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 took 3,000 of Israel’s elite troops and went to hunt him down in the wilderness of Ziph. 3Saul camped along the road beside the hill of Hakilah, near Jeshimon, where David was hiding. When David learned that Saul had come after him into the wilderness, he sent out spies to verify the report of Saul’s arrival. 5David slipped over to Saul’s camp one night to look around. Saul and Abner son of Ner, the commander of his army, were sleeping inside a ring formed by the slumbering warriors. 6“Who will volunteer to go in there with me?” David asked Ahimelech the Hittite and Abishai son of Zeruiah, Joab’s brother. “I’ll go with you,” Abishai replied.

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 secretly sent out two spies from the Israelite camp at Acacia Grove. He instructed them, “Scout out the land on the other side of the Jordan River, especially around Jericho.” So the two men set out and came to the house of a prostitute named Rahab and stayed there that night.
• Matthew 10:16“Look, I am sending you out as sheep among wolves. So be as shrewd as snakes and harmless as 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