1 Samuel 26:10, commentary and pictures

The verse belongs to the time when Saul was hunting David after Saul slew the priests of the Lord, when Abiathar son of Ahimelech son of Ahitub escaped and fled to David, and David kept him in safeguard with himself because he that sought David's life sought Abiathar's life also.

David repeatedly had Saul in his power and was urged by the men under his command to kill him. Though David knew he was chosen of God to rule Israel, he refused to lift his hand to kill Saul himself because Saul had been anointed by God. He left Saul's fate to God: the Lord would strike him down, or his appointed day to die would come, or he would go down into battle and perish. He would not take the throne by killing Saul, and Saul remained alive until his death.

David had served Saul as a servant with humble, irreproachable conduct and faithfulness to do God's will, which was a constant rebuke to Saul's extravagant and rebellious course while Saul hunted David like a wild beast and made killing him the great object of his life. Rather than strike Saul, David chose to find asylum among the Philistines, and by his prudent and humble course he lived at peace even with his enemies until Saul's death.