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1 Samuel

1 Samuelchapter 24

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David Shows Saul How He Spared His Life — Gustave Doré, Doré's English Bible (1866), public domain

A.A cave at En-gedi and a skirt cut off in the darkvv. 1-7

1 After Saul had returned from pursuing the Philistines, he was told, “David is in the wilderness of En-gedi.” 2 So Saul took three thousand chosen men from all Israel and went to look for David and his men in the region of the Rocks of the Wild Goats. 3 Soon Saul came to the sheepfolds along the road, where there was a cave, and he went in to relieve himself. And David and his men were hiding in the recesses of the cave. 4 So David’s men said to him, “This is the day about which the LORD said to you, ‘Behold, I will deliver your enemy into your hand, that you may do with him as you wish.’” Then David crept up secretly and cut off a corner of Saul’s robe. 5 Afterward, David’s conscience was stricken because he had cut off the corner of Saul’s robe. 6 So he said to his men, “The LORD forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the LORD’s anointed. May I never lift my hand against him, since he is the LORD’s anointed.” 7 With these words David restrained his men, and he did not let them rise up against Saul. Then Saul left the cave and went on his way.

B.After whom is the king come out? A dead dog, a fleavv. 8-15

8 After that, David got up, went out of the cave, and called out to Saul, “My lord the king!” When Saul looked behind him, David bowed facedown in reverence 9 and said to Saul, “Why do you listen to the words of men who say, ‘Look, David intends to harm you’? 10 Behold, this day you have seen with your own eyes that the LORD delivered you into my hand in the cave. I was told to kill you, but I spared you and said, ‘I will not 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 did not kill you. See and know that there is no evil or rebellion in my hands. I have not 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, but my hand will never be against you. 13 As the old proverb says, ‘Wickedness proceeds from the wicked.’ But my hand will never be against you. 14 Against whom has the king of Israel come out? Whom are you pursuing? A dead dog? A flea? 15 May the LORD be our judge and decide between you and me. May He take notice and plead my case and deliver me from your hand.”

C.Saul weeps: thou art more righteous than Ivv. 16-22

16 When David had finished saying these things, Saul called back, “Is that your voice, David my son?” Then Saul wept aloud 17 and said to David, “You are more righteous than I, for you have rewarded me with good, though I have rewarded you with evil. 18 And you have shown this day how well you have dealt with me; for when the LORD delivered me into your hand, you did not kill me. 19 When a man finds his enemy, does he let him go away unharmed? May the LORD reward you with good for what you have done for me this day. 20 Now I know for sure that you will be king, and that the kingdom of Israel will be established in your hands. 21 So now, swear to me by the LORD that you will not cut off my descendants or wipe out my name from my father’s house.” 22 So David gave his oath to Saul. Then Saul returned home, but David and his men went up to the stronghold.

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Chapter summary

In the wilderness of En-gedi Saul enters a cave to cover his feet, not knowing David's men are in the sides of it.

Read the rest, the context and the outline ▾

In the wilderness of En-gedi Saul enters a cave to cover his feet, not knowing David's men are in the sides of it. They read it as providence handed over; David creeps up and cuts off the skirt of Saul's robe, and his heart smites him even for that: Jehovah forbid that I should put forth my hand against my lord, seeing he is Jehovah's anointed. He restrains his men, lets the king walk out, then calls from the cave mouth holding the cloth, see the skirt in my hand; Jehovah judge between me and thee. Saul weeps aloud: thou art more righteous than I. He asks David to swear he will not cut off his seed.

Drawn from Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory, Matthew Henry, Complete Commentary and John Wesley, Notes on the Old Testament.

Context

History · Samuel, Nathan, Gad — 1 Samuel overview

  • A. 1–7 A cave at En-gedi and a skirt cut off in the dark
  • B. 8–15 After whom is the king come out? A dead dog, a flea
  • C. 16–22 Saul weeps: thou art more righteous than I
Top cross-references8 chapters ▾
  • 1 Samuel 268 verses
    • 1 Samuel 26:2So Saul, accompanied by three thousand chosen men of Israel, went down to the Wilderness of Ziph to search for David there.
    • 1 Samuel 26:8Abishai said to David, “Today God has delivered your enemy into your hand. Now, therefore, please let me thrust the spear through him into the ground with one stroke. I will not need to strike him twice!”
    • 1 Samuel 26:9But David said to Abishai, “Do not destroy him, for who can lift a hand against the LORD’s anointed and be guiltless?”
    • 1 Samuel 26:17Then Saul recognized David’s voice and asked, “Is that your voice, David my son?” “It is my voice, my lord and king,” David said.
    • 1 Samuel 26:20So do not let my blood fall to the ground far from the presence of the LORD. For the king of Israel has come out to look for a flea, like one who hunts a partridge in the mountains.”
    • 1 Samuel 26:21Then Saul replied, “I have sinned. Come back, David my son. I will never harm you again, because today you considered my life precious. I have played the fool and have committed a grave error!”
    • Read 1 Samuel 26: 2 more there →
  • 1 Samuel 237 verses
    • 1 Samuel 23:7When Saul was told that David had gone to Keilah, he said, “God has delivered him into my hand, for he has trapped himself by entering a town with gates and bars.”
    • 1 Samuel 23:14And David stayed in the wilderness strongholds and in the hill country of the Wilderness of Ziph. Day after day Saul searched for him, but God would not deliver David into his hand.
    • 1 Samuel 23:17saying, “Do not be afraid, for my father Saul will never lay a hand on you. And you will be king over Israel, and I will be your second-in-command. Even my father Saul knows this is true.”
    • 1 Samuel 23:21“May you be blessed by the LORD,” replied Saul, “for you have had compassion on me.
    • 1 Samuel 23:23Observe and find out all the places where he hides. Then come back to me with certainty, and I will go with you. If he is in the land, I will search him out among all the clans of Judah.”
    • 1 Samuel 23:28So Saul broke off his pursuit of David and went to meet the Philistines. That is why that place is called Sela-hammahlekoth.
    • Read 1 Samuel 23: 1 more there →
  • 1 Samuel 242 verses
    • 1 Samuel 24:4So David’s men said to him, “This is the day about which the LORD said to you, ‘Behold, I will deliver your enemy into your hand, that you may do with him as you wish.’” Then David crept up secretly and cut off a corner of Saul’s robe.
    • 1 Samuel 24:10Behold, this day you have seen with your own eyes that the LORD delivered you into my hand in the cave. I was told to kill you, but I spared you and said, ‘I will not lift my hand against my lord, since he is the LORD’s anointed.’
    • Read 1 Samuel 24 →
  • 1 Samuel 252 verses
    • 1 Samuel 25:23When Abigail saw David, she quickly got off the donkey, fell facedown, and bowed before him.
    • 1 Samuel 25:33Blessed is your discernment, and blessed are you, because today you kept me from bloodshed and from avenging myself by my own hand.
    • Read 1 Samuel 25 →
4 more chapters this one speaks with

Cross-references from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and OpenBible.info.