The Meaning of 1 Samuel 26:16 Explained

1 Samuel 26:16

KJV: This thing is not good that thou hast done. As the LORD liveth, ye are worthy to die, because ye have not kept your master, the LORD'S anointed. And now see where the king's spear is, and the cruse of water that was at his bolster.

YLT: Not good is this thing which thou hast done; Jehovah liveth, but ye are sons of death, in that ye have not watched over your lord, over the anointed of Jehovah; and now, see where the king's spear is, and the cruse of water which is at his bolster.'

Darby: This thing is not good which thou hast done. As Jehovah liveth, ye are worthy to die, because ye have not guarded your master, Jehovah's anointed. And now see where the king's spear is, and the cruse of water that was at his head.

ASV: This thing is not good that thou hast done. As Jehovah liveth, ye are worthy to die, because ye have not kept watch over your lord, Jehovah's anointed. And now see where the king's spear is, and the cruse of water that was at his head.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

This thing  [is] not good  that thou hast done.  [As] the LORD  liveth,  ye [are] worthy  to die,  because ye have not kept  your master,  the LORD'S  anointed.  And now see  where the king's  spear  [is], and the cruse  of water  that [was] at his bolster. 

What does 1 Samuel 26:16 Mean?

Context Summary

1 Samuel 26:13-25 - Facing The Truth At Last
It is good to notice David's frequent references to the living Lord. See 1 Samuel 26:10; 1 Samuel 26:16; 1 Samuel 26:23. The fact is that he was always waiting on God. See Psalms 40:1-17, which may have emanated from this period in his life. David would take no mean advantage of his adversary. He would not retaliate nor avenge his wrongs. He refused to admit the specious argument that opportunity means permission, and license, liberty. He quieted the fever of his soul, resisted the subtle temptation of the adversary, and elected to wait for the slow unfolding of the divine purpose. Calm thyself; God is working out the plan of thy life! In His own time-the best time-he will give thee thy heart's desire!
When David gave such unmistakable evidences of his loyalty, innocence and affection, Saul was overcome with emotion, and confessed that he had played the fool. It is thus that we may win men still. The man who can watch with God shows that he is possessed of spiritual strength which others must acknowledge. Fret not thyself because of evil-doers; trust in the Lord; delight in the Lord; roll the way of thy life on the Lord, and wait patiently for Him. [source]

Chapter Summary: 1 Samuel 26

1  Saul, by the discovery of the Ziphites, comes to Hachilah against David
4  David coming into the trench keeps Abishai from killing Saul,
11  but takes his spear and jug
13  David reproves Abner
17  and exhorts Saul
21  Saul acknowledges his sin

What do the individual words in 1 Samuel 26:16 mean?

[is] not good thing this that you have done [As] lives Yahweh surely deserve to die you because not you have guarded on your master upon anointed Of Yahweh now see where [is] spear of the king and the jug of water that [was] - by his head
לֹא־ ט֞וֹב הַדָּבָ֣ר הַזֶּה֮ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשִׂיתָ֒ חַי־ יְהוָ֗ה כִּ֤י בְנֵי־ מָ֙וֶת֙ אַתֶּ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֧ר לֹֽא־ שְׁמַרְתֶּ֛ם עַל־ אֲדֹנֵיכֶ֖ם עַל־ מְשִׁ֣יחַ יְהוָ֑ה וְעַתָּ֣ה ׀ רְאֵ֗ה אֵֽי־ חֲנִ֥ית הַמֶּ֛לֶךְ וְאֶת־ צַפַּ֥חַת הַמַּ֖יִם אֲשֶׁ֥ר [מראשתו] (מְרַאֲשֹׁתָֽיו)

לֹא־  [is]  not 
Parse: Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
ט֞וֹב  good 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: טָבַב 
Sense: good, pleasant, agreeable.
הַדָּבָ֣ר  thing 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּבָר  
Sense: speech, word, speaking, thing.
הַזֶּה֮  this 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, masculine singular
Root: זֶה  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, another, such.
אֲשֶׁ֣ר  that 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
עָשִׂיתָ֒  you  have  done 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
חַי־  [As]  lives 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: חַי 
Sense: living, alive.
יְהוָ֗ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
כִּ֤י  surely 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
בְנֵי־  deserve 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
מָ֙וֶת֙  to  die 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: מָוֶת  
Sense: death, dying, Death (personified), realm of the dead.
אֲשֶׁ֧ר  because 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
שְׁמַרְתֶּ֛ם  you  have  guarded 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, second person masculine plural
Root: שָׁמַר  
Sense: to keep, guard, observe, give heed.
אֲדֹנֵיכֶ֖ם  your  master 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine plural
Root: אָדֹון  
Sense: firm, strong, lord, master.
עַל־  upon 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
מְשִׁ֣יחַ  anointed 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular construct
Root: מָשִׁיחַ  
Sense: anointed, anointed one.
יְהוָ֑ה  Of  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
וְעַתָּ֣ה ׀  now 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb
Root: עַתָּה  
Sense: now.
רְאֵ֗ה  see 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
אֵֽי־  where  [is] 
Parse: Interrogative
Root: אֵי  
Sense: where?, whence?.
חֲנִ֥ית  spear 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: חֲנִית  
Sense: spear.
הַמֶּ֛לֶךְ  of  the  king 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
צַפַּ֥חַת  the  jug 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: צַפַּחַת  
Sense: jar, jug (for liquids).
הַמַּ֖יִם  of  water 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: מַיִם  
Sense: water, waters.
אֲשֶׁ֥ר  that  [was] 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
[מראשתו]  - 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural construct, third person masculine singular
(מְרַאֲשֹׁתָֽיו)  by  his  head 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: מְרַאֲשֹׁות 
Sense: place at the head, dominion, head place adv.