1 Samuel 26:21

1 Samuel 26:21 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Then 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.
• New International Version (NIV)Then Saul said, “I have sinned. Come back, David my son. Because you considered my life precious today, I will not try to harm you again. Surely I have acted like a fool and have been terribly wrong.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)Then Saul said, "I have sinned. Return, my son David, for I will no more do you harm, because my life was precious in your eyes this day. Behold, I have acted foolishly, and have made a great mistake."
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then Saul said, “I have sinned. Return, my son David. For I will harm you no more, because my life was precious in your eyes this day. Indeed I have played the fool and erred exceedingly.”

Context of 1 Samuel 26:21

19My master and my king, please listen to me. Has the Lord made you angry with me? If that is true, a sacrifice to him may change his thoughts. But if men have made you turn against me, I ask the Lord to curse them. They have chased me out of the land that belongs to the Lord's people. They have said to me, “Go away and worship other gods!” 20Do not let me die a long way away from the Lord's home. You are the king of Israel and I am like a small fly. But you are trying to catch me! You are like someone who is looking for a wild bird in the mountains!’ Then Saul said, ‘I have done a bad thing. Return home, David, my son. You chose not to kill me today, because you knew the value of my life. So I will not hurt you again. I have done foolish things. I have made a big mistake.’ 22David said, ‘Here is your own spear. Send one of your young men here to fetch it for you. 23The Lord wants everyone to do what is right and true. He blesses people who live like that. The Lord put you under my power today. But I would not agree to hurt the Lord's chosen king.

1 Samuel 26:21 word by word

וַיֹּאמֶר֩ שָׁא֨וּל חָטָ֜אתִי שׁ֣וּב בְּנִֽי־דָוִ֗ד כִּ֠י לֹֽא־אָרַ֤ע לְךָ֙ ע֔וֹד תַּ֠חַת אֲשֶׁ֨ר יָקְרָ֥ה נַפְשִׁ֛י בְּעֵינֶ֖יךָ הַיּ֣וֹם הַזֶּ֑ה הִנֵּ֥ה הִסְכַּ֛לְתִּי וָאֶשְׁגֶּ֖ה הַרְבֵּ֥ה מְאֹֽד׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Then saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• Saulשָׁאוּלshâ'ûl · SaulH7586
• I have sinnedחָטָאchâţâ' · to sinH2398
• returnשׁוּבshûb · to return: returnH7725
• my sonבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
• Davidדָּוִדdâvid dâvîyd · DavidH1732
• for I will no more do thee harmרָעַעrâ‛a‛ · be evilH7489
• because my soulנֶ֫פֶשׁnephesh · soul: lifeH5315
• was preciousיָקַרyâqar · be preciousH3365
• in thine eyesעַ֫יִן‛ayin · eye: appearanceH5869
• this dayיוֹםyôm · day: todayH3117
• behold, I have played the foolסָכַלsâkal · be foolishH5528
• and have erredשָׁגָהshâgâh · to wanderH7686
• exceedinglyמְאֹדme'ôd · muchH3966
• exceedinglyרָבָהrâbâh · to multiplyH7235

Cross-references for 1 Samuel 26:21

• 1 Samuel 15:24Then Saul said to Samuel, ‘It is true, I have done a bad thing. I did not obey the Lord's command. I did not do what you told me to do. I was afraid of the army. I agreed to do what they wanted.
• 1 Samuel 24:17He said to David, ‘You are a better man than I am. You have been kind to me even when I have tried to hurt you.
• Exodus 9:27Then Pharaoh called Moses and Aaron to come to him. He said to them, ‘This time, I have done a bad thing. The Lord is right. I and my people are guilty.
• Numbers 22:34Then Balaam said to the angel of the Lord, ‘I have done a wrong thing. I did not realize that you were standing in the road to stop me. If you do not want me to continue, I will return to my home.’
• Matthew 27:4He said to them, ‘I have done the wrong thing. I helped you to take hold of a man who has done nothing wrong.’ They said to Judas, ‘That is not important to us. That is your problem.’
• 1 Samuel 27:4Saul heard the news that David had run away to Gath. So he stopped looking for David.
• 1 Samuel 26:24Today I knew that your life is valuable. In the same way, I pray that the Lord will know that my life is valuable. I pray that he will keep me safe through all danger.’
• 1 Samuel 18:30The Philistine army continued to march out and attack the Israelites. Every time that they fought, David won more fights than any of Saul's other officers. So David became very famous.
• Psalms 49:8A human life costs too much to buy it back. Nobody could ever pay enough.
• Psalms 116:15The Lord is sad when one of his servants dies, because their lives are valuable to him.

Commentaries on 1 Samuel 26:21

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 21I have sinned - Perhaps the word חטאתי chatathi, "I have sinned," should be read, I have erred, or, have been mistaken. I have taken thee to be a very different man from what I find thee to be. Taken literally it was strictly true. He often purposed the spilling of David's blood; and thus, again and again, sinned against his life.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 21-25Verses 21-25 Saul repeated his good words and good wishes. But he showed no evidence of true repentance towards God. David and Saul parted to meet no more. No reconciliation among men is firm, which is not founded in an cemented by peace with God through Jesus Christ. In sinning against God, men play the fool, and err exceedingly. Many obtain a passing view of these truths, who hate and close their eyes against the light. Fair professions do not entitle…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 21I have sinned: Saul had realized his mistakes before (1 Samuel 24:16–19). David had no reason to trust him again (see 1 Samuel 27:1). I have played the fool: The Hebrew word used here (sakal) means “to act foolishly” or “to play the fool” (see also 1 Samuel 13:13). This word is different from the word for “fool” (nabal) used in 1 Samuel 25. Even though the words are different, they have similar meanings. This helps show that Saul and Nabal are parallel…Read the comment

In the dictionaries

• David
• Saul
• Paul, Saul
• Hachilah
• Err; Error
• Fool; Folly
• Samuel, Books of

Commentaries on 1 Samuel 26

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings