I Samuel 26 · The Lantern

David Again Spares Saul

And the Ziphites came to Saul to Gibeah, saying, Does not David hide himself in the hill of Hachilah, which is before Jeshimon?

Then Saul arose, and went down to the wilderness of Ziph, having three thousand chosen men of Israel with him, to seek David in the wilderness of Ziph.

And Saul pitched in the hill of Hachilah, which is before Jeshimon, by the way. But David remained in the wilderness, and he saw that Saul came after him into the wilderness.

David therefore sent out spies, and understood that Saul had come in very deed.

And David arose, and came to the place where Saul had pitched: and David saw the place where Saul lay, and Abner the son of Ner, the captain of his host: and Saul lay in the trench, and the people pitched around him.

Then David answered to Ahimelech the Hittite, and to Abishai the son of Zeruiah, brother to Joab, saying, Who will go down with me to Saul to the camp? And Abishai said, I will go down with you.

So David and Abishai came to the people by night: and indeed, Saul lay sleeping within the camp, and his spear stuck in the ground at his head: but Abner and the people lay around him.

Then said Abishai to David, God has delivered your enemy into your hand this day: now therefore let me strike him, please, with the spear even to the earth at once, and I will not strike him the second time.

But what great and wonderful and Christian patience is to be found in David from whom Christ descended according to the flesh! David often had the opportunity to kill King Saul, his persecutor, who was eager to destroy him.

But our Saviour is so gentle that He teaches thus, "If any man wills to come after Me," and, "Whoever wills to be My disciple;" and coming to each He does not force them, but knocks at the door and says, "Open unto Me, My sister, My spouse;" and if they open to Him, He enters in, but if they delay and will not, He departs from them.

And Abisai said to David: God has delivered your enemy into your hand today, etc. The disciples, now endowed with spiritual faith, understood that all things were given into the hands of the Savior by the Father; but still hindered by carnal ignorance, they thought that the proud and despisers of his word should be sought to be devoured by fire sent from heaven.

And David said to Abishai, Destroy him not: for who can stretch forth his hand against the LORD’s anointed, and be guiltless?

HOW CAN DAVID STILL CALL SAUL THE ANOINTED OF THE LORD, AND DO HIM HONOR IN THIS EXCELLENCE AFTER THE LORD HAD DEPARTED FROM HIM? — David is not unaware that there is a divine institution in the office of the royal order; therefore he honors Saul, who is still placed within that same institution, lest he seem to do injury to God, who has decreed honor for these orders.

After that, the opportunity to kill the enemy presented itself to him twice. Once in the cave Saul fell into David's hands unawares, and again in the tent when he was relaxed in sleep.

For who has stretched out his hand against the Lord's anointed? etc., according to the ongoing exposition indeed demonstrates that no one is free from the crime of sacrilege, who attempts to invade the kingdom of the Jewish people, given specially to him by the Lord, and consecrated with holy oil, and to profane the city and the temple dedicated to divine worship, disregarding…

David said furthermore, As the LORD lives, the LORD shall strike him; or his day shall come to die; or he shall descend into battle, and perish.

The LORD forbid that I should stretch forth my hand against the LORD’s anointed: but, please, take now the spear at his head, and the jug of water, and let us go.

So David took the spear and the jug of water from Saul’s head; and they got them away, and no man saw it, nor knew it, neither awoke: for they were all asleep; because a deep sleep from the LORD had fallen upon them.

David Reproves Abner

Then David went over to the other side, and stood on the top of a hill in the distance; a great space being between them:

And David cried to the people, and to Abner the son of Ner, saying, Answer you not, Abner? Then Abner answered, Who are you that cry to the king?

And David said to Abner, Are you not a valiant man? and who is like to you in Israel? why then have you not kept your lord the king? for there came one of the people in to destroy the king your lord.

This thing is not good that you have done. As the LORD lives, you are worthy to die, because you have not kept your master, the LORD’s anointed. And now see where the king’s spear is, and the jug of water at his head.

And Saul knew David’s voice, and said, Is this your voice, my son David? And David said, It is my voice, my lord, O king.

And he said, Why does my lord thus pursue after his servant? for what have I done? or what evil is in my hand?

Now therefore, please, let my lord the king hear the words of his servant. If the LORD have stirred you up against me, let him accept an offering: but if they are the children of men, cursed be they before the LORD; for they have driven me out this day from remaining in the inheritance of the LORD, saying, Go, serve other gods.

Now therefore, let not my blood fall to the earth before the face of the LORD: for the king of Israel has come out to seek a flea, as when one does hunt a partridge in the mountains.

Saul Acknowledges His Sin

Then said Saul, I have sinned: return, my son David: for I will no more do you harm, because my soul was precious in your eyes this day: look, I have played the fool, and have erred exceedingly.

And David answered, Look, the king’s spear! and let one of the young men come over and fetch it.

The LORD render to every man his righteousness and his faithfulness: for the LORD delivered you into my hand today, but I would not stretch forth my hand against the LORD’s anointed.

And indeed, as your life was much set by this day in my eyes, so let my life be much set by in the eyes of the LORD, and let him deliver me out of all tribulation.

Then Saul said to David, Blessed are you, my son David: you shall both do great things, and also shall still prevail. So David went on his way, and Saul returned to his place.

I Samuel26

David Again Spares Saul

David Reproves Abner

Saul Acknowledges His Sin