1 Samuel 24
Template:Short description Template:Bible chapter 1 Samuel 24 is the twenty-fourth chapter of the First Book of Samuel in the Old Testament of the Christian Bible or the first part of the Books of Samuel in the Hebrew Bible.Template:Sfn Jewish tradition attributes the book to the prophet Samuel, with later additions by the prophets Gad and Nathan;[1] modern scholarship, however, regards it as a compilation of independent texts dated to Template:BCE.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn This chapter contains the account of David's escape from Saul's repeated attempts to kill him.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn This is within a section comprising 1 Samuel 16 to 2 Samuel 5 which records the rise of David as the king of Israel.Template:Sfn
Text
This chapter was originally written in Biblical Hebrew. It is divided into 22 verses.
Textual witnesses
Some early manuscripts containing the text of this chapter in Hebrew are of the Masoretic Textual tradition, which includes the Codex Cairensis (895), Aleppo Codex (10th century), and Codex Leningradensis (1008).Template:Sfn Fragments containing parts of this chapter in Hebrew were found among the Dead Sea Scrolls including 4Q51 (4QSamTemplate:Sup; 100–50 BCE) with extant verses 3–5, 8–10, 14–23.Template:Sfn[2]Template:Sfn[3]
Extant ancient manuscripts of a translation into Koine Greek known as the Septuagint (originally was made in the last few centuries BCE) include Codex Vaticanus (B; B; 4th century) and Codex Alexandrinus (A; A; 5th century).Template:SfnTemplate:Efn
Places
David spared Saul (24:1–15)
The section beginning with chapter 24:1 (1 Samuel 23:29 in the Christian numbering) reports David's move to En-gedi in the hilly area around the Dead Sea, while Saul, returning from a battle with the Philistines, was pursuing.Template:Sfn The section emphasizes two points:
- David could have easily killed Saul and thereby seized the kingship.
- He resisted the temptation to kill God's Template:Lang (Template:Langx), and even prevented his men from harming Saul (verses 7–8).Template:Sfn David elaborated in his speech (verses 9–16) that instead of taking vengeance on Saul for "treating him like an insignificant dog or flea", he duly acknowledged Saul's position as a God-chosen king (verse 9) while entrusted vengeance to God (verse 13).Template:Sfn Another similar account of sparing Saul's life is found in 1 Samuel 26.Template:Sfn
Verse 3
- And he came to the sheepcotes by the way, where was a cave; and Saul went in to cover his feet: and David and his men remained in the sides of the cave.[4]
- "Sheepcotes" or "sheepfolds" (Template:Langx): simple walled enclosures into which sheep are driven at night to protect them from robbers or wild beasts.[5][6][7][8][9] Sheepfolds could be in the form of caves during the winter.[10]Template:Isbn missing
- "Cover his feet" (Template:Langx): an idiom (or euphemism) for relieving oneself.[11][12]Template:Sfn
David’s oath to Saul (24:16–22)
This section contrasts David's uprightness in submitting to the will of God and refraining from taking matters into his own hands with Saul's pitiful figure.Template:Sfn All three parts of Saul's speech reflect his weak position:
- Saul conceded that his actions had been evil and that David was more righteous than he (verse 17).
- Saul acknowledged that David would become king.Template:Efn
- Saul pleaded with David to safeguard his reputation and ensure his descendants' safety, echoing Jonathan's agreement with David regarding the house of Saul in 1 Samuel 20:14–15.[13]Template:Sfn
Verse 23
- David swore to Saul, Saul went home, and David and his men went up to the strongholds.[14]
Typically, succeeding monarchs of a new dynasty would slaughter the descendants of the previous king to eliminate rivals. However, David vowed not to destroy Saul's lineage and kept this promise through his treatment of Mephibosheth, Jonathan's son and Saul's grandson.[15][16]Template:Sfn When Saul returned home, David, understanding Saul's duplicitous nature, wisely chose not to pursue him but instead stayed a fugitive in the wilderness.Template:Sfn
See also
- Related Bible parts: 1 Samuel 20, 1 Samuel 21, 1 Samuel 22, 1 Samuel 23
Notes
References
Sources
Commentaries on Samuel
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General
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External links
- Jewish translations:
- Shmuel I - I Samuel - Chapter 24 (Judaica Press). Hebrew text and English translation [with Rashi's commentary] at Chabad.org
- Christian translations:
- Online Bible at GospelHall.org (ESV, KJV, Darby, American Standard Version, Bible in Basic English)
- 1 Samuel chapter 24. Bible Gateway
- ↑ Template:Cite web
- ↑ Dead sea scrolls - 1 Samuel
- ↑ 4Q51 at the Leon Levy Dead Sea Scrolls Digital Library
- ↑ Template:Bibleverse
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- ↑ Patch, James A. (1915) "Entry for 'SHEEPCOTE; SHEEPFOLD'". In: "International Standard Bible Encyclopedia". Orr, James, M.A., D.D. General Editor.
- ↑ Template:Cite web
- ↑ Note on 1 Samuel 24:3 in NET Bible
- ↑ Template:Bibleverse
- ↑ Template:Bibleverse (RJPS)
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- ↑ Template:Cite Talmud