1 Samuel 26:15 kjv
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.
1 Samuel 26:15 nkjv
So David said to Abner, "Are you not a man? And who is like you in Israel? Why then have you not guarded your lord the king? For one of the people came in to destroy your lord the king.
1 Samuel 26:15 niv
David said, "You're a man, aren't you? And who is like you in Israel? Why didn't you guard your lord the king? Someone came to destroy your lord the king.
1 Samuel 26:15 esv
And David said to Abner, "Are you not a man? Who is like you in Israel? Why then have you not kept watch over your lord the king? For one of the people came in to destroy the king your lord.
1 Samuel 26:15 nlt
"Well, Abner, you're a great man, aren't you?" David taunted. "Where in all Israel is there anyone as mighty? So why haven't you guarded your master the king when someone came to kill him?
1 Samuel 26 15 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Sam 24:1-7 | David spares Saul in the cave... David cut off a corner of Saul's robe. | David's respect for the anointed one demonstrated earlier. |
| 1 Sam 26:9-12 | David said, "The Lord forbid that I should lay a hand on the Lord's anointed!" | David's consistent refusal to harm God's chosen king. |
| 2 Sam 3:28-29 | David hears of Abner's death by Joab... curses fall upon Joab and his house for Abner's blood. | Abner's ultimate fate and David's dissociation from it. |
| Psa 105:15 | "Touch not My anointed ones, And do My prophets no harm." | God's protection over His chosen, underscoring David's obedience. |
| 1 Chr 16:22 | "Do not touch My anointed ones; do My prophets no harm." | Reinforcement of the sacredness of God's anointed servants. |
| Exo 22:28 | "You shall not revile God, nor curse a ruler of your people." | Principle of respect for authority, including civil rulers. |
| Prov 24:21 | My son, fear the LORD and the king; Do not associate with those given to change. | Emphasizes the dual respect for divine and royal authority. |
| Rom 13:1-2 | Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God... | Christian duty to submit to governmental authorities. |
| 1 Pet 2:13-17 | Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every human institution... Fear God, honor the king. | Broad call for respectful submission to earthly rulers. |
| Ezek 3:17-18 | "Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel... warn them from Me." | Abner's failure as a "watchman" or guardian. |
| Ezek 33:7-8 | So you, son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; therefore hear a word... | Responsibility of a watchman to guard and warn. |
| Matt 26:47-50 | Judas, one of the twelve... came up to Jesus and said, "Greetings, Rabbi!" and kissed Him. | Contrast of loyalty/protection vs. treachery/betrayal. |
| Job 24:14-15 | "The murderer rises at dawn to kill the poor and needy... the adulterer waits for the twilight..." | Contrast of hidden intentions vs. exposed negligence. |
| Psa 121:7-8 | The LORD will keep you from all evil; He will keep your life... from this time forth and forevermore. | God's ultimate guardianship and protection contrasted with human fallibility. |
| Prov 28:13 | He who covers his sins will not prosper, But whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy. | Implied call for acknowledgment of failure or sin, relevant to Abner. |
| Luke 12:47-48 | And that servant who knew his master's will... shall be beaten with many stripes. | Principle that greater knowledge or responsibility incurs greater accountability. |
| Neh 6:11 | I said, "Should such a man as I flee? And could such a man as I go into the temple... to save his life?" | Rhetorical question highlighting perceived duty and manliness (similar to David). |
| Num 14:12 | I will strike them with the pestilence and disinherit them... | Consequence of failing to "guard" God's honor and leading Israel faithfully (Moses). |
| Jer 3:20 | Surely, as a woman treacherously departs from her husband, So have you dealt treacherously with Me... | Idea of broken loyalty or a relationship of trust breached. |
| Prov 21:1 | The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD, Like the rivers of water; He turns it wherever He wishes. | God's ultimate sovereignty even over kings and their protectors. |
| Deut 28:20 | "The LORD will send on you curses, confusion, and rebuke in everything... until you are destroyed..." | Consequences of neglecting divine commands, applicable to failing duties. |
1 Samuel 26 verses
1 Samuel 26 15 Meaning
David's words in 1 Samuel 26:15 are a sharp, rhetorical challenge to Abner, Saul's chief commander. David questions Abner's competence and integrity, highlighting his prominent status in Israel only to contrast it with his abject failure in protecting King Saul. The verse implies Abner's gross negligence allowed someone (David himself) to penetrate the heavily guarded camp and come dangerously close to harming the king, an act of security lapse that threatened Saul's very life. It serves as David's indirect declaration of his access to the king, without confessing his identity to those who would accuse him of treachery, while simultaneously shaming Abner for his dereliction of duty.
1 Samuel 26 15 Context
1 Samuel chapter 26 is the second major instance where David has the opportunity to kill Saul but refrains, emphasizing his consistent respect for the "Lord's anointed." The specific verse 15 occurs immediately after David and Abishai secretly enter Saul's sleeping camp at Hachilah. David has taken Saul's spear and water jar, symbolic items of royal authority and life, from right beside Saul's head while Abner and Saul's other men sleep profoundly, as if "a deep sleep from the LORD had fallen on them" (v. 12). Having retrieved these objects, David moves to a nearby hill and calls out to Abner and the Israelite army. Verse 15 is David's direct confrontation with Abner, intended to shame him publicly for his grave failure in protecting the king. This whole encounter occurs while Saul is actively hunting David, attempting to kill him, showcasing David's righteousness in the face of persistent injustice and Saul's misplaced trust in his military leadership (Abner) instead of relying on God's protection.
1 Samuel 26 15 Word analysis
- Then David said to Abner,
- Then: Signifies a chronological progression following David's safe exit from Saul's camp.
- David: The future king, who has demonstrated his true character and respect for God's anointed, contrasting with Saul's paranoid actions.
- Abner: Saul's cousin and the commander of his army, holding a position of immense responsibility and trust.
- "Are you not a man?
- Are you not a man?: Hebrew: הֲלֹא־אִישׁ אַתָּה (hă-lō-ʾîš ʾattāh). A rhetorical question designed to shame. "Man" here implies a person of courage, strength, duty, competence, and leadership, challenging Abner's very identity and reputation. It questions his fundamental capacity to fulfill his high office.
- And who is like you in Israel?
- who is like you in Israel?: A rhetorical recognition of Abner's prominent and unparalleled position, as the leading military figure after the king. This recognition magnifies the criticism, as a failure from someone so esteemed is even more egregious.
- Why then have you not guarded your lord the king?
- Why then have you not guarded: Hebrew: וְלָמָּה לֹא שָׁמַרְתָּ (wə-lāmmāh lō šāmārtā). The verb shamar (שָׁמַר) means "to keep, watch, guard, preserve, protect." This is the core of the accusation. It speaks to a profound dereliction of his primary duty.
- your lord the king: Reinforces the specific, high-stakes responsibility Abner bore. "Lord" (אֲדוֹן, adon) emphasizes subservience and duty, while "king" (מֶלֶךְ, melekh) denotes Saul's ultimate authority and sacred position as the Lord's anointed. This also subtly reminds Abner of his sworn allegiance.
- For someone came in to destroy the king your lord."
- For someone came in: David avoids explicitly naming himself, allowing Abner's mind to conjure the severity of the security breach and the implied danger. The vague "someone" (אִישׁ, ish - 'a man') highlights the alarming ease with which the camp was infiltrated.
- to destroy: Hebrew: לְהַשְׁחִית (lə-hašḥîṯ). A strong verb meaning "to ruin, spoil, corrupt, annihilate, or kill." David chose this word to underscore the lethal potential of the intrusion and to escalate Abner's shame and guilt. It conveys an existential threat to the king.
- the king your lord: A powerful repetition emphasizing again Abner's personal and official responsibility for Saul's life and royal integrity.
1 Samuel 26 15 Bonus section
The deep sleep that fell upon Abner and Saul's men (1 Sam 26:12) is described as "a deep sleep from the LORD," implying divine intervention that facilitated David's approach and withdrawal unharmed. This emphasizes that David's escape and Abner's negligence were ultimately under God's sovereign control, allowing God's will concerning Saul and David to unfold. David's taking of the spear and water jug were not random acts; they were physical symbols demonstrating his easy access to Saul's life (spear for killing, water jug for sustenance), yet his refusal to use this access, contrasting with Saul's persistent attempts on David's life. The rhetorical nature of David's questions to Abner is a masterful display of indirect communication, forcing Abner to confront his failure without David needing to make an explicit threat or reveal his full intentions. This incident further cements David's righteousness in the eyes of the Israelites and prepares the ground for Saul's eventual surrender and a temporary reconciliation (1 Sam 26:21-25).
1 Samuel 26 15 Commentary
1 Samuel 26:15 represents David's potent verbal attack on Abner's failure as a military commander and personal guardian of King Saul. David uses rhetorical questions to publicly shame Abner, first questioning his masculinity and capability ("Are you not a man?"), then acknowledging his high status ("who is like you in Israel?") only to heighten the disgrace of his negligence. The core accusation centers on Abner's failure to "guard" his lord the king, especially in light of the very real danger David (the 'someone') presented by being able to enter the sleeping camp unnoticed and take Saul's spear and water jar. David’s language concerning "destroy[ing]" the king's life is intentionally strong, impressing upon Abner the extreme nature of his security lapse. This entire episode serves to once again demonstrate David's moral integrity and divine appointment, contrasted sharply with Saul's deteriorating state and the incompetence of his trusted lieutenants. It's a testament to David's character, illustrating his consistent refusal to avenge himself and his unwavering respect for the Lord's anointed.