1 Samuel 24

1 Samuel · Chapter 24

1 Samuel 24:1

1And it came to pass, when Saul was returned from following the Philistines, that it was told him, saying, Behold, David is in the wilderness of Engedi.2Then 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.3And he came to the sheepcotes 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.4And the men of David said unto him, Behold the day of which the LORD said unto thee, Behold, I will deliver thine enemy into thine hand, that thou mayest do to him as it shall seem good unto thee. Then David arose, and cut off the skirt of Saul’s robe privily.5And it came to pass afterward, that David’s heart smote him, because he had cut off Saul’s skirt.6And he said unto his men, The LORD forbid that I should do this thing unto my master, the LORD’s anointed, to stretch forth mine hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the LORD.7So David stayed his servants with these words, and suffered them not to rise against Saul. But Saul rose up out of the cave, and went on his way.8David also arose 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.9And David said to Saul, Wherefore hearest thou men’s words, saying, Behold, David seeketh thy hurt?10Behold, 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.11Moreover, 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.12The LORD judge between me and thee, and the LORD avenge me of thee: but mine hand shall not be upon thee.13As saith the proverb of the ancients, Wickedness proceedeth from the wicked: but mine hand shall not be upon thee.14After whom is the king of Israel come out? after whom dost thou pursue? after a dead dog, after a flea.15The LORD therefore be judge, and judge between me and thee, and see, and plead my cause, and deliver me out of thine hand.16And it came to pass, when David had made an end of speaking these words unto Saul, that Saul said, Is this thy voice, my son David? And Saul lifted up his voice, and wept.17And he said to David, Thou art more righteous than I: for thou hast rewarded me good, whereas I have rewarded thee evil.18And thou hast shewed this day how that thou hast dealt well with me: forasmuch as when the LORD had delivered me into thine hand, thou killedst me not.19For if a man find his enemy, will he let him go well away? wherefore the LORD reward thee good for that thou hast done unto me this day.20And now, behold, I know well that thou shalt surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in thine hand.21Swear now therefore unto 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.22And David sware unto Saul. And Saul went home; but David and his men gat them up unto the hold.

King James Version (1769)

Other translations

VerseKJVBSBASV
1And it came to pass, when Saul was returned from following the Philistines, that it was told him, saying, Behold, David is in the wilderness of Engedi.After Saul had returned from pursuing the Philistines, he was told, “David is in the wilderness of En-gedi.”And it came to pass, when Saul was returned from following the Philistines, that it was told him, saying, Behold, David is in the wilderness of En-gedi.

In context

Who is speaking and to whom, what is happening, when and where, and why it matters, each with its sources. Coming with the context cards.

Where

Locations from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Some ancient sites are uncertain.

Original Hebrew words

EnglishHebrewSay itStrong'sMeaning
and it wasוַיְהִ֗יvay-HIH1961
to be

הָיָה (ha.yah) 1) to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out 1a) (Qal) 1a1) --- 1a1a) to happen, fall out, occur, take place, come about, come to pass 1a1b) to come about, come to pass 1a2) to come into being, become 1a2a) to arise, appear, come 1a2b) to become 1a2b1) to become 1a2b2) to become like 1a2b3) to be instituted, be established 1a3) to be 1a3a) to exist, be in existence 1a3b) to abide, remain, continue (with word of place or time) 1a3c) to stand, lie, be in, be at, be situated (with word of locality) 1a3d) to accompany, be with 1b) (Niphal) …

just whenכַּֽאֲשֶׁר֙ka-'a-SHERH0834D
as which

כַּאֲשֶׁר (ka.a.sher) conj 1) according as, as, when 1a) according to that which, according as, as 1b) with a causal force: in so far as, since 1c) with a temporal force: when

he returnedשָׁ֣בshavH7725G
to return: return

שׁוּב (shuv) : return 1) to return, turn back 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to turn back, return 1a1a) to turn back 1a1b) to return, come or go back 1a1c) to return unto, go back, come back 1a1d) of dying 1a1e) of human relations (fig) 1a1f) of spiritual relations (fig) 1a1f1) to turn back (from God), apostatise 1a1f2) to turn away (of God) 1a1f3) to turn back (to God), repent 1a1f4) turn back (from evil) 1a1g) of inanimate things 1a1h) in repetition 1b) (Polel) 1b1) to bring back 1b2) to restore, refresh, repair (fig) 1b3) to lead away (enticingly) 1b4) to show turning, apostatise 1c) (Pual) restored (participle) …

Saulשָׁא֔וּלsha-'ULH7586G
Saul

שָׁאוּל (sha.ul) A king of the tribe of Benjamin living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Sa.9.2; son of: Kish (H7027); married to Ahinoam (H0293) and Rizpah (H7532); father of: Jonathan (H3083H), Abinadab (H0041H), Malchi-shua (H4444), Merab (H4764), Michal (H4324), Ish-bosheth (H0378), Armoni (H0764), Mephibosheth (H4648H) § Saul or Shaul = "desired" 1) a Benjamite, son of Kish, and the 1st king of Israel 2) an early king of Edom and a successor of Samlah 3) a son of Simeon 4) a Levite, son of Uzziah

from afterמֵאַחֲרֵ֖יme-'a-cha-REIH0310A
after

אַחַר (a.char) 1) after the following part, behind (of place), hinder, afterwards (of time) 1a) as an adverb 1a1) behind (of place) 1a2) afterwards (of time) 1b) as a preposition 1b1) behind, after (of place) 1b2) after (of time) 1b3) besides 1c) as a conjunction 1c) after that 1d) as a substantive 1d1) hinder part 1e) with other prepositions 1e1) from behind 1e2) from following after

[the] Philistinesפְּלִשְׁתִּ֑יםpe-lish-TIMH6430G
Philistine

פְּלִשְׁתִּי (pe.lish.ti) Philistine = "immigrants" an inhabitant of Philistia; descendants of Mizraim who immigrated from Caphtor (Crete?) to the western seacoast of Canaan Another spelling of pe.le.shet (פְּלֶ֫שֶׁת "Philistia" H6429)

and people toldוַיַּגִּ֤דוּvai-ya-GI-duH5046
to tell

נָגַד (na.gad) 1) to be conspicuous, tell, make known 1a) (Hiphil) to tell, declare 1a1) to tell, announce, report 1a2) to declare, make known, expound 1a3) to inform of 1a4) to publish, declare, proclaim 1a5) to avow, acknowledge, confess 1a5a) messenger (participle) 1b) (Hophal) to be told, be announced, be reported

to sayingלֵאמֹ֔רle-MORH0559
to say

אָמַר (a.mar) 1) to say, speak, utter 1a) (Qal) to say, to answer, to say in one's heart, to think, to command, to promise, to intend 1b) (Niphal) to be told, to be said, to be called 1c) (Hithpael) to boast, to act proudly 1d) (Hiphil) to avow, to avouch Aramaic equivalent: a.mar (אֲמַר "to say" H0560)

there!הִנֵּ֣הhi-NEHH2009
behold

הִנֵּה (hin.neh) behold, lo, see, if

Davidדָוִ֔דda-VIDH1732
David

דָּוִד (da.vid) A king of the tribe of Judah living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at Rut.4.17; son of: Jesse (H3448) and Nahash (H5176I); brother of: Eliab (H0446I), Abinadab (H0041I), Shimeah (H8093), Zeruiah (H6870), Abigail (H0026H)(?), Nethanel (H5417H), Raddai (H7288), Ozem (H0684) and Elihu (H0453J); married to Michal (H4324), Abigail (H0026), Ahinoam (H0293H), Maacah (H4601I), Haggith (H2294), Abital (H0037), Eglah (H5698) and Bathsheba (H1339); …

[is] in [the] wilderness ofבְּמִדְבַּ֖רbe-mid-BARH4057B
wilderness

מִדְבָּר (mid.bar) 1) wilderness 1a) pasture 1b) uninhabited land, wilderness 1c) large tracts of wilderness (around cities) 1d) wilderness (fig.)

Enעֵ֥ין'einH5872
Hazazon-tamar

חַצֲצֹן תָּמָר (chats.tson ta.mar) Hazezon-tamar = "dividing the date-palm" a town situated in the desert Judah; Another name of en ge.di (עֵין גֶּ֫דִי "Engedi" H5872)

Gediגֶּֽדִי׃ סGE-diH5872
Hazazon-tamar

חַצֲצֹן תָּמָר (chats.tson ta.mar) Hazezon-tamar = "dividing the date-palm" a town situated in the desert Judah; Another name of en ge.di (עֵין גֶּ֫דִי "Engedi" H5872)

Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.