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Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

1 Samuel 24:13

Wickedness, &c. A man's character is known by his actions. If I were wicked at heart, I should have shewn it by killing you. Cp. Matthew 7:16-20.

but mine hand shall not be upon thee It is not clear whether this is part of the proverb or David's own utterance. In the first case the proverb is a general disclaimer of a desire for vengeance: in the second, David reaffirms his resolution not to touch Saul as a consequence of his moral integrity.

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See also 1 Samuel 24:13 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse 1 Samuel 24:13. _WICKEDNESS PROCEEDED FROM THE WICKED_] This proverb may be thus understood: He that does a wicked act, gives proof thereby that he is a wicked man. From him who is wicked, wick...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    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 w

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    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, b...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    WICKEDNESS. lawlessness. Hebrew. _reed'._ See App-44. Compare "evil", 1 Samuel 24:11. PROCEEDETH. Figure of speech Paroemia....

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    WICKEDNESS PROCEEDETH FROM THE WICKED— i.e. "Guilt is the consequence and fruit of guilt. If I had been guilty of conspiring against thee, I should have crowned my guilt by killing thee when it was in...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    _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 wit...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    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...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    ISRAEL’S FIRST KING 1 SAMUEL _HELEN POCOCK_ CHAPTER 24 DAVID REFUSES TO KILL SAUL V1 When Saul had finished fighting the *Philistines he returned home. Someone told him that David was in the de...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    THE PROVERB OF THE ANCIENTS. — Clericus, quoted by Lange, explains these words: “David means to say, that if he had been guilty of conspiracy against the king, he would not have neglected this favoura...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    _[1 Samuel 24:14]_ כַּ אֲשֶׁ֣ר יֹאמַ֗ר מְשַׁל֙ הַ...

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    CHAPTER XXXI. _ DAVID TWICE SPARES THE LIFE OF SAUL._ 1 Samuel 24:1; 1 Samuel 26:1. THE invasion of the Philistines had freed David from the fear of Saul for a time, but only for a time. He knew ful...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    RETURNING GOOD FOR EVIL 1 Samuel 24:1 Engedi is situated on the western shore of the Dead Sea. As Saul entered the cave, a very insidious temptation presented itself to David. Why not rid the kingdom...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    At last Saul was in David's power. It would have been perfectly easy for him to have taken his life. He did not do so, but, withholding his hand, uttered a strong protest against Saul's persecution. T...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    Revenge me of thee; or, as it is in the Hebrew, will revenge me. The meaning is, that he refers his whole cause to God, to judge and punish according to his justice; yet so as to keep himself, in the...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    (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....

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    We enter now on a portion of David's history sensibly different from what we have already had, which closed with the efforts of Jonathan to restore matters and to attach Saul to him at least openly. J...

  • James Nisbet's Church Pulpit Commentary

    _MAGNANIMITY_ ‘Mine hand shall not be upon thee.’ 1 Samuel 24:13 This was the hour of David’s great temptation, when a single blow might have made him lord of Israel, so was it the hour of David’s...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    "And David went up and dwelt in the strongholds of Engedi." Saul pursues him thither, after following the Philistines, more occupied with his jealousy of the king whom God had chosen than with the ene...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    AS SAITH THE PROVERB OF THE ANCIENTS,.... It is an old saying, has been long in use, and may be applied to the present case; or the "proverb of the ancient one"; of the oldest man, the first man Adam,...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    As saith the proverb of the ancients, Wickedness proceedeth from the wicked: but mine hand shall not be upon thee. Ver. 13. _Wickedness proceedeth from the wicked._] They are carried away even as the...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _Wickedness proceedeth from the wicked_ That is, men may be known by their actions; wicked men will do wicked actions; among which, this is one, to kill their sovereign lord and king; and, therefore,...

  • KJV Original Language Details

    1 Dauid in a caue at Engedi, hauing cut off Sauls skirt, spareth his life. 8 Hee sheweth thereby his innocencie. 16 Saul acknowledging his fault, taketh an oath of Dauid, and departeth. 1 AND it ca...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    DAVID PROTESTS HIS INNOCENCE...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    As saith the proverb of the ancients, Wickedness proceeded from the wicked; but mine hand shall not be upon thee. A wicked and godless person might have embraced the opportunity to take revenge, but D...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    Having 600 men with him, David could not easily be hidden, and Saul gets the report of his being in the wilderness of En-gedi. Not being exactly a brave man himself, Saul required 3000 chosen men of I...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    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...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    i.e. Wicked men will do wicked actions, among which this is one, to kill their sovereign lord and king; as David implied above, 1 SAMUEL 24:6, and more fully expresseth, 1 SAMUEL 26:9. And therefore i...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    1 Samuel 24:13 proverb H4912 ancients H6931 says H559 (H8799) Wickedness H7562 proceeds H3318 (H8799) wicked H7563

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    DAVID REVEALS HIMSELF TO SAUL AND DEMONSTRATES THAT HE HAS PROVED BY HIS RESTRAINT IN NOT KILLING HIM THAT HE IS TOTALLY LOYAL TO HIM (1 SAMUEL 24:8). Once Saul had left the cave David boldly revealed...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: David's mercy to Saul in En-gedi. CHARACTERS: God, David, Saul. CONCLUSION: Be not overcome of evil but overcome evil with good. KEY WORD: Mercy (dealt well), 1 Samuel 24:18. STRONG VERSE...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    1 Samuel 24:1. _En-gedi_ was adjacent to the dead sea. Strabo, speaking of the caverns in Syria and Iturea, says, there is one which will hold four thousand men. _Lib. 16._ 1 Samuel 24:3. _Saul went i...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _Where was a cave and Saul went in _. .. _ and David and his men remained in the sides of the cave._ SAUL AND DAVID IN THE CAVE Saul’s animosity is a fire that finds constant fuel. No sooner are the...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    1 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 1 SAMUEL 24:1 The three episodes in the next three chapters all have the same theme: David, who as a warrior has already killed many of the Lord’s enemies, should not kill for his own...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    1 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 1 SAMUEL 24:12 MAY THE LORD JUDGE. David is willing to let the Lord defend him against his enemies (compare...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    CRITICAL AND EXPOSITORY NOTES— 1 Samuel 24:8. The closeness of the precipitous rocks and the depth of the ravines or wadies between them, together with the remarkable purity of the air, made it quite...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    DAVID IN THE WILDERNESS OF ENGEDI (1Sa 23:29 -35-24). EXPOSITION DAVID SPARES SAUL'S LIFE IN A CAVE (1 Samuel 24:1)....

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Now it came to pass, when Saul was returned from the Philistines, they told him, David's in Engedi. So Saul took three thousand of his chosen men out of all of Israel, they went to seek David and his...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    Matthew 12:33; Matthew 12:34; Matthew 15:19; Matthew 7:16...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    Wickedness, &c. — That is, wicked men will do wicked actions, among which this is one, to kill their sovereign lord and king; and therefore if I were so wicked a person as thy courtiers represent me,...

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