Behold, today your eyes have seen how Yahweh had delivered you today into my hand in the cave. Some urged me to kill you; but I spared you; and I said, I will not stretch out my hand against my lord; for he is Yahweh’s anointed. Moreover, my father, behold, yes, see the skirt of your robe in my hand; for in that I cut off the skirt of your robe, and didn’t kill you, know and see that there is neither evil nor disobedience in my hand, and I have not sinned against you, though you hunt for my life to take it. May Yahweh judge between me and you, and may Yahweh avenge me of you; but my hand will not be on you.
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1 Samuel 24:10-12 sits inside this longer paragraph.
David said to Saul, “Why do you listen to men’s words, saying, ‘Behold, David seeks to harm you?’ Behold, today your eyes have seen how Yahweh had delivered you today into my hand in the cave. Some urged me to kill you; but I spared you; and I said, I will not stretch out my hand against my lord; for he is Yahweh’s anointed. Moreover, my father, behold, yes, see the skirt of your robe in my hand; for in that I cut off the skirt of your robe, and didn’t kill you, know and see that there is neither evil nor disobedience in my hand, and I have not sinned against you, though you hunt for my life to take it. May Yahweh judge between me and you, and may Yahweh avenge me of you; but my hand will not be on you. As the proverb of the ancients says, ‘Out of the wicked comes wickedness;’ but my hand will not be on you. Against whom has the king of Israel come out? Whom do you pursue? A dead dog? A flea? May Yahweh therefore be judge, and give sentence between me and you, and see, and plead my cause, and deliver me out of your hand.”
Parallel Translations
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Behold, today your eyes have seen how Yahweh had delivered you today into my hand in the cave. Some urged me to kill you; but I spared you; and I said, I will not stretch out my hand against my lord; for he is Yahweh’s anointed.
Moreover, my father, behold, yes, see the skirt of your robe in my hand; for in that I cut off the skirt of your robe, and didn’t kill you, know and see that there is neither evil nor disobedience in my hand, and I have not sinned against you, though you hunt for my life to take it.
May Yahweh judge between me and you, and may Yahweh avenge me of you; but my hand will not be on you.
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Behold, this day thine eyes have seen how that the LORD had delivered thee to day into mine hand in the cave: and some bade me kill thee: but mine eye spared thee; and I said, I will not put forth mine hand against my lord; for he is the LORD’s anointed.
Moreover, my father, see, yea, see the skirt of thy robe in my hand: for in that I cut off the skirt of thy robe, and killed thee not, know thou and see that there is neither evil nor transgression in mine hand, and I have not sinned against thee; yet thou huntest my soul to take it.
The LORD judge between me and thee, and the LORD avenge me of thee: but mine hand shall not be upon thee.
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(24-11) Behold, this day thine eyes have seen how that the LORD had delivered thee to-day into my hand in the cave; and some bade me kill thee; but mine eye spared thee; and I said: I will not put forth my hand against my lord; for he is the LORD'S anointed.
(24-12) Moreover, my father, see, yea, see the skirt of thy robe in my hand; for in that I cut off the skirt of thy robe, and killed thee not, know thou and see that there is neither evil nor transgression in my hand, and I have not sinned against thee, though thou layest wait for my soul to take it.
(24-13) The LORD judge between me and thee, and the LORD avenge me of thee; but my hand shall not be upon thee.
Cross-references (31)
- Judges 11:27 (v12) Therefore I have not sinned against you, but you do me wrong to war against me. May Yahweh the Judge be judge today between the children of…
- Psalms 43:1 (v12) Vindicate me, God, and plead my cause against an ungodly nation. Oh, deliver me from deceitful and wicked men.
- Psalms 35:1 (v12) Contend, Yahweh, with those who contend with me. Fight against those who fight against me.
- Genesis 16:5 (v12) Sarai said to Abram, “This wrong is your fault. I gave my servant into your bosom, and when she saw that she had conceived, she despised…
- Job 5:8 (v12) “But as for me, I would seek God. I would commit my cause to God,
Show all 31 cross-references
- Psalms 94:1 (v12) Yahweh, you God to whom vengeance belongs, you God to whom vengeance belongs, shine out.
- Romans 12:19 (v12) Don’t seek revenge yourselves, beloved, but give place to God’s wrath. For it is written, “Vengeance belongs to me; I will repay, says the…
- 1 Peter 2:23 (v12) When he was cursed, he didn’t curse back. When he suffered, he didn’t threaten, but committed himself to him who judges righteously.
- 1 Samuel 24:4 (v10) David’s men said to him, “Behold, the day of which Yahweh said to you, ‘Behold, I will deliver your enemy into your hand, and you shall do…
- 1 Samuel 26:20 (v11) Now therefore, don’t let my blood fall to the earth away from the presence of Yahweh; for the king of Israel has come out to seek a flea,…
- Psalms 7:8-9 (v12) Yahweh administers judgment to the peoples. Judge me, Yahweh, according to my righteousness, and to my integrity that is in me. Oh let the…
- 1 Samuel 23:14 (v11) David stayed in the wilderness in the strongholds, and remained in the hill country in the wilderness of Ziph. Saul sought him every day,…
- 1 Samuel 23:23 (v11) See therefore, and take knowledge of all the lurking places where he hides himself, and come again to me with certainty, and I will go with…
- Psalms 105:15 (v10) “Don’t touch my anointed ones! Do my prophets no harm!”
- Genesis 31:53 (v12) The God of Abraham, and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge between us.” Then Jacob swore by the fear of his father, Isaac.
- 1 Samuel 26:8-9 (v10) Then Abishai said to David, “God has delivered up your enemy into your hand today. Now therefore please let me strike him with the spear to…
- 1 Samuel 26:10-11 (v12) David said, “As Yahweh lives, Yahweh will strike him; or his day shall come to die; or he shall go down into battle and perish. Yahweh…
- 1 Samuel 26:18 (v11) He said, “Why does my lord pursue his servant? For what have I done? What evil is in my hand?
- 1 Samuel 26:23 (v12) Yahweh will render to every man his righteousness and his faithfulness; because Yahweh delivered you into my hand today, and I wouldn’t…
- 2 Kings 5:13 (v11) His servants came near, and spoke to him, and said, “My father, if the prophet had asked you do some great thing, wouldn’t you have done…
- John 15:25 (v11) But this happened so that the word may be fulfilled which was written in their law, ‘They hated me without a cause.’
- Revelation 6:10 (v12) They cried with a loud voice, saying, “How long, Master, the holy and true, until you judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the…
- 1 Samuel 18:27 (v11) David arose and went, he and his men, and killed two hundred men of the Philistines. Then David brought their foreskins, and they gave them…
- Job 10:16 (v11) If my head is held high, you hunt me like a lion. Again you show yourself powerful to me.
- Psalms 7:3-4 (v11) Yahweh, my God, if I have done this, if there is iniquity in my hands, if I have rewarded evil to him who was at peace with me (yes, I have…
- Psalms 35:7 (v11) For without cause they have hidden their net in a pit for me. Without cause they have dug a pit for my soul.
- Psalms 140:11 (v11) An evil speaker won’t be established in the earth. Evil will hunt the violent man to overthrow him.
- Proverbs 15:1 (v11) A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.
- Lamentations 4:18 (v11) They hunt our steps, so that we can’t go in our streets. Our end is near. Our days are fulfilled, for our end has come.
- Ezekiel 13:18 (v11) and say, “The Lord Yahweh says: ‘Woe to the women who sew pillows on all elbows, and make kerchiefs for the head of persons of every…
- Micah 7:2 (v11) The godly man has perished out of the earth, and there is no one upright among men. They all lie in wait for blood; every man hunts his…
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this passage (16 sources)
Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.
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Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain On v10 Contrary to the false report of them that said,…
Contrary to the false report of them that said, David was Saul’s enemy, he proveth himself to be his friend.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain On vv10–12 1Sa 24:10 Behold, this day thine eyes have seen…
1Sa 24:10 Behold, this day thine eyes have seen how that the LORD had delivered thee to day into mine hand in the cave: and [some] bade [me] kill thee: but [mine eye] spared thee; and I said, I will not put forth mine hand against my lord; for he [is] the LORD’S anointed.
Ver. 10. Behold, this day thine eyes have seen.] This is David’s defence; wherein each word hath its weight, each syllable its substance. We may lawfully, when wronged, clear our own innocence, so we do it, as here, with meekness and wisdom. Sed o quam hoc non est omnium.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain On vv10–12 Mine eye; which words are easily understood both from…
Mine eye; which words are easily understood both from the nature of the thing, and from the use of this phrase in other scriptures, as Deu 7:16; 13:8. The eye is said to spare, because it affects the heart with pity, and moves a man to spare.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain On vv10–12 Behold, this day thine eyes have seen,.... Or may…
Behold, this day thine eyes have seen,.... Or may see; there is full proof and evidence of it, and which will be presently shown:
how that the Lord had delivered thee today into mine hand in the cave; from whence they were both just come:
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and some bade me kill thee; some of the men that were with David, some of his officers or principal friends put him upon it, having a fair opportunity, and thinking it no evil, since he was his enemy, and sought his life; or "it said, kill thee"; my heart prompted me to it, that said so at first, as Ben Gersom interprets it; some refer it to God, who in his providence said so, or so it might be understood by David, as if Providence directed him to it, by giving film such an opportunity of doing it:
but mine eye spared thee; had pity on him, and notwithstanding the suggestions of friends, and of his own heart at first, or the seeming direction of Providence, yet he had mercy on him, and forbore slaying him:
and I said, I will not put forth my hand against my lord; and king, whose subject I am:
for he is the Lord's anointed; the Lord has raised him to this dignity; invested him with the office of a king, and as such I regard him, and therefore have refrained mine hand from him, from hurting him,
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain On vv10, 12 Mine eye - The eye is said to spare,…
Mine eye - The eye is said to spare, because it affects the heart with pity, and moves a man to spare.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain On v12 Verse 12. The Lord judge between me and thee]…
Verse 12. The 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.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain On v10 1Sa 24:10-12. Mine eye spared thee — A phrase…
1Sa 24:10-12. Mine eye spared thee — A phrase signifying the taking pity on those whom we have it in our power to hurt. The eye is said to spare, because it affects the heart, and induces a person to spare. Moreover, my father — Such he was through David’s marriage of his daughter. The Lord avenge me of thee — Rather, will avenge me; that is, vindicate and deliver me from thy violent and unjust persecution. For he does not, in these words, pray God to punish Saul for the injuries he had done him, but to justify, clear, and protect himself. But my hand shall not be upon thee — He was resolved not to return evil for evil, or to avenge himself, but to leave it to God to do him right.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain On v11 My father - The respectful address of a junior…
My father - The respectful address of a junior and an inferior (see 2Ki 5:13, and compare 1Sa 24:16; 1Sa 25:8).
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain On vv11–12 A thought to kill thee. That is, a suggestion,…
A thought to kill thee. That is, a suggestion, to which I did not consent. (Challoner) --- Hebrew, "and he spoke to kill thee, and he has pardoned thee; and he said, I will not," &c. (Calmet) --- Protestants, "and some bade me kill thee, but mine eye spared thee, and I said." Septuagint, "and I would not kill thee, and I spared thee, and said," &c. (Haydock)
George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain On v11 11. My father, see — A reverential form of…
11. My father, see — A reverential form of addressing an esteemed superior, (2Ki_2:12; 2Ki_5:13,) but in this place it may mean more. Saul was David’s father in law, and by this address the son of Jesse shows the king a childlike respect and reverence. It was a word of love that touched the heart of Saul, and brought the response My son. 1Sa_24:16.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain On v11 11. my father] The address of respect and affection.…
11. my father] The address of respect and affection. Cp. 2Ki_5:13; 2Ki_6:21.
evil] The same word as that rendered “thy hurt” in 1Sa_24:9.
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my soul] i.e. my life.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain On vv10–11 (10) Thine eyes have seen.—David and a crowd of…
(10) Thine eyes have seen.—David and a crowd of armed men around him were standing at the entrance of the cave which King Saul had just left; thus the king’s eye had seen—nay, was seeing that very moment—that his life had been in his enemy David’s hand.
And some bade me kill thee.—The literal translation here would be Jehovah delivered thee to-day into mine hand in the cave, and bade [me] kill thee. And this rendering has been explained by assuming that God’s allowing Saul to choose the very cavern for his midday slumber where David and his company were lodging was tantamount to directing David to slay his bitter foe, thus given over helpless into his hands; but this is contrary to the spirit of the whole narrative. The English Version has followed the Syriac and Chaldee Versions here, and by supplying “some”—better, perhaps, one—before “bade me kill thee,” has given us the sense in which the Hebrews have always understood the passage. The Vulg. here, with a very slight change in the vowel points, renders “I thought to kill thee.”
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But mine eye spared thee.—The English Version supplies an obvious subject in “mine eye.” Clericus suggests more happily, “my soul,” or “my hand,” before “spared thee.”
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain On v11 Vers. 11-13. My father. David thus salutes Saul not…
Vers. 11-13. My father. David thus salutes Saul not because he was actually his father-in-law, but as a title indicative of the respect due from an inferior to his superior. (2Ki_5:13) So David calls himself Nabal"s. (1Sa_25:8) In the rest of the verse he contrasts his refusal to slay Saul, when it might have seemed as if it were Providence that had put him into his power, with Saul"s determined pursuit of him. Thou huntest my soul to take it. Thou perpetually usest every artifice and stratagem against me for the confessed purpose of killing me, and pursuest me as eagerly as the hunter pursues his game. Hence David commits his cause to Jehovah, in the sure confidence that he will avenge him, and with the firm determination never himself to raise his hand against one who, though his enemy, was also the king. In proof of the impossibility of his ever seeking the king"s hurt, he quotes an ancient proverb, "From the wicked goeth out wickedness." Had David harboured evil intentions he would have executed them when so fair an opportunity offered, but as he has no such purposes "his hand will never be" upon Saul.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Biblical Illustrator 1887 · Public Domain On v11 I cut off the skirt of thy robe, and…
1Sa_24:11
I cut off the skirt of thy robe, and killed thee not.
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David sparing Sauls life
We are taught:--
I. Thankfulness for preservation in sleep.
II. Attention to conscience in little things. When Saul slept in the cave at Engedi David spared his life, but not the skirt of his robe. That was cut off, to be visible token to the king of his exposure to Davids power. It was a little thing to do, and from one urged to a great and deadly. But his heart smote him. He had a conscience in little things. He must be stringent in obedience to it. Would that he always had been! Little things! So we speak. But these make the staple of life. This is the great need--for Christian men to reverence conscience in so-called little things, in all things. Home life remitter, purer, friendship firmer, business more honest and unselfish--these are evidences of Christianity which the enemy cannot gainsay or resist.
III. The cruelty of slander.
IV. The patience of faith. David believed God. The crown was Divinely assured him. He could wait Gods time for it.
V. The truth of repentance. Saul shed tears enough, and made vows enough. But it availed nothing. Quick to repent he was quick to fall into the old sin. Soon, in spite of solemn protestations, we find him again pursuing David. The truth of repentance is not to be read in tears. (G. T. Coster.)
The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv10, 12 your eyes have seen
your eyes have seen
Here "your eyes" represent King Saul. AT: "you have seen with your own eyes" (See: Synecdoche)
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put you into my hand
The word "hand" is a metonym for control. AT: "put you where I could kill you or allow you to live" (See: Metonymy)
my father
Saul was not David's real father. David calls him "father" to show that he respects Saul.
there is no evil or treason in my hand
David speaks as if evil and treason were physical objects he could hold in his hand. Here "hand" represents a person acting or doing something. AT: "I have done no evil deed against you, nor have I rebelled against you" (See: Metaphor and Metonymy)
translationWords
Yahweh
hand
Yahweh
ancestor
robe
evil
sin
life
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv11–12 24:11 my father: Saul was, in fact, David’s father-in-law…
24:11 my father: Saul was, in fact, David’s father-in-law (18:27). David was demonstrating his respect for the king and recalling a day when their relationship had been much friendlier.
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.