1 Samuel 26:22

22 David answered, "Here is the king's spear. Send one of the men over to bring it back.

1 Samuel 26:22 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 26:22

And David answered and said, behold the king's spear!
&c.] And which perhaps was his sceptre, and which David therefore would not keep, lest it should be thought or said that he had deprived him of an ensign of his royalty, and be interpreted as a token of his design to seize his crown and throne:

and let one of the young men come over and fetch it;
for notwithstanding the acknowledgment Saul had made of his sin and folly, David did not choose to carry the spear to him; not caring to trust him, and put himself into his hands, lest the evil spirit should return and come upon him suddenly, and alter his disposition and carriage; nor would he send any of his men with it, whose lives were dear to him, lest they should be seized as traitors, but desires one of Saul's men might be sent for it.

1 Samuel 26:22 In-Context

20 Now don't let my blood fall on the ground away from the presence of ADONAI. The king of Isra'el has gone out in search of a single flea, as if he were hunting partridge in the mountains!"
21 Then Sha'ul said, "I have sinned. Come back, my son David. I won't harm you any longer, because you regarded my life as precious today. Yes, I have behaved like a fool. I was altogether in the wrong."
22 David answered, "Here is the king's spear. Send one of the men over to bring it back.
23 ADONAI will give every person a reward suited to his uprightness and faithfulness. ADONAI put you in my power today, but I would not raise my hand against ADONAI's anointed.
24 Look: just as I put great value on your life today, so may my life be given great value by ADONAI. May he deliver me from every kind of trouble!"
Complete Jewish Bible Copyright 1998 by David H. Stern. Published by Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.