David came out and shouted after him, “My lord the king!” And when Saul looked around, David bowed low before him.
Parallel translations
- WEB David also arose afterward, and went out of the cave, and cried after Saul, saying, “My lord the king!” When Saul looked behind him, David bowed with his face to the earth, and showed respect.
- KJV David also arose afterward, and went out of the cave, and cried after Saul, saying, My lord the king. And when Saul looked behind him, David stooped with his face to the earth, and bowed himself.
- BSB After that, David got up, went out of the cave, and called out to Saul, “My lord the king!” When Saul looked behind him, David bowed facedown in reverence
- NKJV David also arose afterward, went out of the cave, and called out to Saul, saying, “My lord the king!” And when Saul looked behind him, David stooped with his face to the earth, and bowed down.
- NASB Afterward, however, David got up and went out of the cave, and called after Saul, saying, “My lord the king!” And when Saul looked behind him, David bowed with his face to the ground and prostrated himself.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
David follows Saul out and humbly bows before him, addressing him as king. He pursues reconciliation with respect, not violence.
Overview
Rather than ambush Saul, David calls out openly and prostrates himself in honor, publicly affirming Saul's royal office. The posture of bowing reveals David's heart of submission even toward the one hunting him. By choosing honest appeal over force, David seeks to win Saul's conscience and clear his own name, exemplifying the way of meekness that overcomes evil with good.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 7
- 1 Sam 25:23–24When Abigail saw David, she hurried and got off of her donkey, and fell before David on her face, and bowed herself to the ground.
- Exod 20:12“Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land which Yahweh your God gives you.
- Rom 13:7Therefore give everyone what you owe: if you owe taxes, pay taxes; if customs, then customs; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.
- 1 Sam 26:17Saul knew David’s voice, and said, “Is this your voice, my son David?” David said, “It is my voice, my lord, O king.”
- 1 Sam 20:41As soon as the boy was gone, David arose out of the south, and fell on his face to the ground, and bowed himself three times. They kissed one another, and wept one with another, and David wept the most.
- Gen 17:3Abram fell on his face. God talked with him, saying,
- 1 Pet 2:17Honor all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.
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Christ at the center
The rise of the anointed king after Israel's failed first choice points to the true Anointed One (Messiah means 'anointed'), the shepherd-king after God's own heart from Bethlehem.
How 1 Samuel 24:8 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.