1 Samuel 24:11

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....

MY FATHER - The respectful address of a junior and an inferior (see 2 Kings 5:13, and compare 1 Samuel 24:16; 1 Samuel 25:8)....

DAVID IN THE WILDERNESS OF ENGEDI (1Sa 23:29 -35-24). EXPOSITION DAVID SPARES SAUL'S LIFE IN A CAVE (1 Samuel 24:1). 1 SAMUEL 24:1 THE WILDERNESS OF EN-GEDI. Finding no safety on the western side of the desert of Judah, where the Ziphites were ever watching his movements, David now boldly crossed this arid waste, and sought shelter in the remarkable oasis of En-gedi, on the shore of the Dead Sea. The word may signify either the Fountain of Luck or the Kid's Spring, the latter being the meaning of the name Ain-Jadi, which it still bears. I

MOREOVER, MY FATHER,.... So he was in a natural sense, as having married his daughter; and in a civil sense, as he was a king, and was, or ought to have been, the father of his country, and to treat his subjects as his children, and David among the rest: SEE, YEA SEE, THE SKIRT OF THY ROBE IN MY HAND; look on it again and again; view it with the eyes of thy body intently, that thou mayest be satisfied of it, and behold with the eyes of thy mind and understanding, and consider that I could as easily have had thine head in my hand as the skirt of thy robe; and here see an instance and proof of the integrity and sincerity of my heart, and cordial affections to thee, and an evidence against all the charges and accusations of my enemies, and that I have no ill design upon thy person and life, and am far from seeking thy hurt, as they say: FOR IN THAT I CUT OFF THE SKIRT OF THY ROBE, AND KIL...

CHAPTER 24 _ 1. In the wilderness of En-gedi (1 Samuel 24:1)_ 2. David's words to Saul (1 Samuel 24:9) 3. Saul's answer to David (1 Samuel 24:16) Saul continues in the pursuit of David and with 3000 chosen men he sought David at the rocks of the wild goats. It was in En-gedi, which means “the fountain of the young goat.” There were wild rocks and the fountains of water and here David had found his refuge and strongholds. God trained him also amidst the hardships and difficulties suggested by the rocks, while the fountain suggests the refreshing which was also his blessed portion. Perhaps in that trying wilderness he poured out his heart in the way as recorded in...

1 SAMUEL 24. DAVID SPARES SAUL AT ENGEDI (E). Chs. 24 and 26 give two versions of the same story, located at different places. Probably both versions are early. It is not clear which is the earlier, but it is often considered that 26 has the more primitive flavour. It is not necessary to suppose that either story has been developed from the other; they are probably independent developments from the actual facts. 1 SAMUEL 24:1. Saul resumes the pursuit of David; under the stress of a necessity of nature, he goes alone into a cave, in the recesses of which David and his men are hidden. His followers urge him to slay Saul, but he contents himself with secretly cutting off the skirt of his robe; and even then he has qualms of conscience as to taking this liberty with his master, the Anointed of Yahweh. Saul goes out, unconscious of his danger....

David pleads his innocence 9. _men's words_ Calumniators like "Cush the Benjamite," against whom Psalms 7 is directed, strove to inflame Saul's mind against David. That Psalm has been with much probability referred to this period of his life. David's protestation of innocence in 1 Samuel 24:3 of the Psalm is closely parallel to his words in 1 Samuel 24:10; and his appeal to the judgment of Jehovah in 1 Samuel 24:8 of the Psalm resembles that in 1 Samuel 24:15....

THERE IS NEITHER EVIL NOR TRANSGRESSION IN MINE HAND— Instead of taking away Saul's life, David only privately cut off the skirt of his robe. His protestation of his innocence, and having no intention to deprive Saul of his crown and life, was founded in truth, and verified by the most authentic facts. Nor was his being in arms a contradiction to it; unless a man's being in arms to preserve his life, and not to oppose his friend, argues him guilty of rebellion; or unless when a tyrant tells a man he will have his life, such a person is bound to hold out his throat to the Lord's anointed, and humbly bid him cut it at his pleasure. David did not seem to be of this opinion; and therefore kept himself in arms, and upon his defence, because he had no other possible means of safety....

_David Pleads for His Life._ 1 Samuel 24:8-15 8 David 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. 9 And David said to Saul, Wherefore hearest thou men's words, saying, Behold, David seeketh thy hurt? 10 Behold, this day thine eyes have seen how that the Lord had delivered thee today 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. 11 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 agai

24:11 for (b-55) Or 'huntest after.'...