I Samuel 26:8
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Abishai said to David, “Today God has delivered your enemy into your hand. Now, therefore, please let me thrust the spear through him into the ground with one stroke. I will not need to strike him twice!”
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 ↗26:8 God has surely handed your enemy over to you: Cp. 24:4.
Open source ↗Cross-references
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So David’s men said to him, “This is the day about which the LORD said to you, ‘Behold, I will deliver your enemy into your hand, that you may do with him as you wish.’” Then David crept up secretly and cut off a corner of Saul’s robe.
May the LORD repay every man for his righteousness and faithfulness. For the LORD delivered you into my hand today, but I would not stretch out my hand against the LORD’s anointed.
And David stayed in the wilderness strongholds and in the hill country of the Wilderness of Ziph. Day after day Saul searched for him, but God would not deliver David into his hand.
And the LORD gave them rest on every side, just as He had sworn to their fathers. None of their enemies could stand against them, for the LORD delivered all their enemies into their hand.
When Judah attacked, the LORD delivered the Canaanites and Perizzites into their hands, and they struck down ten thousand men at Bezek.
How could one man pursue a thousand, or two put ten thousand to flight, unless their Rock had sold them, unless the LORD had given them up?
Whatever you plot against the LORD, He will bring to an end. Affliction will not rise up a second time.
For God has consigned everyone to disobedience so that He may have mercy on everyone.
You have not delivered me to the enemy; You have set my feet in the open.