1 Samuel 24

1 Samuel 24:1

5. Saul Spared (Chap. 24)24:1-7 After the Philistine threat had been dealt with, Saul . . . returned to hunt for David. He traced him to the rocky cliffs at En Gedi. While there, the king entered one of the caves for a rest stop. The cave he chose was not empty. Farther in, the man he ruthlessly hunted was restraining his men from taking the monarch’s life! They thought God had delivered Saul over to them. But David knew of no command from God to take the kingdom by force. He was content to await God’s time and method. Even when he cut off a corner of the king’s robe, his conscience bothered him. He did not take lightly the fact that Saul had been anointed as Israel’s king. God must remove this king; David was to respect him until the Lord removed him. 24:8-15 After Saul left, David . . . went out of the cave and called after him. Bowing to the king, David told him that the slanderous reports to which he had listened were untrue. That very day David could have taken his life, but he did not because Saul was the LORD’s anointed. The portion of the robe in David’s hand was evidence of his kindness. A wicked man might want to avenge himself, but David had no such desire. He asked Saul why he should conduct such a relentless campaign against one who was as harmless and insignificant as a dead dog and a flea. 24:16-22 Temporarily moved to tears by David’s words, Saul acknowledged the righteousness of David’s behavior and his own wickedness. Surprisingly, he admitted that David would one day be king in Israel, and he made David take a solemn oath that he would deal kindly with his family. Then Saul left peaceably. But the respite David enjoyed was short. Saul soon forgot his kindness. In David’s words to Saul, he twice called on the LORD to act as Judge. He was content to leave his case in the hands of God rather than do what might seem right to the natural man. One of the things Peter remembered about our Lord was that “when He was reviled, [He] did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously” (1Pe_2:23). May God enable us to be as trustingly calm in the face of adversity!