9 And David saith to Saul, `Why dost thou hear the words of man, saying, Lo, David is seeking thine evil?
`Thou dost not go slandering among thy people; thou dost not stand against the blood of thy neighbour; I `am' Jehovah.
And, now, let, I pray thee, my lord the king hear the words of his servant: if Jehovah hath moved thee against me, let Him accept a present; and if the sons of men -- cursed `are' they before Jehovah, for they have cast me out to-day from being admitted into the inheritance of Jehovah, saying, Go, serve other gods.
Their judges have been released by the sides of a rock, And they have heard my sayings, For they have been pleasant.
A froward man sendeth forth contention, A tale-bearer is separating a familiar friend.
The words of a tale-bearer `are' as self-inflicted wounds, And they have gone down `to' the inner parts of the heart.
A north wind bringeth forth rain, And a secret tongue -- indignant faces.
Without wood is fire going out, And without a tale-bearer, contention ceaseth, Coal to burning coals, and wood to fire, And a man of contentions to kindle strife. The words of a tale-bearer `are' as self-inflicted wounds, And they have gone down `to' the inner parts of the heart.
A lying tongue hateth its bruised ones, And a flattering mouth worketh an overthrow!
A ruler who is attending to lying words, All his ministers `are' wicked.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on 1 Samuel 24
Commentary on 1 Samuel 24 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 24
We have hitherto had Saul seeking an opportunity to destroy David, and, to his shame, he could never find it. In this chapter David had a fair opportunity to destroy Saul, and, to his honour, he did not make use of it; and his sparing Saul's life was as great an instance of God's grace in him as the preserving of his own life was of God's providence over him. Observe,
1Sa 24:1-8
Here,
1Sa 24:9-15
We have here David's warm and pathetic speech to Saul, wherein he endeavours to convince him that he did him a great deal of wrong in persecuting him thus and to persuade him therefore to be reconciled.
1Sa 24:16-22
Here we have,