Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 1 Samuel 24:11

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 against thee; yet thou huntest my soul to take it.

11. my father ] The address of respect and affection. Cp. 2Ki 5:13; 2Ki 6:21.

evil ] The same word as that rendered “thy hurt” in 1Sa 24:9.

my soul ] i.e. my life.

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

My father – The respectful address of a junior and an inferior (see 2Ki 5:13, and compare 1Sa 24:16; 1Sa 25:8).

Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible

1Sa 24:11

I cut off the skirt of thy robe, and killed thee not.

David sparing Sauls life

We are taught:–

I. Thankfulness for preservation in sleep.

II. Attention to conscience in little things. When Saul slept in the cave at Engedi David spared his life, but not the skirt of his robe. That was cut off, to be visible token to the king of his exposure to Davids power. It was a little thing to do, and from one urged to a great and deadly. But his heart smote him. He had a conscience in little things. He must be stringent in obedience to it. Would that he always had been! Little things! So we speak. But these make the staple of life. This is the great need–for Christian men to reverence conscience in so-called little things, in all things. Home life remitter, purer, friendship firmer, business more honest and unselfish–these are evidences of Christianity which the enemy cannot gainsay or resist.

III. The cruelty of slander.

IV. The patience of faith. David believed God. The crown was Divinely assured him. He could wait Gods time for it.

V. The truth of repentance. Saul shed tears enough, and made vows enough. But it availed nothing. Quick to repent he was quick to fall into the old sin. Soon, in spite of solemn protestations, we find him again pursuing David. The truth of repentance is not to be read in tears. (G. T. Coster.)

Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell

My father; so he calls him; partly, because he was his father-in-law; partly, in testimony of his respect and subjection to him as to a father; and partly, that by so amiable a compellation he might both insinuate himself into his favour, and mind him of that duty which as a father he owed to David.

There is neither evil nor transgression in mine hand; I neither design mischief against thee with my heart, nor will I execute it with my hand, which my false accusers told thee I would do, if thou didst at any time fall into my hand.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

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 killed thee not; not only did that to show that he was in his power, but did not cut off his head, as he could:

know thou, and see, that [there is] neither evil nor transgression in mine hand; this might be a full conviction to him that he had no ill, neither in his heart nor hand, to do unto him:

and I have not sinned against thee; done nothing to offend him, never acted against his will, nor disobeyed any of his commands, or had been guilty of one overt act of treason or rebellion, but all the reverse:

yet thou huntest my soul to take it; pursued him from place to place, hunted him in the wildernesses of Ziph and Maon, and upon the rocks of Engedi, as a partridge on the mountains, 1Sa 26:20; and lay in wait for him to kill him, as the Targum: he may be thought to have penned the “seventh” psalm at this time, or on this occasion; at least there are some passages in it, which seem to refer to his present circumstances, Ps 7:1.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

To confirm what he said, he then showed him the lappet of his coat which he had cut off, and said, “ My father, see.” In these words there is an expression of the childlike reverence and affection which David cherished towards the anointed of the Lord. “ For that I cut off the lappet and did not kill thee, learn and see (from this) that (there is) not evil in my hand (i.e., that I do not go about for the purpose of injury and crime), and that I have not sinned against thee, as thou nevertheless layest wait for my soul to destroy it.”

Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament

(11) My father.Not in the sense of my father-in-law. The Princess Michal before this time probably had been given to Phalti. The time when this wicked act was carried out by Saul is left quite indefinite in the notice of 1Sa. 25:44; but the relations of David and Saul were evidently far more bitter before than after the En-gedi incident, hence the probability of Michals being given to Phalti before this meeting is great. The expression my father is simply the reverence (pietas) of the young to the oldof the loyal subject to the sovereign. It is so used in the beautiful lines of Browning already quoted.

See the skirt of thy robe.Doubtless at this juncture holding up the piece of the royal mil he had so carefully cut off when the king was sleeping in fancied security. See this, how near thou wast to death had I been pleased to take thy life when I cut this off.

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

11. My father, see A reverential form of addressing an esteemed superior, (2Ki 2:12; 2Ki 5:13,) but in this place it may mean more. Saul was David’s father in law, and by this address the son of Jesse shows the king a childlike respect and reverence. It was a word of love that touched the heart of Saul, and brought the response My son. 1Sa 24:16.

Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

1Sa 24:11. 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.

Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke

1Sa 24:11 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 against thee; yet thou huntest my soul to take it.

Ver. 11. And killed thee not. ] Chrysostom saith that David, by his sparing of Saul, gave a deep wound to the devil, that old manslayer, qui non nisi caedes sitit, et suscitat. The Rabbins say that David went toward Saul with a purpose to have killed him, but that, as he went, he better bethought himself. See to the contrary of this, 1Sa 26:10 , which the Vulgate hath here inserted.

That there is neither evil nor trangression in mine hand. ] For that had been to have taken vengeance into his own hand, and to have raised trouble in the commonwealth. David was of his temper, – or rather of a far better, – who had escaped three tyrants, Caligula, Claudius, and Nero, – who had slain many good men, – and being asked how, answered, Iniurias accipiendo, et insuper gratias agendo, by bearing wrongs, and returning thanks for them.

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

my father: 1Sa 18:27, 2Ki 5:13, Pro 15:1

neither evil: 1Sa 26:18, Psa 7:3, Psa 7:4, Psa 35:7, Joh 15:25

thou huntest: 1Sa 23:14, 1Sa 23:23, 1Sa 26:20, Job 10:16, Psa 140:11, Lam 4:18, Eze 13:18, Mic 7:2

Reciprocal: Gen 40:15 – done Num 35:20 – by laying 1Sa 20:1 – What have 1Sa 22:14 – And who 1Sa 25:8 – thy son 1Sa 25:28 – evil hath 1Ch 12:17 – God Psa 15:3 – doeth Psa 17:9 – deadly enemies Psa 18:20 – cleanness Psa 25:21 – General Psa 35:19 – that hate Psa 37:14 – slay Psa 59:3 – not Psa 119:121 – I have Psa 140:2 – continually Pro 28:12 – but Jer 16:16 – hunters Act 25:5 – if 1Co 8:12 – when

Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge