David regretted cutting Saul’s robe because he desired a clear conscience before God and refused to harm the LORD’s anointed.
It is written in 1 Samuel 24:5, “It came about afterward that David’s conscience bothered him because he had cut off the edge of Saul’s robe.” David had been hiding in the wilderness of Engedi, a desolate region west of the Dead Sea. At this time in history (around 1010 BC), Saul was still king of Israel, reigning from about 1050 to 1010 BC, and David had already been anointed but was not yet enthroned (1 Samuel 16:13). Saul was hunting David out of jealousy, and David and his men found themselves unknowingly in the same cave as Saul, giving David a chance to strike him down. Instead, he quietly cut off a corner of Saul’s robe, but afterward felt remorse for even that minor aggression. This scrap of fabric symbolized a breach of respect toward the LORD’s anointed, and it wounded David’s conscience (1 Samuel 24:1-7).
In expressing that “David’s conscience bothered him,”1 Samuel 24:5 highlights both David’s reverence and humility as he refrained from taking Saul’s life. Despite the fact that Saul tirelessly pursued him, David’s sensitivity—and pangs of remorse—show how deeply he trusted God’s justice rather than his own might (Psalm 35:1-2). David recognized that it was not his place to harm or remove the LORD’s anointed king of Israel, even when that king’s jealousy threatened his life. His conscience’s rebuke ultimately guided him to step out of hiding and plead with Saul for peace, while still acknowledging Saul’s authority, calling him his “father” (1 Samuel 24:8-11). As a result, Saul momentarily relented, confessing that David had lavishly repaid evil with good (1 Samuel 24:16-17).
Connecting this passage to the broader story of Scripture, we see David’s faith pointing forward to the faithfulness of Jesus, David’s greatest descendant. Like David, Jesus loved His enemies, leaving complete justice in God’s hands (Romans 12:19). David spared Saul twice, which illustrates an important biblical principle of honoring God’s timing and refusing to grasp for power prematurely (1 Samuel 26:8-12). By doing so, David maintained a conscience directed by the Holy Spirit, a pattern that Christians today are encouraged to follow in dealing with their enemies and matters of conscience (Matthew 5:44).
This verse shows that David’s remorse came from his deep respect for God’s plan, even while being pursued. It is a reminder that a God-focused heart will grieve any act that diminishes another’s dignity, and that we should likewise trust God to exalt the humble and bring justice in His time.
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1 Samuel 24:5 meaning
It is written in 1 Samuel 24:5, “It came about afterward that David’s conscience bothered him because he had cut off the edge of Saul’s robe.” David had been hiding in the wilderness of Engedi, a desolate region west of the Dead Sea. At this time in history (around 1010 BC), Saul was still king of Israel, reigning from about 1050 to 1010 BC, and David had already been anointed but was not yet enthroned (1 Samuel 16:13). Saul was hunting David out of jealousy, and David and his men found themselves unknowingly in the same cave as Saul, giving David a chance to strike him down. Instead, he quietly cut off a corner of Saul’s robe, but afterward felt remorse for even that minor aggression. This scrap of fabric symbolized a breach of respect toward the LORD’s anointed, and it wounded David’s conscience (1 Samuel 24:1-7).
In expressing that “David’s conscience bothered him,” 1 Samuel 24:5 highlights both David’s reverence and humility as he refrained from taking Saul’s life. Despite the fact that Saul tirelessly pursued him, David’s sensitivity—and pangs of remorse—show how deeply he trusted God’s justice rather than his own might (Psalm 35:1-2). David recognized that it was not his place to harm or remove the LORD’s anointed king of Israel, even when that king’s jealousy threatened his life. His conscience’s rebuke ultimately guided him to step out of hiding and plead with Saul for peace, while still acknowledging Saul’s authority, calling him his “father” (1 Samuel 24:8-11). As a result, Saul momentarily relented, confessing that David had lavishly repaid evil with good (1 Samuel 24:16-17).
Connecting this passage to the broader story of Scripture, we see David’s faith pointing forward to the faithfulness of Jesus, David’s greatest descendant. Like David, Jesus loved His enemies, leaving complete justice in God’s hands (Romans 12:19). David spared Saul twice, which illustrates an important biblical principle of honoring God’s timing and refusing to grasp for power prematurely (1 Samuel 26:8-12). By doing so, David maintained a conscience directed by the Holy Spirit, a pattern that Christians today are encouraged to follow in dealing with their enemies and matters of conscience (Matthew 5:44).
This verse shows that David’s remorse came from his deep respect for God’s plan, even while being pursued. It is a reminder that a God-focused heart will grieve any act that diminishes another’s dignity, and that we should likewise trust God to exalt the humble and bring justice in His time.