All of us can suffer from hard headedness…often to our peril. However, God has a way of breaking through our stubborn will and bringing us to merciful living. Join Dr. Marty Baker as he takes us through 1 Samuel 26 and the continued saga in the relationship between David and Saul.
Because we are naturally spiritually hard-headed, God sometimes places us in complex situations that test our mettle in an area where we thought we had gained mastery over our evil tendencies. Have you ever experienced this? Sure, you have because you are human, meaning your carnal man doesn’t usually go down after the first bout. So, what does the Lord do? Sometimes, He sovereignly drops you smack dab in the middle of a situation that seems all too familiar. Why does He permit this? Do test whether you truly learned the spiritual lesson He put before you.
David understood this divine drill.
At first glance, chapters 24 and 26 seem like déjà vu. Both detail a historical occurrence where David is placed near King Saul, and the king has no clue how close David, “the dog,” is to him. Both also create a tension that leads to a question: would David seize the moment and assassinate the mean, vile man who hunted him without a cause? When David encountered Saul in a cave he had ducked into to use the restroom, he chose mercy and life over vengeance and death. This is precisely what God looked for in the next king. David passed the divine test and moved on physically and spiritually. In chapter 26, we once more see David in a situation where he could easily stop Saul’s madness with one thrust of a spear. What would he do?
Before addressing this question, we must stop and ask why God sovereignly placed David in a situation he had been spiritually victorious over earlier? The answer is clear: God wanted to test David’s spiritual mettle to make sure he would be a merciful man who trusted God’s leadership no matter what. In chapter 24, Saul just happened to cross David’s path. In chapter 26, David purposefully seized an opportunity to take Saul out. Much had changed in David’s heart between chapters 24 and 26, and it didn’t look like for the better. Mercy looked as if it would be eclipsed by vengeance and revenge. What would he do? Would he permit his emotions to drive him to follow his will, or would he once again submit to God’s leadership and choose to live like a godly man?
What Christian can’t relate to this? God placed you in a challenging, trying situation with someone who made your life miserable. When you suddenly had an opportunity to retaliate righteously, you had to decide between getting some much-needed justice or showing mercy. After much prayer, you chose mercy, God gave you peace in your heart, and you moved on, thinking you had mastered this pivotal spiritual area. Think again. Within time, God placed you in another situation that seemed all too familiar with the last one. That time is now, and you wonder why this is happening again? Simply put, the Lord wants to know if you will trust His providential leadership when injustice is rendered against you, or will you forge ahead on your carnal power? So, what will it be?
David’s story has much to teach us about ourselves, especially when someone mistreats us. For David, many of his life lessons revolved around King Saul’s jealousy of his giftedness and divine blessing. I’m sure you have your own King Saul to deal with. May David’s response in chapter 26 give you some much-needed wisdom and insight regarding how to proceed when you suddenly encounter a rough situation that seems all too familiar.
David’s spiritual déjà vu moment unfolds quickly in the first three verses:
The Problem (1 Sam. 26:1-3)
First, let’s read the text and then offer some salient observations:
1 Then the Ziphites came to Saul at Gibeah, saying, “Is not David hiding on the hill of Hachilah, which is before Jeshimon? (1 Sam. 26)
The Ziphites needed to zip it. What was wrong with these people? Answer? They sided with King Saul because he held all the power in the nation, and they wanted things to go well with them. So, as they had disclosed David’s whereabouts in chapter 23, verse 19, they did it again here in chapter 26 by traveling some 25 miles north to give Saul some excellent and precise intel. Maybe you have Ziphite in your life right now. They are easy to spot because they live for making your life more complicated and more unbearable.
Where was David? He and his men were hiding out on the hill of Hachilah near Jeshimon in the wilderness area known as Ziph. Jeshimon in Hebrew means wasteland. David wasn’t living in luxury by any means. Quite the contrary. He, an innocent man, had been unjustly driven out of the comforts of society along with his 600 soldiers. Water, food, and shade were hard to find daily. Soft, comfortable bedding was non-existent. And fear? It loomed like a monster over every movement they all made, for no one knew when Saul’s superior forces might catch up with them.
The arrival of the Ziphites in Gibeah with some good intel about David set up a test for King Saul. Outside the cave in chapter 23, he cried and confessed how wrong he had been to pursue David with the intent of killing him. He even went so far as to say he knew David would be the next king of Israel. Armed, however, with these juicy details about David’s exact location, Saul had to make a decision. Would he recall his heartfelt confession before David, who had shown him mercy, or would he allow his jealousy to rule the day?
2 So Saul arose and went down to the wilderness of Ziph, having with him three thousand chosen men of Israel, to search for David in the wilderness of Ziph. 3 And Saul camped in the hill of Hachilah, which is before Jeshimon, beside the road, and David was staying in the wilderness. (1 Sam. 26)
Saul was spiritually shallow and hollow. He could talk the spiritual talk, but he wouldn’t walk the spiritual walk. He was the poster child for the word hypocrite. What he said was typically two different things. No wonder he lost his kingdom. So, without acknowledging his conversation with David in the gorge of En-gedi, Saul immediately moved his crack troops south to the hill of Hachilah. What was his intent? Kill David.
The Probe (1 Sam. 26:3-5)
The intel of the Ziphites was not as precise this time for David, for his men were not on the hill in question. David was in the region, but not on this particular hill. His vantage point also let him know that a sizeable military force had set up shop on the mountain they had encamped earlier. The ensuing verses establish the new setting:
3 When he saw that Saul came after him into the wilderness, 4 David sent out spies, and he knew that Saul was definitely coming. 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. (1 Sam. 26)
Why did David send out spies to scope out the identity of this force? He wanted to know precisely who they were. With Saul’s prior confession in the gorge, David didn’t know that Saul was back to his evil ways, so he sent out the spies.
What did David learn? He learned that Saul had learned nothing between chapters 23 and 26. He also learned that Saul’s troops formed a ring around him, while he and Abner, his cousin (1 Sam. 14:50-51) and commander of the army, enjoyed the safety and security of the middle of the circle. He probably also learned that Saul had no sentries guarding the outer perimeter. Not a smart move, but with three thousand seasoned and well-armed warriors surrounding the king, he probably thought sentries were unnecessary. He should have remembered who he was up against. David was cunning and creative as a warrior.
What did David do when he assembled all this great intel? I call it . . .
The Proposal (1 Sam. 26:6)
David saw Saul’s encampment as an opportunity to seize.
6 Then David answered and 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.” (1 Sam. 26)
Ahimelech the Hittite’s presence as a Gentile among David’s warriors demonstrates the rag-tag nature of his troops. They came from anywhere and everywhere. Abishai, the son of Zeruiah, was David’s nephew and the son of his sister Zeruiah (2 Sam. 2:18; 1 Chron. 2:16). He was a good soldier (2 Sam. 21;16-17), but he was a hothead and had no qualms about killing someone. He and his brothers also caused David grief later in his rule with their war-mongering ways (2 Sam. 3:30; 16:9-10; 19:21; 20:10; 3:39). What did David want to know from these two men? He desired to know which one of them had the guts to go with him at night to assassinate Saul. Abishai wasted no time stepping forward.
This was a suicide mission. Two men against three thousand. What was David thinking? He wasn’t thinking, nor praying about what he should do either. He just emotionally jumped at the opportunity to finally take Saul out once and for all, thereby solving many of his problems. The hunted had suddenly become the hunter. How ironic. After reading this, I can’t help but ask you, what will you do when the tables turn in your favor in relation to the person who has had it out for you? Will you seize the moment and become the hunter? That’s what David did, as we see in the next section I’ve named . . .
The Pounce (1 Sam. 26:7-8)
In the stillness of the night, when Saul and his soldiers enjoyed some deep REM sleep, David and Abishai tiptoed carefully around all their bodies to get close to Saul. Would you have done this? There must have been a few light sleepers out of three thousand men, but this night would prove different than all others.
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. (1 Sam. 26)
This is unbelievable. As David and Abishai stood over sleeping Saul, conveniently located right next to his exposed head was the coveted spear of the king. Ah, the spear. It was the one Saul probably used to try to kill David earlier (1 Sam. 18:11; 19:10). Could this situation have been more ironic and poetic? David was positioned to assassinate Saul with the spear he had formerly used to try to kill him. It was most likely the same spear Saul had used to try to kill his regal son, Jonathan (1 Sam 20:33).
Seeing King Saul’s vulnerability, Abishai wasted no time wanting to be the one who finally killed this wicked warrior. Whispering to David, he excitedly said:
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.” (1 Sam. 26)
David couldn’t argue with the fact that God had permitted them to penetrate Saul’s defenses and get within striking distance. David couldn’t argue with the fact that Abishai’s muscular body would enable him to kill Saul with one, not two, thrust of a razor-sharp spear. However, David could argue whether it was wise and prudent for them to eliminate Saul or humiliate him, while also teaching him a significant life lesson.
What would David do? You can’t help but sense the tension. Better yet, what will you do when God puts you in a position to silence the person who has treated you unjustly and unfairly? And, no, I’m not talking about taking them out. I’m speaking figuratively. Will you turn their cheek with some well-timed, incriminating information, or will you leave God to take care of them in His time, not yours?
David’s response, I’m sure, left Abishai speechless.
The Pivot (1 Sam. 26:9-12)
The opening contrastive word, but, informs us that David had thought about their actions in light of what he knew about God, and that thought led him to the conclusion, again, of not killing a vulnerable Saul.
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?” (1 Sam. 26)
David knew that Samuel had anointed him many years before to be Israel’s next king (1 Sam. 16:12-13); however, Saul was still the king; hence, it was not up to David to act vengefully, even though he was an innocent man suffering unjustly. To assassinate Saul would cause them to incur tremendous guilt before a holy God. Additionally, as with Nabal, David realized that God would eventually deal with Saul on His perfect timetable, not on David’s imperfect timetable.
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. (1 Sam. 26)
Had the tables been turned, I doubt Saul would have hesitated to kill David because Saul was selfish and did not give God much thought. David, conversely, was a godly man who always had God on his mind. This knowledge of God in this situation caused him to pause and act differently toward the object of his daily troubles, King Saul.
David’s choice motivates us to stop and ponder our next move when God opens a door for us to deal with someone who has it out for us. Will we forge ahead for justice and vengeance, or will we pull back and wait for God to act? Vengeance does belong to Him
(Deut. 32:35; Rom. 12:17-21), but in the heat of an emotional moment we might be tempted to think we are God’s chosen instrument of justice. When you start thinking like that, you might need to pause for a little prayer, asking God for wisdom and insight regarding how to proceed. You might also need to pause and re-read those passages which speak of God as a just Judge who will judge one day and make all things right (Gen. 18:25; 1 Sam. 2:10; Psalm 9:8; 50:4, 6; 67:4; 75:7; 98:7-9; Isa. 11:3). Sometimes His justice is realized in this life in due time, but in the final analysis we all need to remember that He is the just Judge who will do right at the end of time. Can you trust Him? Will you trust Him? David did when he had every right to grab that spear and stop Saul’s insanity.
But David paused, considered the person of God, and then he pivoted.
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. (1 Sam. 26)
The Lord’s anointed in Greek is a familiar phrase: christon kupriou (χριστὸν κυρίου). Sounds like Christ the Lord, doesn’t it? It should because this is one of the names of the coming Messiah. To attack the king was, therefore, equivalent to attacking God and His coming Messiah, and that was something David wasn’t about to do. Further, had David assassinated Saul, what would keep the next disgruntled Israelite from doing the same thing to him when he took the full mantel as Israel’s next king?
So, what did David do?
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. (1 Sam. 26)
He took the spear, representing regal power and death, and a jug of water, representing life. By taking these and not killing Saul, David showed the king how powerless he was before God, who possesses all power over death and life. Interesting. I don’t think Saul got the memo, but at least the message couldn’t have been missed when he awakened the next morning.
A memo given by the Holy Spirit, who inspired this historical account, gives us some interesting background to the story. We are told that Saul, Abner, and all of their three thousand soldiers were sovereignly put to sleep that particular night by God. Why did God do this? He wanted to make sure that His testing of David’s spiritual mettle was thorough, complete, and uninterrupted. Trust me on this one. God will work sovereignly in the lives of the people you are dealing with to test your mettle as well. So, what will you do when strange actions of your enemies or opponents suddenly head in a direction that leaves a door open for you? Will you walk through that door and follow God, or will you walk through that door and follow your desires?
The Proposal (1 Sam. 26:13-16)
I know what some are probably thinking right now. When I am wronged and treated unjustly, I’m supposed to turn the other cheek and walk away in suffering silence? The answer to your question is no. Just because you chose mercy over justice doesn’t mean you have to roll over or be a doormat to a pugnacious, mean-spirited person. No way. How do I know this is true? I know it is true because of what David did next:
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 And David called to the people and to Abner the son of Ner, saying, “Will you not answer, Abner?” Then Abner answered and said, “Who are you who calls to the king?” 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.” (1 Sam. 26)
David boldly stepped forward to confront Saul with his ungodly, unfounded, and diabolical actions. Showing mercy doesn’t necessarily mean you cannot, and should not, confront or admonish the object of your mercy. Holding a sinner accountable for their sin is quite biblical and necessary. How else can they be brought to consider confession if their devious actions are not brought into the light?
But before David took Saul to task, he publicly addressed Abner’s inadequacies as the army’s commander and the king’s chief bodyguard. If you guard the king from a possible assassination attempt, you must be on your game 100% of the time. He failed miserably at his job, and for this, he and his men should be executed. All of this is so ironic because David weds his judicial conclusion to the Lord of life. Interesting. The God who lives calls for the death of those who failed to guard God’s anointed king. Dereliction of duty at this level is not tolerable. David then produced rock-solid evidence that they had all failed their king, God’s anointed, by showing them the king’s spear and water jug. There was only one way David could be holding these two crucial items: for him to have penetrated Saul’s defenses with Abishai.
Big, bad, bold Abner had nothing to say when confronted with the facts. Take note. If you are facing an Abner, don’t hesitate to confront him with his complicity in sinful activity that directly impacts you. Above all others, he was tasked with taking a spear for Saul, but this night he enjoyed a deep sleep while David had to step in and keep Abishai from killing the king with his sword. Who, then, is the loyal subject of the king? It’s David, hands down.
The Pulverization (1 Sam. 26:17-20)
After admonishing General Abner, the conversation quickly turned to groggy, sleepy-eyed Saul,
17 Then Saul recognized David’s voice and said, “Is this your voice, my son David?” (1 Sam. 26)
Really? Are you kidding me? Saul didn’t recognize David’s voice? This is the same ridiculous thing he said when David confronted him in the gorge of En-gedi (1 Sam. 24:16).
Once again, David identified himself, and, once again, he admonished the king by taking him to task with the cold, hard facts concerning his unfounded, sinful actions in attempting to murder a loyal warrior like 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? (1 Sam. 26)
Before the cave episode and now this one, David had only ever evidenced total loyalty to the king. These two episodes now drove home his absolute innocence. If he was committed to killing the king so he could become the king, as all those with the David Derangement Syndrome spouted, then why didn’t he take definitive action when he could have? The answer is so simple even a child could get it: David was an innocent man suffering unjustly under the heavy hand of King Saul. With this evidence on the table, David guided the errant king toward better, loftier behavior. Again, take some notes for yourself here.
First, David challenged the king to listen to his words and to disregard those of anyone around him who had ulterior motives. David had earned the right to make this assertion because he illustrated and solidified his utter loyalty to the king by sparing his life twice.
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 that I should have no attachment with the inheritance of the LORD, saying, ‘Go, serve other gods. (1 Sam. 26)
I’ve been down this rough road before. Many sheep and goats have mistreated me over the years as a shepherd, and it is never pleasant and always painful. I’ve also met Saul many times, and I, too, have been misrepresented by devious, power-hungry, mean-spirited people who’ve wanted to destroy my career, ministry, and so forth. People with all kinds of ill-founded, selfish agendas have also called me many nasty, godless names. Through all of this, I’ve learned, as David did, the importance of trusting God with my life and ministry as I remain loyal to Him, and the value of showing people who might be duped by false and inflammatory information why they should listen to me.
Second, David used his acts of loyalty to underscore how senseless and stupid it was for the king to pursue killing him.
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.” (1 Sam. 26)
David was as threatening as a flea. Why would the most powerful man in the country waste all of his time, energy, and resources to kill one loyal Israelite warrior? David’s point was that Saul’s actions were illogical, unwarranted, and sinful. He also admonished the king for wasting time trying to catch an elusive partridge. Concerning this insignificant desert bird, the Expositor’s Bible Commentary observes:
Since the sand partridge (Ammoperdix heyi) is the only partridge found in the desert areas west of the Dead Sea, David’s comparison of it to himself is particularly apt: “This partridge is a great runner and speeds along the ground when it is chased, until it becomes exhausted and can be knocked down by the hunter’s stick” (Fauna and Flora of the Bible, p. 64).[1]
Who wastes their time trying to catch this insignificant, hard-to-catch bird? It would be such a waste of time, but this was precisely what Saul was guilty of in relation to David.
Show mercy, therefore, when it’s warranted and trust God to guard and guide you, but at the same time, don’t fail to address the sin of the sinner so they can possibly be convicted of their sin and confess it before the living Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. But don’t be shocked by what you might hear from the repentant. David wasn’t.
The Politician (1 Sam. 26:21)
Do you remember when I said Saul was shallow and hollow? Here is another illustration of those two terms in relation to the king. Like a morally rudderless, power-hungry politician, Saul was skilled at quickly telling people what they wanted to hear, when, in reality, he was going to always do what he wanted to do.
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.” (1 Sam. 26)
Saul was prone to making foolish decisions that cost him dearly. Gilgal was one episode I’m sure he wanted to forget (1 Sam. 13:13). He tended to act rashly without considering what his actions might cost him or others. Is this you? It is how Saul-types behave. They act sinfully, then when confronted, sometimes they get all emotional like they are repentant, when, in fact, it’s all just an act. He has been through this divine drill before (1 Sam. 15:24; 19:4-5). True confession involves a change of living and acting, and moving from godless to godly behavior. As I’ve said, Old Saul could talk the talk, but he would not walk because he lived in a state of perpetual, unconfessed sin.
Realizing who he was talking to, David then gave Saul . . .
The Perspective (1 Sam. 26:22-24)
Watch how David masterfully develops this closing point to the wayward king:
22 And David answered and said, “Behold the spear of the king! Now let one of the young men come over and take it. 23 And 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.” (1 Sam. 26)
Booyah, as they say, or well-played for the more cultured among us. David just told Saul that because he lived a faithful life to God and God’s principles, God set up the situation on that hillside for him to underscore his loyalty to the king. How did two men penetrate an iron barrier of three thousand battle-hardened troops? God made it happen for these men, who followed God’s will ultimately, not theirs. David then drove home the logical implication of this latter point: The same God who protected him so he could eventually prove a pivotal point was the same God who would protect David from vile, vicious, small-minded men like Saul. Boom.
Did Saul argue with the facts? No. Humiliated and disarmed emotionally, physically, and spiritually, he had one final thing to say to David. It’s disclosed in . . .
The Parting (1 Sam. 26:25)
No truer words were ever spoken by Saul to David:
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. (1 Sam. 26)
This was the last time they ever talked face-to-face. With this final word of blessing, instead of a curse, Saul and David went their separate ways: one to his eventual death and loss of a kingdom, and the other to life and the institution of a kingdom that the Messiah would one day rule over.
Before we move on from this educational episode, it would be helpful to underscore the divine message embedded here for saints of all time.
MAIN IDEA
God creates tough times to test the depth of your commitment to merciful living.
When, not if, those tough times come your way at the hand of a Saul-type, I wonder if you will trust God and act in a fashion becoming of someone who claims the name of Christ? Choose this life path, for it is the one that leads to maturity and ultimate blessing.
[1] Ronald F. Youngblood, “1, 2 Samuel,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel, ed. Frank E. Gaebelein, vol. 3 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1992), 771.
