1 Samuel 26:16

This thing you have done is not good. As surely as the LORD lives, all of you deserve to die, since you did not protect your lord, the LORD’s anointed. Now look around. Where are the king’s spear and water jug that were by his head?”

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — David confronts Abner and the sleeping guard detail after they failed to protect King Saul during his vulnerable rest.

The words — David labels their failure "not good" (לֹא ט֞וֹב, lo' tov) and invokes the life of Yahweh (חַי יְהוָ֗ה, chai Yahweh) to declare the guards deserving of death for abandoning their post.

The thread — This rebuke of abandoned duty aligns with David’s prior refusal to strike the king (1 Samuel 26:9) and his warning that Saul’s lineage will not endure (1 Samuel 20:31).

Why it lands — The text records David’s explicit condemnation of the guards’ negligence and his demand to locate the king’s spear and water jug, establishing a pattern of refusing to exploit royal vulnerability while holding protectors accountable.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

לֹא־lo'-not ט֞וֹבTov[is] good הַדָּבָ֣רha./da.Varthe/ thing הַזֶּה֮ha./Zeh<the>/ this אֲשֶׁ֣ר'a.Sherwhich עָשִׂיתָ֒'a.si.Tayou have done חַי־chai-[by] [the] life יְהוָ֗הYah.wehof Yahweh כִּ֤יkifor בְנֵי־ve.nei-[are] sons of מָ֙וֶת֙ma.vetdeath אַתֶּ֔ם'a.Temyou אֲשֶׁ֧ר'a.Sherwho לֹֽא־lo'-not שְׁמַרְתֶּ֛םshe.mar.Temyou watched עַל־'al-over אֲדֹנֵיכֶ֖ם'a.do.nei./Khemmaster<s>/ your עַל־'al-over מְשִׁ֣יחַme.Shi.ach[the] [one] anointed of יְהוָ֑הYah.wehYahweh וְעַתָּ֣ה׀ve./'a.Tahand/ now רְאֵ֗הre.'Ehsee אֵֽי־'ei-where?חֲנִ֥יתcha.Nit[is] [the] spear of הַמֶּ֛לֶךְha./Me.lekhthe/ king וְאֶת־ve./'Etand/ <obj.>צַפַּ֥חַתtza.Pa.chat[the] jug of הַמַּ֖יִםha./Ma.yim<the>/ water אֲשֶׁ֥ר'a.Sherwhich מְרַאֲשֹׁתָֽיו׃me.ra.'a.sho.to/v[was the] place of head/ his

King James Version

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.

Cross-references

1 Samuel 20:31 For as long as the son of Jesse lives on this earth, neither you nor your kingdom shall be established. Now send for him and bring him to me, for he must surely die!”
1 Samuel 26:9 But David said to Abishai, “Do not destroy him, for who can extend a hand against the LORD’s anointed and be guiltless?”
1 Samuel 26:11 But the LORD forbid that I should extend my hand against the LORD’s anointed. Instead, take the spear and water jug by his head, and let us go.”
2 Samuel 12:5 David burned with anger against the man and said to Nathan: “As surely as the LORD lives, the man who did this deserves to die!
2 Samuel 19:28 For all the house of my grandfather deserves death from my lord the king, yet you have set your servant among those who eat at your table. What further right, then, do I have to keep appealing to the king?”
Psalms 79:11 May the groans of the captives reach You; by the strength of Your arm preserve those condemned to death.
Psalms 102:20 to hear a prisoner’s groaning, to release those condemned to death,
Ephesians 2:3 All of us also lived among them at one time, fulfilling the cravings of our flesh and indulging its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature children of wrath.
1 Samuel 24:6 So he said to his men, “The LORD forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the LORD’s anointed. May I never lift my hand against him, since he is the LORD’s anointed.”