1 Samuel 26:9 kjv
And David said to Abishai, Destroy him not: for who can stretch forth his hand against the LORD's anointed, and be guiltless?
1 Samuel 26:9 nkjv
But David said to Abishai, "Do not destroy him; for who can stretch out his hand against the LORD's anointed, and be guiltless?"
1 Samuel 26:9 niv
But David said to Abishai, "Don't destroy him! Who can lay a hand on the LORD's anointed and be guiltless?
1 Samuel 26:9 esv
But David said to Abishai, "Do not destroy him, for who can put out his hand against the LORD's anointed and be guiltless?"
1 Samuel 26:9 nlt
"No!" David said. "Don't kill him. For who can remain innocent after attacking the LORD's anointed one?
1 Samuel 26 9 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Sam 24:6 | He said to his men, "The LORD forbid that I should do this thing...!" | David refused to harm Saul earlier as well. |
| 1 Sam 24:10 | ...I would not put out my hand against my lord, for he is the LORD's anointed. | Reiterates David's conviction about Saul. |
| 2 Sam 1:14-16 | And David said to him, "How is it that you were not afraid...to destroy the LORD's anointed?" Then David called one of his young men and said, "Come here and strike him down." | David executes the Amalekite who claimed to kill Saul. |
| Rom 13:1-2 | Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed... | Submission to God-ordained authority. |
| 1 Pet 2:13-17 | Be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme... | Call to respect secular and spiritual rulers. |
| Prov 24:21 | My son, fear the LORD and the king, and do not join with those who do otherwise, | Encourages fear and respect for authority. |
| Psa 105:15 | saying, "Touch not my anointed ones, do my prophets no harm!" | General warning against harming God's chosen. |
| Exo 22:28 | "You shall not revile God, nor curse a ruler of your people." | Respect for God and earthly leaders. |
| 1 Sam 10:1 | Then Samuel took a flask of oil and poured it on Saul's head... "Has not the LORD anointed you to be prince over his people Israel?" | Saul's divine anointing by Samuel. |
| 1 Sam 16:13 | Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers... | David's divine anointing, also by Samuel. |
| 2 Sam 22:51 | Great salvation he brings to his king, and shows steadfast love to his anointed, to David and his offspring forever. | God's faithfulness to His anointed, David. |
| Psa 2:2 | The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD and against his Anointed, saying, | Prophetic reference to Messiah, God's ultimate Anointed One. |
| Acts 4:26 | ...the kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers were gathered together, against the Lord and against his Christ'... | Quoting Psa 2:2, applied to Jesus. |
| Lam 4:20 | The breath of our nostrils, the LORD's anointed, was captured in their pits... | Refers to Judah's king, Zedekiah, despite his flaws, still considered "Lord's anointed." |
| Matt 26:52 | Then Jesus said to him, "Put your sword back into its place. For all who take the sword will perish by the sword." | Jesus rebukes Peter for violent action. |
| Rom 12:19 | Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, "Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord." | Leaving vengeance to God, not human hands. |
| Heb 10:30 | For we know him who said, "Vengeance is mine; I will repay." And again, "The Lord will judge his people." | God's prerogative to enact judgment. |
| 1 Sam 15:23 | For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and presumption as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, he has also rejected you from being king." | Saul's rejection by God, yet David still honored the office. |
| 1 Chr 16:22 | saying, "Touch not my anointed ones, do my prophets no harm!" | Parallel to Psa 105:15, a warning. |
| Dan 2:21 | He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding; | God's absolute sovereignty over earthly rulers. |
| John 19:10-11 | So Pilate said to him, "You will not speak to me? Do you not know that I have authority to release you and authority to crucify you?" Jesus answered him, "You would have no authority over me at all unless it had been given you from above." | All authority, even flawed, ultimately comes from God. |
| Psa 89:20 | I have found David, my servant; with my holy oil I have anointed him, | God chose and anointed David as king. |
| Luke 2:11 | For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. | Jesus as the ultimate Anointed One, the Christ. |
1 Samuel 26 verses
1 Samuel 26 9 Meaning
In 1 Samuel 26:9, David emphatically tells Abishai not to kill King Saul, despite Saul's relentless pursuit of David. The core meaning highlights David's profound reverence for God's designated authority. He asserts that no one can physically harm the "Lord's anointed" without incurring severe divine judgment and guilt. This act showcases David's unwavering trust in God's sovereign timing and justice, refusing to seize the throne through violent means, and acknowledging the sacred nature of God's chosen king.
1 Samuel 26 9 Context
1 Samuel Chapter 26 opens with the Ziphites once again betraying David by informing Saul of David's hiding place. Saul, still obsessed with hunting David, takes 3,000 chosen men and pursues him. David, scouting Saul's camp, and accompanied by Abishai and Ahimelech, identifies Saul sleeping, with his spear and jar of water by his head, while his men sleep around him. Abishai offers to kill Saul with one blow, seizing a unique opportunity to end David's suffering and secure his path to the throne. It is at this critical juncture that David utters the profound statement in verse 9. This incident parallels a previous encounter in 1 Samuel 24 where David also spared Saul's life, demonstrating a consistent principle of not raising his hand against the king God had anointed, even if that king was God's rejected ruler. David's actions reflect his understanding of divine timing and justice, trusting that God alone would remove Saul and establish him as king. This commitment highlights David’s character as a man after God’s own heart, prioritising obedience and reverence over personal gain or expediency.
1 Samuel 26 9 Word analysis
- But David said to Abishai,: Signifies an immediate and firm counter-command, halting Abishai’s impulse to act. David's resolve is presented as a sharp contrast to Abishai's readiness to kill.
- "Do not destroy him,": The Hebrew verb is shachat (שָׁחַת), meaning to corrupt, ruin, or destroy. It suggests a more profound defilement or desolation than just killing. David’s command indicates a strict prohibition against any action that would bring ruin or an unlawful end to Saul, particularly in his divinely ordained capacity.
- "for who can put out his hand": This rhetorical question emphasizes the severity and the forbidden nature of the action. The phrase "put out his hand" (שָׁלַח יָד - shalach yad) is an idiom for hostile or violent action, asserting physical harm or aggression. David uses this to stress the universal impossibility of such an act without consequence.
- "against the Lord’s anointed": This is the core theological term. Mashiyach Yahweh (מְשִׁיחַ יְהוָה) directly translates to "Anointed of Yahweh." Saul, despite his disobedience and rejection by God, remained God's mashiyach in the eyes of his people. The anointing by Samuel (1 Sam 10:1) consecrated him as Israel's king, setting him apart under divine appointment. To lay hands on him was to affront God Himself who chose him. This phrase lays the foundation for understanding Jesus as "the Christ" (from the Greek Christos, equivalent to mashiyach), the ultimate Anointed One of the Lord.
- "and be guiltless?": The Hebrew term is naqah (נָקָה), meaning to be clean, innocent, unpunished, or clear. The rhetorical question implies that anyone who dares to touch the Lord’s anointed cannot escape the legal, moral, or spiritual culpability. They would be condemned by God. This underscores the sanctity of the office and the divine protection it entailed, regardless of the individual occupying it.
Words-group by words-group analysis
- "Do not destroy him, for who can put out his hand...": David does not appeal to mercy or strategy but to a divine principle. His refusal to kill Saul is not out of sentimentality but a deeply held theological conviction that an act of violence against God's appointed leader, regardless of the leader's failings, falls under divine judgment.
- "against the Lord’s anointed and be guiltless?": This phrase encapsulates the central moral and spiritual boundary for David. It establishes that actions against God's divinely appointed authorities are effectively actions against God Himself. The consequence is not merely earthly punishment but a state of spiritual guilt before the Almighty, a weight David would not bear. It sets a precedent for understanding the sacredness of divine appointment and the grave implications of defying it.
1 Samuel 26 9 Bonus section
David's twice sparing of Saul's life, as recounted in chapters 24 and 26, is crucial in establishing his legitimacy and character as a future king. By consistently refusing to harm "the Lord's anointed," David demonstrated he understood that true kingship came from divine appointment, not human machination or military conquest. This contrasts sharply with typical Near Eastern monarchies where power was often seized through violence and regicide. David’s actions thus implicitly served as a polemic against the idea that the strong take power by any means. His adherence to God's will, even at immense personal cost, set him apart and showcased why he was indeed a man after God's own heart, fit to lead Israel. This narrative also provides a type and shadow, pointing forward to the ultimate "Anointed One," Jesus Christ, who likewise came not to destroy but to fulfill God's redemptive plan through obedience, ultimately receiving all authority from His Father.
1 Samuel 26 9 Commentary
David’s response in 1 Samuel 26:9 stands as a profound theological statement and a testament to his faith. While Abishai saw an opportunity for practical self-preservation and securing the kingdom, David recognized a spiritual boundary. Saul, though rejected by God for his disobedience and plagued by an evil spirit, still held the sacred title of "the Lord's anointed." David understood that removing God's chosen king, even a failing one, was God's prerogative, not his own. His restraint was an act of profound submission to divine sovereignty, demonstrating trust that God would elevate him in His perfect timing without recourse to human violence or political expediency. This distinguishes David as a true man of faith, embodying a higher principle of justice and patience rather than seizing power by force. His respect for the sanctity of God's anointing, even upon his enemy, qualified him to be the rightful successor to the throne, teaching a crucial lesson about the nature of God-given authority and waiting on divine timing.