The Meaning of 1 Samuel 24:11 Explained

1 Samuel 24:11

KJV: Moreover, my father, see, yea, 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.

YLT: 'And, my father, see, yea see the skirt of thine upper robe in my hand; for by cutting off the skirt of thy upper robe, and I have not slain thee, know and see that there is not in my hand evil and transgression, and I have not sinned against thee, and thou art hunting my soul to take it!

Darby: And see, my father, yes, 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 and see that there is neither evil nor transgression in my hand, and I have not sinned against thee; yet thou liest in wait for my life to take it.

ASV: Moreover, my father, see, yea, 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 my hand, and I have not sinned against thee, though thou huntest after my life to take it.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Moreover, my father,  see,  yea, 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. 

What does 1 Samuel 24:11 Mean?

Context Summary

1 Samuel 24:1-15 - Returning Good For Evil
Engedi is situated on the western shore of the Dead Sea. As Saul entered the cave, a very insidious temptation presented itself to David. Why not rid the kingdom of this cruel and oppressive monarch? Would it not confer a public benefit? Had not Samuel promised David the kingdom? Even if he himself did not strike the blow, why not let his men, who were not so squeamish, do so!But the man of God must not yield to such suggestions. He insisted on waiting the Lord's own time. He would not anticipate, by a single hour, the fulfillment of the great word on which he had been taught to rest through these weary years. The sensitiveness of his conscience was indicated in his compunction at having cut off a piece of the royal robe.
Never forget that opportunity does not make a wrong thing right. That the ship was waiting to sail to Tarshish did not make it right for Jonah to take passage. Our actions must not be determined by the opening of the door of circumstance, but by conscience, faith, obedience, and the high sense of Christian honor. [source]

Chapter Summary: 1 Samuel 24

1  David, in a cave at En Gedi, spares his life
8  He shows thereby his innocence,
16  Saul, acknowledging his fault, takes an oath of David, and departs

What do the individual words in 1 Samuel 24:11 mean?

Moreover my father see Yes see - the corner of your robe in my hand for in that I cut off of your robe and not did kill you know and see that [there is] not in my hand evil and rebellion and not I have sinned against you and yet you hunt my life to take it
וְאָבִ֣י רְאֵ֔ה גַּ֗ם רְאֵ֛ה אֶת־ כְּנַ֥ף מְעִילְךָ֖ ! בְּיָדִ֑י כִּ֡י בְּכָרְתִי֩ מְעִֽילְךָ֜ וְלֹ֣א הֲרַגְתִּ֗יךָ דַּ֤ע וּרְאֵה֙ כִּי֩ אֵ֨ין בְּיָדִ֜י רָעָ֤ה וָפֶ֙שַׁע֙ וְלֹא־ חָטָ֣אתִי לָ֔ךְ וְאַתָּ֛ה צֹדֶ֥ה נַפְשִׁ֖י לְקַחְתָּֽהּ

וְאָבִ֣י  Moreover  my  father 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: אָב  
Sense: father of an individual.
רְאֵ֔ה  see 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
גַּ֗ם  Yes 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: גַּם  
Sense: also, even, indeed, moreover, yea.
רְאֵ֛ה  see 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
כְּנַ֥ף  the  corner 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: כָּנָף  
Sense: wing, extremity, edge, winged, border, corner, shirt.
מְעִילְךָ֖  of  your  robe 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: מְעִיל  
Sense: robe.
! בְּיָדִ֑י  in  my  hand 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
בְּכָרְתִי֩  in  that  I  cut  off 
Parse: Preposition-b, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct, first person common singular
Root: כָּרַת  
Sense: to cut, cut off, cut down, cut off a body part, cut out, eliminate, kill, cut a covenant.
מְעִֽילְךָ֜  of  your  robe 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: מְעִיל  
Sense: robe.
וְלֹ֣א  and  not 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
הֲרַגְתִּ֗יךָ  did  kill  you 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular, second person masculine singular
Root: הָרַג  
Sense: to kill, slay, murder, destroy, murderer, slayer, out of hand.
דַּ֤ע  know 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: דָּעָה 
Sense: to know.
וּרְאֵה֙  and  see 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
כִּי֩  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
אֵ֨ין  [there  is]  not 
Parse: Adverb
Root: אַיִן 
Sense: nothing, not, nought n.
בְּיָדִ֜י  in  my  hand 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
רָעָ֤ה  evil 
Parse: Adjective, feminine singular
Root: רַע 
Sense: bad, evil.
וָפֶ֙שַׁע֙  and  rebellion 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular
Root: פֶּשַׁע  
Sense: transgression, rebellion.
וְלֹא־  and  not 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
חָטָ֣אתִי  I  have  sinned 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: חָטָא 
Sense: to sin, miss, miss the way, go wrong, incur guilt, forfeit, purify from uncleanness.
לָ֔ךְ  against  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine singular
וְאַתָּ֛ה  and  yet  you 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Pronoun, second person masculine singular
Root: אַתְּ 
Sense: you (second pers.
צֹדֶ֥ה  hunt 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: צָדָה 
Sense: (Qal) to lie in wait.
נַפְשִׁ֖י  my  life 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: נֶפֶשׁ  
Sense: soul, self, life, creature, person, appetite, mind, living being, desire, emotion, passion.
לְקַחְתָּֽהּ  to  take  it 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct, third person feminine singular
Root: יָקַח 
Sense: to take, get, fetch, lay hold of, seize, receive, acquire, buy, bring, marry, take a wife, snatch, take away.