1 Samuel 24:4

² So Saul took three thousand chosen men from all Israel and went to look for David and his men in the region of the Rocks of the Wild Goats.

³ Soon Saul came to the sheepfolds along the road, where there was a cave, and he went in to relieve himself. And David and his men were hiding in the recesses of the cave.

So David’s men said to him, “This is the day about which the LORD said to you, ‘Behold, I will deliver your enemy into your hand, that you may do with him as you wish.’” Then David crept up secretly and cut off a corner of Saul’s robe.

⁵ Afterward, David’s conscience was stricken because he had cut off the corner of Saul’s robe.

⁶ So he said to his men, “The LORD forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the LORD’s anointed. May I never lift my hand against him, since he is the LORD’s anointed.”

Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: So David’s men said to him, “This is the day about which the LORD said to you, ‘Behold, I will deliver your enemy into your hand, that you may do with him as you wish.’” Then David crept up secretly and cut off a corner of Saul’s robe.
KJV: And the men of David said unto him, Behold the day of which the LORD said unto thee, Behold, I will deliver thine enemy into thine hand, that thou mayest do to him as it shall seem good unto thee. Then David arose, and cut off the skirt of Saul’s robe privily.
WEB: David’s men said to him, “Behold, the day of which the LORD said to you, ‘Behold, I will deliver your enemy into your hand, and you shall do to him as it shall seem good to you.’” Then David arose and cut off the skirt of Saul’s robe secretly.
ASV: And the men of David said unto him, Behold, the day of which Jehovah said unto thee, Behold, I will deliver thine enemy into thy hand, and thou shalt do to him as it shall seem good unto thee. Then David arose, and cut off the skirt of Saul`s robe privily.
DARBY: And David's men said to him, Behold the day of which Jehovah said to thee, Behold, I will give thine enemy into thy hand, that thou mayest do to him as it shall seem good to thee. And David arose, and cut off the skirt of Saul's robe secretly.
BLB: And the men of David said to him, “This is the day of which YHWH said to you, ‘Behold, I will deliver your enemy into your hand, that you may do to him as is good in your eyes.’” And David arose and cut off a corner of the robe that [was] on Saul—in secrecy.

ÅB: Da sa Davids menn til ham: Se, nå er den dag kommet om hvilken Herren sa til deg: Nå gir jeg din fiende i din hånd, så du kan gjøre med ham som du finner for godt! Så sto David opp og skar hemmelig fliken av Sauls kappe.
OTB: Davids menn sa til ham: «Se, dette er dagen som Herren har sagt til deg: ‘Se, jeg vil gi din fiende i din hånd, og du skal gjøre med ham som det synes godt for deg.’» Da reiste David seg og skar hemmelig av kanten på Sauls kappe.
B1930: Da sa Davids menn til ham: Se, nu er den dag kommet om hvilken Herren sa til dig: Nu gir jeg din fiende i din hånd, så du kan gjøre med ham som du finner for godt! Så stod David op og skar hemmelig fliken av Sauls kappe.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

1 Samuel 26:8–11
Abishai said to David, “Today God has delivered your enemy into your hand. Now, therefore, please let me thrust the spear through him into the ground with one stroke. I will not need to strike him twice!”
Read in context
1 Samuel 26:23
May the LORD repay every man for his righteousness and faithfulness. For the LORD delivered you into my hand today, but I would not stretch out my hand against the LORD’s anointed.
Read in context
1 Samuel 24:10
Behold, this day you have seen with your own eyes that the LORD delivered you into my hand in the cave. I was told to kill you, but I spared you and said, ‘I will not lift my hand against my lord, since he is the LORD’s anointed.’
Read in context
1 Samuel 25:28–30
Please forgive your servant’s offense, for the LORD will surely make a lasting dynasty for my lord, because he fights the LORD’s battles. May no evil be found in you as long as you live.
Read in context
1 Samuel 24:18
And you have shown this day how well you have dealt with me; for when the LORD delivered me into your hand, you did not kill me.
Read in context
1 Samuel 23:17
saying, “Do not be afraid, for my father Saul will never lay a hand on you. And you will be king over Israel, and I will be your second-in-command. Even my father Saul knows this is true.”
Read in context
1 Samuel 23:7
When Saul was told that David had gone to Keilah, he said, “God has delivered him into my hand, for he has trapped himself by entering a town with gates and bars.”
Read in context
2 Samuel 4:8
They brought the head of Ish-bosheth to David at Hebron and said to the king, “Here is the head of Ish-bosheth son of Saul, your enemy who sought your life. Today the LORD has granted vengeance to my lord the king against Saul and his offspring.”
Read in context