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1 Samuel 26

David spares the king who hunts him, leaving Saul’s fate with YHWH and seeking deliverance from the same judge.

The Ziphites tell Saul where David is hiding, and Saul pursues him with three thousand chosen men. David and Abishai enter Saul’s camp at night while a deep sleep from YHWH holds everyone asleep. David refuses to let Abishai kill Saul and takes the king’s spear and water jar instead. From a safe distance, David challenges Abner’s failed watch and Saul’s pursuit. Saul admits his sin, but the two men leave by separate paths.

injustice and angertemptation
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1The Ziphites came to Saul to Gibeah, saying, “Doesn’t David hide himself in the hill of Hachilah, which is before the desert?”
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.
4David therefore sent out spies, and understood that Saul had certainly come.
5Then David arose and came to the place where Saul had encamped; and David saw the place where Saul lay, with Abner the son of Ner, the captain of his army. Saul lay within the place of the wagons, and the people were encamped around him.
6Then David answered and said to Ahimelech the Hittite, and to Abishai the son of Zeruiah, brother of Joab, saying, “Who will go down with me to Saul to the camp?” Abishai said, “I will go down with you.”
7So David and Abishai came to the people by night; and, behold, Saul lay sleeping within the place of the wagons, with his spear stuck in the ground at his head; and Abner and the people lay around him.
8Then Abishai said to David, “God has delivered up your enemy into your hand today. Now therefore please let me strike him with the spear to the earth at one stroke, and I will not strike him the second time.”
9David said to Abishai, “Don’t destroy him, for who can stretch out his hand against the LORD’s anointed, and be guiltless?”
10David said, “As the LORD lives, the LORD will strike him; or his day shall come to die, or he shall go down into battle and perish.
11The LORD forbid that I should stretch out my hand against the LORD’s anointed; but now please take the spear that is at his head and the jar of water, and let’s go.”
12So David took the spear and the jar of water from Saul’s head, and they went away. No man saw it, or knew it, nor did any awake; for they were all asleep, because a deep sleep from the LORD had fallen on them.
13Then David went over to the other side, and stood on the top of the mountain far away, a great space being between them;
16This thing isn’t good that you have done. As the LORD lives, you are worthy to die, because you have not kept watch over your lord, the LORD’s anointed. Now see where the king’s spear is, and the jar of water that was at his head.”
17Saul recognized David’s voice, and said, “Is this your voice, my son David?” David said, “It is my voice, my lord, O king.”
18He said, “Why does my lord pursue his servant? For what have I done? What evil is in my hand?
19Now therefore, please let my lord the king hear the words of his servant. If it is so that the LORD has stirred you up against me, let him accept an offering. But if it is the children of men, they are cursed before the LORD; for they have driven me out today that I shouldn’t cling to the LORD’s inheritance, saying, ‘Go, serve other gods!’
20Now therefore, don’t let my blood fall to the earth away from the presence of the LORD; for the king of Israel has come out to seek a flea, as when one hunts a partridge in the mountains.”
21Then Saul said, “I have sinned. Return, my son David; for I will no more do you harm, because my life was precious in your eyes today. Behold, I have played the fool, and have erred exceedingly.”
23The LORD will give to every man his righteousness and his faithfulness; because the LORD delivered you into my hand today, and I wouldn’t stretch out my hand against the LORD’s anointed.
24Behold, as your life was respected today in my eyes, so let my life be respected in the LORD’s eyes, and let him deliver me out of all oppression.”
25Then Saul said to David, “You are blessed, my son David. You will both do mightily, and will surely prevail.” So David went his way, and Saul returned to his place.
World English BibleRead in NIV in Psalmlog →Highlighted verses are the most connected.
Key verses
1 Samuel 26:10David leaves the timing and manner of Saul’s death with YHWH, refusing to seize control through bloodshed.
1 Samuel 26:19David describes his exile as a threat to his place among YHWH’s people and their worship.
1 Samuel 26:23David appeals to YHWH’s just reward, distinguishing an opportunity to kill Saul from permission to do so.
Where this chapter reaches

Psalm shares David’s appeals for God to judge his cause and deliver him from those who pursue him. Romans shares the theme of leaving vengeance to God, while Matthew shares the call to show mercy toward enemies rather than repay their harm.

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After reading the whole chapter

How does David’s response to the sleeping Saul challenge the way you read an apparent opportunity?

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What do you notice about David’s mercy toward Saul alongside his choice to keep his distance?

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Questions people ask about 1 Samuel 26

Why did David refuse to kill Saul in 1 Samuel 26?

David regards Saul as YHWH’s anointed and says that killing him would bring guilt. Abishai treats Saul’s vulnerability as permission to strike, while David leaves Saul’s death to YHWH. Taking the spear and water jar provides evidence that David could have killed Saul and chose to spare him.

What does David mean by “Go, serve other gods!” in 1 Samuel 26:19?

David says those driving him from YHWH’s inheritance are pushing him toward the worship of other gods. His complaint concerns exclusion from the land and people bound to YHWH. The text does not establish whether anyone spoke those exact words or David is describing the effect of their actions.

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Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY). Scripture from the World English Bible (public domain). Arc diagram after Chris Harrison and Christoph Römhild (2007).