1 Samuel 24:12-22

12 The LORD judge between me and thee, and the LORD avenge me of thee, but my hand shall not be upon thee.

13 As saith the proverb of the ancients, Wickedness proceeds from the wicked, but my hand shall not be upon thee.

14 After whom is the king of Israel come out? After whom dost thou pursue? After a dead dog? After a flea?

15 The LORD, therefore, shall judge, and he shall judge between me and thee. Let him see and plead my cause, and defend me from thy hand.

16 And it came to pass, when David had finished speaking these words unto Saul, that Saul said, Is this thy voice, my son David? And Saul lifted up his voice and wept.

17 And he said to David, Thou art more righteous than I, for thou hast repaid me with good, whereas I have repaid thee with evil.

18 And thou hast showed this day how that thou hast dealt well with me; forasmuch as when the LORD had delivered me into thy hand, thou didst not kill me.

19 For if a man finds his enemy, will he let him go away safe and sound? The LORD reward thee with good for that which thou hast done unto me this day.

20 And now, behold, I know well that thou shalt surely be king and that the kingdom of Israel shall be firm and stable in thy hand.

21 Swear now therefore unto me by the LORD that thou wilt not cut off my seed after me and that thou wilt not destroy my name out of my father’s house.

22 Then David swore unto Saul. And Saul went home, but David and his men went up unto the fortress.

1 Samuel 24:12-22 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.