1 Samuel 26

KJ3 Literal Translation — Chapter 26 of 31

¹ And the men of Ziph came to Saul, to Gibeah, saying, Is not David hiding himself in the hill of Hachilah, on the face of the desert?

² And Saul rose up and went down to the wilderness of Ziph, and three thousand men were with him, chosen ones of Israel, to seek David in the wilderness of Ziph.

³ And Saul camped in the hill of Hachilah which is on the face of the desert, by the way. And David was dwelling in the wilderness. And he saw that Saul had come after him into the wilderness.

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Chapter Summary

Saul comes to Hachilah against David. David stops Abishai from killing Saul, but takes his spear and cruse. David reproves Abner, and exhorts Saul. Saul acknowledges his sin.

Key Hebrew Words

מָשִׁיחַ anointed one H4899 · TWOT 1255c

חֲנִית spear H2595 · TWOT 690b

תַּרְדֵּמָה deep sleep H8639 · TWOT 2123a

צְדָקָה righteousness H6666 · TWOT 1879b

אֱמוּנָה faithfulness H530 · TWOT 116e

שָׁמַר watch over, guard H8104 · TWOT 2414

People & Context

David

Slips into Saul's camp by night, takes his spear and water jar, but refuses to harm the anointed of Jehovah

Saul

Camps at Hachilah to hunt David, is found defenseless, then confesses his sin and blesses David

Abishai

Son of Zeruiah who goes down with David and begs to pin Saul to the earth with the spear

Abner

Son of Ner, Saul's army commander, rebuked by David for failing to guard the king

Ahimelech the Hittite

Warrior whom David first asks to go down with him into Saul's camp

Timeline

Ziphites Betray David's Location

The men of Ziph again inform Saul that David is hiding at the hill of Hachilah. Saul takes 3,000 men to seek him out.

1 Samuel 26:1-3

David Infiltrates Saul's Camp

David and Abishai secretly enter Saul's camp at night and find Saul and his commander Abner fast asleep within a barricade.

1 Samuel 26:4-7

David Spares Saul a Second Time

Abishai begs to pin Saul to the ground with a spear, but David refuses to harm God's anointed, opting only to take Saul's spear and water jar.

1 Samuel 26:8-12

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