1 Samuel 20:26 nasb — Nevertheless Saul did not speak anything that day, for he thought, "It is an accident, he is not clean, surely he is no…

NASB

"Nevertheless Saul did not speak anything that day, for he thought, "It is an accident, he is not clean, surely he is not clean.""

— 1 Samuel 20:26, NASB

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1 Samuel 20:26 in Other Translations

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1 Samuel 20 — Context

23

"As for the agreement of which you and I have spoken, behold, the LORD is between you and me forever."

24

So David hid in the field; and when the new moon came, the king sat down to eat food.

25

The king sat on his seat as usual, the seat by the wall; then Jonathan rose up and Abner sat down by Saul's side, but David's place was empty.

26

Nevertheless Saul did not speak anything that day, for he thought, "It is an accident, he is not clean, surely he is not clean."

27

It came about the next day, the second day of the new moon, that David's place was empty; so Saul said to Jonathan his son, "Why has the son of Jesse not come to the meal, either yesterday or today?"

28

Jonathan then answered Saul, "David earnestly asked leave of me to go to Bethlehem,

29

for he said, 'Please let me go, since our family has a sacrifice in the city, and my brother has commanded me to attend. And now, if I have found favor in your sight, please let me get away that I may see my brothers.' For this reason he has not come to the king's table."

1 Samuel 20:26 — Frequently Asked Questions

7 questions
What does 1 Samuel 20:26 say?
1 Samuel 20:26 in the NASB reads: “Nevertheless Saul did not speak anything that day, for he thought, "It is an accident, he is not clean, surely he is not clean."”
Where is 1 Samuel 20:26 in the Bible?
1 Samuel 20:26 is found in the Old Testament, in the book of 1 Samuel, chapter 20, verse 26.
Who wrote 1 Samuel?
1 Samuel is traditionally attributed to Anonymous (traditionally Samuel, Nathan, and Gad). It was written c. 930–722 BC.
What is the book of 1 Samuel about?
1 Samuel marks Israel's transition from judges to kings. It traces the births and ministries of the prophet Samuel, the rise and tragic fall of Saul as Israel's first king, and the anointing of the shepherd boy David, whose faith makes him a man after God's own heart.
What are the major themes of 1 Samuel?
1 Samuel explores themes including Kingship, Prophet, Faith vs. Fear, God's Sovereign Choice, Anointing. These themes shape the meaning and context of 1 Samuel 20:26.
What translation should I read 1 Samuel 20:26 in?
1 Samuel 20:26 is available on GodsGoodBook in the King James Version (KJV), American Standard Version (ASV), World English Bible (WEB), NET Bible, Young's Literal Translation, Darby Bible, Douay-Rheims Bible, and the Bible in Basic English. Each translation reflects different translation philosophies — use the translation picker on this page to compare them, or browse our full translations directory.
How can I memorize 1 Samuel 20:26?
1 Samuel 20:26 reads (NASB): “Nevertheless Saul did not speak anything that day, for he thought, "It is an accident, he is not clean, surely he is not clean."” Read it aloud, break it into short phrases, repeat each phrase three times before adding the next, then put the phrases together. Reading it in multiple translations (above) often helps the meaning settle.
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