1 Samuel 26
Study sheet, King James Version, with the original-language words this chapter turns on.
The text
1And the Ziphites came unto Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doth not David hide himself in the hill of Hachilah, which is before Jeshimon?
2Then Saul arose, and went down to the wilderness of Ziph, having three thousand chosen men of Israel with him, to seek David in the wilderness of Ziph.
3And Saul pitched in the hill of Hachilah, which is before Jeshimon, by the way. But David abode in the wilderness, and he saw that Saul came after him into the wilderness.
4David therefore sent out spies, and understood that Saul was come in very deed.
5And David arose, and came to the place where Saul had pitched: and David beheld the place where Saul lay, and Abner the son of Ner, the captain of his host: and Saul lay in the trench, and the people pitched round about him.
6Then answered David and said to Ahimelech the Hittite, and to Abishai the son of Zeruiah, brother to Joab, saying, Who will go down with me to Saul to the camp? And Abishai said, I will go down with thee.
7So David and Abishai came to the people by night: and, behold, Saul lay sleeping within the trench, and his spear stuck in the ground at his bolster: but Abner and the people lay round about him.
8Then said Abishai to David, God hath delivered thine enemy into thine hand this day: now therefore let me smite him, I pray thee, with the spear even to the earth at once, and I will not smite him the second time.
9And David said to Abishai, Destroy him not: for who can stretch forth his hand against the LORD'S anointed, and be guiltless?
10David said furthermore, As the LORD liveth, the LORD shall smite him; or his day shall come to die; or he shall descend into battle, and perish.
11The LORD forbid that I should stretch forth mine hand against the LORD'S anointed: but, I pray thee, take thou now the spear that is at his bolster, and the cruse of water, and let us go.
12So David took the spear and the cruse of water from Saul's bolster; and they gat them away, and no man saw it, nor knew it, neither awaked: for they were all asleep; because a deep sleep from the LORD was fallen upon them.
13Then David went over to the other side, and stood on the top of an hill afar off; a great space being between them:
14And David cried to the people, and to Abner the son of Ner, saying, Answerest thou not, Abner? Then Abner answered and said, Who art thou that criest to the king?
15And David said to Abner, Art not thou a valiant man? and who is like to thee in Israel? wherefore then hast thou not kept thy lord the king? for there came one of the people in to destroy the king thy lord.
16This thing is not good that thou hast done. As the LORD liveth, ye are worthy to die, because ye have not kept your master, the LORD'S anointed. And now see where the king's spear is, and the cruse of water that was at his bolster.
17And Saul knew David's voice, and said, Is this thy voice, my son David? And David said, It is my voice, my lord, O king.
18And he said, Wherefore doth my lord thus pursue after his servant? for what have I done? or what evil is in mine hand?
19Now therefore, I pray thee, let my lord the king hear the words of his servant. If the LORD have stirred thee up against me, let him accept an offering: but if they be the children of men, cursed be they before the LORD; for they have driven me out this day from abiding in the inheritance of the LORD, saying, Go, serve other gods.
20Now therefore, let not my blood fall to the earth before the face of the LORD: for the king of Israel is come out to seek a flea, as when one doth hunt a partridge in the mountains.
21Then said Saul, I have sinned: return, my son David: for I will no more do thee harm, because my soul was precious in thine eyes this day: behold, I have played the fool, and have erred exceedingly.
22And David answered and said, Behold the king's spear! and let one of the young men come over and fetch it.
23The LORD render to every man his righteousness and his faithfulness: for the LORD delivered thee into my hand to day, but I would not stretch forth mine hand against the LORD'S anointed.
24And, behold, as thy life was much set by this day in mine eyes, so let my life be much set by in the eyes of the LORD, and let him deliver me out of all tribulation.
25Then Saul said to David, Blessed be thou, my son David: thou shalt both do great things, and also shalt still prevail. So David went on his way, and Saul returned to his place.
Words in this chapter
Definitions are Strong's own wording from his Exhaustive Concordance (1890). Counts are how often each word appears in this chapter, from the tagged text.
- דָּוִדDâvidH173223× in this chapter
David, the youngest son of Jesse
- אֵלʼêlH41317× in this chapter
near, with or among; often in general, to
- אָמַרʼâmarH55917× in this chapter
to say (used with great latitude)
- יְהֹוָהYᵉhôvâhH306816× in this chapter
Jehovah, Jewish national name of God
- שָׁאוּלShâʼûwlH758615× in this chapter
Shaul, the name of an Edomite and two Israelites
- אֵתʼêthH85314× in this chapter
properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)
- כִּיkîyH358812× in this chapter
(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed
- אֲשֶׁרʼăsherH83411× in this chapter
who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.
- לֹאlôʼH38089× in this chapter
not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles
- בֵּןbênH11218× in this chapter
a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.)
- מֶלֶךְmelekH44288× in this chapter
a king
- עַלʻalH59217× in this chapter
above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications
- בּוֹאbôwʼH9357× in this chapter
to go or come (in a wide variety of applications)
- אָדוֹןʼâdôwnH1136× in this chapter
sovereign, i.e. controller (human or divine)
- חֲנִיתchănîythH25956× in this chapter
a lance (for thrusting, like pitching a tent)
- יָדyâdH30276× in this chapter
a hand (the open one (indicating power, means, direction, etc.),
- יוֹםyôwmH31176× in this chapter
a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an associated term), (often used adverb)
- אַבְנֵרʼAbnêrH746× in this chapter
Abner, an Israelite
- זֶהzehH20885× in this chapter
the masculine demonstrative pronoun, this or that
- אֲבִישַׁיʼĂbîyshayH525× in this chapter
Abishai, an Israelite
- עַםʻamH59715× in this chapter
a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a tribe (as those of Israel); hence (collectively) troops or attendants; figuratively, a flock
- עַתָּהʻattâhH62585× in this chapter
at this time, whether adverb, conjunction or expletive
- הָלַךְhâlakH19804× in this chapter
to walk (in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively)
- הִנֵּהhinnêhH20094× in this chapter
lo!
- אֶחָדʼechâdH2594× in this chapter
properly, united, i.e. one; or (as an ordinal) first
- יָרַדyâradH33814× in this chapter
to descend (literally, to go downwards; or conventionally to a lower region, as the shore, a boundary, the enemy, etc.; or figuratively, to fall); causatively, to bring down (in all the above applications)
- מִדְבָּרmidbârH40574× in this chapter
a pasture (i.e. open field, whither cattle are driven); by implication, a desert; also speech (including its organs)
- מָהmâhH41004× in this chapter
properly, interrogative what? (including how? why? when?); but also exclamation, what! (including how!), or indefinitely what (including whatever, and even relatively, that which); often used with prefixes in various adverbial or conjunctive senses
- מִיmîyH43104× in this chapter
who? (occasionally, by a peculiar idiom, of things); also (indefinitely) whoever; often used in oblique construction with prefix or suffix
- מָקוֹםmâqôwmH47254× in this chapter
properly, a standing, i.e. a spot; but used widely of a locality (general or specific); also (figuratively) of a condition (of body or mind)
- מָשִׁיחַmâshîyachH48994× in this chapter
anointed; usually a consecrated person (as a king, priest, or saint); specifically, the Messiah
- עָנָהʻânâhH60304× in this chapter
properly, to eye or (generally) to heed, i.e. pay attention; by implication, to respond; by extension to begin to speak; specifically to sing, shout, testify, announce
- עָשָׂהʻâsâhH62134× in this chapter
to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application
- פָּנִיםpânîymH64404× in this chapter
the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposition (before, etc.)
- רָאָהrâʼâhH72004× in this chapter
to see, literally or figuratively (in numerous applications, direct and implied, transitive, intransitive and causative)
- שָׁכַבshâkabH79014× in this chapter
to lie down (for rest, sexual connection, decease or any other purpose)
- שָׁלַחshâlachH79714× in this chapter
to send away, for, or out (in a great variety of applications)
- אַתָּהʼattâhH8594× in this chapter
thou and thee, or (plural) ye and you
- חָנָהchânâhH25833× in this chapter
properly, to incline; by implication, to decline (of the slanting rays of evening); specifically, to pitch atent; gen. to encamp (for abode or siege)
- יִשְׂרָאֵלYisrâʼêlH34783× in this chapter
Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity