1 Samuel 26:9
◄  1 Samuel 26:9  ►
New International Version (©2011)
But David said to Abishai, "Don't destroy him! Who can lay a hand on the LORD's anointed and be guiltless?

New Living Translation (©2007)
"No!" David said. "Don't kill him. For who can remain innocent after attacking the LORD's anointed one?

English Standard Version (©2001)
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 American Standard Bible (©1995)
But David said to Abishai, "Do not destroy him, for who can stretch out his hand against the LORD'S anointed and be without guilt?"

King James Bible (Cambridge Ed.)
And David said to Abishai, Destroy him not: for who can stretch forth his hand against the LORD'S anointed, and be guiltless?

Holman Christian Standard Bible (©2009)
But David said to Abishai, "Don't destroy him, for who can lift a hand against the LORD's anointed and be blameless?"

International Standard Version (©2012)
David told Abishai, "Don't destroy him. Who can raise his hand to strike the LORD's anointed and remain innocent?

NET Bible (©2006)
But David said to Abishai, "Don't kill him! Who can extend his hand against the LORD's chosen one and remain guiltless?"

GOD'S WORD® Translation (©1995)
"Don't kill him!" David told Abishai. "No one has ever attacked the LORD's anointed king and remained free of guilt.

King James 2000 Bible (©2003)
And David said to Abishai, Destroy him not: for who can stretch forth his hand against the LORD'S anointed, and be guiltless?

American King James Version
And David said to Abishai, Destroy him not: for who can stretch forth his hand against the LORD's anointed, and be guiltless?

American Standard Version
And David said to Abishai, Destroy him not; for who can put forth his hand against Jehovah's anointed, and be guiltless?

Douay-Rheims Bible
And David said to Abisai: Kill him not: for who shall put forth his hand against the Lord's anointed, and shall be guiltless?

Darby Bible Translation
And David said to Abishai, Destroy him not; for who can stretch forth his hand against Jehovah's anointed, and be guiltless?

English Revised Version
And David said to Abishai, Destroy him not: for who can put forth his hand against the LORD'S anointed, and be guiltless?

Webster's Bible Translation
And David said to Abishai, Destroy him not; for who can stretch forth his hand against the LORD'S anointed and be guiltless?

World English Bible
David said to Abishai, "Don't destroy him; for who can put forth his hand against Yahweh's anointed, and be guiltless?"

Young's Literal Translation
And David saith unto Abishai, 'Destroy him not; for who hath put forth his hand against the anointed of Jehovah, and been acquitted?'

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

26:1-12 How soon do unholy hearts lose the good impressions convictions have made upon them! How helpless were Saul and all his men! All as though disarmed and chained, yet nothing is done to them; they are only asleep. How easily can God weaken the strongest, befool the wisest, and baffle the most watchful! David still resolved to wait till God thought fit to avenge him on Saul. He will by no means force his way to the promised crown by any wrong methods. The temptation was very strong; but if he yielded, he would sin against God, therefore he resisted the temptation, and trusted God with the event.

Pulpit Commentary

Verses 9-11. - David forbids the deed as before (1 Samuel 24:6), because of Saul's office. As we there saw, this was an ingrained principle in David's mind on which he constantly acted. Present with equal strength in Saul's mind, it was the cause of moral ruin to the one, and of a noble forbearance and self-control to the other. David therefore leaves him in Jehovah's hand, saying, As Jehovah liveth, Jehovah shall smite him; or his day, etc. Literally, "As Jehovah liveth (I will not smite him), but Jehovah shall smite him; either his day shall come and he shall die; or he shall go down into battle and perish." Whenever he falls, it shall be Jehovah's doing, whether he die a natural death, or a violent one in battle. "The smiting of Jehovah" does not imply a sudden death. God smites men with disease (2 Kings 15:5) and other troubles. What David means is that he will leave the matter entirely to God, but that if Saul's death is to be a violent one, he must fall honourably, not by the hand of a subject, but in battle with Israel's enemies. Jehovah forbid. The same phrase as in 1 Samuel 24:6. Cruse of water. i.e. water bottle, as in 1 Kings 19:6.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And David said to Abishai, destroy him not,.... He laid his commands upon him not to hurt him:

for who can stretch forth his hand against the Lord's anointed, and be guiltless? since Saul was king, and appointed to that office by the Lord, and was anointed by his order for it, and invested with it by him, his person was sacred, and not to be touched; nor could his life be taken away by any without being guilty of a very great crime indeed, which it might be justly expected the Lord would resent and punish.

1 Samuel 26:9 Parallel Commentaries

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Bible Hub: Online Parallel Bible


David Again Spares Saul
…8Then said Abishai to David, God has delivered your enemy into your hand this day: now therefore let me smite him, I pray you, with the spear even to the earth at once, and I will not smite him the second time. 9And David said to Abishai, Destroy him not: for who can stretch forth his hand against the LORD's anointed, and be guiltless? 10David said furthermore, As the LORD lives, the LORD shall smite him; or his day shall come to die; or he shall descend into battle, and perish. …

1 Samuel 10:1 Then Samuel took a flask of olive oil and poured it on Saul's head and kissed him, saying, "Has not the LORD anointed you ruler over his inheritance?
1 Samuel 24:6 He said to his men, "The LORD forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the LORD's anointed, or lay my hand on him; for he is the anointed of the LORD."
1 Samuel 24:7 With these words David sharply rebuked his men and did not allow them to attack Saul. And Saul left the cave and went his way.
1 Samuel 26:8 Abishai said to David, "Today God has delivered your enemy into your hands. Now let me pin him to the ground with one thrust of the spear; I won't strike him twice."
2 Samuel 1:14 David asked him, "Why weren't you afraid to lift your hand to destroy the LORD's anointed?"
2 Samuel 1:16 For David had said to him, "Your blood be on your own head. Your own mouth testified against you when you said, 'I killed the LORD's anointed.'"
Psalm 7:4 if I have repaid my ally with evil or without cause have robbed my foe--