1 Samuel 26:21 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Then Saul said, "I have sinned. Return, my son David, for I will no more do you harm, because my life was precious in your eyes this day. Behold, I have acted foolishly, and have made a great mistake."

NIV: Then Saul said, "I have sinned. Come back, David my son. Because you considered my life precious today, I will not try to harm you again. Surely I have acted like a fool and have been terribly wrong."

NASB: Then Saul said, 'I have sinned. Return, my son David, for I will not harm you again since my life was precious in your sight this day. Behold, I have played the fool and have made a very great mistake.'

CSB: Saul responded, "I have sinned. Come back, my son David, I will never harm you again because today you considered my life precious. I have been a fool! I’ve committed a grave error."

NLT: Then Saul confessed, 'I have sinned. Come back home, my son, and I will no longer try to harm you, for you valued my life today. I have been a fool and very, very wrong.'

KJV: 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.

NKJV: Then Saul said, “I have sinned. Return, my son David. For I will harm you no more, because my life was precious in your eyes this day. Indeed I have played the fool and erred exceedingly.”

First Samuel 26:21–25 records the last time David and Saul will ever speak to one another. Saul and his army have come to the wilderness to kill David and his men. David and Abishai creep into the camp while they all sleep and steal the spear at Saul's head. Once safe, David berates the general sleeping next to Saul for leaving his king unprotected and declares his own innocence (1 Samuel 26:1–20). Saul apologizes and takes his army back to Gibeah. David has heard Saul's apologies before and doesn't trust them. He soon takes his people to the last place Saul would expect: the heart of Philistine territory (1 Samuel 27).

History repeats itself. With information from locals, Saul and his army hunt David and his men, but David finds them first. He walks past the sleeping army and takes Saul's spear. From a safe distance, David calls down into the camp and holds up the evidence that he could have killed Saul. Saul confesses that he has sinned against David and promises to stop trying to kill him. David says his only confidence for deliverance is in the Lord. Saul leaves and David takes his men and families to the safety of Philistine territory.

Earlier, David passed up an opportunity to kill King Saul while he was unaware (1 Samuel 24). The same general event happens once again. The people of Ziph tell Saul where David is, and Saul comes running (1 Samuel 23:19–24). David finds Saul first and takes evidence that he could have killed the king but didn't. David confronts Saul, and Saul admits David is righteous and loyal (1 Samuel 24). This time, David is finished trusting Saul. He takes his people to Achish, the king of Gath. Apparently, the Philistine king respects David's honor more than David's own king (1 Samuel 27). Meanwhile, Saul slips further into disobedience to God (1 Samuel 28).

First Samuel introduces the key figures who led Israel after the era of the judges. The books of 1 and 2 Samuel were originally part of a single text, split in certain translations shortly before the birth of Christ. Some of the Bible’s most famous characters are depicted in this book. These including the prophet Samuel, Israel’s first king, Saul, her greatest king, David, and other famous names such as Goliath and Jonathan. By the end of this book, Saul has fallen; the book of 2 Samuel begins with David’s ascension to the throne.