1 Samuel 26 · Verse 1

1 Samuel 26:1

And the Ziphites came unto Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doth not David hide himself in the hill of Hachilah, which is before Jeshimon?
1 Samuel 26:1, King James Version

1 Samuel 26:1 in other translations

BSBThen the Ziphites came to Saul at Gibeah and said, “Is not David hiding on the hill of Hachilah, opposite Jeshimon?”
WEBThe Ziphites came to Saul to Gibeah, saying, “Doesn’t David hide himself in the hill of Hachilah, which is before the desert?”
ASVAnd the Ziphites came unto Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doth not David hide himself in the hill of Hachilah, which is before the desert?
YLTAnd the Ziphites come in unto Saul, at Gibeah, saying, ‘Is not David hiding himself in the height of Hachilah, on the front of the desert?'
DARBYAnd the Ziphites came to Saul to Gibeah, saying, Does not David hide himself in the hill of Hachilah, facing the waste?
BBEAnd the Ziphites came to Saul at Gibeah, and said, Is not David waiting secretly near us in the hill of Hachilah, before the waste land?
WebsterAnd the Ziphites came to Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doth not David hide himself in the hill of Hachilah, which is before Jeshimon?

What does 1 Samuel 26:1 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 1 Samuel 26:1-2
1Sa 26:1-4. Saul Comes to the Hill of Hachilah against David. 1-2. the Ziphites came unto Saul to Gibeah--This people seem to have thought it impossible for David to escape, and therefore recommended themselves to Saul, by giving him secret information (see on 1Sa 23:19). The knowledge of their treachery makes it appear strange that David should return to his former haunt in their neighborhood; but, perhaps he did it to be near Abigail's possessions, and under the impression that Saul had become mollified. But the king had relapsed into his old enmity. Though Gibeah, as its name imports, stood on an elevated position, and the desert of Ziph, which was in the hilly region of Judea, may have been higher than Gibeah, it was still necessary to descend in leaving the latter place; thence Saul (1Sa 26:2) "went down to the wilderness of Ziph."

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Introduction

The Ziphites inform Saul of David's hiding place, 1Sam 26:1. Saul, with three thousand men, goes in pursuit of him, 1Sam 26:2, 1Sam 26:3. David sends out spies; and finds where Saul had pitched his camp; and he and Abishai come to the camp by night, find all asleep, and bring away Saul's spear, and the cruse of water that was at his head, 1Sam 26:4-12. David goes to the opposite hill; awakes Abner, captain of Saul's host; chides him for being so careless of his master's life; and calls on Saul to send one of his servants for the spear; and severely chides him for his continued hostility to him, 1Sam 26:13-24. Saul humbles himself to David; promises to persecute him no more; and returns to his own place, 1Sam 26:25. Verse 1 The Ziphites came - This is the second time that these enemies of David endeavored to throw him into the hands of Saul. See 1Sam 23:19.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 1 Samuel 26:1-12
How soon do unholy hearts lose the good impressions convictions have made upon them! How helpless were Saul and all his men! All as though disarmed and chained, yet nothing is done to them; they are only asleep. How easily can God weaken the strongest, befool the wisest, and baffle the most watchful! David still resolved to wait till God thought fit to avenge him on Saul. He will by no means force his way to the promised crown by any wrong methods. The temptation was very strong; but if he yielded, he would sin against God, therefore he resisted the temptation, and trusted God with the event.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

1 Samuel 26:1 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיָּבֹ֤אוּvai.ya.Vo.'uand they wentH935
הַזִּפִים֙ha.zi.Fimthe ZiphitesH2130
אֶל\־'el-toH413
שָׁא֔וּלsha.'UlSaulH7586
הַגִּבְעָ֖תָהha.giv.'A.tah<the> Gibeah towardsH1390
לֵאמֹ֑רle.Mor<to> sayingH559
הֲל֨וֹאha.Lo'¿ notH3808
דָוִ֤דda.Vid[is] DavidH1732
מִסְתַּתֵּר֙mis.ta.Terhiding himselfH5641
בְּגִבְעַ֣תbe.giv.'Aton [the] hill ofH1389
הַחֲכִילָ֔הha.cha.khi.Lah<the> HakilahH2444
עַ֖ל'alonH5921
פְּנֵ֥יpe.Nei[the] face ofH6440
הַיְשִׁימֹֽן\׃hay.shi.Mon<the> JeshimonH3452

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 1 Samuel 26:1

  • 1 Samuel 23:19

    Then came up the Ziphites to Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doth not David hide himself with us in strong holds in the wood, in the hill of Hachilah, which is on the south of Jeshimon?

  • Psalms 54:1-7

    To the chief Musician on Neginoth, Maschil, A Psalm of David, when the Ziphims came and said to Saul, Doth not David hide himself with us? Save me, O God, by thy name, and judge me by thy strength. Hear my prayer, O God; give ear to the words of my mouth. For strangers are risen up against me, and oppressors seek after my soul: they have not set God before them. Selah. Behold, God is mine helper: the Lord is with them that uphold my soul. …

  • Joshua 15:24

    Ziph, and Telem, and Bealoth,

  • 1 Samuel 26:3

    And Saul pitched in the hill of Hachilah, which is before Jeshimon, by the way. But David abode in the wilderness, and he saw that Saul came after him into the wilderness.

  • Joshua 15:55

    Maon, Carmel, and Ziph, and Juttah,

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
1 Saul, by the discovery of the Ziphites, comes to Hachilah against David.
4 David coming into the trench stays Abishai from killing Saul, but takes his spear and cruse.
13 David reproves Abner;
17 and exhorts Saul.
21 Saul acknowledges his sin.

Ziphites.
Jos 15:24,55
Doth not.
3; 23:19; Ps 54:1; *title

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • 1 Samuel 26:1

    And the Ziphites came unto Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doth not David hide himself in the hill of Hachilah, which is before Jeshimon?

  • 1 Samuel 26:2

    Then Saul arose, and went down to the wilderness of Ziph, having three thousand chosen men of Israel with him, to seek David in the wilderness of Ziph.

Read all of 1 Samuel 26

1 Samuel 26:1 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y VINIERON los Zipheos á Saúl en Gabaa, diciendo: ¿No está David escondido en el collado de Hachîla delante del desierto?
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et les Ziphiens vinrent vers Saül, à Guibha, disant: David ne se tient-il pas caché à la colline de Hakila qui est en face de Jeshimon?
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und die Siphiter kamen zu Saul nach Gibea und sprachen: Hält sich David nicht verborgen auf dem Hügel Hakila vor der Wildnis?
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Et venerunt Ziphæi ad Saul in Gabaa, dicentes: Ecce David absconditus est in colle Hachila, quæ est ex adverso solitudinis.