What Does 1 Samuel 26:21 Mean?

“Then said”

to say (used with great latitude)

“Saul”

shaul, the name of an edomite and two israelites

“I have sinned”

properly, to miss; hence (figuratively and generally) to sin; by inference, to forfeit, lack, expiate, repent, (causatively) lead astray, condemn

“return”

to turn back (hence, away) transitively or intransitively, literally or figuratively (not necessarily with the idea of return to the starting point);

“my son”

a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or

“David”

david, the youngest son of jesse

(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed

not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles

“for I will no more do thee harm”

properly, to spoil (literally, by breaking to pieces); figuratively, to make (or be) good for nothing, i.e., bad (physically, socially or morally)

properly, iteration or continuance; used only adverbially (with or without preposition), again, repeatedly, still, more

the bottom (as depressed); only adverbially, below (often with prepositional prefix underneath), in lieu of, etc

who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc

“was precious”

properly, apparently, to be heavy, i.e., (figuratively) valuable; causatively, to make rare (figuratively, to inhibit)

“because my soul”

properly, a breathing creature, i.e., animal of (abstractly) vitality; used very widely in a literal, accommodated or figurative sense (bodily or ment

“in thine eyes”

an eye (literally or figuratively); by analogy, a fountain (as the eye of the landscape)

“this day”

a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an asso

the masculine demonstrative pronoun, this or that

lo!

“behold I have played the fool”

to be silly

“and have erred”

to stray (causatively, mislead), usually (figuratively) to mistake, especially (morally) to transgress; by extension (through the idea of intoxication

“exceedingly”

to increase (in whatever respect)

properly, vehemence, i.e., (with or without preposition) vehemently; by implication, wholly, speedily, etc. (often with other words as an intensive or