Read & Study the Bible Online - Bible Portal
Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Samuel 26:6-12

Here is, I. David's bold adventure into Saul's camp in the night, accompanied only by his kinsman Abishai, the son of Zeruiah. He proposed it to him and to another of his confidants (1 Sam. 26:6), but the other either declined it as too dangerous an enterprise, or at least was content that Abishai, who was forward to it, should run the risk of it rather than himself. Whether David was prompted to do this by his own courage, or by an extraordinary impression upon his spirits, or by the oracle,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 26:8

Then said Abishai to David ,.... Seeing Saul fast asleep, and a spear so near him: God hath delivered thine enemy into thine hand this day : or at this time, properly it was night: now therefore let me smite him, I pray thee, with the spear ; with Saul's own spear, which was stuck in the ground at his bolster. He remembered that David would not put forth his hand to stay him before, when he had an opportunity; and since now another offered, he did not move it to him to do it, but... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 26:9

And David said to Abishai, destroy him not ,.... He laid his commands upon him not to hurt him: for who can stretch forth his hand against the Lord's anointed, and be guiltless ? since Saul was king, and appointed to that office by the Lord, and was anointed by his order for it, and invested with it by him, his person was sacred, and not to be touched; nor could his life be taken away by any without being guilty of a very great crime indeed, which it might be justly expected the Lord... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 26:10

And David said furthermore ,.... In order to make Abishai easy, and prevent his doing what he proposed: as the Lord liveth ; which was the form of an oath, made to assure Abishai of the truth of what follows, and therefore he need not be hasty to put Saul to death, since it would not be long before he should die, in one or other of the three following ways: either the Lord shall smite him ; suddenly, which the Jews call cutting off, or death by the hand of heaven, by the immediate... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 26:11

The Lord forbid that I should stretch forth mine hand against the Lord's anointed ,.... Or suffer any about him to do it; he speaks of it with the utmost detestation and abhorrence: but, I pray thee, take thou now the spear that is at his bolster ; not to smite him with, as he desired, but to carry off, and was no other than his sceptre; See Gill on 1 Samuel 20:33 , and the cruse of water ; which stood in the same place, as appears by 1 Samuel 26:12 . Some take this to be a pot... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Samuel 26:8

God hath delivered thine enemy into thine hand - Here Abishai uses the same language as did David's men, when Saul came into the cave at En-gedi, (see 1 Samuel 24:4 , etc.), and David uses the same language in reply. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Samuel 26:10

The Lord shall smite him - He shall die by a stroke of the Divine judgment; or his day shall come to die - he shall die a natural death; which in the course of things must be before mine, and thus I shall get rid of mine enemy; or he shall descend into the battle, and perish - he shall fall by the enemies of his country. These are the three ordinary ways by which man accomplishes, as a hireling, his day. Murder David could not consider to be lawful; this would have been taking the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Samuel 26:1-12

The moral use of Biblical difficulties. The facts are— 1 . At the request of the Ziphites, Saul goes out in pursuit of David, who by spies ascertains his true position. 2 . David, observing Saul's camp, goes to it by night with Abishai while all are asleep. 3 . Abishai urges David to seize the opportunity to slay Saul, but is rebuked by the declaration that if Saul dies it shall be in such way as God may ordain, and not by the self-chosen hand of David. 4 . David carries... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Samuel 26:7-8

The two accordingly go by night , or "at night," as soon as night came on, and find Saul asleep within the trench, i.e. inside the wagon rampart, as in 1 Samuel 26:5 , and his spear, the sign of his royal authority, stuck in the ground; not at his bolster, but "at his head; and so in 1 Samuel 26:11 , 1 Samuel 26:12 , 1 Samuel 26:16 . The word literally signifies "the place where the head is." Like David's men in 1 Samuel 24:4 , Abishai sees in Saul's defenceless condition a... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Samuel 26:9-11

David forbids the deed as before ( 1 Samuel 24:6 ), because of Saul's office. As we there saw, this was an ingrained principle in David's mind on which he constantly acted. Present with equal strength in Saul's mind, it was the cause of moral ruin to the one, and of a noble forbearance and self-control to the other. David therefore leaves him in Jehovah's hand, saying, As Jehovah liveth, Jehovah shall smite him; or his day, etc. Literally, "As Jehovah liveth (I will not smite him), but... read more

Group of Brands