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Tuesday, October 14th, 2025
the Week of Proper 23 / Ordinary 28
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Amplified Bible

1 Samuel 26:18

And David said, "Why is my lord pursuing his servant? For what have I done? Or what evil is in my hand?

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Malice;   Self-Control;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Persecution;  

Dictionaries:

- Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Saul, king of israel;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Prayer;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Hachilah;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - David;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Samuel, Books of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - David;  

Encyclopedias:

- The Jewish Encyclopedia - Saul of Tarsus;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Then he continued, “Why is my lord pursuing his servant? What have I done? What crime have I committed?
Hebrew Names Version
He said, Why does my lord pursue after his servant? for what have I done? or what evil is in my hand?
King James Version
And he said, Wherefore doth my lord thus pursue after his servant? for what have I done? or what evil is in mine hand?
Lexham English Bible
Then he said, "Why is my lord pursuing after his servant? For what have I done? And what evil is in my hand?
English Standard Version
And he said, "Why does my lord pursue after his servant? For what have I done? What evil is on my hands?
New Century Version
David also said, "Why are you chasing me, my master? What wrong have I done? What evil am I guilty of?
New English Translation
He went on to say, "Why is my lord chasing his servant? What have I done? What wrong have I done?
New American Standard Bible
He also said, "Why then is my lord pursuing his servant? For what have I done? Or what evil is in my hand?
Geneva Bible (1587)
And he sayde, Wherefore doeth my lorde thus persecute his seruant? for what haue I done? or what euill is in mine hand?
Legacy Standard Bible
He also said, "Why then is my lord pursuing his servant? For what have I done? Or what evil is in my hand?
Contemporary English Version
Why are you after me? Have I done something wrong, or have I committed a crime?
Complete Jewish Bible
and continued, "Why is my lord chasing his servant? What have I done? What evil am I planning?
Darby Translation
And he said, Why does my lord thus pursue after his servant? for what have I done? or what evil is in my hand?
Easy-to-Read Version
Sir, why are you chasing me? What wrong have I done? What am I guilty of?
George Lamsa Translation
Then David said, Why does my lord pursue after his servant? For what have I done? Or what evil is in my hands?
Good News Translation
And he added, "Why, sir, are you still pursuing me, your servant? What have I done? What crime have I committed?
Literal Translation
And he said, Why is this, that my lord is pursuing his servant? For what have I done, and what in my hand is evil?
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And he sayde morouer: Why doth my lorde so persecute his seruaunt? What haue I done? and what euell is there in my hande?
American Standard Version
And he said, Wherefore doth my lord pursue after his servant? for what have I done? or what evil is in my hand?
Bible in Basic English
And he said, Why does my lord go armed against his servant? what have I done? or what evil is there in me?
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And he sayde: Wherefore doth my lorde thus persecute his seruaunt? for what haue I done? or what euyll is in myne hand?
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And he said: 'Wherefore doth my lord pursue after his servant? for what have I done? or what evil is in my hand?
King James Version (1611)
And he said, Wherefore doeth my lord thus pursue after his seruant? for what haue I done? or what euill is in mine hand?
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And he said, Why does my lord thus pursue after his servant? for in what have I sinned? and what unrighteousness has been found in me?
English Revised Version
And he said, Wherefore doth my lord pursue after his servant? for what have I done? or what evil is in mine hand?
Berean Standard Bible
And he continued, "Why is my lord pursuing his servant? What have I done? What evil is in my hand?
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And Dauid seide, For what cause pursueth my lord his seruaunt? What haue Y do, ether what yuel is in myn hond? Now therfor,
Young's Literal Translation
and he saith, `Why [is] this -- my lord is pursuing after his servant? for what have I done, and what [is] in my hand evil?
Update Bible Version
And he said, Why does my lord pursue after his slave? for what have I done? or what evil is in my hand?
Webster's Bible Translation
And he said, Why doth my lord thus pursue his servant? for what have I done? or what evil [is] in my hand?
World English Bible
He said, Why does my lord pursue after his servant? for what have I done? or what evil is in my hand?
New King James Version
And he said, "Why does my lord thus pursue his servant? For what have I done, or what evil is in my hand?
New Living Translation
Why are you chasing me? What have I done? What is my crime?
New Life Bible
Why is my lord coming after his servant? What have I done? What am I guilty of?
New Revised Standard
And he added, "Why does my lord pursue his servant? For what have I done? What guilt is on my hands?
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And he said, Wherefore is it, that my lord is in pursuit of his servant? For what have I done? or what is in my hand that is wrong?
Douay-Rheims Bible
And he said: Wherefore doth my lord persecute his servant? What have I done? or what evil is there in my hand?
Revised Standard Version
And he said, "Why does my lord pursue after his servant? For what have I done? What guilt is on my hands?
New American Standard Bible (1995)
He also said, "Why then is my lord pursuing his servant? For what have I done? Or what evil is in my hand?

Contextual Overview

13Then David crossed over to the other side and stood on the top of the mountain at a distance, with a large area between them. 14David called to the army and to Abner the son of Ner, "Will you not answer, Abner?" Abner replied, "Who are you who calls [and disturbs] the king?" 15David said to Abner, "Are you not a [brave] man? Who is like you in Israel? Why then have you not guarded your lord the king? For one of the people came [into your camp] to kill the king your lord. 16"This thing that you have done is not good. As the LORD lives, you surely deserve to die, because you have not guarded your lord, the LORD'S anointed. And now, see where the king's spear is, and the jug of water that was by his head." 17Then Saul recognized David's voice and said, "Is this your voice, my son David?" And David said, "It is my voice, my lord the king!" 18And David said, "Why is my lord pursuing his servant? For what have I done? Or what evil is in my hand?19"Now therefore, please let my lord the king hear the words of his servant. If the LORD has incited you against me, let Him accept an offering [from me]; but if it is men, may they be cursed before the LORD, because they have driven me out this day to keep me from sharing in the inheritance of the LORD, saying, 'Go, serve other gods.' 20"Now then, do not let my blood fall to the ground away from the presence of the LORD; for the king of Israel has come out to search for a single flea, just as when one hunts a [defenseless] partridge in the mountains."

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Wherefore: 1 Samuel 24:9, 1 Samuel 24:11-14, Psalms 7:3-5, Psalms 35:7, Psalms 69:4

what have I: 1 Samuel 17:29, John 8:46, John 10:32, John 18:23

Reciprocal: Genesis 20:9 - What hast 1 Samuel 29:8 - But what have Psalms 59:3 - not Psalms 109:3 - fought Psalms 119:78 - without Psalms 119:161 - Princes Jeremiah 37:18 - General Lamentations 3:52 - without Daniel 6:22 - and also Mark 14:48 - Are

Cross-References

Genesis 21:31
Therefore that place was called Beersheba (Well of the Oath or Well of the Seven), because there the two of them swore an oath.
Numbers 32:38
Nebo, and Baal-meon (their names being changed) and Sibmah; and they gave other names to the cities which they built.
Psalms 16:4
The sorrows [pain and suffering] of those who have chosen another god will be multiplied [because of their idolatry]; I will not pour out their drink offerings of blood, Nor will I take their names upon my lips.
Hosea 2:17
"For I will remove the names of the Baals from her mouth, So that they will no longer be mentioned or remembered by their names.
Zechariah 13:2
"In that day," declares the LORD of hosts, "I will cut off the names of the idols from the land, and they will no longer be remembered. I will also remove the [false] prophets and the unclean spirit from the land.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And he said, wherefore doth my lord thus pursue after his servant?.... Suggesting that it was both below him to do it, and against his interest; for David was his servant, and he would gladly have continued in his service, and done his business, but he drove him from it, and pursued him as a traitor, when he had not been guilty of any offence to his knowledge: and therefore puts the following questions:

for what have I done? or what evil [is] in mine hand? what crime had he committed, that he was pursued after this manner, and his life sought for? what had he done worthy of death? having a clear conscience, he could boldly ask these questions.


 
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