Life In the Trenches - Part 3 12/2
God is sovereign in human affairs | Part 3: 1 Samuel 26 | Ed. 02 12/2
Source: Wikimedia
Notes for 1 Samuel 26
God is sovereign in human affairs.
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Outline
Outline from Tsumura, D. (2007). The First Book of Samuel (p. 594). Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.
7. David Spares Saul at the Hill of Hachilah (26:1–25)
This chapter has eerie similarities to David’s encounter with Saul at En-gedi in 1 Samuel 24. However, two messages stand out in the encounter at the hill of Hachilah.
Revenge must be left with the Lord because only He is sovereign in human affairs (v. 10)
Saul is accused of a capital offense worthy of death in preventing David from entering his inheritance (his share in the land and the people as God’s co-regent) (v. 19)
[a.] The Ziphites betray David, 26:1
26 Then the Ziphites came to Saul at Gibeah, saying, “Is not David hiding himself on the hill of Hachilah, which is on the east of Jeshimon?”
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (1 Sa 26:1). (2016). Crossway Bibles.
From prior resource postings, see this link to Maps. See this link for the hill of Hachilah. For “east of Jeshimon“, click the link.
On the propensity of the Ziphites (see Ziph) for assisting Saul in pursuit of David, see 1 Samuel 23:19-21.
Notice the interchange of the names “David” and “Saul” throughout 26:1-5. The author is highlighting Saul the pursuer and David the pursued. Name ordering also points to the main character in each outline section.
It seems that Saul has not yet fully repented of his sin in pursuing David admitted in 1 Samuel 24:16-22.
Are you harassed by those who persistently pursue you? God will rescue you as He did for David! The tragic culmination of Saul’s obsession to kill David will end as recorded in 1 Samuel chapters 28 and 31.
Are you harassed by those who persistently pursue you? God will rescue you as He did for David!
[b.] Saul enters the wilderness, 26:2-3a
2 (a) So Saul arose and went down to the wilderness of Ziph (b) with three thousand chosen men of Israel (c) to seek David in the wilderness of Ziph. 3 And Saul encamped on the hill of Hachilah, which is beside the road on the east of Jeshimon. But David remained in the wilderness.
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (1 Sa 26:2–3). (2016). Crossway Bibles.
From prior encounters with David, Saul knew well God was with David and endowed him with skill. Therefore, taking three thousand chosen men to match six hundred warriors makes complete sense.
Also note there is a poetic parallelism in the three lines of v. 2 — see above text 2(a), 2(b), 2(c) — using the repeated “the wilderness of Ziph” (designated as “~”). The intervening “…with three thousand men of Israel…” (see earlier passage 1 Samuel 24:2) is sandwiched between “Saul arose and went down to ~” and “to seek David in ~”. This technique emphasizes an important attendant circumstance to the setting — Saul was very well armed!
Note how the author juxtaposes the action scene of v. 2 “Saul arose and went down to the wilderness of Ziph…” in the following section “Then David rose and came to the place where Saul had encamped.” in v. 5. A similar technique was used in chapter 24 (1 Sa 24:1-3) introduction to zoom in on Saul’s extreme exposure to David.
[c.] David enters the camp of Saul in the wilderness, 26:3b-5
When he saw that Saul came after him into the wilderness, 4 David sent out spies and learned that Saul had indeed come. 5 Then David rose and came to the place where Saul had encamped. And David saw the place where Saul lay, with Abner the son of Ner, the commander of his army. Saul was lying within the encampment, while the army was encamped around him.
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (1 Sa 26:3–5). (2016). Crossway Bibles.
As noted, the narrative quickly moves from useful intelligence about David given to Saul by the Ziphites to David’s surveil of Saul’s encampment — “David saw the place where Saul lay”.
The encampment scene and the characters — David the pursued, king Saul, bodyguard and army commander Abner, and the army — for the foundation for the entire narrative.
There is emphasis on Saul’s Perilous Posture Predicament — Saul is lying in camp surrounded by an army yet he is utterly vulnerable to David and his men.
Remember that your enemies may claim to have impenetrable defenses, but as God fights for you against their oppression, your righteous and faithful walk with God allows God to place them in your hands (1 Samuel 26:23).
Remember that your enemies may claim to have impenetrable defenses, but as God fights for you against their oppression, your righteous and faithful walk with God allows God to place them in your hands.
[d.] David and warrior Abishai encounter a sleeping king Saul in the camp, 26:6-12
6 Then David said to Ahimelech the Hittite, and to Joab’s brother Abishai the son of Zeruiah, “Who will go down with me into the camp to Saul?” And Abishai said, “I will go down with you.” 7 So David and Abishai went to the army by night. And there lay Saul sleeping within the encampment, with his spear stuck in the ground at his head, and Abner and the army lay around him. 8 Then Abishai said to David, “God has given your enemy into your hand this day. Now please let me pin him to the earth with one stroke of the spear, and I will not strike him twice.” 9 But David said to Abishai, “Do not destroy him, for who can put out his hand against the LORD’s anointed and be guiltless?” 10 And David said, “As the LORD lives, the LORD will strike him, or his day will come to die, or he will go down into battle and perish. 11 The LORD forbid that I should put out my hand against the LORD’s anointed. But take now the spear that is at his head and the jar of water, and let us go.” 12 So David took the spear and the jar of water from Saul’s head, and they went away. No man saw it or knew it, nor did any awake, for they were all asleep, because a deep sleep from the LORD had fallen upon them.
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (1 Sa 26:6–12). (2016). Crossway Bibles.
Ahimelech the Hittite appears only here and is probably a mercenary. Abishai also appears for the first time in the Samuel narratives (see 2 Samuel 2:18; 1 Chronicles 2:16). He is David’s nephew. Remember Joab appears for the first time in 2 Samuel 2:13.
The intervention of the Lord in this nighttime visit by David and Abishai is in the conclusion, v. 12c “No man saw it or knew it…because a deep sleep from the LORD had fallen upon them”.
The situation is very similar to the narrative of 1 Samuel 24:3-7. Here, Abishai encourages David to allow him to pin Saul to the ground because “God has given your enemy into your hand this day“. See these notes from an earlier posting.
David’s rebukes Abishai, “…for who can put out his hand against the LORD’s anointed and be guiltless?“ (v. 9). David further added, “The LORD forbid that I should put out my hand against the LORD’s anointed“ (v. 11). David respected God’s anointed, Saul.
This narrative illuminates the reader about David’s increasing understanding of his sovereign, powerful, and gracious God — like ascending stairs through chapters 24, 25, and 26. David has steadfast respect for God’s anointed but growing restraint in view of God’s sovereignty, righteousness, and justice, “As the LORD lives, the LORD will strike him, or his day will come to die, or he will go down into battle and perish“ (v. 10).
Please learn this life lesson expressed in (Proverbs 21:2-3, 15):
Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, but the LORD weighs the heart. To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice.
When justice is done, it is a joy to the righteous but terror to evildoers.
and further, Proverbs 10:29:
The way of the LORD is a stronghold to the blameless, but destruction to evildoers.
The Lord will fully judge wrongdoing against His faithful people with righteousness and justice. Human vengeance always falls short. Revenge must remain with the Lord because only He is sovereign in human affairs.
Revenge must remain with the Lord because only He is sovereign in human affairs.
So David opts to take Saul’s spear and water jug instead of harming Saul, God’s anointed. David will use these tokens to bring a charge against Abner, Saul’s bodyguard.
[e.] David accuses Abner of dereliction of duty regarding king Saul, 26:13-16
13 Then David went over to the other side and stood far off on the top of the hill, with a great space between them. 14 And David called to the army, and to Abner the son of Ner, saying, “Will you not answer, Abner?” Then Abner answered, “Who are you who calls to the king?” 15 And David said to Abner, “Are you not a man? Who is like you in Israel? Why then have you not kept watch over your lord the king? For one of the people came in to destroy the king your lord. 16 This thing that you have done is not good. As the LORD lives, you deserve to die, because you have not kept watch over your lord, the LORD’s anointed. And now see where the king’s spear is and the jar of water that was at his head.”
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (1 Sa 26:13–16). (2016). Crossway Bibles.
The setting is important in this section. David accuses Abner and the army of gross negligence worthy of death in their failure to protect king Saul. God has sustained David and his men in their entire life on the run from Saul despite Saul’s mustering of a mighty army led by the choice warrior Abner.
David stood on a hill at a distance from Abner (spatial separation, here in contrast to David and Abishai’s effortless stroll into their camp to take Saul’s spear and water jug)
David “calls” to the army and Abner (this begins a word play on the word “call” in the section in vv. 14a, 14b, v. 20)
Abner responds, “Who are you who calls to the king?”
Abner, of all men in Israel, chosen to protect the king, has failed to keep watch because “one of the people came in to destroy the king your lord” — the “one” referenced here is Abishai for David is careful to distance himself from those seeking to destroy Saul (again, refer to 1 Samuel 24:10)
David accuses Abner of despising Saul’s position as the anointed king of Israel, later to be confirmed in 2 Samuel 3:7; David then shows Abner the spear and water jug taken from where Saul lay
The word play on “call” will be completed in v. 20 of the next section:
“…for the king of Israel has come out to seek a single flea (1 Samuel 24:14 [link]) like one who hunts a partridge (a “calling bird”) in the mountains.”
David mocks Saul, Abner, and the army, comparing their futile pursuit of him in the wilderness to a partridge hunt in the mountains — God has protected David at every step but has placed Saul in danger once again
[f.] David encounters a repentant Saul as David shows him his spear and water jug, 26:17-25
17 Saul recognized David’s voice and said, “Is this your voice, my son David?” (1 Samuel 24:16 [link]) And David said, “It is my voice, my lord, O king.” 18 And he said, “Why does my lord pursue after his servant? For what have I done? What evil is on my hands? 19 Now therefore let my lord the king hear the words of his servant. If it is the LORD who has stirred you up against me, may he accept an offering, but if it is men, may they be cursed before the LORD, for they have driven me out this day that I should have no share in the heritage of the LORD, saying, ‘Go, serve other gods.’ 20 Now therefore, let not my blood fall to the earth away from the presence of the LORD, for the king of Israel has come out to seek a single flea (1 Samuel 24:14 [link]) like one who hunts a partridge in the mountains.”
21 Then Saul said, “I have sinned. Return, my son David, for I will no more do you harm, because my life was precious in your eyes this day. (1 Samuel 24:18 [link]) Behold, I have acted foolishly, and have made a great mistake.” 22 And David answered and said, “Here is the spear, O king! Let one of the young men come over and take it. 23 The LORD rewards every man for his righteousness and his faithfulness, for the LORD gave you into my hand today, and I would not put out my hand against the LORD’s anointed. 24 Behold, as your life was precious this day in my sight, so may my life be precious in the sight of the LORD, and may he deliver me out of all tribulation.” 25 Then Saul said to David, “Blessed be you, my son David! You will do many things and will succeed in them.” So David went his way, and Saul returned to his place.
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (1 Sa 26:17–25). (2016). Crossway Bibles.
This section, amazingly similar to David’s encounter with Saul at En-gedi in 1 Samuel 24, requires more exposition than time allows, but the central theme is David’s accusation against Saul of committing a capital offense against God by preventing David, the anointed, legitimate king over Israel (see 1 Samuel 16), from entering his inheritance (naḥălat = inalienable, hereditary property) in both the land and the people of the LORD.
While God certainly is able to work and receive worship outside of the land (look back at the journey of the ark among the Philistines in 1 Samuel chapters 4—7 [link]), an ancient Near Eastern concept is that a god may only be served in the land of its worshippers (for example, see 2 Kings 5:17 [link] and context). So the phrase “Go serve other gods” succinctly summarizes the consequence of Saul’s perpetual persecution, driving David out of the land and away from his people.
From Tsumara’s commentary:
Therefore, to chase David away from the Lord’s inheritance so that he may have no share in it and force him to serve other gods is a capital offense against the Lord of Israel who owns the land of Israel and rules his people Israel through his vice-regent the king. Those who commit this sin (see v. 21) should be cursed before the Lord. This is what David is conveying to Saul the king of Israel (v. 20).
Tsumura, D. (2007). The First Book of Samuel (p. 605). Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.
Understanding the accusation against Saul by David (vv. 19-20) paves the way to understand David’s next sojourn in Philistia (1 Samuel 27:1—30:31) — away from the land and people of Israel and the persecuting king Saul.
Appendix
NOTES
Underlined Scripture passages are links to full text at bible.com (YouVersion, ESV).
DEFINITIONS
BDB - Enhanced Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew and English Lexicon Lexicon Resource, 1977, by Charles Augustus Briggs, Francis Brown and Samuel Rolles Driver
BDAG - A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, 3rd ed.
ca. or circa, “about”
et al. - “and others”
Gk. or “Greek”
lit. - literally
n. - noun
Strong’s - Strong’s Concordance, URL https://strongsconcordance.org [link]
Tsumura - Tsumura, D. (2007). The First Book of Samuel. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.
vb. - verb
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