1^st SAMUEL 26
David has A Second Chance

Bill Fritz Adult Education Fellowship Bible Church

David Once Again Refuses to Kill Saul

1 Then the Ziphites came to Saul at Gibeah, saying, “Is not David hiding on the hill of Hachilah, which is before Jeshimon?” [1]

2 So Saul arose and went down to the wilderness of Ziph, having with him chosen men of Israel, to search for David in the wilderness of Ziph.

Where is the hill of Hachilah?

Saul’s search is relentless.  There is no indication as to the length of time which transpired from Saul’s first attempt to kill David and Saul’s pursuit in the hill of Hachilah.

By looking at the map, we can see the area of Hachilah was very mountainous.  The movement of men through this terrain must have been arduous and time-consuming.

3 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,
4 David sent out spies, and he knew that Saul was definitely coming.

We should not take the phrase “he saw” literally.  He could have seen evidence of a large number of people on the march not knowing who they were. Three thousand foot soldiers would have raised a considerable amount of dust in the wilderness.  This evidence would be cause for David to send out spies (verse four). 

5 David then 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.

After learning from his spies where Saul’s encampment exact location, David stealthily set out to find Saul’s resting place.

Saul felt quite secure with three thousand of his army surrounding him.  It should have been impossible for David to penetrate this formable defense to get at Saul.  We will soon see God once again interceding on David’s behalf.

God intercedes with us today.  In my reckless years, I can recall several occasions where things could have turned out very bad for me.  I believe God intervened in my life protecting me for His purpose.

6 Then David said to Ahimelech the Hittite and to Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab’s brother, saying, “Who will go down with me to Saul in the camp?” And Abishai said, “I will go down with you.”

Who was Abishai?

Zerueah was David’s older sister (1 Chronicles 2:16).  This would have made Abishai David’s nephew.

7 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 Abner and the people were lying around him.
8 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.”

Abishai tempts David.  Again David had the chance to kill Saul and be safe in the land.

Who was Abner?

Abner was Saul’s field general.

Abishai assures Saul that he will kill Saul with one thrust and thereby cause no undue pain and suffering for Saul.

David responds to this temptation in the fashion of a faithful servant of God.

9 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?”

Once again David refuses to kill God’s anointed.  David felt it was not his place to bring judgment to Saul.  God would judge him in the end.  David believed it would be a sin to harm God’s anointed.  Even though David had cause to kill Saul he could not. 

David placed his faith and trust in God.  Today we face temptations to retaliate against those who speak ill of us.  As Christians we have been anointed, not with oil, but with the Holy Spirit who dwells within all who accept Him.  Those that would do us harm will, in the end, face God’s Judgement.  Therefore resist the temptation to strike back and take comfort in knowing that vengeance is mine saith the Lord.

10 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 into battle and perish.
11 “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, and let us go.”

In verse ten David may have remembered Abigail telling him the Lord would avenge him(1 Samuel 25:29).

It is evident all four thousand of Saul’s men were in a deep sleep, but how can this be?

I believe the Lord caused a deep sleep to fall upon Saul’s encampment (V 12), giving David unfettered access to Saul.  It was this deep sleep that led Abishai to believe God had delivered Saul into David’s hand. 

Why take the spear and water jug (V 11)?

The spear was the symbol of the king's office at war.  By taking this symbol, David was identifying to Saul that it was David who could have once again killed him.  Taking the symbol of the king's office signified defeat.  The water jug was a symbol of life.  A person cannot live without water.  Therefore when David took the jug, he was telling Saul that his life could have been taken as easily as the water jug.

12 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, nor did any awake, for they were all asleep, because a sound sleep from the Lord had fallen on them.

Causing all of Saul’s army to fall asleep was a supernatural act.  It is inconceivable that a commander of a military unit would not post centuries on the perimeter with instructions to stay awake.  The penalty for falling asleep would have been death.  And yet they all fell into a deep sleep including Abner.  I can think of no reason for this other than direct intervention by God.

13 Then David crossed over to the other side and stood on top of the mountain at a distance with a large area between them.
14 David called to the people and to Abner the son of Ner, saying, “Will you not answer, Abner?” Then Abner replied, “Who are you who calls to the king?”

Abner now fully awake realized that someone approached the king while he slept.  And now this someone was yelling accusations at him.  Being in a mountainous area and David’s voice would have echoed, making his voice louder, while making his location more difficult to ascertain.

Under normal circumstances, Abner might have readily identified David’s voice.  The distorted of David's voice by the echo effect is possibly the reason why Abner did not initially recognize David’s voice.  Saul now fully awake may not have initially recognized David’s voice either.  However, in verse seventeen we see Saul recognizing the voice perhaps by the words David spoke.

15 So David said to Abner, “Are you not a man? And who is like you in Israel? Why then have you not guarded your lord the king? For one of the people came to destroy the king your lord.
16 “This thing that you have done is not good. As the Lord lives, all of you must surely die, because you did not guard your lord, the Lord’s anointed. And now, see where the king’s spear is and the jug of water that was at his head.”

In verse fifteen we see David accusing Abner of an inexcusable dereliction of duty.  Abner was Saul’s general and very highly regarded by the army.  All have now seen and heard of Abner’s failure to guard the king.  As previously stated sleeping while on guard was punishable by death.  David vows that because of Abner’s weak leadership in safeguarding the king, all who slept would die.

In verse sixteen David calls attention to the spear and water jug which were no longer by Saul’s head; their absence was proof positive that the king's life was in jeopardy.

17 Then Saul recognized David’s voice and said, “Is this your voice, my son David?” And David said, “It is my voice, my lord the king.”
18 He also said, “Why then is my lord pursuing his servant? For what have I done? Or what evil is in my hand?

I contend that Saul recognized David’s voice not by its tone but by his choice of words “–the Lord’s anointed” (1 Samuel 10:1).

Saul calls on this voice to confirm that it was indeed the voice of David, his son-in-law; or in those days more simply put son. David responds giving Saul honor calling him “lord the king”.

David now calls on Saul to explain why does Saul pursue him.  David goes on to point out that Saul had no cause to kill him.  We know to kill someone without cause was murder and a sin.  David had two chances to kill Saul and did not even though he had cause, and Saul knew that.

19 “Now therefore, please let my lord the king listen to the words of his servant. If the Lord has stirred you up against me, let Him accept an offering; but if it is men, cursed are they before the Lord, for they have driven me out today so that I would have no attachment with the inheritance of the Lord, saying, ‘Go, serve other gods.’
20 “Now then, do not let my blood fall to the ground away from the presence of the Lord; for the king of Israel has come out to search for a single flea, just as one hunts a partridge in the mountains.”

David had been cut off from the Ark of the Covenant and therefore from worship.  The concept that God is omnipresent was not considered at this time.  It was not until God revealed His omnipresence to Jeremiah 600 years later (Jeremiah 23:24).

Matthew Henry explains the term inheritance as: “Those who forbid our attendance on God's ordinances, do what they can to estrange us from God, and to make us heathens. We are to reckon that which exposes us to sin the greatest injury that can be done us.” [2]

In verse twenty David calls attention to how Saul was wasting his time hunting him, being as insignificant as a flea.  David used the example of hunting a partridge where they do not live to emphasize Saul’s time was being wasted.

21 Then Saul said, “I have sinned. Return, my son David, for I will not harm you again because my life was precious in your sight this day. Behold, I have played the fool and have committed a serious error.”

Saul had admitted his sin before (1 Samuel 15:24, 30).  Just as before Saul was sincere when he made the statement that he would not harm David again.  However, we also know that his word was hollow and without value or truth.  We will soon learn that David did not trust Saul’s words.

22 David replied, “Behold the spear of the king! Now let one of the young men come over and take it.

The spear no longer had a purpose to for David, and so returning it to the king was not a big sacrifice.  However, for the king, the return of his symbol of office was significant.  Saul undoubtedly was much relieved at the spears return.

23 “The Lord will repay each man for his righteousness and his faithfulness; for the Lord delivered you into my hand today, but I refused to stretch out my hand against the Lord’s anointed.
24 “Now behold, as your life was highly valued in my sight this day, so may my life be highly valued in the sight of the Lord, and may He deliver me from all distress.”

David places his trust not in Saul but instead in God.  David’s faith and trust were in God who is always trustworthy and not in the deceit of Saul, who had proven to be untrustworthy.

There is an excellent lesson to be learned here.  When we place our trust in men, we are most assuredly disappointed. When our faith and trust rests with God, He will always be faithful.

25 Then Saul said to David, “Blessed are you, my son David; you will both accomplish much and surely prevail.” So David went on his way, and Saul returned to his place.

CLASS DISCUSSION

“God intercedes with us today.  In my reckless years, I can recall several occasions where things could have turned out very bad for me.  I believe God intervened in my life protecting me for His purpose.  Has God intervened in your life?”

“David placed his faith and trust in God.  Today we face temptations to retaliate against those who speak ill of us.” 

Why did the early Jews believed that God could be worshiped only at the temple where the ark of the covenant was kept?

How do we know God is omnipresent? 

CITATION AND REFERENCES

[1] * all italicized numbered verses  CrossWire Bible Society; URL:  http://www.crosswire.org/study/passagestudy.jsp?key=1+samuel+26Website   Website Title:  Crosswire.org/study; accessed January 10, 2018

[2] URL: https://www.christianity.com/bible/commentary.php?com=mhc&b=9&c=26; Website Title: 1 Samuel 26 Bible Commentary - Christianity.com; Date Accessed: January 16, 2018