The Meaning of 1 Samuel 26:25 Explained

1 Samuel 26:25

KJV: 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.

YLT: And 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.

Darby: And 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.

ASV: Then 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.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does 1 Samuel 26:25 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 26:25 mean?

And said Saul to David [be] blessed [May] you my son David both great things You shall do and also still prevail So went David on his way and Saul returned to his place -
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר שָׁא֜וּל אֶל־ דָּוִ֗ד בָּר֤וּךְ אַתָּה֙ בְּנִ֣י דָוִ֔ד גַּ֚ם עָשֹׂ֣ה תַעֲשֶׂ֔ה וְגַ֖ם יָכֹ֣ל תּוּכָ֑ל וַיֵּ֤לֶךְ דָּוִד֙ לְדַרְכּ֔וֹ וְשָׁא֖וּל שָׁ֥ב לִמְקוֹמֽוֹ פ

וַיֹּ֨אמֶר  And  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
שָׁא֜וּל  Saul 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: שָׁאוּל  
Sense: a Benjamite, son of Kish, and the st king of Israel.
דָּוִ֗ד  David 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּוִד  
Sense: youngest son of Jesse and second king of Israel.
בָּר֤וּךְ  [be]  blessed 
Parse: Verb, Qal, QalPassParticiple, masculine singular
Root: בָּרַךְ 
Sense: to bless, kneel.
אַתָּה֙  [May]  you 
Parse: Pronoun, second person masculine singular
Root: אַתְּ 
Sense: you (second pers.
בְּנִ֣י  my  son 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
דָוִ֔ד  David 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּוִד  
Sense: youngest son of Jesse and second king of Israel.
גַּ֚ם  both 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: גַּם  
Sense: also, even, indeed, moreover, yea.
עָשֹׂ֣ה  great  things 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Infinitive absolute
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
תַעֲשֶׂ֔ה  You  shall  do 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
וְגַ֖ם  and  also 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Conjunction
Root: גַּם  
Sense: also, even, indeed, moreover, yea.
יָכֹ֣ל  still 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Infinitive absolute
Root: יָכֹל  
Sense: to prevail, overcome, endure, have power, be able.
תּוּכָ֑ל  prevail 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: יָכֹל  
Sense: to prevail, overcome, endure, have power, be able.
וַיֵּ֤לֶךְ  So  went 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.
דָּוִד֙  David 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּוִד  
Sense: youngest son of Jesse and second king of Israel.
לְדַרְכּ֔וֹ  on  his  way 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, common singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: דֶּרֶךְ  
Sense: way, road, distance, journey, manner.
וְשָׁא֖וּל  and  Saul 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: שָׁאוּל  
Sense: a Benjamite, son of Kish, and the st king of Israel.
שָׁ֥ב  returned 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שׁוּב  
Sense: to return, turn back.
לִמְקוֹמֽוֹ  to  his  place 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: מָקֹום  
Sense: standing place, place.
פ  - 
Parse: Punctuation