Bible in one year 5/28/2022 1 Samuel Chapter 21- 24 David spares Saul
By
Rev.Katherine Liu Bruce
Christian
Arts Ministries : Biblical precepts & Gospel music; Pastoral ministry &
Counseling
1 Samuel Chapter
21 David protected by Ahimelech and Achish
David went to Nob to Ahimelech
the priest.(v.1) Nob. A small town inhabited by priests, just N. of Jerusalem.
Here Ahimelech (Ahijah of 14:3) innocently gave David the sacred bread and the
sword of Goliath. Verse 2 David’s lying and deception eventuated in the tragic
deaths of the priests (22:9-18).Verse 5 though the journey had no religious
purpose, David assured the priest that the men were ceremonially clean,
certainly on this special mission. The priest recognized
that his moral obligation to preserve David’s life by providing bread superceded
the ceremonial regulation concerning who could eat the showbread (Lev.24:5-9).
Christ referred to this example when teaching the true meaning of the Sabbath
law. Doeg was detained at
the sanctuary at Nob because of a vow, a need for cleansing, or because he was
suspected of leprosy (Lev.13:4). David
fled from Saul and went to Achish king of Gath. He acted like a madman making
marks on the doors of the gate and letting saliva run down his beard (v.10,12).
David fled for refuge to Philistine territory, wearing Goliath’s sword. The
anointing of David would not have been known to the Philistines, but his
well-known exploits commended him as king.(v.11). David feigned insanity to
persuade Achish to let him leave.(v.13).
1 Samuel Chapter 22 David in the cave of Adullam and in Mizpah
David left Gath and escaped to the
cave of Adullam. When his brothers ad his father’s household heard about it,
they went down to him there. All those who were in distress or in debt or
discontented gathered around him and he became their leader. About four hundred
men were with him.(v.1-2). Cave of Adullam, a cave near a strategic city at the
western edge of the hill country, not far from the Philistine border (ten miles
SE of Gath). David took his family to Moab, across the Dead Sea, so that they
might be out of reach of Saul. Ruth 1:4 and 4:21-22 record David’s family ties
with Moab. The forest of Hereth (v.5), to which David returned after his trip
to Moab, was only a few miles E. of Adullam. Appealing to tribal jealousies,
Saul reminded his fellow Benjamites that only he, not David, would favor
them.(v.7) .Saul claimed that David was a revolutionary, not merely a
fugitive.(v.8). Doeg the Edomite, who was standing with
Saul’s officials said, “I saw the son of Jesse come to Ahimelech son of Ahitub
at Nob. Ahimelech inquired of the Lord for him, he also gave him provisions and
the sword of Goliath the Philistine.” (vv.9-10). Then, Saul ordered the guards
at his side “ turn and kill the priests of the Lord, because they too have
sided with David, they knew he was fleeing, yet they did not tell me.” (v.17).
But the king’s official were not willing to raise a hand to strike the priests
of the Lord. Saul then, ordered Doeg, the Edomite to kill the priests. That day he killed eighty –five men who
wore the linen ephod. Also put to the sword Nob, the town of the priests,
with its men and women, its children and infants, and its cattle, doneys and
sheep. But Abiathar, a son of Ahimelech son of Ahitub, escaped and fled to join
David.(vv.18-20). Abiathar, who is Mark 2:26 is related to the incident
of giving bread to David (21:6), evidently served as coadjutor with his father
Ahimelech.(v.20). David’s deception (21:2) brought devastating consequences,
for which he assumed full responsibility. Abiathar told David that Saul had
killed the priests of the Lord. then, David said to him, “that day, when Doeg
the Edomite was there, I knew he would be sure to tell Saul. I am responsible
for the death of your father’s whole family. Stay with me; don’t be afraid;
the man who is seeking your life is seeking mine also. You will be safe with
me.”(v.22).
1 Samuel 23 At
Keilah and in the Desert of Ziph
Keilah, a city of Judah about three
miles S. of Adullam, bordered on the
territory of the Philistines, who would raid the threshing floors after the
Israelites had done the hard work of harvesting and processing the grain. The
Philistines are fighting against Keilah, David inquired of the Lord, the Lord
instructed David, “ go, attach the Philistines and save Keilah.”(vv.1-2). Saul was told that David had gone to Keilah,
Saul called up all his forces for battle, to go down to Keilah to besiege David and his men.(vv.7-8). David said to Abiathar the priest, “ Bring the ephod.”
David asked Lord “ will Saul come down?”, “ He will” the Lord answered. “ Will
the citizens of Keilah surrender me and my men to Saul?” and the Lord answered,
“ They will”. So David and his men, about six hundred in number, left Keilah
and kept moving from place to place.(vv.10-13). Saul knew that David had
escaped from Keilah, he didn’t go there.(v.13)
David stayed in the desert
strongholds and in the hills of the Desert of Ziph. The desert of Judah is a desolate,
barren area between the hill country and the Dead Sea. Day after day Sau
searched for him, but God did not give David into his hands.(v.14). David and his men used the many revines and
caves in this area as refuge from Saul. Desert of Ziph. A barren plateau four
miles SE of Hebron. Though Saul could not find David, Jonathan located him for
this their last meeting.(v.16). Jeshimon (v.19) means “desert” or “ waste” and
refers to the wilderness SE of Hebron (23:24;26:1,3). Desert of Maon(v.24), the
wilderness near the city of Maon, five miles S. of Ziph. Arabah means
“wasteland,” the Rift Valley N. and S. of the Dead Sea, but here defined as an
area in the wilderness of Judah. David went up from there and lived in the
stronghold of En Gedi.(v.29).En Gedi, the spring of the kid, an oasis E. of
Hebron above the shores of the Dead Sea; it was known for its lush vineyards.
(Song of Songs1:14).
Chapter 24 At En
Gedi, David spares Saul in the cave
After Saul returned from pursuing
the Philistines, he was told, “ David is in the Desert of En Gedi.” so Saul
took three thousand chosen men from all Israel and set out to look for David
and his men near the Crags of the Wild Goats.(vv.1-2). He came to the sheep
pens along the way; a cave was there, and Saul went in to relieve himself.
David and his men were far back in the cave. Then David crept up unnoticed and
cut off a corner of Saul’s robe.(vv.3-4). Apparently Saul laid his robe to the
side when he entered the cave, and David was able to cut off a piece
unobserved. David’s conscience was troubled, for touching Saul’s clothing was
tantamount to touching his person, and David knew it was wrong to lift up a
hand against the Lord’s anointed king (24:6,10). David honored Saul as king of
Israel, though Saul was his enemy. David described himself as perfectly harmless
to King Saul. “ May the Lord judge between you and me, and
may the Lord avenge the wrongs you have done to me, but my hand will not touch
you. As the old saying goes, “From evildoers come evil deeds, so my hand will not
touch you.” May the Lord be our judge and decide between us. May he consider my
cause and uphold it; may he vindicate me by delivering me from your hand. (vv.12-13,15). Saul He said, “ you have just now told me of the good you
did to me, the Lord delivered me into your hands, but you did not kill me…may
the Lord reward you well for the way you treated me today. I know that you will
surely be king and the the kingdom of Israel will be established in your hands.
Now swear to me by the Lord that you will not cut off my descendants or wipe
out my name from my father’s family.”(vv.16-21). Saul apparently felt
genuinely sorry for the way he treated David, but his remorse was temporary.
(26:1-2). David gave his oath to Saul. Then Saul returned home, but David and his
men went up to the stronghold. (v.22).
Ryrie, Charles C. The Ryrie
study Bible (NIV).Chicago, IL: The Moody Bible Institute, 1986
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