New Living Translation
1 Samuel 26:16
16This isn’t good at all! I swear by the Lord that you and your men deserve to die, because you failed to protect your master, the Lord’s anointed! Look around! Where are the king’s spear and the jug of water that were beside his head?”
1 Samuel 26:16 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)This 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.
- New International Version (NIV)What you have done is not good. As surely as the Lord lives, you and your men must die, because you did not guard your master, the Lord’s anointed. Look around you. Where are the king’s spear and water jug that were near his head?”
- English Standard Version (ESV)This thing that you have done is not good. As the Lord lives, you deserve to die, because you have not kept watch over your lord, the Lord's anointed. And now see where the king's spear is and the jar of water that was at his head."
- New King James Version (NKJV)This thing that you have done is not good. As the Lord lives, you deserve to die, because you have not guarded your master, the Lord’s anointed. And now see where the king’s spear is, and the jug of water that was by his head.”
Context of 1 Samuel 26:16
14Then he shouted down to the soldiers and to Abner son of Ner, “Wake up, Abner!” “Who is it?” Abner demanded. 15“Well, Abner, you’re a great man, aren’t you?” David taunted. “Where in all Israel is there anyone as mighty? So why haven’t you guarded your master the king when someone came to kill him? This isn’t good at all! I swear by the Lord that you and your men deserve to die, because you failed to protect your master, the Lord’s anointed! Look around! Where are the king’s spear and the jug of water that were beside his head?” 17Saul recognized David’s voice and called out, “Is that you, my son David?” And David replied, “Yes, my lord the king. 18Why are you chasing me? What have I done? What is my crime?
Read all of 1 Samuel 261 Samuel 26:16 word by word
לֹא־ט֞וֹב הַדָּבָ֣ר הַזֶּה֮ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשִׂיתָ֒ חַי־יְהוָ֗ה כִּ֤י בְנֵי־מָ֙וֶת֙ אַתֶּ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֧ר לֹֽא־שְׁמַרְתֶּ֛ם עַל־אֲדֹנֵיכֶ֖ם עַל־מְשִׁ֣יחַ יְהוָ֑ה וְעַתָּ֣ה׀ רְאֵ֗ה אֵֽי־חֲנִ֥ית הַמֶּ֛לֶךְ וְאֶת־צַפַּ֥חַת הַמַּ֖יִם אֲשֶׁ֥ר מְרַאֲשֹׁתָֽיו׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- This thingדָּבָרdâbâr · word: thingH1697
- not goodטוֹבţôb · pleasantH2896
- that thou hast doneעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
- the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- livethחַיchay · aliveH2416
- worthyבֵּןbên · son: descendant/peopleH1121
- to dieמָ֫וֶתmâveth · deathH4194
- because ye have not keptשָׁמַרshâmar · to keep: guardH8104
- your masterאָדוֹן'âdôn 'âdôn · lordH113
- anointedמָשִׁיחַmâshîyach · anointedH4899
- And now seeרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
- where the king’sמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
- spearחֲנִיתchănîyth · spearH2595
- and the cruseצַפַּ֫חַתtsappachath · jarH6835
- of waterמַיmayim · waterH4325
- at his bolsterמְרַאֲשָׁוֹתmera'ăshâh · headH4763
Cross-references for 1 Samuel 26:16
- 1 Samuel 20:31As long as that son of Jesse is alive, you’ll never be king. Now go and get him so I can kill him!”
- 2 Samuel 12:5David was furious. “As surely as the Lord lives,” he vowed, “any man who would do such a thing deserves to die!
- 2 Samuel 19:28All my relatives and I could expect only death from you, my lord, but instead you have honored me by allowing me to eat at your own table! What more can I ask?”
- Psalms 79:11Listen to the moaning of the prisoners. Demonstrate your great power by saving those condemned to die.
- Psalms 102:20to hear the groans of the prisoners, to release those condemned to die.
- Ephesians 2:3All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God’s anger, just like everyone else.
- 1 Samuel 26:9“No!” David said. “Don’t kill him. For who can remain innocent after attacking the Lord’s anointed one?
- 1 Samuel 24:6He said to his men, “The Lord forbid that I should do this to my lord the king. I shouldn’t attack the Lord’s anointed one, for the Lord himself has chosen him.”
Commentaries on 1 Samuel 26:16
- 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. 16deserve to die: Death was the punishment for failing to do one's duty.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 26:16
In the dictionaries
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
New Living Translation — © 1996, 2004, 2015 Tyndale House Foundation
Commentaries