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1 Samuel 24:3-13

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3 He came to the sheepfolds * on the way, where there was a cave; and Saul 1went in to relieve * himself. Now 2David and his men were sitting in the inner recesses of the cave.
4 The men of David said to him, "Behold, 3this is the day of which the LORD said to you, 'Behold; 4I am about to give your enemy into your hand, and you shall do to him as it seems good to you.' " Then David arose and cut off the edge of Saul's robe secretly.
5 It came about afterward * that 5David's conscience bothered him because * he had cut off the edge of Saul's robe.
6 So he said to his men, "6Far be it from me because of the LORD that I should do this thing to my lord, the LORD'S anointed, to stretch out my hand against him, since he is the LORD'S anointed."
7 David persuaded his men with these words and did not allow them to rise up against Saul. And Saul arose, left the cave, and went on his way.
8 Now afterward * David arose and went out of the cave and called after Saul, saying, "My lord the king!" And when Saul looked behind him, 7David bowed with his face to the ground and prostrated himself.
9 David said to Saul, "Why do you listen to the words of men, saying, 'Behold, David seeks to harm you'?
10 "8Behold, this day your eyes have seen that the LORD had given you today into my hand in the cave, and 9some said to kill you, but my eye had pity on you; and I said, 'I will not stretch out my hand against my lord, for he is the LORD'S anointed.'
11 "Now, 10my father, see! Indeed, see the edge of your robe in my hand! For in that I cut off the edge of your robe and did not kill you, know and perceive that there is no evil or rebellion in my hands, and I have not sinned against you, though you 11are lying in wait for my life to take it.
12 "12May the LORD judge between you and me, and may the LORD avenge me on you; but my hand shall not be against you.
13 "As the proverb of the ancients says, '13Out of the wicked comes forth wickedness '; but my hand shall not be against you.
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1 Samuel 24:3-13 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO FIRST SAMUEL 24

Saul being returned from following the Philistines, renews his pursuit after David, 1Sa 24:1,2; and they meeting in a cave, where David had the opportunity of taking away the life of Saul, which his men pressed him to, yet only cut off the skirt of his robe, 1Sa 24:3-8; which, calling after him, he held up to him to convince him he had his life in his hands, but spared it, 1Sa 24:9,10; upon which he very pathetically reasons with him about the unreasonableness and unrighteousness of his pursuit after him, to take away his life, 1Sa 24:11-15; which so affected Saul, that he confessed he was more righteous than he, and owned that the kingdom would be his, and only desired him to swear to him not to cut off his offspring, which David did, and so they parted, 1Sa 24:16-22.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

Cross References 13

  • 1. Judges 3:24
  • 2. Psalms 57: title; Psalms 142: title
  • 3. 1 Samuel 23:17; 1 Samuel 25:28-30
  • 4. 1 Samuel 26:8, 11
  • 5. 2 Samuel 24:10
  • 6. 1 Samuel 26:11
  • 7. 1 Samuel 25:23, 24; 1 Kings 1:31
  • 8. Psalms 7:3, 4
  • 9. 1 Samuel 24:4
  • 10. 2 Kings 5:13
  • 11. 1 Samuel 23:14, 23; 1 Samuel 26:20
  • 12. Genesis 16:5; Genesis 31:53; Judges 11:27; 1 Samuel 26:10, 23
  • 13. Matthew 7:16-20

Footnotes 8

New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, California.  All rights reserved.