1 Samuel 26 - David's Last Encounter with Saul

Previously in 1 Samuel, we saw David and his men ask for provision from a man named Nabal, and how Nabal reviled him and refused to help them. David was ready to take vengeance on the house of Nabal, but Nabal’s wife, Abigail, was the voice of wisdom to talk him out of it. David humbled himself, accepted Abigail’s provision, and sent her home in peace. The Lord then struck Nabal, and he died. David made the wise choice to not take vengeance into his own hands, and the Lord took care of it for him. This is a good lesson for you and me as well.

After this, the Ziphites came to Saul to tell him that David was hiding in the hill of Hachilah. This was the second time that David’s family had betrayed him. So, Saul took 3,000 men, and pursued after David. If we recall, when Saul encountered David at En Geti, he showed remorse over how he had treated him. It could be he was genuinely repentant, or it could be he was merely moved with emotion in the moment. After the emotion of the moment was gone, Saul was ready to resume the pursuit again.

Now, David sent out spies to confirm that Saul was really there, and then arose and came to the camp where he was. It was night, and Saul and Abner, the commander of his army, were lying down with the men all around them.  David and his nephew, Abishai, snuck down into the camp, and Saul was sleeping with his spear in the ground. Abishai wanted to kill Saul, again, stating that the Lord had delivered him into David’s hand, but David would not allow him to do so. David stated, “Do not destroy him; for who can stretch out his hand against the Lord’s anointed, and be guiltless?” The Lord would strike him, he would die of natural causes, or he would die in battle, but God forbid that he should stretch out his hand against the Lord’s anointed. David had just learned from Nabal that the Lord is more than capable of taking care of his enemies, and he feared God enough to not interfere with the Lord’s anointing and calling on a person’s life. He told Abishai to take the spear and jug of water that were by Saul’s head, and to go. So, they took the spear and jug of water, and got away. No one saw them, for a deep sleep from the Lord had fallen on them.

After this, David went a good distance away, to a hill on the other side of the camp, and called out to the people and to Abner. He asked, “do you not answer, Abner,” (why are you not awake)? Abner replied that who was this that was calling out to the king? David chided him, saying, “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 in to destroy your lord the king. This thing that you have done is not good. As the Lord lives, you deserve to die, because you have not guarded your master, the Lord’s anointed. And now see where the king’s spear is, and the jug of water that was by his head.” Saul recognized David’s voice, and said, “Is that your voice, my son David?” David answered, “It is my voice, my lord, O king.” He asked Saul why he was pursuing him, for what had he done? If the Lord had stirred Saul up against him, let Him accept an offering, but if it was the children of men, let them be cursed before the Lord, for they had driven him out of the inheritance of the Lord to go serve other gods. Remember, their sacrifices and offerings had to be offered in the tabernacle or in a place prescribed by the priest, so David was being prevented from doing this. He continued that Saul should not allow his blood to fall to the ground before the Lord, for Saul was come out to seek a flee or to hunt a partridge in the mountains.

Saul replied, “I have sinned. Return, my son David. For I will harm you no more, because my life was precious in your eyes this day. Indeed I have played the fool and erred exceedingly.” David told him he had his spear, and to have one of his men come get it. He continued that may the Lord repay every man for his righteousness and faithfulness, for the Lord had delivered him in to his hand, but he would not stretch out his hand against the Lord’s anointed. As Saul’s life was highly valued in his eyes, may his life be highly valued in the Lord’s eyes, and may the Lord deliver him out of all tribulation. Saul replied, “May you be blessed, my son David! You shall both do great things and also still prevail.” So, David left, and Saul returned home.

Reader, are you vacillating between true repentance and going back to your old ways? Repentance is not an emotional response to feeling guilt or shame, but a choice from the heart to do what is right. Repentance means to turn from our sins and go the other way. We may or may not have an emotional response, but it is merely a choice to agree with God and do what He says. Are others relentless in their attacks against us? This can become tiring, but again, let us resist the temptation to take matters into our own hands and let the Lord deal with them. The Lord may deal with them directly, or simply allow them to experience the natural consequences of their actions. Either way, they will get what is coming to them unless they repent. If they repent, then we should not expect anything less than the Lord to grant them the same grace and forgiveness He has given to us. We have all played the fool and errored exceedingly, and it is the Lord who has sought us out and offered us grace and forgiveness through Jesus Christ. The end of this encounter between Saul and David was very similar to their last one, so understandably, David did not believe him. However, it will begin a series of some unwise choices by David.