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

10David went on to say, “As the Lord lives, the Lord himself will strike him down. Either his day will come and he will die, or he will go down into battle and be swept away. 11But may the Lord prevent me from extending my hand against the Lord’s chosen one! Now take the spear by Saul’s head and the jug of water, and let’s get out of here!” So David took the spear and the jug of water by Saul’s head, and they got out of there. No one saw them or was aware of their presence or woke up. All of them were asleep, for the Lord had caused a deep sleep to fall on them. 13Then David crossed to the other side and stood on the top of the hill some distance away; there was a considerable distance between them. 14David called to the army and to Abner son of Ner, “Won’t you answer, Abner?” Abner replied, “Who are you, that you have called to the king?”

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 approached the army at night and found Saul lying asleep in the entrenchment with his spear stuck in the ground by his head. Abner and the army were lying all around him.
• 1 Samuel 24:4David’s men said to him, “This is the day about which the Lord said to you, ‘I will give your enemy into your hand, and you can do to him whatever seems appropriate to you.’” So David got up and quietly cut off an edge of Saul’s robe.
• Genesis 2:21So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep, and while he was asleep, he took part of the man’s side and closed up the place with flesh.
• Genesis 15:12When the sun went down, Abram fell sound asleep, and great terror overwhelmed him.
• Esther 6:1Throughout that night the king was unable to sleep, so he asked for the book containing the historical records to be brought. As the records were being read in the king’s presence,
• Isaiah 29:10For the Lord has poured out on you a strong urge to sleep deeply. He has shut your eyes (the prophets), and covered your heads (the 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