1 Samuel 24:12

12 "May the Lord judge between you and me, and may the Lord take vengeance on you for me, but my hand will never be against you.^[a]

1 Samuel 24:12 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 24:12

The Lord judge between me and thee
And make it appear who is in the right, and who in the wrong: and the Lord avenge me of thee;
if he continued thus to persecute him: but mine hand shall not be upon thee;
to kill thee, though it may be in my power again to do it, as it has been; but this I am determined upon, let me suffer what I will, I will not lay hands on thee to do thee any hurt, but leave thee with God to requite all the evil done to me by thee.

1 Samuel 24:12 In-Context

10 You can see with your own eyes that the Lord handed you over to me today in the cave. [Someone] advised [me] to kill you, but I took pity on you and said: I won't lift my hand against my lord, since he is the Lord's anointed.

11 See, my father! Look at the corner of your robe in my hand, for I cut it off, but I didn't kill you. Look and recognize that there is no evil or rebellion in me. I haven't sinned against you even though you are hunting me down to take my life.

12 "May the Lord judge between you and me, and may the Lord take vengeance on you for me, but my hand will never be against you.

13 As the old proverb says, 'Wickedness comes from wicked people.' My hand will never be against you.

14 Who has the king of Israel come after? What are you chasing after? A dead dog? A flea?

Footnotes

• [a]. 1 Sm 26:10-11,23