1 Samuel 26:20
Now therefore, let not my blood fall to the earth before the face of the Lord: for the king of Israel is come out to seek a flea, as when one doth hunt a partridge in the mountains.
1 Samuel 26:20 in other translations
| BSB | So do not let my blood fall to the ground far from the presence of the LORD. For the king of Israel has come out to look for a flea, like one who hunts a partridge in the mountains.” |
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| WEB | Now therefore, don’t let my blood fall to the earth away from the presence of the LORD; for the king of Israel has come out to seek a flea, as when one hunts a partridge in the mountains.” |
| ASV | Now therefore, let not my blood fall to the earth away from the presence of Jehovah: for the king of Israel is come out to seek a flea, as when one doth hunt a partridge in the mountains. |
| YLT | ‘And now, let not my blood fall to the earth over-against the face of Jehovah, for the king of Israel hath come out to seek one flea, as one pursueth the partridge in mountains.' |
| DARBY | And now, let not my blood fall to the earth far from the face of Jehovah; for the king of Israel is come out to seek a single flea, as when they hunt a partridge on the mountains. |
| BBE | Then do not let my blood be drained out on the earth away from the face of the Lord: for the king of Israel has come out to take my life, like one going after birds in the mountains. |
| Webster | Now therefore, let not my blood fall to the earth before the face of the LORD: for the king of Israel hath come out to seek a flea, as when one doth hunt a partridge in the mountains. |
What does 1 Samuel 26:20 mean?
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 1 Samuel 26:13-20
13-20. Then David ... stood on the top of an hill afar off ... and cried to the people--(See on Jud 9:7). The extraordinary purity and elasticity of the air in Palestine enable words to be distinctly heard that are addressed by a speaker from the top of one hill to people on that of another, from which it is separated by a deep intervening ravine. Hostile parties can thus speak to each other, while completely beyond…
Adam Clarke's Commentary
Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 1 Samuel 26:13-20
David reasoned seriously and affectionately with Saul. Those who forbid our attendance on God's ordinances, do what they can to estrange us from God, and to make us heathens. We are to reckon that which exposes us to sin the greatest injury that can be done us. If the Lord stirred thee up against me, either in displeasure to me, taking this way to punish me for my sins against him, or in displeasure to thee, if it…
1 Samuel 26:20 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.
Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).
Cross references for 1 Samuel 26:20
- 1 Samuel 24:14
After whom is the king of Israel come out? after whom dost thou pursue? after a dead dog, after a flea.
- 1 Samuel 2:9
He will keep the feet of his saints, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness; for by strength shall no man prevail.
- 1 Samuel 25:29
Yet a man is risen to pursue thee, and to seek thy soul: but the soul of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of life with the Lord thy God; and the souls of thine enemies, them shall he sling out, as out of the middle of a sling.
- Matthew 26:47
And while he yet spake, lo, Judas, one of the twelve, came, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and elders of the people.
- Matthew 26:55
In that same hour said Jesus to the multitudes, Are ye come out as against a thief with swords and staves for to take me? I sat daily with you teaching in the temple, and ye laid no hold on me.
Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).
Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
2:9; 25:29
the king.
24:14; Mt 26:47,55
a flea.{Parosh,} (in Arabic {borghooth,} Syriac, {poorthano,}) the well known little contemptible and troublesome insect, the flea, seems to be so called from its agility in leaping and skipping, from {para,} "free," and {raash,} "to leap, bound." David, by comparing himself to this insect, seems to import, that while it would cost Saul much pains to catch him, he would obtain but very little advantage from it.
a partridge.{Korai} certainly denotes the partridge, which is called in Arabic, {kiräa.} It seems to be so called from the cry or {cur} which it utters when calling its young.
Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain
Context
- 1 Samuel 26:19
Now therefore, I pray thee, let my lord the king hear the words of his servant. If the Lord have stirred thee up against me, let him accept an offering: but if they be the children of men, cursed be they before the Lord; for they have driven me out this day from abiding in the inheritance of the Lord, saying, Go, serve other gods.
- 1 Samuel 26:20
Now therefore, let not my blood fall to the earth before the face of the Lord: for the king of Israel is come out to seek a flea, as when one doth hunt a partridge in the mountains.
- 1 Samuel 26:21
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.
1 Samuel 26:20 in other languages
| Spanish Reina-Valera 1909 | No caiga pues ahora mi sangre en tierra delante de Jehová: porque ha salido el rey de Israel á buscar una pulga, así como quien persigue una perdiz por los montes. |
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| French Bible J.N. Darby 1885 | Et maintenant, que mon sang ne tombe point en terre loin de la face de l’ Éternel, car le roi d’Israël est sorti pour chercher une puce, comme on poursuivrait une perdrix dans les montagnes. |
| German Elberfelder 1871 | So möge nun mein Blut nicht zur Erde fallen fern von dem Angesicht Jehovas! denn der König von Israel ist ausgezogen, einen Floh zu suchen, wie man einem Rebhuhn nachjagt auf den Bergen. |
| Latin Clementine Vulgate | Et nunc non effundatur sanguis meus in terram coram Domino: quia egressus est rex Israël ut quærat pulicem unum, sicut persequitur perdix in montibus. |