The big picture
1 Samuel 26 opens in verse 1 with “And the Ziphites came unto Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doth not David hide himself in the…”, reaches its middle movement near verse 13 with “Then David went over to the other side, and stood on the top of an hill afar off; a…”, and closes in verse 25 with “Then Saul said to David, Blessed be thou, my son David: thou shalt both do great things…” Repeated or prominent terms include David, LORD, Saul, Abner, hand. Together, those details trace this chapter’s own movement from its opening to its conclusion.
Scripture beside the summary
1 Samuel · King James Version · 251 Samuel 26:1-7
1–7: The Ziphites came unto Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doth not David hide…
1 Samuel 26:1–7 opens with “And the Ziphites came unto Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doth not David hide himself in the hill of…” and reaches “So David and Abishai came to the people by night: and, behold, Saul lay sleeping within the…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on 1 Samuel 26 develops its own movement around David, LORD, Saul, Abner, hand, with particular weight carried by Saul, David, wilderness.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 2 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“And the Ziphites came unto Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doth not David hide himself in the hill of Hachilah, which is…” The question slows the passage down. Notice who is being pressed to answer, what the question assumes, and whether the next lines provide a response.
“Then Saul arose, and went down to the wilderness of Ziph, having three thousand chosen men of Israel with him, to seek…” The number three makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.
1 Samuel 26:1-7
King James Version1And 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.
1 Samuel 26:8-14
8–14: Said Abishai to David, God hath delivered thine enemy into thine hand…
1 Samuel 26:8–14 opens with “Then said Abishai to David, God hath delivered thine enemy into thine hand this day: now…” and reaches “And David cried to the people, and to Abner the son of Ner, saying, Answerest thou not, Abner…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on 1 Samuel 26 develops its own movement around David, LORD, Saul, Abner, hand, with particular weight carried by David, LORD, Abner.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 2 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“Then said Abishai to David, God hath delivered thine enemy into thine hand this day: now therefore let me smite him, I…” Naming Abishai and David keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“And David said to Abishai, Destroy him not: for who can stretch forth his hand against the LORD’s anointed, and be…” The question slows the passage down. Notice who is being pressed to answer, what the question assumes, and whether the next lines provide a response.
1 Samuel 26:8-14
King James Version8Then 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?
1 Samuel 26:15-21
15–21: David said to Abner, Art not thou a valiant man? and who is like to thee…
1 Samuel 26:15–21 opens with “And David said to Abner, Art not thou a valiant man? and who is like to thee in Israel…” and reaches “Then said Saul, I have sinned: return, my son David: for I will no more do thee harm, because my…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on 1 Samuel 26 develops its own movement around David, LORD, Saul, Abner, hand, with particular weight carried by LORD, king, David.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 3 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“And David said to Abner, Art not thou a valiant man? and who is like to thee in Israel? wherefore then hast thou not…” The question slows the passage down. Notice who is being pressed to answer, what the question assumes, and whether the next lines provide a response.
“This thing is not good that thou hast done. As the LORD liveth, ye are worthy to die, because ye have not kept your…” The line’s distinctive content terms include anointed, bolster, cruse. Its relationship to verses 15 and 17 shows what work it does in this passage.
“And Saul knew David’s voice, and said, Is this thy voice, my son David? And David said, It is my voice, my lord, O…” The question slows the passage down. Notice who is being pressed to answer, what the question assumes, and whether the next lines provide a response.
1 Samuel 26:15-21
King James Version15And 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.
1 Samuel 26:22-25
22–25: David answered and said, Behold the king’s spear! and let one of the…
1 Samuel 26:22–25 opens with “And David answered and said, Behold the king’s spear! and let one of the young men come over and…” and reaches “Then Saul said to David, Blessed be thou, my son David: thou shalt both do great things, and…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on 1 Samuel 26 develops its own movement around David, LORD, Saul, Abner, hand, with particular weight carried by David, LORD, eyes.
Context that brings the passage to life
“And David answered and said, Behold the king’s spear! and let one of the young men come over and fetch it.” The number one makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.
1 Samuel 26:22-25
King James Version22And 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.
Details worth noticing
The opening image
1 Samuel 26:1 begins with “And the Ziphites came unto Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doth not David hide himself in the hill of Hachilah, which is before Jeshimon?”
Where the chapter turns
1 Samuel 26:13 forms a natural hinge: “Then David went over to the other side, and stood on the top of an hill afar off; a great space being between them:”
The final note
1 Samuel 26:25 leaves the reader with “Then 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…”
A word trail through the chapter
The words David, LORD, Saul, Abner, hand, king help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.
How does Isaac respond to repeated disputes?
He relocates and digs again until a well is not contested, while later accepting a negotiated peace.
What persists from Abraham's story?
The promise, altars, wells, outsider status and the dangerous sister deception.
KJV words made clear
- behold
- look, or pay close attention
- unto
- to
- thee
- you
- thou
- you
- thy
- your
Text first
Where readers differ
The chapter summary begins with what the passage says and how its parts fit together. It does not assume one denomination has already settled every question. Where a conclusion depends on a tradition, literary theory, or historical reconstruction, that dependence is named openly.
The KJV text is presented first. Interpretive conclusions are labeled, and differences are introduced only when they help a reader understand why serious communities do not always reach the same answer.
Comparative interpretive notes for this chapter are in preparation. Until reviewed notes are ready, this page separates the KJV text from summary and application without claiming that serious readers agree on every question.