The Meaning of 1 Samuel 26:15 Explained

1 Samuel 26:15

KJV: And David said to Abner, Art not thou a valiant man? and who is like to thee in Israel? wherefore then hast thou not kept thy lord the king? for there came one of the people in to destroy the king thy lord.

YLT: And David saith unto Abner, 'Art not thou a man? and who is like thee in Israel? but why hast thou not watched over thy lord the king? for one of the people had come in to destroy the king, thy lord.

Darby: And David said to Abner, Art not thou a man? and who is like to thee in Israel? and why hast thou not guarded thy lord the king? for one of the people came in to destroy the king thy lord.

ASV: And David said to Abner, Art not thou a valiant man? and who is like to thee in Israel? wherefore then hast thou not kept watch over thy lord the king? for there came one of the people in to destroy the king thy lord.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And David  said  to Abner,  [Art] not thou a [valiant] man?  and who [is] like to thee in Israel?  wherefore then hast thou not kept  thy lord  the king?  for there came  one  of the people  in to destroy  the king  thy lord. 

What does 1 Samuel 26:15 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 26:15 mean?

so said David to Abner [Are] not a man you and who [is] like you in Israel then why not have you guarded unto your lord the king for came in one of the people to destroy - the king your lord
וַיֹּאמֶר֩ דָּוִ֨ד אֶל־ אַבְנֵ֜ר הֲלוֹא־ ؟ אִ֣ישׁ אַתָּ֗ה וּמִ֤י כָמ֙וֹךָ֙ ؟ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וְלָ֙מָּה֙ לֹ֣א שָׁמַ֔רְתָּ אֶל־ אֲדֹנֶ֖יךָ ؟ הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ כִּי־ בָא֙ אַחַ֣ד הָעָ֔ם לְהַשְׁחִ֖ית אֶת־ הַמֶּ֥לֶךְ אֲדֹנֶֽיךָ

וַיֹּאמֶר֩  so  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
דָּוִ֨ד  David 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּוִד  
Sense: youngest son of Jesse and second king of Israel.
אַבְנֵ֜ר  Abner 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֲבִינֵר 
Sense: Saul’s cousin and army captain, treacherously slain by Joab.
הֲלוֹא־  [Are]  not 
Parse: Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
؟ אִ֣ישׁ  a  man 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
וּמִ֤י  and  who  [is] 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Interrogative
Root: מִי  
Sense: who?, whose?, whom?, would that, whoever, whosoever.
כָמ֙וֹךָ֙  like  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine singular
Root: כְּמֹו  
Sense: like, as, the like of which conj.
؟ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל  in  Israel 
Parse: Preposition-b, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
וְלָ֙מָּה֙  then  why 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Interrogative
Root: לָמָּה 
Sense: what, how, of what kind.
שָׁמַ֔רְתָּ  have  you  guarded 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: שָׁמַר  
Sense: to keep, guard, observe, give heed.
אֶל־  unto 
Parse: Preposition
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
אֲדֹנֶ֖יךָ  your  lord 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine singular
Root: אָדֹון  
Sense: firm, strong, lord, master.
؟ הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ  the  king 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
בָא֙  came  in 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
אַחַ֣ד  one 
Parse: Number, masculine singular construct
Root: אֶחָד  
Sense: one (number).
הָעָ֔ם  of  the  people 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
לְהַשְׁחִ֖ית  to  destroy 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Hifil, Infinitive construct
Root: שָׁחַת  
Sense: to destroy, corrupt, go to ruin, decay.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
הַמֶּ֥לֶךְ  the  king 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
אֲדֹנֶֽיךָ  your  lord 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine singular
Root: אָדֹון  
Sense: firm, strong, lord, master.

What are the major concepts related to 1 Samuel 26:15?

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