Berean Standard Bible
1 Samuel 24:3
3Soon Saul came to the sheepfolds along the road, where there was a cave, and he went in to relieve himself.1 And David and his men were hiding in the recesses of the cave.
1 Samuel 24:3 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And he came to the sheepcotes by the way, where was a cave; and Saul went in to cover his feet: and David and his men remained in the sides of the cave.
- New International Version (NIV)He came to the sheep pens along the way; a cave was there, and Saul went in to relieve himself. David and his men were far back in the cave.
- English Standard Version (ESV)And he came to the sheepfolds by the way, where there was a cave, and Saul went in to relieve himself. Now David and his men were sitting in the innermost parts of the cave.
- New King James Version (NKJV)So he came to the sheepfolds by the road, where there was a cave; and Saul went in to attend to his needs. (David and his men were staying in the recesses of the cave.)
Context of 1 Samuel 24:3
1After Saul had returned from pursuing the Philistines, he was told, “David is in the wilderness of En-gedi.” 2So 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. 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. 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 and stealthily cut off a corner of Saul’s robe. 5Afterward, David’s conscience was stricken because he had cut off the corner of Saul’s robe.
Read all of 1 Samuel 241 Samuel 24:3 word by word
וַ֠יָּבֹא אֶל־גִּדְר֨וֹת הַצֹּ֤אן עַל־הַדֶּ֙רֶךְ֙ וְשָׁ֣ם מְעָרָ֔ה וַיָּבֹ֥א שָׁא֖וּל לְהָסֵ֣ךְ אֶת־רַגְלָ֑יו וְדָוִד֙ וַאֲנָשָׁ֔יו בְּיַרְכְּתֵ֥י הַמְּעָרָ֖ה יֹשְׁבִֽים׃Read the interlinear
- Soon Saul cameבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
- toאֶל'êl 'el · to(wards)H413
- the sheepfoldsצֹאןtsô'n tse'ôn · flockH6629
- the sheepfoldsגְּדֵרָהgedêrâh · wallH1448
- alongעַל‛al · uponH5921
- the roadדֶּ֫רֶךְderek · way: roadH1870
- where there wasשָׁםshâm · thereH8033
- a caveמְעָרָהme‛ârâh · caveH4631
- and heשָׁאוּלshâ'ûl · SaulH7586
- to relieveסָכַךְsâkak ώâkak · to coverH5526
- ·אֵת'êth · [Obj.]H853
- himselfרֶ֫גֶלregel · footH7272
- And Davidדָּוִדdâvid dâvîyd · DavidH1732
- and his menאֱנוֹשׁ'ĕnôsh · humanH582
- were hidingיָשַׁבyâshab · to dwellH3427
- in the recessesיַרְכָהyerêkâh · flankH3411
Cross-references for 1 Samuel 24:3
- Psalms 141:6When their rulers are thrown down from the cliffs, the people will listen to my words, for they are pleasant.
- Judges 3:24After Ehud was gone, Eglon’s servants came in and found the doors of the upper room locked. “He must be relieving himself in the cool room,” they said.
- Psalms 57:1Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy, for in You my soul takes refuge. In the shadow of Your wings I will take shelter until the danger has passed.
- Psalms 142:1I cry aloud to the LORD; I lift my voice to the LORD for mercy.
Commentaries on 1 Samuel 24:3
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3The sheep-cotes - Caves in the rocks, in which it is common, even to the present time, for shepherds and their flocks to lodge. According to Strabo there are caverns in Syria, one of which is capable of containing four thousand men: ̔ ̔ ; lib. xvi. p. 1096. Edit. 1707. Saul went in to cover his feet - Perhaps this phrase signifies exactly what the Vulgate has rendered it, ut purparet ventrem. The Septuagint, the Targum, and the Arabic understand it in the…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3Remained in the sides - Rather, “were in the sides of the cave dwelling or abiding there.” Some of these caverns are very deep and spacious. Any one near the mouth of the cave would be visible, but those in the recesses would be quite in the dark and invisible, especially if the incident occurred at night. Psalm 67:1-7, according to the title, was composed on this occasion.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 33. he came to the sheepcotes--most probably in the upper ridge of Wady Chareitun. There a large cave--I am quite disposed to say the cave--lies hardly five minutes to the east of the village ruin, on the south side of the wady. It is high upon the side of the calcareous rock, and it has undergone no change since David's time. The same narrow natural vaulting at the entrance; the same huge natural chamber in the rock, probably the place where Saul lay down…Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Samuel 24:3
In the dictionaries
Notes
- 1. 1 Samuel 24:3 Literally cover his feet, a euphemism for relieving oneself ↩
Commentaries on 1 Samuel 24
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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