1 Samuel 26:7

7 So David and Abishai came to the people by night: and, behold, Saul lay sleeping within the trench, and his spear stuck in the ground at his bolster: but Abner and the people lay round about him.

Read Chapter Compare

PREVIOUS 1 Samuel 26:6 NEXT 1 Samuel 26:8

1 Samuel 26:7 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 26:7

So David and Abishai came to the people by night
Josephus

FOOTNOTES:

F12 wrongly says, that he took with him both Abishai and Ahimelech; he chose to have but one, for the greater secrecy. This was a bold enterprise, for two men to go into a camp of three thousand men, though it was in the night; when though they might suppose the greater part of them were asleep, yet they could not well suppose this of all, and especially of the guards or sentinels; but no doubt David was moved to this, not merely by the dint of his natural courage, but by the Spirit of God, by whom he might be assured of protection, and that Saul and the people were cast into a deep sleep by the Lord, as they were, ( 1 Samuel 26:12 ) ; and this the Lord moved him to, that he might have an opportunity a second time to convince Saul of his innocence, and that he had no design upon his life:

and, behold, Saul lay sleeping within the trench;
(See Gill on 1 Samuel 26:5);

and his spear stuck in the ground at his bolster;
ready to take up and defend himself, should he be surprised; or this was his sceptre, which he always carried about with him, as an ensign of royalty, and by which very probably David knew which was Saul's tent or couch, where he slept:

but Abner and the people lay round about him;
as in ( 1 Samuel 26:5 ) .

F12 Antiqu. l. 6. c. 13. sect. 9.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

1 Samuel 26:7 In-Context

5 And David arose, and came to the place where Saul had pitched: and David beheld the place where Saul lay, and Abner the son of Ner, the captain of his host: and Saul lay in the trench, and the people pitched round about him.

6 Then answered David and said to Ahimelech the Hittite, and to Abishai the son of Zeruiah, brother to Joab, saying, Who will go down with me to Saul to the camp? And Abishai said, I will go down with thee.

7 So David and Abishai came to the people by night: and, behold, Saul lay sleeping within the trench, and his spear stuck in the ground at his bolster: but Abner and the people lay round about him.

8 Then said Abishai to David, God hath delivered thine enemy into thine hand this day: now therefore let me smite him, I pray thee, with the spear even to the earth at once, and I will not smite him the second time.

9 And David said to Abishai, Destroy him not: for who can stretch forth his hand against the LORD'S anointed, and be guiltless?

The King James Version is in the public domain.

1 Samuel 26:7

Share

Settings

1 Samuel 26:7 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 26:7 In-Context