1 Samuel 26:1-12

Relax, Read and Reflect

Prayer- Lord, Open our hearts and open our minds and help us learn. Go-Fight-Win. Amen.

1 Samuel 26

David Again Spares Saul's Life

¹ The Ziphites went to Saul at Gibeah and said, "Is not David hiding on the hill of Hakilah, which faces Jeshimon?"

² So Saul went down to the Desert of Ziph, with his three thousand chosen men of Israel, to search there for David. ³ Saul made his camp beside the road on the hill of Hakilah facing Jeshimon, but David stayed in the desert. When he saw that Saul had followed him there, ⁴ he sent out scouts and learned that Saul had definitely arrived. ^a]'>[a]

⁵ Then David set out and went to the place where Saul had camped. He saw where Saul and Abner son of Ner, the commander of the army, had lain down. Saul was lying inside the camp, with the army encamped around him.

⁶ David then asked Ahimelech the Hittite and Abishai son of Zeruiah, Joab's brother, "Who will go down into the camp with me to Saul?"
"I'll go with you," said Abishai.

⁷ So David and Abishai went to the army by night, and there was Saul, lying asleep inside the camp with his spear stuck in the ground near his head. Abner and the soldiers were lying around him.

⁸ Abishai said to David, "Today God has delivered your enemy into your hands. Now let me pin him to the ground with one thrust of my spear; I won't strike him twice."

⁹ But David said to Abishai, "Don't destroy him! Who can lay a hand on the LORD's anointed and be guiltless? ¹⁰ As surely as the LORD lives," he said, "the LORD himself will strike him; either his time will come and he will die, or he will go into battle and perish. ¹¹ But the LORD forbid that I should lay a hand on the LORD's anointed. Now get the spear and water jug that are near his head, and let's go."

¹² So David took the spear and water jug near Saul's head, and they left. No one saw or knew about it, nor did anyone wake up. They were all sleeping, because the LORD had put them into a deep sleep

David is on the run, (as usual.) Some of the other inhabitants of the promised land, the Ziphites, tell Saul where he is hiding. Saul collects an army and goes on the chase. David takes some of his trusted commandos and pays a visit.

Saul and his army are in a deep sleep, and David's friend Abishai wants to take advantage of this by killing Saul. Once again, David spares Saul's life, but takes Saul's spear and water jug.

This story brings other characters into the David story. Abner, Joab and Abishai play prominent roles in the future-remember those names.

Questions:

1. Why doesn't David leave the country, or even better use his popularity with the people to start a revolt?

2. How many times will he let Saul off the hook?

3. Why was it important that David took Saul's spear and water jug?