1 Samuel 26:11

WEB

The Lord forbid that I should put forth my hand against the Lord's anointed; but now please take the spear that is at his head, and the jar of water, and let us go."

KJV

The LORD forbid that I should stretch forth mine hand against the LORD’s anointed: but, I pray thee, take thou now the spear that is at his bolster, and the cruse of water, and let us go.

Commentary

The Lord forbid that I should stretch forth mine hand against the Lord's anointed,.... Or suffer any about him to do it; he speaks of it with the utmost detestation and abhorrence: but, I pray thee, take thou now the spear that is at his bolster; not to smite him with, as he desire d, but to carry off, and was no other than his sceptre; See Gill on Sa1 20:33 , and the cruse of water; which stood in the same place, as appears by Sa1 26:12 . Some take this to be a pot to make water in; others an hourglass, to know the time of night, in which not sand, but water, flowed for that purpose: but rather this was for his refreshment should he be hot and thirsty in the night, or to purify him from any nocturnal pollution that might happen; for, according to Clemens of Alexandria (m), it was a custom of the Jews often to purify themselves in bed: though Fortunatus Scacchus (n) thinks Saul had this pot or cup for a religious use; which he had with him, and with it gave thanks to God, the author of all good, whenever he sat down to a meal; such as the golden cup Philip king of Macedon always had under his pillow when he slept (o): and let us go; and do nothing more; which would be sufficient to convince they had been there, and to show what was in their power to do, had they been so inclined. (m) Stromat. l. 4. p. 531. (n) Elaeochrism. Myrothec. l. I. c. 44. col. 224. (o) Plin. Nat. Hist. l. 33. c. 3.