1 Samuel 26

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 26:5

And David arose, and came to the place where Saul had pitched ,.... Came near it, within sight of it; so that he could take a view of it with his naked eye, and observe where and in what manner he was encamped: and David beheld the place where Saul lay, and Abner the son of Ner , the captain of his host ; where he and his general had their quarters in the camp: and Saul lay in the trench ; or circuit; not in the foss or ditch thrown up, in which an army sometimes lies entrenched;... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 26:6

Then answered David ,.... Or addressed himself to the two following persons: and said to Ahimelech the Hittite ; who was either an Hittite by birth, but was become a proselyte, or he was an Israelite that had dwelt among the Hittites, and so had this name given him; the former seems most probable; some say F11 Hieron. Trad. Heb. in lib. Reg. fol. 76. M. this was Uriah the Hittite: and to Abishai the son of Zeruiah, brother to Joab ; Zeruiah was the sister of David, 1... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 26:7

So David and Abishai came to the people by night ,.... Josephus F12 Antiqu. l. 6. c. 13. sect. 9. 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... 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

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 26:12

So David took the spear, and the cruse of water, from Saul's bolster ,.... Abishai either refusing to take them, since he might not take away his life; or it may be rather David thought better of it, and took them himself, lest Abishai should be tempted, when so near to Saul, and his spear in his hand, and should thrust him with it; though David may be said to take them by the hands of Abishai: and they gat them away ; with the above things along with them: and no man saw it , nor... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 26:13

Then David went over to the other side ,.... To a hill on the other side, opposite to Hachilah, where Saul lay encamped; or "passed over the passage" F17 ויעבר העבר "et transivit transitum", Montanus. , the valley that lay between the two hills, and perhaps passed over a brook that ran in the valley, which is not unusual; so Josephus F18 Antiqu. l. 6. c. 13. sect. 9. says, that he went over a brook and came to the top of a mountain: and stood on the top of an hill afar off... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 26:14

And David cried unto the people ,.... To the army of Saul with a loud voice, that he might be heard: and to Abner the son of Ner ; particularly to him, because he was general of the army: saying, answerest thou not, Abner ? it seems he had called to him more than once, and he had returned no answer; perhaps not being thoroughly awake, or not knowing whose voice it was, and from whence it came: then Abner answered and said, who art thou that criest to the king ? but it does... read more

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 26:5

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 26:6

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 26:7

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

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

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

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

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 26:12

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 26:13

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 26:14

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