DAVID SPARES SAUL'S LIFE AGAIN
A. David's second opportunity to kill Saul
1. (1 Sam 26:1-4) The Ziphites betray David again
Then the Ziphites came to Saul at Gibeah, saying, "Is not David hiding on the hill of Hachilah, which is before Jeshimon?" So Saul arose and went down to the wilderness of Ziph, having with him three thousand chosen men of Israel, to search for David in the wilderness of Ziph. Saul camped in the hill of Hachilah, which is before Jeshimon, beside the road, and David was staying in the wilderness. When he saw that Saul came after him into the wilderness, David sent out spies, and he knew that Saul was definitely coming.
The Ziphites came to Saul: There are many points of similarity between this narrative and that contained in 1 Samuel 23:19-24 through 1 Samuel 24:1-22. It has been argued that since several authors penned 1 Samuel, that the account of Saul, David and the Ziphites has been duplicated. I, however, believe that the texts differ vastly and are simply two separate events with several similarities.
Main points of similarity between 1 Samuel 26 and 1 Samuel 23:19-24 through 1 Samuel 24:1-22:
1. The treachery of the Ziphites (1 Samuel 26:1; 1 Samuel 23:19)
2. David's position on the hill Hachilah (1 Samuel 26:1; 1 Samuel 23:19)
3. Saul's march with 3000 men (1 Samuel 26:3; 1 Samuel 24:2)
4. The speech of David's men (1 Samuel 26:8; 1 Samuel 24:4)
5. David's refusal to lay hands on God's anointed (1 Samuel 26:17; 1 Samuel 24:6)
6. Saul's recognition of David's voice (1 Samuel 26:17; 1 Samuel 24:16)
7. David's comparison of himself to a flea (1 Samuel 26:20; 1 Samuel 24:14)
Is not David hiding on the hill: The Ziphites again tell Saul of David's whereabouts. The first time the Ziphites betray David is in 1 Samuel 23:19-23. The knowledge of the Ziphites previous treachery to David and his men makes it seem strange that David would return to his former haunt. However, Abigail is from this region. David might have returned to the area to be near her family. Moreover, after the events at Engedi, perhaps David thought Saul was done chasing him. Unfortunately for David, Saul has relapsed back into his old self.
Gibeah: It seems after Saul's last attempt to capture David, he returns back to his place of birth and royal residence.
Three thousand chosen men of Israel: Saul must have felt threatened by David and his men. David only has six hundred men in his company. Three thousand men seems to be the number of Saul's standing army. ("Now Saul chose for himself 3,000 men of Israel, of which 2,000 were with Saul in Michmash and in the hill country of Bethel, while 1,000 were with Jonathan at Gibeah of Benjamin. But he sent away the rest of the people, each to his tent" 1 Samuel 13:2.)
2. (1 Sam 26:5-8) David's second opportunity to kill Saul
Then David arose and came to the place where Saul had camped. And David saw the place where Saul lay, and Abner the son of Ner, the commander of his army; and Saul was lying in the circle of the camp, and the people were camped around him. Then David said to Ahimelech the Hittite and to Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab's brother, "Who will go down with me to Saul in the camp?" And Abishai said, "I will will go down with you." So David and Abishai came to the people by night, and behold, Saul lay sleeping inside the circle of the camp with his spear stuck in the ground at his head; and Anber and the people were lying around him. 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."
Then David arose: When scouts inform David that Saul was in pursuit of him, he went in person to explore the area. From the opposite hill, David was able to see Saul and his army. David could have sent any of his 600 men to do the job. It made sense from a military point of view to send someone else. Why should David take on such a dangerous mission? The fact that David did this shows his boldness and courage.
Saul was lying in the circle of the camp: Saul's army with its wagons would form a circular barricade. At night, Saul's place would be in the center with Abner near him while the rest of the army would sleep around them.
Ahimelech the Hittite: The Hittites were one of the old Canaanite people. We hear of them around the time of Abraham (Genesis 15:20). The conquering Israelites subdued but did not exterminate them. Gradually, the Hittites (along with many other Canaanite people) enjoyed the Promised Land with the children of Israel in a joint occupation. We find the Hittites ranking among David's trusted, faithful men. Later in David's life, we hear of another Hittite, Uriah, the husband of Bathsheba, filling an important post in the royal army. This is the only time Ahimelech the Hittite is mentioned in Scripture.
Abishai the son of Zeruiah: Zeruiah was David's sister. Abishai, later one of David's famous generals, was brother to Joab. Abishai is speculated to have been about the same age as David. There was a younger brother, Asahel, who also had high favor with David. Between these three sons of Zeruiah and Abner, there seems to have existed a blood feud. Abner was a near relative and the captain of Saul's army. He also seems to have been closely associated with Saul's fortunes. It has been supposed, with some probability, that he was among the foes of David. Seeing Saul's downfall, Abner knew if he did not oppose David and his rise to the throne, Abner would lose his post as captain of Saul's army.
And Abishai said, "I will go down with you": Ahimelech seems to have backed down from this perilous night enterprise. But Abishai, with his intense devotion to David, at once volunteers to go on the mission.
Today God has delivered your enemy into your hand: Here, David receives that same advice as he had on the previous occasion in which Saul was in David's clutches (1 Samuel 24:4). Each time, David's comrades pointed out that this circumstance was not an accident. God had designed this meeting, and God had designed for David to take righteous vengeance on Saul.
Please let me strike him with the spear: Abishai even makes it easy for David. He offers to kill Saul. David would not have to lift his hand against Saul. David could say to himself and everyone else, "I did not kill Saul." Abishai also weaves into the story an element of poetic justice. The spear used to kill Saul would be the king's own spear, stuck in the ground by his head. This spear was probably the same spear Saul branished toward David in 1 Samuel 18:10-11 and 19:9-10.) Now this instrument would be used as the LORD'S righteous judgment. It all might have seemed to be perfectly given from the hand of God.
I will not strike him the second time: To better paraphrase this statement, "I will pin him to the ground so thoroughly with one blow that I will not need another to kill him."
3. (1 Sam 26:9-12) David's response to the opportunity to kill Saul
But David said to Abishai, "Do not destroy him, for who can stretch out his hand against the LORD'S anointed and be without guilt?" David also said, "As the LORD lives, surely the LORD will strike him, or his day will come that he dies, or he will go down in battle and perish. The LORD forbid that I should stretch out my hand against the LORD'S anointed; but now please take the spear that is at his head and the jug of water from beside Saul's head, and let us go." So David took the spear and the jug of water from beside Saul's head, and they went away, but no one saw or knew it, not did any awake, for they were all asleep, because a sound sleep from the LORD had fallen on them.
Against the LORD'S anointed: David looked upon the person of Saul as made sacred by the royal anointing. Through the anointing, Saul had become the possession of God. Only God could then take away Saul's sacred life. It was not that David thought Saul was right. David knew more than anyone that Saul was deeply in sin. But David knew that even a sinning Saul was still the anointed king over Israel. David knew that he would be guilty before God if he stretched out his hand against King Saul.
We might think at this time that David had more righteous reason than ever to kill Saul. Saul had gone back on a previous promise to leave David alone. Many of us, if we were in David's position, would have said, "I showed love and let him off once before. I am full of love, but I am not dumb. Saul had his chance, and he did not live up to his promise. This time, it is an opportunity from God."
However, David was man after God's own heart. Taking Jesus' words to heart, we are to forgive over and over again. "Then Peter came and said to Him, 'Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?' Jesus said to him, 'I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven'" (Matthew 18:21-22). In addition, Saul's sin against David did not make him less the anointed king of Israel. Though this was a trial that required supernatural endurance, it still would have been sin for David to kill Saul.
Surely the LORD will strike him: David knew that it was not hard for God to kill Saul. The LORD was more than able to kill Saul at any time He chose. Every breath Saul took was a gift from God. God could have allowed any man at any time to kill Saul. When it came down to striking down an anointed king of Israel, God did not need the services of David to do it.
David suggests three possible causes in which the Divine arm might strike down the anointed of the LORD. The first, the LORD might smite Saul with some disease. No doubt, the recent death of Nabal probably was still on David's mind. The second way was natural death. The third way was to receive a blow in battle.
We might say that since Saul deserved to die, it was the right thing to kill Saul. However, even if Saul deserved to die, this was the wrong way to do it. Often when we have a right thing in front of us, we will be tempted to pursue it in a wrong way. "Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all men. If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men. Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, 'Vengeance is mine, I will repay,' says the Lord. 'But if your enemy is hungry, feed him, and if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.' Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good" (Romans 12:17-21).
The spear: The spear was Saul's scepter of royalty. The taking away of the spear from Saul's head as he slept was an omen of the transfer of his royalty to David.
Jug of water: A very ancient usage explains why the jug of water is here brought into such a special prominence. According to this custom, some high dignitary always had in keeping a costly jug for the king's bathing needs. It was the special duty for this high ranking official to take it with him, and present it to the king during campaigns or other journeys. Its disappearance would be almost as great of a disgrace as the loss of his scepter.
A deep sleep from the LORD: The word used here is that of a supernatural sleep caused by the LORD. " So the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept; then he took one of his ribs and closed up the flesh at that place" (Genesis 2:21). "Now when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and behold, terror and great darkness fell upon him" (Genesis 15:12). The fact that two men could penetrate into the very center of a considerable army and remove the king's scepter and water jug from his side could only be accounted for by the interference of Providence on their behalf.
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