I Samuel 26:16
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This thing you have done is not good. As surely as the LORD lives, all of you deserve to die, since you did not protect your lord, the LORD’s anointed. Now look around. Where are the king’s spear and water jug that were by his head?”
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
David's troubles from Saul here begin again; and the clouds return after the rain, when one would have hoped the storm had blown over, and the sky had cleared upon that side; but after Saul had owned his fault in persecuting David, and acknowledged David's title to the crown, yet here he revives the persecution, so perfectly lost was he to all sense of honour and virtue. I. The Ziphites informed him where David was (Sa1 26:1), and thereupon he marched out with a considerable force in quest of him (Sa1 26:2, Sa1 26:3). II. David gained intelligence of his motions (Sa1 26:4), and took a view of his camp (Sa1 26:5). III. He and one of his men ventured into his camp in the night and found him and all his guards fast asleep (Sa1 26:6, Sa1 26:7). IV. David, though much urged to it by his companions, would not take away Saul's life, but only carried off his spear and his cruse of water (Sa1 26:8-12). V. He produced these as a further witness for him that he did not design any ill to Saul, and reasoned with him upon his conduct (Sa1 26:13-20). VI. Saul was hereby convinced of his error, and once more desisted from persecuting David (Sa1 26:21-25). The story is much like that which we had (ch. 24). In both David is delivered out of Saul's hand, and Saul out of David's.
Open source ↗26:16 deserve to die: Death was the punishment for dereliction of duty.
Open source ↗Cross-references
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May the groans of the captives reach You; by the strength of Your arm preserve those condemned to death.
David burned with anger against the man and said to Nathan: “As surely as the LORD lives, the man who did this deserves to die!
For all the house of my grandfather deserves death from my lord the king, yet you have set your servant among those who eat at your table. What further right, then, do I have to keep appealing to the king?”
All of us also lived among them at one time, fulfilling the cravings of our flesh and indulging its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature children of wrath.
to hear a prisoner’s groaning, to release those condemned to death,
But David said to Abishai, “Do not destroy him, for who can lift a hand against the LORD’s anointed and be guiltless?”
But the LORD forbid that I should stretch out my hand against the LORD’s anointed. Instead, take the spear and water jug by his head, and let us go.”
For as long as the son of Jesse lives on this earth, neither you nor your kingship shall be established. Now send for him and bring him to me, for he must surely die!”
So he said to his men, “The LORD forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the LORD’s anointed. May I never lift my hand against him, since he is the LORD’s anointed.”