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1 Samuel 26:8-18

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8 Then Abishai said to David, "Today God has delivered your enemy into your hand; now therefore, please let me strike him with the spear to the ground with one stroke, and I will not strike him the second time."
9 But David said to Abishai, "Do not destroy him, for 1who can stretch out his hand against the LORD'S anointed and be without guilt?"
10 David also said, "As the LORD lives, 2surely * the LORD will strike him, or 3his day will come that he dies, or 4he will go down into battle and perish.
11 "5The LORD forbid that I should stretch out my hand against the LORD'S anointed; but now please take the spear that is at his head and the jug of water, and let us go."
12 So David took the spear and the jug of water from beside Saul's head, and they went away, but no one saw or knew it, nor did any awake, for they were all asleep, because 6a sound sleep from the LORD had fallen on them.
13 Then David crossed over to the other side and stood on top of the mountain at a distance with a large area between them.
14 David called to the people and to Abner the son of Ner, saying, "Will you not answer, Abner?" Then Abner replied, "Who are you who calls to the king?"
15 So David said to Abner, "Are you not a man? And who is like you in Israel? Why then have you not guarded your lord the king? For one of the people came to destroy the king your lord.
16 "This thing that you have done is not good. As the LORD lives, all of you 7must surely die, because you did not guard your lord, the LORD'S anointed. And now, see where the king's spear is and the jug of water that was at his head."
17 Then Saul recognized David's voice and said, "8Is this your voice, my son David?" And David said, "It is my voice, my lord the king."
18 He also said, "9Why then is my lord pursuing his servant? For what have I done? Or what evil is in my hand?
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1 Samuel 26:8-18 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO FIRST SAMUEL 26

This chapter relates that Saul, upon the information of the Ziphites, went out again with an armed force to seek David, 1Sa 26:1-3; of which David having intelligence, and of the place where he pitched, came with one of his men and reconnoitred his camp, and finding Saul and his men asleep, took away his spear, and the cruse of water at his head, and departed, without taking away his life, though solicited to it by his servant, 1Sa 26:4-12; which spear and cruse of water he produced to the reproach of Abner, Saul's general, and as a testimony of his sincere regard to Saul, and that he had no design upon his life, 1Sa 26:13-20; of which Saul being convinced, blessed David, and returned home again, 1Sa 26:21-25.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

Cross References 9

  • 1. 1 Samuel 24:6, 7; 2 Samuel 1:14, 16
  • 2. Deuteronomy 32:35; 1 Samuel 25:26, 38; Romans 12:19; Hebrews 10:30
  • 3. Genesis 47:29; Deuteronomy 31:14; Psalms 37:13
  • 4. 1 Samuel 31:6
  • 5. 1 Samuel 24:6, 12; Romans 12:17, 19; 1 Peter 3:9
  • 6. Genesis 2:21; Genesis 15:12; Isaiah 29:10
  • 7. 1 Samuel 20:31
  • 8. 1 Samuel 24:16
  • 9. 1 Sam 24:9, 11-14

Footnotes 3

  • [a]. Lit "even into"
  • [b]. Lit "repeat with respect to him"
  • [c]. Lit "are surely sons of death"
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