1 Samuel 24:8-15

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 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.  [11] Moreover, my father,  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. [12] The LORD  judge  between me and thee, and the LORD  avenge  me of thee: but mine hand  shall not be upon thee. [13] As saith  the proverb  of the ancients,  Wickedness  proceedeth  but mine hand  shall not be upon thee. [14] After  whom is the king  of Israel  come out?  after  whom dost thou pursue?  after  a dead  dog,  after  a  flea.  [15] The LORD  therefore be judge,  and judge  between me and thee, and see,  and plead  my cause,  and deliver  me out of thine hand. 

What does 1 Samuel 24:8-15 Mean?

Contextual Meaning

The object lesson that David presented to Saul had a double application. David proved that he was not trying to kill Saul, because Saul was the Lord"s anointed. Furthermore he showed that it was inappropriate for Saul to seek to kill him because Hebrews , too, was the Lord"s anointed, as Saul now knew ( 1 Samuel 24:20). David modeled for Saul what the king"s dealings with him should have been.
"Our tendency is to say, "Oh, just leave it alone. It"ll all work out." But David didn"t leave it alone. He said, "King Saul, you"re listening to false counsel. People are telling you lies about me. Why do you listen to them?" Then he said. "Let me give you proof, verbal and visual proof, O King!" ...
"David told Saul the whole unvarnished truth; he told it to the person to whom it mattered most. Not to his comrades or to Saul"s friends or to the people of Israel, but to Saul himself. He came to terms with the individual with whom there was the battle." [1]
By addressing Saul as his lord ( 1 Samuel 24:8), his king ( 1 Samuel 24:8), and his father ( 1 Samuel 24:11), David expressed respect, submission, and affection. People sometimes used the term "father" to imply a covenant relationship, and David may have had that in mind here (cf. 1 Samuel 26:25). [2] He was Saul"s Song of Solomon -in-law and successor (son) under Yahweh"s covenant with Israel (cf. 1 Samuel 18:3; 1 Samuel 20:16; 1 Samuel 20:42; 1 Samuel 23:18; 2 Samuel 9:1).
David called on Yahweh to judge (respond to his actions) and to avenge (reward David for his dealings with Saul; 1 Samuel 24:12; cf. Deuteronomy 32:35; Romans 12:17-21). He promised that he would not usurp God"s role by judging Saul or by rewarding him in kind for his evil deeds. He may have compared himself to a dead dog and a single flea ( 1 Samuel 24:14) to help Saul realize that he viewed himself as harmless and insignificant, beneath Saul"s dignity to pursue. These comparisons may also have been warnings that Saul should not think of David as helpless and insignificant. David also voiced his reliance on God to defend and save him ( 1 Samuel 24:15; cf. Psalm 35:1). David"s defense here recalls Samuel"s apologia to the nation when he reached the end of his career (ch12).