1 Samuel 26:9

1 Samuel 26:9 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And David said to Abishai, Destroy him not: for who can stretch forth his hand against the Lord’s anointed, and be guiltless?
• New International Version (NIV)But David said to Abishai, “Don’t destroy him! Who can lay a hand on the Lord’s anointed and be guiltless?
• English Standard Version (ESV)But David said to Abishai, "Do not destroy him, for who can put out his hand against the Lord's anointed and be guiltless?"
• New King James Version (NKJV)But David said to Abishai, “Do not destroy him; for who can stretch out his hand against the Lord’s anointed, and be guiltless?”

Context of 1 Samuel 26:9

7So David and Abishai went to the army during the night, and there was Saul lying asleep inside the circle of the camp with his spear stuck in the ground by his head; and Abner and the people were lying around him. 8Then Abishai said to David, “God has given your enemy into your hand this day; now then, please let me strike him with the spear driving it to the ground with one stroke, and I will not strike him the second time.” But David said to Abishai, “Do not kill him, for who can put out his hand against the Lord’s anointed [king] and be guiltless (innocent)?” 10David also said, “As the Lord lives, most certainly the Lord will strike him [in His own time and way], or his day will come and he will die, or he will go down into battle and be carried off [dead]. 11The Lord forbid that I would put out my hand against the Lord’s anointed; but now take the spear that is by his head and the jug of water, and let us go.”

1 Samuel 26:9 word by word

וַיֹּ֧אמֶר דָּוִ֛ד אֶל־אֲבִישַׁ֖י אַל־תַּשְׁחִיתֵ֑הוּ כִּ֠י מִ֣י שָׁלַ֥ח יָד֛וֹ בִּמְשִׁ֥יחַ יְהוָ֖ה וְנִקָּֽה׃ פRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And Davidדָּוִדdâvid dâvîyd · DavidH1732
• saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• to Abishaiאֲבִישַׁי'ăbîyshay 'abshay · AbishaiH52
• Destroyשָׁחַתshâchath · to ruinH7843
• him not: for who can stretch forthשָׁלַחshâlach · to send: reachH7971
• his handיָדyâd · handH3027
• against the Lord’sיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• anointedמָשִׁיחַmâshîyach · anointedH4899
• and be guiltlessנָקָהnâqâh · to clearH5352

Cross-references for 1 Samuel 26:9

• 1 Samuel 24:6He said to his men, “The Lord forbid that I should do this thing to my master, the Lord’s anointed, to put out my hand against him, since he is the anointed of the Lord.”
• 2 Samuel 1:14David said to him, “How is it that you were not afraid to put out your hand to destroy the Lord’s anointed?”
• Psalms 105:15“Do not touch My anointed ones, And do My prophets no harm.”

Commentaries on 1 Samuel 26:9

• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 9the LORD’s anointed: See study note on 1 Samuel 24:6.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 8-128-12. Then said Abishai to David, God hath delivered thine enemy into thine hand--This midnight stratagem shows the activity and heroic enterprise of David's mind, and it was in unison with the style of warfare in ancient times. let me smite him ... even to the earth at once--The ferocious vehemence of the speaker is sufficiently apparent from his language, but David's magnanimity soared far above the notions of his followers. Though Saul's cruelty and…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Samuel 26:9

• Citizens
• Courage
• Forgiveness
• Loyalty
• Reverence
• Self-Control

In the dictionaries

• David
• Abishai
• King; Kingdom
• Samuel, Books of
• Saul
• Abishai, or Abishai
• Abner

Commentaries on 1 Samuel 26

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings