1 Samuel 26

1 Samuel 26:1-2

David’s troubles from Saul here begin again; his repentance failed not long. 1. The Ziphites inform him where David was, ver. 1. and thereupon he may be out in quest of him, ver. 2, 3. 2. David gains intelligence of his motions, ver. 4. and takes a view of his camp, ver. 5. 3. He and one of his men venture into it in the night, and find him and all his guards often, ver. 6, 7. 4. David shares his life, but carries off his spear and cruce of water, ver. 8—12. 5. He produces them to Saul, as a further witness that he did not design him any ill, and reasons with him upon it, ver. 13—20. 6. Saul hereby continued of his creed, once more gives over the persecution, ver. 21—25.

1. A ND the Ziphites came unto Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doth not David hide himself in the hill of Hachilah, which is before Jefsimon? 2. Then Saul arose, and went down to the wilderness of Ziph, having three thousand chosen men of Israel with him, to seek David in the wilderness of Ziph. 3. And Saul pitched in the hill of Hachilah, which is before Jefsimon by the way: but David abode in the wilderness, and he saw that Saul came after him into the wilderness. 4. David therefore sent out Spies, and understood that Saul was come in very deed. 5. ¶ And David arose, and came to the place where Saul had pitched: and David beheld the place where Saul lay, and Abner the son of Ner, the captain of his host: and Saul lay ‘in the trench, and the people pitched round about him.

Good impressions are quickly worn out, where the heart is not truly turned to God.

1. Saul returns to the pursuit of David, still retaining the old rancour, and perhaps instigated by the Ziphites, who, from their former ill behaviour to David, might be apprehensive of suffering for it, should he ever come to the throne. Note, (1.) One sin usually involves the soul in another, so connected is the chain of evil. (2.) A little instigation will revive the old grudge, where the reconciliation is not fortere.

2. David gets information of Saul’s motions, and, as before, trusts not to his sword, but to concealment, for his safety. So unwilling was he, under every provocation, to appear in arms against his sovereign. Being apprized by his spies where Saul had pitched his camp, he went out unobserved to reconnoive the situation. Note, A good general will, as often as possible, trust to no information, but make use of his own eyes to observe the enemy’s sedition.

3. Then answered David, and said to Ahimelech the Hittite, and to Abishai the son of ‘Zeruiah, brother to a Cinnah, Joab, saying, Who will go down with me to Saul to the camp? And Abishai said, I will go down with thee. 7. ‘So David and Abishai came to the people by night, and behold, Saul lay sleeping within the trench, and his spear stuck in the ground at his bolster: but Abner and the people lay round about him. 8. Then said Abishai to David, God hath delivered thine enemy into thine hand this day: now therefore let me smote him, I pray thee, with the spear, even to the earth at once, and I will not smote him the second time. 9. And David said to Abishai, Destroy him not: for who can stretch forth his hand against the LORD’s assented, and be guilty? 10. David said furthermore, as the LORD liveth, ’the LORD shall smote him, or his day shall come to die, or he shall descend into battle, and perish. 11. The LORD forbid that I should stretch forth mine hand against the LORD’s assented: but I pray thee, take thou now the spear that is at his bolster, and the cruise of water, and let us go. 12. So David took the spear and the cruise of water from Saul’s bolster, and they sat them away, and no man saw it, nor knew it, neither

avaked:

The word is marked: for they were all asleep, because a deep sleep from the LORD was fallen upon them.

1 Samuel 26:6-12

David having observed the camp, resolves on a dangerous enterprise; though, it is to be presumed, he had some divine admonition for this step, which would otherwise appear safe and unwarrantable.

1. He goes down to Saul’s camp in the night with Abishai, who offered to be his companion, Ahimelech declining the danger, or Abishai being most forward to go. A deep sleep from God had found the hell: Saul lay in the midst of the camp, which was compelled with an entrenchment; or in his chariot, as the word also signifies, with his spear ready at his boilers, and a cruce of water, and his army asleep around him, to the very centinels. So soon can God disarm the mighty, and leave them a prey to the feeble.

2. Abishai is eager to improve the advantage for remarkable a providence gave them, concludes that God designed Saul’s destruction, and offers at a stroke to dispatch him.

3. David refuses the offer, and withholds his hands. He uses the same argument as before, the sacred office with which he was invited, and the allegiance therefore due to him. He doubted not but God would avenge his quarrel by some hidden judgment, or he would fall in battle, or die a natural death; and he is content to wait the Lord’s leisure, rather preferring suffering in the flesh for a while, than by such a blow to bring guilt on his conscience. Note, They who know the evil of sin, think a crown too clearly purchased by the lead crucifixion.

4. Though he will not hurt him, he takes away the evidences of his power to have done so, his spear and cruce, and thus in safety they retire. Note, They are secure in the midst of danger, from whom God gives a charge to the angel of death to withhold his hand.

5. ¶ Then David went over to the other side, and stood on the top of an hill afar off, (a great space long between them:) 14. And David cried to the people, and to Abner the son of Ner, saying, Answered thou not, Abner? Then Abner answered and said, Who are thou that cried to the king? 15. And David said to Abner, Art not thou a valiant man? and who is like to thee in Israel? wherefore thou hast thou not kept thy lord the king? for there came one of the people in to destroy the king thy lord. 16. This thing is not good that thou hast done: at the LORD liveth, ye are g worthy to die, because ye have not kept your master the LORD’s anointed: and now see where the king’s spear is, and the cruce of water that was at his boilers. 17. And Saul knew David’s voice, and said, Is this thy voice, my son David? And David said, Is it my voice, my lord, O king. 18. And he said, Wherefore doth my lord thus pursue after his servant? for what have I done? or what evil is in mine hand? 19. Now therefore, I pray thee, let my lord the king hear the words of his servant: ‘If the LORD have thirsted thee up against me, let him g accept an offering: but if they be the children of men, ‘curled as they before the LORD; for they have driven me out this day from j abiding in the inheritance of the LORD, saying, ‘Go serve other gods. 20. Now therefore let not my blood fall to the earth before the face of the LORD: for the king of Israel is come out to seek a flea, as when one doth hunt a partridge in the mountains.

1 Samuel 26:13-20

When David had got out of danger, on the opposite hill, from whence he could be heard, though not hurt,

1. He resides Abner from sleep with a loud call, and rallies him for his negligence, in not being more watchful over his sovereign’s safety. Producing the spear and cruce, he declares him, and all the guards, by martial law observing death, for suffering the king to be thus exposed, leaving them to judge who was most the king’s friend, they who slept and left him in danger, or he who watched over his safety, and restrained the arm of one of the people, which was ready to destroy him. Note, They whom we treat as our greatest enemies, sometimes prove themselves our best friends.

2. Saul knowing the voice, and observing the danger he had escaped, is again overcome with his son’s generosity; and David takes occasion once more, with these evidences of innocence in his hands, to repudiate with him on the injustice of his perfectionism, and on the miseries which he suffered by it. He was a faithful servant, and it was Saul’s last thus to force him from him. He was a true worshipper of God; but by his necessities driven for refuge among idolaters, was in great danger, without especial support from God, of apostatizing from his worship; he could appeal to Saul himself for incontestible proofs of his innocence. It was below the dignity of the king of Israel to

hunt a poor fugitive, that, like a frightened partridge, fought on. Before Christ by his safety by flight, and was no more to be feared than the most contemptible animal, even a fine he begs therefore the king would desist from thirling after his blood, which, if shed, the Lord would avenge. If he had offended God in ought, and by him Saul was dived up to chaffle him, he would freak, by offering and sacrifice, reconciliation: or if an evil spirit moved him, let them join in prayer and sacrifice for its removal: but if wicked and malicious enemies were the instigators, he imprecates the just vengeance of God upon their guilty heads. Note, (1.) They are our woeful enemies, that expose us to the temptation of falling from God, by driving us from his worship and people. (2.) Innocent blood shall never be shed without a severe reckoning. (3.) Reconciliation with God deserves our first concern; that obtained, other troubles will abate. (4.) Though the curie canifels shall not fall, yet woe to those against whom God’s people bring their just complaints.

21. ¶ Then said Saul, ‘I have sinned: return, my son David, for I will no more do thee harm, because my soul was precious in mine eyes this day: behold, I have played the fool, and have erred exceedingly. 22. And David answered and said, Behold the king’s spear, and let one of the young men come over and fetch it. 23. The LORD render to every man his righteousness and his faithfulness: for the LORD delivered thee into my hand to-day, but I would not stretch forth mine hand against the LORD’s anointed. 24. And behold, as the life was much set by this day in mine eyes, so let my life be much set by in the eyes of the LORD, and let him deliver me out of all tribulation. 25. Then Saul said to David, Bleffed be thou, my son David: thou shalt both do great things, and also shalt still prevail. So David went on his way, and Saul returned to his place.

1 Samuel 26:21-25

We have here,

1. Saul melted down under David’s remonstrance. He sees now how precious his life was in David’s fight, and therefore how sinful against God to persecute the innocent, as well as foolish to drive for faithful a servant from him. He owns the aggravation of his sin, that he hath erred exceedingly; invites him to return to court, and solemnly promises never more to attempt his harm. Note, Sin is the greatest folly, and will appear so at last.

2. David enforces the conviction of his innocence; desires the king to send for his spear and cruce; prays to God to deal with him according to his uprightness before him; assures Saul his hand would never be against him, as that day’s experience would testify; the anointing of would be his second guard, and refers himself to God for the same protection, persecution, and deliverance, as that day he had fit on to Saul. Note, (1.) God is a righteous judge, and his dispensations all prove him to be so. (2.) They who shew mercy, may hope to find mercy.

3. Saul is quite overcome, bleffes his son, acknowledges, before his army, his righteous dealing, and predicts his greatness and prevalence over all his enemies. Note, God will at last make his enemies bow at the feet of his persecuted people, and know that he hath loved them. Rev. iii. 9.

4. Saul and David part to meet no more: Saul returns to Gibeah, David to his faithfulness, unwilling, to trust promises which had been so often broken. Note, It is folly to trust those who have once deceived us.