John Gill Commentary 1 Samuel 24:13

"As saith the proverb of the ancients, Out of the wicked cometh forth wickedness; but my hand shall not be upon thee." — 1 Samuel 24:13 (ASV)

As says the proverb of the ancients
It is an old saying, has been long in use, and may be applied to the present case; or the "proverb of the ancient one"; of the oldest man, the first man Adam, and of all others after him, so Kimchi; or of the Ancient One of the world, the Ancient of days, the Lord himself; so in the Talmud ^F4 : wickedness proceeds from the wicked ;
as is a man, so are his actions; if he is a wicked man, he will do wicked things; a corrupt tree brings forth evil fruits, an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil things; and as if David should say, if I had been the wicked man as I am represented, I should have committed wickedness; I should have made no conscience of taking away your life when it was in my power; but my heart would not suffer me to do it:

but ,
or "and" my hand shall not be upon you ;
as it has not been upon you, because of the fear of God in me, so neither shall it be hereafter: or the sense of the proverb may be, the wickedness that comes from a wicked man, that will kill him, or be the cause of his ruin, or he will be slain by wicked men such as himself; and this may be your case, O king, unless you repent: but be that as it may, which I leave with the righteous Judge, this I am determined on, "mine hand shall not be upon you"; to take away your life.

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FOOTNOTES:

• F4: T. Bab. Maccot, fol. 10. 2.