1 Samuel 24:17-22

17 and said to David, "You are more righteous than I, for you have done what is good to me though I have done what is evil to you.[a]
18 You yourself have told me today what good you did for me: when the Lord handed me over to you, you didn't kill me.
19 When a man finds his enemy, does he let him go unharmed?[b][c]May the Lord repay you with good for what you've done for me today.
20 "Now I know for certain you will be king, and the kingdom of Israel will be established[d] in your hand.[e]
21 Therefore swear to me by the Lord that you will not cut off my descendants or wipe out my name from my father's family."
22 So David swore to Saul. Then Saul went back home, and David and his men went up to the stronghold.

1 Samuel 24:17-22 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.

Footnotes 5

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