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1 Samuel

1 Samuelchapter 26

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A.The spear and cruse taken from beside Saul's headvv. 1-12

1 Then the Ziphites came to Saul at Gibeah and said, “Is not David hiding on the hill of Hachilah, opposite Jeshimon?” 2 So Saul, accompanied by three thousand chosen men of Israel, went down to the Wilderness of Ziph to search for David there. 3 Saul camped beside the road at the hill of Hachilah opposite Jeshimon, but David was living in the wilderness. When he realized that Saul had followed him there, 4 David sent out spies to verify that Saul had arrived. 5 Then David set out and went to the place where Saul had camped. He saw the place where Saul and Abner son of Ner, the general of his army, had lain down. Saul was lying inside the inner circle of the camp, with the troops camped around him. 6 And David asked Ahimelech the Hittite and Abishai son of Zeruiah, Joab’s brother, “Who will go down with me to Saul in the camp?” “I will go with you,” answered Abishai. 7 That night David and Abishai came to the troops, and Saul was lying there asleep in the inner circle of the camp, with his spear stuck in the ground by his head. And Abner and the troops were lying around him. 8 Abishai said to David, “Today God has delivered your enemy into your hand. Now, therefore, please let me thrust the spear through him into the ground with one stroke. I will not need to strike him twice!” 9 But David said to Abishai, “Do not destroy him, for who can lift a hand against the LORD’s anointed and be guiltless?” 10 David added, “As surely as the LORD lives, the LORD Himself will strike him down; either his day will come and he will die, or he will go into battle and perish. 11 But the LORD forbid that I should stretch out my hand against the LORD’s anointed. Instead, take the spear and water jug by his head, and let us go.” 12 So David took the spear and water jug by Saul’s head, and they departed. No one saw them or knew about it, nor did anyone wake up; they all remained asleep, because a deep sleep from the LORD had fallen on them.

B.David calls across the hill to Abnervv. 13-20

13 Then David crossed to the other side and stood atop the mountain at a distance; there was a wide gulf between them. 14 And David shouted to the troops and to Abner son of Ner, “Will you not answer me, Abner?” “Who calls to the king?” Abner replied. 15 So David said to Abner, “You are a man, aren’t you? And who in Israel is your equal? Why then did you not protect your lord the king when one of the people came to destroy him? 16 This thing you have done is not good. As surely as the LORD lives, all of you deserve to die, since you did not protect your lord, the LORD’s anointed. Now look around. Where are the king’s spear and water jug that were by his head?” 17 Then Saul recognized David’s voice and asked, “Is that your voice, David my son?” “It is my voice, my lord and king,” David said. 18 And he continued, “Why is my lord pursuing his servant? What have I done? What evil is in my hand? 19 Now please, may my lord the king hear the words of his servant: If the LORD has stirred you up against me, then may He accept an offering. But if men have done it, may they be cursed in the presence of the LORD! For today they have driven me away from sharing in the inheritance of the LORD, saying, ‘Go, serve other gods.’ 20 So do not let my blood fall to the ground far from the presence of the LORD. For the king of Israel has come out to look for a flea, like one who hunts a partridge in the mountains.”

C.I have played the fool: Saul's last words to Davidvv. 21-25

21 Then Saul replied, “I have sinned. Come back, David my son. I will never harm you again, because today you considered my life precious. I have played the fool and have committed a grave error!” 22 “Here is the king’s spear,” David answered. “Let one of the young men come over and get it. 23 May the LORD repay every man for his righteousness and faithfulness. For the LORD delivered you into my hand today, but I would not stretch out my hand against the LORD’s anointed. 24 As surely as I valued your life today, so may the LORD value my life and rescue me from all trouble.” 25 Saul said to him, “May you be blessed, David my son. You will accomplish great things and will surely prevail.” So David went on his way, and Saul returned home.

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Chapter summary

The Ziphites betray David again, and this time he walks into Saul's camp at night with Abishai while a deep sleep from Jehovah is fallen upon them all, and stands over the king with the spear stuck in the ground at his head.

Read the rest, the context and the outline ▾

The Ziphites betray David again, and this time he walks into Saul's camp at night with Abishai while a deep sleep from Jehovah is fallen upon them all, and stands over the king with the spear stuck in the ground at his head. Abishai asks for one stroke; David refuses on the same ground as at En-gedi, who can put forth his hand against Jehovah's anointed, and be guiltless? Jehovah will smite him, or his day shall come to die, or he shall go down into battle. They take the spear and the cruse of water to the far hill, and David shames Abner for failing to keep his lord. Saul's answer is his epitaph: I have played the fool, and have erred exceedingly.

Drawn from Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory, Matthew Henry, Complete Commentary and John Wesley, Notes on the Old Testament.

Context

History · Samuel, Nathan, Gad — 1 Samuel overview

  • A. 1–12 The spear and cruse taken from beside Saul's head
  • B. 13–20 David calls across the hill to Abner
  • C. 21–25 I have played the fool: Saul's last words to David
Top cross-references8 chapters ▾
  • 1 Samuel 2411 verses
    • 1 Samuel 24:2So Saul took three thousand chosen men from all Israel and went to look for David and his men in the region of the Rocks of the Wild Goats.
    • 1 Samuel 24:4So David’s men said to him, “This is the day about which the LORD said to you, ‘Behold, I will deliver your enemy into your hand, that you may do with him as you wish.’” Then David crept up secretly and cut off a corner of Saul’s robe.
    • 1 Samuel 24:6So he said to his men, “The LORD forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the LORD’s anointed. May I never lift my hand against him, since he is the LORD’s anointed.”
    • 1 Samuel 24:8After that, David got up, went out of the cave, and called out to Saul, “My lord the king!” When Saul looked behind him, David bowed facedown in reverence
    • 1 Samuel 24:9and said to Saul, “Why do you listen to the words of men who say, ‘Look, David intends to harm you’?
    • 1 Samuel 24:11See, my father, look at the corner of your robe in my hand. For I cut it off, but I did not kill you. See and know that there is no evil or rebellion in my hands. I have not sinned against you, even though you are hunting me down to take my life.
    • Read 1 Samuel 24: 5 more there →
  • 1 Samuel 264 verses
    • 1 Samuel 26:1Then the Ziphites came to Saul at Gibeah and said, “Is not David hiding on the hill of Hachilah, opposite Jeshimon?”
    • 1 Samuel 26:9But David said to Abishai, “Do not destroy him, for who can lift a hand against the LORD’s anointed and be guiltless?”
    • 1 Samuel 26:11But the LORD forbid that I should stretch out my hand against the LORD’s anointed. Instead, take the spear and water jug by his head, and let us go.”
    • 1 Samuel 26:23May the LORD repay every man for his righteousness and faithfulness. For the LORD delivered you into my hand today, but I would not stretch out my hand against the LORD’s anointed.
    • Read 1 Samuel 26 →
  • 1 Samuel 232 verses
    • 1 Samuel 23:14And David stayed in the wilderness strongholds and in the hill country of the Wilderness of Ziph. Day after day Saul searched for him, but God would not deliver David into his hand.
    • 1 Samuel 23:19Then the Ziphites came up to Saul at Gibeah and said, “Is not David hiding among us in the strongholds at Horesh, on the hill of Hachilah south of Jeshimon?
    • Read 1 Samuel 23 →
  • 2 Samuel 12 verses
    • 2 Samuel 1:14So David asked him, “Why were you not afraid to lift your hand to destroy the LORD’s anointed?”
    • 2 Samuel 1:16For David had said to the Amalekite, “Your blood be on your own head because your own mouth has testified against you, saying, ‘I killed the LORD’s anointed.’”
    • Read 2 Samuel 1 →
4 more chapters this one speaks with
  • Psalms 542 verses
  • 1 Samuel 172 verses
    • 1 Samuel 17:20So David got up early in the morning, left the flock with a keeper, loaded up, and set out as Jesse had instructed him. He reached the camp as the army was marching out to its position and shouting the battle cry.
    • 1 Samuel 17:55As Saul had watched David going out to confront the Philistine, he said to Abner the commander of the army, “Abner, whose son is this young man?” “As surely as you live, O king,” Abner replied, “I do not know.”
    • Read 1 Samuel 17 →
  • Joshua 151 verse
  • Psalms 381 verse

Cross-references from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and OpenBible.info.