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Read the Bible

Young's Literal Translation

1 Samuel 26:4

and David sendeth spies, and knoweth that Saul hath come unto Nachon,

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Spies;  

Dictionaries:

- Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Prayer;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Samuel, Books of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - David;   War;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Spies;   Smith Bible Dictionary - War;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Hebrew Monarchy, the;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Nacon, the Threshing Floor of;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
So David sent out spies and knew for certain that Saul had come.
Hebrew Names Version
David therefore sent out spies, and understood that Sha'ul was come of a certainty.
King James Version
David therefore sent out spies, and understood that Saul was come in very deed.
Lexham English Bible
David sent spies, and he learned that Saul had come for certain.
English Standard Version
David sent out spies and learned that Saul had indeed come.
New Century Version
he sent out spies and learned for certain that Saul had come to Hakilah.
New English Translation
David sent scouts and verified that Saul had indeed arrived.
Amplified Bible
David sent out spies, and he learned that Saul was definitely coming.
New American Standard Bible
David sent out spies, and he learned that Saul was definitely coming.
Geneva Bible (1587)
(For Dauid had sent out spies, and vnderstood, that Saul was come in very deede)
Legacy Standard Bible
So David sent out spies and knew that Saul was certainly coming.
Contemporary English Version
he sent some spies to find out if it was true.
Complete Jewish Bible
So David dispatched spies and determined that Sha'ul had definitely come.
Darby Translation
David sent out spies, and learned that Saul was certainly come.
Easy-to-Read Version
So David sent out spies to know for certain that Saul had come after him again.
George Lamsa Translation
David therefore sent out spies, and learned that Saul had come after him.
Good News Translation
he sent spies and found out that Saul was indeed there.
Literal Translation
And David sent spies, and he knew that Saul had certainly come to Nachon.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
he sent out spyes, and knewe of a suertie, that he was come in dede.
American Standard Version
David therefore sent out spies, and understood that Saul was come of a certainty.
Bible in Basic English
And so David sent out watchers, and got word from them that Saul was certainly coming.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Dauid therefore sent out spies, & vnderstoode that Saul was come in very deede.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
David therefore sent out spies, and understood that Saul was come of a certainty.
King James Version (1611)
Dauid therefore sent out spies, and vnderstood that Saul was come in very deed.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And David sent spies, and ascertained that Saul was come prepared out of Keila.
English Revised Version
David therefore sent out spies, and understood that Saul was come of a certainty.
Berean Standard Bible
David sent out spies to verify that Saul had arrived.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
and Dauid sente aspieris, and lernede moost certeynli, that Saul hadde come thidur.
Update Bible Version
David therefore sent out spies, and understood that Saul came of a certainty.
Webster's Bible Translation
David therefore sent out spies, and understood that Saul had come in very deed.
World English Bible
David therefore sent out spies, and understood that Saul was come of a certainty.
New King James Version
David therefore sent out spies, and understood that Saul had indeed come.
New Living Translation
he sent out spies to verify the report of Saul's arrival.
New Life Bible
David sent out spies and learned that Saul was coming for sure.
New Revised Standard
David sent out spies, and learned that Saul had indeed arrived.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
David therefore sent runners, - and took knowledge that Saul had come, for a certainty.
Douay-Rheims Bible
He sent spies, and learned that he was most certainly come thither.
Revised Standard Version
David sent out spies, and learned of a certainty that Saul had come.
THE MESSAGE
Obsessed with a Single Flea Some Ziphites came to Saul at Gibeah and said, "Did you know that David is hiding out on the Hakilah Hill just opposite Jeshimon?" Saul was on his feet in a minute and on his way to the wilderness of Ziph, taking three thousand of his best men, the pick of the crop, to hunt for David in that wild desert. He camped just off the road at the Hakilah Hill, opposite Jeshimon. David, still out in the backcountry, knew Saul had come after him. He sent scouts to determine his precise location. Then David set out and came to the place where Saul had set up camp and saw for himself where Saul and Abner, son of Ner, his general, were staying. Saul was safely inside the camp, encircled by the army. Taking charge, David spoke to Ahimelech the Hittite and to Abishai son of Zeruiah, Joab's brother: "Who will go down with me and enter Saul's camp?" Abishai whispered, "I'll go with you." So David and Abishai entered the encampment by night, and there he was—Saul, stretched out asleep at the center of the camp, his spear stuck in the ground near his head, with Abner and the troops sound asleep on all sides. Abishai said, "This is the moment! God has put your enemy in your grasp. Let me nail him to the ground with his spear. One hit will do it, believe me; I won't need a second!" But David said to Abishai, "Don't you dare hurt him! Who could lay a hand on God 's anointed and even think of getting away with it?" He went on, "As God lives, either God will strike him, or his time will come and he'll die in bed, or he'll fall in battle, but God forbid that I should lay a finger on God 's anointed. Now, grab the spear at his head and the water jug and let's get out of here." David took the spear and water jug that were right beside Saul's head, and they slipped away. Not a soul saw. Not a soul knew. No one woke up! They all slept through the whole thing. A blanket of deep sleep from God had fallen on them. Then David went across to the opposite hill and stood far away on the top of the mountain. With this safe distance between them, he shouted across to the army and Abner son of Ner, "Hey, Abner! How long do I have to wait for you to wake up and answer me?" Abner said, "Who's calling?" "Aren't you in charge there?" said David. "Why aren't you minding the store? Why weren't you standing guard over your master the king, when a soldier came to kill the king your master? Bad form! As God lives, your life should be forfeit, you and the entire bodyguard. Look what I have—the king's spear and water jug that were right beside his head!" By now, Saul had recognized David's voice and said, "Is that you, my son David?" David said, "Yes, it's me, O King, my master. Why are you after me, hunting me down? What have I done? What crime have I committed? Oh, my master, my king, listen to this from your servant: If God has stirred you up against me, then I gladly offer my life as a sacrifice. But if it's men who have done it, let them be banished from God 's presence! They've expelled me from my rightful place in God 's heritage, sneering, ‘Out of here! Go get a job with some other god!' But you're not getting rid of me that easily; you'll not separate me from God in life or death. The absurdity! The king of Israel obsessed with a single flea! Hunting me down—a mere partridge—out in the hills!" Saul confessed, "I've sinned! Oh, come back, my dear son David! I won't hurt you anymore. You've honored me this day, treating my life as most precious. And I've acted the fool—a moral dunce, a real clown." David answered, "See what I have here? The king's spear. Let one of your servants come and get it. It's God 's business to decide what to do with each of us in regard to what's right and who's loyal. God put your life in my hands today, but I wasn't willing to lift a finger against God 's anointed. Just as I honored your life today, may God honor my life and rescue me from all trouble." Saul said to David, "Bless you, dear son David! Yes, do what you have to do! And, yes, succeed in all you attempt!" Then David went on his way, and Saul went home.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
David sent out spies, and he knew that Saul was definitely coming.

Contextual Overview

1 And the Ziphites come in unto Saul, at Gibeah, saying, `Is not David hiding himself in the height of Hachilah, on the front of the desert?' 2 And Saul riseth, and goeth down unto the wilderness of Ziph, and with him three thousand men, chosen ones of Israel, to seek David in the wilderness of Ziph. 3 And Saul encampeth in the height of Hachilah, which [is] on the front of the desert, by the way, and David is abiding in the wilderness, and he seeth that Saul hath come after him in to the wilderness; 4 and David sendeth spies, and knoweth that Saul hath come unto Nachon, 5 and David riseth, and cometh in unto the place where Saul hath encamped, and David seeth the place where Saul hath lain, and Abner son of Ner, head of his host, and Saul is lying in the path, and the people are encamping round about him.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Joshua 2:1, Matthew 10:16

Reciprocal: Genesis 42:9 - Ye are spies 1 Samuel 24:15 - deliver

Cross-References

Genesis 13:16
And I have set thy seed as dust of the earth, so that, if one is able to number the dust of the earth, even thy seed is numbered;
Genesis 15:5
and He bringeth him out without, and saith, `Look attentively, I pray thee, towards the heavens, and count the stars, if thou art able to count them;' and He saith to him, `Thus is thy seed.'
Genesis 15:18
In that day hath Jehovah made with Abram a covenant, saying, `To thy seed I have given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Phrat,
Genesis 18:18
and Abraham certainly becometh a nation great and mighty, and blessed in him have been all nations of the earth?
Genesis 26:2
And Jehovah appeareth unto him, and saith, `Go not down towards Egypt, tabernacle in the land concerning which I speak unto thee,
Genesis 26:3
sojourn in this land, and I am with thee, and bless thee, for to thee and to thy seed I give all these lands, and I have established the oath which I have sworn to Abraham thy father;
Genesis 26:4
and I have multiplied thy seed as stars of the heavens, and I have given to thy seed all these lands; and blessed themselves in thy seed have all nations of the earth;
Genesis 26:8
And it cometh to pass, when the days have been prolonged to him there, that Abimelech king of the Philistines looketh through the window, and seeth, and lo, Isaac is playing with Rebekah his wife.
Genesis 26:17
and Isaac goeth from thence, and encampeth in the valley of Gerar, and dwelleth there;
Genesis 26:18
and Isaac turneth back, and diggeth the wells of water which they digged in the days of Abraham his father, which the Philistines do stop after the death of Abraham, and he calleth to them names according to the names which his father called them.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

David therefore sent out spies,.... To observe if he was coming or come, and where he was, that he might not be surprised by him; for though David knew the Lord was and would be his protection, he thought proper to be upon his guard, and to make use of means for his safety:

and understood that Saul was come in very deed; that he was most certainly come, and come to some certain place; which he himself went to reconnoitre, as in 1 Samuel 26:5.


 
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