The Meaning of 1 Samuel 26:19 Explained

1 Samuel 26:19

KJV: 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.

YLT: And, now, let, I pray thee, my lord the king hear the words of his servant: if Jehovah hath moved thee against me, let Him accept a present; and if the sons of men -- cursed are they before Jehovah, for they have cast me out to-day from being admitted into the inheritance of Jehovah, saying, Go, serve other gods.

Darby: And now, I pray thee, let my lord the king hear the words of his servant. If Jehovah have moved thee against me, let him accept an oblation; but if the sons of men, cursed be they before Jehovah; for they have driven me out this day from adhering to the inheritance of Jehovah, saying, Go, serve other gods.

ASV: Now therefore, I pray thee, let my lord the king hear the words of his servant. If it be Jehovah that hath stirred thee up against me, let him accept an offering: but if it be the children of men, cursed be they before Jehovah: for they have driven me out this day that I should not cleave unto the inheritance of Jehovah, saying, Go, serve other gods.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does 1 Samuel 26:19 Mean?

Context Summary

1 Samuel 26:13-25 - Facing The Truth At Last
It is good to notice David's frequent references to the living Lord. See 1 Samuel 26:10; 1 Samuel 26:16; 1 Samuel 26:23. The fact is that he was always waiting on God. See Psalms 40:1-17, which may have emanated from this period in his life. David would take no mean advantage of his adversary. He would not retaliate nor avenge his wrongs. He refused to admit the specious argument that opportunity means permission, and license, liberty. He quieted the fever of his soul, resisted the subtle temptation of the adversary, and elected to wait for the slow unfolding of the divine purpose. Calm thyself; God is working out the plan of thy life! In His own time-the best time-he will give thee thy heart's desire!
When David gave such unmistakable evidences of his loyalty, innocence and affection, Saul was overcome with emotion, and confessed that he had played the fool. It is thus that we may win men still. The man who can watch with God shows that he is possessed of spiritual strength which others must acknowledge. Fret not thyself because of evil-doers; trust in the Lord; delight in the Lord; roll the way of thy life on the Lord, and wait patiently for Him. [source]

Chapter Summary: 1 Samuel 26

1  Saul, by the discovery of the Ziphites, comes to Hachilah against David
4  David coming into the trench keeps Abishai from killing Saul,
11  but takes his spear and jug
13  David reproves Abner
17  and exhorts Saul
21  Saul acknowledges his sin

What do the individual words in 1 Samuel 26:19 mean?

therefore now let hear please my lord the king - the words of his servant If Yahweh has stirred you up against me let Him accept an offering but if [it is] the sons of men [be] cursed [may] they before Yahweh for they have driven me out this day from sharing in the inheritance of Yahweh saying go serve gods other
וְעַתָּ֗ה יִֽשְׁמַֽע־ נָא֙ אֲדֹנִ֣י הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ אֵ֖ת דִּבְרֵ֣י עַבְדּ֑וֹ אִם־ יְהוָ֞ה הֱסִֽיתְךָ֥ בִי֙ יָרַ֣ח מִנְחָ֔ה וְאִ֣ם ׀ בְּנֵ֣י הָאָדָ֗ם אֲרוּרִ֥ים הֵם֙ לִפְנֵ֣י יְהוָ֔ה כִּֽי־ גֵרְשׁ֣וּנִי הַיּ֗וֹם מֵהִסְתַּפֵּ֜חַ בְּנַחֲלַ֤ת יְהוָה֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר לֵ֥ךְ עֲבֹ֖ד אֱלֹהִ֥ים אֲחֵרִֽים

וְעַתָּ֗ה  therefore  now 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb
Root: עַתָּה  
Sense: now.
יִֽשְׁמַֽע־  let  hear 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁמַע 
Sense: to hear, listen to, obey.
נָא֙  please 
Parse: Interjection
Root: נָא  
Sense: I (we) pray, now, please.
אֲדֹנִ֣י  my  lord 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: אָדֹון  
Sense: firm, strong, lord, master.
הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ  the  king 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
אֵ֖ת  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
דִּבְרֵ֣י  the  words 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: דָּבָר  
Sense: speech, word, speaking, thing.
עַבְדּ֑וֹ  of  his  servant 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: עֶבֶד  
Sense: slave, servant.
יְהוָ֞ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
הֱסִֽיתְךָ֥  has  stirred  you  up 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, third person masculine singular, second person masculine singular
Root: סוּת  
Sense: to incite, allure, instigate, entice.
בִי֙  against  me 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
יָרַ֣ח  let  Him  accept 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect Jussive, third person masculine singular
Root: רִיחַ  
Sense: (Hiphil) to smell, scent, perceive odour, accept.
מִנְחָ֔ה  an  offering 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: מִנְחָה  
Sense: gift, tribute, offering, present, oblation, sacrifice, meat offering.
וְאִ֣ם ׀  but  if 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Conjunction
Root: אִם  
Sense: if.
בְּנֵ֣י  [it  is]  the  sons 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
הָאָדָ֗ם  of  men 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: אָדָם 
Sense: man, mankind.
אֲרוּרִ֥ים  [be]  cursed 
Parse: Verb, Qal, QalPassParticiple, masculine plural
Root: אָרַר  
Sense: to curse.
הֵם֙  [may]  they 
Parse: Pronoun, third person masculine plural
Root: הֵם 
Sense: they, these, the same, who.
לִפְנֵ֣י  before 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, common plural construct
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
יְהוָ֔ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
גֵרְשׁ֣וּנִי  they  have  driven  me  out 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Perfect, third person common plural, first person common singular
Root: גָּרַשׁ 
Sense: to drive out, expel, cast out, drive away, divorce, put away, thrust away, trouble, cast up.
הַיּ֗וֹם  this  day 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
מֵהִסְתַּפֵּ֜חַ  from  sharing 
Parse: Preposition-m, Verb, Hitpael, Infinitive construct
Root: סָפַח 
Sense: to join, attach to, join together.
בְּנַחֲלַ֤ת  in  the  inheritance 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: נַחֲלָה  
Sense: possession, property, inheritance, heritage.
יְהוָה֙  of  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
לֵאמֹ֔ר  saying 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
לֵ֥ךְ  go 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.
עֲבֹ֖ד  serve 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: עָבַד  
Sense: to work, serve.
אֱלֹהִ֥ים  gods 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
אֲחֵרִֽים  other 
Parse: Adjective, masculine plural
Root: אַחֵר  
Sense: another, other, following.