1 Samuel 17:29

Wycliffe Bible

And Dauid seide, What haue Y do? Whether it is not 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?"

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?

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

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 Forsothe Dauid was `the sone of a man of Effrata, of whom it is `biforseid, of Bethleem of Juda, to `which man the name was Isay, which hadde eiyte sones; and `the man was eld in the daies of Saul, and of greet age among men. ¹³ Sotheli thre grettere sones of Ysai yeden after Saul in to batel; and the names of hise thre sones, that yeden to batel, Heliab, the firste gendryd, and the secounde, Amynadab, and the thridde, Samma. ¹⁴ Forsothe Dauid was the leeste. Therfor while thre grettere sueden Saul, Dauid yede, ¹⁵ and turnede ayen fro Saul, that he schulde kepe the floc of his fadir in Bethleem. ¹⁶ Forsothe the Filistey cam forth in the morewtid, and euentid; and stood `bi fourti daies. <sup>17</sup> Sotheli Ysai seide to Dauid his sone, Take thou to thi britheren meete maad of meele, the mesure of ephi, and these ten looues, and renne thou in to the castels to thi britheren; <sup>18</sup> and thou schalt bere to the tribune these ten `litil formes of chese; and thou schalt visite thi britheren, whether thei doon riytli, and lurne thou, with whiche men thei ben ordeyned. ¹⁹ Forsothe Saul, and thei, and alle the sones of Israel in the valei of Terebynte fouyten ayens Filisteis. ²⁰ Therfor Dauid roos eerli, and bitook the floc to the kepere, and he yede chargid, as Ysai `hadde comaundid to hym; and he cam to the place Magala, and to the oost, which oost yede out to the batel, and criede in `the batel. ²¹ For Israel hadde dressid scheltrun; `but also Filisteis weren maad redi `euen ayens.

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?