The Meaning of 1 Samuel 24:12 Explained

1 Samuel 24:12

KJV: The LORD judge between me and thee, and the LORD avenge me of thee: but mine hand shall not be upon thee.

YLT: 'Jehovah doth judge between me and thee, and Jehovah hath avenged me of thee, and my hand is not on thee;

Darby: Jehovah judge between me and thee, and Jehovah avenge me of thee; but my hand shall not be upon thee.

ASV: Jehovah judge between me and thee, and Jehovah avenge me of thee; but my hand shall not be upon thee.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

The LORD  judge  between me and thee, and the LORD  avenge  me of thee: but mine hand  shall not be upon thee. 

What does 1 Samuel 24:12 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 24:12 mean?

Let judge Yahweh between me and you and let avenge me Yahweh on you but my hand not shall be against you
יִשְׁפֹּ֤ט יְהוָה֙ בֵּינִ֣י וּבֵינֶ֔ךָ וּנְקָמַ֥נִי יְהוָ֖ה מִמֶּ֑ךָּ וְיָדִ֖י לֹ֥א תִֽהְיֶה־ בָּֽךְ

יִשְׁפֹּ֤ט  Let  judge 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁפַט  
Sense: to judge, govern, vindicate, punish.
יְהוָה֙  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
בֵּינִ֣י  between  me 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
Root: בַּיִן 
Sense: between, among, in the midst of (with other preps), from between.
וּבֵינֶ֔ךָ  and  you 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition, second person masculine singular
Root: בַּיִן 
Sense: between, among, in the midst of (with other preps), from between.
וּנְקָמַ֥נִי  and  let  avenge  me 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular, first person common singular
Root: נָקַם  
Sense: to avenge, take vengeance, revenge, avenge oneself, be avenged, be punished.
יְהוָ֖ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
מִמֶּ֑ךָּ  on  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine singular
Root: מִן 
Sense: from, out of, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not, more than.
וְיָדִ֖י  but  my  hand 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
תִֽהְיֶה־  shall  be 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
בָּֽךְ  against  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine singular