The Meaning of 1 Samuel 24:9 Explained

1 Samuel 24:9

KJV: And David said to Saul, Wherefore hearest thou men's words, saying, Behold, David seeketh thy hurt?

YLT: And David saith to Saul, 'Why dost thou hear the words of man, saying, Lo, David is seeking thine evil?

Darby: And David said to Saul, Why dost thou listen to words of men, saying, Behold, David seeks thy hurt?

ASV: And David said to Saul, Wherefore hearkenest thou to men's words, saying, Behold, David seeketh thy hurt?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And David  said  to Saul,  Wherefore hearest  thou men's  words,  saying,  Behold, David  seeketh  thy hurt? 

What does 1 Samuel 24:9 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 24:9 mean?

And said David to Saul why do you listen - to the words of men who say indeed David seeks your harm
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר דָּוִד֙ לְשָׁא֔וּל לָ֧מָּה תִשְׁמַ֛ע אֶת־ דִּבְרֵ֥י אָדָ֖ם לֵאמֹ֑ר הִנֵּ֣ה דָוִ֔ד מְבַקֵּ֖שׁ ؟ רָעָתֶֽךָ

וַיֹּ֤אמֶר  And  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
דָּוִד֙  David 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּוִד  
Sense: youngest son of Jesse and second king of Israel.
לְשָׁא֔וּל  to  Saul 
Parse: Preposition-l, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: שָׁאוּל  
Sense: a Benjamite, son of Kish, and the st king of Israel.
לָ֧מָּה  why 
Parse: Preposition-l, Interrogative
Root: לָמָּה 
Sense: what, how, of what kind.
תִשְׁמַ֛ע  do  you  listen 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: שָׁמַע 
Sense: to hear, listen to, obey.
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.
דִּבְרֵ֥י  to  the  words 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: דָּבָר  
Sense: speech, word, speaking, thing.
אָדָ֖ם  of  men 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אָדָם 
Sense: man, mankind.
לֵאמֹ֑ר  who  say 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
הִנֵּ֣ה  indeed 
Parse: Interjection
Root: הִנֵּה  
Sense: behold, lo, see, if.
דָוִ֔ד  David 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּוִד  
Sense: youngest son of Jesse and second king of Israel.
מְבַקֵּ֖שׁ  seeks 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Participle, masculine singular
Root: בָּקַשׁ  
Sense: to seek, require, desire, exact, request.
؟ רָעָתֶֽךָ  your  harm 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: רַע 
Sense: bad, evil.