1 Samuel 26:8
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.
Cross-references
In 1 Samuel 26:23, David refuses to harm Saul, contrasting Abishai's eagerness in verse 8 to kill him.
In 1 Samuel 26:15, David rebukes Abner for not guarding Saul — contrasting Abishai's offer to kill with David's protection of the king.
In 1 Samuel 23:14, God does not give David into Saul's hand - opposite of Abishai's claim in verse 8 that God gave Saul into David's hand.
In 1 Samuel 24:4, David's men also urge him to kill Saul - a direct parallel to Abishai's words in verse 8.
In 1 Samuel 24:18, Saul acknowledges David spared him when God gave him into his hand - mirroring the same opportunity in verse 8.
In 1 Samuel 24:19, Saul blesses David for sparing him - directly applicable to David's choice in verse 8 not to kill Saul.
In 1 Samuel 23:7, Saul said God delivered David into his hand — now Abishai reverses it, saying God delivered Saul into David's hand.
In 1 Samuel 24:10, David also had Saul delivered into his hand in the cave — the same situation where David spared him, as he will here.
Psalm 31:8 thanks God for not shutting the psalmist into the enemy's hand — the opposite of Abishai's claim that God delivered Saul into David's hand.
In 2 Samuel 19:22, David again rebukes Abishai for wanting to kill Shimei, mirroring his refusal to kill Saul — the same son of Zeruiah proposes violence and is denied.
In 2 Kings 6:21, the king asks Elisha to strike the Syrians, but Elisha refuses — a direct parallel to David’s refusal to kill Saul when delivered into his hand.
In Jeremiah 40:15, Johanan offers to assassinate Ishmael, but Gedaliah refuses — a similar scenario of a loyalist proposing assassination and the leader declining.
In Matthew 5:39, Jesus teaches non-retaliation — echoing David's refusal to strike Saul despite Abishai's offer.
In Luke 9:55, Jesus rebukes disciples who want to destroy — mirroring David rebuking Abishai's offer to kill Saul.
In 2 Samuel 20:10, Joab (brother of Abishai) treacherously kills Amasa — illustrating the violent tendencies of Zeruiah's sons, contrasting with David's restraint here.