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 thing that you’ve done is no good. As Adonai lives, all of you deserve to die, because you have not kept watching over your lord, Adonai’s anointed. So now, look around, where are the king’s spear and the water jar that were at his head?” 17Saul then recognized David’s voice and said, “Is this your voice, David my son?” “It is my voice, my lord the king,” David said, then added, “Yet why is my lord pursuing his servant? What have I done? What evil is in my hand? 19Now please, let my lord the king listen to the words of his servant. If Adonai has stirred you up against me, let Him accept an offering. But if men have done so, then cursed are they before Adonai, because they have now driven me out that I would not cling to Adonai’s inheritance, saying: ‘Go, worship other gods.’ 20So now, let not my blood fall to the ground, away from the presence of Adonai. For the king of Israel has come out to search for but a single flea, just as one hunts for a partridge in the mountains.”

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 24:9Then David said to Saul, “Why do you listen to men’s words saying: ‘Look, David intends you harm’?
• Psalms 7:3Otherwise he will rip me apart like a lion, with no one to rescue me.
• Psalms 35:7For without cause they hid their net for me, and without cause they dug a pit for my soul.
• Psalms 69:4I am worn out by my crying, my throat is parched, my eyes fail, waiting for my God.
• 1 Samuel 17:29“What have I done now?” David said. “It was only a question!”
• John 8:46Which one of you convicts Me of sinning? If I am telling the truth, why don’t you believe Me?
• John 10:32Yeshua answered them, “I’ve shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these are you going to stone Me?”
• John 18:23Yeshua answered him, “If I have spoken wrongly, give evidence of the wrong; but if rightly, why hit 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