1 Samuel 26
Overview
26:1 Saul, by the discovery of the Ziphites, comes to Hachilah against David;
26:4 David coming into the trench stays Abishai from killing Saul, but takes his spear and cruse;
26:13 David reproves Abner;
26:17 and exhorts Saul;
26:21 Saul acknowledges his sin. Verse 1 Ziphites Joshua 15:24, 15:55 Doth not 1 Samuel 26:3, 23:19; Psalm 54:1 *titleReciprocal 1 Samuel 19:19 - General; 1 Chronicles 2:42 - Ziph; 28:4 - the house of my father; Psalm 140:2 - continually; Habakkuk 3:1 - wandered Verse 2 Saul arose 1 Samuel 23:23-25, 24:17; Psalm 38:12, 140:4-9 three thousand 1 Samuel 24:2 Reciprocal Genesis 37:20 - and we; Numbers 24:1 - saw; Joshua 15:55 - Ziph; Psalm 17:11 - compassed; 120:7 - when Verse 3 Hachilah 1 Samuel 26:1, 23:19 Reciprocal Psalm 17:11 - compassed Verse 4 Joshua 2:1; Matthew 10:16 Reciprocal Genesis 42:9 - Ye are spies; 1 Samuel 24:15 - deliver Verse 5 Abner 1 Samuel 9:1, 14:50, 14:51, 17:55; 2 Samuel 2:8-12, 3:7, 3:8, 3:27, 3:33-38; 1 Chronicles 9:39 trenchor, midst of his carriages, 1 Samuel 17:20
The word maugal never signifies a ditch or rampart, but a chariot or waggon way. Nor does it seem to denote a ring of carriages, as Buxtorf and others interpret the word; for it is not probable that Saul would encumber his army with baggage in so rapid a pursuit, nor that so mountainous a country was practicable for waggons. It appears simply to mean here, the circular encampment (from agal, "round") which these troops formed, in the midst of which, as being the place of honour, Saul reposed. An Arab camp, D'Arvieux informs us, is always circular, when the disposition of the ground will permit, the prince being in the middle, and the troops at a respectful distance around him. Add to which, their lances are fixed near them in the ground all the day long, ready for action.
Verse 6 Hittite Genesis 10:15, 15:20; 2 Samuel 11:6, 11:21, 11:24, 12:9, 23:39 to Abishai 2:18, 16:9, 16:10, 18:5, 23:18; 1 Chronicles 2:16 Zeruiah 2:15, 2:16 Who will go 1 Samuel 14:6, 14:7; Judges 7:10, 7:11 Reciprocal Genesis 23:3 - Heth; 2 Samuel 20:6 - Abishai; 1 Chronicles 11:20 - Abishai; 18:12 - Moreover Verse 7 sleeping 1 Thessalonians 5:2, 5:3 Reciprocal 1 Samuel 26:12 - So David Verse 8 God 1 Samuel 26:23, 23:14, 24:4, 24:18, 24:19; Joshua 21:44; Judges 1:4 deliveredHeb. shut up, 1 Samuel 24:18; Deuteronomy 32:30; Psalm 31:8; Romans 11:32 *marg. Galatians 3:22, 3:23 the second time Nahum 1:9 Reciprocal 1 Samuel 23:7 - God hath; 24:10 - bade me; 26:15 - there came; 2 Samuel 18:28 - delivered up; 19:22 - What have; 20:10 - struck him not again; 2 Kings 6:21 - shall; 1 Chronicles 18:12 - Moreover; Job 12:14 - he shutteth; 31:31 - the men; Proverbs 24:11 - General; Isaiah 33:15 - stoppeth; Jeremiah 40:15 - Let; Hosea 11:9 - return; Matthew 5:39 - That; Luke 9:55 - and rebuked Verse 9 who can stretch 1 Samuel 24:6, 24:7; 2 Samuel 1:14, 1:16; Psalm 105:15 Reciprocal Exodus 22:28 - nor curse; 1 Samuel 12:5 - his anointed; 23:7 - God hath; 24:10 - the Lord's; 25:33 - avenging; 26:16 - Lord's; 26:23 - I would not; 2 Samuel 19:21 - cursed; 20:21 - lifted; 1 Kings 21:3 - The Lord; 2 Kings 8:15 - And it came; Psalm 7:4 - I have; 119:61 - but I; 119:87 - but I forsook; Proverbs 24:11 - General; Lamentations 4:20 - the anointed Verse 10 the Lord liveth 1 Samuel 24:15, 25:26, 25:38; Psalm 94:1, 94:2, 94:23; Luke 18:7; Romans 12:19; Revelation 18:8 his day Genesis 47:29; Deuteronomy 31:14; Job 7:1, 14:5, 14:14; Psalm 37:10, 37:13; Ecclesiastes 3:2; Habakkuk 3:1 he shall descend 1 Samuel 31:6; Deuteronomy 32:35 Reciprocal 1 Samuel 24:12 - Lord judge; 25:33 - avenging; 2 Samuel 12:15 - struck the child; 1 Kings 17:12 - As the Lord; 1 Chronicles 17:8 - have cut off; 2 Chronicles 13:20 - Lord; Job 34:20 - without; Psalm 7:16 - General; 31:15 - My times; 59:10 - let; 62:3 - ye shall; 63:10 - They shall fall; 143:12 - of thy mercy; Proverbs 24:16 - but; Micah 7:9 - until Verse 11 that I should 1 Samuel 24:6, 24:12; 2 Samuel 1:14, 1:16 Reciprocal 1 Samuel 10:1 - a vial; 26:16 - Lord's; 26:23 - I would not; 2 Samuel 23:17 - Be it far; Psalm 17:3 - shalt; 94:23 - cut them; Luke 18:7 - avenge Verse 12 So David 1 Samuel 26:7, 24:4 a deep sleep Genesis 2:21, 15:12; Esther 6:1; Isaiah 29:10 Reciprocal Psalm 76:6 - dead Verse 13 the top 1 Samuel 24:8; Judges 9:7
David, by retiring to a place of safety before he called to Abner, seems to have manifested more distrust of Saul than he had done on a former occasion. Yet he desired that Saul and all Israel should be informed of his conduct at this time. Abner and his soldiers, by neglecting to guard Saul when he slept, had exposed his life, and merited to be treated as his enemies, though he confided in them as friends; for, although their sound sleep was undoubtedly supernatural, yet there might be a neglect of placing sentinels, arising from contempt of David's small company. Saul also deemed David his enemy, though he had before spared and protected his life.Reciprocal Genesis 22:4 - saw; Isaiah 40:9 - get Verse 14 Reciprocal 2 Samuel 2:8 - Abner; Isaiah 40:9 - get Verse 15 there came 1 Samuel 26:8 Reciprocal Daniel 4:19 - My Lord; Matthew 26:40 - What Verse 16 worthy to dieHeb. the sons of death, 1 Samuel 20:31; 2 Samuel 12:5, 19:28; Psalm 79:11, 102:20 *marg. Ephesians 2:3 Lord's 1 Samuel 26:9, 26:11, 24:6 Reciprocal Deuteronomy 21:22 - General; 1 Kings 2:26 - worthy of death; Lamentations 4:20 - the anointed; Matthew 26:40 - What Verse 17 Is this thy 1 Samuel 24:8, 24:16 Reciprocal Genesis 32:4 - my lord; 42:10 - General; 2 Kings 8:5 - My lord Verse 18 Wherefore 1 Samuel 24:9, 24:11-14; Psalm 7:3-5, 35:7, 69:4 what have I 1 Samuel 17:29; John 8:46, 10:32, 18:23 Reciprocal Genesis 20:9 - What hast; 1 Samuel 29:8 - But what have; Psalm 59:3 - not; 109:3 - fought; 119:78 - without; 119:161 - Princes; Jeremiah 37:18 - General; Lamentations 3:52 - without; Daniel 6:22 - and also; Mark 14:48 - Are Verse 19 let my lord 1 Samuel 25:24; Genesis 44:18 stirred 1 Samuel 16:14-23, 18:10; 2 Samuel 16:11, 24:1; 1 Kings 22:22; 1 Chronicles 21:1 acceptHeb. smell, Genesis 8:21; Leviticus 26:31; Psalm 119:1-8 cursed Proverbs 6:16-19, 30:10; Galatians 1:8, 1:9, 5:12; 2 Timothy 4:14 they have driven Deuteronomy 4:27, 4:28; Joshua 22:25-27; Psalm 42:1, 42:2, 120:5; Isaiah 60:5; Romans 14:15 abidingHeb. cleavingthe inheritance 2 Samuel 14:16, 20:19 Reciprocal Genesis 16:8 - I flee; 20:9 - What hast; Exodus 32:21 - General; Deuteronomy 27:15 - Cursed be; Judges 5:23 - Curse ye; 17:2 - cursedst; 1 Samuel 24:9 - General; 1 Kings 11:14 - the Lord; 16:2 - hast made my people; 2 Chronicles 21:16 - the Lord; 36:22 - the Lord stirred; Psalm 7:3 - if I; 27:12 - false; 37:3 - so shalt; Proverbs 28:10 - causeth; Jeremiah 43:5 - took; Micah 2:9 - from their children Verse 20 let not my 1 Samuel 2:9, 25:29 the king 24:14; Matthew 26:47, 26:55 a fleaParosh, (in Arabic borghooth, Syriac, poorthano,) the well known little contemptible and troublesome insect, the flea, seems to be so called from its agility in leaping and skipping, from para, "free," and raash, "to leap, bound." David, by comparing himself to this insect, seems to import, that while it would cost Saul much pains to catch him, he would obtain but very little advantage from it.a partridgeKorai certainly denotes the partridge, which is called in Arabic, kiraa. It seems to be so called from the cry or cur which it utters when calling its young.Reciprocal 1 Samuel 24:11 - thou huntest; 2 Samuel 9:8 - a dead dog; Psalm 49:5 - heels; 124:6 - who hath not; Jeremiah 16:16 - hunters; Micah 7:2 - hunt Verse 21 I have sinned 1 Samuel 15:24, 15:30, 24:17; Exodus 9:27; Numbers 22:34; Matthew 27:4 I will no 1 Samuel 27:4 my soul 26:24, 18:30; Psalm 49:8, 116:15 Reciprocal Exodus 10:16 - I have; Joshua 7:15 - wrought; 2 Samuel 19:19 - did perversely; 24:10 - foolishly; 2 Kings 1:14 - let my life; 1 Chronicles 21:8 - I have done; Psalm 7:4 - without; 36:3 - The words; 62:9 - of high; Proverbs 19:19 - man; Jeremiah 34:11 - General; Romans 12:20 - if thine Verse 23 render 1 Kings 8:32; Nehemiah 13:14; Psalm 7:8, 7:9, 18:20-26 I would not 1 Samuel 26:9, 26:11, 24:6, 24:7 Reciprocal Genesis 30:33 - righteousness; 1 Samuel 22:14 - And who; 24:4 - I will deliver; 24:12 - Lord judge; 24:18 - Lord; 25:31 - avenged; 26:8 - God; 2 Samuel 22:21 - rewarded; 1 Chronicles 12:17 - God; Job 33:26 - he will; Psalm 17:3 - shalt; 18:23 - upright; 25:21 - General; Titus 2:10 - showing Verse 24 as thy life Psalm 18:25; Matthew 5:7, 7:2 let him deliver Genesis 48:16; Psalm 18:1 *title 18:48, 34:17, 34:18, 144:2; Acts 14:22; 2 Corinthians 1:9, 1:10; 2 Thessalonians 3:2; Revelation 7:14 Reciprocal 1 Samuel 26:21 - my soul; 2 Samuel 22:1 - and out; 2 Kings 1:14 - let my life; 1 Chronicles 12:17 - God; Psalm 7:4 - I have; 54:7 - For he; 119:87 - but I forsook Verse 25 Blessed 1 Samuel 24:19; Numbers 24:9, 24:10 prevail Genesis 32:28; Isaiah 54:17; Hosea 12:4; Romans 8:35, 8:37 So David 1 Samuel 24:22; Proverbs 26:25 Reciprocal 1 Samuel 17:37 - Go; 18:28 - General Verse 1 am And David 1 Samuel 16:1, 16:13, 23:17, 25:30; Psalm 116:11; Proverbs 13:12; Isaiah 40:27-31, 51:12; Matthew 14:31; Mark 4:40; 2 Corinthians 7:5 I shallThis was a rash conclusion: God had caused him to be anointed king of Israel, and promised his accession to the throne, and had so often interposed in his behalf, that he was authorised to believe the very reverse.perishHeb. be consumedthere is nothing 1 Samuel 22:5; Exodus 14:12; Numbers 14:3; Proverbs 3:5, 3:6; Isaiah 30:15, 30:16; Lamentations 3:26, 3:27 into the land 1 Samuel 27:10, 27:11, 21:10-15, 28:1, 28:2, 29:2-11, 30:1-3 Reciprocal Genesis 12:12 - will kill; 14:7 - Amalekites; 19:19 - lest some; 34:30 - and I shall; 42:36 - all these things are against me; Judges 15:18 - and fall; 1 Samuel 20:3 - but truly; 23:14 - Saul; 2 Samuel 22:1 - and out; 1 Kings 12:26 - Now shall; 19:3 - he arose; 2 Kings 8:2 - land; Psalm 11:1 - how; 31:22 - I said; 34:4 - from; 55:7 - General; 56:8 - tellest; 142:4 - refuge; Proverbs 24:10 - thou; 27:8 - man; 29:25 - fear; Lamentations 3:18 - General; Acts 25:11 - I appeal; 2 Corinthians 1:8 - insomuch Verse 2 DavidThis measure of David's, in uniting himself to the enemies of his God and people, was highly blameable; was calculated to alienate the affections of the Israelites; and led to equivocation, if not downright falsehood.the six 1 Samuel 25:13, 30:8 Achish 21:10; 1 Kings 2:40 Reciprocal Judges 11:3 - vain men; 2 Samuel 2:3 - his men; 1 Kings 2:39 - Achish; 2 Kings 12:17 - against Gath; 1 Chronicles 12:1 - these are Verse 3 with his two 1 Samuel 25:3, 25:18-35, 25:42, 25:43, 30:5 Reciprocal 2 Samuel 2:3 - his men; 15:18 - Gittites; 1 Kings 2:39 - Achish; 1 Chronicles 3:1 - Ahinoam Verse 4 he sought 1 Samuel 26:21 Reciprocal 17:4 - of Gath; 1 Chronicles 18:1 - Gath Verse 5 some town Genesis 46:34; 2 Corinthians 6:17 Reciprocal Joshua 10:2 - the royal cities Verse 6 ZiklagZiklag was at first given to the tribe of Judah, but was afterwards ceded to that of Simeon; but as it bordered on the Philistines, if they had ever been expelled, they had retaken it. Eusebius simply says it was situated in the south of Canaan. 1 Samuel 30:1, 30:14, 19:5; 2 Samuel 1:1; 1 Chronicles 4:30, 12:1, 12:20; Nehemiah 11:28 Reciprocal Joshua 15:31 - Ziklag; 19:5 - Ziklag Verse 7 the timeHeb. the number of daysa full yearHeb. a year of days, 1 Samuel 29:3
Verse 8 am the Geshurites Joshua 13:2, 13:13; 2 Samuel 13:37, 13:38, 14:23, 14:32, 15:8; 1 Chronicles 2:23 Gezritesor, Gerzites, These people seem to be the Gerrhenians (2; Mac 13:24) whose chief city, Gerrha, is mentioned by Strabo as lying between Gaza and Pelusium in Egypt.the Amalekites Joshua 16:10; Judges 1:29; 1 Kings 9:15-17 as thou goest 1 Samuel 15:7, 15:8, 30:1; Exodus 17:14-16 Reciprocal Numbers 24:20 - his latter end; Deuteronomy 25:19 - thou shalt; Joshua 12:5 - unto the; 2 Samuel 1:8 - an Amalekite; 3:3 - Geshur; 1 Chronicles 18:11 - Amalek Verse 9 left neither 1 Samuel 15:7; Genesis 16:7, 25:18; Exodus 15:22 and the camels 1 Samuel 15:3; Deuteronomy 25:17-19; Joshua 6:21 Reciprocal Exodus 17:14 - for I will; Numbers 24:20 - his latter end; 31:7 - all; 2 Kings 9:15 - none go forth; 1 Chronicles 18:11 - Amalek Verse 10 Whitheretc. or, Did you not make a roadAnd David 1 Samuel 21:2; Genesis 27:19, 27:20, 27:24; Joshua 2:4-6; 2 Samuel 17:20; Psalm 119:29, 119:163; Proverbs 29:25; Galatians 2:11-13; Ephesians 4:25 AgainstDavid here meant the Geshurites, and Gezrites, and Amalekites, which people occupied that part of the country which lies to the south of Judah. But Achish, as was intended, understood him in a different sense, and believed that he had attacked his own countrymen. David's answer, therefore, though not an absolute falsehood, was certainly an equivocation intended to deceive, and therefore incompatible with that sense of truth and honour which became him as a prince, and a professor of true religion. From these, and similar passages, we may observe the strict impartiality of the Sacred Scriptures. They present us with the most faithful delineation of human nature; they exhibit the frailties of kings, priests, and prophets, with equal truth; and examples of vice and frailty, as well as of piety and virtue, are held up, that we may guard against the errors to which the best men are exposed.the Jerahmeelites 1 Chronicles 2:9, 2:25 Kenites 1 Samuel 15:6; Numbers 24:21; Judges 1:16, 4:11, 5:24 Reciprocal Genesis 13:1 - the south; Judges 16:7 - If they bind; 1 Samuel 27:1 - into the land; 28:2 - Surely; 30:29 - Jerahmeelites Verse 11 Lest 1 Samuel 22:22; Proverbs 12:19, 29:25 Reciprocal 1 Samuel 27:1 - into the land; 30:2 - slew not; 2 Samuel 17:20 - They be gone; Jeremiah 41:4 - after Verse 12 utterly to abhorHeb. to stink, 1 Samuel 13:4; Genesis 34:30 Reciprocal Exodus 5:21 - to be abhorred; 21:6 - for ever; 1 Samuel 28:1 - thou shalt go; 2 Samuel 10:6 - stank; 16:21 - then shall; 17:20 - They be gone; 1 Chronicles 19:6 - odious