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1 Samuel 26:2-24

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2 So Saul arose and went down to the wilderness of Ziph, having with him 1three thousand chosen men of Israel, to search for David in the wilderness of Ziph.
3 Saul camped in the hill of Hachilah, which is before * Jeshimon, 2beside the road, and David was staying in the wilderness. When 3he saw that Saul came after him into the wilderness,
4 David sent out spies, and he knew that Saul was definitely coming.
5 David then arose and came to the place where * Saul had camped. And David saw the place where * Saul lay, and 4Abner the son of Ner, the commander of his army; and Saul was lying in the circle of the camp, and the people were camped around him.
6 Then David said to Ahimelech 5the Hittite and to 6Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab's brother, saying, "Who 7will go down with me to Saul in the camp?" And Abishai said, "I will go down with you."
7 So David and Abishai came to the people by night, and behold, Saul lay sleeping inside the circle of the camp with his spear stuck in the ground at his head; and Abner and the people were lying around him.
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 8who can stretch out his hand against the LORD'S anointed and be without guilt?"
10 David also said, "As the LORD lives, 9surely * the LORD will strike him, or 10his day will come that he dies, or 11he will go down into battle and perish.
11 "12The 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 13a 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 14must 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, "15Is this your voice, my son David?" And David said, "It is my voice, my lord the king."
18 He also said, "16Why then is my lord pursuing his servant? For what have I done? Or what evil is in my hand?
19 "Now therefore, please let my lord the king listen to the words of his servant. If 17the LORD has stirred you up against me, 18let Him accept an offering; but 19if it is men *, cursed are they before the LORD, for 20they have driven me out today so that I would have no attachment with the inheritance of the LORD, saying, 'Go, serve other gods.'
20 "Now then, do not let my blood fall to the ground away from the presence of the LORD; for the king of Israel has come out to search for 21a single flea, just as one hunts a partridge in the mountains."
21 Then Saul said, "22I have sinned. Return, my son David, for I will not harm you again because * my life was precious in your sight this day. Behold, I have played the fool and have committed a serious * error."
22 David replied, "Behold the spear of the king! Now let one of the young men come over and take it.
23 "23The LORD will repay each man for his righteousness and his faithfulness; for the LORD delivered you into my hand today, but 24I refused * to stretch out my hand against the LORD'S anointed.
24 "Now behold, as your life was 25highly valued in my sight this day, so may my life be highly valued in the sight of the LORD, and may He 26deliver me from all distress."
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1 Samuel 26:2-24 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 26

  • 1. 1 Samuel 13:2; 1 Samuel 24:2
  • 2. 1 Samuel 24:3
  • 3. 1 Samuel 23:15
  • 4. 1 Samuel 14:50, 51; 1 Samuel 17:55
  • 5. Genesis 23:3; Genesis 26:34; Joshua 3:10; 1 Kings 10:29; 2 Kings 7:6
  • 6. 1 Chronicles 2:16
  • 7. Judges 7:10, 11
  • 8. 1 Samuel 24:6, 7; 2 Samuel 1:14, 16
  • 9. Deuteronomy 32:35; 1 Samuel 25:26, 38; Romans 12:19; Hebrews 10:30
  • 10. Genesis 47:29; Deuteronomy 31:14; Psalms 37:13
  • 11. 1 Samuel 31:6
  • 12. 1 Samuel 24:6, 12; Romans 12:17, 19; 1 Peter 3:9
  • 13. Genesis 2:21; Genesis 15:12; Isaiah 29:10
  • 14. 1 Samuel 20:31
  • 15. 1 Samuel 24:16
  • 16. 1 Sam 24:9, 11-14
  • 17. 2 Samuel 16:11
  • 18. Genesis 8:21
  • 19. 1 Samuel 24:9
  • 20. Joshua 22:25-27
  • 21. 1 Samuel 24:14
  • 22. Exodus 9:27; 1 Samuel 15:24, 30; 1 Samuel 24:17
  • 23. 1 Samuel 24:19; Psalms 7:8; Psalms 18:20; Psalms 62:12
  • 24. 1 Samuel 24:12
  • 25. 1 Samuel 18:30
  • 26. Psalms 54:7

Footnotes 6

New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, California.  All rights reserved.