History · Chapter 26 of 31

1 Samuel 26

The Ziphites again betray David's hiding place, and Saul comes hunting with three thousand men. By night David and Abishai slip into the sleeping camp. Abishai begs to kill Saul, but David refuses to harm the LORD's anointed, taking only Saul's spear and water jug. From a safe hill he rebukes Abner and Saul, who confesses his sin and blesses David.

What happens in 1 Samuel 26

The men of Ziph tell Saul that David is hiding in the hill of Hachilah. Saul takes three thousand chosen men into the wilderness. David scouts the camp and sees Saul asleep in the trench, his spear planted at his head, Abner and the army around him. David asks who will go down with him, and Abishai volunteers. They enter by night while a deep sleep from the LORD holds the camp. Abishai offers to pin Saul to the ground with one thrust, but David forbids it, insisting no one can strike the LORD's anointed and be guiltless.

Instead he takes Saul's spear and water jug and withdraws. From a distant hilltop he calls out, shaming Abner for failing to guard the king and displaying the missing spear as proof. Saul recognizes David's voice, confesses that he has sinned and played the fool, and blesses him. Each goes his own way.

1 Samuel 26 in context

This is the second time David could kill Saul but spares him, paralleling the cave at En-gedi in the previous account. Saul, tormented and jealous, keeps hunting the man God has chosen to succeed him.

The wilderness of Ziph lay in Judah's arid south. The phrase the LORD's anointed carries weight, since Saul was set apart by God even in his decline.

Main themes of 1 Samuel 26

1 Samuel 26 (KJV)

1And the Ziphites came unto Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doth not David hide himself in the hill of Hachilah, which is before Jeshimon? 2Then Saul arose, and went down to the wilderness of Ziph, having three thousand chosen men of Israel with him, to seek David in the wilderness of Ziph. 3And Saul pitched in the hill of Hachilah, which is before Jeshimon, by the way. But David abode in the wilderness, and he saw that Saul came after him into the wilderness. 4David therefore sent out spies, and understood that Saul was come in very deed. 5And David arose, and came to the place where Saul had pitched: and David beheld the place where Saul lay, and Abner the son of Ner, the captain of his host: and Saul lay in the trench, and the people pitched round about him. 6Then answered David and said to Ahimelech the Hittite, and to Abishai the son of Zeruiah, brother to Joab, saying, Who will go down with me to Saul to the camp? And Abishai said, I will go down with thee. 7So David and Abishai came to the people by night: and, behold, Saul lay sleeping within the trench, and his spear stuck in the ground at his bolster: but Abner and the people lay round about him. 8Then said Abishai to David, God hath delivered thine enemy into thine hand this day: now therefore let me smite him, I pray thee, with the spear even to the earth at once, and I will not smite him the second time. 9And David said to Abishai, Destroy him not: for who can stretch forth his hand against the LORD’s anointed, and be guiltless? 10David said furthermore, As the LORD liveth, the LORD shall smite him; or his day shall come to die; or he shall descend into battle, and perish. 11The LORD forbid that I should stretch forth mine hand against the LORD’s anointed: but, I pray thee, take thou now the spear that is at his bolster, and the cruse of water, and let us go. 12So David took the spear and the cruse of water from Saul’s bolster; and they gat them away, and no man saw it, nor knew it, neither awaked: for they were all asleep; because a deep sleep from the LORD was fallen upon them. 13Then David went over to the other side, and stood on the top of an hill afar off; a great space being between them: 14And David cried to the people, and to Abner the son of Ner, saying, Answerest thou not, Abner? Then Abner answered and said, Who art thou that criest to the king? 15And David said to Abner, Art not thou a valiant man? and who is like to thee in Israel? wherefore then hast thou not kept thy lord the king? for there came one of the people in to destroy the king thy lord. 16This thing is not good that thou hast done. As the LORD liveth, ye are worthy to die, because ye have not kept your master, the LORD’s anointed. And now see where the king’s spear is, and the cruse of water that was at his bolster. 17And Saul knew David’s voice, and said, Is this thy voice, my son David? And David said, It is my voice, my lord, O king. 18And he said, Wherefore doth my lord thus pursue after his servant? for what have I done? or what evil is in mine hand? 19Now therefore, I pray thee, let my lord the king hear the words of his servant. If the LORD have stirred thee up against me, let him accept an offering: but if they be the children of men, cursed be they before the LORD; for they have driven me out this day from abiding in the inheritance of the LORD, saying, Go, serve other gods. 20Now therefore, let not my blood fall to the earth before the face of the LORD: for the king of Israel is come out to seek a flea, as when one doth hunt a partridge in the mountains. 21Then said Saul, I have sinned: return, my son David: for I will no more do thee harm, because my soul was precious in thine eyes this day: behold, I have played the fool, and have erred exceedingly. 22And David answered and said, Behold the king’s spear! and let one of the young men come over and fetch it. 23The LORD render to every man his righteousness and his faithfulness; for the LORD delivered thee into my hand to day, but I would not stretch forth mine hand against the LORD’s anointed. 24And, behold, as thy life was much set by this day in mine eyes, so let my life be much set by in the eyes of the LORD, and let him deliver me out of all tribulation. 25Then Saul said to David, Blessed be thou, my son David: thou shalt both do great things, and also shalt still prevail. So David went on his way, and Saul returned to his place.

Verses to carry from 1 Samuel 26

“And David said to Abishai, Destroy him not: for who can stretch forth his hand against the LORD’s anointed, and be guiltless?”1 Samuel 26:9

“The LORD forbid that I should stretch forth mine hand against the LORD’s anointed: but, I pray thee, take thou now the spear that is at his bolster, and the cruse of water, and let us go.”1 Samuel 26:11

“The LORD render to every man his righteousness and his faithfulness; for the LORD delivered thee into my hand to day, but I would not stretch forth mine hand against the LORD’s anointed.”1 Samuel 26:23

Reflection

It is easy to justify striking back when someone has wronged you and the chance appears. David held a sleeping enemy at spear's point and walked away. Consider where you have power to harm someone who has hurt you. Will you honor what God has placed over you, and trust him to settle accounts in his time rather than yours?

A prayer from 1 Samuel 26