David and Abishai find Saul sleeping with his spear at his head, illustrating David’s faith and restraint by once again sparing Saul’s life.
In 1 Samuel 26:7, the text reads, “So David and Abishai came to the people by night, and behold, Saul lay sleeping inside the circle of the camp with his spear stuck in the ground at his head, and Abner and the people were lying around him.” (v.7)
David, who lived around 1010 BC to 970 BC, had already been anointed by Samuel to be the future king of Israel. Saul, the first king of Israel (reigned from about 1050 BC to 1010 BC), had grown increasingly jealous of David because of David’s faithfulness and popularity. As a result, he sought David’s life on multiple occasions. David’s loyal companion here is Abishai, whose name appears several times in the biblical narrative as a nephew of David and a fierce warrior (2 Samuel 2:18). Their stealthy entrance into Saul’s camp by night demonstrates both David’s courage and his reliance on the Lord’s guidance, since he had previously refused to kill Saul when given the opportunity, out of respect for “the LORD’s anointed” (1 Samuel 24:6 and 1 Samuel 26:8-11). Saul’s camp lay in the region near the hill of Hachilah in the Wilderness of Ziph, south of Hebron in ancient Israel, an area marked by rugged terrain and remote hiding places often frequented by David’s band (1 Samuel 26:1-3). This part of David’s story shows he valued trust in the LORD over taking matters into his own hands, a principle demonstrated in how he spared Saul’s life again and again, waiting on God’s timing rather than spilling the king’s blood.
In the verse, Saul’s spear stuck in the ground at his head symbolizes his military authority and kingship, while Abner, Saul’s general and cousin (1 Samuel 14:50), was sleeping near him. The scene accentuates how vulnerable Saul was and how easily David could have taken advantage of that vulnerability. Instead, David exemplifies obedience and mercy, refusing to harm Saul. This incident resonates with David’s earlier declarations not to raise his hand against the LORD’s anointed (1 Samuel 24:6). In the broader biblical narrative, this humble submission and fear of the LORD underscore one key reason David is described as “a man after God’s heart” (Acts 13:22). The significance of David’s moral restraint also foreshadows the heart posture Christ calls for when He commands believers to “love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matthew 5:44), linking David’s ancient example of choosing mercy to Jesus’s instruction on love and forgiveness.
David knew that God alone orchestrates exaltation and demise, as shown previously when the LORD anointed David despite Saul still occupying the throne (1 Samuel 16:13). This nighttime incursion, though extremely risky, became an opportunity for David to display faithfulness and reaffirm that his trust was in the LORD’s justice, not in self-serving violence. Later, David would be recognized as the legitimate king of Israel, but only after God allowed Saul’s reign to come to an end (1 Samuel 31). Through David’s example in 1 Samuel 26:7, Scripture stresses that godly leadership is marked by obedience and immense respect for God’s sovereignty, even when life-threatening opposition stands in close proximity.
They quietly approach Saul and find him asleep among his men, oblivious to the danger right at his head. David lets this vivid detail of the spear—a symbol of Saul’s authority—remain where it is, signifying David’s firm refusal to overthrow Saul by force. Instead, David was willing to trust God’s timing for his promised kingship and refused to commit any offense that would displease the LORD. This trust would become a hallmark not only of David’s life, but also a powerful example carried on through the centuries for all who read and trust God’s Word.
He refused to use power or might to seize the throne, modeling a dependence on the LORD that Jesus would later use as an example of meekness, stating, “Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth” (Matthew 5:5). David’s story thus points ahead to Christ, who likewise refused to seek worldly power and instead submitted to the will of His Father.
Set to dark mode
1 Samuel 26:7 meaning
In 1 Samuel 26:7, the text reads, “So David and Abishai came to the people by night, and behold, Saul lay sleeping inside the circle of the camp with his spear stuck in the ground at his head, and Abner and the people were lying around him.” (v.7)
David, who lived around 1010 BC to 970 BC, had already been anointed by Samuel to be the future king of Israel. Saul, the first king of Israel (reigned from about 1050 BC to 1010 BC), had grown increasingly jealous of David because of David’s faithfulness and popularity. As a result, he sought David’s life on multiple occasions. David’s loyal companion here is Abishai, whose name appears several times in the biblical narrative as a nephew of David and a fierce warrior (2 Samuel 2:18). Their stealthy entrance into Saul’s camp by night demonstrates both David’s courage and his reliance on the Lord’s guidance, since he had previously refused to kill Saul when given the opportunity, out of respect for “the LORD’s anointed” (1 Samuel 24:6 and 1 Samuel 26:8-11). Saul’s camp lay in the region near the hill of Hachilah in the Wilderness of Ziph, south of Hebron in ancient Israel, an area marked by rugged terrain and remote hiding places often frequented by David’s band (1 Samuel 26:1-3). This part of David’s story shows he valued trust in the LORD over taking matters into his own hands, a principle demonstrated in how he spared Saul’s life again and again, waiting on God’s timing rather than spilling the king’s blood.
In the verse, Saul’s spear stuck in the ground at his head symbolizes his military authority and kingship, while Abner, Saul’s general and cousin (1 Samuel 14:50), was sleeping near him. The scene accentuates how vulnerable Saul was and how easily David could have taken advantage of that vulnerability. Instead, David exemplifies obedience and mercy, refusing to harm Saul. This incident resonates with David’s earlier declarations not to raise his hand against the LORD’s anointed (1 Samuel 24:6). In the broader biblical narrative, this humble submission and fear of the LORD underscore one key reason David is described as “a man after God’s heart” (Acts 13:22). The significance of David’s moral restraint also foreshadows the heart posture Christ calls for when He commands believers to “love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matthew 5:44), linking David’s ancient example of choosing mercy to Jesus’s instruction on love and forgiveness.
David knew that God alone orchestrates exaltation and demise, as shown previously when the LORD anointed David despite Saul still occupying the throne (1 Samuel 16:13). This nighttime incursion, though extremely risky, became an opportunity for David to display faithfulness and reaffirm that his trust was in the LORD’s justice, not in self-serving violence. Later, David would be recognized as the legitimate king of Israel, but only after God allowed Saul’s reign to come to an end (1 Samuel 31). Through David’s example in 1 Samuel 26:7, Scripture stresses that godly leadership is marked by obedience and immense respect for God’s sovereignty, even when life-threatening opposition stands in close proximity.
They quietly approach Saul and find him asleep among his men, oblivious to the danger right at his head. David lets this vivid detail of the spear—a symbol of Saul’s authority—remain where it is, signifying David’s firm refusal to overthrow Saul by force. Instead, David was willing to trust God’s timing for his promised kingship and refused to commit any offense that would displease the LORD. This trust would become a hallmark not only of David’s life, but also a powerful example carried on through the centuries for all who read and trust God’s Word.
He refused to use power or might to seize the throne, modeling a dependence on the LORD that Jesus would later use as an example of meekness, stating, “Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth” (Matthew 5:5). David’s story thus points ahead to Christ, who likewise refused to seek worldly power and instead submitted to the will of His Father.