1 Samuel 24:9

9 David said to Saul, "Why do you listen when people say, ‘David wants to ruin you'?

1 Samuel 24:9 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 24:9

And David said to Saul, wherefore hearest thou men's words,
&c.] The false charges and accusations, that some of Saul's courtiers brought against David, as Doeg the Edomite, and such like sycophants and flatterers, to whom Saul hearkened, and believed what they said, and acted upon it. David chose rather to lay the blame on Saul's courtiers than on himself; and he began with him in this way, the rather to reconcile him to him, and cause him to listen to what he had to say: and represents them as saying
to him, behold, David seeketh thy hurt?
seeks to take away thy life, and seize upon thy crown and throne; than which nothing was more foreign from him.

1 Samuel 24:9 In-Context

7 So David held his soldiers in check by what he said, and he wouldn't allow them to attack Saul. Saul then left the cave and went on his way.

8 Then David also went out of the cave and yelled after Saul, "My master the king!" Saul looked back, and David bowed low out of respect, nose to the ground.

9 David said to Saul, "Why do you listen when people say, ‘David wants to ruin you'?

10 Look! Today your own eyes have seen that the LORD handed you over to me in the cave. But I refused to kill you. I spared you, saying, ‘I won't lift a hand against my master because he is the LORD's anointed.'

11 Look here, my protector! See the corner of your robe in my hand? I cut off the corner of your robe but didn't kill you. So know now that I am not guilty of wrongdoing or rebellion. I haven't wronged you, but you are hunting me down, trying to kill me.