seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
1 Samuel 26:1 The Ziphites went to Saul at Gibeah and said, “Is not David hiding on the hill of Hakilah, which faces Jeshimon?”
2 So Saul went down to the Desert of Ziph, with his three thousand select Israelite troops, to search there for David. 3 Saul made his camp beside the road on the hill of Hakilah facing Jeshimon, but David stayed in the wilderness. When he saw that Saul had followed him there, 4 he sent out scouts and learned that Saul had definitely arrived.
5 Then David set out and went to the place where Saul had camped. He saw where Saul and Abner son of Ner, the commander of the army, had lain down. Saul was lying inside the camp, with the army encamped around him.
6 David then asked Ahimelek the Hittite and Abishai son of Zeruiah, Joab’s brother, “Who will go down into the camp with me to Saul?”
“I’ll go with you,” said Abishai.
7 So David and Abishai went to the army by night, and there was Saul, lying asleep inside the camp with his spear stuck in the ground near his head. Abner and the soldiers were lying around him.
8 Abishai said to David, “Today God has delivered your enemy into your hands. Now let me pin him to the ground with one thrust of the spear; I won’t strike him twice.”
9 But David said to Abishai, “Don’t destroy him! Who can lay a hand on the Lord’s anointed and be guiltless? 10 As surely as the Lord lives,” he said, “the Lord himself will strike him, or his time will come and he will die, or he will go into battle and perish. 11 But the Lord forbid that I should lay a hand on the Lord’s anointed. Now get the spear and water jug that are near his head, and let’s go.”
12 So David took the spear and water jug near Saul’s head, and they left. No one saw or knew about it, nor did anyone wake up. They were all sleeping, because the Lord had put them into a deep sleep.
13 Then David crossed over to the other side and stood on top of the hill some distance away; there was a wide space between them. 14 He called out to the army and to Abner son of Ner, “Aren’t you going to answer me, Abner?”
Abner replied, “Who are you who calls to the king?”
15 David said, “You’re a man, aren’t you? And who is like you in Israel? Why didn’t you guard your lord the king? Someone came to destroy your lord the king. 16 What you have done is not good. As surely as the Lord lives, you and your men must die, because you did not guard your master, the Lord’s anointed. Look around you. Where are the king’s spear and water jug that were near his head?”
17 Saul recognized David’s voice and said, “Is that your voice, David my son?”
David replied, “Yes it is, my lord the king.” 18 And he added, “Why is my lord pursuing his servant? What have I done, and what wrong am I guilty of? 19 Now let my lord the king listen to his servant’s words. If the Lord has incited you against me, then may he accept an offering. If, however, people have done it, may they be cursed before the Lord! They have driven me today from my share in the Lord’s inheritance and have said, ‘Go, serve other gods.’ 20 Now do not let my blood fall to the ground far from the presence of the Lord. The king of Israel has come out to look for a flea—as one hunts a partridge in the mountains.”
21 Then Saul said, “I have sinned. Come back, David my son. Because you considered my life precious today, I will not try to harm you again. Surely I have acted like a fool and have been terribly wrong.”
22 “Here is the king’s spear,” David answered. “Let one of your young men come over and get it. 23 The Lord rewards everyone for their righteousness and faithfulness. The Lord delivered you into my hands today, but I would not lay a hand on the Lord’s anointed. 24 As surely as I valued your life today, so may the Lord value my life and deliver me from all trouble.”
25 Then Saul said to David, “May you be blessed, David my son; you will do great things and surely triumph.”
So David went on his way, and Saul returned home.
Here's the link to the commentary I use.So let my life be valued much in the eyes of the LORD: David wanted to fulfill his call to be the next king of Israel. But he wanted both the throne and the blessing of God. He refused to take the throne through murder or rebellion. He would wait until it came to him God’s way. In this, David trusted that God would protect him when he did eventually come to reign over Israel.
Oh boy, another story from the Bible that was turned into a Western. I think I saw a "Have Gun will Travel" that went along these lines.So the Ziphites, some of David's cousins from Judea, told Saul they knew where David was hiding out.
Of course, Saul took off for that spot... with 3,000 well-armed troops. That was some match for David and 600 men. I guess David was still getting a nod for taking down Goliath with just one stone.
When David found out Saul was in the area, he went to check it out.
Saul's army had "circled the wagons".
Now Saul lay within the camp: The King James Version says that Saul lay within the trench. That translation is accurate from the Hebrew but gives the wrong idea. The idea is that the perimeter of Israeli army camp was marked by the tracks of their wagons, and it was within the perimeter of the camp that Saul slept. Saul lay within the camp is a good translation of the idea.
Now, David's buddy, Abishai, and David snuck into Saul's camp.Look at verse 12. God caused all the well-armed troops to sleep! No one was guarding the camp. God saw to that!
Now when David and Abishai were standing over Saul, Abishai wanted to run Saul through with Saul's own spear.
Abishai even said it would be no big deal. One blow is all it would take. But David stopped him.
David said he didn't want Saul hurt because God anointed Saul king, and David would not kill God's anointed king.
They took Saul's spear and his water jug. He'd rather embarrass Saul in front of his 3,000 well-armed troops! Of course, by showing he made it all the way to Saul's sleeping body, David had already shamed the 3,000 well-armed troops and their captain.
When David was a safe distance away... David called out to Saul's captain and the well-armed troops. I can just hear him now.... "Hey Abner, thought you were supposed to be protecting the king! Well how do you explain that I have Saul's spear and water jug?"
Oh, I bet that sent a chill down Saul's back. I bet it infuriated Abner!
Then David let Saul know he could have killed him in his sleep. He asked Saul why he kept chasing after him. David showed him the spear and said, "I could have killed you, but I didn't. I'm not hunting you, so stop hunting me!"
Of course, Saul apologized, which would have really ticked off Abner. I wonder if Abner is shaking in his boots because David got Saul's spear under Abner's watch and now Saul has to apologize.
Check out verse 25. Saul invited David to go back home with him.
David declined the invitation. Saul wasn't one to keep his word.
David returned the king's spear to the anointed king!
Respect!
