1 Samuel 26:18

1 Samuel 26:18 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And he said, Wherefore doth my lord thus pursue after his servant? for what have I done? or what evil is in mine hand?
• New International Version (NIV)And he added, “Why is my lord pursuing his servant? What have I done, and what wrong am I guilty of?
• English Standard Version (ESV)And he said, "Why does my lord pursue after his servant? For what have I done? What evil is on my hands?
• New King James Version (NKJV)And he said, “Why does my lord thus pursue his servant? For what have I done, or what evil is in my hand?

Context of 1 Samuel 26:18

16This failure on your part isn’t good! As surely as the Lord lives, you people who have not protected your lord, the Lord’s chosen one, are as good as dead! Now look where the king’s spear and the jug of water that was by his head are!” 17When Saul recognized David’s voice, he said, “Is that your voice, my son David?” David replied, “Yes, it’s my voice, my lord the king.” He went on to say, “Why is my lord chasing his servant? What have I done? What wrong have I done? 19So let my lord the king now listen to the words of his servant. If the Lord has incited you against me, may he take delight in an offering. But if men have instigated this, may they be cursed before the Lord! For they have driven me away this day from being united with the Lord’s inheritance, saying, ‘Go on, serve other gods!’ 20Now don’t let my blood fall to the ground away from the Lord’s presence, for the king of Israel has gone out to look for a flea the way one looks for a partridge in the hill country.”

1 Samuel 26:18 word by word

וַיֹּ֕אמֶר לָ֥מָּה זֶּ֛ה אֲדֹנִ֥י רֹדֵ֖ף אַחֲרֵ֣י עַבְדּ֑וֹ כִּ֚י מֶ֣ה עָשִׂ֔יתִי וּמַה־בְּיָדִ֖י רָעָֽה׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And he saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• Wherefore doth my lordאָדוֹן'âdôn 'âdôn · lordH113
• thus pursueרָדַףrâdaph · to pursueH7291
• afterאַחַר'achar · afterH310
• his servantעֶ֫בֶד‛ebed · servant/slaveH5650
• for what have I doneעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
• or what evilרָעָהra‛ râ‛âh · distress: evilH7451
• in mine handיָדyâd · handH3027

Cross-references for 1 Samuel 26:18

• 1 Samuel 24:9David said to Saul, “Why do you pay attention when men say, ‘David is seeking to do you harm’?
• Psalms 7:3O Lord my God, if I have done what they say, or am guilty of unjust actions,
• Psalms 35:7I did not harm them, but they hid a net to catch me and dug a pit to trap me.
• Psalms 69:4Those who hate me without cause are more numerous than the hairs of my head. Those who want to destroy me, my enemies for no reason, outnumber me. They make me repay what I did not steal!
• 1 Samuel 17:29David replied, “What have I done now? Can’t I say anything?”
• John 8:46Who among you can prove me guilty of any sin? If I am telling you the truth, why don’t you believe me?
• John 10:32Jesus said to them, “I have shown you many good deeds from the Father. For which one of them are you going to stone me?”
• John 18:23Jesus replied, “If I have said something wrong, confirm what is wrong. But if I spoke correctly, why strike me?”

Commentaries on 1 Samuel 26:18

• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 13-20Verses 13-20 David reasoned seriously and affectionately with Saul. Those who forbid our attendance on God's ordinances, do what they can to estrange us from God, and to make us heathens. We are to reckon that which exposes us to sin the greatest injury that can be done us. If the Lord stirred thee up against me, either in displeasure to me, taking this way to punish me for my sins against him, or in displeasure to thee, if it be the effect of that evil…Read the comment
• 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. 13-2013-20. Then David ... stood on the top of an hill afar off ... and cried to the people--(See on Jud 9:7). The extraordinary purity and elasticity of the air in Palestine enable words to be distinctly heard that are addressed by a speaker from the top of one hill to people on that of another, from which it is separated by a deep intervening ravine. Hostile parties can thus speak to each other, while completely beyond the reach of each other's attack. It…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Samuel 26:18

• Malice
• Self-Control

In the dictionaries

• David
• Hachilah
• Samuel, Books of
• Saul

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