1 Samuel 26
How to read this: this is a word-for-word rendering straight from the original Hebrew, not a copyrighted translation — the top of each chip is the original word, the bottom is its plain-English sense. Faded chips mark words the Hebrew implies but wouldn't literally be spoken in English. Click any word for its full Strong's dictionary entry.
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וַיִּ֨חַןand he encampedשָׁא֜וּלSaulבְּגִבְעַ֣תon the hill ofהַחֲכִילָ֗הthe Hakilahאֲשֶׁ֛רwhichעַל־was onפְּנֵ֥יthe face ofהַיְשִׁימֹ֖ןthe Jeshimonעַל־onהַדָּ֑רֶךְthe wayוְדָוִד֙and Davidיֹשֵׁ֣בwas dwellingבַּמִּדְבָּ֔רin the wildernessוַיַּ֕רְאand he sawכִּ֣יthatבָ֥אhe had comeשָׁא֛וּלSaulאַחֲרָ֖יוafter himהַמִּדְבָּֽרָה׃the wilderness towards
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וַיָּ֣קָםand he aroseדָּוִ֗דDavidוַיָּבֹא֮and he wentאֶֽל־toהַמָּקוֹם֮the placeאֲשֶׁ֣רwhereחָנָה־he had encampedשָׁ֣םthereשָׁאוּל֒Saulוַיַּ֣רְאand he sawדָּוִ֗דDavidאֶת־obj.הַמָּקוֹם֙the placeאֲשֶׁ֣רwhereשָֽׁכַב־he layשָׁ֣םthereשָׁא֔וּלSaulוְאַבְנֵ֥רand Abnerבֶּן־the son ofנֵ֖רNerשַׂר־the commander ofצְבָא֑וֹarmy hisוְשָׁאוּל֙and Saulשֹׁכֵ֣בwas lyingבַּמַּעְגָּ֔לin the campוְהָעָ֖םand the peopleחֹנִ֥יםwas encampedסְבִיבֹתָֽיו׃around him
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וַיַּ֨עַןand he answeredדָּוִ֜דDavidוַיֹּ֣אמֶר׀and he saidאֶל־toאֲחִימֶ֣לֶךְAhimelechהַחִתִּ֗יthe Hittiteוְאֶל־and toאֲבִישַׁ֨יAbishaiבֶּן־the son ofצְרוּיָ֜הZeruiahאֲחִ֤יthe brother ofיוֹאָב֙Joabלֵאמֹ֔רto sayingמִֽי־who?יֵרֵ֥דwill he go downאִתִּ֛יwith meאֶל־toשָׁא֖וּלSaulאֶל־intoהַֽמַּחֲנֶ֑הthe campוַיֹּ֣אמֶרand he saidאֲבִישַׁ֔יAbishaiאֲנִ֖יIאֵרֵ֥דI will go downעִמָּֽךְ׃with you
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וַיָּבֹא֩and he wentדָוִ֨דDavidוַאֲבִישַׁ֥י׀and Abishaiאֶל־toהָעָם֮the peopleלַיְלָה֒nightוְהִנֵּ֣הand there!שָׁא֗וּלSaulשֹׁכֵ֤בwas lyingיָשֵׁן֙sleepingבַּמַּעְגָּ֔לin the campוַחֲנִית֥וֹand spear hisמְעוּכָֽה־was thrustבָאָ֖רֶץin the groundמְרַאֲשֹׁתָ֑יוthe place of head hisוְאַבְנֵ֣רand Abnerוְהָעָ֔םand the peopleשֹׁכְבִ֖יםwere lyingסְבִיבֹתָֽיו׃ סaround him
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וַיֹּ֤אמֶרand he saidאֲבִישַׁי֙Abishaiאֶל־toדָּוִ֔דDavidסִגַּ֨רhe has delivered upאֱלֹהִ֥יםGodהַיּ֛וֹםthis dayאֶת־obj.אוֹיִבְךָ֖enemy yourבְּיָדֶ֑ךָin hand yourוְעַתָּה֩and thereforeאַכֶּ֨נּוּlet me strike himנָ֜אpleaseבַּחֲנִ֤יתwith the spearוּבָאָ֙רֶץ֙and in the groundפַּ֣עַםa timeאַחַ֔תoneוְלֹ֥אand notאֶשְׁנֶ֖הI will repeatלֽוֹ׃to the him
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חָלִ֤ילָהfar be itלִּי֙to the meמֵֽיהוָ֔הfrom Yahwehמִשְּׁלֹ֥חַfrom stretching outיָדִ֖יhand myבִּמְשִׁ֣יחַon the one anointed ofיְהוָ֑הYahwehוְ֠עַתָּהand nowקַח־takeנָ֨אpleaseאֶֽת־obj.הַחֲנִ֜יתthe spearאֲשֶׁ֧רwhichמְרַאֲשֹׁתָ֛יוis the place of head hisוְאֶת־and obj.צַפַּ֥חַתthe jug ofהַמַּ֖יִםthe waterוְנֵ֥לֲכָהand let us goלָּֽנוּ׃for the ourselves
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וַיִּקַּח֩and he tookדָּוִ֨דDavidאֶֽת־obj.הַחֲנִ֜יתthe spearוְאֶת־and obj.צַפַּ֤חַתthe jug ofהַמַּ֙יִם֙the waterמֵרַאֲשֹׁתֵ֣יat the head ofשָׁא֔וּלSaulוַיֵּלְכ֖וּand they wentלָהֶ֑םfor the themselvesוְאֵ֣יןand there notרֹאֶה֩was one who sawוְאֵ֨יןand there notיוֹדֵ֜עַwas one who knewוְאֵ֣יןand there notמֵקִ֗יץwas one who awokeכִּ֤יforכֻלָּם֙all of themיְשֵׁנִ֔יםwere sleepingכִּ֚יforתַּרְדֵּמַ֣תthe deep sleep ofיְהוָ֔הYahwehנָפְלָ֖הit had fallenעֲלֵיהֶֽם׃on them
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וַיִּקְרָ֨אand he called outדָוִ֜דDavidאֶל־toהָעָ֗םthe peopleוְאֶל־and toאַבְנֵ֤רAbnerבֶּן־the son ofנֵר֙Nerלֵאמֹ֔רto sayingהֲל֥וֹא¿ notתַעֲנֶ֖הwill you answerאַבְנֵ֑רO Abnerוַיַּ֤עַןand he answeredאַבְנֵר֙Abnerוַיֹּ֔אמֶרand he saidמִ֥יwho?אַתָּ֖הare youקָרָ֥אתָwho you have called outאֶל־toהַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃ פthe king
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וַיֹּאמֶר֩and he saidדָּוִ֨דDavidאֶל־toאַבְנֵ֜רAbnerהֲלוֹא־¿ notאִ֣ישׁa manאַתָּ֗הare youוּמִ֤יand who?כָמ֙וֹךָ֙is like youבְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֔לin Israelוְלָ֙מָּה֙and to why?לֹ֣אnotשָׁמַ֔רְתָּdid you guardאֶל־toאֲדֹנֶ֖יךָmasters yourהַמֶּ֑לֶךְthe kingכִּי־ifבָא֙he cameאַחַ֣דone ofהָעָ֔םthe peopleלְהַשְׁחִ֖יתto destroyאֶת־obj.הַמֶּ֥לֶךְthe kingאֲדֹנֶֽיךָ׃masters your
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לֹא־notט֞וֹבis goodהַדָּבָ֣רthe thingהַזֶּה֮the thisאֲשֶׁ֣רwhichעָשִׂיתָ֒you have doneחַי־by the lifeיְהוָ֗הof Yahwehכִּ֤יforבְנֵי־are sons ofמָ֙וֶת֙deathאַתֶּ֔םyouאֲשֶׁ֧רwhoלֹֽא־notשְׁמַרְתֶּ֛םyou watchedעַל־overאֲדֹנֵיכֶ֖םmasters yourעַל־overמְשִׁ֣יחַthe one anointed ofיְהוָ֑הYahwehוְעַתָּ֣ה׀and nowרְאֵ֗הseeאֵֽי־where?חֲנִ֥יתis the spear ofהַמֶּ֛לֶךְthe kingוְאֶת־and obj.צַפַּ֥חַתthe jug ofהַמַּ֖יִםthe waterאֲשֶׁ֥רwhichמְרַאֲשֹׁתָֽיו׃was the place of head his
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וְעַתָּ֗הand nowיִֽשְׁמַֽע־let him hearנָא֙pleaseאֲדֹנִ֣יlord myהַמֶּ֔לֶךְthe kingאֵ֖תobj.דִּבְרֵ֣יthe words ofעַבְדּ֑וֹservant hisאִם־ifיְהוָ֞הYahwehהֱסִֽיתְךָ֥he has incited youבִי֙against the meיָרַ֣חmay he smellמִנְחָ֔הan offeringוְאִ֣ם׀and ifבְּנֵ֣יthe sons ofהָאָדָ֗םthe humankindאֲרוּרִ֥יםbe cursedהֵם֙theyלִפְנֵ֣יto beforeיְהוָ֔הYahwehכִּֽי־forגֵרְשׁ֣וּנִיthey have driven out meהַיּ֗וֹםthis dayמֵהִסְתַּפֵּ֜חַfrom having a shareבְּנַחֲלַ֤תin the inheritance ofיְהוָה֙Yahwehלֵאמֹ֔רto sayingלֵ֥ךְgoעֲבֹ֖דserveאֱלֹהִ֥יםgodsאֲחֵרִֽים׃other
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וְעַתָּ֗הand nowאַל־may notיִפֹּ֤לit fallדָּֽמִי֙blood myאַ֔רְצָהthe ground towardsמִנֶּ֖גֶדfrom beforeפְּנֵ֣יthe presence ofיְהוָ֑הYahwehכִּֽי־forיָצָ֞אhe has come outמֶ֣לֶךְthe king ofיִשְׂרָאֵ֗לIsraelלְבַקֵּשׁ֙to seekאֶת־obj.פַּרְעֹ֣שׁa fleaאֶחָ֔דoneכַּאֲשֶׁ֛רjust asיִרְדֹּ֥ףsomeone pursuesהַקֹּרֵ֖אthe partridgeבֶּהָרִֽים׃in the mountains
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וַיֹּאמֶר֩and he saidשָׁא֨וּלSaulחָטָ֜אתִיI have sinnedשׁ֣וּבreturnבְּנִֽי־O son myדָוִ֗דDavidכִּ֠יforלֹֽא־notאָרַ֤עI will do harmלְךָ֙to the youע֔וֹדagainתַּ֠חַתbecauseאֲשֶׁ֨רthatיָקְרָ֥הit was preciousנַפְשִׁ֛יlife myבְּעֵינֶ֖יךָin view yourהַיּ֣וֹםthe dayהַזֶּ֑הthe thisהִנֵּ֥הhere!הִסְכַּ֛לְתִּיI have behaved foolishlyוָאֶשְׁגֶּ֖הand I have gone astrayהַרְבֵּ֥הgreatlyמְאֹֽד׃very
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וַֽיהוָה֙and Yahwehיָשִׁ֣יבhe will returnלָאִ֔ישׁto the everyoneאֶת־obj.צִדְקָת֖וֹrighteousness hisוְאֶת־and obj.אֱמֻנָת֑וֹfaithfulness hisאֲשֶׁר֩thatנְתָנְךָ֨he gave youיְהוָ֤ה׀Yahwehהַיּוֹם֙this dayבְּיָ֔דin a handוְלֹ֣אand notאָבִ֔יתִיI was willingלִשְׁלֹ֥חַto stretch outיָדִ֖יhand myבִּמְשִׁ֥יחַon the one anointed ofיְהוָֽה׃Yahweh
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וַיֹּ֨אמֶרand he saidשָׁא֜וּלSaulאֶל־toדָּוִ֗דDavidבָּר֤וּךְbe blessedאַתָּה֙youבְּנִ֣יO son myדָוִ֔דDavidגַּ֚םbothעָשֹׂ֣הcertainly to doתַעֲשֶׂ֔הyou will doוְגַ֖םand as well asיָכֹ֣לcertainly to prevailתּוּכָ֑לyou will prevailוַיֵּ֤לֶךְand he wentדָּוִד֙Davidלְדַרְכּ֔וֹto way hisוְשָׁא֖וּלand Saulשָׁ֥בhe returnedלִמְקוֹמֽוֹ׃ פto place his
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