VERSE STUDY • KJV

1 Samuel 24:4

And 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.

Read it in 5 translations

KJV King James Version

And 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.

BSB Berean Standard Bible

So David’s men said to him, “This is the day about which the LORD said to you, ‘Behold, I will deliver your enemy into your hand, that you may do with him as you wish.’” Then David crept up and stealthily cut off a corner of Saul’s robe.

WEB World English Bible

The men of David 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.

ASV American Standard Version

And the men of David said unto him, Behold, the day of which Jehovah said unto thee, Behold, I will deliver thine enemy into thy hand, and thou shalt do to him as it shall seem good unto thee. Then David arose, and cut off the skirt of Saul’s robe privily.

YLT Young’s Literal Translation

And the men of David say unto him, ‘Lo, the day of which Jehovah said unto thee, Lo, I am giving thine enemy into thy hand, and thou hast done to him as it is good in thine eyes;’ and David riseth and cutteth off the skirt of the upper robe which is on Saul—gently.

Surrounding context — 1 Samuel 24

1 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 Engedi.

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.

3 And 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.

4 And 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.

5 And it came to pass afterward, that David’s heart smote him, because he had cut off Saul’s skirt.

6 And 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.

7 So 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.

Read the whole chapter → · About 1 Samuel →

Topics connected to this verse

Original-language word links

These Hebrew/Greek tokens are linked by Strong's number. Click one for its lexicon definition and other occurrences.

וַיֹּאמְרוּ֩H559 · a.marto say אַנְשֵׁ֨יH582 · e.noshhuman דָוִ֜דH1732 · da.vidDavid אֵלָ֗יוH413 · elto(wards)הִנֵּ֨הH2009 · hin.nehbehold הַיּ֜וֹםH3117 · yomday אֲֽשֶׁר־H834 · a.sherwhich אָמַ֧רH559 · a.marto say יְהוָ֣הH3068 · ye.ho.vahLORD אֵלֶ֗יךָH413 · elto(wards)הִנֵּ֨הH2009 · hin.nehbehold אָנֹכִ֜יH595 · a.no.khiI נֹתֵ֤ןH5414 · na.tanto give: give אֶת־H853 · et[Obj.]אֹֽיִבְךָ֙H341 · o.yevenemy בְּיָדֶ֔ךָH3027 · yadhand וְעָשִׂ֣יתָH6213 · a.sahto make: do לּ֔וֹH9033 · ohim כַּאֲשֶׁ֖רH834 · a.sherwhich יִטַ֣בH3190 · ya.tavbe good בְּעֵינֶ֑יךָH5869 · a.yineye וַיָּ֣קָםH6965 · qa.may(Leb)-kamai דָּוִ֗דH1732 · da.vidDavid וַיִּכְרֹ֛תH3772 · ka.ratto cut: cut אֶת־H853 · et[Obj.]כְּנַֽף־H3671 · ka.naphwing הַמְּעִ֥ילH4598 · me.ilrobe אֲשֶׁר־H834 · a.sherwhich לְשָׁא֖וּלH7586 · sha.ulSaul בַּלָּֽט׃H3909 · latsecrecy

Cross-references

1 Samuel 26:8-11Then said Abishai to David, God hath delivered thine enemy into thine hand this day: now therefore let me smite him, I pray thee, with the spear even to the earth at once, and I will not [smite] him the second time.1 Samuel 26:23The LORD render to every man his righteousness and his faithfulness: for the LORD delivered thee into [my] hand to day, but I would not stretch forth mine hand against the LORD’S anointed.1 Samuel 24:10Behold, 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.1 Samuel 25:28-30I pray thee, forgive the trespass of thine handmaid: for the LORD will certainly make my lord a sure house; because my lord fighteth the battles of the LORD, and evil hath not been found in thee [all] thy days.1 Samuel 23:7And it was told Saul that David was come to Keilah. And Saul said, God hath delivered him into mine hand; for he is shut in, by entering into a town that hath gates and bars.1 Samuel 24:18And 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.1 Samuel 23:17And he said unto him, Fear not: for the hand of Saul my father shall not find thee; and thou shalt be king over Israel, and I shall be next unto thee; and that also Saul my father knoweth.Job 31:31If the men of my tabernacle said not, Oh that we had of his flesh! we cannot be satisfied.2 Samuel 4:8And they brought the head of Ishbosheth unto David to Hebron, and said to the king, Behold the head of Ishbosheth the son of Saul thine enemy, which sought thy life; and the LORD hath avenged my lord the king this day of Saul, and of his seed.

HISTORICAL INTERPRETATION

Compare classic commentaries on 1 Samuel 24:4

Put Matthew Henry, Adam Clarke, Calvin, Wesley, Barnes, Jamieson–Fausset–Brown, Aquinas’ Catena and other public-domain sources beside the passage.

Compare commentaries →