David Flees to En Gedi, Clips Saul's garment

David now flees from Saul to En—gedi, a beautiful oasis on the shore of the Dead Sea, at the mouth of the Wadi el—Kelb—a steep, tortuous canyon beginning back some 8 mi. (12.8 km.) in the white limestone wilderness of En—gedi at an elevation of about 1,200 ft. (368 m.) above sea level. Up in the wadi several hundred feet above the base of a cliff, the beautiful warm spring of En—gedi gushes out from beneath a large boulder at a reported temperature of 83° F. In the sides of the wadi are many caves, both natural and artificial.

Saul enters a cave to relieve himself. Coming from the outside, Saul could see nothing, but the men in the cave could see clearly, for their eyes were accustomed to the darkness. At this point David could have killed Saul, but he only cut off a piece of his garment. This robe was probably the exterior tunic without sleeves, wide, and reaching to the ankles, worn by women, and also by men of high rank, such as kings and priests, etc. Doubtless David's men recognized the king as much by his dress as by his personal appearance.

Although no record is given of a divine promise that David would have his enemy delivered into his hand, what the men said may, indeed, have been true. The opportunity probably came as a test to David to enable him to exhibit the characteristics he had developed. Had David at this juncture killed Saul, he would have shown that in one respect, at least, he was no better than Saul, who if the circumstances had been reversed, would have delighted to kill David.