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Thursday, August 21st, 2025
the Week of Proper 15 / Ordinary 20
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Read the Bible

1 Samuel 24:14

Who has the king of Israel come after? What are you chasing after? A dead dog? A single flea? After whom is the king of Yisra'el come out? after whom do you pursue? after a dead dog, after a flea. After whom is the king of Israel come out? after whom dost thou pursue? after a dead dog, after a flea. After whom did the king of Israel go out? After whom are you pursuing? After a dead dog? After one flea? After whom has the king of Israel come out? After whom do you pursue? After a dead dog! After a flea! Whom is the king of Israel coming out against? Whom are you chasing? It's as if you are chasing a dead dog or a flea. Who has the king of Israel come out after? Who is it that you are pursuing? A dead dog? A single flea? "After whom has the king of Israel come out? Whom do you pursue [with three thousand men]? A dead dog, a single flea? "After whom has the king of Israel gone out? Whom are you pursuing? A dead dog, a single flea? After whom is the King of Israel come out? after whome doest thou pursue? after a dead dog, and after a flea? After whom has the king of Israel come out? Whom are you pursuing? After a dead dog, after a single flea? Why should the king of Israel be out chasing me, anyway? I'm as worthless as a dead dog or a flea. as the old saying has it, ‘Out of the wicked comes wickedness, but I will not lay a hand on you.' After whom is the king of Israel come out? after whom dost thou pursue? after a dead dog, after a single flea. Who are you chasing? Did the king of Israel bring an army to chase a single flea or a dying dog? After whom have you come out, O king of Israel? After whom do you pursue? After a dead dog, and after a flea? Look at what the king of Israel is trying to kill! Look at what he is chasing! A dead dog, a flea! After whom has the king of Israel come out? After whom are you pursuing? After a dead dog? After a flea? Whom persecutest thou O kynge of Israel, whom persecutest thou? a deed dogg? a flee? After whom is the king of Israel come out? after whom dost thou pursue? after a dead dog, after a flea. After whom has the king of Israel come out? for whom are you searching? for a dead dog, an insect. After whom is the king of Israel come out? After whom doest thou pursue? After a dead dog, and after a flea. After whom is the king of Israel come out? after whom dost thou pursue? after a dead dog, after a flea. After whom is the king of Israel come out? after whom doest thou pursue? After a dead dogge, after a flea. As the old proverb says, Transgression will proceed from the wicked ones: but my hand shall not be upon thee. After whom is the king of Israel come out? after whom dost thou pursue? after a dead dog, after a flea. Against whom has the king of Israel come out? Whom are you pursuing? A dead dog? A flea? `Whom pursuest thou, kyng of Israel, whom pursuest thou? Thou pursuest a deed hound, and a quyk fle. `After whom hath the king of Israel come out? after whom art thou pursuing? -- after a dead dog! after one flea! After whom has the king of Israel come out? after whom do you pursue? after a dead dog, after a flea. After whom is the king of Israel come out? after whom dost thou pursue? after a dead dog, after a flea? After whom is the king of Israel come out? after whom do you pursue? after a dead dog, after a flea. After whom has the king of Israel come out? Whom do you pursue? A dead dog? A flea? Who is the king of Israel trying to catch anyway? Should he spend his time chasing one who is as worthless as a dead dog or a single flea? After whom has the king come out? After whom are you running? After a dead dog? After a little bug? Against whom has the king of Israel come out? Whom do you pursue? A dead dog? A single flea? After whom, hath the king of Israel come forth? After whom, art thou in pursuit? After a dead dog! after a single flea! (24-15) After whom dost thou pursue? After a dead dog, after a flea. After whom has the king of Israel come out? After whom do you pursue? After a dead dog! After a flea! After whom has the king of Israel come out? After whom are you pursuing? After a dead dog! After one flea! "What does the king of Israel think he's doing? Who do you think you're chasing? A dead dog? A flea? God is our judge. He'll decide who is right. Oh, that he would look down right now, decide right now—and set me free of you!" "After whom has the king of Israel come out? Whom are you pursuing? A dead dog, a single flea?

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Dog (Sodomite?);   Flea;   Humility;   Proverbs;   Self-Control;   Thompson Chain Reference - Humility;   Humility-Pride;   Insects;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Dog, the;   Insects;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Dogs;   Right-Hand;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Prayer;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Dog;   Flea;   Providence;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - David;   Dog;   Flea;   Mephibosheth;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Insects;   Samuel, Books of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Dog;   Flea;   Prayer;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Flea;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Dog;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Da'vid;   Dog,;   Flea,;   Wilson's Dictionary of Bible Types - Flea;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Dog;   Flea;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Hebrew Monarchy, the;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Dead;   Dog;   Flea;   Saul;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - God;   Poetry;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Who has the king of Israel come after? What are you chasing after? A dead dog? A single flea?
Hebrew Names Version
After whom is the king of Yisra'el come out? after whom do you pursue? after a dead dog, after a flea.
King James Version
After whom is the king of Israel come out? after whom dost thou pursue? after a dead dog, after a flea.
Lexham English Bible
After whom did the king of Israel go out? After whom are you pursuing? After a dead dog? After one flea?
English Standard Version
After whom has the king of Israel come out? After whom do you pursue? After a dead dog! After a flea!
New Century Version
Whom is the king of Israel coming out against? Whom are you chasing? It's as if you are chasing a dead dog or a flea.
New English Translation
Who has the king of Israel come out after? Who is it that you are pursuing? A dead dog? A single flea?
Amplified Bible
"After whom has the king of Israel come out? Whom do you pursue [with three thousand men]? A dead dog, a single flea?
New American Standard Bible
"After whom has the king of Israel gone out? Whom are you pursuing? A dead dog, a single flea?
Geneva Bible (1587)
After whom is the King of Israel come out? after whome doest thou pursue? after a dead dog, and after a flea?
Legacy Standard Bible
After whom has the king of Israel come out? Whom are you pursuing? After a dead dog, after a single flea?
Contemporary English Version
Why should the king of Israel be out chasing me, anyway? I'm as worthless as a dead dog or a flea.
Complete Jewish Bible
as the old saying has it, ‘Out of the wicked comes wickedness, but I will not lay a hand on you.'
Darby Translation
After whom is the king of Israel come out? after whom dost thou pursue? after a dead dog, after a single flea.
Easy-to-Read Version
Who are you chasing? Did the king of Israel bring an army to chase a single flea or a dying dog?
George Lamsa Translation
After whom have you come out, O king of Israel? After whom do you pursue? After a dead dog, and after a flea?
Good News Translation
Look at what the king of Israel is trying to kill! Look at what he is chasing! A dead dog, a flea!
Literal Translation
After whom has the king of Israel come out? After whom are you pursuing? After a dead dog? After a flea?
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Whom persecutest thou O kynge of Israel, whom persecutest thou? a deed dogg? a flee?
American Standard Version
After whom is the king of Israel come out? after whom dost thou pursue? after a dead dog, after a flea.
Bible in Basic English
After whom has the king of Israel come out? for whom are you searching? for a dead dog, an insect.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
After whom is the king of Israel come out? After whom doest thou pursue? After a dead dog, and after a flea.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
After whom is the king of Israel come out? after whom dost thou pursue? after a dead dog, after a flea.
King James Version (1611)
After whom is the king of Israel come out? after whom doest thou pursue? After a dead dogge, after a flea.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
As the old proverb says, Transgression will proceed from the wicked ones: but my hand shall not be upon thee.
English Revised Version
After whom is the king of Israel come out? after whom dost thou pursue? after a dead dog, after a flea.
Berean Standard Bible
Against whom has the king of Israel come out? Whom are you pursuing? A dead dog? A flea?
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
`Whom pursuest thou, kyng of Israel, whom pursuest thou? Thou pursuest a deed hound, and a quyk fle.
Young's Literal Translation
`After whom hath the king of Israel come out? after whom art thou pursuing? -- after a dead dog! after one flea!
Update Bible Version
After whom has the king of Israel come out? after whom do you pursue? after a dead dog, after a flea.
Webster's Bible Translation
After whom is the king of Israel come out? after whom dost thou pursue? after a dead dog, after a flea?
World English Bible
After whom is the king of Israel come out? after whom do you pursue? after a dead dog, after a flea.
New King James Version
After whom has the king of Israel come out? Whom do you pursue? A dead dog? A flea?
New Living Translation
Who is the king of Israel trying to catch anyway? Should he spend his time chasing one who is as worthless as a dead dog or a single flea?
New Life Bible
After whom has the king come out? After whom are you running? After a dead dog? After a little bug?
New Revised Standard
Against whom has the king of Israel come out? Whom do you pursue? A dead dog? A single flea?
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
After whom, hath the king of Israel come forth? After whom, art thou in pursuit? After a dead dog! after a single flea!
Douay-Rheims Bible
(24-15) After whom dost thou pursue? After a dead dog, after a flea.
Revised Standard Version
After whom has the king of Israel come out? After whom do you pursue? After a dead dog! After a flea!
THE MESSAGE
"What does the king of Israel think he's doing? Who do you think you're chasing? A dead dog? A flea? God is our judge. He'll decide who is right. Oh, that he would look down right now, decide right now—and set me free of you!"
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"After whom has the king of Israel come out? Whom are you pursuing? A dead dog, a single flea?

Contextual Overview

9David said to Saul, “Why do you listen to the words of people who say, ‘Look, David intends to harm you’? 9 David said to Sha'ul, Why listen you to men's words, saying, Behold, David seeks your hurt? 9 And David said to Saul, Wherefore hearest thou men's words, saying, Behold, David seeketh thy hurt? 9 Then David said to Saul, "Why do you listen to the words of people who say: ‘Look, David is seeking to do you harm'? 9 And David said to Saul, "Why do you listen to the words of men who say, ‘Behold, David seeks your harm'? 9 He said to Saul, "Why do you listen when people say, ‘David wants to harm you'? 9 David said to Saul, "Why do you pay attention when men say, ‘David is seeking to do you harm'? 9David said to Saul, "Why do you listen to the words of men who say, 'David seeks to harm you?' 9 And David said to Saul, "Why do you listen to the words of men who say, 'Behold, David is seeking to harm you'? 9 And Dauid saide to Saul, Wherefore giuest thou an eare to mens words, that say, Behold, Dauid seeketh euill against thee?

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

the king: 2 Samuel 6:20, 1 Kings 21:7

a dead dog: 1 Samuel 17:43, 2 Samuel 3:8, 2 Samuel 9:8, 2 Samuel 16:9

a flea: 1 Samuel 26:20, Judges 8:1-3

Reciprocal: Job 7:17 - magnify Job 13:25 - break Psalms 113:7 - needy Psalms 124:7 - Our soul Psalms 142:6 - for they Lamentations 4:18 - hunt Mark 14:48 - Are

Cross-References

Genesis 15:8
He said, "Lord GOD, whereby will I know that I will inherit it?"
Genesis 15:8
And he said, Lord God, whereby shall I know that I shall inherit it?
Genesis 15:8
And he said, "O Yahweh God, how shall I know that I will possess it?"
Genesis 15:8
But Abram said, "Lord God , how can I be sure that I will own this land?"
Genesis 15:8
But Abram said, "O sovereign Lord , by what can I know that I am to possess it?"
Genesis 15:8
But Abram said, "Lord GOD, by what [proof] will I know that I will inherit it?"
Genesis 15:8
But he said, "Lord GOD, how may I know that I will possess it?"
Genesis 15:8
And he said, O Lord God, whereby shall I knowe that I shall inherite it?
Genesis 15:8
And he said, "O Lord Yahweh, how may I know that I will possess it?"
Genesis 15:8
Abram asked, " Lord God, how can I know the land will be mine?"

Gill's Notes on the Bible

After whom is the king of Israel come out?.... From his court and palace, with an army of men, and at the head of them:

after whom dost thou pursue? with such eagerness and fury:

after a dead dog; as David was in the opinion, and according to the representation of his enemies, a dog, vile, mean, worthless, of no account; a dead dog, whose name was made to stink through the calumnies cast upon him; and if a dead dog, then as he was an useless person, and could do no good, so neither could he do any hurt, not so much as bark, much less bite; and therefore it was unworthy of so great a prince, a lessening, a degrading of himself, as well as a vain and impertinent thing, to pursue after such an one, that was not worthy of his notice, and could do him neither good nor harm:

after a flea? a little contemptible animal, not easily caught, as it is observed by some, and when caught good for nothing. David, by this simile, fitly represents not only his weakness and impotence, his being worthless, and of no account, and beneath the notice of such a prince as Saul; but the circumstances he was in, being obliged to move from place to place, as a flea leaps from one place to another, and is not easily taken, and when it is, of no worth and value; signifying, that as it was not worth his pains to seek after him, so it would be to no purpose, he should not be able to take him.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

After whom ... - i. e., was it consistent with the dignity of the king of Israel to lead armies in pursuit of a weak and helpless individual like David?

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 1 Samuel 24:14. After a dead dog — A term used among the Hebrews to signify the most sovereign contempt; see 2 Samuel 16:9. One utterly incapable of making the least resistance against Saul, and the troops of Israel. The same idea is expressed in the term flea. The Targum properly expresses both thus: one who is weak, one who is contemptible.


 
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