1AnditcameH5927topass,whenSaulwasreturnedfromfollowingthePhilistines,thatitwastoldhim, saying, Behold,DavidH1732isinthewildernessofEn-gedi. 2ThenSaulH7586tookthree thousand chosenmenoutofallIsrael,andwentH7725toseekDavidH1732andhismenupontherocksofthewild goats. 3Andhecametothesheepcotesbytheway,wherewasacave;andSaulH7586wentintocoverhisfeet. NowDavidH1732andhismenאִ֥ישׁ'ishH376wereabidingintheinnermost partsofthecave. 4AndthemenH376ofDavidH1732saiduntohim, Behold,thedayofwhichJehovahsaidunto thee, Behold,Iwilldeliver thine enemyintothy hand,andthou shaltdotohimasitshallseem good unto thee.ThenDavidH1732arose,andcutofftheskirtofSaul’srobe privily. 5Anditcametopassafterward,thatDavid’sheart smotehim,becausehehadcutH3772offSaul’sskirtH3671. 6Andhesaiduntohismen, Jehovah forbidthatIshoulddothisthinguntomylord, Jehovah’s anointed,toput forthmyhandagainsthim, seeingheisJehovah’s anointed. 7SoDavidcheckedhismenH376withthesewordsH1697,andsufferedthemnottoriseagainstSaul.AndSaulroseupoutofthecave,andwentonhisway. 8DavidH1732alsoaroseH6965afterward,andwentoutofthecaveH4631,andcriedafterSaulH7586,saying,Mylordtheking.AndwhenSaulH7586looked behindhim,DavidH1732bowedwithhisfacetotheearth,anddidobeisance. 10Behold,thisday thine eyeshaveseenhowH4100thatJehovahhaddelivered thee to-day intomyhandinthecave:andsomebademekill thee;butmine eye spared thee;andIsaidH559,Iwillnotputforthmyhandagainstmylord;forheisJehovah’s anointed. 11Moreover,myfather,seeH7200,yea,seeH7200theskirtofthy robeinmyhandH3027;forinthatIcutofftheskirtofthy robe,andkilledH2026theenot, know thouandseeH7200thatthereisneitherevilnortransgressioninmyhandH3027,andIhavenotsinnedagainstthee,thoughthou huntestaftermylifetotakeit. 12Jehovah judge betweenmeandthee,andJehovah avengemeofthee;butmyhandH3027shallnotbeuponthee. 13Assaiththeproverboftheancients,Outofthewicked cometh forth wickedness;butmyhandH3027shallnotbeH1961uponthee. 14AfterwhomisthekingofIsraelcomeout?afterwhomdost thou pursue?afteradead dog,afteraflea. 15Jehovahthereforebejudge,andgive sentence betweenmeandthee,andsee,andpleadmycause,anddelivermeoutofthy hand. 16Anditcametopass,whenDavidhadmadeanendofspeaking these words unto Saul,thatSaul said,Isthisthy voice,mysonDavid?AndSaul lifteduphisvoice,andwept. 17AndhesaidH559toDavidH1732, Thou art more righteous thanI;forthou hastrendereduntomegood, whereasIhaverenderedunto thee evil. 18Andthou hastdeclaredthisdayhowthatthou hastdealtH1580wellwithme, forasmuchaswhenJehovahhaddeliveredmeupintothy hand, thou killedstmenot. 19Forifaman findhisenemy,willhelethimgowellaway? whereforeJehovahreward theegoodH2896forthatwhichthou hastdoneuntomethisdayH3117. 20Andnow, behold,Iknowthatthou shaltsurelybeking,andthatthekingdomofIsraelshallbeestablishedinthy hand. 21SwearnowH6258thereforeH6258untomebyJehovah,thatthou wiltnotcut offmyseedafterme,andthatthou wiltnotdestroymynameoutofmyfather’s house. 22AndDavid sware unto Saul.AndSaulwenthome;butDavidandhismengatthemupuntothestronghold. Commentaries on 1 Samuel 24
American Standard Version — 1901 — Public Domain
Commentaries