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.
• 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.
• New Living Translation (NLT)“May the Lord judge between us. Perhaps the Lord will punish you for what you are trying to do to me, but I will never harm you.

Context of 1 Samuel 24:12

10This day you have seen with your own eyes how the Lord delivered you into my hands in the cave. Some urged me to kill you, but I spared you; I said, ‘I will not lay my hand on my lord, because he is the Lord’s anointed.’ 11See, my father, look at this piece of your robe in my hand! I cut off the corner of your robe but did not kill you. See that there is nothing in my hand to indicate that I am guilty of wrongdoing or rebellion. I have not wronged you, but you are hunting me down to take my life. 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. 13As the old saying goes, ‘From evildoers come evil deeds,’ so my hand will not touch you. 14“Against whom has the king of Israel come out? Who are you pursuing? A dead dog? A 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 26:10As surely as the Lord lives,” he said, “the Lord himself will strike him, or his time will come and he will die, or he will go into battle and perish.
• Genesis 16:5Then Sarai said to Abram, “You are responsible for the wrong I am suffering. I put my slave in your arms, and now that she knows she is pregnant, she despises me. May the Lord judge between you and me.”
• Judges 11:27I have not wronged you, but you are doing me wrong by waging war against me. Let the Lord, the Judge, decide the dispute this day between the Israelites and the Ammonites.”
• Job 5:8“But if I were you, I would appeal to God; I would lay my cause before him.
• Psalms 7:8Let the Lord judge the peoples. Vindicate me, Lord, according to my righteousness, according to my integrity, O Most High.
• Psalms 35:1Contend, Lord, with those who contend with me; fight against those who fight against me.
• Psalms 43:1Vindicate me, my God, and plead my cause against an unfaithful nation. Rescue me from those who are deceitful and wicked.
• Romans 12:19Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord.
• 1 Peter 2:23When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.
• Revelation 6:10They called out in a loud voice, “How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?”
• 1 Samuel 26:11But the Lord forbid that I should lay a hand on the Lord’s anointed. Now get the spear and water jug that are near his head, 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