Bible Strands
1 Samuel 26:24
As surely as I valued your life today, so may the LORD value my life and rescue me from all trouble.”
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — David addresses Saul after refusing to strike the Lord’s anointed, following Saul’s pursuit in the wilderness.
The words — The Hebrew phrase גָּדְלָה נַפְשְׁךָ (ga.de.Lah naf.she./Kha) literally means "your life was great," and כֵּן (ken) functions as the comparative "so" that binds the oath.
The thread — The text states a plea for Yahweh to value the speaker’s life and rescue him from trouble, a motif that runs to Psalms 34:17 and Psalms 54:7, while the underlying principle of receiving mercy for showing it aligns with Matthew 5:7.
Why it lands — The passage states that sparing an enemy invites divine rescue, requiring the reader to trust God’s justice over personal retaliation.
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, behold, as thy life was much set by this day in mine eyes, so let my life be much set by in the eyes of the Lord, and let him deliver me out of all tribulation.
Cross-references
- Psalms 54:7 For He has delivered me from every trouble, and my eyes have looked in triumph on my foes.
- Psalms 34:17 The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears; He delivers them from all their troubles.
- Matthew 5:7 Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
- 2 Corinthians 1:9 Indeed, we felt we were under the sentence of death, in order that we would not trust in ourselves, but in God, who raises the dead.
- Genesis 48:16 the angel who has redeemed me from all harm—may He bless these boys. And may they be called by my name and the names of my fathers Abraham and Isaac, and may they grow into a multitude upon the earth.”
- Psalms 18:1 For the choirmaster. Of David the servant of the LORD, who sang this song to the LORD on the day the LORD had delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. He said: I love You, O LORD, my strength.
- Psalms 18:25 To the faithful You show Yourself faithful, to the blameless You show Yourself blameless;
- Psalms 18:48 who delivers me from my enemies. You exalt me above my foes; You rescue me from violent men.
- Psalms 144:2 He is my steadfast love and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer. He is my shield, in whom I take refuge, who subdues peoples under me.
- Matthew 7:2 For with the same judgment you pronounce, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.