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

10This very day you can see with your own eyes it isn’t true. For the Lord placed you at my mercy back there in the cave. Some of my men told me to kill you, but I spared you. For I said, ‘I will never harm the king—he is the Lord’s anointed one.’ 11Look, my father, at what I have in my hand. It is a piece of the hem of your robe! I cut it off, but I didn’t kill you. This proves that I am not trying to harm you and that I have not sinned against you, even though you have been hunting for me to kill me. “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. 13As that old proverb says, ‘From evil people come evil deeds.’ So you can be sure I will never harm you. 14Who is the king of Israel trying to catch anyway? Should he spend his time chasing one who is as worthless as a dead dog or a single 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 26:10Surely the Lord will strike Saul down someday, or he will die of old age or in battle.
• Genesis 16:5Then Sarai said to Abram, “This is all your fault! I put my servant into your arms, but now that she’s pregnant she treats me with contempt. The Lord will show who’s wrong—you or me!”
• Judges 11:27Therefore, I have not sinned against you. Rather, you have wronged me by attacking me. Let the Lord, who is judge, decide today which of us is right—Israel or Ammon.”
• Job 5:8“If I were you, I would go to God and present my case to him.
• Psalms 7:8The Lord judges the nations. Declare me righteous, O Lord, for I am innocent, O Most High!
• Psalms 35:1O Lord, oppose those who oppose me. Fight those who fight against me.
• Psalms 43:1Declare me innocent, O God! Defend me against these ungodly people. Rescue me from these unjust liars.
• Romans 12:19Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, “I will take revenge; I will pay them back,” says the Lord.
• 1 Peter 2:23He did not retaliate when he was insulted, nor threaten revenge when he suffered. He left his case in the hands of God, who always judges fairly.
• Revelation 6:10They shouted to the Lord and said, “O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you judge the people who belong to this world and avenge our blood for what they have done to us?”
• 1 Samuel 26:11The Lord forbid that I should kill the one he has anointed! But take his spear and that jug of water beside his head, and then let’s get out of here!”

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