1 Samuel 26:4

1 Samuel 26:4 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)David therefore sent out spies, and understood that Saul was come in very deed.
• New International Version (NIV)he sent out scouts and learned that Saul had definitely arrived.
• English Standard Version (ESV)David sent out spies and learned that Saul had indeed come.
• New King James Version (NKJV)David therefore sent out spies, and understood that Saul had indeed come.

Context of 1 Samuel 26:4

2So Saul went to the desert of Ziph to look for David. He took 3,000 strong Israelite soldiers with him. 3Saul and his men arrived at Hakilah hill, near Jeshimon, where David was hiding. They put up their tents beside the road. David heard the news that Saul had followed him into the desert. So David sent some men to see if that was true. They discovered that Saul had arrived at Hakilah. 5One night, David went secretly to Saul's camp. Saul was asleep in the middle of the tents. The leader of his army, Ner's son Abner, was with him. He was asleep too. The army was all around them. David could see all this. 6David spoke to two of his men. One of them was Ahimelech, a Hittite man. The other man was Abishai, who was Joab's brother (Zeruiah was their mother). David asked them, ‘Which one of you will go down into Saul's camp with me?’ Abishai said, ‘I will come with you.’

1 Samuel 26:4 word by word

וַיִּשְׁלַ֥ח דָּוִ֖ד מְרַגְּלִ֑ים וַיֵּ֕דַע כִּֽי־בָ֥א שָׁא֖וּל אֶל־נָכֽוֹן׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Davidדָּוִדdâvid dâvîyd · DavidH1732
• therefore sent outשָׁלַחshâlach · to send: departH7971
• spiesרָגַלrâgal · to spyH7270
• and understoodיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
• that Saulשָׁאוּלshâ'ûl · SaulH7586
• was comeבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
• in very deedכּוּןkûn · to establish: rightH3559

Cross-references for 1 Samuel 26:4

• Joshua 2:1Then Joshua sent two men to go out from Shittim. He sent them in secret to see what the land was like. He told them, ‘Go! Look at all the land. Look very carefully at Jericho city.’ When they came to Jericho city, they arrived at the house of a prostitute. Her name was Rahab. They stayed there.
• Matthew 10:16Jesus then said to his disciples, ‘Listen well. I am sending you to people who will want to kill you. You will be like sheep among wild animals. You must watch carefully, like snakes do. But you must also be good and kind like doves.

Commentaries on 1 Samuel 26:4

• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-25This was the last time Saul and David were together. The Ziphites informed Saul again about David's hiding place (see 1 Samuel 23:19–20). David spared Saul's life again, just like he did in the cave at En-gedi (see 1 Samuel 24).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 4-54-5. David ... sent out spies ... and David arose, and came to the place where Saul had pitched--Having obtained certain information of the locality, he seems, accompanied by his nephew (1Sa 26:6), to have hid himself, perhaps disguised, in a neighboring wood, or hill, on the skirts of the royal camp towards night, and waited to approach it under covert of the darkness. 1Sa 26:5-25. David Stays Abishai from Killing Saul, but Takes His Spear and Cruse.Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Samuel 26:4

• Self-Control
• Spies

In the dictionaries

• David
• Saul
• Paul, Saul
• Nacon, the Threshing Floor of
• Samuel, Books of
• War

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