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Wednesday, July 23rd, 2025
the Week of Proper 11 / Ordinary 16
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Good News Translation

1 Samuel 20:26

but Saul said nothing that day, because he thought, "Something has happened to him, and he is not ritually pure."

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Arrow;   Jealousy;   Symbols and Similitudes;   Thompson Chain Reference - Bible Stories for Children;   Children;   Home;   Pleasant Sunday Afternoons;   Religion;   Stories for Children;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Entertainments;   Kings;  

Dictionaries:

- Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Prayer;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Jairite;   Jonathan;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - David;   Jonathan;   Samuel, Books of;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Jonathan ;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - David;   Jonathan;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Hebrew Monarchy, the;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Chance;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - New Moon;   Peace-Offering;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Saul did not say anything that day because he thought, “Something unexpected has happened; he must be ceremonially unclean—yes, that’s it, he is unclean.”
Hebrew Names Version
Nevertheless Sha'ul didn't say anything that day: for he thought, Something has befallen him, he is not clean; surely he is not clean.
King James Version
Nevertheless Saul spake not any thing that day: for he thought, Something hath befallen him, he is not clean; surely he is not clean.
Lexham English Bible
But Saul said nothing on that day, for he thought, "Something happened to him. He is not ceremonially clean; surely he is not clean."
English Standard Version
Yet Saul did not say anything that day, for he thought, "Something has happened to him. He is not clean; surely he is not clean."
New Century Version
That day Saul said nothing. He thought, "Maybe something has happened to David so that he is unclean."
New English Translation
However, Saul said nothing about it that day, for he thought, "Something has happened to make him ceremonially unclean. Yes, he must be unclean."
Amplified Bible
Yet Saul did not say anything that day, for he thought, "It is an incident [of some kind] and he is not [ceremonially] clean—surely he is unclean."
New American Standard Bible
Nevertheless Saul did not say anything that day, because he thought, "It must have been an accident; he is not clean, undoubtedly he is not clean."
Geneva Bible (1587)
And Saul sayde nothing that day: for hee thought, Some thing hath befallen him, though he were cleane, or els becaus he was not purified.
Legacy Standard Bible
Nevertheless Saul did not speak anything that day, for he said, "It is an accident; he is not clean; surely he is not clean."
Contemporary English Version
Saul didn't say anything that day, because he was thinking, "Something must have happened to make David unfit to be at the Festival. Yes, something must have happened."
Complete Jewish Bible
However, Sha'ul didn't say anything that day; because he thought, "Something has happened to him, he is unclean. Yes, that's it, he isn't clean."
Darby Translation
And Saul said nothing that day; for he thought, Something has befallen [him], that he is not clean: surely he is not clean.
Easy-to-Read Version
That day Saul said nothing. He thought, "Maybe something happened to David so that he is not clean."
George Lamsa Translation
Nevertheless Saul did not say anything that day; for he thought, Something has happened to him, or perhaps he is unclean, or perhaps he has not purified himself.
Literal Translation
But Saul did not say anything on that day, for he said, It is an accident; he is not clean; he is surely not clean.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And Saul spake nothinge that daye, for he thoughte: There is somwhat happend vnto him, that he is not cleane.
American Standard Version
Nevertheless Saul spake not anything that day: for he thought, Something hath befallen him, he is not clean; surely he is not clean.
Bible in Basic English
But Saul said nothing that day, for his thought was, Something has taken place making him unclean; it is clear that he is not clean.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Neuerthelesse, Saul sayde nothing at all that day: For he thought, Some thing hath befallen him, though he were cleane.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
Nevertheless Saul spoke not any thing that day; for he thought: 'Something hath befallen him, he is unclean; surely he is not clean.'
King James Version (1611)
Neuerthelesse, Saul spake not any thing that day: for hee thought, Some thing hath befallen him, hee is not cleane; surely he is not cleane.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And Saul said nothing on that day, for he said, It seems to have fallen out that he is not clean, because he has not purified himself.
English Revised Version
Nevertheless Saul spake not any thing that day: for he thought, Something hath befallen him, he is not clean; surely he is not clean.
Berean Standard Bible
Saul said nothing that day because he thought, "Something has happened to David to make him ceremonially unclean-surely he is unclean."
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And Saul spak not ony thing in that dai; for he thouyte, that `in hap it bifelde to hym, that he was not clene `nether purified.
Young's Literal Translation
And Saul hath not spoken anything on that day, for he said, `It [is] an accident; he is not clean -- surely not clean.'
Update Bible Version
Nevertheless Saul did not speak anything that day: for he thought, Something has befallen him, he is not clean; surely he is not clean.
Webster's Bible Translation
Nevertheless Saul spoke not any thing that day: for he thought, Something hath befallen him, he [is] not clean; surely he [is] not clean.
World English Bible
Nevertheless Saul didn't say anything that day: for he thought, Something has befallen him, he is not clean; surely he is not clean.
New King James Version
Nevertheless Saul did not say anything that day, for he thought, "Something has happened to him; he is unclean, surely he is unclean."
New Living Translation
Saul didn't say anything about it that day, for he said to himself, "Something must have made David ceremonially unclean."
New Life Bible
But Saul did not say anything that day. For he thought, "Something has happened to him. He is not clean. For sure he is not clean."
New Revised Standard
Saul did not say anything that day; for he thought, "Something has befallen him; he is not clean, surely he is not clean."
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Saul, however, spake nothing that day, - for he said to himself - It is, an accident, he is, not clean, because he hath not been cleansed.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And Saul said nothing that day, for he thought it might have happened to him, that he was not clean, nor purified.
Revised Standard Version
Yet Saul did not say anything that day; for he thought, "Something has befallen him; he is not clean, surely he is not clean."
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Nevertheless Saul did not speak anything that day, for he thought, "It is an accident, he is not clean, surely he is not clean."

Contextual Overview

24 So David hid in the fields. At the New Moon Festival, King Saul came to the meal 25 and sat in his usual place by the wall. Abner sat next to him, and Jonathan sat across the table from him. David's place was empty, 26 but Saul said nothing that day, because he thought, "Something has happened to him, and he is not ritually pure." 27 On the following day, the day after the New Moon Festival, David's place was still empty, and Saul asked Jonathan, "Why didn't David come to the meal either yesterday or today?" 28 Jonathan answered, "He begged me to let him go to Bethlehem. 29 ‘Please let me go,' he said, ‘because our family is celebrating the sacrificial feast in town, and my brother ordered me to be there. So then, if you are my friend, let me go and see my relatives.' That is why he isn't in his place at your table." 30 Saul became furious with Jonathan and said to him, "How rebellious and faithless your mother was! Now I know you are taking sides with David and are disgracing yourself and that mother of yours! 31 Don't you realize that as long as David is alive, you will never be king of this country? Now go and bring him here—he must die!" 32 "Why should he die?" Jonathan replied. "What has he done?" 33 At that, Saul threw his spear at Jonathan to kill him, and Jonathan realized that his father was really determined to kill David.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

he is not clean: Leviticus 7:21, Leviticus 11:24, Leviticus 11:27, Leviticus 11:31, Leviticus 11:40, Leviticus 15:5, Leviticus 15:16, Leviticus 15:17, Leviticus 15:19-21, Numbers 19:16

Reciprocal: Numbers 11:26 - went not out Ecclesiastes 10:13 - beginning Zephaniah 1:7 - bid

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Nevertheless, Saul spake not anything that day,.... About David's absence, took no notice of it, said nothing about it:

for he thought something had befallen him; some impurity, some nocturnal pollution, see Leviticus 15:16;

he [is] not clean, surely he [is] not clean; which he repeated in his mind for the confirmation of it, and in contempt, and to the reproach of David; and in this way he accounted for his absence the first day, and so was easy, it not being lawful and fitting for an unclean person in a ceremonial sense to eat of the peace offerings, which Saul and his family were now partaking of.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

He is not clean - The new moon being a religious feast, and the meat to be eaten being peace-offerings, no one could assist at the feast who had any ceremonial uncleanness upon him (marginal references).


 
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