1 Samuel 26 · Verse 21

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 26:21, King James Version

1 Samuel 26:21 in other translations

BSBThen Saul replied, “I have sinned. Come back, David my son. I will never harm you again, because today you considered my life precious. I have played the fool and have committed a grave error!”
WEBThen 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 today. Behold, I have played the fool, and have erred exceedingly.”
ASVThen said Saul, I have sinned: return, my son David; for I will no more do thee harm, because my life was precious in thine eyes this day: behold, I have played the fool, and have erred exceedingly.
YLTAnd Saul saith, ‘I have sinned; turn back, my son David, for I do evil to thee no more, because that my soul hath been precious in thine eyes this day; lo, I have acted foolishly, and do err very greatly.'
DARBYAnd Saul said, I have sinned: return, my son David; for I will no more do thee harm, because my life was precious in thine eyes this day: behold, I have acted foolishly, and have erred exceedingly.
BBEThen Saul said, I have done wrong: come back to me, David my son: I will do you no more wrong, because my life was dear to you today truly, I have been foolish and my error is very great.
WebsterThen said Saul, I have sinned: return, my son David: for I will no more do thee harm, because my soul was precious in thy eyes this day: behold I have played the fool, and have erred exceedingly.

What does 1 Samuel 26:21 mean?

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 21 I have sinned - Perhaps the word חטאתי chatathi, "I have sinned," should be read, I have erred, or, have been mistaken. I have taken thee to be a very different man from what I find thee to be. Taken literally it was strictly true. He often purposed the spilling of David's blood; and thus, again and again, sinned against his life.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 1 Samuel 26:21-25
Saul repeated his good words and good wishes. But he showed no evidence of true repentance towards God. David and Saul parted to meet no more. No reconciliation among men is firm, which is not founded in an cemented by peace with God through Jesus Christ. In sinning against God, men play the fool, and err exceedingly. Many obtain a passing view of these truths, who hate and close their eyes against the light. Fair professions do not entitle those to confidence who have long sinned against the light, yet the confessions of obstinate sinners may satisfy us that we are in the right way, and encourage us to persevere, expecting our recompence from the Lord alone.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

1 Samuel 26:21 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.

וַיֹּאמֶר֩vai.yo.Merand he saidH559
שָׁא֨וּלsha.'UlSaulH7586
חָטָ֜אתִיcha.Ta.tiI have sinnedH2398
שׁ֣וּבshuvreturnH7725
בְּנִֽי\־be.ni-O son myH1121
דָוִ֗דda.VidDavidH1732
כִּ֠יkiforH3588
לֹֽא\־lo'-notH3808
אָרַ֤ע'a.Ra'I will do harmH7489
לְךָ֙le.Khato <the> you
ע֔וֹדodagainH5750
תַּ֠חַתTa.chatbecauseH8478
אֲשֶׁ֨ר'a.SherthatH834
יָקְרָ֥הya.ke.Rahit was preciousH3365
נַפְשִׁ֛יnaf.Shilife myH5315
בְּעֵינֶ֖יךָbe.'ei.Nei.khain view yourH5869
הַיּ֣וֹםhai.Yomthe dayH3117
הַזֶּ֑הha.Zeh<the> thisH2088
הִנֵּ֥הhi.Nehhere!H2009
הִסְכַּ֛לְתִּיhis.Kal.tiI have behaved foolishlyH5528
וָאֶשְׁגֶּ֖הva.'esh.Gehand I have gone astrayH7686
הַרְבֵּ֥הhar.BehgreatlyH7235
מְאֹֽד\׃me.'OdveryH3966

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

Cross references for 1 Samuel 26:21

  • 1 Samuel 24:17

    And he said to David, Thou art more righteous than I: for thou hast rewarded me good, whereas I have rewarded thee evil.

  • 1 Samuel 15:24

    And Saul said unto Samuel, I have sinned: for I have transgressed the commandment of the Lord, and thy words: because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice.

  • Exodus 9:27

    And Pharaoh sent, and called for Moses and Aaron, and said unto them, I have sinned this time: the Lord is righteous, and I and my people are wicked.

  • 1 Samuel 15:30

    Then he said, I have sinned: yet honour me now, I pray thee, before the elders of my people, and before Israel, and turn again with me, that I may worship the Lord thy God.

  • Matthew 27:4

    Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us? see thou to that.

  • 1 Samuel 26:24

    And, behold, as thy life was much set by this day in mine eyes, so let my life be much set by in the eyes of the Lord, and let him deliver me out of all tribulation.

  • 1 Samuel 27:4

    And it was told Saul that David was fled to Gath: and he sought no more again for him.

  • Numbers 22:34

    And Balaam said unto the angel of the Lord, I have sinned; for I knew not that thou stoodest in the way against me: now therefore, if it displease thee, I will get me back again.

  • 1 Samuel 18:30

    Then the princes of the Philistines went forth: and it came to pass, after they went forth, that David behaved himself more wisely than all the servants of Saul; so that his name was much set by.

  • Psalms 49:8

    (For the redemption of their soul is precious, and it ceaseth for ever:)

  • Psalms 116:15

    Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
I have sinned.
15:24,30; 24:17; Ex 9:27; Nu 22:34; Mt 27:4
I will no.
27:4
my soul.
24; 18:30; Ps 49:8; 116:15

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

Context

  • 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 26:22

    And David answered and said, Behold the king’s spear! and let one of the young men come over and fetch it.

Read all of 1 Samuel 26

1 Samuel 26:21 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Entonces dijo Saúl: He pecado: vuélvete, hijo mío David, que ningún mal te haré más, pues que mi vida ha sido estimada hoy en tus ojos. He aquí, yo he hecho neciamente, y he errado en gran manera.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et Saül dit: J’ai péché; reviens, mon fils David; car je ne te ferai plus de mal, puisque aujourd’hui mon âme a été précieuse à tes yeux. Voici, j’ai agi follement et j’ai commis une très grande erreur.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und Saul sprach: Ich habe gesündigt; kehre zurück, mein Sohn David! denn ich will dir nichts Übles mehr tun, darum daß mein Leben an diesem Tage teuer gewesen ist in deinen Augen. Siehe, ich habe töricht gehandelt und gar sehr gefehlt!
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Et ait Saul: Peccavi: revertere, fili mi David: nequaquam enim ultra tibi malefaciam, eo quod pretiosa fuerit anima mea in oculis tuis hodie: apparet enim quod stulte egerim, et ignoraverim multa nimis.