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Sunday, December 21st, 2025
the Fourth Week of Advent
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Read the Bible

New Living Translation

1 Samuel 24:12

"May the Lord judge between us. Perhaps the Lord will punish you for what you are trying to do to me, but I will never harm you.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Forgiveness;   God Continued...;   Mercy;   Self-Control;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Right-Hand;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Prayer;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Providence;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - David;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Samuel, Books of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Prayer;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Da'vid;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Hebrew Monarchy, the;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
“May the Lord judge between me and you, and may the Lord take vengeance on you for me, but my hand will never be against you.
Hebrew Names Version
The LORD judge between me and you, and the LORD avenge me of you; but my hand shall not be on you.
King James Version
The Lord judge between me and thee, and the Lord avenge me of thee: but mine hand shall not be upon thee.
Lexham English Bible
May Yahweh judge between me and you, and may Yahweh avenge me on you, but my hand will not be against you!
English Standard Version
May the Lord judge between me and you, may the Lord avenge me against you, but my hand shall not be against you.
New Century Version
May the Lord judge between us, and may he punish you for the wrong you have done to me! But I am not against you.
New English Translation
May the Lord judge between the two of us, and may the Lord vindicate me over you, but my hand will not be against you.
Amplified Bible
"May the LORD judge between me and you; and may the LORD avenge me on you; but my hand shall not be against you.
New American Standard Bible
"May the LORD judge between you and me, and may the LORD take vengeance on you for me; but my hand shall not be against you.
Geneva Bible (1587)
The Lord be iudge betweene thee and me, and the Lord auenge me of thee, & let not mine hand be vpon thee.
Legacy Standard Bible
May Yahweh judge between you and me, and may Yahweh avenge me on you; but my hand shall not be against you.
Contemporary English Version
I'll let the Lord decide which one of us has done right. I pray that the Lord will punish you for what you're doing to me, but I won't do anything to you.
Complete Jewish Bible
Moreover, my father, look! Here in my hand you see the corner of your cloak. By the fact that I only cut off a piece of your cloak and didn't kill you, you can see and understand that I have no plan to do harm or rebel, and that I haven't sinned against you — even though you are seeking every chance you get to take my life.
Darby Translation
Jehovah judge between me and thee, and Jehovah avenge me of thee; but my hand shall not be upon thee.
Easy-to-Read Version
Let the Lord be the judge. I hope the Lord will punish you for the wrong you did to me, but I won't fight you myself.
George Lamsa Translation
May the LORD judge between me and you, and the LORD avenge me of you; but my hand shall not be against you.
Good News Translation
May the Lord judge which one of us is wrong! May he punish you for your action against me, for I will not harm you in the least.
Literal Translation
Jehovah shall judge between you and me, and Jehovah shall avenge me of you. But my hand shall not be on you.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
The LORDE shal be iudge betwene me and the, and auenge me on the, but my hade shal not be vpon the,
American Standard Version
Jehovah judge between me and thee, and Jehovah avenge me of thee; but my hand shall not be upon thee.
Bible in Basic English
May the Lord be judge between me and you, and may the Lord give me my rights against you, but my hand will never be lifted up against you.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
The Lorde be iudge betweene thee and me, & the Lorde auenge me of thee: but myne hande be not vpon thee.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
The LORD judge between me and thee, and the LORD avenge me of thee; but my hand shall not be upon thee.
King James Version (1611)
The Lord iudge betweene me and thee, and the Lord auenge me of thee: but mine hand shall not be vpon thee.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And behold, the skirt of thy mantle is in my hand, I cut off the skirt, and did not slay thee: know then and see to-day, there is no evil in my hand, nor impiety, nor rebellion; and I have not sinned against thee, yet thou layest snares for my soul to take it.
English Revised Version
The LORD judge between me and thee, and the LORD avenge me of thee: but mine hand shall not be upon thee.
Berean Standard Bible
May the LORD judge between you and me, and may the LORD take vengeance on you, but my hand will never be against you.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
The Lord deme bitwixe me and thee, and the Lord venge me of thee; but myn hond be not in thee,
Young's Literal Translation
`Jehovah doth judge between me and thee, and Jehovah hath avenged me of thee, and my hand is not on thee;
Update Bible Version
Yahweh judge between me and you, and Yahweh avenge me of you; but my hand shall not be on you.
Webster's Bible Translation
The LORD judge between me and thee, and the LORD avenge me of thee: but my hand shall not be upon thee.
World English Bible
Yahweh judge between me and you, and Yahweh avenge me of you; but my hand shall not be on you.
New King James Version
Let the LORD judge between you and me, and let the LORD avenge me on you. But my hand shall not be against you.
New Life Bible
May the Lord judge between you and me. May He punish you for your action against me. But my hand will not be against you.
New Revised Standard
May the Lord judge between me and you! May the Lord avenge me on you; but my hand shall not be against you.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Let Yahweh do justice betwixt me and thee, and let Yahweh avenge me of thee, - but, mine own hand, shall not be upon thee.
Douay-Rheims Bible
(24-13) The Lord judge between me and thee and the Lord revenge me of thee: but my hand shall not be upon thee.
Revised Standard Version
May the LORD judge between me and you, may the LORD avenge me upon you; but my hand shall not be against you.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"May the LORD judge between you and me, and may the LORD avenge me on you; but my hand shall not be against you.

Contextual Overview

9 Then he shouted to Saul, "Why do you listen to the people who say I am trying to harm you? 10 This very day you can see with your own eyes it isn't true. For the Lord placed you at my mercy back there in the cave. Some of my men told me to kill you, but I spared you. For I said, ‘I will never harm the king—he is the Lord 's anointed one.' 11 Look, my father, at what I have in my hand. It is a piece of the hem of your robe! I cut it off, but I didn't kill you. This proves that I am not trying to harm you and that I have not sinned against you, even though you have been hunting for me to kill me. 12 "May the Lord judge between us. Perhaps the Lord will punish you for what you are trying to do to me, but I will never harm you. 13 As that old proverb says, ‘From evil people come evil deeds.' So you can be sure I will never harm you. 14 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? 15 May the Lord therefore judge which of us is right and punish the guilty one. He is my advocate, and he will rescue me from your power!"

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Lord judge: 1 Samuel 26:10, 1 Samuel 26:23, Genesis 16:5, Judges 11:27, Job 5:8, Psalms 7:8, Psalms 7:9, Psalms 35:1, Psalms 43:1, Psalms 94:1, Romans 12:19, 1 Peter 2:23, Revelation 6:10

but mine hand: 1 Samuel 26:11

Reciprocal: Judges 11:10 - be witness 1 Samuel 24:15 - be judge Psalms 7:16 - General Psalms 17:3 - shalt Psalms 35:19 - that hate Psalms 140:2 - continually Psalms 143:12 - of thy mercy Proverbs 22:23 - the Lord Luke 18:7 - avenge Acts 25:5 - if 2 Timothy 4:14 - reward

Cross-References

Genesis 15:1
Some time later, the Lord spoke to Abram in a vision and said to him, "Do not be afraid, Abram, for I will protect you, and your reward will be great."
Genesis 24:7
For the Lord , the God of heaven, who took me from my father's house and my native land, solemnly promised to give this land to my descendants. He will send his angel ahead of you, and he will see to it that you find a wife there for my son.
Genesis 24:8
If she is unwilling to come back with you, then you are free from this oath of mine. But under no circumstances are you to take my son there."
Genesis 24:10
Then he loaded ten of Abraham's camels with all kinds of expensive gifts from his master, and he traveled to distant Aram-naharaim. There he went to the town where Abraham's brother Nahor had settled.
Genesis 24:11
He made the camels kneel beside a well just outside the town. It was evening, and the women were coming out to draw water.
Genesis 24:16
Rebekah was very beautiful and old enough to be married, but she was still a virgin. She went down to the spring, filled her jug, and came up again.
Genesis 24:17
Running over to her, the servant said, "Please give me a little drink of water from your jug."
Genesis 24:27
"Praise the Lord , the God of my master, Abraham," he said. "The Lord has shown unfailing love and faithfulness to my master, for he has led me straight to my master's relatives."
Genesis 24:42
"So today when I came to the spring, I prayed this prayer: ‘O Lord , God of my master, Abraham, please give me success on this mission.
Genesis 24:48
"Then I bowed low and worshiped the Lord . I praised the Lord , the God of my master, Abraham, because he had led me straight to my master's niece to be his son's wife.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

The Lord judge between me and thee,.... And make it appear who is in the right, and who in the wrong:

and the Lord avenge me of thee; if he continued thus to persecute him:

but mine hand shall not be upon thee; to kill thee, though it may be in my power again to do it, as it has been; but this I am determined upon, let me suffer what I will, I will not lay hands on thee to do thee any hurt, but leave thee with God to requite all the evil done to me by thee.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 1 Samuel 24:12. The Lord judge between me and thee — Appeals of this kind to God are the common refuge of the poor and oppressed people. So also among the Hindoos: God will judge between us. Mother Kalee will judge. Sometimes this springs from a consciousness of innocence, and sometimes from a desire of revenge.


 
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