1 Samuel 17:29

Revised Standard Version

And David said, "What have I done now? Was it not but a word?"

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
“What have I done now?” protested David. “It was just a question.”

Hebrew Names Version
David said, What have I now done? Is there not a cause?

King James Version
And David said, What have I now done? Is there not a cause?

Lexham English Bible
David replied, "What have I done now? I merely asked a question!

English Standard Version
And David said, "What have I done now? Was it not but a word?"

New Century Version
David asked, "Now what have I done wrong? Can't I even talk?"

New English Translation
David replied, "What have I done now? Can't I say anything?"

Amplified Bible
But David said, "What have I done now? Was it not just a [harmless] question?"

New American Standard Bible
But David said, "What have I done now? Was it not just a question?"

Geneva Bible (1587)
Then Dauid sayde, What haue I nowe done? Is there not a cause?

Legacy Standard Bible
But David said, "What have I done now? Was it not just a word?"

Contemporary English Version
"Now what have I done?" David answered. "Can't I even ask a question?"

Complete Jewish Bible
David said, "What have I done now? I only asked a question."

Darby Translation
And David said, What have I now done? Was it not laid upon me?

Easy-to-Read Version
David said, "What did I do now? I didn't do anything wrong! I was only talking."

George Lamsa Translation
And David said, What have I done now? Behold, I was just talking.

Good News Translation
"Now what have I done?" David asked. "Can't I even ask a question?"

Literal Translation
And David said, What have I done now? Was it not but a word?

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Dauid answered: What haue I downe now? Is there not an occasion?

American Standard Version
And David said, What have I now done? Is there not a cause?

Bible in Basic English
And David said, What have I done now? was it not only a word?

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And Dauid sayde: And what haue I nowe done? is there not a cause?

JPS Old Testament (1917)
And David said: 'What have I now done? Was it not but a word?'

King James Version (1611)
And Dauid saide, What haue I now done? Is there not a cause?

English Revised Version
And David said, What have I now done? Is there not a cause?

Berean Standard Bible
"What have I done now?" said David. "Was it not just a question?"

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And Dauid seide, What haue Y do? Whether it is not a word?

Young's Literal Translation
And David saith, `What have I done now? is it not a word?'

Update Bible Version
And David said, What have I done now? Is there not a cause?

Webster's Bible Translation
And David said, What have I now done? [Is there] not a cause?

World English Bible
David said, What have I now done? Is there not a cause?

New King James Version
And David said, "What have I done now? Is there not a cause?"

New Living Translation
"What have I done now?" David replied. "I was only asking a question!"

New Life Bible
But David said, "What have I done now? Was it not just a question?"

New Revised Standard
David said, "What have I done now? It was only a question."

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And David said, What have I done, now? Was there not, a cause?

Douay-Rheims Bible
And David said: What have I done? is there not cause to speak?

THE MESSAGE
"What is it with you?" replied David. "All I did was ask a question." Ignoring his brother, he turned to someone else, asked the same question, and got the same answer as before.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
But David said, "What have I done now? Was it not just a question?"

Contextual Overview

¹² Now David was the son of an Eph'rathite of Bethlehem in Judah, named Jesse, who had eight sons. In the days of Saul the man was already old and advanced in years. ¹³ The three eldest sons of Jesse had followed Saul to the battle; and the names of his three sons who went to the battle were Eli'ab the first-born, and next to him Abin'adab, and the third Shammah. ¹⁴ David was the youngest; the three eldest followed Saul, ¹⁵ but David went back and forth from Saul to feed his father's sheep at Bethlehem. ¹⁶ For forty days the Philistine came forward and took his stand, morning and evening. ¹⁷ And Jesse said to David his son, "Take for your brothers an ephah of this parched grain, and these ten loaves, and carry them quickly to the camp to your brothers; ¹⁸ also take these ten cheeses to the commander of their thousand. See how your brothers fare, and bring some token from them." ¹⁹ Now Saul, and they, and all the men of Israel, were in the valley of Elah, fighting with the Philistines. ²⁰ And David rose early in the morning, and left the sheep with a keeper, and took the provisions, and went, as Jesse had commanded him; and he came to the encampment as the host was going forth to the battle line, shouting the war cry. ²¹ And Israel and the Philistines drew up for battle, army against army.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Proverbs 15:1, Acts 11:2-4, 1 Corinthians 2:15, 1 Peter 3:9

Reciprocal: Genesis 31:26 - What 1 Samuel 26:18 - what have I 1 Samuel 29:8 - But what have 1 Chronicles 27:18 - Elihu Esther 4:14 - for such a time Psalms 131:1 - my heart Matthew 26:8 - they John 12:4 - one

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And David said, what have I now done?.... That is criminal and blameworthy; as if he should say, I have only expressed an indignation against this uncircumcised Philistine, and a concern for the glory of God, and the honour of the people of Israel:

[is there] not a cause? either for his coming to the camp, being sent by his father; or of his expressing himself with indignation at the Philistine's defiance of the armies of Israel. Some take the sense to be, that he had done nothing, he had not committed any fact; it was mere words what he had said, he had attempted nothing, and therefore there was no reason to bear so hard upon him; to this purpose is the Targum,

"what have I done as yet? is it not a word "only" which I have spoken?''

but the former sense seems best.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Is there not a cause? - i. e., is not Saul’s promise, and the insolence of Goliath, a sufficent cause for what I am about to do?

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 1 Samuel 17:29. Is there not a cause? — הלוא דבר הוא halo dabar hu. I believe the meaning is what several of the versions express: I have spoken but a word. And should a man be made an offender for a word?