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Texts -- 1 Samuel 26:1-24 (NET)

Context
David Spares Saul’s Life Again
26:1 The Ziphites came to Saul at Gibeah and said , “Isn’t David hiding on the hill of Hakilah near Jeshimon ?” 26:2 So Saul arose and went down to the desert of Ziph , accompanied by three thousand select men of Israel , to look for David in the desert of Ziph . 26:3 Saul camped by the road on the hill of Hakilah near Jeshimon , but David was staying in the desert . When he realized that Saul had come to the desert to find him, 26:4 David sent scouts and verified that Saul had indeed arrived . 26:5 So David set out and went to the place where Saul was camped . David saw the place where Saul and Abner son of Ner , the general in command of his army , were sleeping . Now Saul was lying in the entrenchment , and the army was camped all around him. 26:6 David said to Ahimelech the Hittite and Abishai son of Zeruiah , Joab’s brother , “Who will go down with me to Saul in the camp ?” Abishai replied , “I will go down with you.” 26:7 So David and Abishai approached the army at night and found Saul lying asleep in the entrenchment with his spear stuck in the ground by his head . Abner and the army were lying all around him. 26:8 Abishai said to David , “Today God has delivered your enemy into your hands . Now let me drive the spear right through him into the ground with one swift jab ! A second jab won’t be necessary !” 26:9 But David said to Abishai , “Don’t kill him! Who can extend his hand against the Lord’s chosen one and remain guiltless ?” 26:10 David went on to say , “As the Lord lives , the Lord himself will strike him down . Either his day will come and he will die , or he will go down into battle and be swept away . 26:11 But may the Lord prevent me from extending my hand against the Lord’s chosen one ! Now take the spear by Saul’s head and the jug of water , and let’s get out of here!” 26:12 So David took the spear and the jug of water by Saul’s head , and they got out of there. No one saw them or was aware of their presence or woke up . All of them were asleep , for the Lord had caused a deep sleep to fall on them. 26:13 Then David crossed to the other side and stood on the top of the hill some distance away ; there was a considerable distance between them. 26:14 David called to the army and to Abner son of Ner , “Won’t you answer , Abner ?” Abner replied , “Who are you, that you have called to the king ?” 26:15 David said to Abner , “Aren’t you a man ? After all, who is like you in Israel ? Why then haven’t you protected your lord the king ? One of the soldiers came to kill your lord the king . 26:16 This failure on your part isn’t good ! As surely as the Lord lives , you people who have not protected your lord , the Lord’s chosen one , are as good as dead ! Now look where the king’s spear and the jug of water that was by his head are!” 26:17 When Saul recognized David’s voice , he said , “Is that your voice , my son David ?” David replied , “Yes, it’s my voice , my lord the king .” 26:18 He went on to say , “Why is my lord chasing his servant ? What have I done ? What wrong have I done? 26:19 So let my lord the king now listen to the words of his servant . If the Lord has incited you against me, may he take delight in an offering . But if men have instigated this, may they be cursed before the Lord ! For they have driven me away this day from being united with the Lord’s inheritance , saying , ‘Go on, serve other gods !’ 26:20 Now don’t let my blood fall to the ground away from the Lord’s presence , for the king of Israel has gone out to look for a flea the way one looks for a partridge in the hill country .” 26:21 Saul replied , “I have sinned . Come back , my son David . I won’t harm you, for you treated my life with value this day . I have behaved foolishly and have made a very terrible mistake !” 26:22 David replied , “Here is the king’s spear ! Let one of your servants cross over and get it. 26:23 The Lord rewards each man for his integrity and loyalty . Even though today the Lord delivered you into my hand , I was not willing to extend my hand against the Lord’s chosen one . 26:24 In the same way that I valued your life this day , may the Lord value my life and deliver me from all danger .”

Pericope

NET

Bible Dictionary

  • David

    [ebd] beloved, the eighth and youngest son of Jesse, a citizen of Bethlehem. His father seems to have been a man in humble life. His mother's name is not recorded. Some think she was the Nahash of 2 Sam. 17:25. As to his personal ...
    [isbe] DAVID - da'-vid (dawidh, or dawidh, "beloved"; Daueid, also in New Testament, Dauid, Dabid; see Thayer's Lexicon): I. NAME AND GENEALOGY II. EARLY YEARS 1. Shepherd 2. Slinger 3. Harpist 4. Poet 5. Psalmist 6. Tribesman III....
    [nave] DAVID 1. King of Israel. Genealogy of, Ruth 4:18-22; 1 Sam. 16:11; 17:12; 1 Chr. 2:3-15; Matt. 1:1-6; Luke 3:31-38. A shepherd, 1 Sam. 16:11. Kills a lion and a bear, 1 Sam. 17:34-36. Anointed king, while a youth, by the ...

  • Saul

    [isbe] SAUL - sol (sha'ul; Saoul): (1) The first king of Israel. I. EARLY HISTORY 1. Name and Meaning 2. Genealogy 3. Home and Station 4. Sources for Life 5. Election as King 6. Reasons for It II. REIGN AND FALL 1. His First Action...
    [nave] SAUL 1. Called also Shaul. King of Edom, Gen. 36:37, 38; 1 Chr. 1:48, 49. 2. King of Israel. A Benjamite, son of Kish, 1 Sam. 9:1, 2. Sons of, 1 Chr. 8:33. His personal appearance, 1 Sam. 9:2; 10:23. Made king of Israel,...

  • SAMUEL, BOOKS OF

    [isbe] SAMUEL, BOOKS OF - || I. PLACE OF THE BOOKS OF SAMUEL IN THE HEBREW CANON II. CONTENTS OF THE BOOKS AND PERIOD OF TIME COVERED BY THE HISTORY III. SUMMARY AND ANALYSIS 1. Life of Samuel (1 Samuel 1 through 15) 2. Reign and D...

  • Good for Evil

    [nave] GOOD FOR EVIL, Matt. 5:44-48; Luke 6:27-36 Returning Instances of: Abraham, to Abimelech, Gen. 20:14-18. David, to Saul, 1 Sam. 24:17; 26. Elisha, to the Syrians, 2 Kin. 6:22, 23. David, to his enemies, Psa. 35:12-14. ...

  • Self-control

    [nave] SELF-CONTROL Of Saul, 1 Sam. 10:27. Of David, 1 Sam. 24:1-15; 26:1-20. miscellaneous Matt. 23:25; Acts 24:25; 1 Cor. 7:5, 9; 9:25; Gal. 5:23; 2 Tim. 3:3; Tit. 1:8; 2 Pet. 1:6 See: Abstinence, Total; Graces, Christian; Pati...

  • Temptation

    [nave] TEMPTATION. Gen. 3:1-13; Gen. 20:6; Ex. 34:12 vs. 13-16.; Deut. 7:25; Deut. 8:11-14, 17, 18; Deut. 13:3; 1 Chr. 21:1; 2 Chr. 32:30, 31; Psa. 119:165; Prov. 1:10-17; Prov. 2:10-12, 16; Prov. 4:14, 15; Prov. 5:6-21; Prov. 6:2...

  • Hachilah

    [ebd] the darksome hill, one of the peaks of the long ridge of el-Kolah, running out of the Ziph plateau, "on the south of Jeshimon" (i.e., of the "waste"), the district to which one looks down from the plateau of Ziph (1 Sam. 23:...
    [nave] HACHILAH, a hill in Judah where David and his followers hid from Saul, 1 Sam. 23:19; 26:3.

  • Abishai

    [ebd] father of (i.e., "desirous of") a gift, the eldest son of Zeruiah, David's sister. He was the brother of Joab and Asahel (2 Sam. 2:18; 1 Chr. 2:16). Abishai was the only one who accompanied David when he went to the camp of ...
    [isbe] ABISHAI - ab'-i-shi, a-bi'-shi ('abhishai, in Ch 'abhshai; meaning is doubtful, probably "my father is Jesse," BDB): Son of Zeruiah, David's sister, and one of the three famous brothers, of whom Joab and Asahel were the othe...
    [nave] ABISHAI Son of Zeruiah, David's sister, 1 Chr. 2:16. One of David's chief men, 2 Sam. 23:18. Seeks Saul's life, 1 Sam. 26:6-8. Pursues and slays Abner, 2 Sam. 2:24; 3:30. Defeats the Edomites, 1 Chr. 18:12; the Ammonites...

  • Abner

    [isbe] ABNER - ab'-ner ('abhner; in 1 Sam 14:50 the Hebrew has the fuller form, 'abhiner, Abiner; compare Abiram by the side of Abram; meaning, "my father is a lamp"): Captain of the host under Saul and Ishbosheth (Eshbaal). He was...
    [smith] (father of light). Son of Ner, who was the brother of Kish, (1 Chronicles 9:36) the father of Saul. (B.C. 1063.) Abner, therefore, was Saul?s first cousin, and was made by him commander-in-chief of his army. (1 Samuel ...
    [nave] ABNER, son of Ner. Cousin of Saul, 1 Sam. 14:50, 51, with 1 Sam. 9:1. Captain of the army, 1 Sam. 14:50; 17:55; 26:5, 14. Dedicated spoils of war to the tabernacle, 1 Chr. 26:27, 28. Loyalty of, to the house of Saul, 2 Sam...

  • Loyalty

    [nave] LOYALTY Enjoined, Ex. 22:28; Num. 27:20; Ezra 6:10; 7:26; Job 34:18; Prov. 24:21; Eccl. 8:2; 10:4; Rom. 13:1; Tit. 3:1. Enforced, Ezra 10:8; Prov. 17:11. Disloyalty, 2 Pet. 2:10. See: Patriotism. Instances of Israelites...

  • Integrity

    [nave] INTEGRITY. Gen. 18:19; Ex. 18:21; Deut. 16:19, 20; Job 10:7; Job 13:15, 18; Job 16:17; Job 27:4-6; Job 29:14; Job 31:1-40; Psa. 7:3-5, 8; Psa. 15:1-5; Psa. 17:3; Psa. 18:20 2 Sam. 22:21. Psa. 24:3-5; Psa. 26:1-3; Psa. 69:4;...

  • Citizenship

    [nave] CITIZENSHIP. Duties of Ex. 22:28 Acts 23:5. Num. 27:20; Ezra 6:10; Ezra 7:26; Ezra 10:8; Prov. 16:14, 15; Prov. 24:21; Prov. 25:6, 7, 15; Eccl. 8:2-4; Eccl. 10:4, 20; Jer. 29:7; Matt. 17:24-27; Matt. 22:17-21 Mark 12:14-17...

  • Cruse

    [ebd] a utensil; a flask or cup for holding water (1 Sam. 26:11, 12, 16; 1 Kings 19:6) or oil (1 Kings 17:12, 14, 16). In 1 Kings 14:3 the word there so rendered means properly a bottle, as in Jer. 19:1, 10, or pitcher. In 2 Kings...
    [isbe] CRUSE - kroos: A small earthen vessel or flask, usually for holding liquids: tsappachath; as water, 1 Sam 26:11,12,16; 1 Ki 19:6; it being porous, the liquid is kept cool; also for holding oil, as in 1 Ki l7:12,14,16. In 1 K...
    [smith] a small vessel for holding water, such as was carried by Saul when on his night expedition after David, (1 Samuel 26:11,12,16) and by Elijah. (1 Kings 19:6)
    [nave] CRUSE, a vessel for liquids, 1 Sam. 26:11; 1 Kin. 14:3; 2 Kin. 2:20.

  • Courage

    [nave] COURAGE Enjoined upon Joshua, Deut. 31:7, 8, 22, 23; Josh. 1:1-9; the Israelites, Lev. 26:6-8; 2 Chr. 32:7, 8; Solomon, 1 Chr. 22:13; 28:20; Asa, 2 Chr. 15:1-7. Enjoined by Jehoshaphat upon the judicial and executive office...

  • Messiah

    [nave] MESSIAH 1 Sam. 2:10, 35; 12:3, 5; 16:6; 24:6, 6, 10; 26:9, 11, 16, 23; 2 Sam. 1:14, 16, 21; 19:21; 22:51; 23:1; 1 Chr. 16:22; 2 Chr. 6:42; Psa. 2:2; 18:50; 20:6; 28:8; 84:9; 89:38, 51; 105:15; 132:10, 17; Isa. 45:1; Lam. 4:2...

  • Pillow

    [nave] PILLOW 1. A cushion, Gen. 28:11, 18; 1 Sam. 26:7, 11, 16. 2. A support for the head. Stones used for, Gen. 28:11, 18. Called bolster, 1 Sam. 26:7, 11, 12, 16. Made of goats' hair, 1 Sam. 19:13, 16. Jesus sleeps on, Mark ...

  • Flea

    [ebd] David at the cave of Adullam thus addressed his persecutor Saul (1 Sam. 24:14): "After whom is the king of Israel come out? after whom dost thou pursue? after a dead dog, after a flea?" He thus speaks of himself as the poor,...
    [isbe] FLEA - fle (par`osh; compare Arabic barghut, "flea," and barghash, "mosquito" (1 Sam 24:14; 26:20); kinnim (Ex 8:16), "lice," the Revised Version, margin "sandflies" or "fleas"; Septuagint skniphes, probably best rendered "g...
    [smith] an insect but twice mentioned in Scripture, viz., in (1 Samuel 24:14; 26:20) Fleas are abundant in the East, and afford the subject of many proverbial expressions.
    [nave] FLEA, 1 Sam. 24:14; 26:20.

  • Partridge

    [ebd] (Heb. kore, i.e., "caller"). This bird, unlike our own partridge, is distinguished by "its ringing call-note, which in early morning echoes from cliff to cliff amidst the barrenness of the wilderness of Judea and the glens o...
    [isbe] PARTRIDGE - par'-trij (qore; Latin perdix; Septuagint, 1 Sam 26:20, nuktikorax, "owl," Jer 17:11, perdix): a bird of the family Tetraonidae. The Hebrew word for this bird, qore', means "a caller," and the Latin perdix is sup...
    [smith] (Heb. kore) occurs only (1 Samuel 26:20) and Jere 17:11 The "hunting this bird upon the mountains," (1 Samuel 26:20) entirely agrees with the habits of two well-known species of partridge, viz. Caccabis saxatilis , the ...
    [nave] PARTRIDGE, 1 Sam. 26:20; Jer. 17:11.

  • ABISHAI, OR ABISHAI

    [smith] (father of a gift), The eldest of the three sons of Zeruiah, David?s sister, and brother to Joab and Asahel. (1 Chronicles 2:16) Like his two brothers he was the devoted follower of David. He was his companion in the despe...

  • PALESTINE, 2

    [isbe] PALESTINE, 2 - III. Palestine in the Historic Books of the Old Testament. 1. Book of Joshua: Joshua is the great geographical book of the Old Testament; and the large majority of the 600 names of places, rivers and mountains...
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Arts

Questions

  • They were descendants of Canaan's son Heth. One of the seven Canaanitish nations, they dwelt in Hebron and were governed by kings (Deu. 7:1; Gen. 23:2,3,10; I Kin. 10:29). Their land was promised to Israel and it was commande...

Resources/Books

Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable)

  • The Book of Samuel covers the period of Israel's history bracketed by Samuel's conception and the end of David's reign. David turned the kingdom over to Solomon in 971 B.C.3David reigned for 40 and one-half years (2 Sam. 2:11...
  • I. Eli and Samuel chs. 1-3A. The change from barrenness to fertility 1:1-2:101. Hannah's condition 1:1-82. Hannah's vow 1:9-183. Hannah's obedience 1:19-284. Hannah's song 2:1-10B. The contrast between Samuel and Eli's sons 2...
  • The basic theme in Samuel, that blessing, and in particular fertility of all kinds, follows from faithful commitment to God's revealed will, continues in this section. However another major motif now becomes more prominent. W...
  • In chapters 21-30 we see David's forces growing stronger and stronger while Saul's forces get weaker and weaker. This is a further demonstration of the fertility theme. However these chapters also develop the motif of the pro...
  • The writer's attention focused next on Saul's activities. He used the literary device of focusing on David, then on Saul, then on David, etc. He used the same technique in chapters 1-3 with Samuel and Eli's sons to contrast S...
  • ". . . chapters 24-26 form a discrete literary unit within 1 Samuel. Chapters 24 and 26 are virtually mirror images of each other, beginning with Saul's receiving a report about David's latest hiding place (24:1; 26:1), focus...
  • "Chapter 25 is the central panel in the triptych that comprises chapters 24-26. As such it not only anchors the literary unit but also facilitates the fact that chapters 24 and 26 mirror each other."244This central chapter al...
  • When she returned home, Abigail discovered that her foolish husband was drunk from celebrating. He was totally oblivious to his mortal danger. He was feasting rather than fasting. He was behaving like a king, the ultimate aut...
  • Again the scene shifts to Saul (cf. ch. 24). The writer contrasted his improper attitudes and behavior and their consequences with David's proper attitudes and behavior and their consequences. There are many similarities betw...
  • The Ziphites betrayed David a second time (cf. 23:19). David was again hiding by the hill of Hachilah (23:19). When Saul came down from Gibeah with his 3,000 (or three military units of) soldiers, he camped near the main road...
  • Ahimelech the Hittite may have been a foreign mercenary (cf. Uriah the Hittite, 2 Sam. 11:3). The writer may have mentioned him to show the extent of David's appeal. Abishai was David's nephew, one of the sons of his sister Z...
  • David crossed a ravine to put some distance between himself and Saul. David addressed Abner because he was responsible for leaving the Lord's anointed unprotected. The person who came to destroy Saul was Abishai (v. 15; cf. v...
  • Evidently the realization that David or Abishai again could have killed him but did not led Saul to respond to David tenderly calling him his son (v. 17; cf. vv. 21, 25). Indeed, David had behaved as a loyal son toward Saul. ...
  • Saul again confessed that he had sinned, as he had done when he had sacrificed at Gilgal (v. 21; cf. 15:24, 30) and when David had spared his life in the cave (24:17). Nevertheless he seems to have failed again to follow thro...
  • Achish swore in Yahweh's name to David, probably to impress the truth of what he was saying on David, that David had been upright and pleasing to him. Nevertheless David had not won the confidence of the other Philistine comm...
  • The other Israelite soldiers retreated when they heard that Saul and his sons had died. This left towns in the region open for Philistine seizure. Instead of driving the native inhabitants out of the land Saul had made it pos...
  • Ackroyd, Peter R. The First Book of Samuel. Cambridge Bible Commentary on the New English Bible series. Cambridge, Eng.: University Press, 1971._____. "The Verb Love--'Aheb in the David-Jonathan Narratives--A Footnote."Vetus ...
  • Students of David's lament over Saul and Jonathan's deaths have called it the Song of the Bow (cf. v. 22).10Many people in Judah learned and sang it (v. 18). The Book of Jasher (v. 18) is no longer extant (cf. Josh. 10:13)."H...
  • Chapters 9-20 contrast with chapters 2-8 in that this later section is negative whereas the earlier one was positive. It records failure; the former records success. Compare the similar narrative of Saul's triumphs (1 Sam. 7-...
  • This second descendant of Saul demonstrated a reaction to David that was the opposite of Ziba's. Ziba had been ingratiating and submissive, but Shimei, a "reptile of the royal house of Saul,"245was insulting and defiant (cf. ...
  • On the basis of God's protection of those who trust in Him David asked for protection from those who were pursuing him, perhaps Saul's men (cf. 1 Sam. 22:8; 24:9; 26:19). He felt like a helpless lamb that a powerful ferocious...
  • 94:16-19 After looking everywhere for some consolation during the temporary ascendancy of the wicked, the psalmist found it only in God. If God had not strengthened him he would have died, slipped in his walk with God, and be...
  • There are two more "woes"that deal with Jerusalem in this chapter (vv. 1-14, 15-24) in addition to the one in chapter 28. The first of these is similar to the previous "woe"(cf. vv. 1-8 with 28:1-6, and vv. 9-14 with 28:7-13)...
  • 40:13-14 One of the remaining Judean princes, Johanan (cf. v. 8), asked Gedaliah if he was aware that the king of Ammon had encouraged another one of the Judean princes, Ishmael (cf. v. 8), to assassinate him. Baalis, the Amm...
  • 6:1-2 Micah called his audience to hear what Yahweh had told him to say. Yahweh had a case (lawsuit, Heb. rib) to bring against His people. The Lord was summoning Israel to defend herself in a courtroom setting. He addressed ...
  • Having prepared the prophet for His answer, the Lord now gave it. What follows must be that revelation.2:4 Proud Babylon was not right in doing what she did but was puffed up with pride and evil passions. In contrast, the rig...
  • The disciples of John were not the only men who began following Jesus. Andrew continued to bring other friends to Jesus. This incident preceded Jesus' formal appointment of the Twelve, but it shows Him preparing those who wou...
  • 12:14 Paul repeated Jesus' instruction here (Matt. 5:44; Luke 6:27-28). To persecute means to pursue. Blessing involves both wishing God's best on people and praying for them."The principle of nonretaliation for personal inju...

Expositions Of Holy Scripture (Maclaren)

  • 1 Samuel 26:5-12; 21-25It is fashionable at present to regard this incident and the other instance of David's sparing Saul, when in his power, as two versions of one event. But it is not improbable that the hunted outlaw shou...
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