1 Samuel 26:20 - Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Before the face of the Lord The Lord seeing it, and being the avenger. Remember, if thou dost it, God, the judge of all men, observes and will call thee to account for it, though I will not avenge myself. Is come out to seek a flea Is come out for a purpose beneath him, and not of importance enough to deserve his trouble. As when one doth hunt a partridge The Hebrew word קרא, kore, does not seem to be rightly translated partridge here. Rabbi Salomon renders it cuculus, cuckow, so called from its crying. It certainly must be the name of a bird of no value for food, or any other use; and therefore the pursuing it on the mountains, through difficult places, was a useless and insignificant labour.