1 Samuel 24:12

1 Samuel 24:12 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)The Lord judge between me and thee, and the Lord avenge me of thee: but mine hand shall not be upon thee.
• New International Version (NIV)May the Lord judge between you and me. And may the Lord avenge the wrongs you have done to me, but my hand will not touch you.
• English Standard Version (ESV)May the Lord judge between me and you, may the Lord avenge me against you, but my hand shall not be against you.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Let the Lord judge between you and me, and let the Lord avenge me on you. But my hand shall not be against you.

Context of 1 Samuel 24:12

10Today you saw how the Lord handed you over to me in the cave. Although I was told to kill you, I spared you, saying, ‘I will not raise my hand against Your Majesty because you are the Lord’s anointed.’ 11My master, look at this! The border of your robe is in my hand! Since I cut off the border of your robe and didn’t kill you, you should know and be able to see I mean no harm or rebellion. I haven’t sinned against you, but you are trying to ambush me in order to take my life. May the Lord decide between you and me. May the Lord take revenge on you for what you did to me. However, I will not lay a hand on you. 13It’s like people used to say long ago, ‘Wickedness comes from wicked people.’ But I will not lay a hand on you. 14Against whom has the king of Israel come out? Whom are you pursuing? A dead dog? One flea?

1 Samuel 24:12 word by word

יִשְׁפֹּ֤ט יְהוָה֙ בֵּינִ֣י וּבֵינֶ֔ךָ וּנְקָמַ֥נִי יְהוָ֖ה מִמֶּ֑ךָּ וְיָדִ֖י לֹ֥א תִֽהְיֶה־בָּֽךְ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• The Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• judgeשָׁפַטshâphaţ · to judgeH8199
• avengeנָקַםnâqam · to avengeH5358
• me of thee: but mine handיָדyâd · handH3027

Cross-references for 1 Samuel 24:12

• 1 Samuel 26:10I solemnly swear, as the Lord lives,” David added, “the Lord will strike him. Either his time will come when he’ll die ⌞naturally⌟, or he’ll go into battle and be swept away.
• Genesis 16:5So Sarai complained to Abram, “I’m being treated unfairly! And it’s your fault! I know that I gave my slave to you, but now that she’s pregnant, she’s being disrespectful to me. May the Lord decide who is right—you or me.”
• Judges 11:27I haven’t sinned against you. But you have done wrong by waging war against me. The Lord is the judge who will decide today whether Israel or Ammon is right.”
• Job 5:8“But I would seek God’s help and present my case to him.
• Psalms 7:8The Lord judges the people of the world. Judge me, O Lord, according to my righteousness, according to my integrity.
• Psalms 35:1O Lord, attack those who attack me. Fight against those who fight against me.
• Psalms 43:1Judge me, O God, and plead my case against an ungodly nation. Rescue me from deceitful and unjust people.
• Romans 12:19Don’t take revenge, dear friends. Instead, let God’s anger take care of it. After all, Scripture says, “I alone have the right to take revenge. I will pay back, says the Lord.”
• 1 Peter 2:23Christ never verbally abused those who verbally abused him. When he suffered, he didn’t make any threats but left everything to the one who judges fairly.
• Revelation 6:10They cried out in a loud voice, “Holy and true Master, how long before you judge and take revenge on those living on earth who shed our blood?”
• 1 Samuel 26:11It would be unthinkable for me to attack the Lord’s anointed king. But please take that spear near his head and that jar of water, and let’s go.”

Commentaries on 1 Samuel 24:12

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 12The Lord judge between me and thee - Appeals of this kind to God are the common refuge of the poor and oppressed people. So also among the Hindoos: God will judge between us. Mother Kalee will judge. Sometimes this springs from a consciousness of innocence, and sometimes from a desire of revenge.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 8-15Verses 8-15 David was falsely charged with seeking Saul's hurt; he shows Saul that God's providence had given him opportunity to do it. And it was upon a good principle that he refused to do it. He declares his fixed resolution never to be his own avenger. If men wrong us, God will right us, at farthest, in the judgment of the great day.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 12May the LORD judge: There was no human authority who could decide what was right between Saul and David. Because of this, David asked God to judge the matter (see Genesis 16:5; 31:53; Exodus 5:21; Judges 11:27). may the LORD take vengeance on you: David trusted God's plan instead of trying to control it.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 8-158-15. David also arose ... and went out of the cave, and cried after Saul--The closeness of the precipitous cliffs, though divided by deep wadies, and the transparent purity of the air enable a person standing on one rock to hear distinctly the words uttered by a speaker standing on another (Jud 9:7). The expostulation of David, followed by the visible tokens he furnished of his cherishing no evil design against either the person or the government of the…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Samuel 24:12

• Forgiveness
• God Continued...
• Mercy
• Self-Control

In the dictionaries

• David
• Providence
• Reward
• Flea
• Samuel, Books of
• Saul
• avenge, avenger, revenge, vengeance
• proverb

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