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

Contemporary English Version

1 Samuel 24:17

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

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.
Hebrew Names Version
He said to David, You are more righteous than I; for you have rendered to me good, whereas I have rendered to you evil.
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.
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 "David, my son—is that you?" Saul asked. Then he started crying 17 and said: David, you're a better person than I am. You treated me with kindness, even though I've been cruel to you. 18 You've told me how you were kind enough not to kill me when the Lord gave you the chance. 19 If you really were my enemy, you wouldn't have let me leave here alive. I pray that the Lord will give you a big reward for what you did today. 20 I realize now that you will be the next king, and a powerful king at that. 21 Promise me with the Lord as your witness, that you won't wipe out my descendants. Let them live to keep my family name alive. 22 So David promised, and Saul went home. David and his men returned to their hideout.

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
Abraham was now a very old man. The Lord had made him rich, and he was successful in everything he did.
Genesis 24:6
"No!" Abraham answered. "Don't ever do that, no matter what.
Genesis 24:7
The Lord who rules heaven brought me here from the land where I was born and promised that he would give this land to my descendants forever. When you go back there, the Lord will send his angel ahead of you to help you find a wife for my son.
Genesis 24:17
Abraham's servant ran to her and said, "Please let me have a drink of water."
Genesis 24:18
"I'll be glad to," she answered. Then she quickly took the jar from her shoulder and held it while he drank.
Genesis 24:35
The Lord has been good to my master and has made him very rich. He has given him many sheep, goats, cattle, camels, and donkeys, as well as a lot of silver and gold, and many slaves.
1 Kings 17:10
When Elijah came near the town gate of Zarephath, he saw a widow gathering sticks for a fire. "Would you please bring me a cup of water?" he asked.
Isaiah 21:14
to bring water for those who are thirsty. You people of Tema must bring food for the hungry refugees.
Isaiah 30:25
On that day people will be slaughtered and towers destroyed, but streams of water will flow from high hills and towering mountains.
Isaiah 49:10
They won't go hungry or get thirsty; they won't be bothered by the scorching sun or hot desert winds. I will be merciful while leading them along to streams of water.

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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