1 Samuel 24:5 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And afterward David 's heart struck him, because he had cut off a corner of Saul 's robe.

NIV: Afterward, David was conscience-stricken for having cut off a corner of his robe.

NASB: But it came about afterward that David’s conscience bothered him because he had cut off the edge of Saul’s robe.

CSB: Afterward, David’s conscience bothered him because he had cut off the corner of Saul’s robe.

NLT: But then David’s conscience began bothering him because he had cut Saul’s robe.

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

NKJV: Now it happened afterward that David’s heart troubled him because he had cut Saul’s robe.

First Samuel 24:5–7 records David's regrets about his stealthy, undetected move against the King. David and his men were hiding in a cave when King Saul entered to relieve himself. The men saw a chance to kill Saul. Instead, David cuts off a corner of Saul's robe. Even so, David feels terrible remorse (1 Samuel 24:1–4). He follows Saul out of the cave and reminds the King of his loyal service, to the point of protecting the life of the man who wants him dead. Saul agrees he's been unfair to David. He gathers his army and goes home (1 Samuel 24:8–22).

David is faced with a moment of decision. As he and his men hide in a cave, Saul comes in alone to relieve himself. David refuses to kill Saul, as his men want him to, insisting that it would be a crime against the Lord to harm His anointed one. David does confront Saul outside the cave, holding up a corner of his robe to show he could have killed Saul but did not. Saul agrees David has been righteous and he has been evil. He admits that David will become king over Israel.

God again protects David from fighting his earthly King. David has fled a city that would have betrayed him to Saul. He has run from the wilderness where the locals did, in fact, do so (1 Samuel 23). Yet again, nearby people warn Saul where David is. David has the chance to kill Saul, but refuses, and Saul admits David is more righteous than he. Next, Nabal the fool dishonors David, and David marches for revenge. Nabal's wife, Abigail, saves David from murdering her innocent servants, and Nabal dies of natural—or godly—causes. In return, David marries Abigail (1 Samuel 25). During these events, the prophet Samuel dies.

First Samuel introduces the key figures who led Israel after the era of the judges. The books of 1 and 2 Samuel were originally part of a single text, split in certain translations shortly before the birth of Christ. Some of the Bible’s most famous characters are depicted in this book. These including the prophet Samuel, Israel’s first king, Saul, her greatest king, David, and other famous names such as Goliath and Jonathan. By the end of this book, Saul has fallen; the book of 2 Samuel begins with David’s ascension to the throne.

Accessed 9/19/2025 7:00:43 PM