1 Samuel 26:12

1 Samuel 26:12 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)So David took the spear and the cruse of water from Saul’s bolster; and they gat them away, and no man saw it, nor knew it, neither awaked: for they were all asleep; because a deep sleep from the Lord was fallen upon them.
• New International Version (NIV)So David took the spear and water jug near Saul’s head, and they left. No one saw or knew about it, nor did anyone wake up. They were all sleeping, because the Lord had put them into a deep sleep.
• English Standard Version (ESV)So David took the spear and the jar of water from Saul's head, and they went away. No man saw it or knew it, nor did any awake, for they were all asleep, because a deep sleep from the Lord had fallen upon them.
• New King James Version (NKJV)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.

Context of 1 Samuel 26:12

10I know that the Lord himself will kill Saul one day. Saul may die when he has reached the age to die. Or someone may kill him in a battle. He will certainly come to his end. 11But I ask the Lord to stop me from hurting him, because he is the Lord's chosen king. Take the spear and the jar of water that are near Saul's head. We must leave here now!’ So David took the spear and the jar of water from beside Saul's head. Then they left. Nobody saw them. Nobody knew that they had been in the camp. Nobody woke up. Saul's soldiers continued to sleep because the Lord caused it to happen. 13David and Abishai then went across the valley to the other side of the hill. David stood on the top of the hill. He was far away from Saul's soldiers. 14David shouted to Saul's army and to Ner's son, Abner, ‘Abner, wake up! Answer me!’ Abner replied, ‘Who is shouting to wake up the king? Who are you?’

1 Samuel 26:12 word by word

וַיִּקַּח֩ דָּוִ֨ד אֶֽת־הַחֲנִ֜ית וְאֶת־צַפַּ֤חַת הַמַּ֙יִם֙ מֵרַאֲשֹׁתֵ֣י שָׁא֔וּל וַיֵּלְכ֖וּ לָהֶ֑ם וְאֵ֣ין רֹאֶה֩ וְאֵ֨ין יוֹדֵ֜עַ וְאֵ֣ין מֵקִ֗יץ כִּ֤י כֻלָּם֙ יְשֵׁנִ֔ים כִּ֚י תַּרְדֵּמַ֣ת יְהוָ֔ה נָפְלָ֖ה עֲלֵיהֶֽם׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• So Davidדָּוִדdâvid dâvîyd · DavidH1732
• tookלָקַחlâqach · to take: takeH3947
• the spearחֲנִיתchănîyth · spearH2595
• and the cruseצַפַּ֫חַתtsappachath · jarH6835
• of waterמַיmayim · waterH4325
• from Saul’sשָׁאוּלshâ'ûl · SaulH7586
• bolsterרַאֲשֹׁתra'ăshôth · head-placeH7226
• and they gat them awayיָלַךְyâlak · to walkH3212
• and no man sawרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
• nor knewיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
• neither awakedקִיץqûts · to awakeH6974
• all asleepיָשֵׁןyâshên · sleepingH3463
• because a deep sleepתַּרְדֵּמָהtardêmâh · deep sleepH8639
• from the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• was fallenנָפַלnâphal · to fall: fallH5307

Cross-references for 1 Samuel 26:12

• 1 Samuel 26:7So David and Abishai went among Saul's army that night. They saw that Saul was asleep in the middle of the camp. He had pushed his spear into the ground near his head. Abner and the army were asleep around Saul.
• 1 Samuel 24:4David's men said to him, ‘This is the day that the Lord told you about! The Lord said to you, “I will give your enemy to you. Then you can decide what is the right thing to do to him.” ’ So David stood up very quietly. He went and he cut off a small piece of cloth from Saul's coat. Saul did not know what had happened.
• Genesis 2:21So the Lord God caused the man to sleep. While the man was sleeping, God took a rib from the man. Then he closed up the place in his body and he covered it again.
• Genesis 15:12When the sun was going down, Abram started to sleep. Suddenly he became very afraid because it was dark all around him.
• Esther 6:1That night the king could not sleep. He asked a servant to bring the kingdom's history book. He asked the servant to read the book to him.
• Isaiah 29:10It is the Lord who has caused you to be like that. He has caused you to be completely asleep. He has shut the eyes of your prophets and he has covered the heads of your seers.

Commentaries on 1 Samuel 26:12

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 12David took the spear and the cruse - The spear, we have already seen, was the emblem of power and regal dignity. But it is usual, in Arab camps, for every man to have his lance stuck in the ground beside him, that he may be ready for action in a moment. The cruse of water resembled, in some measure, the canteens of our soldiers. In such a climate, where water was always scarce, it was necessary for each man to carry a little with him, to refresh him on…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-25This was the last time Saul and David were together. The Ziphites informed Saul again about David's hiding place (see 1 Samuel 23:19–20). David spared Saul's life again, just like he did in the cave at En-gedi (see 1 Samuel 24).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 26:12

• Citizens
• Courage
• Loyalty
• Pillow
• Self-Control

In the dictionaries

• David
• Deep Sleep
• Abishai
• Cruse
• Bolster
• Samuel, Books of
• Saul
• Sleep, Deep
• 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