David flees from Saul to Gath
November 10, 2021
Commentary
Once again, the Ziphites betrayed David’s location to Saul (v. 1). Saul took 3,000 troops and went to find David. When they reached the area where David was camped, they were very tired and bedded down for the night with the intention of launching a surprise attack on David and his people the next morning. In God’s sovereign plan, David found out about Saul’s location. He and Abishai snuck into Saul’s camp that night. The two men tiptoe around the sleeping bodies till they find Saul sound asleep. Saul was nearly seventy years old and no doubt the long hard march had exhausted him. Abishai wanted to kill Saul, but David stopped him because of his respect for Saul’s authority and position as God’s anointed king. Instead, he took Saul’s spear and jar of water to make obvious the fact that he intended no harm to Saul. David left the camp and called back to Saul, reminding him once again that he could have killed him. In broken sentences, Saul expressed remorse for his conduct and in good faith David returned Saul’s spear and water jar. Then the two men parted, never again to meet in this life.
After that David felt compelled to leave his homeland because of Saul’s constant pursuit. At Engedi there seemed to be a complete and harmonious reconciliation between David and Saul. Yet, in just a brief time, Saul was again hunting David. For the second time David sought refuge from Saul in Philistine territory. The man who killed Goliath and conquered the Philistines now asked for permission to live under the protection of King Achish. When Saul found out about this, he stops pursuing David. David’s following at this time may have numbered 2,500 people. When David gained the king’s confidence, he made a suggestion. Achish should assign him and his followers a city where they could live. The king grants his request by assigning the city of Ziklag to them (vv.5-6). From this city David launched and won military operations against the Geshurites, the Girzites, and the Amalekites, who were the enemies of the people of God. All the while, he was lying to Achish, saying that he was attacking the cities of Israel
Application
After the relentless assault on his life just would not stop, David finally gave into despair. He joined with Israel’s enemies and became a liar once more. What do I do when all hope is lost? Who or what do I turn to for relief? Am I in Ziklag right now?
1 Samuel 26:1– 12 (NET)
1 The Ziphites came to Saul at Gibeah and said, “Isn’t David hiding on the hill of Hakilah near Jeshimon?” 2 So Saul arose and went down to the wilderness of Ziph, accompanied by 3,000 select men of Israel, to look for David in the wilderness of Ziph. 3 Saul camped by the road on the hill of Hakilah near Jeshimon, but David was staying in the wilderness. When he realized that Saul had come to the wilderness to find him, 4 David sent scouts and verified that Saul had indeed arrived.
5 So David set out and went to the place where Saul was camped. David saw the place where Saul and Abner son of Ner, the general in command of his army, were sleeping. Now Saul was lying in the entrenchment, and the army was camped all around him. 6 David said to Ahimelech the Hittite and Abishai son of Zeruiah, Joab’s brother, “Who will go down with me to Saul in the camp?” Abishai replied, “I will go down with you.”
7 So David and Abishai approached the army at night and found Saul lying asleep in the entrenchment with his spear stuck in the ground by his head. Abner and the army were lying all around him. 8 Abishai said to David, “Today God has delivered your enemy into your hands. Now let me drive the spear right through him into the ground with one swift jab! A second jab won’t be necessary!”
9 But David said to Abishai, “Don’t kill him! Who can extend his hand against the Lord’s chosen one and remain guiltless?” 10 David went on to say, “As the Lord lives, the Lord himself will strike him down. Either his day will come and he will die, or he will go down into battle and be swept away. 11 But may the Lord prevent me from extending my hand against the Lord’s chosen one! Now take the spear by Saul’s head and the jug of water, and let’s get out of here!” 12 So David took the spear and the jug of water by Saul’s head, and they got out of there. No one saw them or was aware of their presence or woke up. All of them were asleep, for the Lord had caused a deep sleep to fall on them.