1 Samuel 24:17
New International Version
“You are more righteous than I,” he said. “You have treated me well, but I have treated you badly.

New Living Translation
And he said to David, “You are a better man than I am, for you have repaid me good for evil.

English Standard Version
He said to David, “You are more righteous than I, for you have repaid me good, whereas I have repaid you evil.

Berean Standard Bible
and said to David, “You are more righteous than I, for you have rewarded me with good, though I have rewarded you with evil.

King James Bible
And he said to David, Thou art more righteous than I: for thou hast rewarded me good, whereas I have rewarded thee evil.

New King James Version
Then he said to David: “You are more righteous than I; for you have rewarded me with good, whereas I have rewarded you with evil.

New American Standard Bible
And he said to David, “You are more righteous than I; for you have dealt well with me, while I have dealt maliciously with you.

NASB 1995
He said to David, “You are more righteous than I; for you have dealt well with me, while I have dealt wickedly with you.

NASB 1977
And he said to David, “You are more righteous than I; for you have dealt well with me, while I have dealt wickedly with you.

Legacy Standard Bible
And he said to David, “You are more righteous than I; for you have dealt well with me, while I have dealt evil with you.

Amplified Bible
He said to David, “You are more righteous and upright [in God’s eyes] than I; for you have done good to me, but I have done evil to you.

Christian Standard Bible
and said to David, “You are more righteous than I, for you have done what is good to me though I have done what is evil to you.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
and said to David, “You are more righteous than I, for you have done what is good to me though I have done what is evil to you.

American Standard Version
And he said to David, Thou art more righteous than I; for thou hast rendered unto me good, whereas I have rendered unto thee evil.

Contemporary English Version
and said: David, you're a better person than I am. You treated me with kindness, even though I've been cruel to you.

English Revised Version
And he said to David, Thou art more righteous than I: for thou hast rendered unto me good, whereas I have rendered unto thee evil.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
He told David, "You are more righteous than I. You treated me well while I treated you badly.

Good News Translation
Then he said to David, "You are right, and I am wrong. You have been so good to me, while I have done such wrong to you!

International Standard Version
to David, "You are more righteous than I am, because you have treated me well even though I've treated you poorly.

Majority Standard Bible
and said to David, ?You are more righteous than I, for you have rewarded me with good, though I have rewarded you with evil.

NET Bible
He said to David, "You are more innocent than I, for you have treated me well, even though I have tried to harm you!

New Heart English Bible
He said to David, "You are more righteous than I; for you have done good to me, whereas I have done evil to you.

Webster's Bible Translation
And he said to David, thou art more righteous than I: for thou hast rewarded me with good, whereas I have rewarded thee with evil.

World English Bible
He said to David, “You are more righteous than I; for you have done good to me, whereas I have done evil to you.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And he says to David, “You [are] more righteous than I; for you have done me good, and I have done you evil;

Young's Literal Translation
And he saith unto David, 'More righteous thou art than I; for thou hast done me good, and I have done thee evil;

Smith's Literal Translation
And he will say to David, Thou art just above me, for thou didst reward me good and I rewarded thee evil.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And he said to David: Thou art more just than I: for thou hast done good to me, and I have rewarded thee with evil.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And he said to David: “You are more just than I am. For you have distributed good to me, but I have repaid evil to you.

New American Bible
Saul then admitted to David: “You are more in the right than I am. You have treated me graciously, while I have treated you badly.

New Revised Standard Version
He said to David, “You are more righteous than I; for you have repaid me good, whereas I have repaid you evil.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And he said to David, You are more righteous than I; for you have rewarded me with good, whereas I have rewarded you with evil.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And Shaul said to David: “You are more righteous than I, because you paid me good and I have paid you evil!
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And he said to David: 'Thou art more righteous than I; for thou hast rendered unto me good, whereas I have rendered unto thee evil.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And Saul said to David, Thou art more righteous that I, for thou hast recompensed me good, but I have recompensed thee evil.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
David's Oath to Saul
16When David had finished saying these things, Saul called back, “Is that your voice, David my son?” Then Saul wept aloud 17and said to David, “You are more righteous than I, for you have rewarded me with good, though I have rewarded you with evil. 18And 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.…

Cross References
Genesis 50:15-21
When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “What if Joseph bears a grudge? Then he will surely repay us for all the evil that we did to him.” / So they sent word to Joseph, saying, “Before he died, your father commanded, / ‘This is what you are to say to Joseph: I beg you, please forgive the transgression and sin of your brothers, for they did you wrong.’ So now, Joseph, please forgive the transgression of the servants of the God of your father.” When their message came to him, Joseph wept. ...

Matthew 5:44
But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,

Romans 12:20-21
On the contrary, “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink. For in so doing, you will heap burning coals on his head.” / Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Proverbs 25:21-22
If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat, and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink. / For in so doing, you will heap burning coals on his head, and the LORD will reward you.

Luke 6:27-28
But to those of you who will listen, I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, / bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.

Genesis 33:4
Esau, however, ran to him and embraced him, threw his arms around his neck, and kissed him. And they both wept.

Matthew 18:21-22
Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother who sins against me? Up to seven times?” / Jesus answered, “I tell you, not just seven times, but seventy-seven times!

Romans 12:17-19
Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Carefully consider what is right in the eyes of everybody. / If it is possible on your part, live at peace with everyone. / Do not avenge yourselves, beloved, but leave room for God’s wrath. For it is written: “Vengeance is Mine; I will repay, says the Lord.”

1 Peter 3:9
Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.

Genesis 45:4-5
Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Please come near me.” And they did so. “I am Joseph, your brother,” he said, “the one you sold into Egypt! / And now, do not be distressed or angry with yourselves that you sold me into this place, because it was to save lives that God sent me before you.

Luke 23:34
Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up His garments by casting lots.

Ephesians 4:32
Be kind and tenderhearted to one another, forgiving each other just as in Christ God forgave you.

Colossians 3:13
Bear with one another and forgive any complaint you may have against someone else. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.

1 Peter 2:23
When they heaped abuse on Him, He did not retaliate; when He suffered, He made no threats, but entrusted Himself to Him who judges justly.

Proverbs 24:17-18
Do not gloat when your enemy falls, and do not let your heart rejoice when he stumbles, / or the LORD will see and disapprove, and turn His wrath away from him.


Treasury of Scripture

And he said to David, You are more righteous than I: for you have rewarded me good, whereas I have rewarded you evil.

Thou art

1 Samuel 26:21
Then said Saul, I have sinned: return, my son David: for I will no more do thee harm, because my soul was precious in thine eyes this day: behold, I have played the fool, and have erred exceedingly.

Genesis 38:26
And Judah acknowledged them, and said, She hath been more righteous than I; because that I gave her not to Shelah my son. And he knew her again no more.

Exodus 9:27
And Pharaoh sent, and called for Moses and Aaron, and said unto them, I have sinned this time: the LORD is righteous, and I and my people are wicked.

thou hast

Matthew 5:44
But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

Romans 12:20,21
Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head…

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Badly David Dealt Evil Rendered Repaid Rewarded Right Righteous Treated Whereas Wickedly Wrong
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.














You are more righteous than I
This phrase is a profound admission by Saul, acknowledging David's superior moral standing. The Hebrew word for "righteous" is "צַדִּיק" (tsaddiq), which denotes someone who is just, lawful, and morally upright. In the context of ancient Israel, righteousness was not merely about personal morality but was deeply connected to one's relationship with God and adherence to His laws. Saul's acknowledgment here is significant because it reflects a moment of clarity and humility, recognizing David's adherence to God's ways despite Saul's own failings. This admission is a pivotal moment in the narrative, highlighting the contrast between Saul's declining kingship and David's rise as a man after God's own heart.

he said
The phrase "he said" indicates Saul's verbal confession, which is crucial in the biblical narrative. In the Hebrew text, the verb "אָמַר" (amar) is used, which is a common term for speaking or saying. This moment of speech is important because it is a public acknowledgment of David's righteousness. In the cultural and historical context of the time, spoken words held significant weight, often seen as binding and reflective of one's true intentions or realizations. Saul's declaration is not just a personal admission but a public recognition of David's integrity.

You have rewarded me with good
The word "rewarded" in Hebrew is "גָּמַל" (gamal), which means to deal bountifully or to recompense. David's actions towards Saul, despite being pursued and threatened by him, were characterized by mercy and kindness. This reflects the biblical principle of returning good for evil, a theme that resonates throughout Scripture and is later echoed in the teachings of Jesus Christ. David's behavior exemplifies the godly character that is expected of those who follow God's ways, demonstrating forgiveness and grace even towards one's enemies.

whereas I have rewarded you with evil
Here, Saul contrasts David's goodness with his own actions, using the Hebrew word "רָעָה" (ra'ah) for "evil," which signifies harm, wickedness, or adversity. Saul's admission of having rewarded David with evil is a moment of self-awareness and confession. Historically, Saul's pursuit of David was driven by jealousy and fear, leading him to act contrary to God's will. This acknowledgment by Saul serves as a reminder of the destructive nature of sin and the importance of repentance. It also underscores the biblical theme of the triumph of good over evil, as David's righteousness ultimately prevails despite Saul's malevolent intentions.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
and said
וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ (way·yō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

to
אֶל־ (’el-)
Preposition
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

David,
דָּוִ֔ד (dā·wiḏ)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 1732: David -- perhaps 'beloved one', a son of Jesse

“You
אַתָּ֖ה (’at·tāh)
Pronoun - second person masculine singular
Strong's 859: Thou and thee, ye and you

are more righteous
צַדִּ֥יק (ṣad·dîq)
Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 6662: Just, righteous

than I,
מִמֶּ֑נִּי (mim·men·nî)
Preposition | first person common singular
Strong's 4480: A part of, from, out of

for
כִּ֤י (kî)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

you
אַתָּה֙ (’at·tāh)
Pronoun - second person masculine singular
Strong's 859: Thou and thee, ye and you

have rewarded me
גְּמַלְתַּ֣נִי (gə·mal·ta·nî)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular | first person common singular
Strong's 1580: To deal fully or adequately with, deal out to, wean, ripen

with good,
הַטּוֹבָ֔ה (haṭ·ṭō·w·ḇāh)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 2896: Pleasant, agreeable, good

though I
וַאֲנִ֖י (wa·’ă·nî)
Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - first person common singular
Strong's 589: I

have rewarded you
גְּמַלְתִּ֥יךָ (gə·mal·tî·ḵā)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular | second person masculine singular
Strong's 1580: To deal fully or adequately with, deal out to, wean, ripen

with evil.
הָרָעָֽה׃ (hā·rā·‘āh)
Article | Adjective - feminine singular
Strong's 7451: Bad, evil


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OT History: 1 Samuel 24:17 He said to David You are more (1Sa iSam 1 Sam i sa)
1 Samuel 24:16
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