Lectionary Calendar
Thursday, August 21st, 2025
the Week of Proper 15 / Ordinary 20
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Read the Bible

Douay-Rheims Bible

1 Samuel 20:26

And Saul said nothing that day, for he thought it might have happened to him, that he was not clean, nor purified.

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.
Good News Translation
but Saul said nothing that day, because he thought, "Something has happened to him, and he is not ritually pure."
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.
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 was hid in the field, and the new moon came, and the king sat down to eat bread. 25 And when the king sat down upon his chair, (according to custom) which was beside the wall, Jonathan arose, and Abner sat by Saul’s side, and David’s place appeared empty. 26 And Saul said nothing that day, for he thought it might have happened to him, that he was not clean, nor purified. 27 And when the second day after the new moon was come, David’s place appeared empty again. And Saul said to Jonathan, his son: Why cometh not the son of Isai to meat neither yesterday, nor to day? 28 And Jonathan answered Saul: He asked leave of me earnestly to go to Bethlehem. 29 And he said: Let me go, for there is a solemn sacrifice in the city, one of my brethren hath sent for me: and now if I have found favour in thy eyes, I will go quickly, and see my brethren. For this cause he came not to the king’s table. 30 Then Saul being angry against Jonathan, said to him: Thou son of a woman that is the ravisher of a man, do I not know that thou lovest the son of Isai to thy own confusion, and to the confusion of thy shameless mother? 31 For as long as the son of Isai liveth upon earth, thou shalt not be established, nor thy kingdom. Therefore now presently send, and fetch him to me: for he is the son of death. 32 And Jonathan answering Saul, his father, said: Why shall he die? What hath he done? 33 And Saul caught up a spear to strike him. And Jonathan understood that it was determined by his father 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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