1 Samuel 24:3

1 Samuel 24:3

And he came to the sheepcotes by the way, where was a cave; and Saul went in to cover his feet: and David and his men remained in the sides of the cave.

a. ASV: And he came to the sheepcotes by the way, where was a cave; and Saul went in to cover his feet. Now David and his men were abiding in the innermost parts of the cave.

b. YLT: And he cometh in unto folds of the flock, on the way, and there is a cave, and Saul goeth in to cover his feet; and David and his men in the sides of the cave are abiding.

c. Amplified Bible Classic: He came to the sheepfolds on the way, where there was a cave, and Saul went in to relieve himself. Now David and his men were sitting in the cave’s innermost recesses.

d. Septuagint 1 Samuel 24:4, 5: And he took with him three thousand men, chosen out of all Israel, and went to seek David and his men in front of Saddaeem. 4 And he came to the flocks of sheep that were by the way, and there was a cave there; and Saul went in to make preparation, and David and his men were sitting in the inner part of the cave.

e. Stone Edition Torah/Prophets/Writings: he came to sheep enclosures along the road, and there was a cave there, which Saul entered to relieve himself. David and his men were sittng at the far end of the cave.

1. “And he came to the sheepcotes by the way, where was a cave…”

a. [And he] came [Strong: 935 bôwʼ, bo; a primitive root; to go or come (in a wide variety of applications):—abide, apply, attain, × be, befall, besiege, bring (forth, in, into, to pass), call, carry, ×certainly, (cause, let, thing for) to come (against, in, out, upon, to pass), depart, ×doubtless again, eat, employ, (cause to) enter (in, into, -tering, -trance, -try), be fallen, fetch, follow, get, give, go (down, in, to war), grant, have, × indeed, (in-) vade, lead, lift (up), mention, pull in, put, resort, run (down), send, set, × (well) stricken (in age), × surely, take (in), way.] [BLB: The KJV translates Strong's H935 in the following manner: come (1,435x), bring (487x), ... in (233x), enter (125x), go (123x), carry (17x), ...down (23x), pass (13x), ...out (12x), miscellaneous (109x).]

b. to [Strong: 413 'el ale (but only used in the shortened constructive form sel {el}); a primitive particle; properly, denoting motion towards, but occasionally used of a quiescent position, i.e. near, with or among; often in general, to:--about, according to ,after, against, among, as for, at, because(-fore, -side), both...and, by, concerning, for, from, X hath, in(- to), near, (out) of, over, through, to(-ward), under, unto, upon, whether, with(-in).]

c. [the] sheepcotes [Strong: 1448 gᵉdêrâh, ghed-ay-raw'; feminine of H1447; inclosure (especially for flocks):—(sheep-) cote (fold) hedge, wall.] [BLB: The KJV translates Strong's H1448 in the following manner: hedge (4x), fold (3x), wall (1x), sheepfold (1x), sheepcote (1x).]

d. by [Strong: 5921 `al al properly, the same as 5920 used as a preposition (in the singular or plural often with prefix, or as conjunction with a particle following); above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications (as follow):--above, according to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, X as, at, because of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, X both and, by (reason of), X had the charge of, concerning for, in (that), (forth, out) of, (from) (off), (up-)on, over, than, through(-out), to, touching, X with.]

e. [Strong: 6629 tsôʼn, tsone; or צאוֹן tsʼôwn; (Psalm 144:13), from an unused root meaning to migrate; a collective name for a flock (of sheep or goats); also figuratively (of men):—(small) cattle, flock (+ -s), lamb (+ -s), sheep(-cote, -fold, -shearer, -herds).] [BLB: The KJV translates Strong's H6629 in the following manner: flock (138x), sheep (110x), cattle (15x), shepherd (with H7462) (2x), lamb (with H1121) (2x), lamb (1x), sheep (with H4480) (1x), sheepcotes (with H1448) (1x), sheepfold (with H1448) (1x), sheepfold (with H4356) (1x), sheepshearers (with H1494) (1x), shepherd (with H7462) (1x).]

f. [the] way [Strong: 1870 derek, deh'-rek; from H1869; a road (as trodden); figuratively, a course of life or mode of action, often adverb:—along, away, because of, by, conversation, custom, (east-) ward, journey, manner, passenger, through, toward, (high-) (path-) way(-side), whither(-soever).] [BLB: The KJV translates Strong's H1870 in the following manner: way (590x), toward (31x), journey (23x), manner (8x), miscellaneous (53x).]

g. [Strong: 8033 sham shawm a primitive particle (rather from the relative pronoun, 834); there (transferring to time) then; often thither, or thence:--in it, + thence, there (-in, + of, + out), + thither, + whither.]

h. [where was a] cave [Strong: 4631 mᵉʻârâh, meh-aw-raw'; from H5783; a cavern (as dark):—cave, den, hole.] [BLB: The KJV translates Strong's H4631 in the following manner: cave (36x), den (2x), holes (1x).]

2. “...and Saul went in to cover his feet: and David and his men remained in the sides of the cave.”

a. [and] Saul [Strong: 7586  Shâʼûwl, shaw-ool'; passive participle of H7592; asked; Shaul, the name of an Edomite and two Israelites:—Saul, Shaul.] [BLB: The KJV translates Strong's H7586 in the following manner: Saul (399x), Shaul (7x).]

b. went in [Strong: 935 bôwʼ, bo; a primitive root; to go or come (in a wide variety of applications):—abide, apply, attain, × be, befall, besiege, bring (forth, in, into, to pass), call, carry, ×certainly, (cause, let, thing for) to come (against, in, out, upon, to pass), depart, ×doubtless again, eat, employ, (cause to) enter (in, into, -tering, -trance, -try), be fallen, fetch, follow, get, give, go (down, in, to war), grant, have, × indeed, (in-) vade, lead, lift (up), mention, pull in, put, resort, run (down), send, set, × (well) stricken (in age), × surely, take (in), way.] [BLB: The KJV translates Strong's H935 in the following manner: come (1,435x), bring (487x), ... in (233x), enter (125x), go (123x), carry (17x), ...down (23x), pass (13x), ...out (12x), miscellaneous (109x).]

c. [to] cover [Strong: 5526 çâkak, saw-kak'; or שָׂכַךְ sâkak; (Exodus 33:22), a primitive root; properly, to entwine as a screen; by implication, to fence in, cover over, (figuratively) protect:—cover, defence, defend, hedge in, join together, set, shut up.]

d. [his] feet [Strong: 7272 regel, reh'-gel; from H7270; a foot (as used in walking); by implication, a step; by euphemistically the pudenda:—× be able to endure, × according as, × after, ×coming, × follow, (broken-)foot(-ed, -stool), × great toe, × haunt, × journey, leg, piss, possession, time.] [BLB: The KJV translates Strong's H7272 in the following manner: feet (216x), footstool (with H1916) (6x), after (4x), times (4x), follow (4x), piss (with H4325) (2x), toes (2x), journey (1x), legs (1x), miscellaneous (7x).]

1). Cover the feet is a figure of speech that means go to the bathroom, to relieve oneself.

e. [and] David [Strong: 1732 Dâvid, daw-veed'; rarely (fully); דָּוִיד Dâvîyd; from the same as H1730; loving; David, the youngest son of Jesse:—David.] [BLB: The KJV translates Strong's H1732 in the following manner: David (1,076x).]

f. [and his] men [Strong: 582 ʼĕnôwsh, en-oshe'; from H605; properly, a mortal (and thus differing from the more dignified 120); hence, a man in general (singly or collectively):—another, ×(blood-) thirsty, certain, chap(-man); divers, fellow, × in the flower of their age, husband, (certain, mortal) man, people, person, servant, some (× of them), stranger, those, their trade. It is often unexpressed in the English versions, especially when used in apposition with another word.] [BLB:  The KJV translates Strong's H582 in the following manner: man (520x), certain (10x), husbands (3x), some (3x), merchantmen (2x), persons (2x), miscellaneous (24x).]

g. remained [Strong: 3427 yâshab, yaw-shab'; a primitive root; properly, to sit down (specifically as judge. in ambush, in quiet); by implication, to dwell, to remain; causatively, to settle, to marry:—(make to) abide(-ing), continue, (cause to, make to) dwell(-ing), ease self, endure, establish, × fail, habitation, haunt, (make to) inhabit(-ant), make to keep (house), lurking, × marry(-ing), (bring again to) place, remain, return, seat, set(-tle), (down-) sit(-down, still, -ting down, -ting (place) -uate), take, tarry.] [BLB: The KJV translates Strong's H3427 in the following manner: dwell (437x), inhabitant (221x), sit (172x), abide (70x), inhabit (39x), down (26x), remain (23x), in (22x), tarry (19x), set (14x), continue (5x), place (7x), still (5x), taken (5x), miscellaneous (23x).]

h. [in the] sides [Strong: 3411 yᵉrêkâh, yer-ay-kaw'; feminine of H3409; properly, the flank; but used only figuratively, the rear or recess:—border, coast, part, quarter, side.]

i. [of the] cave [Strong: 4631 mᵉʻârâh, meh-aw-raw'; from H5783; a cavern (as dark):—cave, den, hole.] [BLB: The KJV translates Strong's H4631 in the following manner: cave (36x), den (2x), holes (1x).]