The Meaning of 1 Samuel 24:5 Explained

1 Samuel 24:5

KJV: And it came to pass afterward, that David's heart smote him, because he had cut off Saul's skirt.

YLT: And it cometh to pass afterwards that the heart of David smiteth him, because that he hath cut off the skirt which is on Saul,

Darby: And it came to pass afterwards that David's heart smote him, because he had cut off Saul's skirt.

ASV: And it came to pass afterward, that David's heart smote him, because he had cut off Saul's skirt.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And it came to pass afterward,  that David's  heart  smote  him, because he had cut off  Saul's  skirt. 

What does 1 Samuel 24:5 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 24:5 mean?

And it came to pass afterward afterward that troubled heart of David him upon that he had cut - [robe] Which of Saul -
וַֽיְהִי֙ אַֽחֲרֵי־ כֵ֔ן וַיַּ֥ךְ לֵב־ דָּוִ֖ד אֹת֑וֹ עַ֚ל אֲשֶׁ֣ר כָּרַ֔ת אֶת־ כָּנָ֖ף אֲשֶׁ֥ר לְשָׁאֽוּל ס

וַֽיְהִי֙  And  it  came  to  pass 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
אַֽחֲרֵי־  afterward 
Parse: Preposition
Root: אַחַר 
Sense: after the following part, behind (of place), hinder, afterwards (of time).
כֵ֔ן  afterward 
Parse: Adverb
Root: כֵּן 
Sense: so, therefore, thus.
וַיַּ֥ךְ  that  troubled 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: נָכָה  
Sense: to strike, smite, hit, beat, slay, kill.
לֵב־  heart 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: לֵב 
Sense: inner man, mind, will, heart, understanding.
דָּוִ֖ד  of  David 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּוִד  
Sense: youngest son of Jesse and second king of Israel.
עַ֚ל  upon 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
אֲשֶׁ֣ר  that 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
כָּרַ֔ת  he  had  cut 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: כָּרַת  
Sense: to cut, cut off, cut down, cut off a body part, cut out, eliminate, kill, cut a covenant.
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.
כָּנָ֖ף  [robe] 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: כָּנָף  
Sense: wing, extremity, edge, winged, border, corner, shirt.
לְשָׁאֽוּל  of  Saul 
Parse: Preposition-l, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: שָׁאוּל  
Sense: a Benjamite, son of Kish, and the st king of Israel.
ס  - 
Parse: Punctuation

What are the major concepts related to 1 Samuel 24:5?

Loading Information...