1 Samuel 26 · Verse 25

1 Samuel 26:25

Then Saul said to David, Blessed be thou, my son David: thou shalt both do great things, and also shalt still prevail. So David went on his way, and Saul returned to his place.
1 Samuel 26:25, King James Version

1 Samuel 26:25 in other translations

BSBSaul said to him, “May you be blessed, David my son. You will accomplish great things and will surely prevail.” So David went on his way, and Saul returned home.
WEBThen Saul said to David, “You are blessed, my son David. You will both do mightily, and will surely prevail.” So David went his way, and Saul returned to his place.
ASVThen Saul said to David, Blessed be thou, my son David: thou shalt both do mightily, and shalt surely prevail. So David went his way, and Saul returned to his place.
YLTAnd Saul saith unto David, ‘Blessed art thou, my son David, also working thou dost work, and also prevailing thou dost prevail.' And David goeth on his way, and Saul hath turned back to his place.
DARBYAnd Saul said to David, Blessed be thou, my son David: thou shalt certainly do great things, and shalt certainly prevail. And David went on his way, and Saul returned to his place.
BBEThen Saul said to David, May a blessing be on you, David, my son; you will do great things and without doubt you will overcome. Then David went on his way, and Saul went back to his place.
WebsterThen Saul said to David, Blessed be thou, my son David: thou shalt both do great things, and also shalt still prevail. So David went on his way, and Saul returned to his place.

What does 1 Samuel 26:25 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
25. So David went on his way--Notwithstanding this sudden relenting of Saul, David placed no confidence in his professions or promises, but wisely kept at a distance and awaited the course of Providence.

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 25 Thou shalt both do great things, and also shalt still prevail. - The Hebrew is גם עשה תעשה וגם יכל תוכל gam asoh thaaseh, vegam yachol tuchal; "Also in doing thou shalt do, and being able thou shalt be able; which the Targum translates, also in reigning thou shalt reign, and in prospering thou shalt prosper; which in all probability is the meaning. There is a vast deal of dignity in this speech of David, arising from a consciousness of his own innocence. He neither begs his life from Saul, nor offers one argument to prevail upon him to desist from his felonious attempts, but refers the whole matter to God, as the judge and vindicator of oppressed innocence. Saul himself is speechless, except in the simple acknowledgment of his sin; and in the behalf of their king not one of his officers has one word to say! It is strange that none of them offered now to injure the person of David; but they saw that he was most evidently under the guardian care of God, and that their master was apparently abandoned by him. Saul invites David to return, but David knew the uncertainty of Saul's character too well to trust himself in the power of this infatuated king. How foolish are the counsels of men against God! When he undertakes to save, who can destroy? And who can deliver out of his hands?

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…

Read the full comment on 1 Samuel 26:21-25 →

1 Samuel 26:25 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.

וַיֹּ֨אמֶרvai.Yo.merand he saidH559
שָׁא֜וּלsha.'UlSaulH7586
אֶל\־'el-toH413
דָּוִ֗דda.VidDavidH1732
בָּר֤וּךְba.Rukh[be] blessedH1288
אַתָּה֙'a.TahyouH859
בְּנִ֣יbe.NiO son myH1121
דָוִ֔דda.VidDavidH1732
גַּ֚םgambothH1571
עָשֹׂ֣ה'a.Sohcertainly <to do>H6213
תַעֲשֶׂ֔הta.'a.Sehyou will doH6213
וְגַ֖םve.Gam<and> as well asH1571
יָכֹ֣לya.Kholcertainly <to prevail>H3201
תּוּכָ֑לtu.Khalyou will prevailH3201
וַיֵּ֤לֶךְvai.Ye.lekhand he wentH1980
דָּוִד֙da.VidDavidH1732
לְדַרְכּ֔וֹle.dar.Koto way hisH1870
וְשָׁא֖וּלve.sha.'Uland SaulH7586
שָׁ֥בshavhe returnedH7725
לִמְקוֹמֽוֹ\׃\ \פlim.ko.Moto place hisH4725

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

Cross references for 1 Samuel 26:25

  • Numbers 24:9-10

    He couched, he lay down as a lion, and as a great lion: who shall stir him up? Blessed is he that blesseth thee, and cursed is he that curseth thee. And Balak’s anger was kindled against Balaam, and he smote his hands together: and Balak said unto Balaam, I called thee to curse mine enemies, and, behold, thou hast altogether blessed them these three times.

  • Proverbs 26:25

    When he speaketh fair, believe him not: for there are seven abominations in his heart.

  • Isaiah 54:17

    No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is of me, saith the Lord.

  • Romans 8:37

    Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

  • 1 Samuel 24:19

    For if a man find his enemy, will he let him go well away? wherefore the Lord reward thee good for that thou hast done unto me this day.

  • Genesis 32:28

    And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.

  • Hosea 12:4

    Yea, he had power over the angel, and prevailed: he wept, and made supplication unto him: he found him in Beth–el, and there he spake with us;

  • 1 Samuel 24:22

    And David sware unto Saul. And Saul went home; but David and his men gat them up unto the hold.

  • Romans 8:35

    Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Blessed.
24:19; Nu 24:9,10
prevail.
Ge 32:28; Isa 54:17; Ho 12:4; Ro 8:35,37
So David.
24:22; Pr 26:25

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

Context

  • 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 26:25

    Then Saul said to David, Blessed be thou, my son David: thou shalt both do great things, and also shalt still prevail. So David went on his way, and Saul returned to his place.

Read all of 1 Samuel 26

1 Samuel 26:25 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y Saúl dijo á David: Bendito eres tú, hijo mío David; sin duda ejecutarás tú grandes empresas, y prevalecerás. Entonces David se fué su camino, y Saúl se volvió á su lugar.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et Saül dit à David: Béni sois-tu, mon fils David! certainement tu feras de grandes choses et tu en viendras à bout. Et David alla son chemin, et Saül retourna en son lieu.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und Saul sprach zu David: Gesegnet seiest du, mein Sohn David! du wirst es sicher ausrichten und wirst sicher obsiegen. Und David ging seines Weges, Saul aber kehrte zurück an seinen Ort.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Ait ergo Saul ad David: Benedictus tu, fili mi David: et quidem faciens facies, et potens poteris. Abiit autem David in viam suam, et Saul reversus est in locum suum.