1 Samuel

1 Samuel 26:7–12

7That night David and Abishai came to the troops, and Saul was lying there asleep in the inner circle of the camp, with his spear stuck in the ground by his head. And Abner and the troops were lying around him.

8Abishai said to David, “Today God has delivered your enemy into your hand. Now, therefore, please let me thrust the spear through him into the ground with one stroke. I will not need to strike him twice!”

9But David said to Abishai, “Do not destroy him, for who can extend a hand against the LORD’s anointed and be guiltless?” 10David added, “As surely as the LORD lives, the LORD Himself will strike him down; either his day will come and he will die, or he will go into battle and perish. 11But the LORD forbid that I should extend my hand against the LORD’s anointed. Instead, take the spear and water jug by his head, and let us go.”

12So David took the spear and water jug by Saul’s head, and they departed. No one saw them or knew about it, nor did anyone wake up; they all remained asleep, because a deep sleep from the LORD had fallen on them.

Read all of 1 Samuel 26

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

1 Samuel 26:7

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
That nightלַיְלָה֒lay·lāhNoun - masculine singularH3915 twist, night, adversity
Davidדָוִ֨דḏā·wiḏNoun - proper - masculine singularH1732 David
and Abishaiוַאֲבִישַׁ֥י׀wa·’ă·ḇî·šayConjunctive waw; Noun - proper - masculine singularH52 Abishai
cameוַיָּבֹא֩way·yā·ḇōConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH935 come in, come, go in, go
toאֶל־’el-PrepositionH413 motion to
the troopsהָעָם֮hā·‘āmArticle; Noun - masculine singularH5971 people
and Saulשָׁא֗וּלšā·’ūlNoun - proper - masculine singularH7586 Shaul
was lyingשֹׁכֵ֤בšō·ḵêḇVerb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularH7901 lie down
thereוְהִנֵּ֣הwə·hin·nêhConjunctive waw; InterjectionH2009 lo! behold!
asleepיָשֵׁן֙yā·šênAdjective - masculine singularH3463 sleeping
in the inner circle of the campבַּמַּעְגָּ֔לbam·ma‘·gālPreposition-b, Article; Noun - masculine singularH4570 entrenchment
with his spearוַחֲנִית֥וֹwa·ḥă·nî·ṯōwConjunctive waw; Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine singularH2595 spear
stuckמְעוּכָֽה־mə·‘ū·ḵāh-Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - feminine singularH4600 press, squeeze
in the groundבָאָ֖רֶץḇā·’ā·reṣPreposition-b, Article; Noun - feminine singularH776 earth, land
by his headמְרַאֲשֹׁתוֹmə·ra·ʾă·šō·ṯōNoun - feminine plural construct; third person masculine singularH4763 headpiece, head-rest
And Abnerוְאַבְנֵ֣רwə·’aḇ·nêrConjunctive waw; Noun - proper - masculine singularH74 Abner
and the troopsוְהָעָ֔םwə·hā·‘āmConjunctive waw, Article; Noun - masculine singularH5971 people
were lyingשֹׁכְבִ֖יםšō·ḵə·ḇîmVerb - Qal - Participle - masculine pluralH7901 lie down
around himסְבִיבֹתוֹ׃סsə·ḇī·ḇō·ṯōAdverb; third person masculine singularH5439 circuit, round about

1 Samuel 26:8

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Abishaiאֲבִישַׁי֙’ă·ḇî·šayNoun - proper - masculine singularH52 Abishai
saidוַיֹּ֤אמֶרway·yō·merConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH559 utter, say
toאֶל־’el-PrepositionH413 motion to
Davidדָּוִ֔דdā·wiḏNoun - proper - masculine singularH1732 David
Todayהַיּ֛וֹםhay·yō·wmArticle; Noun - masculine singularH3117 day
Godאֱלֹהִ֥ים’ĕ·lō·hîmNoun - masculine pluralH430 God
has deliveredסִגַּ֨רsig·garVerb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singularH5462 shut, close
your enemyאוֹיִבְךָ֖’ō·w·yiḇ·ḵāVerb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singularH341 be hostile to
into your handבְּיָדֶ֑ךָbə·yā·ḏe·ḵāPreposition-b; Noun - feminine singular construct; second person masculine singularH3027 hand
Nowוְעַתָּה֩wə·‘at·tāhConjunctive waw; AdverbH6258 now
thereforeוְעַתָּה֩wə·‘at·tāhConjunctive waw; AdverbH6258 now
pleaseנָ֜אnāInterjectionH4994 I (we) pray, now
let me thrust the spearבַּחֲנִ֤יתba·ḥă·nîṯPreposition-b, Article; Noun - feminine singularH2595 spear
through himאַכֶּ֨נּוּ’ak·ken·nūVerb - Hifil - Imperfect Cohortative if contextual - first person common singular; third person masculine singularH5221 smite
into the groundוּבָאָ֙רֶץ֙ū·ḇā·’ā·reṣConjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Article; Noun - feminine singularH776 earth, land
with oneאַחַ֔ת’a·ḥaṯNumber - feminine singularH259 one
strokeפַּ֣עַםpa·‘amNoun - feminine singular constructH6471 beat, foot, anvil, occurrence
I will notוְלֹ֥אwə·lōConjunctive waw; Adverb - Negative particleH3808 not
need to strike him twiceאֶשְׁנֶ֖ה’eš·nehVerb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singularH8138 change

1 Samuel 26:9

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
But Davidדָּוִ֛דdā·wiḏNoun - proper - masculine singularH1732 David
saidוַיֹּ֧אמֶרway·yō·merConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH559 utter, say
toאֶל־’el-PrepositionH413 motion to
Abishaiאֲבִישַׁ֖י’ă·ḇî·šayNoun - proper - masculine singularH52 Abishai
Do notאַל־’al-AdverbH408 prohibition, do not . . ., let not . . .
destroy himתַּשְׁחִיתֵ֑הוּtaš·ḥî·ṯê·hūVerb - Hifil - Imperfect - second person masculine singular; third person masculine singularH7843 go to ruin (?)
forכִּ֠יkîConjunctionH3588 burning, branding
whoמִ֣יmîInterrogativeH4310 who?
can extendשָׁלַ֥חšā·laḥVerb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularH7971 send
a handיָד֛וֹyā·ḏōwNoun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine singularH3027 hand
against the LORD’sיְהוָ֖הYah·wehNoun - proper - masculine singularH3068 Yahweh
anointedבִּמְשִׁ֥יחַbim·šî·aḥPreposition-b; Adjective - masculine singular constructH4899 anointed
and be guiltlessוְנִקָּֽה׃פwə·niq·qāhConjunctive waw; Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singularH5352 be empty(?), clean

1 Samuel 26:10

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Davidדָּוִד֙dā·wiḏNoun - proper - masculine singularH1732 David
addedוַיֹּ֤אמֶרway·yō·merConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH559 utter, say
As surely as the LORDיְהוָ֔הYah·wehNoun - proper - masculine singularH3068 Yahweh
livesחַי־ḥay-Noun - masculine singularH2416 alive, living
the LORD Himselfיְהוָ֖הYah·wehNoun - proper - masculine singularH3068 Yahweh
will strike him downיִגָּפֶ֑נּוּyig·gā·p̄en·nūVerb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular; third person masculine singularH5062 strike, smite
eitherאֽוֹ־’ōw-ConjunctionH176 or
his dayיוֹמ֤וֹyō·w·mōwNoun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singularH3117 day
will comeיָבוֹא֙yā·ḇō·wVerb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularH935 come in, come, go in, go
and he will dieוָמֵ֔תwā·mêṯConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singularH4191 die
orא֧וֹ’ōwConjunctionH176 or
he will goיֵרֵ֖דyê·rêḏVerb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularH3381 come or go down, descend
into battleבַמִּלְחָמָ֛הḇam·mil·ḥā·māhPreposition-b, Article; Noun - feminine singularH4421 battle, war
and perishוְנִסְפָּֽה׃wə·nis·pāhConjunctive waw; Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singularH5595 sweep away or snatch away, catch up

1 Samuel 26:11

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
But the LORDמֵֽיהוָ֔הYah·wehPreposition-m; Noun - proper - masculine singularH3068 Yahweh
forbidחָלִ֤ילָהḥā·lî·lāhInterjection; third person feminine singularH2486 far be it
that Iלִּי֙lîPreposition; first person common singular
should extendמִשְּׁלֹ֥חַmiš·šə·lō·aḥPreposition-m; Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructH7971 send
my handיָדִ֖יyā·ḏîNoun - feminine singular construct; first person common singularH3027 hand
against the LORD’sיְהוָ֑הYah·wehNoun - proper - masculine singularH3068 Yahweh
anointedבִּמְשִׁ֣יחַbim·šî·aḥPreposition-b; Adjective - masculine singular constructH4899 anointed
Insteadוְ֠עַתָּהwə·‘at·tāhConjunctive waw; AdverbH6258 now
takeקַח־qaḥ-Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singularH3947 take
the spearהַחֲנִ֜יתha·ḥă·nîṯArticle; Noun - feminine singularH2595 spear
and waterהַמַּ֖יִםham·ma·yimArticle; Noun - masculine pluralH4325 water, juice, urine
jugצַפַּ֥חַתṣap·pa·ḥaṯNoun - feminine singular constructH6835 jar, jug
by his headמְרַאֲשֹׁתוֹmə·ra·ʾă·šō·ṯōNoun - feminine plural construct; third person masculine singularH4763 headpiece, head-rest
and let us goוְנֵ֥לֲכָהwə·nê·lă·ḵāhConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative - first person common pluralH1980 go, come, walk

1 Samuel 26:12

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
So Davidדָּוִ֨דdā·wiḏNoun - proper - masculine singularH1732 David
tookוַיִּקַּח֩way·yiq·qaḥConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH3947 take
the spearהַחֲנִ֜יתha·ḥă·nîṯArticle; Noun - feminine singularH2595 spear
and waterהַמַּ֙יִם֙ham·ma·yimArticle; Noun - masculine pluralH4325 water, juice, urine
jugצַפַּ֤חַתṣap·pa·ḥaṯNoun - feminine singular constructH6835 jar, jug
by Saul’s headשָׁא֔וּלšā·’ūlNoun - proper - masculine singularH7586 Shaul
and they departedוַיֵּלְכ֖וּway·yê·lə·ḵūConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralH1980 go, come, walk
Noוְאֵ֣יןwə·’ênConjunctive waw; AdverbH369 nothing, nought
one saw themרֹאֶה֩rō·’ehVerb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularH7200 see
knew about itיוֹדֵ֜עַyō·w·ḏê·a‘Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularH3045 know
nor did anyoneוְאֵ֣יןwə·’ênConjunctive waw; AdverbH369 nothing, nought
wake upמֵקִ֗יץmê·qîṣVerb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singularH6974 awake
they allכֻלָּם֙ḵul·lāmNoun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine pluralH3605 the whole, all
remained asleepיְשֵׁנִ֔יםyə·šê·nîmAdjective - masculine pluralH3463 sleeping
becauseכִּ֚יkîConjunctionH3588 burning, branding
a deep sleepתַּרְדֵּמַ֣תtar·dê·maṯNoun - feminine singular constructH8639 deep sleep
from the LORDיְהוָ֔הYah·wehNoun - proper - masculine singularH3068 Yahweh
had fallenנָפְלָ֖הnā·p̄ə·lāhVerb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singularH5307 fall, lie
on themעֲלֵיהֶֽם׃‘ă·lê·hemPreposition; third person masculine pluralH5921 height

Cross-references

Other passages that speak to the same thing. Point at one to read it.

1 Samuel 26:7 1 Thessalonians 5:2–3

1 Samuel 26:8 1 Samuel 24:4 · 1 Samuel 26:23

1 Samuel 26:9 2 Samuel 1:14 · 2 Samuel 1:16 · Psalm 105:15 · 1 Samuel 24:6–7

1 Samuel 26:10 Romans 12:19 · Deuteronomy 31:14 · Genesis 47:29 · 1 Samuel 25:38 · Psalm 37:13 · 1 Samuel 31:6 · 1 Samuel 25:26 · Deuteronomy 32:35

1 Samuel 26:11 1 Samuel 24:6 · 1 Samuel 24:12

1 Samuel 26:12 Genesis 2:21 · Genesis 15:12 · Isaiah 29:10

Cross-references from OpenBible.info, used under CC BY 4.0. The best-supported references for each verse are shown.

Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible.