1 Samuel 24:14

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.