1 Samuel 24:9

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....

David was quite aware that there were flatterers at Saul’s court who were continually inflaming the King’s mind by their false accusations against him. This explains the language of many of the Psalms, e. g. Psalms 10; Psalms 11:1; Psalms 12:1; Psalms 35; and many more....

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

AND DAVID SAID TO SAUL, WHEREFORE HEAREST THOU MEN'S WORDS,.... The false charges and accusations, that some of Saul's courtiers brought against David, as Doeg the Edomite, and such like sycophants and flatterers, to whom Saul hearkened, and believed what they said, and acted upon it. David chose rather to lay the blame on Saul's courtiers than on himself; and he began with him in this way, the rather to reconcile him to him, and cause him to listen to what he had to say: and represents them as SAYING to him, BEHOLD, DAVID SEEKETH THY HURT? seeks to take away thy life, and seize upon thy crown and throne; than which nothing was more foreign from him....

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....

MEN'S. Hebrew. _'adam._ App-14. evil. Hebrew. _ra`a`._ App-44. transgression. Hebrew. _pasha`._ App-44. sinned. Hebrew. _chata'._ App-44. soul. Hebrew. _nephesh._ App-13....

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....

_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

DAVID SPARES SAUL'S LIFE AT ENGEDI We have a similar incident narrated in 1 Samuel 26, and some critics hold that the two are merely varying accounts of the same event. But it. is to be noticed that almost every detail that could vary, does vary. Nor is there any difficulty in supposing that David spared Saul's life twice....