1 Samuel 26 5

1 Samuel 26:5 kjv

And David arose, and came to the place where Saul had pitched: and David beheld the place where Saul lay, and Abner the son of Ner, the captain of his host: and Saul lay in the trench, and the people pitched round about him.

1 Samuel 26:5 nkjv

So David arose and came to the place where Saul had encamped. And David saw the place where Saul lay, and Abner the son of Ner, the commander of his army. Now Saul lay within the camp, with the people encamped all around him.

1 Samuel 26:5 niv

Then David set out and went to the place where Saul had camped. He saw where Saul and Abner son of Ner, the commander of the army, had lain down. Saul was lying inside the camp, with the army encamped around him.

1 Samuel 26:5 esv

Then David rose and came to the place where Saul had encamped. And David saw the place where Saul lay, with Abner the son of Ner, the commander of his army. Saul was lying within the encampment, while the army was encamped around him.

1 Samuel 26:5 nlt

David slipped over to Saul's camp one night to look around. Saul and Abner son of Ner, the commander of his army, were sleeping inside a ring formed by the slumbering warriors.

1 Samuel 26 verses

1 Samuel 26 5 Meaning

This verse precisely details David's reconnaissance within Saul's encamped army, highlighting his courageous and direct approach to the very center of his enemy's security. It notes David's observation of Saul's vulnerable sleeping position, flanked by Abner, the highly capable commander of the army, and surrounded by the resting soldiers. This establishes the dangerous setting for David's critical decision to spare Saul for a second time, demonstrating a divinely orchestrated opportunity and human security's fallibility.

1 Samuel 26 5 Context

1 Samuel 26 details the second occasion on which David, pursued relentlessly by King Saul, finds himself in a position to kill his tormentor but refrains. Prior to this verse, Saul, alerted by the Ziphites (a people David had previously delivered, 1 Sam 23:19-24), has once again marched with three thousand chosen men to hunt David down in the wilderness of Ziph. David, known for his excellent intelligence gathering (1 Sam 23:24-25), discovers Saul's encampment. This immediate context of Saul's relentless, unrighteous pursuit of David sets the stage for David's incredibly bold and faith-driven act. The broader narrative places this event within the larger story of Saul's declining kingship and David's righteous ascent, emphasizing God's protection over His chosen one amidst severe persecution. The repeated opportunity for David to eliminate Saul, yet choosing not to, highlights David's reverence for God's anointed and his trust in God's timing and justice.

1 Samuel 26 5 Word analysis

• So David arose (וַיָּקָם דָּוִד, wayyāqām dāwiḏ):
  • וַיָּקָם (wayyāqām, "and he arose"): This waw-consecutive verb indicates a prompt, decisive action following the information he received. It often denotes beginning a significant undertaking. In the biblical narrative, "arising" can signify intentional movement towards an important event.
  • דָּוִד (dāwiḏ, "David"): The man chosen by God, now hunted by the current king. His actions are under divine scrutiny and guidance.
• and came (וַיָּבֹא, wayyābō’):
  • וַיָּבֹא (wayyābō’, "and he came"): Simple verb indicating movement to a specific location. Combined with "arose," it implies David's proactive initiative in approaching a dangerous situation.
• to the place (אֶל־הַמָּקוֹם, ’el-hammāqōm):
  • הַמָּקוֹם (hammāqōm, "the place"): The definite article "the" suggests a known or specific location, perhaps one they had scouted or understood to be where Saul's camp was established.
• where Saul had encamped (אֲשֶׁר־חָנָה שָׁאוּל, ’ăšer-ḥānāh šā’ûl):
  • חָנָה (ḥānāh, "encamped" or "pitched camp"): This verb is frequently used for military encampments, denoting a temporary but settled and usually fortified position. The verb is in the Qal perfect, indicating Saul's completed action of setting up camp.
  • שָׁאוּל (šā’ûl, "Saul"): The king of Israel, paradoxically unable to secure himself from David, despite his army.
• And David saw (וַיַּרְא דָּוִד, wayyar’ dāwiḏ):
  • וַיַּרְא (wayyar’, "and he saw"): This emphasizes direct, visual observation, confirming the intelligence David received. It's a key verb for gaining understanding and evaluating a situation.
• the place (אֶת־הַמָּקוֹם, ’et-hammāqōm):
  • Again, specifying the location, here as the object of David's observation.
• where Saul lay (אֲשֶׁר שֹׁכֵב שָׁאוּל, ’ăšer šōkhēḇ šā’ûl):
  • שֹׁכֵב (šōkhēḇ, "lay"): This participles (acting as an adjective) indicates a state of resting or sleeping. It signifies vulnerability, a stark contrast to a king's expected vigilance and security in a military camp. It implies a deep, undisturbed sleep, often taken as a sign of divine hand in such narratives.
• and Abner the son of Ner (וְאַבְנֵר בֶּן־נֵר, wə’aḇnēr ben-nēr):
  • אַבְנֵר (’aḇnēr, "Abner"): Saul's cousin and the commander of his army. His proximity to Saul is noted, underscoring his failure to protect the king, an ironic failure given his role.
  • בֶּן־נֵר (ben-nēr, "son of Ner"): Full identification, confirming his high status and lineage.
• and the commander of the army (וְשַׂר־הַצָּבָא, wəśar-haṣṣābā’):
  • שַׂר־הַצָּבָא (śar-haṣṣābā’, "commander of the army"): This title stresses Abner's professional military duty and responsibility to protect the king. His presence reinforces the notion that Saul should have been secure. This indicates the precise point of entry where the most heavily guarded persons should be.
• And Saul was lying (וְשָׁאוּל שֹׁכֵב, wəšā’ûl šōkhēḇ):
  • Repetition of שֹׁכֵב ("lying/sleeping") specifically about Saul emphasizes his vulnerability. The initial "and" suggests this observation followed seeing the general setup.
• within the encampment (בַּמַּעְגָּל, bammaggāl):
  • מַעְגָּל (maʿgāl, "encampment circle" or "entrenchment"): This refers to the inner, core part of the camp, typically where the king would sleep for maximum security. It suggests a fortified, well-defended position. The root means "to surround." This is the innermost and most protected circle of the camp.
• with the army encamped around him (וְהָעָם חֹנִים סְבִיבֹתָיו, wəhāʿām ḥōnîm sərābîbhôṯāw):
  • הָעָם (hāʿām, "the army" or "the people"): The troops.
  • חֹנִים (ḥōnîm, "encamped"): Participle, indicating they were continually encamped.
  • סְבִיבֹתָיו (sərābîbhôṯāw, "around him"): Literally, "their surrounding." This highlights the extensive protective perimeter Saul had. The irony is pronounced: a vast, vigilant army surrounding a king rendered helpless by divine will. This implies that many watchmen and security procedures were in place, yet David managed to pass through them all.

1 Samuel 26 5 Bonus section

The detailed military setup described in 1 Samuel 26:5, particularly Saul lying within the maʿgāl (encampment circle) with the army surrounding him, suggests a highly disciplined military formation characteristic of ancient Israelite warfare or at least royal security. This arrangement (like that of the tribes around the Tabernacle in Numbers) provided multiple layers of defense. The failure of such a sophisticated defense system to detect David is implicitly attributed to a deep, divinely-induced slumber or "stupor from the Lord" as explicitly mentioned in verse 12. This reinforces the theological point that no human guard or strategy can thwart God's purposes or protect someone against His will, especially when an individual is acting contrary to God's chosen path, as Saul was. The event thus functions as an object lesson in divine sovereignty, demonstrating that even a vast and well-positioned army cannot provide ultimate security when the Lord withdraws His hand or intervenes for His anointed. It contrasts human reliance on strength with the ultimate protection found in God's faithfulness.

1 Samuel 26 5 Commentary

1 Samuel 26:5 succinctly sets the critical scene for David's ultimate demonstration of loyalty and trust in divine justice. David's direct journey "to the place where Saul had encamped" is a display of incredible audacity and faith, possibly accompanied by Abishai as mentioned in the subsequent verse (v. 6), highlighting the danger. The precise description of David observing "Saul lay, and Abner the son of Ner and the commander of the army" asleep or at rest directly by him underscores the extraordinary nature of the opportunity that arises. Abner, as sar-haṣṣābā (commander of the army), bore the highest military responsibility for the king's safety. His and the entire army's deep rest implies a miraculous intervention by God, rendering human vigilance ineffective, reminiscent of divine incapacitation seen in other biblical narratives (e.g., Exod 14:24; Acts 12:6). Saul's sleeping "within the encampment" and "with the army encamped around him" illustrates the layered security that typically protected a king, emphasizing how completely God had delivered Saul into David's hands. This is not merely a descriptive detail but a theological statement on divine providence overruling human effort and perceived security.