Single lesson

David Spares Saul in the Cave

1 Samuel 24:1–22

David has a chance to strike back at Saul, but he chooses restraint. In this lesson, children trace the order of the story, notice the choices each person makes, and see how David leaves judgement with Yahweh.

6–10 years30 minutes

Before you teach

Saul learns that David is in the wilderness of En Gedi and goes with three thousand chosen men to seek him. Saul went into the cave while David and his men were in the innermost parts of it. This sets up the key choice in the passage.

Learning aim

Students will be able to retell the five main parts of 1 Samuel 24:1–22 and explain that David spared Saul and left judgement with Yahweh.

Welcome: Spot the big choice

4 min

Ask children to listen for a moment when David could harm Saul but does not. Introduce the setting simply: Saul is searching for David with many men, and both end up at the same cave. Tell the class they will sequence the story and compare the choices David and Saul make.

1 Samuel 24:2, 1 Samuel 24:3

Read and explain: In the cave

8 min

Read verses 1 to 7 aloud. Explain that David’s men think this is David’s opportunity, but David only cuts off part of Saul’s robe. Then David feels troubled and says he will not stretch out his hand against Saul, because Saul is Yahweh’s anointed. David also stops his men from attacking Saul.

1 Samuel 24:4, 1 Samuel 24:5, 1 Samuel 24:6, 1 Samuel 24:7

Discuss: David speaks to Saul

6 min

Read verses 8 to 15. Show the order: David comes out, calls Saul, bows, and speaks. He points to the piece of robe as proof that he did not kill Saul. He says there is no evil or disobedience in his hand and asks Yahweh to judge between them, while refusing personal revenge.

1 Samuel 24:8, 1 Samuel 24:10, 1 Samuel 24:11, 1 Samuel 24:12, 1 Samuel 24:15

Make and respond: Robe piece sequence cards

8 min

Children make five simple cards showing the story order: Saul searches, Saul enters the cave, David cuts the robe, David speaks, Saul answers. On the back of each card, older children can add one key line from the passage such as 'my hand will not be on you' or 'you didn’t kill me'.

1 Samuel 24:2, 1 Samuel 24:3, 1 Samuel 24:4, 1 Samuel 24:12, 1 Samuel 24:18

Closing: Saul’s response and lesson summary

4 min

Read verses 16 to 22. Saul weeps and says David is more righteous because David did good while Saul did evil. Saul says David will be king and asks David to spare his offspring. Finish by reviewing the outcome: David swore, Saul went home, and David and his men went up to the stronghold.

1 Samuel 24:16, 1 Samuel 24:17, 1 Samuel 24:19, 1 Samuel 24:20, 1 Samuel 24:22

Questions to explore

What did David do in the cave, and what did he refuse to do?

Use the details in the cave scene: David cut off the skirt of Saul’s robe, but he said he would not stretch out his hand against Saul.

1 Samuel 24:4, 1 Samuel 24:6

How did David show Saul that he had spared him?

Look for the object David held up and the words he used to explain that he had not sinned against Saul.

1 Samuel 24:11

How did Saul respond after hearing David’s words?

Notice Saul’s tears, his words about David’s righteousness, and his statement about David becoming king.

1 Samuel 24:16, 1 Samuel 24:17, 1 Samuel 24:20

Make, think or respond

Robe Piece Story Cards

What you’ll need

plain paper or card
pencils or textas
scissors
Bible

Try it together

Help children fold or cut paper into five cards.
On each card, draw one part of the story in order: Saul searching, the cave, the robe piece, David speaking, Saul replying.
Mix the cards and have children place them back in order using the Bible reading.
Invite children to say one choice or one outcome from each card.
If time allows, write a short phrase from the passage on each card.

The cards help children sequence the account and connect David’s actions, words, and Saul’s response to the passage itself.

Adapt for your group

For younger children, prepare the five scene titles orally and let them draw only one picture for each part while the leader helps with ordering.
For older children, ask them to add a short caption from David’s speech or Saul’s response to each card and explain which choice changed the outcome.

An optional closing prayer

You may pray: 'Yahweh, thank you for this passage. Please help us choose what is right, speak truthfully, and leave judgement with you. Amen.'

Read the Bible passage World English Bible Classic

1 Samuel 24

¹ When Saul had returned from following the Philistines, he was told, “Behold, David is in the wilderness of En Gedi.”

² Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went to seek David and his men on the rocks of the wild goats.

³ He came to the sheep pens by the way, where there was a cave; and Saul went in to relieve himself. Now David and his men were staying in the innermost parts of the cave.

⁴ David’s men said to him, “Behold, the day of which Yahweh said to you, ‘Behold, I will deliver your enemy into your hand, and you shall do to him as it shall seem good to you.’ ” Then David arose and cut off the skirt of Saul’s robe secretly.

⁵ Afterward, David’s heart struck him because he had cut off Saul’s skirt.

⁶ He said to his men, “Yahweh forbid that I should do this thing to my lord, Yahweh’s anointed, to stretch out my hand against him, since he is Yahweh’s anointed.”

⁷ So David checked his men with these words, and didn’t allow them to rise against Saul. 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!” When Saul looked behind him, David bowed with his face to the earth, and showed respect.

⁹ David said to Saul, “Why do you listen to men’s words, saying, ‘Behold, David seeks to harm you’?

¹⁰ Behold, today your eyes have seen how Yahweh had delivered you today into my hand in the cave. Some urged me to kill you, but I spared you. I said, ‘I will not stretch out my hand against my lord, for he is Yahweh’s anointed.’

¹¹ Moreover, my father, behold, yes, see the skirt of your robe in my hand; for in that I cut off the skirt of your robe and didn’t kill you, know and see that there is neither evil nor disobedience in my hand. I have not sinned against you, though you hunt for my life to take it.

¹² May Yahweh judge between me and you, and may Yahweh avenge me of you; but my hand will not be on you.

¹³ As the proverb of the ancients says, ‘Out of the wicked comes wickedness;’ but my hand will not be on you.

¹⁴ Against whom has the king of Israel come out? Whom do you pursue? A dead dog? A flea?

¹⁵ May Yahweh therefore be judge, and give sentence between me and you, and see, and plead my cause, and deliver me out of your hand.”

¹⁶ It came to pass, when David had finished speaking these words to Saul, that 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 done good to me, whereas I have done evil to you.

¹⁸ You have declared today how you have dealt well with me, because when Yahweh had delivered me up into your hand, you didn’t kill me.

¹⁹ For if a man finds his enemy, will he let him go away unharmed? Therefore may Yahweh reward you good for that which you have done to me today.

²⁰ Now, behold, I know that you will surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel will be established in your hand.

²¹ Swear now therefore to me by Yahweh that you will not cut off my offspring after me, and that you will not destroy my name out of my father’s house.”

²² David swore to Saul. Saul went home, but David and his men went up to the stronghold.

World English Bible Classic. Public domain.