“But, I pray thee, take thou now the spear that is at his bolster, and the cruse of water, and let us go. So David took the spear and the cruse of water from Saul's bolster; and they gat them away, and no man saw it, nor knew it, neither awaked: for they were all asleep; because a deep sleep from the LORD was fallen upon them. Then David went over to the other side, and stood on the top of an hill afar off; a great space being between them: And David cried to the people, and to Abner the son of Ner, saying, Answerest thou not, Abner? Then Abner answered and said, Who art thou that criest to the king? And David said to Abner, Art not thou a valiant man? and who is like to thee in Israel? wherefore then hast thou not kept thy lord the king? for there came one of the people in to destroy the king thy lord. This thing is not good that thou hast done. As the LORD liveth, ye are worthy to die, because ye have not kept your master, the LORD'S anointed. And now see where the king's spear is, and the cruse of water that was at his bolster. And Saul knew David's voice, and said, Is this thy voice, my son David? And David said, It is my voice, my lord, O king. And he said, Wherefore doth my lord thus pursue after his servant? for what have I done? or what evil is in mine hand? Now therefore, I pray thee, let my lord the king hear the words of his servant. If the LORD have stirred thee up against me, let him accept an offering: but if they be the children of men, cursed be they before the LORD; for they have driven me out this day from abiding 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 is come out to seek a flea, as when one doth hunt a partridge in the mountains. Then said Saul, I have sinned: return, my son David: for I will no more do thee harm, because my soul was precious in thine eyes this day: behold, I have played the fool, and have erred exceedingly. And David answered and said, Behold 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 thee into my hand to day, but I would not stretch forth mine hand against the LORD'S anointed. And, behold, as thy life was much set by this day in mine 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 be thou, my son David: thou shalt both do great things, and also shalt still prevail. So David went on his way, and Saul returned to his place” (1 Samuel 26:11b–25).
Introduction
Once again David attempts to make Saul understand that he has never had any malicious intent and neither has he been anything but a loyal subject of the king. Allowing Abishai to remove Saul’s spear and water bottle from beside his head was a good move on David’s part, for now he could prove that he could easily have killed him if he wanted to.
Abner’s failure
As soon as he was back on the other side of the valley, David shouted and woke everyone up. Abner woke up in a bad temper, but his day would get worse as David revealed to him that he had miserably failed in his job as the chief security officer in Saul’s army. Abner tried to divert attention away from himself by asking why he had offended the king by awakening him, but David ignored him and stated that Abner was worthy of execution for not protecting Saul. David ridiculed the brave security guard who was found sleeping on his watch. David was doing this to show Saul who his faithful and loyal servants really were. Matthew Henry puts these words in David’s mouth, “Now see who are the king’s best friends, you that neglected him and left him exposed or I that protected him when he was exposed.” Abner had no argument against David’s accusation. “The circumstance of David having penetrated to the centre of the encampment, through the circular rows of the sleeping soldiers, constituted the point of this sarcastic taunt” (Jamieson, Fausset, Brown Commentary).
David’s faithfulness
David pleads that the king would reconsider his thoughts and actions against him, and he tries to make him understand that he is innocent of any wrongdoing. David states that he has been rejected by those in authority; to them he is a pagan and an outsider. Not only had they driven him from home and family, but also from the place of worship. His thoughts are probably encapsulated in Psalm 42:1-3, “As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God? My tears have been my meat day and night, while they continually say unto me, Where is thy God?” “Our love for the house of the Lord and for the communion of saints is the test of the reality of our piety” (Charles Chapman).
David pleads for his life and in humility belittles himself before the king by comparing himself to a flea and a mountain bird, things of little worth. No one would take a whole army to hunt down a pesky flea or a harmless partridge.
Saul the fool
Saul was convicted as he heard David’s speech. “By this it appears, that the hypocrite persecuted David against his own conscience and contrary to his promise” (Geneva Study Bible). He saw himself as behaving like a court jester rather than a dignified king. Though he was sorry that he has found himself in this embarrassing situation, we cannot assume that he was truly heart-stricken over his abuse of David. “Let us not confound remorse with repentance” (Alexander Maclaren). We wonder if Samuel’s estimation of him were again ringing in Saul’s mind! “Thou hast done foolishly” (1 Samuel 13:13). Unfortunately he would continue to play the fool right up to his death. Why was Saul a fool? The answer is simple; he constantly refused to obey the Lord, “sinned ... and erred exceedingly”. “Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness” (1 Samuel 15:22-23). It is interesting that because he would not listen to the Lord, he ended up following witchcraft (1 Samuel 28).
Saul thought that reconciliation was possible, but David knew him all to well to take him at his word. Saul is convinced that David holds the king’s life as precious; if this could be duplicated in his own heart then true reconciliation was indeed possible. Saul broke all his promises, so it was extremely unlikely that he would do David no harm.
The farewell
Instead of taking him up on the offer, David asked that Saul send someone over to collect the spear and the bottle. David was not going to be ensnared by a sweet-talking flatterer. He calls upon God to be the judge between Saul and himself. David trusted that God would protect him from all of those who are intent on persecuting him. These words of conviction ought to have brought the king to repentance, but they did not. “For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries” (Hebrews 10:26-27).
In parting, Saul blessed David and reveals that he truly knows that God would bring him to the throne of Israel. He may have acknowledged the truth, but it was too late to have any effect on his heart and mind. Everyone in Hell knows the truth, but it will not set them free.
Conclusion
This was the last time David saw
Saul alive. He must have gone away from the scene that day hoping and praying
that the king would repent. We understand from Scripture that Saul never got
right with the Lord and no doubt went to Hell. We see in our study the lives of
a faithful man and a fool. The faithful man is the one who is a man after
God’s own heart (1 Samuel 13:14).
© 7/9/2009