5 And David got up and came to the place where Saul's tents were: and David had a view of the place where Saul was sleeping with Abner, the son of Ner, the captain of his army: and Saul was sleeping inside the ring of carts, and the tents of the people were all round him.
The name of Saul's wife was Ahinoam, the daughter of Ahimaaz; the captain of his army was Abner, the son of Ner, brother of Saul's father. Kish, the father of Saul, and Ner, the father of Abner, were sons of Abiel.
Now Abner, the son of Ner, captain of Saul's army, had taken Saul's son Ish-bosheth over to Mahanaim, And made him king over Gilead and the Asherites and over Jezreel and Ephraim and Benjamin, that is, over all Israel. (Saul's son Ish-bosheth was forty years old when he became king over Israel, and he was ruler for two years.) But Judah was on the side of David. And the time when David was king in Hebron over the people of Judah was seven years and six months. And Abner, the son of Ner, with the servants of Saul's son Ish-bosheth, went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon.
Now Saul had among his wives a woman named Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah: and Ish-bosheth said to Abner, Why have you taken my father's wife? And Abner was very angry at the words of Ish-bosheth, and he said, Am I a dog's head of Judah? I am this day doing all in my power for the cause of your father Saul and for his brothers and his friends, and have not given you up into the hands of David, and now you say I have done wrong with a woman.
And the king made a song of grief for Abner and said, Was the death of Abner to be like the death of a foolish man? Your hands were free, your feet were not chained: like the downfall of a man before evil men, so was your fall. And the weeping of the people over him went on again. And the people came to make David take food, while it was still day, but David with an oath said, May God's punishment be on me if I take a taste of bread or any other thing till the sun has gone down! And all the people took note of it and were pleased: like everything the king did, it was pleasing to the people. So it was clear to Israel and to all the people on that day that the king was not responsible for the death of Abner, the son of Ner. And the king said to his servants, Do you not see that a chief and a great man has come to his end today in Israel?
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on 1 Samuel 26
Commentary on 1 Samuel 26 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 26
David's troubles from Saul here begin again; and the clouds return after the rain, when one would have hoped the storm had blown over, and the sky had cleared upon that side; but after Saul had owned his fault in persecuting David, and acknowledged David's title to the crown, yet here he revives the persecution, so perfectly lost was he to all sense of honour and virtue.
1Sa 26:1-5
Here,
1Sa 26:6-12
Here is,
1Sa 26:13-20
David having got safely from Saul's camp himself, and having brought with him proofs sufficient that he had been there, posts himself conveniently, so that they might hear him and yet not reach him (v. 13), and then begins to reason with them upon what had passed.
1Sa 26:21-25
Here is,
Lastly, A palliative cure being thus made of the wound, they parted friends. Saul returned to Gibeah re infectâ-without accomplishing his design, and ashamed of the expedition he had made; but David could not take his word so far as to return with him. Those that have once been false are not easily trusted another time. Therefore David went on his way. And, after this parting, it does not appear that ever Saul and David saw one another again.