The big picture
Despite an earlier promise to stop, Saul, Israel's king, again pursues David, the officer he fears as a rival. People from Ziph, a wilderness district where David has hidden, reveal his location. Saul brings a large force, but David learns where the king sleeps. Another chance to kill Saul will test David's restraint. This time he enters the enemy camp himself and leaves with objects that prove how close he came.
In this chapter
- David Locates Saul's Sleeping Place 1 Samuel 26:1-5
Residents of Ziph report David's hiding place to Saul.
- David Takes the Spear but Refuses Killing 1 Samuel 26:6-12
Abishai, one of David's companions, agrees to enter Saul's camp with him at night.
- David Challenges Saul from a Distant Hill 1 Samuel 26:13-20
From a hill well away, David calls to Abner and rebukes him for failing to guard the king.
- Saul Admits Wrong but David Keeps Distance 1 Samuel 26:21-25
Saul confesses that he has sinned and behaved foolishly.
Central truth
A second chance to kill Saul becomes further proof that David will leave the king's death and his own rescue to God.
Scripture beside the summary
1 Samuel · King James Version · 251 Samuel 26:1-5
David Locates Saul's Sleeping Place
Residents of Ziph report David's hiding place to Saul. The king takes three thousand chosen men into the wilderness and sets up camp near a road. David learns that Saul is pursuing him again and sends scouts to confirm it. He then approaches and observes the camp. Saul lies in its centre with Abner, the army commander, and the soldiers around him. The arrangement is meant to protect the king. David now knows where the man hunting him is resting and how his guards are placed.
In everyday life
A private security investigator checks a festival campsite after hearing that a stalker has returned. She sends a colleague to confirm the report before approaching the tents. From a safe distance she studies the paths and where the suspect sits. Information comes before action. David is locating an armed king who intends to kill him.
Notice
1 Samuel 26:4 David sends scouts to confirm Saul's arrival. His decisions use observed information rather than relying entirely on a report that the pursuit has resumed.
1 Samuel 26:1-5
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.
1 Samuel 26:6-12
David Takes the Spear but Refuses Killing
Abishai, one of David's companions, agrees to enter Saul's camp with him at night. They find the king asleep with his spear and water jar by his head. Abishai offers to kill him with one blow, calling the chance God's gift. David refuses to attack God's appointed king. Saul's death must come by God's action, natural death, or battle, not David's hand. They take the spear and jar instead. No one wakes because God has caused the whole camp to sleep deeply.
In everyday life
The dismissed groundskeeper finds his hostile employer asleep beside the racecourse with a master key on the table. His companion urges him to destroy the irrigation controls while no one can stop them. He refuses and takes the key to show how exposed the site is. David's restraint concerns killing God's appointed king, not damaging property.
Notice
1 Samuel 26:12 The deep sleep is attributed to God. That gives David access, but David still rejects his companion's claim that access authorises killing the king.
1 Samuel 26:6-12
King James Version6Then 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.
1 Samuel 26:13-20
David Challenges Saul from a Distant Hill
From a hill well away, David calls to Abner and rebukes him for failing to guard the king. The missing spear and jar prove that someone reached Saul. Saul recognises David's voice. David asks what wrong deserves this pursuit. If God is against him, he seeks an accepted offering; if people caused it, he condemns their action. They are driving him away from the land where he belongs and worships God. He compares Saul's hunt to chasing a tiny flea or a bird in the mountains.
In everyday life
One excluded worshipper stands outside her congregation's locked meeting room holding the access card she found abandoned. She tells the caretaker that the locks have not kept the building safe, while the ban has cut her off from her community. She asks what charge supports it. David faces royal pursuit and exile from Israel's land.
Notice
1 Samuel 26:19 David describes exile as pressure toward serving other gods. Losing his place among his people would also threaten the setting of his worship and belonging.
1 Samuel 26:13-20
King James Version13Then 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.
1 Samuel 26:21-25
Saul Admits Wrong but David Keeps Distance
Saul confesses that he has sinned and behaved foolishly. He invites David back, promising not to harm him because David valued his life. David tells him to send a young man to collect the spear. He asks God to reward faithful conduct and to value his own life as he valued Saul's. Saul blesses him and predicts his success. They then go separate ways. David returns the king's property without placing himself back under the king's immediate control or treating the danger as permanently ended.
In everyday life
A former lodger leaves a recovered house key with a neighbour after the owner apologises for threatening her. She accepts the apology without moving back into the room. Returning the key honours what belongs to him while preserving distance. David's trust for future rescue rests with God, not the neighbour holding the key.
Notice
1 Samuel 26:22 David sends the spear back through another person rather than approaching Saul. The practical distance remains even after Saul's confession and promise of safety.
1 Samuel 26:21-25
King James Version21Then 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.
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.
KJV words made clear
- cruse
- A small jar or vessel, here used to hold water beside Saul's sleeping place.
Music and video connected to the passage
Related media appears when its Scripture reference overlaps this study. Music and video can illuminate a theme while the biblical text remains the foundation.
