Miles de Libros Cristianos Gratis. Accede a nuestra Biblioteca Virtual

Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 1 Samuel 26:6

Para un estudio avanzado de: “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 1 Samuel 26:6” utilice nuestra app.

Then answered David and said to Ahimelech the Hittite, and to Abishai the son of Zeruiah, brother to Joab, saying, Who will go down with me to Saul to the camp? And Abishai said, I will go down with thee.

6. Ahimelech the Hittite ] Not mentioned elsewhere. Uriah was also a Hittite. The Hittites, or descendants of Heth, the second son of Canaan, occupied Kirjath-Arba, afterwards called Hebron, in the days of Abraham (Gen 23:2 ff.). Esau married Hittite wives (Gen 26:34). The Hittites are repeatedly mentioned as one of the nations inhabiting the land of Canaan, which were to be driven out by the Israelites (Jos 3:10). It is now known that a branch of the Hittites established an extremely powerful empire to the north of Syria, the chief centres of which were Carchemish on the Euphrates, and Kadesh on the Orontes. It was strong enough to threaten Assyria on the one hand and Egypt on the other, and lasted from the sixteenth century b.c. until it was destroyed by the Assyrians in the eighth century. Allusions to the “kings of the Hittites” are found in 1Ki 10:29; 2Ki 7:6. Our chief information about them is derived from Assyrian and Egyptian inscriptions.

Abishai the son of Zeruiah, brother to Joab ] The first mention of David’s valiant but hard-hearted nephews, the sons of his sister Zeruiah, who play such an important part in his history. Abishai distinguished himself by saving David’s life in one of his Philistine wars (2Sa 21:17); shared the command of the army with his brother Joab (2Sa 10:10), and with him was implicated in the murder of Abner (2Sa 3:30); in Absalom’s rebellion both of them remained faithful to David (2Sa 16:9; 2Sa 18:2), but Joab, like Abiathar, supported Adonijah, and was put to death by Solomon’s order (1Ki 1:7; 1Ki 2:28-34).

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

Ahimelech the Hittite – Only mentioned here. Uriah was also a Hittite.

Abishai – He was son of Zeruiah, Davids sister, but probably about the same age as David. He because very famous as a warrior 2Sa 23:18, but was implicated with his brother Joab in the murder of Abner in retaliation for the death of their brother Asahel 2Sa 3:30.

Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible

Verse 6. Abishai the son of Zeruiah] She was David’s sister; and therefore Abishai and Joab were nephews to David.

Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible

Ahimelech the Hittite; so called, either because he was one of that nation, but converted to the Jewish religion; compare 2Sa 11:3; 15:18; or from his habitation amongst, or some relation, to some of that people.

Zeriah; Davids sister: see 1Ch 2:16. His father is not named, either because he was now dead, or because he was an obscure person.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

Then answered David,…. Or addressed himself to the two following persons:

and said to Ahimelech the Hittite; who was either an Hittite by birth, but was become a proselyte, or he was an Israelite that had dwelt among the Hittites, and so had this name given him; the former seems most probable; some say k this was Uriah the Hittite:

and to Abishai the son of Zeruiah, brother to Joab; Zeruiah was the sister of David, 1Ch 2:15; and these were two sons of hers, who very probably joined David at the cave of Adullam, 1Sa 22:1;

saying, who will go down with me to Saul to the camp? that is, which of you two?

and Abishai said, I will go down with thee; the other being timorous, or Abishai being most forward spoke first.

k Hieron. Trad. Heb. in lib. Reg. fol. 76. M.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

David Spares Saul’s Life.

B. C. 1056.

6 Then answered David and said to Ahimelech the Hittite, and to Abishai the son of Zeruiah, brother to Joab, saying, Who will go down with me to Saul to the camp? And Abishai said, I will go down with thee. 7 So David and Abishai came to the people by night: and, behold, Saul lay sleeping within the trench, and his spear stuck in the ground at his bolster: but Abner and the people lay round about him. 8 Then said Abishai to David, God hath delivered thine enemy into thine hand this day: now therefore let me smite him, I pray thee, with the spear even to the earth at once, and I will not smite him the second time. 9 And David said to Abishai, Destroy him not: for who can stretch forth his hand against the LORD‘s anointed, and be guiltless? 10 David said furthermore, As the LORD liveth, the LORD shall smite him; or his day shall come to die; or he shall descend into battle, and perish. 11 The LORD forbid that I should stretch forth mine hand against the LORD‘s anointed: but, I pray thee, take thou now the spear that is at his bolster, and the cruse of water, and let us go. 12 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.

Here is, I. David’s bold adventure into Saul’s camp in the night, accompanied only by his kinsman Abishai, the son of Zeruiah. He proposed it to him and to another of his confidants (v. 6), but the other either declined it as too dangerous an enterprise, or at least was content that Abishai, who was forward to it, should run the risk of it rather than himself. Whether David was prompted to do this by his own courage, or by an extraordinary impression upon his spirits, or by the oracle, does not appear; but, like Gideon, he ventured through the guards, with a special assurance of the divine protection.

II. The posture he found the camp in Saul lay sleeping in the trench, or, as some read it, in his chariot, and in the midst of his carriages, with his spear stuck in the ground by him, to be ready if his quarters should by beaten up (v. 7); and all the soldiers, even those that were appointed to stand sentinel, were fast asleep, v. 12. Thus were their eyes closed and their hands bound, for a deep sleep from the Lord had fallen upon them; something extraordinary there was in it that they should all be asleep together, and so fast asleep that David and Abishai walked and talked among them, and yet none of them stirred. Sleep, when God gives it to his beloved, is their rest and refreshment; but he can, when he pleases, make it to his enemies their imprisonment. Thus are the stout-hearted spoiled; they have slept their sleep, and none of the men of might have found their hands, at thy rebuke, O God of Jacob!Psa 76:5; Psa 76:6. It was a deep sleep from the Lord, who has the command of the powers of nature, and makes them to serve his purposes as he pleases. Whom God will disable, or destroy, he binds up with a spirit of slumber, Rom. xi. 8. How helpless do Saul and all his forces lie, all, in effect, disarmed and chained! and yet nothing is done to them; they are only rocked asleep. How easily can God weaken the strongest, befool the wisest, and baffle the most watchful! Let all his friends therefore trust him and all his enemies fear him.

III. Abishai’s request to David for a commission to dispatch Saul with the spear that stuck at his bolster, which (now that he lay so fair) he undertook to do at one blow, v. 8. He would not urge David to kill him himself, because he had declined doing this before when he had a similar opportunity; but he begged earnestly that David would give him leave to do it, pleading that he was his enemy, not only cruel and implacable, but false and perfidious, whom no reason would rule nor kindness work upon, and that God had now delivered him into his hand, and did in effect bid him strike. The last advantage he had of this kind was indeed but accidental, when Saul happened to be in the cave with him at the same time. But in this there was something extraordinary; the deep sleep that had fallen on Saul and all his guards was manifestly from the Lord, so that it was a special providence which gave him this opportunity; he ought not therefore to let it slip.

IV. David’s generous refusal to suffer any harm to be done to Saul, and in it a resolute adherence to his principles of loyalty, v. 9. David charged Abishai not to destroy him, would not only not do it himself, but not permit another to do it. And he gave two reasons for it:– 1. It would be a sinful affront to God’s ordinance. Saul was the Lord’s anointed, king of Israel by the special appointment and nomination of the God of Israel, the power that was, and to resist him was to resist the ordinance of God, Rom. xiii. 2. No man could do it and be guiltless. The thing he feared was guilt and his concern respected his innocence more than his safety. 2. It would be a sinful anticipation of God’s providence. God had sufficiently shown him, in Nabal’s case, that, if he left it to him to avenge him, he would do it in due time. Encouraged therefore by his experience in that instance, he resolves to wait till God shall think fit to avenge him on Saul, and he will by no means avenge himself (v. 10): “The Lord shall smite him, as he did Nabal, with some sudden stroke, or he shall die in battle (as it proved he did soon after), or, if not, his day shall come to die a natural death, and I will contentedly wait till then, rather than force my way to the promised crown by any indirect methods.” The temptation indeed was very strong; but, if he should yield, he would sin against God, and therefore he will resist the temptation with the utmost resolution (v. 11): “The Lord forbid that I should stretch forth my hand against the Lord’s anointed; no, I will never do it, nor suffer it to be done.” Thus bravely does he prefer his conscience to his interest and trusts God with the issue.

V. The improvement he made of this opportunity for the further evidence of his own integrity. He and Abishai carried away the spear and cruse of water which Saul had by his bed-side (v. 12), and, which was very strange, none of all the guards were aware of it. If a physician had given them the strongest opiate or stupifying dose, they could not have been faster locked up with sleep. Saul’s spear which he had by him for defence, and his cup of water which he had for his refreshment, were both stolen from him while he slept. Thus do we lose our strength and our comfort when we are careless, and secure, and off our watch.

Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary

David Again Spares Saul. 1Sa. 26:6-20

9 And David said to Abishai, Destroy him not: for who can stretch forth his hand against the Lords anointed, and be guiltless?
10 David said furthermore, As the Lord liveth, the Lord shall smite him; or his day shall come to die; or he shall descend into battle, and perish.

11 The Lord forbid that I should stretch forth mine hand against the Lords anointed: but, I pray thee, take thou now the spear that is at his bolster, and the cruse of water, and let us go.

12 So David took the spear and the cruse of water from Sauls 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.

13 Then David went over to the other side, and stood on the top of a hill afar off; a great space being between them:

14 And David cried to the people, and to Abner the son of Ner, saying, Answerest thou not, Abner? Then Abner answered and said, Who art thou that criest to the king?

15 And David said to Abner, Art not thou a valiant man? and who is like to thee in Israel? wherefore then hast thou not kept thy lord the king? for there came one of the people in to destroy the king thy lord.

16 This thing is not good that thou hast done. As the Lord liveth, ye are worthy to die, because ye have not kept your master, the Lords anointed. And now see where the kings spear is, and the cruse of water that was at his bolster.

17 And Saul knew Davids voice, and said, Is this thy voice, my son David? And David said, It is my voice, my lord, O king.

18 And he said, Wherefore doth my lord thus pursue after his servant? for what have I done? or what evil is in mine hand?

19 Now therefore, I pray thee, let my lord the king hear the words of his servant. If the Lord have stirred thee up against me, let him accept an offering: but if they be the children of men, cursed be they before the Lord; for they have driven me out this day from abiding in the inheritance of the Lord, saying, Go, serve other gods.

20 Now therefore, let not my blood fall to the earth before the face of the Lord: for the king of Israel is come out to seek a flea, as when one doth hunt a partridge in the mountains.

Why did David propose to go into the camp? 1Sa. 26:6

For a moment David may have weakened and thought that he might do some personal harm to Saul. Since he had refused to do this before, he may have had other objectives in mind. He had sent out spies to find out as much as he could about Sauls army and its movements. It may have been his own purpose to go into the camp to learn as much as he could about Sauls army for himself. He found out that Saul was there lying within the trench. He saw his spear stuck in the ground at the head of his bedroll. He saw that Abner was there also as well as many of the other captains of thousands and soldiers whom David had fought with on previous occasions.

What was Abishais proposal? 1Sa. 26:8

Abishai, the son of Davids sister, Zeruiah, and brother of Joab, proposed that they slay Saul while he lay sleeping. Abishai seems ever ready to take immediate action against Davids enemies. He made this same proposal when Shimei cursed David as David fled from Jerusalem during the revolt of Absalom (2Sa. 16:9). Abishai seemed sure of his prowess for he said that he would smite him but once and that he would not need to smite him the second time. He felt that he could kill Saul with one stroke.

What was Davids reaction? 1Sa. 26:10

Once again David said that he would not lift up his own hand against the Lords anointed. He predicted that Saul would go down into battle and be killed. If this were not his end, he would die sometime of old age. At any rate David himself was not going to be a party to the slaying of Saul. He did take evidence from his visit to Sauls camp and returned to his own men. The evidence which he took was the spear and the cruse of water. The spear evidently had a sharp point on the butt end of it so that it could be stuck down in the ground without dulling the sharp point on the other end of the shaft. The cruse of water was the personal jar or cup which would be recognized as Sauls own.

Why did David rebuke Abner? 1Sa. 26:15

After David got back to his own men, he cried out to Abner and asked him if he did not consider himself to be a valiant man. He chided him by asking if there were any man in his field to equal him. He then asked why he had not kept better watch over the king. He then announced that there had been those in the camp who intended to kill Saul. Davids rebuke was stinging as he judged that Abner was worthy of death because he had not guarded the king more carefully. He asked him to go out to see if he could find the kings spear or the water jar which had been kept at his pillow. Abners search must have revealed that these items were gone. He knew that David had passed up an opportunity to kill Saul.

10.

Why did Saul call David his son? 1Sa. 26:17

David was Sauls son-in-law. He had just been awakened out of his sleep, and he may have been very kindly disposed towards David. Saul loved David when he first met him; and since he was old enough to be his father, he may have looked on him as he did the members of his own family. Certainly this kind of address does not reveal any real feeling of animosity towards David on the part of Saul. It must have been largely when he was possessed of the evil spirit that Saul sought to kill David.

11.

What was Davids proposal? 1Sa. 26:19

David proposed that he make an offering to God, if God was stirring up Sauls hatred for him. A sinner was to be punished. If the king knew of his sin, his duty was to execute judgment. For example, one of Gods laws through the ages has been that a man who killed another man should be put to death (Gen. 9:6). David was saying that if he were guilty of some crime for which the punishment was less than death, perhaps he could make a sin offering to the Lord and be forgiven of his sin. Thus Saul would not need to continue to search for him. On the other hand, if wicked men were making false accusations against David, he prayed that they might be cursed before the Lord because they were keeping him out of the presence of the king and making him to live on the borders of the promised land. In the areas outside of the borders of Israel David would be in pagan territory. These people worshipped other gods. The net result of his exile was that he could not go to the Tabernacle or to the priests of God and was in effect being told to go and serve other gods. David was willing therefore that his blood might be shed if there were just cause: but if there were no real reason for his being killed, he prayed that his blood would not be shed in vain.

12.

What figures did David use to describe his plight? 1Sa. 26:20

David said he was like a flea or a partridge. He was being forced to move about from place to place. He was like a bird being hunted in the forest. He was forced to make himself as inconspicuous as a pesky insect. These were humble figures, but they described his condition very well.

Fuente: College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

(6) Ahimelech the Hittite.The Hittites were one of the old Canaanitish peoples; we hear of them round Hebron in the time of Abraham (Gen. 15:20). The conquering Israelites subdued, but did not exterminate them; and gradually, in the days of the weakness and divisions which succeeded the first conquest, the Hittites, in common with many other of the old tribes, seeem to have enjoyed the Land of Promise with the children of Israel in a kind of joint occupation. We find the Hittites ranking here among Davids trusted faithful men; and later we hear of another Hittite, Uriah, the husband of Bathsheba, filling an important post in the royal army, and possessing a house and an establishment in the capital city of Jerusalem. We do not hear again of this Ahimelech in the sacred record.

Abishai the son of Zeruiah.Zeruiah was Davids sister. Abishai, later one of the famous generals of David, was brother to Joab, afterwards the captain of the royal host. Abishai was apparently nearly of the same age as David. There was a third younger brother also high in the favour of his kinsman DavidAsahel, celebrated especially for his speed in running. Between these three sons of Zeruiah and Abner a blood feud seems to have existed. Abner, the near relative, and captain of the host of Saul throughout that monarchs reign, is closely associated with the fortunes of Saul. It has been supposed, and with some probability, that he was among the determined foes of David. Dreading the advent of the son of Jesse to the throne, he saw in his elevation the signal of the downfall of all Sauls family and friends. He, Abner, surely would no longer be captain of the host of Israel. The words of David to Abner in this chapter (1Sa. 26:14-16) seem to point to the fierce hatred which existed between them. The bloody sequel to the feud between the great kinsman of Saul and the three brothers, the famous sons of Davids sister, is strictly in accordance with what we should expect in these fierce, wild days. Some time after Sauls death Abner slew the young Asahel, who seems to have been passionately loved by his elder brother. Abner became reconciled to David, but the reconciliation saved not the friend of Saul and the slayer of Asahel from the vengeance of Joab and Abishai, who murdered the illustrious Abner in cold blood.

And Abishai said, I will go down with thee.Ahimelech seems to have backed out of the perilous night enterprise, but Abishai, the son of Zeruiah, with the reckless gallantry and the intense devotion to David which, with all their pride and self will, ever characterised these famous warrior kinsmen of the king, at once volunteered to go with his loved chief.

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

DAVID SPARES SAUL A SECOND TIME, 1Sa 26:6-25.

6. Ahimelech the Hittite Mentioned here only.

Abishai Joab Both sons of Zeruiah, and nephews of David. Compare 1Ch 2:16. These brothers ever devoted themselves with the utmost loyalty and zeal to their uncle, both during the time of his wanderings and after he became king. See on 2Sa 2:18.

Abishai said, I will go Did Ahimelech decline through fear of danger?

Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

1Sa 26:6 Then answered David and said to Ahimelech the Hittite, and to Abishai the son of Zeruiah, brother to Joab, saying, Who will go down with me to Saul to the camp? And Abishai said, I will go down with thee.

Ver. 6. And to Abishai the son of Zeruiah. ] David’s own sister; her husband not mentioned, because, haply, of meaner rank, and no great deserts; her two sons Abishai and Joab were, as it is said of the two Roman Scipios,

“ Duo fulmina belli. ” – Lucan.

The two thunderbolts of war.

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

Hittite: Gen 10:15, Gen 15:20, 2Sa 11:6, 2Sa 11:21, 2Sa 11:24, 2Sa 12:9, 2Sa 23:39

to Abishai: 2Sa 2:18, 2Sa 16:9, 2Sa 16:10, 2Sa 18:5, 2Sa 23:18, 1Ch 2:16

Zeruiah: 1Ch 2:15, 1Ch 2:16

Who will go: 1Sa 14:6, 1Sa 14:7, Jdg 7:10, Jdg 7:11

Reciprocal: Gen 23:3 – Heth 2Sa 20:6 – Abishai 1Ch 11:20 – Abishai 1Ch 18:12 – Moreover

Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

1Sa 26:6-7. Ahimelech the Hittite A valiant man of that nation, who was a proselyte to the Jewish religion; and not only followed David, but was always near to his person. Abishai Brother to Joab, the son of Zeruiah, Davids sister. His father is not named, either because he was now dead, or because he was an obscure person. Abishai said, I will go Either Ahimelech declined it, as too hazardous an enterprise; or Abishai, being a forward young man, offered himself while the other stood deliberating. David and Abishai came to the people by night A bold attempt for two men to come into the midst of an army of three thousand chosen men. But it should be considered, 1st, That David had a particular assurance that God would preserve him to the kingdom; and, 2d, That he probably had a particular impression from God, exciting him to this work, and, possibly, God might reveal to him that he had cast them into this deep sleep, in order that David might have this second opportunity of manifesting his innocence toward Saul.

Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

26:6 Then answered David and said to Ahimelech the {b} Hittite, and to Abishai the son of Zeruiah, brother to {c} Joab, saying, Who will go down with me to Saul to the camp? And Abishai said, I will go down with thee.

(b) Who was a stranger, and not an Israelite.

Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes

Abishai’s offer to kill Saul 26:6-12

Ahimelech the Hittite may have been a foreign mercenary (cf. Uriah the Hittite, 2Sa 11:3). The writer may have mentioned his Hittite connection to show the extent of David’s appeal. Abishai was David’s nephew, one of the sons of his sister Zeruiah (cf. 1Ch 2:15-16). Joab, who later became David’s commander-in-chief, was Abishai’s brother.

Saul had used his spear to attack David three times (cf. 1Sa 18:10; 1Sa 19:9-10; 1Sa 20:33). It was, therefore, an instrument of death. It was also the symbol of Saul’s rule, similar to a scepter (cf. 1Sa 22:6). Abishai’s viewpoint was carnal. He concluded that because God had given David the upper hand he should use it to do away with his rival (1Sa 26:8; cf. 1Sa 24:4). David had used similar words when he promised to kill Goliath (cf. 1Sa 17:46), as had Saul in describing how he would kill David with his spear (cf. 1Sa 18:11).

David believed, however, that since God had anointed Saul it was not his place to do him harm (1Sa 26:9; cf. 1Sa 24:6-7). His reply to Abishai begins (1Sa 26:9) and ends (1Sa 26:11) with the reason David would not permit Abishai to kill Saul: he was the Lord’s anointed. In the middle of this reply, David mentioned alternative ways by which God might terminate Saul’s life (1Sa 26:10). He might die from some physical affliction, as Nabal had (cf. 1Sa 25:38), or of natural causes, or in battle (cf. ch. 31). David reminded Abishai that God could deal with Saul without their help.

David’s reason for entering Saul’s camp was not to kill him but to teach him a lesson. By taking Saul’s spear, David would teach the king that he had the power of death, but chose to spare Saul’s life rather than take it. This symbolic act also communicated that the right to rule would be David’s eventually. By taking his water jug, a life-giving vessel since life in the Judean wilderness depended on drinking water, David taught him that he had the power to take Saul’s life. Perhaps the jug of water also symbolized that refreshment and blessing would also be David’s portion from the Lord. It was really the Lord who defended David by making Saul and all of his men sleep soundly (1Sa 26:12).

Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)

Disfruta de miles de canciones cristianas en exclusiva sólo en Bibles