1 Samuel · Noah Webster's Bible (1833)
1 Samuel 24 Noah Webster's Bible (1833)
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
1 And it came to pass, when Saul had returned from following the Philistines, that it was told to him, saying, Behold, David [is] in the wilderness of En-gedi.
1 When Saul had returned from following the Philistines, he was told, “Behold, David is in the wilderness of En Gedi.”
2 Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went to seek David and his men upon the rocks of the wild goats.
2 Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went to seek David and his men on the rocks of the wild goats.
3 And he came to the sheep-cotes 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.
3 He came to the sheep pens by the way, where there was a cave; and Saul went in to relieve himself. Now David and his men were staying in the innermost parts of the cave.
4 And the men of David said to him, Behold the day of which the LORD said to thee, Behold, I will deliver thy enemy into thy hand, that thou mayest do to him as it shall seem good to thee. Then David arose, and privately cut off the skirt of Saul's robe.
4 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 to him as it shall seem good to you.’” Then David arose and cut off the skirt of Saul’s robe secretly.
5 And it came to pass afterward, that David's heart smote him, because he had cut off Saul's skirt.
5 Afterward, David’s heart struck him because he had cut off Saul’s skirt.
6 And he said to his men, The LORD forbid that I should do this thing to my master, the LORD'S anointed, to stretch forth my hand against him, seeing he [is] the anointed of the LORD.
6 He said to his men, “Yahweh forbid that I should do this thing to my lord, Yahweh’s anointed, to stretch out my hand against him, since he is Yahweh’s anointed.”
7 So David restrained his servants with these words, and suffered them not to rise against Saul. But Saul rose out of the cave, and went on [his] way.
7 So David checked his men with these words, and didn’t allow them to rise against Saul. Saul rose up out of the cave, and went on his way.
8 David also rose afterward, and went out of the cave, and cried after Saul, saying, My lord the king. And when Saul looked behind him, David stooped with his face to the earth, and bowed himself.
8 David also arose afterward, and went out of the cave and cried after Saul, saying, “My lord the king!” When Saul looked behind him, David bowed with his face to the earth, and showed respect.
9 And David said to Saul, Why hearest thou men's words, saying, Behold, David seeketh thy hurt?
9 David said to Saul, “Why do you listen to men’s words, saying, ‘Behold, David seeks to harm you’?
10 Behold, this day thy eyes have seen how the LORD hath delivered thee to-day into my hand in the cave; and [some] bade [me] kill thee: but [my eye] spared thee; and I said, I will not put forth my hand against my lord; for he [is] the LORD'S anointed.
10 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. I said, ‘I will not stretch out my hand against my lord, for he is Yahweh’s anointed.’
11 Moreover, my father, see, yes, 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; yet thou huntest my soul to take it.
11 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. I have not sinned against you, though you hunt for my life to take it.
12 The LORD judge between me and thee, and the LORD avenge me of thee: but my hand shall not be upon thee.
12 May Yahweh judge between me and you, and may Yahweh avenge me of you; but my hand will not be on you.
13 As saith the proverb of the ancients, Wickedness proceedeth from the wicked: but my hand shall not be upon thee.
13 As the proverb of the ancients says, ‘Out of the wicked comes wickedness;’ but my hand will not be on you.
14 After whom is the king of Israel come out? after whom dost thou pursue? after a dead dog, after a flea?
14 Against whom has the king of Israel come out? Whom do you pursue? A dead dog? A flea?
15 The LORD therefore be judge, and judge between me and thee, and see, and plead my cause, and deliver me out of thy hand.
15 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.”
16 And it came to pass when David had made an end of speaking these words to Saul, that Saul said, [Is] this thy voice, my son David? And Saul lifted up his voice, and wept.
16 It came to pass, when David had finished speaking these words to Saul, that Saul said, “Is that your voice, my son David?” Saul lifted up his voice and wept.
17 And he said to David, thou [art] more righteous than I: for thou hast rewarded me with good, whereas I have rewarded thee with evil.
17 He said to David, “You are more righteous than I; for you have done good to me, whereas I have done evil to you.
18 And thou hast showed this day how thou hast dealt with me; forasmuch as when the LORD had delivered me into thy hand, thou didst not kill me.
18 You have declared today how you have dealt well with me, because when Yahweh had delivered me up into your hand, you didn’t kill me.
19 For if a man findeth his enemy, will he let him go away well? wherefore the LORD reward thee with good, for what thou hast done to me this day.
19 For if a man finds his enemy, will he let him go away unharmed? Therefore may Yahweh reward you good for that which you have done to me today.
20 And now, behold, I know well that thou wilt surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel will be established in thy hand.
20 Now, behold, I know that you will surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel will be established in your hand.
21 Swear now therefore to me by the LORD, that thou wilt not cut off my seed after me, and that thou wilt not destroy my name out of my father's house.
21 Swear now therefore to me by Yahweh that you will not cut off my offspring after me, and that you will not destroy my name out of my father’s house.”
22 And David swore to Saul. And Saul went home; but David and his men repaired to the hold.
22 David swore to Saul. Saul went home, but David and his men went up to the stronghold.
People & places in this chapter
From this site's family tree and Bible maps, only where those guides cite this chapter.
People
David
The shepherd who became Israel's greatest king and a man after God's own heart.
Cited in the guide: 1 Sam. 16 - 1 Kings 2; 2 Sam. 7; 1 Chron. 2:15; Matt. 1:6
Cross references (22)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 1 Samuel 23:28–29; Proverbs 29:12; Hosea 7:3; 1 Samuel 23:19; Ezekiel 22:9
- 2 1 Samuel 26:2; Psalm 141:6; Psalm 104:18; 1 Samuel 13:2; Psalm 38:12
- 3 Judges 3:24; Psalm 142:1–7; Psalm 57:1–11; Psalm 141:6
- 4 1 Samuel 26:8–11; 1 Samuel 26:23; 1 Samuel 24:10; 1 Samuel 25:28–30; 1 Samuel 24:18
- 5 2 Samuel 24:10; 2 Samuel 12:9; 1 John 3:20–21; 2 Kings 22:19
- 6 2 Samuel 1:14; Romans 12:14–13:2; Job 31:29–30; 1 Samuel 26:9–11; 1 Thessalonians 5:15
- 7 Psalm 7:4; Matthew 5:44; Romans 12:17–21; 1 Samuel 25:33
- 8 1 Samuel 25:23–24; 1 Samuel 26:17; Romans 13:7; 1 Samuel 20:41; Genesis 17:3
- 9 Ecclesiastes 7:21–22; Proverbs 29:12; Psalm 101:5; 1 Samuel 26:19; Proverbs 18:8
- 10 1 Samuel 24:4; Psalm 105:15; 1 Samuel 26:8–9
- 11 1 Samuel 26:20; 1 Samuel 23:23; 1 Samuel 23:14; 1 Samuel 26:18; 2 Kings 5:13
- 12 Psalm 43:1; Judges 11:27; Psalm 35:1; Genesis 16:5; Romans 12:19
- 13 Matthew 7:20; Matthew 7:16–18; Matthew 12:33–34; Matthew 15:19
- 14 1 Samuel 26:20; 2 Samuel 9:8; 1 Samuel 17:43; 2 Samuel 16:9; 2 Samuel 3:8
- 15 Psalm 43:1; Psalm 35:1; Psalm 119:154; 1 Samuel 24:12; Micah 7:9
- 16 1 Samuel 26:17; Acts 6:10; Luke 21:15; Proverbs 15:1; Genesis 33:4
- 17 Matthew 5:44; 1 Samuel 26:21; Genesis 38:26; Romans 12:20–21; Matthew 27:4
- 18 1 Samuel 26:23; 1 Samuel 23:12; 1 Samuel 23:7; 1 Samuel 26:8; 1 Samuel 24:10
- 19 Proverbs 25:21–22; 1 Samuel 26:25; Psalm 18:20; Judges 17:2; 1 Samuel 23:21
- 20 1 Samuel 23:17; Matthew 2:3–6; 2 Samuel 3:17–18; 1 Samuel 13:14; Matthew 2:16
- 21 Genesis 21:23; 2 Samuel 21:6–8; 1 Samuel 20:14–17; Genesis 31:53; Hebrews 6:16
- 22 1 Samuel 23:29; Matthew 10:16–17; John 2:24; Proverbs 26:24–25
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
For thus it is written: "And David's heart smote him because he had taken away the skirt of his cloak." But to the men with him, who advised him to destroy Saul thus delivered up into his hands, he saith, "The Lord forbid that I should do this thing to my lord, the Lord's christ, to lay my hand upon …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 2 (1887)
… shown: but Saul not even after their betrayal could seize David; but rather in a certain cave in that very country, when into his hands Saul had been given to slay, David spared him, and that which he had in his power he did not. But the other was seeking to do that which he had not in his power.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 8 (1888)