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 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. 8Abishai said to David, “Today God has delivered your enemy into your hands. Now let me drive the spear right through him into the ground with one swift jab! A second jab won’t be necessary!” But David said to Abishai, “Don’t kill him! Who can extend his hand against the Lord’s chosen one and remain guiltless?” 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!”

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, “May the Lord keep me far away from doing such a thing to my lord, who is the Lord’s chosen one, by extending my hand against him. After all, he is the Lord’s chosen one.”
• 2 Samuel 1:14David replied to him, “How is it that you were not afraid to reach out your hand to destroy the Lord’s anointed?”
• Psalms 105:15saying,“Don’t touch my chosen ones! Don’t harm my prophets!”

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