1 Samuel 26:15

1Sa 26:15 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.

Ver. 15. Art not thou a valiant man?] Heb., A man, that is, a man every inch of thee? and hast thou not played the man in guarding thy sovereign so carefully? If Philip sleep, should not Antipater watch the while? Lilloe slept between the murderer and King Edwin his master, to intercept the deadly thrust intended and aimed at the heart of his sovereign. {a}

{a} Speed.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

1Sa 26:15-17. Wherefore hast thou not kept, &c. — Observed better military discipline for the preservation of the king’s person? There came one of the people — Into the king’s camp, and had a fair opportunity to destroy him. Because ye have not kept your master — Guarded him better from any danger. It is probable they despised David’s small forces, and, therefore, were so negligent. It is my voice, my lord, O king — He still acknowledges Saul’s authority, and the allegiance he owed him, though he had done him so many injuries.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Esteemed most valiant and meet to save the King?

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

David said to Abner, Art not thou a valiant man: . . . wherefore then hast thou not kept thy lord the king?--The circumstance of David having penetrated to the center of the encampment, through the circular rows of the sleeping soldiers, constituted the point of this sarcastic taunt. This new evidence of David's moderation and magnanimous forbearance, together with his earnest and kindly expostulation, softened the obduracy of Saul's heart.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 15. Art not thou a valiant man?] This is a strong irony. Ye are worthy to die; ye are sons of death - ye deserve death for this neglect of your king. And had not Saul been so deeply affected with David's generosity in preserving his life, he had doubtless put Abner and his chief officers to death; though they were not to blame, as their apparent neglect was the effect of a supernatural sleep.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(15) A valiant man.—The English translators have rightly emphasised the Hebrew ish here by rendering a “valiant” man. Ish was used not unfrequently in this “nobler” sense; so in Psa_49:2, when the b’ne adam, as “the poor mean ones,” were contrasted with the b’ne ish, “the noble ones.” (See also Isa_2:9 : “mean men and great men.”)

Wherefore then hast thou not kept?—The whole of this bitter sarcastic address seems to imply that a deadly feud existed between David and Saul’s captain and kinsman, Abner. If this be the case, the royal generosity and nobility of David’s character was well shown in his subsequent friendship with this Abner, and in his deep sorrow for the great captain’s untimely death. (See 2 Samuel 3)

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

15. a [valiant] man] Heb. simply, a man, i.e. one worthy of the name.

who is like to thee in Israel] Abner was evidently the most powerful man in Saul’s court. His course of action after Saul’s death shews plainly the influence he had gained.

kept] i.e. kept guard over.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And David said to Abner, art not thou a valiant man?.... Or a man (u), a man of great fame for courage and valour, a man of great authority, who had the next post in the army under Saul, but had not behaved like a man, worthy of his character and office:

and who is like to thee in Israel? none that bare so great a name, or was in so high an office, who therefore should have been careful to have acted according to both:

wherefore then hast thou not kept thy lord the king? took care to have set a guard about his person while he slept; which perhaps was neglected through a contempt of David and his men, as being in no fear of them:

for there came one of the people in to destroy the king thy lord; that is, there had been one in the camp that night, who had entered there with that view to have destroyed him, had he an opportunity, and which did offer; this was true of Abishai, who no doubt went down with David into the camp with that intent, though David did not, and therefore he says, "one of the people", not more; for though two went in, only one with that view: David observes to them the danger the king was in, his carefulness of him to preserve his life, to whom only it was owing, and the negligence of Abner, and those under his command.

(u) "vir", V. L. Pagninus, Montanus, Tigurine version, Piscator.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

This incidental testimony to Abner’s great eminence as a warrior is fully borne out by David’s dirge at Abner’s death 2Sa 3:31-34, 2Sa 3:38, as well as by his whole history. At the same time David’s bantering tone in regard to Abner, coupled with what he says in 1Sa 26:19, makes it proable that David attributed Saul’s persecution of him in some degree to Abner. Abner would be likely to dread a rival in the young conqueror of Judah (compare 2Sa 2:8).

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Israel. This was a cutting irony. (Calmet) --- Salien attributes to it the enmity which Abner bore to David for above seven years. (Menochius)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

Who is like to thee, for courage and conduct? and therefore thy fault herein is the greater.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Are not you a courageous man?

David uses a question to rebuke Abner for not guarding Saul. AT: "You are a very brave man." (See: Rhetorical Question)

Who is like you in Israel?

David uses a question to rebuke Abner for not guarding Saul. AT: "You are the greatest soldier in Israel." (See: Rhetorical Question)

Why then have you not kept watch over your master the king?

Possible meanings are 1) this is a real question and David wants Abner to answer him or 2) this is a rhetorical question and David is rebuking Abner. AT: "Therefore you should have kept watch over your master the king!" (See: Rhetorical Question)

translationWords

David

Israel

lord

king

Yahweh

life

die

anoint

spear

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.