1Samuel, chapter 26, comments

 

1Samuel 26:1 ¶  And the Ziphites came unto Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doth not David hide himself in the hill of Hachilah, which is before Jeshimon? 2  Then Saul arose, and went down to the wilderness of Ziph, having three thousand chosen men of Israel with him, to seek David in the wilderness of Ziph. 3  And Saul pitched in the hill of Hachilah, which is before Jeshimon, by the way. But David abode in the wilderness, and he saw that Saul came after him into the wilderness. 4  David therefore sent out spies, and understood that Saul was come in very deed. 5  And David arose, and came to the place where Saul had pitched: and David beheld the place where Saul lay, and Abner the son of Ner, the captain of his host: and Saul lay in the trench, and the people pitched round about him.

 

Again the Ziphites betray David to Saul. While this passage is pretty self-explanatory it also gives us yet another hint to ancient warfare. We see here that a trench was dug and the men, including the king, slept in the trench. This would have provided some protection in an attack. We also see the use of reconnaissance, sending out spies to verify information. David’s small band is already very adept at conventional warfare.

 

1Samuel 26:6 ¶  Then answered David and said to Ahimelech the Hittite, and to Abishai the son of Zeruiah, brother to Joab, saying, Who will go down with me to Saul to the camp? And Abishai said, I will go down with thee. 7  So David and Abishai came to the people by night: and, behold, Saul lay sleeping within the trench, and his spear stuck in the ground at his bolster: but Abner and the people lay round about him. 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. 9  And David said to Abishai, Destroy him not: for who can stretch forth his hand against the LORD’S anointed, and be guiltless? 10  David said furthermore, As the LORD liveth, the LORD shall smite him; or his day shall come to die; or he shall descend into battle, and perish. 11  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. 12  So David took the spear and the cruse of water from Saul’s bolster; and they gat them away, and no man saw it, nor knew it, neither awaked: for they were all asleep; because a deep sleep from the LORD was fallen upon them.

 

We need to understand that the reason these seasoned fighting men slept through this encounter and that no watchman was standing guard to protect against nighttime intruders was because the Lord God had caused a deep sleep to fall on them. When I was in basic training in the Army we had a fireguard that was up all night with one person replacing another every few hours. Roman guards were said to post a number on guard while others slept, who would then replace those on guard. It is just common sense to do so to protect your troops.

 

Abishai is Joab’s brother. Joab will be important to David later in the story.

 

 2Samuel 2:18  And there were three sons of Zeruiah there, Joab, and Abishai, and Asahel: and Asahel was as light of foot as a wild roe.

 

David refuses to kill King Saul but does acknowledges that it is God who will kill him; he will die of so-called natural causes or die in battle. All are in God’s hands. An important point is made here that Saul is God’s anointed which indicates that the king’s office was understood to be sacred and the king’s person was to be respected although we will see how depraved some kings would be requiring God to remove them from office forcefully and violently.

 

 

 

1Samuel 26:13 ¶  Then David went over to the other side, and stood on the top of an hill afar off; a great space being between them: 14  And David cried to the people, and to Abner the son of Ner, saying, Answerest thou not, Abner? Then Abner answered and said, Who art thou that criest to the king? 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. 16  This thing is not good that thou hast done. As the LORD liveth, ye are worthy to die, because ye have not kept your master, the LORD’S anointed. And now see where the king’s spear is, and the cruse of water that was at his bolster. 17  And Saul knew David’s voice, and said, Is this thy voice, my son David? And David said, It is my voice, my lord, O king. 18  And he said, Wherefore doth my lord thus pursue after his servant? for what have I done? or what evil is in mine hand? 19  Now therefore, I pray thee, let my lord the king hear the words of his servant. If the LORD have stirred thee up against me, let him accept an offering: but if they be the children of men, cursed be they before the LORD; for they have driven me out this day from abiding in the inheritance of the LORD, saying, Go, serve other gods. 20  Now therefore, let not my blood fall to the earth before the face of the LORD: for the king of Israel is come out to seek a flea, as when one doth hunt a partridge in the mountains.

 

David announces his raid from a safe distance. He rails against Abner for not protecting the king. After all, it was Abner’s job to keep a guard posted. Then David makes an accusatory plea for the persecution he has faced at Saul’s hands. He describes himself as unimportant before the king, asking why Saul would waste his time and resources to go after him. He curses those people, whomever they may be, for poisoning Saul’s mind against David. If it was the Lord God who stirred up Saul David says he will make an offering but if men’s counsel has done this, well…

 

1Samuel 26:21 ¶  Then said Saul, I have sinned: return, my son David: for I will no more do thee harm, because my soul was precious in thine eyes this day: behold, I have played the fool, and have erred exceedingly. 22  And David answered and said, Behold the king’s spear! and let one of the young men come over and fetch it. 23  The LORD render to every man his righteousness and his faithfulness: for the LORD delivered thee into my hand to day, but I would not stretch forth mine hand against the LORD’S anointed. 24  And, behold, as thy life was much set by this day in mine eyes, so let my life be much set by in the eyes of the LORD, and let him deliver me out of all tribulation. 25  Then Saul said to David, Blessed be thou, my son David: thou shalt both do great things, and also shalt still prevail. So David went on his way, and Saul returned to his place.

 

Again, as in chapter 24, Saul seems to repent of wanting to kill David and expresses his guilt at his thoughts and actions but is he to be believed? David expresses the wish and the confidence that because he, David, has done righteously that God will deliver him out of all of the trouble he is going through. Again, Saul acknowledges that David will triumph in the end.