Question
In studying 1 Samuel 24 I see two portions that I am wrestling with.
1. In v.4 it says, "Saul went in to cover his feet." I understand this from the Me’am Lo’ez and Artscroll that this means he relieved himself. But in a cave, how did David discuss this with his men AND "cut off the skirt of Saul’s robe privily" without somehow being observed/heard? Are we to understand this as divine intervention to prevent David from being observed? Otherwise it does not seem possible.
2. Then it says that "David’s heart smote him" regarding cutting Saul’s robe. Was this actually removing Saul from the throne? Or what is the deeper meaning in this?
Answer
I will try to answer on a simple note, for deeper meanings you can look in the different commentators.
1. Special commando unit soldiers train to creep up to the enemy without being noticed. King David was a top trained commando warrior and this story is only one proof of many.
2. A king should be treated with respect. The utmost level of respect. The penalty for the frailer to keep that level of respect is death. Cutting off a piece of the kings garment hinting him that he could have been killed is not respectful behavior. King David in a second thought feared he crossed the line he shouldn't have crossed.
