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