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1 Samuel 26:16

Old Testament Historical ASV (1901)

What does 1 Samuel 26:16 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “This thing is not good that thou hast done. As Jehovah liveth, ye are worthy to die, because ye have not kept watch over your lord, Jehovah`s anointed. And now see where the king`s spear is, and the cruse of water that was at his head.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

This thing is not good that thou hast done. As Jehovah liveth, ye are worthy to die, because ye have not kept watch over your lord, Jehovah`s anointed. And now see where the king`s spear is, and the cruse of water that was at his head.
1 Samuel 26:16 — American Standard Version

Context — 1 Samuel 26

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
13Then David went over to the other side, and stood on the top of the mountain afar off; a great space being between them;
14and 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?
15And David said to Abner, Art not thou a [valiant] man? and who is like to thee in Israel? wherefore then hast thou not kept watch over thy lord the king? for there came one of the people in to destroy the king thy lord.
16This thing is not good that thou hast done. As Jehovah liveth, ye are worthy to die, because ye have not kept watch over your lord, Jehovah`s anointed. And now see where the king`s spear is, and the cruse of water that was at his head.
17And Saul knew David`s voice, and said, Is this thy voice, my son David? And David said, It is my voice, my lord, O king.
18And he said, Wherefore doth my lord pursue after his servant? for what have I done? or what evil is in my hand?
19Now therefore, I pray thee, let my lord the king hear the words of his servant. If it be Jehovah that hath stirred thee up against me, let him accept an offering: but if it be the children of men, cursed be they before Jehovah: for they have driven me out this day that I should not cleave unto the inheritance of Jehovah, saying, Go, serve other gods.
← 1 Samuel 26:151 Samuel 26:17 →
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What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“This thing [is] not good that thou hast done, etc.] Yea, it was very bad, a great fault, and very blameworthy, if he had neglected to set a watch over the king, whose business it was as a general; the words are expressed in a figure called “meiosis”, in which less is said than was intended: [as] the Lord liveth, ye [are] worthy to die, because ye have not kept your master, the Lord’s anointed; if a watch was set, and these had fallen asleep, and neglected their duty, or had deserted their post; which to do was a capital crime, and deserving of death; wherefore he does not say this of Abner, but of the watch: and now see where the king’s spear [is], and the cruse of water that [was] at his…”
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Tyndale Open Study Notes
Tyndale House Publishers · Tyndale Open Study Notes · Modern study notes
“26:16 deserve to die: Death was the punishment for dereliction of duty.”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“worthy to die: Heb. the sons of death, Sa1 20:31; Sa2 12:5, Sa2 19:28; Psa 79:11, Psa 102:20 \*marg. Eph 2:3 Lord's: Sa1 26:9, Sa1 26:11, Sa1 24:6 1 Kings (1 Samuel) 26:17”
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Related study paths

Read 1 Samuel 26 in contextBrowse Hebrew word studiesOpen this verse in the study reader

Sources and verification