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1 Samuel 26:7

Old Testament Historical ASV (1901)

What does 1 Samuel 26:7 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “So 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 round about him.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

So 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 round about him.
1 Samuel 26:7 — American Standard Version

Context — 1 Samuel 26

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
4David therefore sent out spies, and understood that Saul was come of a certainty.
5And David arose, and came to the place where Saul had encamped; and David beheld the place where Saul lay, and Abner the son of Ner, the captain of his host: and Saul lay within the place of the wagons, and the people were encamped round about him.
6Then 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.
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 round about him.
8Then 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.
9And David said to Abishai, Destroy him not; for who can put forth his hand against Jehovah`s anointed, and be guiltless?
10And David said, As Jehovah liveth, Jehovah will smite him; or his day shall come to die; or he shall go down into battle and perish.
← 1 Samuel 26:61 Samuel 26:8 →
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What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“So David and Abishai came to the people by night, etc.] Josephus wrongly says, that he took with him both Abishai and Ahimelech; he f513 chose to have but one, for the greater secrecy. This was a bold enterprise, for two men to go into a camp of three thousand men, though it was in the night; when though they might suppose the greater part of them were asleep, yet they could not well suppose this of all, and especially of the guards or sentinels; but no doubt David was moved to this, not merely by the dint of his natural courage, but by the Spirit of God, by whom he might be assured of protection, and that Saul and the people were cast into a deep sleep by the Lord, as they were, (<092612>1…”
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Wesley's Explanatory Notes
John Wesley (1703–1791) · Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Old Testament notes · 18th-century historical commentary
“Came - That is, to Saul's host. It might seem a bold and strange attempt; but it may be considered: That David had a particular assurance that God would preserve him to the kingdom. That he had a special instinct from God, to this work; and possibly God might inform him, that he had cast them into a deep sleep, that he might have this second opportunity of manifesting his innocency towards Saul. 1 Kings (1 Samuel) 26:9”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“sleeping: Th1 5:2, Th1 5:3 1 Kings (1 Samuel) 26:8”
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Related study paths

Read 1 Samuel 26 in contextBrowse Hebrew word studiesOpen this verse in the study reader

Sources and verification