Bible Commentaries
1 Samuel 26

Verses 1-25

1 Samuel 26:6 Then 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.

1 Samuel 26:6 Comments - Abishai would go on to become one of David’s mighty men (2 Samuel 23:18).

2 Samuel 23:18, “And Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief among three. And he lifted up his spear against three hundred, and slew them, and had the name among three.”

1 Samuel 26:7 So 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 26:7 Comments - Fred Wright says the leader, or sheik, of a Bedouin tribe, when camped in groups, would place his spear in the ground beside his tent as a token of his authority over the encampment. [34] This seems to be what was happening at Saul’s tent, with his speak stuck in the ground, rather than placed in the tent.

[34] Fred H. Wright, Manners and Customs of Bible Lands [on-line]; accessed 4 August 2009; available from http://www.davidcox.com.mx/library/B/Bible Centre - Manners and Customs of Bible Lands (b).pdf; Internet, “Chapter 1: Tent Encampments.”

1 Samuel 26:10 David 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.

1 Samuel 26:10 Comments - During this season in David’s life, he was learning to let God fight his battles. David had just seen how the Lord dealt with Nabal. Therefore, these humble seasons in our lives are as important as our seasons of glory. Ecclesiastes tells us that the Lord has made the day of adversity as well as the day of prosperity (Ecclesiastes 7:14).

Ecclesiastes 7:14, “In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider: God also hath set the one over against the other, to the end that man should find nothing after him.”

1 Samuel 26:12 So 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 26:12 “because a deep sleep from the Lord was upon them” Comments - There are other examples of this deep sleep in the Scriptures.

Genesis 2:21, “And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof;”

Genesis 15:12, “And when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and, lo, an horror of great darkness fell upon him.”

Isaiah 29:10, “For the LORD hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep, and hath closed your eyes: the prophets and your rulers, the seers hath he covered.”

Why did the Lord place a deep sleep upon Saul? One preacher suggested that God was testing David to know what was in his heart.

1 Samuel 26:25 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 returned to his place.

1 Samuel 26:25 Comments - Saul pursued David no more.