Lectionary Calendar
Wednesday, September 10th, 2025
the Week of Proper 18 / Ordinary 23
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Read the Bible

Bishop's Bible

1 Samuel 26:8

Then saide Abisai to Dauid, God hath closed thyne enemie into thyne hand thys day: Nowe I pray thee let me smite him once with my speare to the earth, & I will not smite him the second tyme.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Abishai;   Citizens;   Courage;   Loyalty;   Self-Control;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Spear;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Abishai;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Guidance;   Saul, king of israel;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Prayer;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Abishai;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Abner;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Samuel, Books of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - David;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Abishai ;   Abner ;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Abishai;   Abner;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Abisha'i,;   Ab'ner;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Hebrew Monarchy, the;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Abishai;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Then Abishai said to David, “Today God has delivered your enemy to you. Let me thrust the spear through him into the ground just once. I won’t have to strike him twice!”
Hebrew Names Version
Then said Avishai to David, God has delivered up your enemy into your hand this day: now therefore please let me strike him with the spear to the eretz at one stroke, and I will not strike him the second time.
King James Version
Then said Abishai to David, God hath delivered thine enemy into thine hand this day: now therefore let me smite him, I pray thee, with the spear even to the earth at once, and I will not smite him the second time.
Lexham English Bible
Then Abishai said to David, "God has handed over your enemy into your hand today! So then, please let me pin him to the ground with the spear one time, and I will not strike him twice."
English Standard Version
Then Abishai said to David, "God has given your enemy into your hand this day. Now please let me pin him to the earth with one stroke of the spear, and I will not strike him twice."
New Century Version
Abishai said to David, "Today God has handed your enemy over to you. Let me pin Saul to the ground with my spear. I'll only have to do it once. I won't need to hit him twice."
New English Translation
Abishai said to David, "Today God has delivered your enemy into your hands. Now let me drive the spear right through him into the ground with one swift jab! A second jab won't be necessary!"
Amplified Bible
Then Abishai said to David, "God has given your enemy into your hand this day; now then, please let me strike him with the spear driving it to the ground with one stroke, and I will not strike him the second time."
New American Standard Bible
Then Abishai said to David, "Today God has handed your enemy over to you; now then, please let me pin him with the spear to the ground with one thrust, and I will not do it to him a second time."
Geneva Bible (1587)
Then saide Abishai to Dauid, God hath closed thine enemie into thine hande this day: now therefore, I pray thee, let me smite him once with a speare to the earth, and I will not smite him againe.
Legacy Standard Bible
Then Abishai said to David, "Today God has surrendered your enemy into your hand; so now, please let me strike him with the spear to the ground with one stroke, and I will not strike him the second time."
Contemporary English Version
Abishai whispered, "This time God has let you get your hands on your enemy! I'll pin him to the ground with one thrust of his own spear."
Complete Jewish Bible
Avishai said to David, "God has handed your enemy over to you today; so now, please, let me pin him to the ground with just one stroke of the spear. I won't strike him a second time."
Darby Translation
And Abishai said to David, God has delivered thine enemy into thy hand this day; and now let me smite him, I pray thee, with the spear, even to the ground once, and I will not do it the second time.
Easy-to-Read Version
Abishai said to David, "Today God has given your enemy to you. Let me pin Saul to the ground with his spear. I'll only do it once!"
George Lamsa Translation
Then said Abishai to David, Your God has delivered your enemy into your hands this day; now therefore let me smite him just once with this spear which is on the ground, and I will not smite him the second time.
Good News Translation
Abishai said to David, "God has put your enemy in your power tonight. Now let me plunge his own spear through him and pin him to the ground with just one blow—I won't have to strike twice!"
Literal Translation
And Abishai said to David, God has shut up your enemy into your hand today. And now please let me strike him with a spear, even to the earth one time, and I will not repeat it to him.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
The sayde Abisai vnto Dauid: God hath closed thine enemye in thyne hande this daye. Therfore will I now thrust him thorow once with the speare euen in to the grounde, yt he shall haue ynough of it.
American Standard Version
Then said Abishai to David, God hath delivered up thine enemy into thy hand this day: now therefore let me smite him, I pray thee, with the spear to the earth at one stroke, and I will not smite him the second time.
Bible in Basic English
Then Abishai said to David, God has given up your hater into your hands today; now let me give him one blow through to the earth with his spear, and there will be no need to give him a second.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
Then said Abishai to David: 'God hath delivered up thine enemy into thy hand this day; now therefore let me smite him, I pray thee, with the spear to the earth at one stroke, and I will not smite him the second time.'
King James Version (1611)
Then said Abishai to Dauid, God hath deliuered thine enemie into thine hand this day: now therefore let mee smite him, I pray thee, with the speare, euen to the earth at once, and I will not smite him the second time.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And Abessa said to David, The Lord has this day shut up thine enemy into thine hands, and now I will smite him to the earth with the spear to the ground once for all, and I will not smite him again.
English Revised Version
Then said Abishai to David, God hath delivered up thine enemy into thine hand this day: now therefore let me smite him, I pray thee, with the spear to the earth at one stroke, and I will not smite him the second time.
Berean Standard Bible
Abishai said to David, "Today God has delivered your enemy into your hand. Now, therefore, please let me thrust the spear through him into the ground with one stroke. I will not need to strike him twice!"
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And Abisay seide to Dauid, God hath closid to dai thin enemy in to thin hondis; now therfor Y schal peerse hym with a spere onys in the erthe, and `no nede schal be the secounde tyme.
Young's Literal Translation
And Abishai saith unto David, `God hath shut up to-day thine enemy into thy hand; and, now, let me smite him, I pray thee, with a spear, even into the earth at once -- and I do repeat [it] to him.'
Update Bible Version
Then Abishai said to David, God has delivered up your enemy into your hand this day: now therefore let me smite him, I pray you, with the spear to the earth at one stroke, and I will not smite him the second time.
Webster's Bible Translation
Then said Abishai to David, God hath delivered thy enemy into thy hand this day; now therefore let me smite him, I pray thee, with the spear, even to the earth at once, and I will not [smite] him the second time.
World English Bible
Then said Abishai to David, God has delivered up your enemy into your hand this day: now therefore please let me strike him with the spear to the earth at one stroke, and I will not strike him the second time.
New King James Version
Then Abishai said to David, "God has delivered your enemy into your hand this day. Now therefore, please, let me strike him at once with the spear, right to the earth; and I will not have to strike him a second time!"
New Living Translation
"God has surely handed your enemy over to you this time!" Abishai whispered to David. "Let me pin him to the ground with one thrust of the spear; I won't need to strike twice!"
New Life Bible
Abishai said to David, "Today God has given the one who hates you into your hand. Now let me nail him to the earth with the spear, hitting him just once. I will not hit him a second time."
New Revised Standard
Abishai said to David, "God has given your enemy into your hand today; now therefore let me pin him to the ground with one stroke of the spear; I will not strike him twice."
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Then said Abishai unto David, God hath surrendered, to-day, thine enemy, into thy hand: Now, therefore, let me smite him, I pray thee, with the spear to the earth, at one stroke, I, will not do it twice.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And Abisai said to David: God hath shut up thy enemy this day into thy hands: now then I will run him through with my spear, even to the earth at once, and there shall be no need of a second time.
Revised Standard Version
Then said Abi'shai to David, "God has given your enemy into your hand this day; now therefore let me pin him to the earth with one stroke of the spear, and I will not strike him twice."
THE MESSAGE
Abishai said, "This is the moment! God has put your enemy in your grasp. Let me nail him to the ground with his spear. One hit will do it, believe me; I won't need a second!"
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Then Abishai said to David, "Today God has delivered your enemy into your hand; now therefore, please let me strike him with the spear to the ground with one stroke, and I will not strike him the second time."

Contextual Overview

6 Then aunswered Dauid, and spake to Ahimelech the Hethite, and to Abisai the sonne of Zaruia, & brother to Ioab, saying: Who wyll go downe with me to Saul to the hoast? And Abisai saide: I wyll go downe with thee. 7 And so Dauid and Abisai came downe to the people by night, and behold Saul lay sleepyng within the fort, and his speare stacke in ye grounde at his head: but Abner and the people lay rounde about hym. 8 Then saide Abisai to Dauid, God hath closed thyne enemie into thyne hand thys day: Nowe I pray thee let me smite him once with my speare to the earth, & I will not smite him the second tyme. 9 And Dauid saide to Abisai, Destroye him not: For who can laye his hand on the Lordes annoynted, and be giltlesse? 10 And Dauid sayd furthermore: As the Lorde lyueth, the Lorde shall smyte him or his day shall come to dye, or he shall descend into battaile, and perishe. 11 The Lorde kepe me from laying myne hand vpon the Lordes annoynted: But I praye thee take thou nowe the speare that is at his head, and the cruse of water, and let vs go. 12 And so Dauid toke the speare and the cruse of water from Sauls head, and they gat them away, and no man sawe it, nor marked it, neither awaked: For they were all asleepe, because the Lorde had sent a dead sleepe vpon the.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

God: 1 Samuel 26:23, 1 Samuel 23:14, 1 Samuel 24:4, 1 Samuel 24:18, 1 Samuel 24:19, Joshua 21:44, Judges 1:4

delivered: Heb. shut up, 1 Samuel 24:18, Deuteronomy 32:30, Psalms 31:8, Romans 11:32, *marg. Galatians 3:22, Galatians 3:23

the second time: Nahum 1:9

Reciprocal: 1 Samuel 23:7 - God hath 1 Samuel 24:10 - bade me 1 Samuel 26:15 - there came 2 Samuel 18:28 - delivered up 2 Samuel 19:22 - What have 2 Samuel 20:10 - struck him not again 2 Kings 6:21 - shall 1 Chronicles 18:12 - Moreover Job 12:14 - he shutteth Job 31:31 - the men Proverbs 24:11 - General Isaiah 33:15 - stoppeth Jeremiah 40:15 - Let Hosea 11:9 - return Matthew 5:39 - That Luke 9:55 - and rebuked

Cross-References

Genesis 26:18
And Isahac returning, digged againe the welles of water which they digged in the dayes of Abraham his father, which the Philistines had stopped after the death of Abraham, & named them after the same names by the which his father had named them.
Genesis 26:19
Isahacs seruauntes digged in the valley, and founde a well of springyng water.
Judges 5:28
The mother of Sisara loked out at a wyndowe, and cryed thorowe the lattesse: Why is his charret so long a commyng? Why tary the wheeles of his charettes?
Proverbs 7:6
For at the windowe of my house I loked through the windowe,
Ecclesiastes 9:9
Use thy selfe to liue ioyfully with thy wife whom thou louest all the dayes of thy life whiche is but vayne, that God geueth thee vnder the sunne all the dayes of thy vanitie: for that is thy portion in this life of al thy labour and trauayle that thou takest vnder the sunne.
Song of Solomon 2:9
Me thinke I heare the voyce of my beloued: lo, there commeth he hopping vpon the mountaines, and leaping ouer the litle hilles.
Isaiah 62:5
And lyke as a young man taketh a virgin to mariage, so shal thy sonnes be maried vnto thee: and as a bridegrome is glad of his bride, so shall thy God reioyce ouer thee.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Then said Abishai to David,.... Seeing Saul fast asleep, and a spear so near him:

God hath delivered thine enemy into thine hand this day: or at this time, properly it was night:

now therefore let me smite him, I pray thee, with the spear; with Saul's own spear, which was stuck in the ground at his bolster. He remembered that David would not put forth his hand to stay him before, when he had an opportunity; and since now another offered, he did not move it to him to do it, but begged leave to do it himself; which he might think would be granted, since there was such a remarkable hand of Providence in it, which seemed to direct to such a step:

even to the earth at once, and I will not [smite] him the second time; signifying, that he would give such a home blow or thrust, that the spear should pierce through him, and fasten him to the ground, that there would be no need to repeat it.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 1 Samuel 26:8. God hath delivered thine enemy into thine hand — Here Abishai uses the same language as did David's men, when Saul came into the cave at En-gedi, (see 1 Samuel 24:4, &c.,) and David uses the same language in reply.


 
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