1 Samuel 26:11-12 NIV

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - 1 Samuel 26:12

no man = no one. read more

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - 1 Samuel 26:7-12

1 Samuel 26:7-12. So David and Abishai came to the people, &c.— This was a bold and hazardous undertaking, which would have been certain death to David had he been discovered. But David was bold and intrepid; and his and Abishai's gallantry in this affair deserves certainly to be no less celebrated than that of Ulysses and Diomed, when they went as spies to the Trojan camp. But there is more in David to be commended than his gallantry. Who can help admiring his magnanimity and piety? What... read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - 1 Samuel 26:11

11. the spear that is at his bolster, and the cruse of water—The Oriental spear had, and still has, a spike at the lower extremity, intended for the purpose of sticking the spear into the ground when the warrior is at rest. This common custom of Arab sheiks was also the practice of the Hebrew chiefs. at his bolster—literally, "at his head"; perhaps, Saul as a sovereign had the distinguished luxury of a bolster carried for him. A "cruse of water" is usually, in warm climates, kept near a... read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - 1 Samuel 26:12

8-12. Then said Abishai to David, God hath delivered thine enemy into thine hand—This midnight stratagem shows the activity and heroic enterprise of David's mind, and it was in unison with the style of warfare in ancient times. let me smite him . . . even to the earth at once—The ferocious vehemence of the speaker is sufficiently apparent from his language, but David's magnanimity soared far above the notions of his followers. Though Saul's cruelty and perfidy and general want of right... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - 1 Samuel 26:6-12

Abishai’s offer to kill Saul 26:6-12Ahimelech the Hittite may have been a foreign mercenary (cf. Uriah the Hittite, 2 Samuel 11:3). The writer may have mentioned his Hittite connection to show the extent of David’s appeal. Abishai was David’s nephew, one of the sons of his sister Zeruiah (cf. 1 Chronicles 2:15-16). Joab, who later became David’s commander-in-chief, was Abishai’s brother.Saul had used his spear to attack David three times (cf. 1 Samuel 18:10; 1 Samuel 19:9-10; 1 Samuel 20:33).... read more

John Dummelow

John Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Samuel 26:1-25

David spares Saul’s Life a Second Time1. Hachilah] near the wilderness of Ziph: see 1 Samuel 23:19. 4. Was come in very deed] Heb. ’was come to Nakon.’ Nakon = ’a set place’ (RM), though it may have been the corruption of a place-name, such as Maon.6. Hittite] So he belonged to one of the original inhabitants of the country. We might expect to find some of them among David’s followers: cp. 1 Samuel 22:2. Uriah, another Hittite, played an important part in David’s history. Abishai] is here... read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - 1 Samuel 26:11

(11) The spear.—The spear was Saul’s especial sign of royalty. “This taking away of the spear from Saul’s head as he slept was an omen of the transfer of his royalty to David.”—Bishop Patrick, quoted by Wordsworth.And the cruse of water.—“A very ancient usage explains why the cruse of water is here brought into such special prominence. According to this custom, some high dignitary always had in keeping a costly ewer for the king’s necessary ablutions, and it was specially his duty to take it... read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - 1 Samuel 26:12

(12) No man saw it, nor knew it, neither awaked.—The Hebrew is more graphic: “And none saw, and none knew, and none awaked.”A deep sleep from the Lord.—The inference here, at first sight, certainly is that an unnatural, or rather, a supernatural drowsiness had fallen on the camp of Saul. Still, it is not absolutely necessary to suppose that a special miracle was wrought on this occasion. The memory of great carelessness and want of vigilance in the royal army was evidently in David’s mind when... read more

William Nicoll

Expositor's Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 26:1-25

CHAPTER XXXI.DAVID TWICE SPARES THE LIFE OF SAUL.1 Samuel 24:1-22; 1 Samuel 26:1-25.THE invasion of the Philistines had freed David from the fear of Saul for a time, but only for a time. He knew full well that when the king of Israel had once repelled that invasion he would return to prosecute the object on which his heart was so much set. For a while he took refuge among the rocks of Engedi, that beautiful spot of which we have already spoken, and which has been embalmed in Holy Writ, as... read more

Arno Clemens Gaebelein

Arno Gaebelein's Annotated Bible - 1 Samuel 26:1-25

CHAPTER 26 1. The Ziphites and Saul’s pursuit (1 Samuel 26:1-4 ) 2. David again spares Saul (1 Samuel 26:5-12 ) 3. David’s words to Abner (1 Samuel 26:13-16 ) 4. David’s words to Saul (1 Samuel 26:17-20 ) 5. Saul’s confession and David’s reply (1 Samuel 26:21-25 ) Hachilah, where we find David now, was six miles east of Ziph and about halfway to En-gedi. The Ziphites once more reveal his hiding place to Saul. And Saul was rushing forward to his doom when with his three thousand... read more