1 Samuel 26:7

7 Therefore David and Abishai came to the people in the night, and they found Saul lying and sleeping in the tent, and a spear set fast in the earth at his head; forsooth they found Abner and the people sleeping in his compass (and they found Abner and the other people sleeping all around him).

1 Samuel 26:7 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 26:7

So David and Abishai came to the people by night
Josephus

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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.

1 Samuel 26:7 In-Context

5 And David rose up privily, and came to the place where Saul was. And when David had seen the place, wherein Saul slept, and Abner, the son of Ner, the prince of his chivalry; and Saul sleeping in the tent, and the tother common people by his compass; (And David rose up quickly, and came to the place where Saul was. And when David had seen the place where Saul slept, and Abner, the son of Ner, the leader of his cavalry, or his army; and Saul was sleeping in his tent, and the other common people were all around him;)

6 David said to Ahimelech, (the) Hittite, and to Abishai, the son of Zeruiah, the brother of Joab, saying, Who shall go down with me to Saul into his tents? And Abishai said, I shall go down with thee.

7 Therefore David and Abishai came to the people in the night, and they found Saul lying and sleeping in the tent, and a spear set fast in the earth at his head; forsooth they found Abner and the people sleeping in his compass (and they found Abner and the other people sleeping all around him).

8 And Abishai said to David, God hath closed today thine enemy into thine hands; now therefore I shall pierce him with the spear once (through, and) in(to) the earth, and no need shall be (for) the second time. (And Abishai said to David, God hath enclosed thy enemy in thy hands today; and so now I shall pierce him once through with the spear, and into the ground, and there shall be no need for a second thrust.)

9 And David said to Abishai, Slay thou not him, for who shall hold forth his hand into the christ of the Lord, and shall be innocent? (And David said to Abishai, Kill thou him not, for who shall put his hand against the anointed of the Lord, and still be innocent?)