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1 Samuel
Chapter Twenty-six
New King James Version (NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO FIRST SAMUEL 26
This
chapter relates that Saul
upon the information of the Ziphites
went out again
with an armed force to seek David
1 Samuel 26:1; of
which David having intelligence
and of the place where he pitched
came with
one of his men and reconnoitred his camp
and finding Saul and his men asleep
took away his spear
and the cruse of water at his head
and departed
without
taking away his life
though solicited to it by his servant
1 Samuel 26:4;
which spear and cruse of water he produced to the reproach of Abner
Saul's
general
and as a testimony of his sincere regard to Saul
and that he had no
design upon his life
1 Samuel 26:13; of
which Saul being convinced
blessed David
and returned home again
1 Samuel 26:21.
1 Samuel 26:1 Now the
Ziphites came to Saul at Gibeah
saying
“Is David not hiding in the hill of
Hachilah
opposite Jeshimon?”
YLT
1And the Ziphites come in
unto Saul
at Gibeah
saying
`Is not David hiding himself in the height of
Hachilah
on the front of the desert?'
And the Ziphites came unto Saul to Gibeah
.... Of
Benjamin
called sometimes Gibeah of Saul
because it was the place of his birth
and residence; hither Saul had returned after his last interview with David;
whether
notwithstanding what had passed between him and David
he had
privately encouraged the Ziphites to watch David
and give him information of
him where he was
and when it was a proper opportunity to seize him; or whether
the Ziphites were so officious as of themselves to acquaint him with it
is not
certain; the latter is probable
since having attempted to betray David
they
might fear
that should he come to the throne
he would remember it
and
therefore they might be desirous of having him cut off by the hand of Saul:
saying
doth not David hide himself in the hill of Hachilah
which
is before Jeshimon? the same place where he was when the Ziphites before gave information
of him
1 Samuel 23:10;
here he might choose to be
supposing that the Ziphites now would not meditate
anything against him
since Saul had declared he would be king after him
and
had made him swear that he would not cut off his posterity; and as he thought
it his wisdom to provide against the worst
knowing the inconstancy of Saul
he
might judge this the most proper place of safety
and from whence he could
on
occasion
easily retreat into the wilderness; and it may be also
because it
was near to Abigail's estate and possessions
which were now a good resource
for him.
1 Samuel 26:2 2 Then
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.
YLT
2And Saul riseth
and goeth
down unto the wilderness of Ziph
and with him three thousand men
chosen ones
of Israel
to seek David in the wilderness of Ziph.
Then Saul arose
.... Immediately
glad of an opportunity to
seize on David
having the same disposition towards him as ever; and perhaps
had repented he had not laid hold on him when he followed him out of the cave:
and went down to the wilderness of Ziph: or towards
it:
having three thousand chosen men of Israel; young men
so
called
because usually chosen for business
and for war particularly
rather
than old men; the same number he took with him when he sought him at Engedi
1 Samuel 24:2
to seek David in the wilderness of Ziph; where or
whereabouts he was informed by the Ziphites he was.
1 Samuel 26:3 3 And
Saul encamped in the hill of Hachilah
which is opposite Jeshimon
by
the road. But David stayed in the wilderness
and he saw that Saul came after
him into the wilderness.
YLT
3And Saul encampeth in the
height of Hachilah
which [is] on the front of the desert
by the way
and
David is abiding in the wilderness
and he seeth that Saul hath come after him
in to the wilderness;
And Saul pitched in the hill of Hachilah
which is before
Jeshimon
by the way
.... To the wilderness; the very same place where the Ziphites
suggested David was:
but David abode in the wilderness; not in the hill of
Hachilah
but in the wilderness of Ziph itself:
and he saw that Saul came after him into the wilderness; he
understood
by some information he had
that Saul had set out from Gibeah
and
was coming to seek for him in the wilderness of Ziph; perhaps Jonathan had
given him intelligence; however
he was not quite certain
as appears by what
follows.
1 Samuel 26:4 4 David
therefore sent out spies
and understood that Saul had indeed come.
YLT
4and David sendeth spies
and knoweth that Saul hath come unto Nachon
David therefore sent out spies
.... To observe if he was
coming or come
and where he was
that he might not be surprised by him; for
though David knew the Lord was and would be his protection
he thought proper
to be upon his guard
and to make use of means for his safety:
and understood that Saul was come in very deed; that he was
most certainly come
and come to some certain place; which he himself went to
reconnoitre
as in 1 Samuel 26:5.
1 Samuel 26:5 5 So David arose and came to
the place where Saul had encamped. And David saw the place where Saul lay
and
Abner the son of Ner
the commander of his army. Now Saul lay within the camp
with the people encamped all around him.
YLT
5and David riseth
and
cometh in unto the place where Saul hath encamped
and David seeth the place
where Saul hath lain
and Abner son of Ner
head of his host
and Saul is lying
in the path
and the people are encamping round about him.
And David arose
and came to the place where Saul had pitched
.... Came near
it
within sight of it; so that he could take a view of it with his naked eye
and observe where and in what manner he was encamped:
and David beheld the place where Saul lay
and Abner the son of
Ner
the captain of his host; where he and his general
had their quarters in the camp:
and Saul lay in the trench; or circuit; not in the
foss or ditch thrown up
in which an army sometimes lies entrenched; but this
is to be understood either of the camp itself
so called
as Ben Gersom
Abarbinel
and Ben Melech think
because it lay in a circular form
that all
comers to it on every side might be seen; or else a sort of fortress all around
the camp
made of carriages joined together; and as the word signifies a
carriage
cart or chariot
it may design the chariot in which Saul slept
as
kings have been used to do when not in their houses; and to this the Septuagint
agrees
which uses a word that Procopius Gazaeus says signifies one kind of a
chariot
and is used of a chariot drawn by mules
in the Greek version of Isaiah 66:20;
Grotius observes
kings used to sleep in chariots where there were no houses;
See Gill on 1 Samuel 17:20;
though he rather seems to have slept
"sub die"
in the open air:
and the people pitched round about him; both for the
sake of honour
and for his greater security; this shows it could not be the
loss he laid in
for then they could not pitch around him.
1 Samuel 26:6 6 Then 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 in the camp?” And Abishai said
“I will go down with you.”
YLT
6And David answereth and
saith unto Ahimelech the Hittite
and unto Abishai son of Zeruiah
brother of
Joab
saying
`Who doth go down with me unto Saul
unto the camp?' and Abishai
saith
`I -- I go down with thee.'
Then answered David
.... Or addressed himself
to the two following persons:
and said to Ahimelech the Hittite; who was either an
Hittite by birth
but was become a proselyte
or he was an Israelite that had
dwelt among the Hittites
and so had this name given him; the former seems most
probable; some sayF11Hieron. Trad. Heb. in lib. Reg. fol. 76. M.
this was Uriah the Hittite:
and to Abishai the son of Zeruiah
brother to Joab; Zeruiah was
the sister of David
1 Chronicles 2:15;
and these were two sons of hers
who very probably joined David at the cave of
Adullam
1 Samuel 22:1
saying
who will go down with me to Saul to the camp? that is
which of you two?
and Abishai said
I will go down with thee; the other
being timorous
or Abishai being most forward spoke first.
1 Samuel 26:7 7 So David and Abishai came
to the people by night; and there Saul lay sleeping within the camp
with his
spear stuck in the ground by his head. And Abner and the people lay all around
him.
YLT
7And David cometh -- and
Abishai -- unto the people by night
and lo
Saul is lying sleeping in the
path
and his spear struck into the earth at his pillow
and abner and the
people are lying round about him.
So David and Abishai came to the people by night
.... JosephusF12Antiqu.
l. 6. c. 13. sect. 9. wrongly says
that he took with him both Abishai and
Ahimelech; he 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
1 Samuel 26:12; and
this the Lord moved him to
that he might have an opportunity a second time to
convince Saul of his innocence
and that he had no design upon his life:
and
behold
Saul lay sleeping within the trench; See Gill on 1 Samuel 26:5
and his spear stuck in the ground at his bolster; ready to take
up and defend himself
should he be surprised; or this was his sceptre
which
he always carried about with him
as an ensign of royalty
and by which very
probably David knew which was Saul's tent or couch
where he slept:
but Abner and the people lay round about him; as in 1 Samuel 26:5.
1 Samuel 26:8 8 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!”
YLT
8And 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.'
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.
1 Samuel 26:9 9 But David said to Abishai
“Do not destroy him; for who can stretch out his hand against the Lord’s anointed
and be guiltless?”
YLT
9And David saith unto
Abishai
`Destroy him not; for who hath put forth his hand against the anointed
of Jehovah
and been acquitted?'
And David said to Abishai
destroy him not
.... He laid
his commands upon him not to hurt him:
for who can stretch forth his hand against the Lord's anointed
and be guiltless? since Saul was king
and appointed to that office by the Lord
and was anointed by his order for it
and invested with it by him
his person
was sacred
and not to be touched; nor could his life be taken away by any
without being guilty of a very great crime indeed
which it might be justly
expected the Lord would resent and punish.
1 Samuel 26:10 10 David said furthermore
“As
the Lord
lives
the Lord
shall strike him
or his day shall come to die
or he shall go out to battle
and perish.
YLT
10And David saith
`Jehovah
liveth; except Jehovah doth smite him
or his day come that he hath died
or
into battle he go down
and hath been consumed –
And David said furthermore
.... In order to make
Abishai easy
and prevent his doing what he proposed:
as the Lord liveth; which was the
form of an oath
made to assure Abishai of the truth of what follows
and
therefore he need not be hasty to put Saul to death
since it would not be long
before he should die
in one or other of the three following ways: either
the Lord shall smite him; suddenly
which the Jews
call cutting off
or death by the hand of heaven
by the immediate hand of God:
or his day shall come to die; the time appointed for
him to die a natural death
of some disease common to men:
or he shall descend into battle
and perish; which was
commonly reckoned death
casual or accidental
and in which last way Saul did
die
1 Samuel 31:3.
1 Samuel 26:11 11 The Lord forbid that I
should stretch out my hand against the Lord’s anointed. But please
take now the spear and the jug of water that are by his head
and let us
go.”
YLT
11far be it from me
by
Jehovah
from putting forth my hand against the anointed of Jehovah; and
now
take
I pray thee
the spear which [is] at his pillow
and the cruse of water
and we go away.'
The Lord forbid that I should stretch forth mine hand against the
Lord's anointed
.... Or suffer any about him to do it; he speaks of it with the
utmost detestation and abhorrence:
but
I pray thee
take thou now the spear that is at his
bolster; not to smite him with
as he desired
but to carry off
and was
no other than his sceptre; See Gill on 1 Samuel 20:33
and the cruse of water; which stood in the same
place
as appears by 1 Samuel 26:12.
Some take this to be a pot to make water in; others an hourglass
to know the
time of night
in which not sand
but water
flowed for that purpose: but
rather this was for his refreshment should he be hot and thirsty in the night
or to purify him from any nocturnal pollution that might happen; for
according
to Clemens of AlexandriaF13Stromat. l. 4. p. 531.
it was a custom
of the Jews often to purify themselves in bed: though Fortunatus ScacchusF14Elaeochrism.
Myrothec. l. I. c. 44. col. 224. thinks Saul had this pot or cup for a
religious use; which he had with him
and with it gave thanks to God
the
author of all good
whenever he sat down to a meal; such as the golden cup
Philip king of Macedon always had under his pillow when he sleptF15Plin.
Nat. Hist. l. 33. c. 3. :
and let us go; and do nothing more; which would be
sufficient to convince they had been there
and to show what was in their power
to do
had they been so inclined.
1 Samuel 26:12 12 So David took the spear
and the jug of water by Saul’s head
and they got away; and no man saw
or knew it or awoke. For they were all asleep
because a deep
sleep from the Lord
had fallen on them.
YLT
12And David taketh the spear
and the cruse of water at the pillow of Saul
and they go away
and there is
none seeing
and there is none knowing
and there is none awaking
for all of
them are sleeping
for a deep sleep [from] Jehovah hath fallen upon them.
So David took the spear
and the cruse of water
from Saul's
bolster
.... Abishai either refusing to take them
since he might not
take away his life; or it may be rather David thought better of it
and took
them himself
lest Abishai should be tempted
when so near to Saul
and his
spear in his hand
and should thrust him with it; though David may be said to
take them by the hands of Abishai:
and they gat them away; with the above things
along with them:
and no man saw it
nor knew it; saw them in
the camp
or knew what they did:
neither awaked; at their talking together
at the motion of
their feet
and taking away the spear and cruse:
for they were all asleep; which was very
extraordinary
that among three thousand men none should be awake
not even the
sentinels; which might seem impossible in a natural way
but it is accounted
for by what follows:
because a deep sleep from the Lord was fallen upon them; or "a
sleep of the Lord"F16תרדמת יהוה
"sopor Domini"
V. L. Montanus
Munsterus
"altus sopor Jehovae"
Junias & Tremellius
Piscator. ; a very
great one
an uncommon one; so great trees
mountains
&c. are called trees
and mountains of God; or
according to our supplement
it was from the Lord
he
was the cause and author of it; he cast them into this sleep
or caused it to
fall upon them
and locked them up in it
that they might not hear David and
his servant when they came among them.
1 Samuel 26:13 13 Now David went over to the
other side
and stood on the top of a hill afar off
a great distance being
between them.
YLT
13And David passeth over to
the other side
and standeth on the top of the hill afar off -- great [is] the
place between them;
Then David went over to the other side
.... To a hill
on the other side
opposite to Hachilah
where Saul lay encamped; or
"passed over the passage"F17ויעבר
העבר "et transivit transitum"
Montanus.
the valley that lay between the two hills
and perhaps passed over a brook that
ran in the valley
which is not unusual; so JosephusF18Antiqu. l. 6.
c. 13. sect. 9. says
that he went over a brook and came to the top of a
mountain:
and stood on the top of an hill afar off; he chose the
top of an hill
that his voice might be heard at a distance
as it might in a
clear air
and still night; and to be afar off
that he might the better make
his escape
should an attempt be made to pursue him:
a great space being between them; a large
valley lying between the two hills.
1 Samuel 26:14 14 And David called out to
the people and to Abner the son of Ner
saying
“Do you not answer
Abner?” Then
Abner answered and said
“Who are you
calling out to the king?”
YLT
14and David calleth unto the
people
and unto Abner son of Ner
saying
`Dost thou not answer
Abner?' and
Abner answereth and saith
`Who [art] thou [who] hast called unto the king?'
And David cried unto the people
.... To the army of Saul
with a loud voice
that he might be heard:
and to Abner the son of Ner; particularly to him
because
he was general of the army:
saying
answerest thou not
Abner? it seems he had called
to him more than once
and he had returned no answer; perhaps not being
thoroughly awake
or not knowing whose voice it was
and from whence it came:
then Abner answered and said
who art thou that
criest to the king? but it does not appear that David called to the king
only to
the people
and to Abner their general
and therefore may be better rendered
"by the king"F19אל המלך "juxta regem"
Vatablus ; that is
near him
or "before him"F20Ceram rege
Nodlus
p. 58. No. 284.
in
his presence. Kimchi and Ben Melech explain it
upon the king
or over him; and
the Targum is
at the head of the king; the meaning is
how he could act such a
part as to call so loud within the king's hearing
as to disturb the king's
rest
and awake him out of his sleep.
1 Samuel 26:15 15 So David said to Abner
“Are
you not a man? And who is like you in Israel? Why then have you not
guarded your lord the king? For one of the people came in to destroy your lord
the king.
YLT
15And David saith unto Abner
`Art not thou a man? and who [is] like thee in Israel? but why hast thou not
watched over thy lord the king? for one of the people had come in to destroy
the king
thy lord.
And David said to Abner
art not thou a valiant man?.... Or a manF21איש "vir"
V. L. Pagninus
Montanus
Tigurine
version
Piscator.
a man of great fame for courage and valour
a man of great
authority
who had the next post in the army under Saul
but had not behaved
like a man
worthy of his character and office:
and who is like to thee in Israel? none that
bare so great a name
or was in so high an office
who therefore should have
been careful to have acted according to both:
wherefore then hast thou not kept thy lord the king? took care to
have set a guard about his person while he slept; which perhaps was neglected
through a contempt of David and his men
as being in no fear of them:
for there came one of the people in to destroy the king thy lord; that is
there had been one in the camp that night
who had entered there with that view
to have destroyed him
had he an opportunity
and which did offer; this was
true of Abishai
who no doubt went down with David into the camp with that
intent
though David did not
and therefore he says
"one of the
people"
not more; for though two went in
only one with that view: David
observes to them the danger the king was in
his carefulness of him to preserve
his life
to whom only it was owing
and the negligence of Abner
and those
under his command.
1 Samuel 26:16 16 This thing that you have
done is not good. As the Lord lives
you deserve to
die
because you have not guarded your master
the Lord’s anointed.
And now see where the king’s spear is
and the jug of water that was
by his head.”
YLT
16Not good is this thing
which thou hast done; Jehovah liveth
but ye [are] sons of death
in that ye
have not watched over your lord
over the anointed of Jehovah; and now
see
where the king's spear [is]
and the cruse of water which [is] at his bolster.'
This thing is not good that thou hast done
.... Yea
it
was very bad
a great fault
and very blameworthy
if he had neglected to set a
watch over the king
whose business it was as a general; the words are
expressed in a figure called "meiosis"
in which less is said than
was intended:
as the Lord liveth
ye are
worthy to die
because ye have not kept your master
the Lord's anointed; if a watch
was set
and these had fallen asleep
and neglected their duty
or had deserted
their post; which to do was a capital crime
and deserving of death; wherefore
he does not say this of Abner
but of the watch:
and now see where the king's spear is
and the cruse of
water that was at his bolster; which he then held up as
proofs and evidences of the truth of what be said
that one had been in the
camp and had carried off these
and who could as easily have destroyed the king
as to have taken these away; and as he came hither with an intent to destroy
him
would have done it
had he not been prevented by David; all which likewise
plainly proved the negligence of Abner
in not setting a watch about his
master
or the negligence of the watch that was set.
1 Samuel 26:17 17 Then Saul knew David’s
voice
and said
“Is that your voice
my son David?” David said
“It
is my voice
my lord
O king.”
YLT
17And Saul discerneth the
voice of David
and saith
`Is this thy voice
my son David?' and David saith
`My voice
my lord
O king!'
And Saul knew David's voice
.... Though Abner at
first did not
as appears by his words
but Saul did
by being this time
thoroughly awake through the discourse that passed between David and Abner:
and said
is this thy voice
my son David? the same
question he put before
when he followed him out of the cave; see Gill on 1 Samuel 24:16
and David said
it is my voice
my lord
O king; he not only
owns him to be king
whom he sought not to depose
but his own liege lord and
sovereign
whose commands he was ready to obey.
1 Samuel 26:18 18 And he said
“Why does my
lord thus pursue his servant? For what have I done
or what evil is in
my hand?
YLT
18and he saith
`Why [is]
this -- my lord is pursuing after his servant? for what have I done
and what
[is] in my hand evil?
And he said
wherefore doth my lord thus pursue after his servant?....
Suggesting that it was both below him to do it
and against his interest; for
David was his servant
and he would gladly have continued in his service
and
done his business
but he drove him from it
and pursued him as a traitor
when
he had not been guilty of any offence to his knowledge: and therefore puts the
following questions:
for what have I done? or what evil is in mine hand? what crime
had he committed
that he was pursued after this manner
and his life sought
for? what had he done worthy of death? having a clear conscience
he could
boldly ask these questions.
1 Samuel 26:19 19 Now therefore
please
let
my lord the king hear the words of his servant: If the Lord has stirred
you up against me
let Him accept an offering. But if it is the children
of men
may they be cursed before the Lord
for they have
driven me out this day from sharing in the inheritance of the Lord
saying
‘Go
serve other gods.’
YLT
19And
now
let
I pray thee
my lord the king hear the words of his servant: if Jehovah hath moved thee
against me
let Him accept a present; and if the sons of men -- cursed [are]
they before Jehovah
for they have cast me out to-day from being admitted into
the inheritance of Jehovah
saying
Go
serve other gods.
Now therefore
I pray thee
let my lord the king hear the words of
his servant
.... Whether David waited for an answer to his question is not
certain; probably he did
and observing none returned
desired audience of what
he had further to say:
if the Lord have stirred thee up against me; if he had put
it into his heart to persecute him after this manner
for some sin he had
committed against him
though not against Saul: did that appear to be the case:
let him accept an offering; my offering
as the
Targum; or my prayer
as Jarchi; I would offer a sin offering according to the
law
to make atonement for my offence
and might hope it would be accepted; or
I would make my supplication to God
and entreat him to forgive mine iniquity
and so an issue be put to these troubles; or should it be a capital crime
deserving of death he was guilty of
he was content to die
and satisfy for his
fault in that way; or if both of them had sinned
in any respect
he proposed
to join in an acceptable sacrifice to God
and so reconciliation be made
and
matters adjusted in such a religious way; if it was the evil spirit from the
Lord that had entered into Saul
or God had suffered a melancholy disorder to
seize him
which had put him upon those measures
let an offering agreeable to
the will of God be offered
or supplication made for the removal of it:
but if they be the children of men; that incited
him to such violent methods
as Abner his general
or Doeg the Edomite
and
others:
cursed be they before the Lord; an
imprecation of the vengeance of God upon them:
for they have driven me out this day from abiding in the
inheritance of the Lord; meaning not from his own house and fatally
nor from the palace
of Saul
but from the land of Canaan the Lord had given to his people Israel
for an inheritance
and from the worship of God in it
which made it dear and
precious to him; he knew if Saul went on pursuing him in this manner
he mast
be obliged to quit the land
and go into a foreign country
as he quickly did;
so the Targum renders it the inheritance of the people of the Lord: by being
driven out of the land which was their inheritance
he should be deprived of
their company and conversation
and of all social worship; the consideration of
which was cutting to him
and caused the above imprecation from him on those
who were concerned in it
and who in effect by their actions were
saying
go
serve other gods; for by being forced to
go into an idolatrous country
he would be in the way of temptation
and be
liable to be corrupted by ill examples
and to be persuaded and enticed into
idolatrous practices; and if he was kept from them it would be no thanks to
them
they did all they could to lead him into them; and if he was preserved
it would be owing to the power and grace of God; the Targum is
"go David
among the people that worship idols;'the Jews have a saying
that he that
dwells without the land of Israel
it is as if he had no God and as if he
served an idolF17T. Bab. Cetubot
fol. 110. 2. .
1 Samuel 26:20 20 So now
do not let my
blood fall to the earth before the face of the Lord. For the king
of Israel has come out to seek a flea
as when one hunts a partridge in the
mountains.”
YLT
20`And now
let not my blood
fall to the earth over-against the face of Jehovah
for the king of Israel hath
come out to seek one flea
as [one] pursueth the partridge in mountains.'
Now therefore let not my blood fall to the earth before the face
of the Lord
.... For should it be spilled
God
who is omniscient
will see
it
and take notice of it; and being righteous
and to whom vengeance belongs
he will avenge it: some render it
"my blood shall not fall to the earth
before the face of the Lord"F18אל יפל דמו "non
effundetur"
Martyr. and to this sense are Syr. Ar. vers. ; I am
continually under his eye and care
and he will protect and defend me; and in
vain is it for thee to pursue after me; I shall never fall into thine hands
though I may be obliged to quit my country
and go into an idolatrous nation
against my will:
for the king of Israel is come out to seek a flea; which leaps
from place to place and is not easily taken: or this may denote what a mean
poor
weak
insignificant person David was; and how much it was below Saul to
come out with an army of chosen men in pursuit of him; so the Targum
"the
king of Israel is come out to seek one that is weak or feeble:"
as when one doth hunt a partridge in the mountains; as kings for
their delight used to do
as Abarbinel observes; but this being a business of
pleasure
and this a bird of worth
some other is thought to be here intended.
Indeed the is represented as worth no more than an "obolus"
or five
farthings
though fifty drachmas or drachms were ordered to be paid for oneF19Laert.
l. 2. in Vita Aristippi. ; the Septuagint renders the word an "owl":
the word is "kore"
and from the etymology of it one would think it
was the raven or crow. Jarchi on Jeremiah 17:11
takes it to be the cuckoo
though here the partridge as others; BochartF20Hierozoic.
par. 2. l. 1. c. 12. col. 81. will have it to be the woodcock
snipe
or sniteF21(A
snite is like a snipe
yet a different species of lark-like bird. Oxford
English Dictionary. Editor) . Some choose to read the words
"as the kore
or partridge on the mountains hunts;'which
it is said
hunts and seeks after
the nests of other birds
and sits on their eggsF22T. Bab. Cholin
fol. 140. 2. Jarchi & Abarbinel in loc. : see Jeremiah 17:11; so
Saul hunted after David
though he could not take him; several naturalistsF23Aristot.
Hist. Animal. l. 9. c. 8. Plin. Nat. Hist. l. 10. c. 33. Aelian. Hist. Animal.
l. 3. c. 16. observe
that the partridge is very difficult to be taken by the
hunter.
1 Samuel 26:21 21 Then Saul said
“I have
sinned. Return
my son David. For I will harm you no more
because my life was
precious in your eyes this day. Indeed I have played the fool and erred
exceedingly.”
YLT
21And Saul saith
`I have
sinned; turn back
my son David
for I do evil to thee no more
because that my
soul hath been precious in thine eyes this day; lo
I have acted foolishly
and
do err very greatly.'
Then said Saul
I have sinned
.... Which is more than
he acknowledged before
and yet
it is to be feared he had no true sense of his
sin
and real repentance for it; but
like Pharaoh
his guilty conscience for
the present forced this confession from him; see Exodus 9:27
return
my son David: meaning to his own
house
or rather to his palace
since he had disposed of his wife to another
man:
for I will no more do thee harm: or seek to do it by
pursuing him from place to place
as he had done
which had given him a great
deal of trouble and fatigue:
because my soul was precious in thine eyes this day; and therefore
spared
when he could have taken it away; which showed that his life was dear
to him
of great worth and value in his account; and therefore he would neither
take it away himself
nor suffer another to do it:
behold
I have played the fool
and erred exceedingly: in seeking
after his life
and pursuing him again
when he had such a convincing proof of
his sincerity and faithfulness
and of his cordial affection for him
when he
only cut off the skirts of his garment in the cave
and spared his life.
1 Samuel 26:22 22 And David answered and
said
“Here is the king’s spear. Let one of the young men come over and get it.
YLT
22And David answereth and
saith
`Lo
the king's spear; and let one of the young men pass over
and
receive it;
And David answered and said
behold the king's spear!.... And which
perhaps was his sceptre
and which David therefore would not keep
lest it
should be thought or said that he had deprived him of an ensign of his royalty
and be interpreted as a token of his design to seize his crown and throne:
and let one of the young men come over and fetch it; for
notwithstanding the acknowledgment Saul had made of his sin and folly
David
did not choose to carry the spear to him; not caring to trust him
and put
himself into his hands
lest the evil spirit should return and come upon him
suddenly
and alter his disposition and carriage; nor would he send any of his
men with it
whose lives were dear to him
lest they should be seized as
traitors
but desires one of Saul's men might be sent for it.
1 Samuel 26:23 23 May the Lord repay every
man for his righteousness and his faithfulness; for the Lord delivered you
into my hand today
but I would not stretch out my hand against the Lord’s anointed.
YLT
23and Jehovah doth turn back
to each his righteousness and his faithfulness
in that Jehovah hath given thee
to-day into [my] hand
and I have not been willing to put forth my hand against
the anointed of Jehovah
The Lord render to every man his righteousness
and his
faithfulness
.... Or recompense every man that deals justly and faithfully
with others
as he had done with Saul; or the Lord
who is just and faithful to
his promises
reward the men that act the good and upright part; and this was a
prayer of faith; for David doubted not that
though Saul might fail
yet God
could not:
for the Lord delivered thee into my hand this day; or
"into an hand"F24ביד "in
manum"
Pagninus
Montanus. into the hand of Abishai
who had it in his
power to slay him
when he went and took the spear that was at his bolster
and
would have done it
but David suffered him not:
but I would not stretch forth my hand against the Lord's anointed; nor suffer
another to stretch forth his hand against him; so careful and tender was he of
his life.
1 Samuel 26:24 24 And indeed
as your life
was valued much this day in my eyes
so let my life be valued much in the eyes
of the Lord
and let Him deliver me out of all tribulation.”
YLT
24and lo
as thy soul hath
been great this day in mine eyes
so is my soul great in the eyes of Jehovah
and He doth deliver me out of all distress.'
And
behold
as thy life was much set by this day in mine eyes
.... Or
"magnified"F25גדלה
"magnificata est"
V. L. Pagninus
Montanus. ; and made great account
of
as being the life of the king of Israel
and the Lord's anointed
and so
spared:
so let my life be much set by in the eyes of the Lord; he does not
say in the eyes of Saul
as it should have been by way of retaliation
and as
it might have been expected he would have said; but he had no dependence on
Saul
nor expected justice to be done him by him; but he prays that his life
might be precious in the sight of Lord
and taken care of
and protected by
him
as he believed it would:
and let him deliver me out of all tribulation; for as yet he
did not think himself quite out of it
notwithstanding all that Saul had said
but believed the Lord would deliver him in due time; from him alone he looked
for it
and on him he depended.
1 Samuel 26:25 25 Then Saul said to David
“May
you be blessed
my son David! You shall both do great things and also
still prevail.” So David went on his way
and Saul returned to his place.
YLT
25And Saul saith unto David
`Blessed [art] thou
my son David
also working thou dost work
and also
prevailing thou dost prevail.' And David goeth on his way
and Saul hath turned
back to his place.
Then Saul said to David
blessed be thou
my son David
.... He
desired God to bless him
and pronounced him blessed himself
believing he
would be a happy and prosperous man:
thou shall both do great things; he had done
great things already
in slaying Goliath
obtaining victories over the
Philistines
and escaping the hands of Saul
and keeping out of them with so
small a force; and he should do greater things yet:
and also shalt still prevail; against Saul and all his
enemies; the Targum is
"even in reigning thou shalt reign
and even in
prospering thou shalt prosper;'he believed he would be king
so he had said
before
1 Samuel 24:20
so David went on his way: to the wilderness again
very probably
putting no trust and confidence in Saul
knowing how fickle and
unstable he was:
and Saul returned to his place; to Gibeah
where his
palace was.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》