Chapter 23
The Philistines fight against the Israeli city of Keilah. David inquires of the LORD if he should attack the Philistines and rescue Keilah. The LORD gives David assurance he will be victorious. Saul hears about David's victory in Keilah and comes down to kill David. David inquires of the LORD again to see if he should stay in Keilah or depart. God informs David that the people of Keilah will surrender David into the hands of Saul. David and his men leave Keilah.
David hides in the wilderness of Ziph. Jonathan seeks out David and encourages him in the LORD. The Ziphites inform Saul of David's whereabouts. Saul pursues David in the wilderness of Maon. David flees to one side of the mountain while Saul and his men are on the other side. When Saul and his men are just about to seize David, a messenger comes to inform Saul the Philistines have made a raid on the land. Saul stops pursuing David and sets out to fight the Philistines. David departs and stays in the strongholds of Engedi.
Favorite verse: "And Jonathan, Saul's son, arose and went to David at Horesh, and encouraged him in God. Thus he said to him, 'Do not be afraid, because the hand of Saul my father will not find you, and you will be king over Israel and I will be next to you; and Saul my father knows that also.'" (1 Samuel 23:16-17)
Chapter 24
When Saul returns from fighting the Philistines, he resumes his pursuit of David. Saul takes three thousand men and charges to Engedi. Saul turns into a cave to relieve himself. Unknown to him, David and his men are hiding in the cave. David's men encourage David to kill Saul, but instead, David only cuts off the hem of Saul's robe. When Saul leaves the cave, David calls after Saul and shows him the edge of the robe he cut off.
When Saul recognizes David's voice, he lifts up his voice and weeps. Saul declares the good David has done to him this day. Saul also acknowledges that David will be the next king of Israel. Saul makes David swear not to cut off any of Saul's descendants after him. David agrees to the oath. Saul leaves, and David and his men go back to the stronghold.
Favorite verse: "'After whom has the king of Israel come out? Whom are you pursuing? A dead dog, a single flea? The LORD therefore be judge and decide between you and me; and may He see and plead my cause and deliver me from your hand.'" (1 Samuel 24:14-15)
Chapter 25
The chapter starts with the sad news that Samuel, the prophet dies. Although the spiritual leader of Israel has passed away, God is raising up another godly man, David, as He trains him in the wilderness. The next trial for David is the very wealthy Nabal. (Nabal's name means fool.)
David and his men guard Nabal's animals in the wilderness. When the festival of sheering the sheep comes, David sends his men to ask for payment for their services. David is careful not to demand a specific payment, but he just requests goods according to what Nabal sees fit to give. However, Nabal mocks and insults David and sends David's men away empty-handed. When David hears Nabal's words, David decides to go to war with Nabal.
As David and his men are marching toward Nabal's home, Abigail, Nabal's wife, is informed of Nabal's foolishness. Abigail immediately gathers a significant amount of food and loads it on donkeys. Abigail follows the caravan of goods on her own donkey. When Abigail meets David in the wilderness, she falls down before him. Abigail takes full responsibility for Nabal's actions. Abigail reminds David that he will one day become king of Israel, and he should not have this shedding of innocent blood on his hands. David takes Abigail's words to heart and returns back to his own camp.
The next day, Abigail tells her husband about the great peril that almost came upon his house. Nabal becomes very sick and dies 10 days later. When David hears Nabal is dead, he sends for Abigail to be his wife.
Favorite verse: "'And when the LORD does for my lord according to all the good that He has spoken concerning you, and appoints you ruler over Israel, this will not cause grief or a troubled heard to my lord, both by having shed blood without cause and by my lord having avenged himself. When the LORD deals well with my lord, then remember your maidservant.'" (1 Samuel 25:30-31)
Chapter 26
Chapter 26 is very reminiscent of chapter 24. David is hiding on the hill of Hachilah. The Ziphites tell King Saul about David's whereabouts. King Saul and his men pursue David. This time, David sends spies out and finds Saul's camp. David and Abishai journey into the midst of Saul's camp. Abishai tells David he should kill Saul. David resists the temptation. Instead, David takes King Saul's spear (the ancient Eastern symbol of royalty equivalent to a scepter) and the jug of water (which Saul would use for his personal bathing needs).
David crosses over to the other side of the mountain and yells to Saul's camp, specifically to Abner, who is responsible for guarding the king. David tells them that someone had been in the midst of their camp and had wanted to kill the king. David tells Saul's camp that he has the king's spear and water jug. Saul recognizes David's voice. Saul admits he had played the fool and has committed a serious error. Saul encourages David to return back to him. However, David goes his own way and Saul returns back to his palace.
Favorite verse: "'The LORD will repay each man for his righteousness and faithfulness; for the LORD delivered you into my hand today, but I refused to stretch out my hand against the LORD'S anointed. Now behold, as your life was highly valued in my sight this day, so may my life by highly valued in the sight of the LORD, and may He deliver me from all distress.'" (1 Samuel 26:23-24)
Chapter 27
After being pursued relentlessly by Saul, David drops into the pit of despair. After God has delivered David over and over again, David abandons God and attempts to seek refuge among the godless Philistines. Thinking there is no place let for him to hide, David leaves Israel and seeks asylum in the city of Gath. This time, when David flees to Gath, King Achish warmly greets David. David now has six hundred men with him and also is a fugitive. David asks and is granted to dwell in the city of Ziklag in the south of Philistia, far away from Gath.
David and his men make raids on the Amalekites, the Geshurites and Girzites. They killed all the inhabitants and take the livestock and clothing for spoil. When King Achish inquires about David's raids, David claims he and his men have defeated parts of southern Judah and other allies of Israel. King Achish believes David was making himself hated among his own people, the Israelites, and erroneously believes that David will become his servant forever.
Favorite verse: "Then David said to himself, 'Now I will perish one day by the hand of Saul. There is nothing better for me than to escape into the land of the Philistines. Saul then will despair of searching for me anymore in all the territory of Israel, and I will escape from his hand.'" (1 Samuel 27:1)
Chapter 28
The Philistines gather together for battle for one last war with Saul. When Saul and his men gather together at Gilboa, Saul becomes weak with fear. In desperation, Saul tries to inquire of the LORD; however, God does not answer him. In a panic, Saul seeks out a spirit medium to divine the future.
The spirit medium conjures up Samuel, the prophet. Saul tells Samuel the Philistines are against him and asks for his help. Samuel never gives Saul any advice about fighting the Philistines, but he does tell Saul that the LORD has done exactly as he had promised. Because Saul did not obey God in executing Amalek, the LORD will give Saul's kingdom to David and will deliver Israel into the hand of the Philistines. Moreover, Saul and his sons will die the next day.
Saul falls to the ground and becomes very afraid. The spirit medium encourages Saul to eat food. She slays a fattened calf and makes unleavened bread. Saul and his servants eat and depart.
Favorite verse: "Samuel said, 'Why then do you ask me, since the LORD has departed from you and has become your adversary? The LORD has done according as He spoke through me; for the LORD has torn the kingdom out of your hand and given it to your neighbor, to David. As you did not obey the LORD and did not execute His fierce wrath on Amalek, so the LORD has done this thing to you this day. Moreover the LORD will also give over Israel along with you into the hands of the Philistines, therefore tomorrow you and your sons will be with me. Indeed the LORD will give over the army of Israel into the hands of the Philistines!'" (1 Samuel 28:16-19)
Chapter 29
David and his men proceed with the Philistines toward the battle with the Israelites. The commanders of the Philistines object to David's presence in the army. It is God's saving grace that the Philistine leaders resist King Achish's pleas that David and his men have been faithful to him. David and his men are kicked out of the Philistine army and are sent home. The Philistines continue their march to Jezreel.
Favorite verse: "Then Achish called David and said to him, 'As the LORD lives, you have been upright, and your going out and your coming in with me in the army are pleasing in my sight; for I have not found evil in you from the day of your coming to me to this day. Nevertheless, you are not pleasing in the sight of the lords. Now therefore return and go in peace, that you may not displease the lords of the Philistines.'" (1 Samuel 29:6-7)
Chapter 30
When David and his men return home, they find their city of Ziklag completely burned to the ground and their wives, sons and daughters were taken captive by the Amalekites. In utter distress, David's men threaten to stone him. At this time of great sorrow, David turns back to the LORD. David asks Abiathar, the priest, to inquire of the LORD. The LORD assures David that he should pursue the Amalekites and that all will be recovered.
As David and his men journey toward the Amalekites, one third of David's men are too tired to continue. They stay at the Brook of Besor with the baggage. The other 400 men continue and find an Egyptian slave who was left behind by the Amalekites because he was sick. The Egyptian tells David about the Amalekite's battles and shows them the way to the Amalekite camp. When David and his men discover the Amalekite camp, the Amalekites are spread out over the land and having a great festival. David and his men slay the Amalekites; however, 400 Amalekites are able to escape riding camels.
David and his men recover all their family members along with all their belongings. Moreover, the men also capture a vast plunder from the other cities which the Amalekites had raided. David and his men return to Ziklag. Upon dividing the spoil, David makes it an ordinance that the goods should be distributed to those who fought as well as to those who stayed by the baggage. Additionally, David sends some of the spoil to more than 13 cities where he and his men frequented during their time as exiles.
Favorite verse: "Then David said, 'You must do so, my brothers, with what the LORD has given us, who has kept us and delivered into our hand the band that came against us. And who will listen to you in this matter? For as his share is who goes down to the battle, so shall his share be who stays by the baggage; they shall share alike.'" (1 Samuel 30:23-25)
Chapter 31
The story line resumes with the Philistines fighting against Saul and all of Israel. The battle goes against Saul; Saul's sons are killed. Saul is badly injured by archers. He begs his armor bearer to kill him. However, the armor bearer refuses. Saul fall on his own sword. The armor bearer then falls on his sword too. When the men of Israel see that their king is dead, they flee from the battle.
The next day, the Philistines find the bodies of Saul and his sons. The Philistines decapitate Saul and send his head and his armor throughout Philistia. The Philistines hang Saul and his sons' bodies on the wall in Beth-shan. The men of Jabeh-Gilead, remembering the heroic efforts in which Saul rallied all Israel to save their lives, walk all night to Beth-shan. They gather Saul and his sons' bodies and walk back to Jabesh-Gilead. At Jabesh-Gilead, the men burn the bodies of Saul and his sons. They then bury their bones under a tamarisk tree at Jabesh-Gilead. They mourn for their deaths by fasting seven days.
Favorite verse: "Now when the inhabitants of Jabesh-Gilead heard what the Philistines had done to Saul, all the valiant men rose and walked all night, and took the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Beth-shan, and they came to Jabesh and burned them there. They took their bones and buried them under the tamarisk tress at Jabesh, and fasted seven days." (1 Samuel 31:11-13)
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