The Meaning of 1 Samuel 26:24 Explained

1 Samuel 26:24

KJV: 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.

YLT: and lo, as thy soul hath been great this day in mine eyes, so is my soul great in the eyes of Jehovah, and He doth deliver me out of all distress.'

Darby: And behold, as thy life was highly esteemed this day in mine eyes, so let my life be highly esteemed in the eyes of Jehovah, that he may deliver me out of all distress.

ASV: 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 Jehovah, and let him deliver me out of all tribulation.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does 1 Samuel 26:24 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 26:24 mean?

And indeed as was valued much your life day this in my eyes so let be valued much my life in the eyes of Yahweh and let Him deliver me out of all tribulation -
וְהִנֵּ֗ה כַּאֲשֶׁ֨ר גָּדְלָ֧ה נַפְשְׁךָ֛ הַיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּ֖ה בְּעֵינָ֑י כֵּ֣ן תִּגְדַּ֤ל נַפְשִׁי֙ בְּעֵינֵ֣י יְהוָ֔ה וְיַצִּלֵ֖נִי מִכָּל־ צָרָֽה פ

וְהִנֵּ֗ה  And  indeed 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Interjection
Root: הִנֵּה  
Sense: behold, lo, see, if.
גָּדְלָ֧ה  was  valued  much 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person feminine singular
Root: גָּדַל  
Sense: to grow, become great or important, promote, make powerful, praise, magnify, do great things.
נַפְשְׁךָ֛  your  life 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: נֶפֶשׁ  
Sense: soul, self, life, creature, person, appetite, mind, living being, desire, emotion, passion.
הַיּ֥וֹם  day 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
הַזֶּ֖ה  this 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, masculine singular
Root: זֶה  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, another, such.
בְּעֵינָ֑י  in  my  eyes 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, cdc, first person common singular
Root: עֹונָה 
Sense: eye.
כֵּ֣ן  so 
Parse: Adverb
Root: כֵּן 
Sense: so, therefore, thus.
תִּגְדַּ֤ל  let  be  valued  much 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: גָּדַל  
Sense: to grow, become great or important, promote, make powerful, praise, magnify, do great things.
נַפְשִׁי֙  my  life 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: נֶפֶשׁ  
Sense: soul, self, life, creature, person, appetite, mind, living being, desire, emotion, passion.
בְּעֵינֵ֣י  in  the  eyes 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, cdc
Root: עֹונָה 
Sense: eye.
יְהוָ֔ה  of  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
וְיַצִּלֵ֖נִי  and  let  Him  deliver  me 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Conjunctive imperfect Jussive, third person masculine singular, first person common singular
Root: נָצַל  
Sense: to snatch away, deliver, rescue, save, strip, plunder.
מִכָּל־  out  of  all 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
צָרָֽה  tribulation 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: צָרָה 
Sense: straits, distress, trouble.
פ  - 
Parse: Punctuation