Bible Strands
1 Samuel 24:8
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
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — David rises from the cave and addresses Saul, who has just exited the hiding place. He calls out to the king as Saul turns to look back at him.
The words — The text highlights וַ/יִּקְרָ֧א (va/i.yik.Ra'), meaning "and he called out," and אַֽחֲרֵי\־ ('a.cha.rei-), meaning "after." These terms mark David's deliberate action following his restraint of his men.
The thread — The posture of bowing facedown appears as reverence in Genesis 17:3 and 1 Samuel 25:23. The covenantal command to honor authority in Exodus 20:12 provides the broader framework for respecting anointed leadership.
Why it lands — The text records David's physical submission and verbal address before Saul's reaction. It requires the reader to observe how restraint and public acknowledgment of authority function in a moment of lethal opportunity.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
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.
Cross-references
- 1 Samuel 25:23 When Abigail saw David, she quickly got off the donkey, fell facedown, and bowed before him.
- Genesis 17:3 Then Abram fell facedown, and God said to him,
- Exodus 20:12 Honor your father and mother, so that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you.
- 1 Samuel 20:41 When the young man had gone, David got up from the south side of the stone, fell facedown, and bowed three times. Then he and Jonathan kissed each other and wept together—though David wept more.
- 1 Samuel 26:17 Then Saul recognized David’s voice and asked, “Is that your voice, David my son?” “It is my voice, my lord and king,” David said.
- Romans 13:7 Pay everyone what you owe him: taxes to whom taxes are due, revenue to whom revenue is due, respect to whom respect is due, honor to whom honor is due.
- 1 Peter 2:17 Treat everyone with high regard: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king.