1 Samuel 26 · WEB
David Spares Saul a Second Time
Listen — WEB narration 0:00 / 0:00 Narration: World English Bible (David Williams), public domain — AudioTreasure.
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The Ziphites came to Saul at Gibeah, saying, "Doesn't David hide himself in the hill of Hachilah, which is before the wasteland?"
2Then 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.
3Saul encamped in the hill of Hachilah, which is before the wasteland by the way. But David lived in the wilderness; and he saw that Saul came after him into the wilderness.
4David therefore sent out spies and understood that Saul had certainly come.
5David 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 captain of his army. Saul lay in the middle of the camp, and the people were encamped around him.
6Then David answered and said to Abishai the son of Zeruiah, the brother of Joab, "Who will go down with me to Saul's camp?" Abishai said, "I will go down with you."
7So David and Abishai came to the people by night; and behold, Saul lay sleeping in the middle of the camp, and his spear was stuck in the ground at his head. Abner and the people lay around him.
8Then Abishai said to David, "God has delivered your enemy into your hand today. 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."
9David said to Abishai, "Don't destroy him; for who can put out his hand against Yahweh's anointed, and be guiltless?"
10David said, "As Yahweh lives, Yahweh will strike him; or his day shall come to die; or he shall go down into battle and perish.
11Yahweh forbid that I should put out my hand against Yahweh's anointed; but now please take the spear that is at his head and the jar of water, and let's go."
12So David took the spear and the jar of water from Saul's head; and they went away. No man saw it, nor knew it, nor did anyone awake; for they were all asleep, because a deep sleep from Yahweh had fallen on them.
13Then David went over to the other side, and stood on the top of the mountain afar off, a great space being between them.
14David cried to the people, and to Abner the son of Ner, saying, "Don't you answer, Abner?" Then Abner answered, "Who are you who cries to the king?"
15David said to Abner, "Aren't you a man? Who is like you in Israel? Why then have you not kept watch over your lord the king? For one of the people came in to destroy the king your lord.
16This thing that you have done is not good. As Yahweh lives, you deserve to die, because you have not kept watch over your lord, Yahweh's anointed. Now see where the king's spear is and the jar of water that was at his head."
17Saul recognized David's voice, and said, "Is this your voice, my son David?" David said, "It is my voice, my lord, O king."
18He said, "Why does my lord pursue his servant? For what have I done? What evil is there in my hand?
19Now therefore, please let my lord the king hear the words of his servant. If Yahweh has stirred you up against me, let him accept an offering; but if it is the children of men, they are cursed before Yahweh; for they have driven me out today that I should not cling to Yahweh's inheritance, saying, 'Go, serve other gods.'
20Now therefore, don't let my blood fall to the earth away from the face of Yahweh; for the king of Israel has come out to seek my flea, as when one hunts a partridge in the mountains."
21Then Saul said, "I have sinned. Return, my son David; for I will no more do you harm, because my life was precious in your eyes today. Behold, I have played the fool and have erred exceedingly."
22David answered, "Behold, the spear! Let one of the young men come over and get it.
23May Yahweh reward every man for his righteousness and his faithfulness; for Yahweh delivered you into my hand today, but I wouldn't put out my hand against Yahweh's anointed.
24Behold, as your life was respected in my eyes today, so let my life be respected in the eyes of Yahweh, and let him deliver me out of all oppression."
25Then Saul said to David, "You are blessed, my son David. You will do great things and will still prevail." So David went on his way, and Saul returned to his place.
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Summary
The Ziphites again betray David's location, and Saul marches out with three thousand men. David boldly reconnoiters Saul's sleeping camp at night with Abishai and stands over the sleeping king. Abishai urges him to take the opportunity to kill Saul, but David again refuses, taking only Saul's spear and water jug as proof. From a safe hilltop, David confronts Saul and Abner, rebukes Abner for dereliction of duty, and again appeals to God as judge. Saul admits he has "played the fool" and blesses David. They part for the last time.
Themes
- Consistent character — David's restraint is no accident but a settled conviction tested twice
- Trusting God's timing: David refuses to force the fulfillment of God's promise through his own violence
- The principle that God avenges the righteous without their needing to take matters into their own hands
- Saul's self-awareness and his continued inability to change
Key verses
- 1 Sam 26:10 — “As Yahweh lives, Yahweh will strike him; or his day shall come to die; or he shall go down into battle and perish.”
- 1 Sam 26:23 — “Yahweh rewards every man for his righteousness and his faithfulness.”
- 1 Sam 26:9 — “Who can put out his hand against Yahweh's anointed, and be guiltless?”
Context & background
The wilderness of Ziph is in the southern West Bank/Negev highlands south of Hebron, the same region David had previously been hunted. The Ziphites, residents of the area, twice betrayed David to Saul (see chapter 23). A "deep sleep from Yahweh" overtaking an entire military camp is a miraculous divine protection, paralleling God's deep sleep in Genesis and other significant moments of divine action. This is the last recorded encounter between David and Saul while Saul is alive. Saul's final words to David — "you will do great things and will still prevail" — function almost as an unwitting prophecy from the man God has rejected.
Cross-references
- 1 Sam 24 — The nearly identical En Gedi episode, establishing this as a deliberate pattern in David's character.
- Gen 2:21; 15:12 — Divine deep sleep in other pivotal moments in redemptive history.
- Heb 10:30 — "Vengeance belongs to me; I will repay, says the Lord" — David's settled conviction in action.
- Ps 57 — Written during the cave period, reflecting on trust in God while surrounded by enemies.
- Rom 13:1-4 — The principle that governing authorities are established by God and not to be violently overthrown.