Bible Strands
1 Samuel 26:18
And he continued, “Why is my lord pursuing his servant? What have I done? What evil is in my hand?
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — David addresses King Saul immediately after Saul recognizes his voice in the wilderness camp. The exchange occurs during a direct confrontation where Saul has pursued David into a location where David had the opportunity to strike him but chose restraint.
The words — The Hebrew לָּמָה (lāmāh) introduces the core interrogative "why?" regarding the king’s actions, paired with רֹדֵף (rōdēp), "pursuing." David frames the encounter by calling himself עַבְדּוֹ (ʿavdô), "his servant," to establish the relational dynamic of the pursuit.
The thread — The structural pattern of questioning a ruler’s motive appears in 1 Samuel 24:9, where David challenges Saul’s acceptance of slander. The examination of personal guilt before divine scrutiny is echoed in Psalm 7:3, which asks whether injustice currently rests on the speaker’s hands.
Why it lands — The text forces a reader to separate the accused’s actual conduct from the unverified claims of the pursuer. It leaves the determination of guilt or innocence to God rather than relying on human legal defense.
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
King James Version
And he said, Wherefore doth my lord thus pursue after his servant? for what have I done? or what evil is in mine hand?
Cross-references
- 1 Samuel 24:9 and said to Saul, “Why do you listen to the words of men who say, ‘Look, David intends to harm you’?
- 1 Samuel 24:11 See, my father, look at the corner of your robe in my hand. For I cut it off, but I did not kill you. Know and see that there is no evil or rebellion in my hands. I have not sinned against you, even though you are hunting me down to take my life.
- Psalms 7:3 O LORD my God, if I have done this, if injustice is on my hands,
- Psalms 35:7 For without cause they laid their net for me; without reason they dug a pit for my soul.
- Psalms 69:4 Those who hate me without cause outnumber the hairs of my head; many are those who would destroy me—my enemies for no reason. Though I did not steal, I must repay.
- John 8:46 Which of you can prove Me guilty of sin? If I speak the truth, why do you not believe Me?
- John 10:32 But Jesus responded, “I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these do you stone Me?”
- John 18:23 Jesus replied, “If I said something wrong, testify as to what was wrong. But if I spoke correctly, why did you strike Me?”
- 1 Samuel 17:29 “What have I done now?” said David. “Was it not just a question?”