Year of the Bible
1 Samuel 24
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Commentary on the First Book of Samuel, Chapter 24:
After months of David being on the run from Saul, power shifts. The word hand, which symbolizes power in the ancient world, is used repeatedly to emphasize who holds the real power. The chapter begins when David gains the opportunity to kill the King and claim the throne. David’s men support this idea, believing God has given Saul into David’s hand. David stealthily cuts Saul’s robe but feels remorse for this act against the Lord’s anointed. Saul recognizes David’s righteousness, expresses remorse for his actions, and acknowledges David’s future reign. The men swear an oath, but, despite this peace, David does not return to the capital with Saul.
The First Book of Samuel 24:
David Spares Saul’s Life
When Saul returned from following the Philistines, he was told, “Behold, David is in the wilderness of Engedi.” 2 Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went to seek David and his men in front of the Wild goats’ Rocks. 3 And he came to the sheepfolds by the way, where there was a cave; and Saul went in to relieve himself. Now David and his men were sitting in the innermost parts of the cave. 4 And the men of David said to him, “Here is the day of which the Lord said to you, ‘Behold, I will give your enemy into your hand, and you shall do to him as it shall seem good to you.’ ” Then David arose and stealthily cut off the skirt of Saul’s robe. 5 And afterward David’s heart struck him, because he had cut off Saul’s skirt. 6 He said to his men, “The Lord forbid that I should do this thing to my lord, the Lord’s anointed, to put forth my hand against him, seeing he is the Lord’s anointed.” 7 So David persuaded his men with these words, and did not permit them to attack Saul. And Saul rose up and left the cave, and went upon his way.
8 Afterward David also arose, and went out of the cave, and called after Saul, “My lord the king!” And when Saul looked be- hind him, David bowed with his face to the earth, and did obeisance. 9 And David said to Saul, “Why do you listen to the words of men who say, ‘Behold, David seeks your hurt’? 10 Behold, this day your eyes have seen how the Lord gave you today into my hand in the cave; and some bade me kill you, but I x spared you. I said, ‘I will not put forth my hand against my lord; for he is the Lord’s anointed.’ 11 See, my father, see the skirt of your robe in my hand; for by the fact that I cut off the skirt of your robe, and did not kill you, you may know and see that there is no wrong or treason in my hands. I have not sinned against you, though you hunt my life to take it. 12 May the Lord judge between me and you, may the Lord avenge me upon you; but my hand shall not be against you. 13 As the proverb of the ancients says, ‘Out of the wicked comes forth wickedness’; but my hand shall not be against you. 14 After whom has the king of Israel come out? After whom do you pursue? After a dead dog! After a flea! 15 May the Lord therefore be judge, and give sentence between me and you, and see to it, and plead my cause, and deliver me from your hand.”
16 When David had finished speaking these words to Saul, Saul said, “Is this your voice, my son David?” And Saul lifted up his voice and wept. 17 He said to David, “You are more righteous than I; for you have repaid me good, whereas I have repaid you evil. 18 And you have declared this day how you have dealt well with me, in that you did not kill me when the Lord put me into your hands. 19 For if a man finds his enemy, will he let him go away safe? So may the Lord reward you with good for what you have done to me this day. 20 And now, behold, I know that you shall surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in your hand. 21 Swear to me therefore by the Lord that you will not cut off my descendants after me, and that you will not destroy my name out of my father’s house.” 22 And David swore this to Saul. Then Saul went home; but David and his men went up to the stronghold.
*Daily Lectio Divina Question:
"May the Lord judge between me and you. May the Lord exact justice..." (v 13) David says these words to Saul in an act of mercy when he spares Saul's life. Father, how do I see this type of mercy lived in my life with others?
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Revised Standard Version; Second Catholic Edition. (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2006).
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1 Subió David de allí y se estableció
en los peñascos de En-Guedí. 2 Cuando
Saúl regresó de perseguir a los filisteos
le comunicaron:
–Mira, David está en el desierto de
En-Guedí.
3 Tomó entonces tres mil hombres
selectos de todo Israel y marchó en busca
de David y sus hombres hacia los
roquedales de Yeelim. 4 Llegó a unos
apriscos que hay junto al camino donde
había una cueva y Saúl entró en ella
para sus necesidades. David y sus hombres
estaban escondidos en el fondo de
la cueva. 5 Los hombres de David le dijeron:
–Mira, hoy es el día que te anunció
el Señor: «Pongo a tu enemigo en tus
manos para que hagas con él lo que mejor
te parezca».
David se levantó y cortó sigilosamente
la punta del manto de Saúl. 6 Después
de esto el corazón de David latía
con fuerza por haber cortado la punta
del manto de Saúl, 7 y dijo a sus hombres:
–Dios me libre de hacer ningún
daño a mi señor, al ungido del Señor, de
alzar mi mano contra el que es el ungido
del Señor.
8 Amonestó a sus hombres con palabras
enérgicas y les prohibió lanzarse
contra Saúl. Saúl salió de la cueva y siguió
su camino. 9 Después salió también
David de la cueva y gritó detrás de él:
–Señor mío, mi rey.
Saúl volvió la vista atrás y David inclinándose
se postró ante él rostro en
tierra, 10 y le dijo:
–¿Por qué escuchas a la gente que
va diciendo que David busca tu desgracia?
11 Hoy han visto tus ojos que el
Señor te ha puesto en mis manos en la
cueva; me decían que te matara, pero te
he respetado, pues me dije: «No alzaré
mi mano contra mi señor, puesto que
es el ungido del Señor». 12 Padre mío,
mira en mi mano la punta de tu manto.
Si al cortar la punta de tu manto no
llegué a matarte, reconoce con claridad
que no hay maldad ni delito en mis manos,
que nunca he pecado contra ti. Tú,
en cambio, me acechas para quitarme
la vida. 13 Que el Señor juzgue entre tú y
yo. Que Él me vengue de ti, porque mi
mano nunca caerá sobre ti. 14 Como dice
el antiguo proverbio: «De los malos brota
la maldad». Mi mano nunca caerá sobre
ti. 15 ¿Contra quién ha salido el rey
de Israel? ¿A quién persigues? A un perro
muerto, a una pulga. 16 Que el Señor
sea juez y dictamine entre tú y yo. Que
Él examine y defienda mi causa librándome
de tus manos.
17 Cuando David terminó de decir
todo esto a Saúl, éste respondió:
–¿No es ésta tu voz, hijo mío, David?
Y alzando la voz rompió a llorar.
18 Mientras, decía a David:
–Más justo eres tú que yo. Tú me has
proporcionado bienes y yo te he devuelto
males. 19 Hoy me has demostrado que
te portas bien conmigo, que Dios me ha
puesto en tus manos y no me has matado.
20 ¿Qué hombre encuentra a su enemigo
y le deja seguir tranquilo su camino?
Que el Señor te pague el bien que
hoy has hecho conmigo. 21 Ahora he
comprendido que con toda certeza serás
rey y que el reino de Israel se consolidará
en tus manos. 22 Así pues, júrame
por el Señor que no exterminarás mi
descendencia ni extinguirás mi nombre
de la casa de mi padre.
23 Y David juró a Saúl todo esto. Luego
marchó Saúl a su casa y David y sus
hombres subieron a la región rocosa.
Pregunta de Lectio Divina del día de hoy
"Que el Señor juzgue entre tú y yo. Que el Señor haga justicia..." (v 13) David dice estas palabras a Saúl en un acto de misericordia cuando le perdona la vida. Padre, de que manera me muestras esta misericordia con los que me rodean?
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dado por Ediciones Universidad de Navarra, S.A. (EUNSA).