241 And from there, David went up and took cover in the safe place of En-gedi. 2 Now when Saul came back from fighting the Philistines, news was given him that David was in the waste land of En-gedi. 3 Then Saul took three thousand of the best men out of all Israel, and went in search of David and his men on the rocks of the mountain goats. 4 And on the way he came to a place where sheep were kept, where there was a hollow in the rock; and Saul went in for a private purpose. Now David and his men were in the deepest part of the hollow.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on 1 Samuel 24:1-4
Commentary on 1 Samuel 24:1-7
(Read 1 Samuel 24:1-7)
God delivered Saul into David's hand. It was an opportunity given to David to exercise faith and patience. He had a promise of the kingdom, but no command to slay the king. He reasons strongly, both with himself and with his men, against doing Saul any hurt. Sin is a thing which it becomes us to startle at, and to resist temptations thereto. He not only would not do this bad thing himself, but he would not suffer those about him to do it. Thus he rendered good for evil, to him from whom he received evil for good; and was herein an example to all who are called Christians, not to be overcome of evil, but to overcome evil with good.