1 Samuel 26:21

Then Saul said, “David, my son. I have sinned by trying to kill you. So come back home. Today you have considered my life to be very valuable and so you have not killed me. So I will not try to harm you. I have made a big mistake and have acted foolishly.”

Translation for Translators

In The King James Version

Then said Saul, I have sinned: return, my son David: for I will no more do thee harm, because my soul was precious in thine eyes this day: behold, I have played the fool, and have erred exceedingly.

In Context

20Now do not force me to die [MTY] far from where we worship Yahweh. You, the king of Israel, have come here searching for me. But I do not want to harm you! I am as harmless as a flea [MET]. You are searching for me like people hunt for a bird in the mountains! [MET]”

22David replied, “ will leave your spear here. Send one of your young men here to get it.

Read all of 1 Samuel 26

Cross References

Exodus 9:27Then the king sent someone to summon Aaron and Moses/me. When they/we came to the king, he said to them/us, “This time I admit that I have sinned. What Yahweh has done is right, and what I and my people have done is wrong.

1 Samuel 13:13Samuel replied, “What you did was very foolish! You have not obeyed what Yahweh, your God, commanded about sacrifices. If you had obeyed him, God would have allowed you and your descendants to rule Israel for a long time.

1 Samuel 15:30Then Saul pleaded again. He said, “I know that I have sinned. But please honor me in front of the leaders of the Israeli people and in front of all the other Israeli people by coming back to them with me in order that I may worship Yahweh your God.”

1 Samuel 24:17He said, “You are a better man than I am. You have done something very good to me when I tried to do something very bad to you.

1 Samuel 27:4When someone told Saul that David had run away and was living in Gath, he stopped searching for David.

2 Kings 1:14We know that two times fire came down from the sky and killed officers and the 50 soldiers who were with them. So now, please be kind to me!”

Matthew Henry on 1 Samuel 26:14-21

David Expostulates with Saul. ( b. c. 1056.) 13 Then David went over to the other side, and stood on the top of a hill afar off; a great space being between them: 14 And David cried to the people, and to Abner the son of Ner, saying, Answerest thou not, Abner? Then Abner answered and said, Who art thou that criest to the king? 15 And David said to Abner, Art not thou a valiant man? and who is like to thee in Israel? wherefore then hast thou not kept thy lord the king? for there came one of the people in to destroy… Read the whole commentary →

This Verse In Other Editions

Study 1 Samuel 26:21