1 Samuel 24:5 Meaning and Explanation
“And it came to pass afterward, that David’s heart smote him, because he had cut off Saul’s skirt.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Afterward David's conscience strikes him even for cutting Saul's robe.
What Does 1 Samuel 24:5 Mean?
The deed is done, the danger past, and now David feels the weight of even this small act. His own heart accuses him — not for sparing Saul, but for laying a blade to the garment of the LORD's anointed at all. So tender is his reverence that even the hem feels like a step too far.
A heart that can be smitten by so slight a thing is a heart kept soft toward God. David's conscience is his guardrail, sharper than his sword. This is the inner life Scripture commends: a sensitivity that grieves at the first hint of wrong rather than excusing it. The God who searches the heart works through such an awakened conscience to keep His servant from sin.
1 Samuel 24:5 in the Original Language
lev (לֵב), 'heart' -- the inner self of thought, will, and conscience, not merely emotion.
Frequently Asked Questions About 1 Samuel 24:5
What does 1 Samuel 24:5 mean?
Afterward David's conscience strikes him even for cutting Saul's robe.