Lectionary Calendar
Wednesday, July 16th, 2025
the Week of Proper 10 / Ordinary 15
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Read the Bible

Good News Translation

1 Samuel 26:8

Abishai said to David, "God has put your enemy in your power tonight. Now let me plunge his own spear through him and pin him to the ground with just one blow—I won't have to strike twice!"

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Abishai;   Citizens;   Courage;   Loyalty;   Self-Control;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Spear;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Abishai;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Guidance;   Saul, king of israel;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Prayer;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Abishai;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Abner;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Samuel, Books of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - David;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Abishai ;   Abner ;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Abishai;   Abner;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Abisha'i,;   Ab'ner;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Hebrew Monarchy, the;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Abishai;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Then Abishai said to David, “Today God has delivered your enemy to you. Let me thrust the spear through him into the ground just once. I won’t have to strike him twice!”
Hebrew Names Version
Then said Avishai to David, God has delivered up your enemy into your hand this day: now therefore please let me strike him with the spear to the eretz at one stroke, and I will not strike him the second time.
King James Version
Then 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.
Lexham English Bible
Then Abishai said to David, "God has handed over your enemy into your hand today! So then, please let me pin him to the ground with the spear one time, and I will not strike him twice."
English Standard Version
Then Abishai said to David, "God has given your enemy into your hand this day. Now please let me pin him to the earth with one stroke of the spear, and I will not strike him twice."
New Century Version
Abishai said to David, "Today God has handed your enemy over to you. Let me pin Saul to the ground with my spear. I'll only have to do it once. I won't need to hit him twice."
New English Translation
Abishai said to David, "Today God has delivered your enemy into your hands. Now let me drive the spear right through him into the ground with one swift jab! A second jab won't be necessary!"
Amplified Bible
Then Abishai said to David, "God has given your enemy into your hand this day; now then, please let me strike him with the spear driving it to the ground with one stroke, and I will not strike him the second time."
New American Standard Bible
Then Abishai said to David, "Today God has handed your enemy over to you; now then, please let me pin him with the spear to the ground with one thrust, and I will not do it to him a second time."
Geneva Bible (1587)
Then saide Abishai to Dauid, God hath closed thine enemie into thine hande this day: now therefore, I pray thee, let me smite him once with a speare to the earth, and I will not smite him againe.
Legacy Standard Bible
Then Abishai said to David, "Today God has surrendered your enemy into your hand; so now, please let me strike him with the spear to the ground with one stroke, and I will not strike him the second time."
Contemporary English Version
Abishai whispered, "This time God has let you get your hands on your enemy! I'll pin him to the ground with one thrust of his own spear."
Complete Jewish Bible
Avishai said to David, "God has handed your enemy over to you today; so now, please, let me pin him to the ground with just one stroke of the spear. I won't strike him a second time."
Darby Translation
And Abishai said to David, God has delivered thine enemy into thy hand this day; and now let me smite him, I pray thee, with the spear, even to the ground once, and I will not do it the second time.
Easy-to-Read Version
Abishai said to David, "Today God has given your enemy to you. Let me pin Saul to the ground with his spear. I'll only do it once!"
George Lamsa Translation
Then said Abishai to David, Your God has delivered your enemy into your hands this day; now therefore let me smite him just once with this spear which is on the ground, and I will not smite him the second time.
Literal Translation
And Abishai said to David, God has shut up your enemy into your hand today. And now please let me strike him with a spear, even to the earth one time, and I will not repeat it to him.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
The sayde Abisai vnto Dauid: God hath closed thine enemye in thyne hande this daye. Therfore will I now thrust him thorow once with the speare euen in to the grounde, yt he shall haue ynough of it.
American Standard Version
Then said Abishai to David, God hath delivered up thine enemy into thy hand this day: now therefore let me smite him, I pray thee, with the spear to the earth at one stroke, and I will not smite him the second time.
Bible in Basic English
Then Abishai said to David, God has given up your hater into your hands today; now let me give him one blow through to the earth with his spear, and there will be no need to give him a second.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Then saide Abisai to Dauid, God hath closed thyne enemie into thyne hand thys day: Nowe I pray thee let me smite him once with my speare to the earth, & I will not smite him the second tyme.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
Then said Abishai to David: 'God hath delivered up thine enemy into thy hand this day; now therefore let me smite him, I pray thee, with the spear to the earth at one stroke, and I will not smite him the second time.'
King James Version (1611)
Then said Abishai to Dauid, God hath deliuered thine enemie into thine hand this day: now therefore let mee smite him, I pray thee, with the speare, euen to the earth at once, and I will not smite him the second time.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And Abessa said to David, The Lord has this day shut up thine enemy into thine hands, and now I will smite him to the earth with the spear to the ground once for all, and I will not smite him again.
English Revised Version
Then said Abishai to David, God hath delivered up thine enemy into thine hand this day: now therefore let me smite him, I pray thee, with the spear to the earth at one stroke, and I will not smite him the second time.
Berean Standard Bible
Abishai said to David, "Today God has delivered your enemy into your hand. Now, therefore, please let me thrust the spear through him into the ground with one stroke. I will not need to strike him twice!"
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And Abisay seide to Dauid, God hath closid to dai thin enemy in to thin hondis; now therfor Y schal peerse hym with a spere onys in the erthe, and `no nede schal be the secounde tyme.
Young's Literal Translation
And Abishai saith unto David, `God hath shut up to-day thine enemy into thy hand; and, now, let me smite him, I pray thee, with a spear, even into the earth at once -- and I do repeat [it] to him.'
Update Bible Version
Then Abishai said to David, God has delivered up your enemy into your hand this day: now therefore let me smite him, I pray you, with the spear to the earth at one stroke, and I will not smite him the second time.
Webster's Bible Translation
Then said Abishai to David, God hath delivered thy enemy into thy 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.
World English Bible
Then said Abishai to David, God has delivered up your enemy into your hand this day: 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.
New King James Version
Then Abishai said to David, "God has delivered your enemy into your hand this day. Now therefore, please, let me strike him at once with the spear, right to the earth; and I will not have to strike him a second time!"
New Living Translation
"God has surely handed your enemy over to you this time!" Abishai whispered to David. "Let me pin him to the ground with one thrust of the spear; I won't need to strike twice!"
New Life Bible
Abishai said to David, "Today God has given the one who hates you into your hand. Now let me nail him to the earth with the spear, hitting him just once. I will not hit him a second time."
New Revised Standard
Abishai said to David, "God has given your enemy into your hand today; now therefore let me pin him to the ground with one stroke of the spear; I will not strike him twice."
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Then said Abishai unto David, God hath surrendered, to-day, thine enemy, into thy hand: Now, therefore, let me smite him, I pray thee, with the spear to the earth, at one stroke, I, will not do it twice.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And Abisai said to David: God hath shut up thy enemy this day into thy hands: now then I will run him through with my spear, even to the earth at once, and there shall be no need of a second time.
Revised Standard Version
Then said Abi'shai to David, "God has given your enemy into your hand this day; now therefore let me pin him to the earth with one stroke of the spear, and I will not strike him twice."
THE MESSAGE
Abishai said, "This is the moment! God has put your enemy in your grasp. Let me nail him to the ground with his spear. One hit will do it, believe me; I won't need a second!"
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Then Abishai said to David, "Today God has delivered your enemy into your hand; now therefore, please let me strike him with the spear to the ground with one stroke, and I will not strike him the second time."

Contextual Overview

6 Then David asked Ahimelech the Hittite, and Abishai the brother of Joab (their mother was Zeruiah), "Which of you two will go to Saul's camp with me?" "I will," Abishai answered. 7 So that night David and Abishai entered Saul's camp and found Saul sleeping in the center of the camp with his spear stuck in the ground near his head. Abner and the troops were sleeping around him. 8 Abishai said to David, "God has put your enemy in your power tonight. Now let me plunge his own spear through him and pin him to the ground with just one blow—I won't have to strike twice!" 9 But David said, "You must not harm him! The Lord will certainly punish whoever harms his chosen king. 10 By the living Lord ," David continued, "I know that the Lord himself will kill Saul, either when his time comes to die a natural death or when he dies in battle. 11 The Lord forbid that I should try to harm the one whom the Lord has made king! Let's take his spear and his water jar, and go." 12 So David took the spear and the water jar from right beside Saul's head, and he and Abishai left. No one saw it or knew what had happened or even woke up—they were all sound asleep, because the Lord had sent a heavy sleep on them all.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

God: 1 Samuel 26:23, 1 Samuel 23:14, 1 Samuel 24:4, 1 Samuel 24:18, 1 Samuel 24:19, Joshua 21:44, Judges 1:4

delivered: Heb. shut up, 1 Samuel 24:18, Deuteronomy 32:30, Psalms 31:8, Romans 11:32, *marg. Galatians 3:22, Galatians 3:23

the second time: Nahum 1:9

Reciprocal: 1 Samuel 23:7 - God hath 1 Samuel 24:10 - bade me 1 Samuel 26:15 - there came 2 Samuel 18:28 - delivered up 2 Samuel 19:22 - What have 2 Samuel 20:10 - struck him not again 2 Kings 6:21 - shall 1 Chronicles 18:12 - Moreover Job 12:14 - he shutteth Job 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

Cross-References

Genesis 26:18
He dug once again the wells which had been dug during the time of Abraham and which the Philistines had stopped up after Abraham's death. Isaac gave the wells the same names that his father had given them.
Genesis 26:19
Isaac's servants dug a well in the valley and found water.
Judges 5:28
Sisera's mother looked out of the window; she gazed from behind the lattice. "Why is his chariot so late in coming?" she asked. "Why are his horses so slow to return?"
Proverbs 7:6
Once I was looking out the window of my house,
Ecclesiastes 9:9
Enjoy life with the one you love, as long as you live the useless life that God has given you in this world. Enjoy every useless day of it, because that is all you will get for all your trouble.
Song of Solomon 2:9
My lover is like a gazelle, like a young stag. There he stands beside the wall. He looks in through the window and glances through the lattice.
Isaiah 62:5
Like a young man taking a virgin as his bride, He who formed you will marry you. As a groom is delighted with his bride, So your God will delight in you.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Then said Abishai to David,.... Seeing Saul fast asleep, and a spear so near him:

God hath delivered thine enemy into thine hand this day: or at this time, properly it was night:

now therefore let me smite him, I pray thee, with the spear; with Saul's own spear, which was stuck in the ground at his bolster. He remembered that David would not put forth his hand to stay him before, when he had an opportunity; and since now another offered, he did not move it to him to do it, but begged leave to do it himself; which he might think would be granted, since there was such a remarkable hand of Providence in it, which seemed to direct to such a step:

even to the earth at once, and I will not [smite] him the second time; signifying, that he would give such a home blow or thrust, that the spear should pierce through him, and fasten him to the ground, that there would be no need to repeat it.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 1 Samuel 26:8. God hath delivered thine enemy into thine hand — Here Abishai uses the same language as did David's men, when Saul came into the cave at En-gedi, (see 1 Samuel 24:4, &c.,) and David uses the same language in reply.


 
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