Lectionary Calendar
Monday, August 25th, 2025
the Week of Proper 16 / Ordinary 21
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Read the Bible

Hebrew Names Version

1 Samuel 24:17

He said to David, You are more righteous than I; for you have rendered to me good, whereas I have rendered to you evil.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Good for Evil;   Mercy;   Saul;   Unselfishness;   Thompson Chain Reference - Good for Evil;   Love;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Ingratitude;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Right-Hand;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Sin;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Prayer;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Esau;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Samuel, Books of;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Saul;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Da'vid;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Hebrew Monarchy, the;  

Parallel Translations

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.
King James Version
And he said to David, Thou art more righteous than I: for thou hast rewarded me good, whereas I have rewarded thee evil.
Lexham English Bible
Then he said to David, "You are more righteous than I, for you have repaid me the good, but I have repaid you the 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.
New Century Version
He said, "You are a better man than I am. You have been good to me, but I have done wrong to you.
New English Translation
He said to David, "You are more innocent than I, for you have treated me well, even though I have tried to harm 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.
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.
Geneva Bible (1587)
And sayd to Dauid, Thou art more righteous then I: for thou hast rendred me good, and I haue rendred thee euill.
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.
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.
Complete Jewish Bible
After David had finished speaking to Sha'ul, Sha'ul said, "Is that your voice, my son David?" Then Sha'ul cried out and wept;
Darby Translation
And he said to David, Thou art more righteous than I; for thou hast rewarded me good, whereas I have rewarded thee evil.
Easy-to-Read Version
He said, "You are right, and I am wrong. You were good to me, even though I have been bad to you.
George Lamsa Translation
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.
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!
Literal Translation
And he said to David, You are more righteous than I. For you have done good to me, and I have rewarded you with evil.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
and saide vnto Dauid: Thou art more righteous then I: for thou hast recompesed me good, but I haue rewarded the euell.
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.
Bible in Basic English
And he said to David, You are right and I am wrong: for you have given me back good, but I have given you evil.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And sayde to Dauid, Thou art more righteous then I: for thou hast rewarded me with good, where as I haue rewarded thee with euyll.
JPS Old Testament (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.
King James Version (1611)
And he said to Dauid, Thou art more righteous then I: for thou hast rewarded mee good, whereas I haue rewarded thee euill.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And it came to pass when David had finished speaking these words to Saul, that Saul said, Is this thy voice, Son David? And Saul lifted up his voice, and wept.
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.
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.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And he seide to Dauid, Thou art more iust than Y; for thou yauest goodis to me; forsothe Y yeldide yuelis to thee.
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;
Update Bible Version
And he said to David, You are more righteous than I; for you have rendered to me good, whereas I have rendered to you evil.
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 rendered to me good, whereas I have rendered to you 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 Living Translation
And he said to David, "You are a better man than I am, for you have repaid me good for evil.
New Life Bible
He said to David, "You are more right and good than I. For you have brought good to me, while I have done wrong to you.
New Revised Standard
He said to David, "You are more righteous than I; for you have repaid me good, whereas I have repaid you evil.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And he said unto David, More righteous, art thou than I, for, thou, hast requited me, good, but, I, have requited thee, evil.
Douay-Rheims Bible
(24-18) 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.
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.
New American Standard Bible (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.

Contextual Overview

16 It came to pass, when David had made an end of speaking these words to Sha'ul, that Sha'ul said, Is this your voice, my son David? Sha'ul lifted up his voice, and wept. 17 He said to David, You are more righteous than I; for you have rendered to me good, whereas I have rendered to you evil. 18 You have declared this day how that you have dealt well with me, because when the LORD had delivered me up into your hand, you didn't kill me. 19 For if a man finds his enemy, will he let him go away unharmed? Therefore may the LORD reward you good for that which you have done to me this day. 20 Now, behold, I know that you shall surely be king, and that the kingdom of Yisra'el shall be established in your hand. 21 Swear now therefore to me by the LORD, that you will not cut off my seed after me, and that you will not destroy my name out of my father's house. 22 David swore to Sha'ul. Sha'ul went home; but David and his men got them up to the stronghold.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Thou art: 1 Samuel 26:21, Genesis 38:26, Exodus 9:27, Psalms 37:6, Matthew 27:4

thou hast: Matthew 5:44, Romans 12:20, Romans 12:21

Reciprocal: Genesis 44:4 - Wherefore Numbers 22:34 - I Have sinned 1 Samuel 20:1 - What have 1 Samuel 25:28 - evil hath 2 Kings 6:23 - he prepared Psalms 7:4 - without Psalms 18:20 - rewarded Psalms 37:14 - slay Psalms 59:3 - not Psalms 119:78 - without Proverbs 17:13 - General Proverbs 19:19 - man Jeremiah 18:20 - evil Ezekiel 16:52 - they are more Daniel 6:5 - General Acts 23:9 - We

Cross-References

Genesis 24:1
Avraham was old, and well stricken in age. The LORD had blessed Avraham in all things.
Genesis 24:6
Avraham said to him, "Beware that you don't bring my son there again.
Genesis 24:7
The LORD, the God of heaven, who took me from my father's house, and from the land of my birth, who spoke to me, and who swore to me, saying, 'To your descendants I will give this land.' He will send his angel before you, and you shall take a wife for my son from there.
Genesis 24:17
The servant ran to meet her, and said, "Please give me a drink, a little water from your pitcher."
Genesis 24:18
She said, "Drink, my lord." She hurried, and let down her pitcher on her hand, and gave him drink.
Genesis 24:35
The LORD has blessed my master greatly. He has become great. He has given him flocks and herds, silver and gold, men-servants and maid-servants, and camels and donkeys.
1 Kings 17:10
So he arose and went to Tzarfat; and when he came to the gate of the city, behold, a widow was there gathering sticks: and he called to her, and said, Please get me a little water in a vessel, that I may drink.
Isaiah 21:14
To him who was thirsty they brought water; the inhabitants of the land of Tema did meet the fugitives with their bread.
Isaiah 30:25
There shall be on every lofty mountain, and on every high hill, brooks [and] streams of waters, in the day of the great slaughter, when the towers fall.
Isaiah 49:10
They shall not hunger nor thirst; neither shall the heat nor sun strike them: for he who has mercy on them will lead them, even by springs of water will he guide them.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And he said to David, thou [art] more righteous than I,.... By which it appears he thought himself righteous, though David was more so; the righteousness of David was so glaring, that his enemy himself being judge acknowledges it, but will not confess his own wickedness, having no true sense of sin, nor real sorrow for it:

for thou hast rewarded me good; in times past, and now; heretofore in killing Goliath, fighting his battles for him against the Philistines, driving the evil spirit from him, by playing on the harp before him, and now by sparing his life, only cutting off the skirt of his garment, when he could with equal ease have cut off his head:

whereas I have rewarded thee evil: in seeking to take away his life at various times, by casting a javelin at him more than once, sending messengers to kill him, and hunting after him from place to place, to take him and slay him.


 
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