Teks -- 1 Samuel 24:1-22 (NET)

David Spares Saul’s Life

24:1 When Saul returned from pursuing the Philistines, they told him, “Look, David is in the desert of En Gedi.” 24:2 So Saul took three thousand select men from all Israel and went to find David and his men in the region of the rocks of the mountain goats. 24:3 He came to the sheepfolds by the road, where there was a cave. Saul went into it to relieve himself. Now David and his men were sitting in the recesses of the cave. 24:4 David’s men said to him, “This is the day about which the Lord said to you, ‘I will give your enemy into your hand, and you can do to him whatever seems appropriate to you.’” So David got up and quietly cut off an edge of Saul’s robe. 24:5 Afterward David’s conscience bothered him because he had cut off an edge of Saul’s robe. 24:6 He said to his men, “May the Lord keep me far away from doing such a thing to my lord, who is the Lord’s chosen one, by extending my hand against him. After all, he is the Lord’s chosen one.” 24:7 David restrained his men with these words and did not allow them to rise up against Saul. Then Saul left the cave and started down the road. 24:8 Afterward David got up and went out of the cave. He called out after Saul, “My lord, O king!” When Saul looked behind him, David kneeled down and bowed with his face to the ground. 24:9 David said to Saul, “Why do you pay attention when men say, ‘David is seeking to do you harm’? 24:10 Today your own eyes see how the Lord delivered you– this very day– into my hands in the cave. Some told me to kill you, but I had pity on you and said, ‘I will not extend my hand against my lord, for he is the Lord’s chosen one.’ 24:11 Look, my father, and see the edge of your robe in my hand! When I cut off the edge of your robe, I didn’t kill you. So realize and understand that I am not planning evil or rebellion. Even though I have not sinned against you, you are waiting in ambush to take my life. 24:12 May the Lord judge between the two of us, and may the Lord vindicate me over you, but my hand will not be against you. 24:13 It’s like the old proverb says: ‘From evil people evil proceeds.’ But my hand will not be against you. 24:14 Who has the king of Israel come out after? Who is it that you are pursuing? A dead dog? A single flea? 24:15 May the Lord be our judge and arbiter. May he see and arbitrate my case and deliver me from your hands!” 24:16 When David finished speaking these words to Saul, Saul said, “Is that your voice, my son David?” Then Saul wept loudly. 24:17 He said to David, “You are more innocent than I, for you have treated me well, even though I have tried to harm you! 24:18 You have explained today how you have treated me well. The Lord delivered me into your hand, but you did not kill me. 24:19 Now if a man finds his enemy, does he send him on his way in good shape? May the Lord repay you with good this day for what you have done to me. 24:20 Now look, I realize that you will in fact be king and that the kingdom of Israel will be established in your hand. 24:21 So now swear to me in the Lord’s name that you will not kill my descendants after me or destroy my name from the house of my father.” 24:22 David promised Saul this on oath. Then Saul went to his house, and David and his men went up to the stronghold.

Tafsiran/Catatan -- Catatan Kata/Frasa (per frasa)

Wesley: 1Sa 24:2 - Rocks

Which the wild goats used to delight in and climb over. These very rocks are exceeding steep, and full of precipices, and dangerous to travellers, as an eye - witness hath left upon record. And yet Saul was so transported with rage, as to venture himself and his army here, that he might take David, who, as he thought, would judge himself safe, and therefore be secure in such inaccessible places.

Wesley: 1Sa 24:3 - Went in

To sleep there: Saul being a military man, used to sleep with his soldiers upon the ground. And it is not improbable, that being weary with his eager and almost incessant pursuit, first of David, then of the Philistines, and now of David again, he both needed and desired some sleep, God also disposing him thereto, that David might have this eminent occasion to demonstrate his integrity to Saul, and to all Israel.

Wesley: 1Sa 24:3 - Of the cave

For that there were vast caves in those parts is affirmed, not only by Josephus, but also by Heathen authors; Strabo writes of one which could receive four thousand men.

Wesley: 1Sa 24:4 - Behold, &c.

_Not that God had said these words, or made any such promise; but they put this construction upon those promises which God had made to him, of delivering him from all his enemies, and carrying him through all difficulties to the throne. This promise they conceived put him under an obligation of taking all opportunities which God put into his hand for their accomplishment.

Wesley: 1Sa 24:10 - Mine eye

The eye is said to spare, because it affects the heart with pity, and moves a man to spare.

Wesley: 1Sa 24:12 - Will avenge

If thou persistest in thy injuries and cruel designs against me.

Wesley: 1Sa 24:13 - Wickedness, &c.

_That is, wicked men will do wicked actions, among which this is one, to kill their sovereign lord and king; and therefore if I were so wicked a person as thy courtiers represent me, I should make no conscience of laying violent hands upon thee.

Wesley: 1Sa 24:16 - Thy voice

He knew his voice, though being at a great distance from him, he could not discern his face.

Wesley: 1Sa 24:16 - Wept

From the sense of his sin against God, and his base carriage to David. He speaks as one quite overcome with David's kindness, and as one that relents at the sight of his own folly and ingratitude.

Wesley: 1Sa 24:17 - More righteous than I

He ingenuously acknowledges David's integrity, and his own iniquity.

Wesley: 1Sa 24:19 - The Lord reward thee

Because he thought himself not able to recompense so great a favour, he prays God to recompense it.

Wesley: 1Sa 24:22 - Unto the hold

Of En - gedi, 1Sa 24:1, for having had by frequent experience of Saul's inconstancy, he would trust him no more.

JFB: 1Sa 24:2 - Saul . . . went . . . to seek David . . . upon the rocks of the wild goats

Nothing but the blind infatuation of fiendish rage could have led the king to pursue his outlawed son-in-law among those craggy and perpendicular precipices, where were inaccessible hiding places. The large force he took with him seemed to give him every prospect of success. But the overruling providence of God frustrated all his vigilance.

JFB: 1Sa 24:3 - he came to the sheepcotes

Most probably in the upper ridge of Wady Chareitun. There a large cave--I am quite disposed to say the cave--lies hardly five minutes to the east of the village ruin, on the south side of the wady. It is high upon the side of the calcareous rock, and it has undergone no change since David's time. The same narrow natural vaulting at the entrance; the same huge natural chamber in the rock, probably the place where Saul lay down to rest in the heat of the day; the same side vaults, too, where David and his men were concealed. There, accustomed to the obscurity of the cavern, they saw Saul enter, while, blinded by the glare of the light outside, he saw nothing of him whom he so bitterly persecuted.

JFB: 1Sa 24:4-7 - the men of David said . . . Behold the day of which the Lord said unto thee, Behold, I will deliver thine enemy into thine hand

God had never made any promise of delivering Saul into David's hand; but, from the general and repeated promises of the kingdom to him, they concluded that the king's death was to be effected by taking advantage of some such opportunity as the present. David steadily opposed the urgent instigations of his followers to put an end to his and their troubles by the death of their persecutor (a revengeful heart would have followed their advice, but David rather wished to overcome evil with good, and heap coals of fire upon his head); he, however, cut off a fragment from the skirt of the royal robe. It is easy to imagine how this dialogue could be carried on and David's approach to the king's person could have been effected without arousing suspicion. The bustle and noise of Saul's military men and their beasts, the number of cells or divisions in these immense caverns (and some of them far interior) being enveloped in darkness, while every movement could be seen at the cave's mouth--the probability that the garment David cut from might have been a loose or upper cloak lying on the ground, and that Saul might have been asleep--these facts and presumptions will be sufficient to account for the incidents detailed.

JFB: 1Sa 24:8-15 - David also arose . . . and went out of the cave, and cried after Saul

The closeness of the precipitous cliffs, though divided by deep wadies, and the transparent purity of the air enable a person standing on one rock to hear distinctly the words uttered by a speaker standing on another (Jdg 9:7). The expostulation of David, followed by the visible tokens he furnished of his cherishing no evil design against either the person or the government of the king, even when he had the monarch in his power, smote the heart of Saul in a moment and disarmed him of his fell purpose of revenge. He owned the justice of what David said, acknowledged his own guilt, and begged kindness to his house. He seems to have been naturally susceptible of strong, and, as in this instance, of good and grateful impressions. The improvement of his temper, indeed, was but transient--his language that of a man overwhelmed by the force of impetuous emotions and constrained to admire the conduct, and esteem the character, of one whom he hated and dreaded. But God overruled it for ensuring the present escape of David. Consider his language and behavior. This language--"a dead dog," "a flea," terms by which, like Eastern people, he strongly expressed a sense of his lowliness and the entire committal of his cause to Him who alone is the judge of human actions, and to whom vengeance belongs, his steady repulse of the vindictive counsels of his followers; the relentings of heart which he felt even for the apparent indignity he had done to the person of the Lord's anointed; and the respectful homage he paid the jealous tyrant who had set a price on his head--evince the magnanimity of a great and good man, and strikingly illustrate the spirit and energy of his prayer "when he was in the cave" (Psa 142:1).

Clarke: 1Sa 24:1 - Saul was returned

Saul was returned - It is very probable that it was only a small marauding party that had made an excursion in the Israelitish borders, and this invasion was soon suppressed.

Clarke: 1Sa 24:2 - Rocks of the wild goats

Rocks of the wild goats - The original ( צורי היעלים tsurey haiyeelim ) is variously understood. The Vulgate makes a paraphrase: Super abruptissimas petras quae solis ibicibus perviae sunt ; "On the most precipitous rocks over which the ibexes alone can travel."The Targum: the caverns of the rocks. The Septuagint make the original a proper name; for out of צרוי היעלים tsurey haiyeelim , they make Σαδδαιεμ Saddaiem , and in some copies Αειαμειν Aeiamein , which are evidently corruptions of the Hebrew.

Clarke: 1Sa 24:3 - The sheep-cotes

The sheep-cotes - Caves in the rocks, in which it is common, even to the present time, for shepherds and their flocks to lodge. According to Strabo there are caverns in Syria, one of which is capable of containing four thousand men: Ὡν ἑν και τετρακισχιλιους ανθρωπους δεξασθαι δυναμενον ; lib. xvi. p. 1096. Edit. 1707

Clarke: 1Sa 24:3 - Saul went in to cover his feet

Saul went in to cover his feet - Perhaps this phrase signifies exactly what the Vulgate has rendered it, ut purparet ventrem . The Septuagint, the Targum, and the Arabic understand it in the same way. It is likely that, when he had performed this act of necessity, he lay down to repose himself, and it was while he was asleep that David cut off the skirt of his robe. It is strange that Saul was not aware that there might be men lying in wait in such a place; and the rabbins have invented a most curious conceit to account for Saul’ s security: "God, foreseeing that Saul would come to this cave, caused a spider to weave her web over the mouth of it, which, when Saul perceived, he took for granted that no person had lately been there, and consequently he entered it without suspicion."This may be literally true; and we know that even a spider in the hand of God may be the instrument of a great salvation. This is a Jewish tradition, and one of the most elegant and instructive in their whole collection

Clarke: 1Sa 24:3 - David and his men remained in the sides of the cave

David and his men remained in the sides of the cave - This is no hyperbole; we have not only the authority of Strabo as above mentioned, but we have the authority of the most accurate travelers, to attest the fact of the vast capacity of caves in the East

Dr. Pococke observes: "Beyond the valley (of Tekoa) there is a very large grotto, which the Arabs call El Maamah, a hiding place; the high rocks on each side of the valley are almost perpendicular, and the way to the grotto is by a terrace formed in the rock, which is very narrow. There are two entrances into it; we went by the farthest, which leads by a narrow passage into a large grotto, the rock being supported by great natural pillars; the top of it rises in several parts like domes; the grotto is perfectly dry. There is a tradition that the people of the country, to the number of thirty thousand, retired into this grotto to avoid a bad air. This place is so strong that one would imagine it to be one of the strong holds of En-gedi, to which David and his men fled from Saul; and possibly it may be that very cave in which he cut off Saul’ s skirt, for David and his men might with great ease lie hid there and not be seen by him."- Pococke’ s Travels, vol. ii., part 1, p. 41.

Clarke: 1Sa 24:4 - And the men of David said

And the men of David said - We know not to what promise of God the men of David refer; they perhaps meant no more than to say

"Behold, the Lord hath delivered thine enemy into thy land, now do to him as he wishes to do to thee.

Clarke: 1Sa 24:4 - Then David arose

Then David arose - Though I have a high opinion of the character of David, yet the circumstances of the case seem to indicate that he arose to take away the life of Saul, and that it was in reference to this that his heart smote him. It appears that he rose up immediately at the desire of his men to slay his inveterate enemy, and one whom he knew the Lord had rejected; but when about to do it he was prevented by the remonstrance of God in his conscience, and instead of cutting off his head, as he might have done, an act which the laws and usages of war would have justified, he contented himself with cutting off the skirt of his robe; and he did this only to show Saul how much he had been in his power.

Clarke: 1Sa 24:6 - The Lord’ s anointed

The Lord’ s anointed - However unworthily Saul was now acting, he had been appointed to his high office by God himself, and he could only be removed by the authority which placed him on the throne. Even David, who knew he was appointed to reign in his stead, and whose life Saul had often sought to destroy, did not conceive that he had any right to take away his life; and he grounds the reasons of his forbearance on this - He is my master, I am his subject. He is the Lord’ s anointed, and therefore sacred as to his person in the Lord’ s sight. It is an awful thing to kill a king, even the most untoward, when he has once been constitutionally appointed to the throne. No experiment of this kind has ever succeeded; the Lord abhors king killing. Had David taken away the life of Saul at this time, he would, in the sight of God, have been a murderer.

Clarke: 1Sa 24:7 - Suffered them not to rise against Saul

Suffered them not to rise against Saul - As he could restrain them, it was his duty to do so; had he connived at their killing him, David would have been the murderer. In praying for the king we call God the only Ruler of princes, for this simple reason, that their authority is the highest among men, and next to that of God himself; hence he alone is above them. We find this sentiment well expressed by an elegant poet: -

Regum timendorum in proprios greges

Reges in ipsos imperium est Jovis

Horace, Odar. lib. iii., Od. i., ver. 5

Kings are supreme over their own subjects

Jove is supreme over kings themselves.

Clarke: 1Sa 24:12 - The Lord judge between me and thee

The Lord judge between me and thee - Appeals of this kind to God are the common refuge of the poor and oppressed people. So also among the Hindoos: God will judge between us. Mother Kalee will judge. Sometimes this springs from a consciousness of innocence, and sometimes from a desire of revenge.

Clarke: 1Sa 24:13 - Wickedness proceeded from the wicked

Wickedness proceeded from the wicked - This proverb may be thus understood: He that does a wicked act, gives proof thereby that he is a wicked man. From him who is wicked, wickedness will proceed; he who is wicked will add one iniquity to another. Had I conspired to dethrone thee, I should have taken thy life when it was in my power, and thus added wickedness to wickedness.

Clarke: 1Sa 24:14 - After a dead dog

After a dead dog - A term used among the Hebrews to signify the most sovereign contempt; see 2Sa 16:9. One utterly incapable of making the least resistance against Saul, and the troops of Israel. The same idea is expressed in the term flea. The Targum properly expresses both thus: one who is weak, one who is contemptible.

Clarke: 1Sa 24:15 - The Lord therefore be judge

The Lord therefore be judge - Let God determine who is guilty.

Clarke: 1Sa 24:16 - My son David?

My son David? - David had called Saul his master, lord, and king. Saul accosts him here as his son, to show that he felt perfectly reconciled to him, and wished to receive him as formerly into his family.

Clarke: 1Sa 24:19 - If a man find his enemy, will he let him go well away?

If a man find his enemy, will he let him go well away? - Or rather, Will he send him in a good way? But Houbigant translates the whole clause thus: Si quis, inimicum suum reperiens, dimittit eum in viam bonam, redditur ei adomino sua merces ; "If a man, finding his enemy, send him by a good way, the Lord will give him his reward."The words which are here put in italic, are not in the Hebrew text, but they are found, at least in the sense, in the Septuagint, Syriac, and Arabic, and seem necessary to complete the sense; therefore, adds Saul, the Lord will reward thee good for what thou hast done unto me.

Clarke: 1Sa 24:20 - I know well that thou shalt surely be king

I know well that thou shalt surely be king - Hebrew, Reigning, thou shalt reign. He knew this before; and yet he continued to pursue him with the most deadly hatred.

Clarke: 1Sa 24:21 - Swear now

Swear now - Saul knew that an oath would bind David, though it was insufficient to bind himself; see 1Sa 19:6. He had sworn to his son Jonathan that David should not be slain; and yet sought by all means in his power to destroy him!

Clarke: 1Sa 24:22 - Saul went home

Saul went home - Confounded at a sense of his own baseness, and overwhelmed with a sense of David’ s generosity

Clarke: 1Sa 24:22 - David and his men gat them up unto the hold

David and his men gat them up unto the hold - Went up to Mizpeh, according to the Syriac and Arabic. David could not trust Saul with his life; the utmost he could expect from him was that he should cease from persecuting him; but even this was too much to expect from a man of such a character as Saul. He was no longer under the Divine guidance; an evil spirit had full dominion over his soul. What God fills not, the devil will occupy.

Defender: 1Sa 24:6 - the anointed of the Lord

From such verses has come the oft-used modern warning to "touch not the Lord's anointed." Whether this warning not to slay God's specially anointed king can legitimately be applied to questioning a modern pastor is questionable (1Sa 26:9, 1Sa 26:11, 1Sa 26:23; 2Sa 1:14; Psa 105:15)."

TSK: 1Sa 24:1 - when Saul // following // it was told // the wilderness

when Saul : 1Sa 23:28, 1Sa 23:29

following : Heb. after

it was told : 1Sa 23:19; Pro 25:5, Pro 29:12; Eze 22:9; Hos 7:3

the wilderness : 1Sa 23:29

TSK: 1Sa 24:2 - Saul took // and went // the rocks

Saul took : 1Sa 13:2

and went : Psa 37:32, Psa 38:12

the rocks : Psa 104:18, Psa 141:6

TSK: 1Sa 24:3 - the sheepcotes // and Saul // to cover // David

the sheepcotes : Caves in the rocks, in which it is still common for shepherds and their flocks to lodge. Dr. Pococke observes, ""Beyond the valley [of Tekoa], there is a very large grotto, which the Arabs call El-Maamah, a hiding placecaps1 . tcaps0 he high rocks on each side of the valley are almost perpendicular; and the way to the grotto is by a terrace formed in the rock, which is very narrow. There are two entrances into it; we went by the farthest, which leads by a narrow passage into a very large grotto, the rock being supported by natural pillars; the top of it rises in several places like domes; the grotto is perfectly dry. There is a tradition, that the people of the country, to the number of 30,000, retired into this grotto, to avoid a bad air. This place is so strong, that one would imagine it to be one of the strong holds of En-gedi, to which David and his men fled from Saul, and possibly it may be that very cave in which he cut off Saul’ s skirt; for David and his men might, with good ease, lie hid there and not be seen by him."" Travels , vol. ii. P. 1. p. 41.

and Saul : Psa 141:6

to cover : Jdg 3:24

David : Psa 57:1, Psa 142:1 *titles

TSK: 1Sa 24:4 - the men // I will deliver // Saul’ s robe

the men : 1Sa 26:8-11; 2Sa 4:8; Job 31:31

I will deliver : 1Sa 24:10, 1Sa 24:18, 1Sa 23:7, 1Sa 26:23

Saul’ s robe : Heb. the robe which was Saul’ s

TSK: 1Sa 24:5 - David’ s heart

David’ s heart : 2Sa 12:9, 2Sa 24:10; 2Ki 22:19; 1Jo 3:20, 1Jo 3:21

TSK: 1Sa 24:6 - the Lord forbid

the Lord forbid : 1Sa 26:9-11; 2Sa 1:14; 1Ki 21:3; Job 31:29, Job 31:30; Mat 5:44; Rom 12:14-21; Rom 13:1, Rom 13:2; 1Th 5:15

TSK: 1Sa 24:7 - stayed // suffered

stayed : Heb. cut off, Psa 7:4; Mat 5:44; Rom 12:17-21

suffered : 1Sa 25:33

TSK: 1Sa 24:8 - My lord // David stooped

My lord : 1Sa 26:17

David stooped : 1Sa 20:41, 1Sa 25:23, 1Sa 25:24; Gen 17:3; Exo 20:12; Rom 13:7; 1Pe 2:17

TSK: 1Sa 24:9

1Sa 26:19; Lev 19:16; Psa 101:5, Psa 141:6; Pro 16:28, Pro 17:4, Pro 18:8, Pro 25:23; Pro 26:20-22, Pro 26:28, Pro 29:12; Ecc 7:21, Ecc 7:22; Jam 3:6

TSK: 1Sa 24:10 - bade me // the Lord’ s

bade me : 1Sa 24:4, 1Sa 26:8

the Lord’ s : 1Sa 26:9; Psa 105:15

TSK: 1Sa 24:11 - my father // neither evil // thou huntest

my father : 1Sa 18:27; 2Ki 5:13; Pro 15:1

neither evil : 1Sa 26:18; Psa 7:3, Psa 7:4, Psa 35:7; Joh 15:25

thou huntest : 1Sa 23:14, 1Sa 23:23, 1Sa 26:20; Job 10:16; Psa 140:11; Lam 4:18; Eze 13:18; Mic 7:2

TSK: 1Sa 24:12 - Lord judge // but mine hand

Lord judge : 1Sa 26:10, 1Sa 26:23; Gen 16:5; Jdg 11:27; Job 5:8; Psa 7:8, Psa 7:9, Psa 35:1, Psa 43:1, Psa 94:1; Rom 12:19; 1Pe 2:23; Rev 6:10

but mine hand : 1Sa 26:11

TSK: 1Sa 24:13 - Wickedness

Wickedness : Mat 7:16-18, Mat 12:33, Mat 12:34, Mat 15:19

TSK: 1Sa 24:14 - the king // a dead dog // a flea

the king : 2Sa 6:20; 1Ki 21:7

a dead dog : 1Sa 17:43; 2Sa 3:8, 2Sa 9:8, 2Sa 16:9

a flea : 1Sa 26:20; Jdg 8:1-3

TSK: 1Sa 24:15 - be judge // plead // deliver

be judge : 1Sa 24:12; 2Ch 24:22; Mic 1:2

plead : Psa 35:1, Psa 43:1, Psa 119:154; Mic 7:9

deliver : Heb. judge, 1Sa 26:4

TSK: 1Sa 24:16 - Is this // Saul lifted

Is this : 1Sa 26:17; Job 6:25; Pro 15:1, Pro 25:11; Luk 21:15; Act 6:10

Saul lifted : Gen 33:4

TSK: 1Sa 24:17 - Thou art // thou hast

Thou art : 1Sa 26:21; Gen 38:26; Exo 9:27; Psa 37:6; Mat 27:4

thou hast : Mat 5:44; Rom 12:20, Rom 12:21

TSK: 1Sa 24:18 - Lord // delivered me

Lord : 1Sa 24:10, 1Sa 23:7, 1Sa 26:23

delivered me : Heb. shut me up, 1Sa 23:12, 1Sa 26:8 *marg. Psa 31:8

TSK: 1Sa 24:19 - the Lord

the Lord : 1Sa 23:21, 1Sa 26:25; Jdg 17:2; Psa 18:20; Pro 25:21, Pro 25:22

TSK: 1Sa 24:20 - I know well

I know well : 1Sa 20:30, 1Sa 20:31, 1Sa 23:17; 2Sa 3:17, 2Sa 3:18; Job 15:25; Mat 2:3-6, Mat 2:13, Mat 2:16

TSK: 1Sa 24:21 - Swear // that thou

Swear : 1Sa 20:14-17; Gen 21:23, Gen 31:48, Gen 31:53; Heb 6:16

that thou : 2Sa 21:6-8

TSK: 1Sa 24:22 - David and // the hold

David and : Pro 26:24, Pro 26:25; Mat 10:16, Mat 10:17; Joh 2:24

the hold : 1Sa 23:29

Tafsiran/Catatan -- Catatan Kata/Frasa (per Ayat)

Poole: 1Sa 24:2

Which the wild goats use to delight and climb into. These very rocks are exceeding steep, and full of precipices, and dangerous to travellers, as an eye-witness hath left upon record. And yet Saul was so transported with rage, as to venture himself and his army here, that he might take David, who, as he thought, would judge himself safe, and therefore be secure in such inaccessible places.

Poole: 1Sa 24:3 - the sheep cotes // To cover his feet // David and his men remained in the sides of the cave

Some think

the sheep cotes to have been caves into which they used to drive their sheep for shelter in tempestuous weather.

To cover his feet i.e. to ease his belly, as this phrase is thought to be used, Jud 3:24 . The reason whereof is, because the eastern and some other nations of old wore no breeches, but loose and long coats or gowns, like those which women with us wear; but shorter, whence their feet and legs were in a great part uncovered; and sometimes other parts, which also in Scripture are designed by the name of the feet, (of which See Poole "Gen 49:10" ; See Poole "Deu 28:57" ; See Poole "2Ki 18:27" ; See Poole "Isa 7:20" ,) were exposed to view. But when they went to perform this office of nature, which obliged them first to lift up their garments, they afterwards disposed them so decently, that all those parts might be covered and kept out of the sight of others. But possibly the words may have another meaning, and it is not to be despised that those ancient and venerable interpreters, the Syriac and Arabic, interpret this place and phrase quite otherwise, that Saul went in to sleep there ; which was no uncouth thing to Saul, who being a military man, used to sleep with his soldiers upon the bare ground, as he did 1Sa 26:7 . And it is not improbable that Saul, being exceeding weary with his eager and almost incessant pursuit, first of David, then of the Philistines, and now of David again, both needed and desired some sleep God also disposing him thereunto, that David might have this eminent occasion to demonstrate his integrity to Saul, and to all Israel; and, the season possibly being hot, he might choose to sleep in the cave, for the benefit of the shade. But all the question is, how it may appear that this is the meaning of this phrase, and what is the reason and ground of it? To which many things may be said. First, That this phrase is but twice used in Scripture, as far as I remember, here, and Jud 3:24 , and this sense may conveniently enough agree to both of them; nay, this sense may seem better to agree with that place, Jud 3 , for that summer parlour or summer chamber (for both seem to be the same place, and were apparently for the same use, Jud 3:24,25 ) seems to be a place far more convenient for sleeping than for easing of nature. And the servants’ long stay and waiting for their lord seems to imply that they judged him gone to sleep, (which might take up a considerable time,) rather than to that other work, which requires but a little time. See Poole "Jud 3:24" . Secondly, That there are many Hebrew phrases which do confessedly signify several things, albeit the reason of such significations be now utterly unknown to us, though it was doubtless known to the ancient Hebrews. Nor need I instance in particulars, seeing it is so in all languages, and particularly in the English tongue at this day, in which the use of many proverbs and phrases is well understood, though the reason of them be now lost; which if our modern infidels, who scoff at some passages of Scripture, which they either do not or will not understand, would consider, they would lose much of their sport. Thirdly, Although there be not that clear and full proof of this sense which some may require, (though indeed it cannot be reasonably expected in a thing so ancient, and in a phrase of so concise and narrow a language as the Hebrew is, and in an expression so rarely used in Scripture,) yet there are some intimations in Scripture which may seem to favour this interpretation. For persons composing themselves to sleep in this manner, are not only noted in the general to have been covered with a mantle , as is said of Sisera, Jud 4:18,19 ; but particularly they are said to have their feet covered , as is expressly observed concerning Boaz, when he lay down to sleep in the threshing-floor, Rth 3:4,7 . The reason whereof may possibly be this, that when they lay down to sleep in their garments, they were secured as to the other parts of their body, only their feet were open and visible; and therefore it was convenient to cover their feet, partly to prevent the inconveniences of cold, (for which reason we here take special care to cover our feet in such cases,) and partly for decency sake, lest their garments being loose and large below, should be disordered, and so their nakedness should appear, as it happened to Noah, Gen 9:21 . Compare Exo 20:26 . And therefore it cannot seem strange or forced, if in this place Saul’ s covering of his feet design his composing himself to his rest. And if this be so, then the following difficulties of this history will appear to be plain and easy. For if Saul were fast asleep, which might easily be perceived by David and his men within; then it is not strange that Saul neither heard David and his men talking of him, nor felt David when he came to cut off’ his lap.

David and his men remained in the sides of the cave for that there were vast caves in those parts is affirmed not only by Josephus, but also by heathen authors; and Strabo, in his 16th book, writes of one which could receive four thousand men.

Poole: 1Sa 24:4 - Quest // Answ // Behold the day of which the Lord said unto thee // David arose, and cut off the skirt of Saul’ s robe privily

Quest How came it to pass that Saul did not hear his debates of David and his men?

Answ First, The greater noise of Saul’ s men and horses, just by the cave’ s mouth, might easily drown the lesser. Secondly, There were in these large and capacious caves several cells or parts, whereof some were more inward and remote from the cave’ s mouth, in which they might freely converse and discourse, and yet neither be heard nor seen by Saul, though they could easily see him, and observe all his postures and actions, because he was in the mouth of the cave. Thirdly, Saul might be asleep, as hath been discoursed.

Behold the day of which the Lord said unto thee not that either said these words, or made any such particular promise. as some apprehend; but they put this construction upon those confessed and known promises which God had made to him, of delivering him from all his enemies, and carrying him through all hinderances and difficulties to the throne and kingdom; which promise they conceived put him under an obligation of watching and taking all opportunities which God by his providence should put into his hand for their accomplishment, whereof this was an eminent instance.

David arose, and cut off the skirt of Saul’ s robe privily

Quest. How could David do thus, and Saul not perceive it?

Answ First, This might be some loose and upper garment, which Saul might then lay at some distance from him, as we oft do on the same occasion. Secondly, In those vast caves there were divers particular cells and rooms, which were distinct one from another, yet so as there were secret passages from one to another, as may be gathered from the relations of historians and travellers. At the mouth of one of these, Saul might lay his upper garment; which David perceiving, and very well knowing all the cells and passages of that cave, might go some secret way to it, and cut off a little part of it. Thirdly, The noise which David’ s motion might be supposed to make was but small, and that he well knew would be perfectly drowned with the far greater noise of Saul’ s army, which lay at the mouth of the cave. Fourthly, The heroical actions of great men in Scripture are not to be measured by common rules. And as divers of the prophets and saints of old were in some of their actions, so David might be in this, moved to it by a secret and Divine impulse, which also gave him confidence of God’ s assistance therein, and of the success of his enterprise. Fifthly, This difficulty doth perfectly vanish, if Saul was now asleep. And as no man can prove that he was not, so that he was may seem probable from what is said on 1Sa 24:3 .

Poole: 1Sa 24:5

Not only because it was injurious, and reproachful, and dangerous to the king; but possibly because he had some secret thought of doing more to him, though he suppressed and overcame it; for he attempted this in pursuance of his soldiers’ suggestion, 1Sa 24:4 which if followed would have carried him to further action.

Poole: 1Sa 24:6 - He said unto his men // This thing // Unto my master // To stretch forth mine hand against him // The anointed of the Lord

He said unto his men either, first, Before he cut off Saul’ s lap. Or rather, secondly, Afterwards, when he returned with Saul’ s lap in his hand, and his soldiers were enraged that he had not killed him.

This thing which you persuade me to do, even cut off Saul.

Unto my master whom I must still own for my sovereign lord and king, to whom I owe allegiance whilst he lives, although after his death the right of the kingdom be mine.

To stretch forth mine hand against him to wit, to kill him. A synecdochical expression. See Gen 37:22 .

The anointed of the Lord i.e. anointed by God to the kingdom; by which unction his person was made sacred and inviolable, and is so to be accounted by me, and you, and all his subjects. And as God only exalted him, and God only could pronounce a sentence of deprivation of his kingdom against him; so it belongs to God only to execute his own sentence, and actually to depose him.

Poole: 1Sa 24:7 - Stayed his servants

Stayed his servants Heb. cut, or clave , or divided, or cut them off . The word notes both the eagerness and violence of David’ s men in prosecuting their desire, and David’ s resoluteness in opposing them, as it were, by force; wherein he shows great piety, and generosity, and loyalty to Saul.

Poole: 1Sa 24:9

He prudently and modestly translates the fault from Saul to his followers and evil counsellors.

Poole: 1Sa 24:10 - Mine eye

Mine eye which words are easily understood both from the nature of the thing, and from the use of this phrase in other scriptures, as Deu 7:16 13:8 . The eye is said to spare, because it affects the heart with pity, and moves a man to spare.

Poole: 1Sa 24:11 - My father // There is neither evil nor transgression in mine hand

My father so he calls him; partly, because he was his father-in-law; partly, in testimony of his respect and subjection to him as to a father; and partly, that by so amiable a compellation he might both insinuate himself into his favour, and mind him of that duty which as a father he owed to David.

There is neither evil nor transgression in mine hand I neither design mischief against thee with my heart, nor will I execute it with my hand, which my false accusers told thee I would do, if thou didst at any time fall into my hand.

Poole: 1Sa 24:12 - Avenge me of thee // Mine hand shall not be upon thee

Avenge me of thee or, will avenge me of thee , to wit, if thou dost persist in thy injurious and cruel designs against me.

Mine hand shall not be upon thee I will not execute vengeance on thee, but will leave it wholly to God.

Poole: 1Sa 24:13

i.e. Wicked men will do wicked actions, among which this is one, to kill their sovereign lord and king; as David implied above, 1Sa 24:6 , and more fully expresseth, 1Sa 26:9 . And therefore if I were so wicked and vile a person as thy courtiers represent me to thee, I should make no conscience of laying wicked and violent hands upon thee, but should assassinate thee when I had opportunity; which because I have now neglected and refused to do, though moved to it by some of my wicked soldiers, know therefore that I am not guilty of any wicked designs against thee, but am just and innocent towards thee. Or thus, Wicked actions (such as that would have been if I had killed thee) proceed only from the wicked, of which number I am none, and therefore my hand shall not be upon thee.

Poole: 1Sa 24:14

After a worthless, contemptible, and impotent person, such as I am. Thou disparagest thyself in contending with such a person; and even thy conquest of me will be inglorious and shameful.

Poole: 1Sa 24:16 - Is this thy voice, my son David? // And wept

Is this thy voice, my son David? he knew his voice though being at a great distance from him, he could not discern his face.

And wept partly from the sense of his sin against God, and of his wicked and base carriage to David; (for there are some such temporary passions oft-times in hypocrites and ungodly men;) and principally from the remembrance of so great and so late a danger as he had now escaped; which commonly produceth grief and tears; as 2Sa 13:36 . Yet these may be tears of affection or tenderness (upon the sense of David’ s kindness) rather than of grief.

Poole: 1Sa 24:17 - Thou hast rewarded me good // I have rewarded thee evil

Thou hast rewarded me good for the evil that I have designed and done to thee.

I have rewarded thee evil for thy good will to me.

Poole: 1Sa 24:19 - Will he let him go well away?

Will he let him go well away? i. e. he will certainly destroy him. And therefore thou hast not dealt with me after the manner of men, but hast imitated the clemency of God in this act.

Poole: 1Sa 24:20 - I know well

I know well or, am convinced, not only by the fame of Samuel’ s anointing thee, but by God’ s singular providence watching over thee, and by that good Spirit and those great and princely virtues wherewith God hath endowed thee.

Poole: 1Sa 24:21 - Thou wilt not destroy my name

Thou wilt not cut off my seed after me; as princes use to destroy their competitors, and those that have any hopes of or pretence to their crown; and Saul had endeavoured to destroy David for the same reason, and therefore he feared a retaliation.

Thou wilt not destroy my name to wit, by cutting off my seed. So it is the same thing repeated in other words, as is usual in Scripture.

Poole: 1Sa 24:22 - David sware unto Saul // Quest // Answ // Unto the hold

David sware unto Saul

Quest. How then could David destroy so many of Saul’ s sons, 2Sa 21:8,9 ?

Answ David could bind himself by his oaths, but he could not bind God, to whose good pleasure all promises, vows, and oaths must in all reason be submitted; and that was done by God’ s command, and God was well pleased with it, 2Sa 21:14 . Nor is it to be supposed that David sware not to destroy any of them in case God should specially command it, or that should by miscarriage render themselves obnoxious to the sword of justice; but only that he would not do it barely on his own private account, nor seek occasions of so doing.

Unto the hold to wit, of En-gedi, 1Sa 24:1 ; for having had so great and frequent experience of Saul’ s inconstancy, and malice, and perfidiousness, he would trust him no more.

Haydock: 1Sa 24:1 - Engaddi

Engaddi, below Jericho, on the west side of the Dead Sea. It was famous for rocks and caverns. (Calmet)

Haydock: 1Sa 24:3 - Goats

Goats; an hyperbole. (Menochius) ---

Hebrew, "upon the rocks of the wild goats." (Haydock)

Haydock: 1Sa 24:4 - Cotes // Nature

Cotes. These were probably no other than the caverns, in which shepherds there secure themselves and their flocks, in the night, and from storms. (Tirinus) ---

Some of them, in Syria, are so capacious as to contain 4,000 men, (Strabo xvi.) so that David might well remain unperceived by Saul, who did not enter so far. Polyphemus and Cacus dwelt in caverns, with their flocks. (Virgil, Æneid viii.) ---

Nature. Hebrew, "to cover his feet," which has the same import. Syriac and Arabic, "to rest, or sleep."

Haydock: 1Sa 24:5 - Eyes // Arose // Robe

Eyes. This might have been spoken by Gad, or Samuel; (Menochius) or they only mean that this is a most favourable opportunity. Some think that David ought to have embraced it, and put an end to these troubles, by the death of the usurper. But this was not the opinion of David; and God, who had promised him the throne, had not authorized him to lay violent hands on Saul. He might act on the defensive, but not be the aggressor. (Tirinus) ---

Arose, with an intention to kill his unjust persecutor, ver. 11. ---

Robe, to convince him how easily he might have taken away his life. (St. Augustine, de C. [City of God?] xii. 6.) ---

The noise of Saul's attendants hindered him from being perceived. Perhaps Saul might have put off his robe. (Menochius) ---

St. Chrysostom observes, the David obtained more glory by sparing Saul than by killing Goliath. (Tirinus) ---

Clemency makes a man like God. (Cicero)

Haydock: 1Sa 24:6 - Heart struck him

Heart struck him; viz., with remorse, as fearing he had done amiss. (Challoner) ---

A tender conscience is uneasy about things which are not sinful, while some stick at nothing. (Worthington) ---

The action of David seemed disrespectful. (Calmet) ---

"The subjects of kings adore the royal name as a divinity." (Curtius vii.) Regium nomen....pro deo colunt.

Haydock: 1Sa 24:7 - Anointed // Reges in ipsos imperium est Jovis

Anointed. He was chosen by God, and to be judge by him. (Calmet) ---

Reges in ipsos imperium est Jovis. (Horace) ---

David was not to mount the throne, till Saul was removed, by God's ordinance. (Worthington)

Haydock: 1Sa 24:11 - A thought to kill thee

A thought to kill thee. That is, a suggestion, to which I did not consent. (Challoner) ---

Hebrew, "and he spoke to kill thee, and he has pardoned thee; and he said, I will not," &c. (Calmet) ---

Protestants, "and some bade me kill thee, but mine eye spared thee, and I said." Septuagint, "and I would not kill thee, and I spared thee, and said," &c. (Haydock)

Haydock: 1Sa 24:12 - Father

Father. He had married Saul's daughter; (Menochius) and the king ought to be the common father of his people. (Haydock)

Haydock: 1Sa 24:13 - Revenge me of thee

Revenge me of thee; or, as it is in the Hebrew, will revenge me. The meaning is, that he refers his whole cause to God, to judge and punish according to his justice; yet so as to keep himself, in the mean time, from all personal hatred to Saul, or desire of gratifying his own passion, by seeking revenge. So far from it, that when Saul was afterwards slain, we find that, instead of rejoicing at his death, he mourned most bitterly for him. (Challoner) ---

If it be lawful to seek redress from a magistrate, much more may we appeal to the Sovereign Judge! (Menochius)

Haydock: 1Sa 24:14 - Thee

Thee: the tree is known by its fruit. If therefore I have behaved in this manner, no longer trust the reports of others against me. (Calmet) ---

The wicked, if left to themselves, will be their own tormentors. He may thus indirectly threaten Saul, as iniquity is often put for punishment. (Menochius) ---

The wicked shall at last open thier eyes, and be reclaimed. (Rabbins ap. Munster.) ---

David entertained hopes that even Saul would now be convinced of his innocence. (Haydock)

Haydock: 1Sa 24:15 - Dog

Dog. This expression is still used to denote a contemptible person, 2 Kings xvi. 9. What honour can so great a king derive, from gaining the victory over a man unarmed? &c. (Calmet)

Haydock: 1Sa 24:17 - Voice // Wept

Voice. He was at such a distance, as not to be able to distinguish his features. ---

Wept. The greatest reprobates may sometimes feel sentiments of compunction, so that we need not here doubt of Saul's sincerity. (Calmet) ---

He might otherwise have turned upon David with his 3,000, and easily have seized his prey. (Haydock)

Haydock: 1Sa 24:22 - Father

Father. David complied with this request as far as he was able: but, as God was resolved to punish the posterity of Saul, for the injury done to the Gabaonites, he was forced to give them all up, except Miphiboseth, the son of Jonathan. (Calmet) ---

He could not promise to defend them, if they proved guilty.

Gill: 1Sa 24:1 - And it came to pass, when Saul was returned from following the Philistines // that it was told him, saying, behold, David is in the wilderness of Engedi

And it came to pass, when Saul was returned from following the Philistines,.... Having, as it should seem, got the victory over them, and driven them out of his country, and pursued them to their own:

that it was told him, saying, behold, David is in the wilderness of Engedi; in the strong holds of it, the high rocks and mountains in it, 1Sa 23:29.

Gill: 1Sa 24:2 - Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel // and went to seek David, and his men, upon the rocks of the wild goats

Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel,.... Out of his army, with which he had been pursuing the Philistines:

and went to seek David, and his men, upon the rocks of the wild goats; which were in the wilderness of Engedi; those rocks were exceeding high and terrible to look at, full of precipices, and so prominent, that to travellers they seemed as if they would fall into the adjacent valleys, that it even struck terror into them to look at them ^x; called the rocks of wild goats, because these creatures, called from hence "rupicaprae", or rock goats, see Job 39:1; delighted to be there; and are, as Pliny ^y says, of such prodigious swiftness, that they will leap from mountain to mountain, and back again at pleasure; these mountains David and his men chose for safety, and the height and craggedness of them did not deter Saul and his men from seeking him there.

Gill: 1Sa 24:3 - And he came to the sheepcotes by the way, where was a cave // and Saul went in to cover his feet // and David and his men remained in the sides of the cave

And he came to the sheepcotes by the way, where was a cave,.... For the sheep to be led into at noon, to shelter them from the heat: such was the cave of Polyphemus, observed by Bochart ^z, in which sheep and goats lay down and slept; See Gill on Zep 2:6,

and Saul went in to cover his feet; the Targum is, to do his necessaries; and so Josephus ^a; and the Jewish commentators generally understand it of easing nature; and as the eastern people used to wear long and loose garments, these, when they performed such an action, they used in modesty to gather them close about them, that no part of the body, their feet, and especially the parts of nature which should be concealed, might be seen; but the Syriac and Arabic versions render it, "and there he lay" or "slept"; which suggest, that his going into the cave was in order to take some sleep and rest, when it was usual to cover the feet, both to prevent taking cold, and the private parts of the body being exposed to view; and this accounts better for Saul not hearing David's men in the cave, and for his being insensible of David's cuttings off the skirt of his garment, and best agrees with the use of the phrase in Jdg 3:24; the only place besides this in which it is used; See Gill on Jdg 3:24,

and David and his men remained in the sides of the cave; unseen and unobserved by Saul, even six hundred of them; nor need this seem strange, since in those parts of the world there were caves exceeding large, made so either by nature or art. Vansleb ^b speaks of a cave in Egypt so extraordinary large, that, without hyperbole, a thousand horses might there draw up in battle array, and of another larger than that; and Strabo says ^c, that towards Arabia and Iturea are mountains difficult to be passed, and in which are deep caves, one of which would hold four thousand men: and as the mouths of these caves were generally narrow, and the further parts of them large, and also dark, persons at the entrance of them could be seen, when those in the more remote parts could not; and this cave is said to be extremely dark ^d; which accounts for Saul's being seen when he came into the cave, whereas David and his men could not be seen by him.

Gill: 1Sa 24:4 - And the men of David said unto him // behold the day of which the Lord said unto thee // behold, I will deliver thine enemy into thine hand // that thou mayest do to him as it shall seem good unto thee // then David arose // and cut off the skirt of Saul's robe privily

And the men of David said unto him,.... Some of his principal men, who were about him, and near him, such as Joab and Abishai:

behold the day of which the Lord said unto thee: now the time was come that he spoke of to him by Samuel, or Gad, or to himself directly:

behold, I will deliver thine enemy into thine hand; and such was Saul, as appeared by his seeking to take away his life; and now he was in the hand of David to take away his life, if he pleased:

that thou mayest do to him as it shall seem good unto thee; an opportunity of this kind now offered:

then David arose; from that part of the cave in which he was, the further part of it:

and cut off the skirt of Saul's robe privily; unawares to him, and unobserved by him, which might be easily done, if Saul was asleep, and it is probable he was; and by the same way it may be accounted for that he did not hear the discourse that passed between David and his men.

Gill: 1Sa 24:5 - And it came to pass afterward, that David's heart smote him // because he had cut off Saul's skirt

And it came to pass afterward, that David's heart smote him,.... His conscience accused him, and he repented of what he had done:

because he had cut off Saul's skirt; which though less than what his servants put him upon, and he might have thoughts of doing, yet was considered by him as a great indignity to his sovereign, and therefore sat uneasy on his mind.

Gill: 1Sa 24:6 - And he said unto his men // God forbid that I should do this thing unto my master, the Lord's anointed // to stretch forth my hand against him // seeing he is the anointed of the Lord

And he said unto his men,.... When he returned and brought the skirt of Saul's garment in his hand; or else he said this before that, though here mentioned, when they moved it to him to dispatch him, as he had a fair opportunity of doing it:

God forbid that I should do this thing unto my master, the Lord's anointed; and which he could not think of but with detestation and abhorrence, since he was his sovereign lord and master, and he a subject of his, and was anointed by the order of God, and his person sacred:

to stretch forth my hand against him; to take away his life; to cut off the skirt of his garment gave him uneasiness; but to slay him, the thought of it was shocking to him:

seeing he is the anointed of the Lord; anointed by Samuel to be king, 1Sa 10:1, by order of the Lord, 1Sa 9:17.

Gill: 1Sa 24:7 - So David stayed his servants with these words // and suffered them not to rise against Saul; to take away his life // but Saul rose up out of the cave, and went on his way

So David stayed his servants with these words,.... Or pacified them, as the Targum, and made them quiet and easy in that he had not slain him, and reconciled their minds to his conduct, and restrained them from laying hands on him, by observing to them, that he was the anointed of the Lord:

and suffered them not to rise against Saul; to take away his life; he not only argued with them, but laid his commands on them that they should not slay him:

but Saul rose up out of the cave, and went on his way; he rose from his sleep, and went out of the cave unhurt, and proceeded on in the way he came to the sheepcotes, and which led on further, 1Sa 24:3.

Gill: 1Sa 24:8 - David also arose afterward // and went out of the cave // and cried after Saul // and when Saul looked behind him // David stooped with his face to the earth, and bowed himself

David also arose afterward,.... After Saul was gone:

and went out of the cave; where he had been all the time that Saul had been in it:

and cried after Saul: with a loud voice: my lord the king; by which titles Saul would know that he was called unto:

and when Saul looked behind him; to see who it was that called unto him:

David stooped with his face to the earth, and bowed himself: giving reverence and honour to him as a king; See Gill on 1Sa 20:41.

Gill: 1Sa 24:9 - And David said to Saul, wherefore hearest thou men's words // saying // behold, David seeketh thy hurt

And David said to Saul, wherefore hearest thou men's words,.... The false charges and accusations, that some of Saul's courtiers brought against David, as Doeg the Edomite, and such like sycophants and flatterers, to whom Saul hearkened, and believed what they said, and acted upon it. David chose rather to lay the blame on Saul's courtiers than on himself; and he began with him in this way, the rather to reconcile him to him, and cause him to listen to what he had to say: and represents them as

saying to him:

behold, David seeketh thy hurt? seeks to take away thy life, and seize upon thy crown and throne; than which nothing was more foreign from him.

Gill: 1Sa 24:10 - Behold, this day thine eyes have seen // how that the Lord had delivered thee today into mine hand in the cave // and some bade me kill thee // but mine eye spared thee // and I said, I will not put forth my hand against my lord // for he is the Lord's anointed

Behold, this day thine eyes have seen,.... Or may see; there is full proof and evidence of it, and which will be presently shown:

how that the Lord had delivered thee today into mine hand in the cave; from whence they were both just come:

and some bade me kill thee; some of the men that were with David, some of his officers or principal friends put him upon it, having a fair opportunity, and thinking it no evil, since he was his enemy, and sought his life; or "it said, kill thee"; my heart prompted me to it, that said so at first, as Ben Gersom interprets it; some refer it to God, who in his providence said so, or so it might be understood by David, as if Providence directed him to it, by giving film such an opportunity of doing it:

but mine eye spared thee; had pity on him, and notwithstanding the suggestions of friends, and of his own heart at first, or the seeming direction of Providence, yet he had mercy on him, and forbore slaying him:

and I said, I will not put forth my hand against my lord; and king, whose subject I am:

for he is the Lord's anointed; the Lord has raised him to this dignity; invested him with the office of a king, and as such I regard him, and therefore have refrained mine hand from him, from hurting him,

Gill: 1Sa 24:11 - Moreover, my father // see, yea see, the skirt of thy robe in my hand // for in that I cut off the skirt of thy robe, and killed thee not // know thou, and see, that there is neither evil nor transgression in mine hand // and I have not sinned against thee // yet thou huntest my soul to take it

Moreover, my father,.... So he was in a natural sense, as having married his daughter; and in a civil sense, as he was a king, and was, or ought to have been, the father of his country, and to treat his subjects as his children, and David among the rest:

see, yea see, the skirt of thy robe in my hand; look on it again and again; view it with the eyes of thy body intently, that thou mayest be satisfied of it, and behold with the eyes of thy mind and understanding, and consider that I could as easily have had thine head in my hand as the skirt of thy robe; and here see an instance and proof of the integrity and sincerity of my heart, and cordial affections to thee, and an evidence against all the charges and accusations of my enemies, and that I have no ill design upon thy person and life, and am far from seeking thy hurt, as they say:

for in that I cut off the skirt of thy robe, and killed thee not; not only did that to show that he was in his power, but did not cut off his head, as he could:

know thou, and see, that there is neither evil nor transgression in mine hand; this might be a full conviction to him that he had no ill, neither in his heart nor hand, to do unto him:

and I have not sinned against thee; done nothing to offend him, never acted against his will, nor disobeyed any of his commands, or had been guilty of one overt act of treason or rebellion, but all the reverse:

yet thou huntest my soul to take it; pursued him from place to place, hunted him in the wildernesses of Ziph and Maon, and upon the rocks of Engedi, as a partridge on the mountains, 1Sa 26:20; and lay in wait for him to kill him, as the Targum: he may be thought to have penned the "seventh" psalm at this time, or on this occasion; at least there are some passages in it, which seem to refer to his present circumstances, Psa 7:1.

Gill: 1Sa 24:12 - The Lord judge between me and thee // and the Lord avenge me of thee // but mine hand shall not be upon thee

The Lord judge between me and thee,.... And make it appear who is in the right, and who in the wrong:

and the Lord avenge me of thee; if he continued thus to persecute him:

but mine hand shall not be upon thee; to kill thee, though it may be in my power again to do it, as it has been; but this I am determined upon, let me suffer what I will, I will not lay hands on thee to do thee any hurt, but leave thee with God to requite all the evil done to me by thee.

Gill: 1Sa 24:13 - As saith the proverb of the ancients // wickedness proceedeth from the wicked // but // my hand shall not be upon thee

As saith the proverb of the ancients,.... It is an old saying, has been long in use, and may be applied to the present case; or the "proverb of the ancient one"; of the oldest man, the first man Adam, and of all others after him, so Kimchi; or of the Ancient One of the world, the Ancient of days, the Lord himself; so in the Talmud ^d:

wickedness proceedeth from the wicked; as is a man, so are his actions; if he is a wicked man, he will do wicked things; a corrupt tree brings forth evil fruits, an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil things; and as if David should say, if I had been the wicked man as I am represented, I should have committed wickedness; I should have made no conscience of taking away thy life when it was in my power; but my heart would not suffer me to do it:

but, or "and"

my hand shall not be upon thee; as it has not been upon thee, because of the fear of God in me, so neither shall it be hereafter: or the sense of the proverb may be, the wickedness that comes from a wicked man, that will kill him, or be the cause of his ruin, or he will be slain by wicked men such as himself; and this may be thy case, O king, unless thou repentest: but be that as it may, which I leave with the righteous Judge, this I am determined on, "mine hand shall not be upon thee"; to take away thy life.

Gill: 1Sa 24:14 - After whom is the king of Israel come out // after whom dost thou pursue // after a dead dog // after a flea

After whom is the king of Israel come out?.... From his court and palace, with an army of men, and at the head of them:

after whom dost thou pursue? with such eagerness and fury:

after a dead dog; as David was in the opinion, and according to the representation of his enemies, a dog, vile, mean, worthless, of no account; a dead dog, whose name was made to stink through the calumnies cast upon him; and if a dead dog, then as he was an useless person, and could do no good, so neither could he do any hurt, not so much as bark, much less bite; and therefore it was unworthy of so great a prince, a lessening, a degrading of himself, as well as a vain and impertinent thing, to pursue after such an one, that was not worthy of his notice, and could do him neither good nor harm:

after a flea? a little contemptible animal, not easily caught, as it is observed by some, and when caught good for nothing. David, by this simile, fitly represents not only his weakness and impotence, his being worthless, and of no account, and beneath the notice of such a prince as Saul; but the circumstances he was in, being obliged to move from place to place, as a flea leaps from one place to another, and is not easily taken, and when it is, of no worth and value; signifying, that as it was not worth his pains to seek after him, so it would be to no purpose, he should not be able to take him.

Gill: 1Sa 24:15 - The Lord therefore be Judge, and judge between me and thee // and see, and plead my cause // and deliver me out of thine hand

The Lord therefore be Judge, and judge between me and thee,.... Signifying he did not desire to be judge in his own cause, but leave it with God to determine it for him in his providence:

and see, and plead my cause; look with pity upon him, take his cause in his hand, plead it, and do him justice:

and deliver me out of thine hand: which was a prayer of faith, believing he would do it in due time, see Psa 7:6.

Gill: 1Sa 24:16 - And it came to pass, when David had made an end of speaking these words unto Saul // that Saul said, is this thy voice, my son David // and Saul lifted up his voice and wept

And it came to pass, when David had made an end of speaking these words unto Saul,.... And wonderful it is that Saul, so full of wrath and fury, and so eager of David's life, should stand still and hear him out, and not fall upon him; this must be owing to the restraining providence of God, and to the surprise Saul was in at the sight of David coming out of the cave, whom he expected not; and especially what awed and quieted him was the sight of the skirt of his robe in his hand, which was a sure token he had his life in his hand, and spared it, which made him listen attentively to all he said:

that Saul said, is this thy voice, my son David? he changes his language; before, when he spoke of David, it was only the so of Jesse now my son David, as he was by marriage to his daughter, and as appeared by his filial affection to him; and though he was at such a distance from him, that he was not able to discern his countenance, yet he knew his voice, at least supposed it to be his, as his question implies, and which he might conclude fro in the whole of his discourse:

and Saul lifted up his voice and wept; being affected with the kindness of David to him, and with his deliverance from the danger he was in, and yet without true repentance of his sins; for there may be many tears shed where there is no real repentance, as in the case of Esau.

Gill: 1Sa 24:17 - And he said to David, thou art more righteous than I // for thou hast rewarded me good // whereas I have rewarded thee evil

And he said to David, thou art more righteous than I,.... By which it appears he thought himself righteous, though David was more so; the righteousness of David was so glaring, that his enemy himself being judge acknowledges it, but will not confess his own wickedness, having no true sense of sin, nor real sorrow for it:

for thou hast rewarded me good; in times past, and now; heretofore in killing Goliath, fighting his battles for him against the Philistines, driving the evil spirit from him, by playing on the harp before him, and now by sparing his life, only cutting off the skirt of his garment, when he could with equal ease have cut off his head:

whereas I have rewarded thee evil: in seeking to take away his life at various times, by casting a javelin at him more than once, sending messengers to kill him, and hunting after him from place to place, to take him and slay him.

Gill: 1Sa 24:18 - And thou hast showed this day how that thou hast dealt well with me // forasmuch as when the Lord had delivered me into thine hand, thou killedst me not

And thou hast showed this day how that thou hast dealt well with me,.... The cutting off of the skirt of his robe only, when his life was in his hand, was a clear proof and full demonstration of his dealing well with him, and might sufficiently convince him he had no ill design upon him:

forasmuch as when the Lord had delivered me into thine hand, thou killedst me not; this was a plain proof and evidence of his kindness to him, which he owns, and also the providence of God in this affair, which had delivered him into the hands of David; by which he might see the Lord was for David, and against him, and might have deterred him from seeking David's hurt hereafter; but it did not.

Gill: 1Sa 24:19 - For if a man find his enemy, will he let him go well away // wherefore the Lord reward thee good for that thou hast done unto me this day

For if a man find his enemy, will he let him go well away?.... Or "in a good way" ^e, in peace and safety, without doing him any hurt; this is not usual among men, and yet this was the present case; David had found his enemy Saul, which Saul tacitly owns, and yet had let him go well away from him, without hurting him:

wherefore the Lord reward thee good for that thou hast done unto me this day; he does not promise to reward him himself, but prays the Lord to reward him; and had he been sincere in it, he could not have done better for him. Some connect the former clause with this, after this manner, "if a man find his enemy, and let him go away, the Lord will reward him, the Lord reward thee", &c. so the Syriac and Arabic versions.

Gill: 1Sa 24:20 - And now, behold, I know well that thou shalt surely be king // and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in thine hand

And now, behold, I know well that thou shalt surely be king,.... Not merely by the common report, that he was anointed by Samuel, to which yet he might give credit; but by the providence of God prospering and preserving him, and by his princely spirit and behaviour, and by calling to mind what Samuel had said to him, that his kingdom should be given to a neighbour of his better than he, and so David was by his own confession, 1Sa 24:17; and the cutting off the skirt of his garment might put him in remembrance of the rending of the skirt of Samuel's mantle, upon which he told Saul his kingdom should be rent from him; though some think that was Saul's skirt, and so now he knew thereby, when David cut off his skirt, that the kingdom would be his; and it is a tradition of the Jews ^f, that Samuel said to him at that time, that he that cut off the skirt of his garment should reign after him:

and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in thine hand; and not be rent from him; and yet notwithstanding after this he sought to destroy him.

Gill: 1Sa 24:21 - Swear now therefore unto me by the Lord // that thou wilt not cut off my seed after me // and that thou wilt not destroy my name out of my father's house

Swear now therefore unto me by the Lord,.... By the Word of the Lord, as the, Targum:

that thou wilt not cut off my seed after me; as was usually done in despotic governments in the eastern countries, and is at this day, when one is advanced to the throne of another, by whom issue is left, who may be rivals and competitors with him:

and that thou wilt not destroy my name out of my father's house; by cutting off his seed, the same thing in different words repeated, for the confirmation of it; children bear the names of their fathers, and by them their memory is perpetuated, and cutting off them is destroying the name of their parents.

Gill: 1Sa 24:22 - And David sware unto Saul // and Saul went home // but David and his men got them up unto the hold

And David sware unto Saul,.... That he would not cut, off his posterity; which oath he religiously observed, in sparing Mephibosheth, 2Sa 21:7, and in punishing the murderers of Ishbosheth, 2Sa 4:12; and as for the seven sons of Saul, delivered up to the Gibeonites, 2Sa 21:6, it may be questioned whether they were his genuine legitimate offspring; and if they were, it was by the appointment and command of God, and according to his will and pleasure they were executed, who is not bound by the oaths of men, and to whom they must be submitted, 2Sa 21:1,

and Saul went home; to his palace in Gibeah:

but David and his men got them up unto the hold; in Engedi, 1Sa 23:29; not trusting to Saul, whose inconstancy, perfidy, cruel hatred, and malice, David full well knew; and therefore thought it not safe to return to his own house, nor to dwell in the open country, but in the wilderness, and among the rocks, and in the caves there, such as were in the wilderness of Engedi; and here, and at this time, he penned the fifty seventh psalm, see Psa 57:1.

Tafsiran/Catatan -- Catatan Ayat / Catatan Kaki

NET Notes: 1Sa 24:2

¹ tn Heb “to search [for].”

² tn Heb “upon the face of.”

³ tn Or “the region of the Rocks of the Mountain Goats,” if this expression is understood as a place name (cf. NASB, NIV, NRSV, TEV, CEV).

NET Notes: 1Sa 24:3

¹ tn Heb “to cover his feet,” an idiom (euphemism) for relieving oneself (cf. NAB “to ease nature”).

NET Notes: 1Sa 24:4

¹ tn Heb “is good in your eyes.”

NET Notes: 1Sa 24:5

¹ tn Heb “the heart of David struck him.”

NET Notes: 1Sa 24:6

¹ tn Heb “anointed.”

² tn Or “for.”

³ tn Heb “anointed.”

NET Notes: 1Sa 24:7

¹ tn Heb “went on.”

NET Notes: 1Sa 24:10

¹ tn Heb “it had pity,” apparently with the understood subject being “my eye,” in accordance with a common expression.

² tn Heb “anointed.”

NET Notes: 1Sa 24:11

¹ tn Heb “there is not in my hand.”

NET Notes: 1Sa 24:16

¹ tn Heb “lifted his voice and wept.”

NET Notes: 1Sa 24:17

¹ tn Or “righteous” (so KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV); NAB “you are in the right”; NLT “are a better man than I am.”

NET Notes: 1Sa 24:21

¹ tn Heb “by the Lord.”

² tn Heb “cut off.”

NET Notes: 1Sa 24:22

¹ tn Heb “and David swore an oath to Saul.”

Geneva Bible: 1Sa 24:1

And it came to pass, when Saul was returned from following the Philistines, that it was told him, saying, Behold, David [is] in the wilderness of ^{( b )} Engedi.

^{( b )} A city of Judah, (Jos 15:62).

Geneva Bible: 1Sa 24:4

And the men of David said unto him, ^{( c )} Behold the day of which the LORD said unto thee, Behold, I will deliver thine enemy into thine hand, that thou mayest do to him as it shall seem good unto thee. Then David arose, and cut off the skirt of Saul's robe privily.

^{( c )} Here we see how ready we are to hasten God's promise, if the occasion serve never so little.

Geneva Bible: 1Sa 24:5

And it came to pass afterward, that David's heart ^{( d )} smote him, because he had cut off Saul's skirt.

^{( d )} For seeing it was his own private cause, he repented that he had touched his enemy.

Geneva Bible: 1Sa 24:9

And David said to Saul, ^{( e )} Wherefore hearest thou men's words, saying, Behold, David seeketh thy hurt?

^{( e )} Contrary to the report of those who said David was Saul's enemy, he proves himself to be his friend.

Geneva Bible: 1Sa 24:16

And it came to pass, when David had made an end of speaking these words unto Saul, that Saul said, ^{( f )} [Is] this thy voice, my son David? And Saul lifted up his voice, and wept.

^{( f )} Though he was a cruel enemy to David, yet by his great gentleness his conscience compelled him to yield.

Geneva Bible: 1Sa 24:20

And now, behold, I ^{( g )} know well that thou shalt surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in thine hand.

^{( g )} Though this tyrant saw and confessed the favour of God toward David, yet he did not cease to persecute him against his own conscience.

Tafsiran/Catatan -- Catatan Rentang Ayat

Maclaren: 1Sa 24:3-16 - Love For Hate, The True Quid Pro Quo

1 Samuel 24:4-17

A sudden Philistine invasion had saved David, when hard pressed by Saul, and had given him the opportunity of flight to the wild country on the west of the Dead Sea, near the place where En-Gedi (the Fountain of the Wild Goat') sparkles into light on the hill above the weird lake. In these savage gorges Saul's three thousand men would be of little use against the light-footed outlaw and his troop. The whole district is seamed with ravines, and these are honeycombed with great caverns, where dangerous outcasts still lurk and defy capture. Travelers go into raptures over the beauty of some of these fairy grottoes' draped with maiden-hair fern, cool and moist, and blessedly dark after the fierce light outside. In some one of these the beautiful story which makes our lesson occurred.

I. We Have The Scene In The Cave.

The interior would be black as night to one looking inward with eyes fresh from the blinding glare of such sunlight upon limestone, but it would hold a glimmering twilight for one looking outward, with eyes accustomed to the gloom. David and his men, keeping close to the wails and hiding behind angles, might well be unobserved by Saul at the mouth, and probably never looking in at all. How vividly the whispered eagerness of the outcasts round David is reproduced I They think it would be tempting Providence' to let such a chance slip. They put a religious varnish on their advice. It would be almost impious not to kill Saul, for here was the hand of God evidently fulfilling a prophecy! There may have been some unrecorded prediction of the sort which they seem to quote; but more probably they are only referring to David's designation to the crown, which they had come to know. It never struck them as possible that it could seem good' to a wise man not to cut his enemy's throat when he could do it without danger to himself. So they would watch David stealing down quietly to the place where the unconscious king was crouching, and getting close behind him, knife in hand. How disgusted they must have been when the blade, that flashed for a moment in the light at the cave's mouth, was not buried in Saul's great back, but only hacked off the end of his robe spread out behind him! No personal animosity was in David. However he had been driven to consort with outlaws, and to live a kind of freebooter's life, his natural sweetness was unspoiled, and was reinforced by solemn veneration for the sanctity of the Lord's anointing, which he reverenced all the more because himself had received it. He clambered back to his disappointed men, and, as soon as he was up in the dark again, his chivalry and his religion made him ashamed of his coarse practical jest. The humor of the thing had tempted him to do it; but it was a rude insult, which lowered him more than it did Saul, and, like a true man, he blushes there in the gloom at what he has done. Then he has to defend himself to his men for not coming up to their expectations, and he does it by insisting on the sacredness which still surrounded Saul as the Lord's anointed.' David knew that the unhappy king had been rejected and forsaken by the Spirit of the Lord,' and that he himself was the true bearer of the regal unction; but he will not take the law into his own hands, and still regards Saul as his' lord.' He sets the example, much needed by us all, of leaving God to carry out His purposes at His own time, and patiently waiting till that time comes. He had hard work to keep his men from rushing down on the king; but, having commanded himself, is able to restrain them. How many virtues may be in exercise in one action! Here we have generosity, clemency, sensitiveness of conscience, reverence, self-abnegation, patience, loyalty, firmness, sway over lower natures for high ends,--a whole constellation shining star-like in the dark cavern.

II. We Have, Next, David's Pathetic Remonstrance.

Saul was alone, and David could easily escape among the cliffs, if the king summoned his men; but he risks capture, in the gush of ancient friendship. His words are full of nobleness, and his silence is no less so. He has no reproaches, no anger nor hate. He will not even suppose that Saul has followed his own impulses in his persecution, but assumes that he has been led astray by calumnies. He points to the fragment of Saul's robe in his hand as the disproof of the lie that he had designs against him, and passionately asserts his innocence now and in all the past. He compares himself to some timid wild thing, like one of the goats among the cliffs, and Saul to a hunter. He solemnly calls God to judge between them, and appeals from the slanders and misjudging of men to the perfect tribunal of God, to whom he commits his cause. He abjures all intention of striking at Saul in his own defense. He quotes, in true Eastern manner, a scrap of proverbial wisdom, which contains the homely truth that character determines action; for it needs a wicked man to do a wicked thing, and he implies that he is not wicked, and that Saul knows that well enough, --by what has just happened, if by nothing else. Then he puts his own insignificance and the disproportion between him and his ragged band and the imposing force of Saul in vivid light by his half-humorous and wholly humble description of himself as a dead dog,' and a flea'; as harmless as the one, as hard to catch as the other, as little important as either. Finally, he reiterates his devout reference of the whole cause to God, and his fixed resolution to take no steps to right himself, but to leave all to Him.

So ought we to deal with slanders and enmity. The eternal law for us in all opposition and hostility is enshrined in David's noble words and deeds. To repay evil with benefits, to abstain from retaliation when it is in our power, to keep our tongues from bitter and wounding words, to appeal to the adversary's better self, even at the cost of our own dignity,'--all that is not easy nor usual among professing Christians. But it ought to be. David's Lord, when He suffered, threatened not; but committed Himself to Him that judgeth righteously.' We are poor followers of Him, if David surpasses us in patience and magnanimity. It has taken nineteen hundred years to teach us that passive endurance is more heroic than fighting for our own hand, and that repaying scorn and hate with their like is less noble than meeting them with endless forgiveness.

Psalm 7. is all but universally regarded as David's, and as belonging to this period. In it we find a clause, I have delivered him that without cause was mine enemy,' which may fairly be supposed to refer to the scene in the cave, and we read the same vehement protestations of innocence, the same figure of himself as a hunted wild animal, the same appeal to God's judgment, as in his remonstrance with Saul. The psalm is the poetic echo of our lesson.

III. We Have The Momentary Melting Of Saul's Heart.

He breaks into passionate weeping. With that sudden flashing out into vehement emotion, so characteristic of him throughout, and, in these latter days of his life, so significant of enfeebled self-control, he recognizes David's generous forbearance in its contrast to his own hate, which, for the moment, he feels to be causeless. There is a piteous remembrance of the days when David soothed him by song, in his mention of the sweet voice,' and some rekindling of ancient love in his calling him My son.' Then follow the sad words which confess the hopelessness of his struggle against the divine purpose, and his appeal for mercy to his house. The picture may well move solemn thoughts and pity for that scathed and solitary soul, seeing for a moment, as by a lightning flash, the madness of his course, and yet held so fast in the grip of his dark passions that he cannot shake off their tyranny.

Two great lessons are taught by that tragic figure of the weeping and yet unchanged king. One is of the power of forbearing gentleness to exorcise hate. The true way to overcome evil' is to melt it by fiery coals of gentleness. That is God's way. An iceberg may be crushed to powder, but every fragment is still ice. Only sunshine that melts it will turn it into sweet water. Love is conqueror, and the only conqueror, and its conquest is to transform hate into love.

The other lesson is the worthlessness of mere feeling, which by its very nature passes away, and, like un-stored rain, leaves the rock in its obstinate hardness more exposed. Saul only increased his guilt by reason of the fleeting glimpse of his folly which he did not follow up; and our gleams of insight into some sin and madness of ours but add to our responsibility. Emotion which does not lead to action hardens the heart, and adds to our guilt and condemnation.

MHCC: 1Sa 24:1-7

God delivered Saul into David's hand. It was an opportunity given to David to exercise faith and patience. He had a promise of the kingdom, but no command to slay the king. He reasons strongly, both with himself and with his men, against doing Saul any hurt. Sin is a thing which it becomes us to startle at, and to resist temptations thereto. He not only would not do this bad thing himself, but he would not suffer those about him to do it. Thus he rendered good for evil, to him from whom he received evil for good; and was herein an example to all who are called Christians, not to be overcome of evil, but to overcome evil with good.

MHCC: 1Sa 24:8-15

David was falsely charged with seeking Saul's hurt; he shows Saul that God's providence had given him opportunity to do it. And it was upon a good principle that he refused to do it. He declares his fixed resolution never to be his own avenger. If men wrong us, God will right us, at farthest, in the judgment of the great day.

MHCC: 1Sa 24:16-22

Saul speaks as quite overcome with David's kindness. Many mourn for their sins, who do not truly repent of them; weep bitterly for them, yet continue in love and in league with them. Now God made good to David that word on which he had caused him to hope, that he would bring forth his righteousness as the light, Psa 37:6. Those who take care to keep a good conscience, may leave it to God to secure them the credit of it. Sooner or later, God will force even those who are of the synagogue of Satan to know and to own those whom he has loved. They parted in peace. Saul went home convinced, but not converted; ashamed of his envy to David, yet retaining in his breast that root of bitterness; vexed that when at last he had found David, he could not find in his heart to destroy him, as he had designed. Malice often seems dead when it is only asleep, and will revive with double force. Yet, whether the Lord bind men's hands, or affect their hearts, so that they do not hurt us, the deliverance is equally from him; it is an evidence of his love, and an earnest of our salvation, and should make us thankful.

Matthew Henry: 1Sa 24:1-8

Here, I. Saul renews his pursuit of David, 1Sa 24:1, 1Sa 24:2. No sooner had he come home safely from chasing the Philistines, in which it should seem he had good success, than he enquired after David to do him a mischief, and resolved to have another thrust at him, as if he had been delivered to do all these abominations, Jer 7:10. By the frequent incursions of the Philistines, he might have seen how necessary it was to recall David from his banishment and restore him to his place in the army again; but so far is he from doing this that now more than ever he is exasperated against him, and, hearing that he is in the wilderness of En-gedi, he draws out 3000 choice men, and goes with them at his feet in pursuit of him upon the rocks of the wild goats, where, one would think, David should not have been envied a habitation nor Saul desirous of disturbing him; for what harm could he fear from one who was no better accommodated? But it is not enough for Saul that David is thus cooped up; he cannot be easy while he is alive.

II. Providence brings Saul alone into the same cave wherein David and his men had hidden themselves, 1Sa 24:3. In those countries there were very large caves in the sides of the rocks or mountains, partly natural, but probably much enlarged by art for the sheltering of sheep from the heat of the sun; hence we read of places where the flocks did rest at noon (Son 1:7), and this cave seems to be spoken of as one of the sheep-cotes. In the sides of this cave David and his men remained, perhaps not all his men, the whole 600, but only some few of his particular friends, the rest being disposed of in similar retirements. Saul, passing by, turned in himself alone, not in search of David (for, supposing him to be an aspiring ambitious man, he thought to find him rather climbing with the wild goats upon the rocks than retiring with the sheep into a cave), but thither he turned aside to cover his feet, that is, to sleep awhile, it being a cool and quiet place, and very refreshing in the heat of the day; probably he ordered his attendants to march before, reserving only a very few to wait for him at the mouth of the cave. Some by the covering of the feet understand the easing of nature, and think that this was Saul's errand into the cave: but the former interpretation is more probable.

III. David's servants stir him up to kill Saul now that he has so fair an opportunity to do it, 1Sa 24:4. They reminded him that this was the day which he had long looked for, and of which God had spoken to him in general when he was anointed to the kingdom, which should put a period to his troubles and open the passage to his advancement. Saul now lay at his mercy, and it was easy to imagine how little mercy he would find with Saul and therefore what little reason he had to show mercy to him. "By all means"(say his servants) "give him the fatal blow now."See how apt we are to misunderstand, 1. The promises of God. God had assured David that he would deliver him from Saul, and his men interpret this as a warrant to destroy Saul. 2. The providences of God. Because it was now in his power to kill him, they concluded he might lawfully do it.

IV. David cut off the skirt of his robe, but soon repented that he had done this: His heart smote him for it (1Sa 24:5); though it did Saul no real hurt, and served David for a proof that it was in his power to have killed him (1Sa 24:11), yet, because it was an affront to Saul's royal dignity, he wished he had not done it. Note, It is a good thing to have a heart within us smiting us for sins that seem little; it is a sign that conscience is awake and tender, and will be the means of preventing greater sins.

V. He reasons strongly both with himself and with his servants against doing Saul any hurt. 1. He reasons with himself (1Sa 24:6): The Lord forbid that I should do this thing. Note, Sin is a thing which it becomes us to startle at, and to resist the temptations to, not only with resolution, but with a holy indignation. He considered Saul now, not as his enemy, and the only person that stood in the way of his preferment (for then he would be induced to hearken to the temptation), but as God's anointed (that is, the person whom God had appointed to reign as long as he lived, and who, as such, was under the particular protection of the divine law), and as his master, to whom he was obliged to be faithful. Let servants and subjects learn hence to be dutiful and loyal, whatever hardships are put upon them, 1Pe 2:18. 2. He reasons with his servants: He suffered them not to rise against Saul, 1Sa 24:7. He would not only not do this evil thing himself, but he would not suffer those about him to do it. Thus did he render good for evil to him from whom he had received evil for good, and was herein both a type of Christ, who saved his persecutors, and an example to all Christians not to be overcome of evil, but to overcome evil with good.

VI. He followed Saul out of the cave, and, though he would not take the opportunity to slay him, yet he wisely took the opportunity, if possible, to slay his enmity, by convincing him that he was not such a man as he took him for. 1. Even in showing his head now he testified that he had an honourable opinion of Saul. He had too much reason to believe that, let him say what he would, Saul would immediately be the death of him as soon as he saw him, and yet he bravely lays aside that jealousy, and thinks Saul so much a man of sense as to hear his reasoning when he had so much to say in his own vindication and such fresh and sensible proofs to give of his own integrity. 2. His behaviour was very respectful: He stooped with his face to the earth, and bowed himself, giving honour to whom honour was due, and teaching us to order ourselves lowly and reverently to all our superiors, even to those that have been most injurious to us.

Matthew Henry: 1Sa 24:9-15

We have here David's warm and pathetic speech to Saul, wherein he endeavours to convince him that he did him a great deal of wrong in persecuting him thus and to persuade him therefore to be reconciled.

I. He calls him father (1Sa 24:11), for he was not only, as king, the father of his country, but he was, in particular, his father-in-law. From a father one may expect compassion and a favourable opinion. For a prince to seek the ruin of any of his good subjects is as unnatural as for a father to seek the ruin of his own children.

II. He lays the blame of his rage against him upon his evil counsellors: Wherefore hearest thou men's words? 1Sa 24:9. It is a piece of respect due to crowned heads, if they do amiss, to charge it upon those about them, who either advised them to it or should have advised them against it. David had reason enough to think that Saul persecuted him purely from his own envy and malice, yet he courteously supposes that others put him on to do it, and made him believe that David was his enemy and sought his hurt. Satan, the great accuser of the brethren, has his agents in all places, and particularly in the courts of those princes that encourage them and give ear to them, who make it their business to represent the people of God as enemies to Caesar and hurtful to kings and provinces, that, being thus dressed up in bear-skins, they may "be baited."

III. He solemnly protests his own innocence, and that he is far from designing any hurt or mischief to Saul: " There is neither evil nor transgression in my hand, 1Sa 24:11. I am not chargeable with any crime, nor conscious of any guilt, and, had I a window in my breast, thou mightest through it see the sincerity of my heart in this protestation: I have not sinned against thee (however I have sinned against God), yet thou huntest my soul, "that is, "my life."Perhaps it was about this time that David penned the seventh psalm, concerning the affair of Cush the Benjamite (that is, Saul, as some think), wherein he thus appeals to God (1Sa 24:3-5): If there be iniquity in my hands, then let the enemy persecute my soul and take it, putting in a parenthesis, with reference to the story of this chapter, Yea, I have delivered him that without cause is my enemy.

IV. He produces undeniable evidence to prove the falsehood of the suggestion upon which Saul's malice against him was grounded. David was charged with seeking Saul's hurt: " See, "says he, " yea, see the skirt of thy robe, 1Sa 24:11. Let this be a witness for me, and an unexceptionable witness it is; had that been true of which I am accused, I should now have had thy head in my hand and not the skirt of thy robe, for I could as easily have cut off that as this."To corroborate this evidence he shows him, 1. That God's providence had given him opportunity to do it: The lord delivered thee, very surprisingly, to day into my hand, whence many a one would have gathered an intimation that it was the will of God he should now give the determining blow to him whose neck lay so fair for it. When Saul had but a very small advantage against David he cried out, God has delivered him into my hand (1Sa 23:7), and resolved to make the best of that advantage; but David did not so. 2. That his counsellors and those about him had earnestly besought him to do it: Some bade me kill thee. He had blamed Saul for hearkening to men's words and justly; "for,"says he, "if I had done so, thou wouldest not have been alive now."3. That it was upon a good principle that he refused to do it; not because Saul's attendants were at hand, who, it may be, would have avenged his death; no, it was not by the fear of them, but by the fear of God, that he was restrained from it. "He is my lord, and the Lord's anointed, whom I ought to protect, and to whom I owe faith and allegiance, and therefore I said, I will not touch a hair of his head."Such a happy command he had of himself that his nature, in the midst of the greatest provocation, was not suffered to rebel against his principles.

V. He declares it to be his fixed resolution never to be his own avenger: " The Lord avenge me of thee, that is, deliver me out of thy hand; but, whatever comes of it, my hand shall not be upon thee "(1Sa 24:12), and again (1Sa 24:13), for saith the proverb of the ancients, Wickedness proceedeth from the wicked. The wisdom of the ancients is transmitted to posterity by their proverbial sayings. Many such we receive by tradition from our fathers; and the counsels of common persons are very much directed by this, "As the old saying is."Here is one that was in use in David's time: Wickedness proceedeth from the wicked, that is, 1. Men's own iniquity will ruin them at last, so some understand it. Forward furious men will cut their own throats with their own knives. Give them rope enough, and they will hang themselves. In this sense it comes in very fitly as a reason why his hand should not be upon him. 2. Bad men will do bad things; according as men's principles and dispositions are, so will their actions be. This also agrees very well with the connexion. If David had been a wicked man, as he was represented, he would have done this wicked thing; but he durst not, because of the fear of God. Or thus: Whatever injuries bad men do us (which we are not to wonder at; he that lies among thorns must expect to be scratched), yet we must not return them; never render railing for railing. Though wickedness proceed from the wicked, yet let it not therefore proceed from us by way of retaliation. Though the dog bark at the sheep, the sheep does not bark at the dog. See Isa 32:6-8.

VI. He endeavours to convince Saul that as it was a bad thing, so it was a mean thing, for him to give chase to such an inconsiderable person as he was (1Sa 24:14): Whom does the king of Israel pursue with all this care and force? A dead dog; a flea; one flea, so it is in the Hebrew. It is below so great a king to enter the lists with one that is so unequal a match for him, one of his own servants, bred a poor shepherd, now an exile, neither able nor willing to make any resistance. To conquer him would not be to his honour, to attempt it was his disparagement. If Saul would consult his own reputation, he would slight such an enemy (supposing he were really his enemy) and would think himself in no danger from him. David was so far from aspiring that he was, in his own account, as a dead dog. Mephibosheth thus calls himself, 2Sa 9:8. This humble language would have wrought upon Saul if he had had any spark of generosity in him. Satis est prostrâsse leoni - Enough for the lion that he has laid his victim low. What credit would it be to Saul to trample upon a dead dog? What pleasure could it be to him to hunt a flea, a single flea, which (as some have observed), if it be sought, is not easily found, if it be found, is not easily caught, and, if it be caught, is a poor prize, especially for a prince. Aquila non captat muscas - The eagle does not dart upon flies. David thinks Saul had no more reason to fear him than to fear a flea-bite.

VII. He once and again appeals to God as the righteous Judge (1Sa 24:12 and 1Sa 24:15): The Lord judge between me and thee. Note, The justice of God is the refuge and comfort of oppressed innocence. If men wrong us, God will right us, at furthest, in the judgment of the great day. With him David leaves his cause, and so rests satisfied, waiting his time to appear for him.

Matthew Henry: 1Sa 24:16-22

Here we have,

I. Saul's penitent reply to David's speech. It was strange that he had patience to hear him out, considering how outrageous he was against him, and how cutting David's discourse was. But God restrained him and his men; and we may suppose Saul struck with amazement at the singularity of the event, and much more when he found how much he had lain at David's mercy. His heart must have been harder than a stone if this had not affected him. 1. He melted into tears, and we will not suppose them to have been counterfeit but real expressions of his present concern at the sight of his own iniquity, so plainly proved upon him. He speaks as one quite overcome with David's kindness: Is this thy voice, my son David? And, as one that relented at the thought of his own folly and ingratitude, he lifted up his voice and wept, 1Sa 24:16. Many mourn for their sins that do not truly repent of them, weep bitterly for them, and yet continue in love and league with them. 2. He ingenuously acknowledges David's integrity and his own iniquity (1Sa 24:17): Thou art more righteous than I. Now God made good to David that word on which he had caused him to hope, that he would bring forth his righteousness as the light, Psa 37:6. Those who take care to keep a good conscience may leave it to God to secure them the credit of it. This fair confession was enough to prove David innocent (even his enemy himself being judge), but not enough to prove Saul himself a true penitent. He should have said, Thou are righteous, but I am wicked; but the utmost he will own is this: Thou art more righteous than I. Bad men will commonly go no further than this in their confessions; they will own they are not so good as some others are; there are those that are better than they, and more righteous. He now owns himself under a mistake concerning David (1Sa 24:18): " Thou hast shown this day that thou art so far from seeking my hurt that thou hast dealt well with me. "We are too apt to suspect others to be worse affected towards us then really they are, and than perhaps they are proved to be; and when, afterwards, our mistake is discovered, we should be forward to recall our suspicions, as Saul does here. 3. He prays God to recompense David for this his generous kindness to him. He owns that David's sparing him, when he had him in his power, was an uncommon and unparalleled instance of tenderness to an enemy; no man would have done the like; and therefore, either because he thought himself not able to give him a full recompence for so great a favour, or because he found himself not inclined to give him any recompence at all, he turns him over to God for his pay: The Lord reward thee good, 1Sa 24:19. Poor beggars can do no less than pray for their benefactors, and Saul did no more. 4. He prophesies his advancement to the throne (1Sa 24:20): I know well that thou shalt surely be king. He knew it before, by the promise Samuel had made him of it compared with the excellent spirit that appeared in David, which highly aggravated his sin and folly in persecuting him as he did; he had as much reason to say concerning David as David concerning him, How can I put forth my hand against the Lord's anointed? But now he knew it by the interest he found David had in the people, the special providence of God in protecting him, and the generous kingly spirit he had now given a proof of in sparing his enemy. Now he knew it, that is, now that he was in a good temper he was willing to own that he knew it and to submit to the conviction of it. Note, Sooner or later, God will force even those that are of the synagogue of Satan to know and own those that he has loved, and to worship before their feet; for so is the promise, Rev 3:9. This acknowledgement which Saul made of David's incontestable title to the crown was a great encouragement to David himself and a support to his faith and hope. 5. He binds David with an oath hereafter to show the same tenderness of his seed and of his name as he had now shown of his person, 1Sa 24:21. David had more reason to oblige Saul by an oath that he would not destroy him, yet he insists not on that (if the laws of justice and honour would not bind him, an oath would not), but Saul knew David to be a conscientious man, and would think his interests safe if he could get them secured by his oath. Saul by his disobedience had ruined his own soul, and never took care by repentance to prevent that ruin, and yet is very solicitous that his name might not be destroyed nor his seed cut off. However, David swore unto him, 1Sa 24:22. Though he might be tempted, not only in revenge, but in prudence, to extirpate Saul's family, yet he binds himself not to do it, knowing that God could and would establish the kingdom to him and his, without the use of such bloody methods. This oath he afterwards religiously observed; he supported Mephibosheth, and executed those as traitors that slew Ishbosheth. The hanging up of seven of Saul's posterity, to atone for the destruction of the Gibeonites, was God's appointment, not David's act, and therefore not the violation of this oath.

II. Their parting in peace. 1. Saul, for the present, desisted from the persecution. He went home convinced, but not converted; ashamed of his envy of David, yet retaining in his breast that root of bitterness; vexed that, when at last he had found David, he could not at that time find in his heart to destroy him, as he had designed. God has many ways to tie the hands of persecutors, when he does not turn their hearts. 2. David continued to shift for his own safety. He knew Saul too well to trust him, and therefore got him up into the hold. It is dangerous venturing upon the mercy of a reconciled enemy. We read of those who believed in Christ, and yet he did not commit himself to them because he knew all men. Those that like David are innocent as doves must thus like him be wise as serpents.

Keil-Delitzsch: 1Sa 24:1-7

Whilst Saul had gone against the Philistines, David left this dangerousplace, and went to the mountain heights of Engedi , i.e., the present Ain-jidy (goat-fountain), in the middle of the western coats of the Dead Sea(see at Jos 15:62), which he could reach from Maon in six or seven hours. The soil of the neighbourhood consists entirely of limestone; but the rockscontain a considerable admixture of chalk and flint. Round about there risebare conical mountains, and even ridges of from two to four hundred feetin height, which mostly run down to the sea. The steep mountains areintersected by wadys running down in deep ravines to the sea. "On allsides the country is full of caverns, which might then serve as lurking-places for David and his men, as they do for outlaws at the present day"(Rob. Pal . p. 203)

1Sa 24:1-2

When Saul had returned from his march against the Philistines,and was informed of this, he set out thither with three thousand pickedmen to search for David and his men in the wild-goat rocks. Theexpression " rocks of the wild goats "is probably not a proper name forsome particular rocks, but a general term applied to the rocks of thatlocality on account of the number of wild goats and chamois that were tobe found in all that region, as mountain goats are still (Rob. Pal . ii. p. 204).

1Sa 24:3

When Saul came to the sheep-folds by the way, where there wasa cave, he entered it to cover his feet, whilst David and his men sat behindin the cave. V. de Velde ( R . ii. p. 74) supposes the place, where the sheep-folds by the roadside were, to have been the Wady Chareitun , on thesouth-west of the Frank mountain, and to the north-east of Tekoah, a verydesolate and inaccessible valley. "Rocky, precipitous walls, which rise upone above another for many hundred feet, form the sides of this defile. Stone upon stone, and cliff above cliff, without any sign of being habitable,or of being capable of affording even a halting-place to anything but wildgoats."Near the ruins of the village of Chareitun , hardly five minutes' walkto the east, there is a large cave or chamber in the rock, with a very narrowentrance entirely concealed by stones, and with many side vaults in whichthe deepest darkness reigns, at least to any one who has just entered thelimestone vaults from the dazzling light of day. It may be argued in favour of the conjecture that this is the cave whichSaul entered, and at the back of which David and his men were concealed,that this cave is on the road from Bethlehem to Ain-jidy, and one of thelargest caves in that district, if not the largest of all, and that, according toPococke ( Beschr. des Morgenl . ii. p. 61), the Franks call it a labyrinth, theArabs Elmaama , i.e., hiding-place, whilst the latter relate how at one timethirty thousand people hid themselves in it "to escape an evil wind,"in allprobability the simoom. The only difficulty connected with thissupposition is the distance from Ain-jidy, namely about four or fiveGerman miles (fifteen or twenty English), and the nearness of Tekoah,according to which it belongs to the desert of Tekoah rather than to that ofEngedi. " To cover his feet "is a euphemism according to most of theancient versions, as in Jdg 3:24, for performing the necessities of nature,as it is a custom in the East to cover the feet. It does not mean "to sleep,"as it is rendered in this passage in the Peschito , and also by Michaelis andothers; for although what follows may seem to favour this, there isapparently no reason why any such euphemistic expression should havebeen chosen for sleep. "The sides of the cave:" i.e., the outermost orfarthest sides.

1Sa 24:4

Then David's men said to him, "See, this is the day of whichJehovah hath said to thee, Behold, I give thine enemy into thy hand, anddo to him what seemeth good to thee." Although these words might referto some divine oracle which David had received through a prophet, Gadfor example, what follows clearly shows that David had received no suchoracle; and the meaning of his men was simply this, "Behold, to-day is theday when God is saying to thee:"that is to say, the speakers regarded theleadings of providence by which Saul had been brought into David's poweras a divine intimation to David himself to take this opportunity of slayinghis deadly enemy, and called this intimation a word of Jehovah. Davidthen rose, up, and cut off the edge of Saul's cloak privily. Saul hadprobably laid the meil on one side, which rendered it possible for David tocut off a piece of it unobserved.

1Sa 24:5

But his heart smote him after he had done it; i.e., his consciencereproached him, because he regarded this as an injury done to the kinghimself.

1Sa 24:6

With all the greater firmness, therefore, did he repel thesuggestions of his men: " Far be it to me from Jehovah (on Jehovah'saccount: see at Jos 22:29), that ( אם , a particle denoting an oath) Ishould do such a thing to my lord, the anointed of Jehovah, to stretch outmy hand against him ."These words of David show clearly enough that noword of Jehovah had come to him to do as he liked with Saul.

1Sa 24:7

Thus he kept back his people with words ( שׁסּע , verbis dilacere ),and did not allow them to rise up against Saul, sc., to slay him.

Keil-Delitzsch: 1Sa 24:8-10

But when Saul had gone out of the cave, David went out, and called, "Mylord king," that when the king looked round he might expostulate with him,with the deepest reverence, but yet with earnest words, that shouldsharpen his conscience as to the unfounded nature of his suspicion and theinjustice of his persecution. " Why dost thou hearken to words of men,who say, Behold, David seeketh thy hurt? Behold, this day thine eyeshave been that Jehovah hath given thee to-day into my hand in the cave,and they said ( אמר , thought) to kill thee, and I spared thee :" lit . it(mine eye) spared thee (cf. Gen 45:20; Deu 7:16, etc., which show that עיני is to be supplied).

Keil-Delitzsch: 1Sa 24:11

To confirm what he said, he then showed him the lappet of his coat whichhe had cut off, and said, "My father, see." In these words there is anexpression of the childlike reverence and affection which David cherishedtowards the anointed of the Lord. " For that I cut off the lappet and did notkill thee, learn and see (from this) that (there is) not evil in my hand (i.e.,that I do not go about for the purpose of injury and crime), and that I havenot sinned against thee, as thou nevertheless layest wait for my soul todestroy it ."

Keil-Delitzsch: 1Sa 24:12-13

After he had proved to the king in this conclusive manner that he had noreason whatever for seeking his life, he invoked the Lord as judge betweenhim and his adversary: " Jehovah will avenge me upon thee, but my handwill not be against thee. As the proverb of the ancients ( הקּדמוני is used collectively) says, Evil proceedeth from the evil, but myhand shall not be upon thee ."The meaning is this: Only a wicked mancould wish to avenge himself; I do not.

Keil-Delitzsch: 1Sa 24:14

And even if he should wish to attack the king, he did not possess thepower. This thought introduces 1Sa 24:14 : "After whom is the king of Israelgone out? After whom dost thou pursue? A dead dog, a single flea." Bythese similes David meant to describe himself as a perfectly harmless andinsignificant man, of whom Saul had no occasion to be afraid, and whomthe king of Israel ought to think it beneath his dignity to pursue. A deaddog cannot bite or hurt, and is an object about which a king ought not totrouble himself (cf. 2Sa 9:8 and 2Sa 16:9, where the idea of somethingcontemptible is included). The point of comparison with a flea is theinsignificance of such an animal (cf. 1Sa 26:20).

Keil-Delitzsch: 1Sa 24:15

As Saul had therefore no good ground for persecuting David, the lattercould very calmly commit his cause to the Lord God, that He might decideit as judge, and deliver him out of the hand of Saul: "Let Him look at it, andconduct my cause," etc.

Keil-Delitzsch: 1Sa 24:16-18

These words made an impression upon Saul. David's conduct went to hisheart, so that he wept aloud, and confessed to him: " Thou art morerighteous than I, for thou hast shown me good, and I (have shown) theeevil; and thou hast given me a proof of this to-day ."

Keil-Delitzsch: 1Sa 24:19

" If a man meet with his enemy, will he send him (let him go) in peace? "This sentence is to be regarded as a question, which requires a negativereply, and expresses the thought: When a man meets with an enemy, hedoes not generally let him escape without injury. But thou hast acted verydifferently towards me. This thought is easily supplied from the context,and what follows attaches itself to this: "The Lord repay thee good forwhat thou hast done to me this day."

Keil-Delitzsch: 1Sa 24:20-21

This wish was expressed in perfect sincerity. David's behaviour towardshim had conquered for the moment the evil demon of his heart, andcompletely altered his feelings. In this better state of mind he felt impelledeven to give utterance to these words, "I know that thou wilt be king, andthe sovereignty will have perpetuity in thy hand." Saul could not preventthis conviction from forcing itself upon him, after his own rejection andthe failure of all that he attempted against David; and it was this whichdrove him to persecute David whenever the evil spirit had the upper handin his soul. But now that better feelings had arisen in his mind, he utteredit without envy, and merely asked David to promise on oath that he wouldnot cut off his descendants after his death, and seek to exterminate hisname from his father's house. A name is exterminated when the whole ofthe descendants are destroyed, - a thing of frequent occurrence in the East inconnection with a change of dynasties, and one which occurred again andagain even in the kingdom of the ten tribes (vid., 1Ki 15:28., 1Sa 16:11.; 2 Kings 10).

Keil-Delitzsch: 1Sa 24:22

When David had sworn this, Saul returned home. But David remainedupon the mountain heights, because he did not regard the passing change inSaul's feelings as likely to continue. המּצוּדה (translated " thehold ") is used here to denote the mountainous part of the desert of Judah. It is different in 1Sa 22:5.

Constable: 1Sa 16:1--31:13

IV. SAUL AND DAVID 1 Sam. 16--31

The basic theme in Samuel, that blessing, and in particular fertility of all kinds, follows from faithful commitment to God's revealed will, continues in this section. However another major motif now becomes more prominent. We might call it the theme of the Lord's anointed.

"The theological thread running through Samuel and Kings is God's choice of a leader to represent Him as He implements His covenants with Israel."¹⁶⁸

Saul had been God's anointed vice-regent, but with Saul's rejection David began to move into that position. These chapters record the gradual transition and slow transformation of the nation as the Israelites and others increasingly realized that David was now God's anointed. Saul remained the Lord's anointed as long as he lived. Part of the reason David succeeded was he recognized this and related to Saul accordingly. However, David too was God's anointed though God was still preparing him to take leadership and mount the throne. While the hero of this last half of 1 Samuel is David, Saul is also prominent. Saul declined as the old anointed as David arose as the new anointed.

"There will be many twists in the story of David's progress towards the throne, and not a few crisis-points, yet all is told in the knowledge that God can put his men where he wants them to be, whether the route is direct, or ever so circuitous."¹⁶⁹

Chronology of David's Life170
Event	Date	Age	Reference
Birth	1041	0	2 Sam. 5:4-5
Anointing by Samuel	1029	12	1 Sam. 16:1-13
Defeat of Goliath	1024	17	1 Sam. 17
Exile from Saul	1020-1011	21-30	1 Sam. 21-31
Anointing as King over Judah	1011	30	2 Sam. 2:1-4
Anointing as King over all Israel	1004	37	2 Sam. 5:1-3
Philistines Wars	1004	37	2 Sam. 5:17-25
Conquest of Jerusalem	1004	37	2 Sam. 5:6-10
Mephibosheth's Move to Jerusalem	996	45	2 Sam. 9:1-13
The Three Year Famine	996-993	45-48	2 Sam. 21:1-14
The Ammonite Wars	993-990	48-51	2 Sam. 10-12
Adultery and Murder	992	49	2 Sam. 11
Birth of Solomon	991	50	2 Sam. 12:24-25
Rape of Tamar	987	54	2 Sam. 13:1-22
Death of Amnon	985	56	2 Sam. 13:23-36
Exile of Absalom	985-982	56-59	2 Sam. 13:37-39
Absalom's Return to Jerusalem	982-980	59-61	2 Sam. 14:21-24
Construction of Palace	980-978	61-63	1 Chron. 15:1
Construction of Tabernacle	977	64	1 Chron. 15:1
Move of Ark to Jerusalem	977	64	2 Sam. 6:12-19
Absalom's Rebellion and David's Exile	976	65	2 Sam. 15-18
Rebellion of Sheba	976	65	2 Sam. 20:1-22
The Census	975	66	2 Sam. 24:1-17
Purchase of Temple Site	973	68	2 Sam. 24:18-25
The Davidic Covenant	973	68	2 Sam. 7
Co-regency with Solomon	973-971	68-70	1 Chron. 23:1
Rebellion of Adonijah	972	69	1 Kings 1:5-37
Coronation of Solomon	971	70	1 Chron. 29:22-23
Death	971	70	1 Kings 2:10-11

Constable: 1Sa 21:1--30:31

C. David in Exile chs. 21-30

In chapters 21-30 we see David's forces growing stronger and stronger while Saul's forces get weaker and weaker. This is a further demonstration of the fertility theme. However these chapters also develop the motif of the proper response to Yahweh's anointed.

Interesting, too, are the parallels between David's experiences as the Lord's anointed and Jesus Christ's as the Lord's anointed. Rejection preceded acceptance, and suffering preceded reigning in both cases. God blessed both of these servants personally, and they became a blessing to others because of their commitment to Yahweh and His Law.

"The true servant of God must willingly suffer affliction with the full assurance that God is performing His purposes. Positions of prominence and prestige are not to be sought and worked for. Rather, the leader who desires Christ's blessing must wait patiently on Him for advancement and promotion to opportunities of greater service."²²⁶

Several of the Psalms have their backgrounds in these chapters (Ps. 18; 34; 52; 54; 56; 57; 63; 124; 138; 142; and possibly others).

Constable: 1Sa 23:1--26:25

3. David's goodness to two fools ch. 24-26

". . . chapters 24-26 form a discrete literary unit within 1 Samuel. Chapters 24 and 26 are virtually mirror images of each other, beginning with Saul's receiving a report about David's latest hiding place (24:1; 26:1), focusing on David's refusal to lift a hand against Saul, the Lord's anointed' (24:6, 10; 26:11), and concluding with the words of a remorseful Saul and his returning home from his pursuit of David (24:17-22; 26:21, 25). The two chapters form a frame around the central chapter 25, where the churlish Nabal functions as an alter ego of the rejected Saul. In addition, divine protection that keeps David from shedding innocent blood runs as a unifying thread through all three chapters."²³⁷

Saul, who had disregarded God's Law, became a deadly threat to David (23:19-28). However, David, who regarded God's Law, became a source of life to Saul (23:29-24:22) and to others in Israel (ch. 25).

In the previous section, Saul sought the opportunity to take David's life. In this one (23:29-24:22), given the opportunity to take Saul's life, David spared him.

Constable: 1Sa 24:7-14

David's verbal defense to Saul 24:8-15

The object lesson that David presented to Saul had a double application. David proved that he was not trying to kill Saul because Saul was the Lord's anointed. Furthermore he showed that it was inappropriate for Saul to seek to kill him because he, too, was the Lord's anointed, as Saul now knew (v. 20). David modelled for Saul what the king's dealings with him should have been.

"Our tendency is to say, Oh, just leave it alone. It'll all work out.' But David didn't leave it alone. He said, King Saul, you're listening to false counsel. People are telling you lies about me. Why do you listen to them?' Then he said. Let me give you proof, verbal and visual proof, O King!' . . .

"David told Saul the whole unvarnished truth; he told it to the person to whom it mattered most. Not to his comrades or to Saul's friends or to the people of Israel, but to Saul himself. He came to terms with the individual with whom there was the battle."²⁴²

By addressing Saul as his lord (v. 8), his king (v. 8), and his father (v. 11), David expressed respect, submission, and affection. People sometimes used the term "father" to imply a covenant relationship, and David may have had that in mind here (cf. 26:25).²⁴³ He was Saul's son-in-law and successor (son) under Yahweh's covenant with Israel (cf. 18:3; 20:16, 42; 23:18; 2 Sam. 9:1).

David called on Yahweh to judge (respond to his actions) and to avenge (reward David for his dealings with Saul; v. 12; cf. Deut. 32:35; Rom. 12:17-21). He promised that he would not usurp God's role by judging Saul or by rewarding him in kind for his evil deeds. He may have compared himself to a dead dog and a single flea (v. 14) to help Saul realize that he viewed himself as harmless and insignificant, beneath Saul's dignity to pursue. These comparisons may also have been warnings that Saul should not think of David as helpless and insignificant. David also voiced his reliance on God to defend and save him (v. 15; cf. Ps. 35:1).

David's defense here reminds us of Samuel's apologia to the nation when he reached the end of his career (ch. 12).

Constable: 1Sa 24:15-21

David's promise not to cut off Saul's descendants and name 24:16-22

David's words and actions convicted Saul of his actions (v. 17), and the king wept tears of remorse (v. 16). He referred to David as his "son" (v. 16), as David had earlier called Saul his "father" (v. 11). Saul confessed David's superior righteousness (v. 17) and goodness (v. 18). There is no more powerful tribute than one that comes from an adversary. Saul even called on the Lord to reward David with blessing for his treatment of the king (v. 19). Saul then confessed that he realized that David's ultimate succession to the throne of Israel was inevitable (v. 20; cf. 23:17).

Finally Saul asked David not to cut off his descendants when he came to power (v. 21). As noted earlier, it was customary in the ancient Near East for a new king to kill all the descendants of the ruler whom he replaced. This prevented them from rising up and reestablishing the dead king's dynasty. David had already promised Jonathan that he would not kill his descendants (20:14-17), and he now made the same promise to Saul (v. 22). To cut off someone's name meant to obliterate the memory of him. David even agreed to spare Saul's reputation in Israel (cf. 2 Sam. 2:17-27).

Saul's remorse was evidently genuine, but David had learned that it would probably be only temporary. Consequently when Saul departed and returned to Gibeah, David again sought protection in "the stronghold," probably one of the refuges near Engedi (perhaps Masada? v. 22; cf. 23:29).

This chapter helps us to deal with the common temptation to get even by showing us David's example of trusting God and not retaliating. It also deals with how we should view securing what God has promised us. David let God determine how and when he would become king. He refused the temptation to take matters into his own hands and thereby determine his destiny. We see David growing in this chapter. He began by threatening the king, but then he backed off and declined to kill Saul. Finally he determined even to trust God to control Saul's descendants, as well as Saul himself, and to preserve Saul's memory in Israel. God rewarded David for his trust and obedience by giving him a peaceful conscience immediately and safety when his own son, Absalom, rose up against him.

Guzik: 1Sa 24:1-22 - David Spares Saul's Life

1 Samuel 24 - David Spares Saul's Life

A. David doesn't kill Saul when he has the opportunity.

1. (1-2) Saul seeks David in the Wilderness of En Gedi.

Now it happened, when Saul had returned from following the Philistines, that it was told him, saying, "Take note! David is in the Wilderness of En Gedi." Then Saul took three thousand chosen men from all Israel, and went to seek David and his men on the Rocks of the Wild Goats.

a. When Saul had returned from following the Philistines: In the previous chapter, God miraculously delivered David by drawing Saul away to fight the Philistines at the moment Saul was ready to capture David. But when Saul was done with the Philistines, he went back to pursuing David.

i. We often wish that our next victory, or our present victory, would be a permanent victory. We wish that the spiritual enemies who pursue us like Saul pursued David would simply give up, and we wouldn't have to bother with them any more. But even when we have victory and they are sent away, they come back, and will keep coming back until we go to glory with the LORD. That is the only permanent victory we will find.

b. The Wilderness of En Gedi: In the barren, desolate territory surround the Dead Sea, there is a canyon that runs westward from the Dead Sea. That canyon is called En Gedi, and one can still visit there today and see the flowing spring that makes a good sized creek flow down the canyon, and makes En Gedi, with its waterfalls and vegetation seem more like a tropical paradise than the middle of the desert.

i. As you walk up this canyon, you also notice the numerous caves dotting the hills. This is a great place for David and his men to hide out! Because it is in the middle of barren desert, scouts could easily detect approaching troops. There was plenty of water and wildlife, and many caves and defensive positions.

2. (3) Without knowing, Saul comes to a cave where David and his men are hiding.

So he came to the sheepfolds by the road, where there was a cave; and Saul went in to attend to his needs. (David and his men were staying in the recesses of the cave.)

a. The sheepfolds indicates that this was a large cave, large enough to shelter a flock of sheep, so all or most of David's 600 men could be hidden in the recesses of the cave.

b. Saul went in to attend to his needs: Since the Bible is a real book, dealing with real people, living real lives, we aren't surprised to see it describing Saul's attention to his personal needs. But something as basic and common as that was timed and arranged by God, without Saul having any knowledge of God's timing or arrangement of things.

i. The fact that Saul went in to attend to his needs also meant that he would come into the cave alone. His soldiers and bodyguards would be out of the cave waiting for him.

c. David and his men were staying in the recesses of the cave: What are the chances? Saul must attend to his personal needs at the very moment he passes by the very cave where David hides. This was no coincidence, but arranged by God to test David, to train David, and display the godly heart of David.

3. (4-7) David restrains himself and his men from killing Saul.

Then the men of David said to him, "This is the day of which the LORD said to you, 'Behold, I will deliver your enemy into your hand, that you may do to him as it seems good to you.' " And David arose and secretly cut off a corner of Saul's robe. Now it happened afterward that David's heart troubled him because he had cut Saul's robe. And he said to his men, "The LORD forbid that I should do this thing to my master, the Lord's anointed, to stretch out my hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the LORD." So David restrained his servants with these words, and did not allow them to rise against Saul. And Saul got up from the cave and went on his way.

a. The men of David said to him: David's men were excited at the opportunity in front of them, and believed it was all a gift from God. They knew it was no coincidence that Saul came alone into that cave at that moment. So, they thought this was an opportunity from God to kill Saul.

i. Apparently, on some previous occasion, God had promised David: Behold, I will deliver your enemy into your hand, that you may to do him as it seems good to you. They believed that this was the fulfillment of the promise, and that David needed to seize the promise by faith and by the sword!

b. David arose and secretly cut off a corner of Saul's robe: We can imagine David listening to this counsel from his men, and with his sword, creeping quickly towards Saul, covered by the darkness of the cave. David's men are excited; their lives as fugitives are about to end, and they will soon be installed as friends and associates of the new King of Israel. But as David came close to Saul, and put forth his sword, he didn't bring it crashing down on Saul's neck or thrust it through his back. Instead, he secretly cut off a corner of Saul's robe.

i. Some wonder how David could have done this without being detected. Saul may have laid his robe down in one part of the cave, and attended to his needs in another part, so David did not have to get right next to Saul to cut off a corner of his robe. Or, it may also be that there was enough noise and commotion from the thousands of men outside of the cave, along with their horses, so that David was simply undetectable.

ii. What made David decide, "I won't kill Saul; instead I will just cut off the corner of his robe"? He knew that God's promise said, "You will inherit the throne of Israel." He knew that Saul was in the way of that promise. But he also knew it was disobedient of him to kill Saul, because God put Saul in a position of authority, and it was God's job to take care of Saul, not David's. David wanted the promise to be fulfilled, but he refused to try and fulfill God's promise through his own disobedience.

iii. Sometimes, when we have a promise from God, we think we are justified in sinning to pursue that promise. This is always wrong. A husband may say, "God has promised me abundant life according to John 10:10. God wants me to have fullness of joy according to Psalm 16:11. I can't have abundant life or fullness of joy being married to my wife, so I am going to leave her because I have found someone who does give me fullness of joy and abundant life. Thank you LORD for Your promise!" This is always sin. God will fulfill His promises, but He will do it His way, and do it righteously. Instead, we need to be like Abraham, who obeyed God even when it seemed to be at the expense of God's promise, willing to sacrifice the son of promise (Genesis 22). Even more, we need to be like Jesus, who didn't take Satan's offer to "win back the world" at the expense of obedience (Luke 4:5-8).

iv. Many people in David's situation would find many excuses to justify killing Saul. Think of what one might say: "It was self-defense, because Saul was out to kill me." "It's all right, because God promised me the throne anyway." "It's all right because I am in the right, and even Jonathan knows that I deserve the throne." "This is a God-given opportunity and I should take it." Or even, "I'm just so tired of running and fighting Saul. This can end all of that now." But David refused to make any such excuses, and had a radical, obedient trust in God instead. David couldn't have read the Book of Romans yet, but he knew its truth better than many who have: Don't be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good (Romans 12:21).

v. In all this, we see that David knew not only how wait on the LORD, but he also knew how to wait for the LORD. "We wait on the Lord by prayer and supplication, looking for the indication of his will; we wait for the Lord by patience and submission, looking for the interposition of his hand." (Meyer <Meyer.htm>) David was determined that when he sat on the throne of Israel, it wouldn't be because he got Saul out of the way, but because God got Saul out of the way. He wanted God's fingerprints on that work, not his own, and he wanted the clean conscience that comes from knowing it was God's work.

vi. In all this, we also see that David's heart didn't store up bitterness and anger towards Saul. Even as Saul made David's life completely miserable, David kept taking it to the LORD, and he received the cleansing from the hurt and the bitterness and the anger that the LORD can give. If David had stored up bitterness and anger towards Saul, he probably wouldn't have been able to resist the temptation to kill him at what seemed to be a "risk free" opportunity.

vii. "We win most when we appear to have yielded most, and gain advantages by refusing to take them wrongfully. The man who can wait for God is a man of power." (Meyer <Meyer.htm>)

c. David's heart troubled him: What a tender conscience in David! Many would only be troubled that they did not take the opportunity to kill Saul. David only cut off the corner of Saul's robe, yet his heart troubled him. Why? Because the robe was a symbol of Saul's royal authority, and David felt bad - rightly so, according to the heart of God - that he had done anything against Saul's God appointed authority.

i. David expresses this when he said, The LORD forbid that I should do this thing to my master, the LORD's anointed . . . seeing he is the anointed of the LORD. David knew better than anyone that Saul was a troubled and corrupt leader, yet it was in God's power to take him away - and David would not put his hand to do what was only the LORD's to do.

ii. "It was a trifling matter, and yet it seemed dishonouring to God's anointed king; and as such it hurt David to have done it. We sometimes in conversation and criticism cut off a piece of a man's character, or influence for good, or standing in the esteem of others. Ought not our heart to smite us for such thoughtless conduct? Ought we not to make confession and reparation?" (Meyer <Meyer.htm>)

iii. "Beemasters tell us that those are the best hives that make the greatest noise; so is that the best conscience that checketh for smallest sins." (Trapp <Trapp.htm>)

d. So David restrained his servants with these words: David not only kept himself from taking vengeance upon Saul, he restrained his servants also. Many men, in the same situation, would say, "Well, I won't kill Saul now. But if one of my servants does, what can I do?" and therefore leave the door wide open for Saul to be killed. But David wouldn't do that, and he restrained his servants.

i. With these words: What words? The words of a humble, tender conscience before God. The words of a man who was convicted at merely cutting off a corner of Saul's robe. When David's servants saw how godly David was, and how much he wanted to please God in everything, their hearts were restrained from doing any evil against Saul.

B. David appeals to Saul.

1. (8) David reveals his presence to Saul.

David also arose afterward, went out of the cave, and called out to Saul, saying, "My lord the king!" And when Saul looked behind him, David stooped with his face to the earth, and bowed down.

a. David . . . went out of the cave: David took a big chance here, because he could have simply remained in hiding, secure in the fact that Saul had not found him. But he surrendered himself to Saul, because he saw the opportunity to show Saul his heart towards him.

b. David showed great submission to Saul: My lord the king . . . David stooped with his face to the earth and bowed twice. We might think that David had the right to come to Saul as an equal. "Well Saul, we've both been anointed to be king. You've got the throne right now, but I'll have it some day and you know it. So from one anointed man to another, look at how I just spared your life." That wasn't David's attitude at all. Instead, he said: "Saul, you are the boss and I know it. I respect your place as my leader and as my king."

c. When David stooped with his face to the earth and bowed twice he also showed great trust in God, because he made himself completely vulnerable to Saul. Saul could have killed him very easily at that moment, but David trusted that if he did what was right before God, God would protect him and fulfill the promise.

2. (9-15) David's speech to Saul.

And David said to Saul: "Why do you listen to the words of men who say, 'Indeed David seeks your harm'? Look, this day your eyes have seen that the LORD delivered you today into my hand in the cave, and someone urged me to kill you. But my eye spared you, and I said, 'I will not stretch out my hand against my lord, for he is the Lord's anointed.' Moreover, my father, see! Yes, see the corner of your robe in my hand! For in that I cut off the corner of your robe, and did not kill you, know and see that there is neither evil nor rebellion in my hand, and I have not sinned against you. Yet you hunt my life to take it. Let the LORD judge between you and me, and let the LORD avenge me on you. But my hand shall not be against you. As the proverb of the ancients says, 'Wickedness proceeds from the wicked.' But my hand shall not be against you. After whom has the king of Israel come out? Whom do you pursue? A dead dog? A flea? Therefore let the LORD be judge, and judge between you and me, and see and plead my case, and deliver me out of your hand."

a. Why do you listen to the words of men: With this, David shows great kindness and tact to Saul. David knew very well that Saul's fear of David came from Saul himself, and not from anyone else. But David puts the blame on nameless others, so that it is easier for Saul to say "They were wrong" instead of "I was wrong." Even in confronting Saul, David is covering Saul's sin!

i. "He prudently and modestly translates the fault from Saul to his followers and evil counselors." (Poole <biblio.htm>)

ii. Some might have said, "David, lay it on the line! Tell it like it is!" and David will, to some extent. But even as he does, he will show mercy and kindness to Saul. David will fulfill Proverbs 10:12: Love covers all sins, and 1 Peter 4:8: Love will cover a multitude of sins.

b. I will not stretch out my hand against my lord, for he is the LORD's anointed: This principle of not striking out against God's anointed leaders is good and important, but sometimes has been misused.

i. The phrase touch not the Lord's anointed is in vogue among some Christians, and among many leaders. And often, to them, it means this: "You should never speak against a pastor or a leader. He is above your criticism or rebuke, so just keep quiet." Sometimes it is used even to prevent a Biblical evaluation of a man's teaching. They like to use David's actions here as an example. But when David recognized that Saul was the LORD's anointed and refused to harm him, what David would not do is kill Saul. But he did humbly confront Saul with his sin, and hope to God that Saul would change his heart. But it is entirely wrong for people to use the idea of touch not the Lord's anointed to insulate a leader from all evaluation or accountability.

c. See the corner of your robe in my hand: This was proof that David had full opportunity to kill Saul, yet did not take that opportunity. As David showed Saul the corner of his robe, Saul must have heard the Spirit of God speaking loudly in his heart.

i. Why did David cut off a corner of Saul's robe? We are amazed that that was all David cut off, yet we can see God's leading in cutting off a corner of Saul's robe. The robe is a picture of Saul's royal authority, and through this God sends a message to Saul: "I am cutting away your royal authority."

ii. In 1 Samuel 15:27-28, the prophet Samuel rebuked Saul for his hard-hearted disobedience to God. In his distress, Saul tried to keep Samuel from leaving, and grabbed his robe, and a portion of the prophet's robe tore away. When Saul was left holding the torn piece of Samuel's robe, Samuel said to him: The LORD has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today, and has given it to a neighbor of yours, who is better than you. Now, when David confronts Saul with the torn robe, Saul must be reminded of this incident, and God's message to him was loud and clear.

d. Let the LORD judge between you and me: David didn't need to do anything more to defend himself before Saul; he referred the matter to the LORD. David would let God plead his case and be his judge. David didn't just say, "My hand shall not be against you," he proved it by not killing Saul when he had the opportunity.

i. The Living Bible gives a good sense of 1 Samuel 24:12: Perhaps the Lord will kill you for what you are trying to do to me, but I will never harm you. In fact, David protected Saul by restraining his men!

ii. It was inevitable that Saul would be judged, and that he would lose the throne. But it was absolutely God's business to accomplish that, and the business of no one else. Jesus established the same principle in Matthew 18:7 when He said, offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes! God's judgment is God's business. We also put ourselves in a bad place when we take it upon ourselves to be instruments of God's judgment.

e. Wickedness proceeds from the wicked: David used this proverb to make a point. "Saul, if I was really as wicked as your advisors say I am, if I really was out to kill you, I would have done that wicked act in the cave. Because no wickedness proceeded from me when I had the opportunity, it shows my heart is not wicked towards you."

f. Therefore let the LORD be judge . . . and see and plead my case, and deliver me out of your hand: David tells Saul, "I'm still trusting God, that He will deliver me out of your hand." Instead of finding a way out of his trial in the flesh, David did the harder thing - he trusted in God to deliver him, instead of trusting in himself.

C. Saul's reaction to David.

1. (16-19) Saul honors David's mercy towards him.

So it was, when David had finished speaking these words to Saul, that Saul said, "Is this your voice, my son David?" And Saul lifted up his voice and wept. Then he said to David: "You are more righteous than I; for you have rewarded me with good, whereas I have rewarded you with evil. And you have shown this day how you have dealt well with me; for when the LORD delivered me into your hand, you did not kill me. For if a man finds his enemy, will he let him get away safely? Therefore may the LORD reward you with good for what you have done to me this day."

a. Is this your voice, my son David? Why does Saul respond so emotionally, and does not kill David? Because Saul had lived on the delusion that David was out to get him, and David's refusal to kill Saul when he had the chance proved beyond doubt that this was false.

i. David's obedience to God and his love to Saul made all the difference in softening Saul's heart.

b. You are more righteous than I . . . you have dealt well with me . . . you did not kill me . . . the LORD reward you with good for what you have done to me this day: What a change of heart in Saul! Every change David could have hoped for in Saul has happened, and Saul really seems sincere about it (Saul lifted up his voice and wept). Saul's heart was melted by the coals of kindness David heaped upon his head.

2. (20-22) Saul looks to the future.

"And now I know indeed that you shall surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in your hand. Therefore swear now to me by the LORD that you will not cut off my descendants after me, and that you will not destroy my name from my father's house." So David swore to Saul. And Saul went home, but David and his men went up to the stronghold.

a. I know indeed that you shall surely be king: Saul knew it all along (1 Samuel 23:17), but know he really knows it.

b. Therefore swear to me know by the LORD that you will not cut off my descendants after me: Saul simply wants the same kind of promise from David that David made to Jonathan in 1 Samuel 20:13-16. In that day, when one royal house replaced another, it was common for the new royal house to kill all the potential rulers from the old royal house. Saul knew that one day, David and his descendants would rule over Israel, and he wants David to promise that David and his descendants will not kill or mistreat the descendants of Saul.

i. "How then could David destroy so many of Saul's sons, 2 Samuel 21:8-9? David could bind himself by his oaths, but he could not bind God, to whose good pleasure all promises, vows, and oaths must in all reason be submitted; and that was done by God's command, and God was well pleased with it, 2 Samuel 21:14." (Poole <biblio.htm>)

c. And Saul went home, but David and his men went up to the stronghold: Why didn't David go back home with Saul, and be restored to his home and his place at the palace? Because David knew that as much as Saul meant it at the moment, the struggle would be to remain in the place of victory.

i. Many times, a person repents and claims to recognize their sinful ways just like Saul did. But the validity of repentance and a changed heart isn't demonstrated by the emotion or sincerity of a moment. It is demonstrated by the ongoing direction of one's life, and David had every right to say, "I'm going to stay in the stronghold until I see the direction of Saul's life."

ii. "What a miserable picture Saul is! What is the use of saying, 'I have played the fool,' if he goes on playing the fool? What use are his tears and confession before David if he doesn't act upon his remorse?" (Redpath <Redpath.htm>)

iii. In fact, it is worse to have this kind of emotional response if it doesn't result in repentance. "If a man is emotionally upset, as Saul was, and awakens to his condition, but only weeps about it and still doesn't obey God, his second state is a thousand times worse than the first. Emotion that does not lead to action only leads deeper into sin and rebellion." (Redpath <Redpath.htm>)

© 2001 David Guzik - No distribution beyond personal use without permission

Pendahuluan / Garis Besar

JFB: 1 Samuel (Pendahuluan Kitab)

THE FIRST AND SECOND BOOKS OF SAMUEL. The two were, by the ancient Jews, conjoined so as to make one book, and in that form could be called the Book of Samuel with more propriety than now, the second being wholly occupied with the relation of transactions that did not take place till after the death of that eminent judge. Accordingly, in the Septuagint and the Vulgate, it is called the First and Second Books of Kings. The early portion of the First Book, down to the end of the twenty-fourth chapter, was probably written by Samuel; while the rest of it and the whole of the Second, are commonly ascribed to Nathan and Gad, founding the opinion on 1Ch 29:29. Commentators, however, are divided about this, some supposing that the statements in 1Sa 2:26; 1Sa 3:1, indicate the hand of the judge himself, or a contemporary; while some think, from 1Sa 6:18; 1Sa 12:5; 1Sa 27:6, that its composition must be referred to a later age. It is probable, however, that these supposed marks of an after-period were interpolations of Ezra. This uncertainty, however, as to the authorship does not affect the inspired authority of the book, which is indisputable, being quoted in the New Testament (1Sa 13:14 in Act 13:22, and 2Sa 7:14 in Heb 1:5), as well as in many of the Psalms.

JFB: 1 Samuel (Garis Besar)

• OF ELKANAH AND HIS TWO WIVES. (1Sa 1:1-8)
• HANNAH'S PRAYER. (1Sa 1:9-18)
• SAMUEL BORN. (1Sa 1:20)
• HANNAH'S SONG IN THANKFULNESS TO GOD. (1Sa 2:1-11)
• THE SIN OF ELI'S SONS. (1Sa 2:12-17)
• SAMUEL'S MINISTRY. (1Sa 2:18-26)
• A PROPHECY AGAINST ELI'S HOUSE. (1Sa 2:27-35)
• THE LORD APPEARS TO SAMUEL IN A VISION. (1Sa 3:1-10)
• ISRAEL OVERCOME BY THE PHILISTINES. (1Sa 4:1-11)
• ELI HEARING THE TIDINGS. (1Sa 4:12-22)
• THE PHILISTINES BRING THE ARK INTO THE HOUSE OF DAGON. (1Sa 5:1-2)
• DAGON FALLS DOWN. (1Sa 5:3-5)
• THE PHILISTINES ARE SMITTEN WITH EMERODS. (1Sa 5:6-12)
• THE PHILISTINES COUNSEL HOW TO SEND BACK THE ARK. (1Sa 6:1-9)
• THE ARK AT KIRJATH-JEARIM. (1Sa 7:1-2)
• THE ISRAELITES, THROUGH SAMUEL'S INFLUENCE, SOLEMNLY REPENT AT MIZPEH. (1Sa 7:3-6)
• WHILE SAMUEL PRAYS, THE PHILISTINES ARE DISCOMFITED. (1Sa 7:7-14)
• OCCASIONED BY THE ILL-GOVERNMENT OF SAMUEL'S SONS, THE ISRAELITES ASK A KING. (1Sa. 8:1-18)
• SAUL, DESPAIRING TO FIND HIS FATHER'S ASSES, COMES TO SAMUEL. (1Sa 9:1-14)
• GOD REVEALS TO SAMUEL SAUL'S COMING, AND HIS APPOINTMENT TO THE KINGDOM. (1Sa 9:15-27)
• SAMUEL ANOINTS SAUL, AND CONFIRMS HIM BY THE PREDICTION OF THREE SIGNS. (1Sa. 10:1-27)
• NAHASH OFFERS THEM OF JABESH-GILEAD A REPROACHFUL CONDITION. (1Sa 11:1-4)
• THEY SEND TO SAUL, AND ARE DELIVERED. (1Sa 11:5-11)
• SAUL CONFIRMED KING. (1Sa 11:12-15)
• SAMUEL TESTIFIES HIS INTEGRITY. (1Sa 12:1-5)
• HE TERRIFIES THEM WITH THUNDER IN HARVEST-TIME. (1Sa 12:17-25)
• SAUL'S SELECTED BAND. (1Sa 13:1-2)
• HE CALLS THE HEBREWS TO GILGAL AGAINST THE PHILISTINES. (1Sa 13:3-4)
• THE PHILISTINES' GREAT HOST. (1Sa 13:5)
• THE ISRAELITES' DISTRESS. (1Sa 13:6-8)
• SAUL, WEARY OF WAITING FOR SAMUEL, SACRIFICES. (1Sa 13:9-16)
• JONATHAN MIRACULOUSLY SMITES THE PHILISTINES' GARRISON. (1Sa 14:1-14)
• SAUL SENT TO DESTROY AMALEK. (1Sa 15:1-6)
• HE SPARES AGAG AND THE BEST OF THE SPOIL. (1Sa 15:7-9)
• GOD REJECTS HIS FOR DISOBEDIENCE. (1Sa 15:10-11)
• SAMUEL SENT BY GOD TO BETHLEHEM. (1Sa 16:1-10)
• HE ANOINTS DAVID. (1Sa 16:11-14)
• THE ISRAELITES AND PHILISTINES BEING READY TO BATTLE. (1Sa 17:1-3)
• GOLIATH CHALLENGES A COMBAT. (1Sa 17:4-11)
• DAVID ACCEPTS THE CHALLENGE, AND SLAYS HIM. (1Sa. 17:12-58)
• JONATHAN LOVES DAVID. (1Sa 18:1-4)
• SAUL ENVIES HIS PRAISE. (1Sa 18:5-9)
• SEEKS TO KILL HIM. (1Sa 18:10-12)
• FEARS HIM FOR HIS GOOD SUCCESS. (1Sa 18:13-16)
• HE OFFERS HIM HIS DAUGHTER FOR A SNARE. (1Sa 18:17-21)
• JONATHAN DISCLOSES HIS FATHER'S PURPOSE TO KILL DAVID. (1Sa 19:1-7)
• SAUL'S MALICIOUS RAGE BREAKS OUT AGAINST DAVID. (1Sa 19:8-17)
• DAVID FLEES TO SAMUEL. (1Sa 19:18-23)
• SAUL PROPHESIES. (1Sa 19:24)
• DAVID CONSULTS WITH JONATHAN FOR HIS SAFETY. (1Sa 20:1-10)
• THEIR COVENANT RENEWED BY OATH. (1Sa 20:11-23)
• SAUL, MISSING DAVID, SEEKS TO KILL JONAHAN. (1Sa. 20:24-40)
• JONATHAN AND DAVID LOVINGLY PART. (1Sa 20:41-42)
• DAVID, AT NOB, OBTAINS OF AHIMELECH HALLOWED BREAD. (1Sa 21:1-7)
• HE TAKES GOLIATH'S SWORD. (1Sa 21:9)
• AT GATH HE FEIGNS HIMSELF MAD. (1Sa 21:10-15)
• DAVID'S KINDRED AND OTHERS RESORT TO HIM AT ADULLAM. (1Sa 22:1-8)
• DOEG ACCUSES AHIMELECH. (1Sa 22:9-16)
• SAUL COMMANDS TO KILL THE PRIESTS. (1Sa 22:17-19)
• ABIATHAR ESCAPES AND FLEES AFTER DAVID. (1Sa 22:20-23)
• DAVID RESCUES KEILAH. (1Sa 23:1-6)
• SAUL'S COMING, AND TREACHERY OF THE KEILITES. (1Sa 23:7-13)
• DAVID ESCAPES TO ZIPH. (1Sa 23:14-18)
• SAUL PURSUES HIM. (1Sa 23:19-29)
• DAVID IN A CAVE AT ENGEDI CUTS OFF SAUL'S SKIRT, BUT SPARES HIS LIFE. (1Sa 24:1-7)
• HE URGES THEREBY HIS INNOCENCY. (1Sa 24:8-15)
• SAMUEL DIES. (1Sa 25:1-9)
• THE CHURLISH ANSWER PROVOKES HIM. (1Sa 25:10-13)
• ABIGAIL PACIFIES HIM. (1Sa. 25:14-35)
• NABAL'S DEATH. (1Sa 25:36-44)
• SAUL COMES TO THE HILL OF HACHILAH AGAINST DAVID. (1Sa 26:1-4)
• DAVID STAYS ABISHAI FROM KILLING SAUL, BUT TAKES HIS SPEAR AND CRUSE. (1Sa. 26:5-25)
• SAUL HEARING THAT DAVID WAS FLED TO GATH, SEEKS NO MORE FOR HIM. (1Sa 27:1-4)
• DAVID BEGS ZIKLAG OF ACHISH. (1Sa 27:5-12)
• ACHISH'S CONFIDENCE IN DAVID. (1Sa 28:1-6)
• SAUL SEEKS A WITCH, WHO, BEING ENCOURAGED BY HIM, RAISES UP SAMUEL. (1Sa. 28:7-25)
• DAVID MARCHING WITH THE PHILISTINES TO FIGHT WITH ISRAEL. (1Sa 29:1-5)
• THE AMALEKITES SPOIL ZIKLAG. (1Sa 30:1-5)
• BUT DAVID, ENCOURAGED BY GOD, PURSUES THEM. (1Sa 30:6-15)
• AND RECOVERS HIS TWO WIVES AND ALL THE SPOIL. (1Sa. 30:16-31)
• SAUL HAVING LOST HIS ARMY AT GILBOA, AND HIS SONS BEING SLAIN, HE AND HIS ARMOR-BEARER KILL THEMSELVES. (1Sa 31:1-7)
• THE PHILISTINES TRIUMPH OVER THEIR DEAD BODIES. (1Sa 31:8-10)
• THE MEN OF JABESH-GILEAD RECOVER THE BODIES AND BURY THEM AT JABESH. (1Sa 31:11-13)

TSK: 1 Samuel (Pendahuluan Kitab)

The First Book of SAMUEL, otherwise called " The First Book of the KINGS."

TSK: 1 Samuel 24 (Pendahuluan Pasal)

Overview

1Sa 24:1, David, in a cave at En-gedi, having cut off Saul’s skirt, spares his life; 1Sa 24:8, He shews thereby his innocency; 1Sa 24:16, Saul, acknowledging his fault, takes an oath of David, and departs.

Poole: 1 Samuel (Pendahuluan Kitab)

FIRST BOOK OF SAMUEL OTHERWISE CALLED

THE FIRST BOOK OF THE KINGS.

THE ARGUMENT.

IT is not certainly known who was the penman of this Book, or whether it was written by one or more hands; nor is it or any great importance; for since there are sufficient evidences that God was the chief author of it, it matters not who was the instrument. As when it appears that such a thing was really an act of parliament, or of the council-table, it is not considerable who was the clerk or which was the pen that wrote it. And this is the less material in such historical hooks, wherein there is but little which concerns the foundation of faith and good life, and therefore it was not necessary to name the writer of them. It may abundantly suffice that there were in these times divers prophets and holy men of God; as Samuel, and Nathan, and Gad, and David himself, who might each of them write some part of this and the following book. But if any man will out of perverseness doubt or deny that these wrote it, yet this I suppose no discreet and impartial man will deny, that it is wholly incredible that such books should be written in their times, and recommended to the church as a part of the Holy Scriptures, and so received by the succeeding generation, without their approbation, who had so great a power and authority in the church and commonwealth of Israel.

Poole: 1 Samuel 24 (Pendahuluan Pasal)

SAMUEL CHAPTER 24

Saul pursueth David to En-gedi; cometh into a cave in which was David with his men; who cutteth off the skirt of Saul’ s mantle, but will not kill him, 1Sa 24:1-7 . He communeth with Saul, and hereby evidenceth his innocency towards him, 1Sa 24:8-15 . Saul acknowledgeth his fault, taketh an oath of David, and departeth, 1Sa 24:16-22 .

MHCC: 1 Samuel (Pendahuluan Kitab)

In this book we have an account of Eli, and the wickedness of his sons; also of Samuel, his character and actions. Then of the advancement of Saul to be the king of Israel, and his ill behaviour, until his death made way for David's succession to the throne, who was an eminent type of Christ. David's patience, modesty, constancy, persecution by open enemies and feigned friends, are a pattern and example to the church, and to every member of it. Many things in this book encourage the faith, hope, and patience of the suffering believer. It contains also many useful cautions and awful warnings.

MHCC: 1 Samuel 24 (Pendahuluan Pasal)

(1Sa 24:1-7) David spares Saul's life.

(1Sa 24:8-15) David shows his innocence.

(1Sa 24:16-22) Saul acknowledges his fault.

Matthew Henry: 1 Samuel (Pendahuluan Kitab)

An Exposition, with Practical Observations, of The First Book of Samuel

This book, and that which follows it, bear the name of Samuel in the title, not because he was the penman of them (except of so much of them as fell within his own time, to the twenty-fifth chapter of the first book, in which we have an account of his death), but because the first book begins with a large account of him, his birth and childhood, his life and government; and the rest of these two volumes that are denominated from him contains the history of the reigns of Saul and David, who were both anointed by him. And, because the history of these two kings takes up the greatest part of these books, the Vulgar latin calls them the First and Second Books of the Kings, and the two that follow the Third and Fourth, which the titles in our English Bibles take notice of with an alias: otherwise called the First Book of the Kings, etc. The Septuagint calls them the first and second Book of the Kingdoms. It is needless to contend about it, but there is no occasion to vary from the Hebrew verity. These two books contain the history of the last two of the judges, Eli and Samuel, who were not, as the rest, men of war, but priests (and so much of them is an appendix to the book of Judges), and of the first two of the kings, Saul and David, and so much of them is an entrance upon the history of the kings. They contain a considerable part of the sacred history, are sometimes referred to in the New Testament, and often in the titles of David's Psalms, which, if placed in their order, would fall in these books. It is uncertain who was the penman of them; it is probable that Samuel wrote the history of his own time, and that, after him, some of the prophets that were with David (Nathan as likely as any) continued it. This first book gives us a full account of Eli's fall and Samuel's rise and good government, ch. 1-8. Of Samuel's resignation of the government and Saul's advancement and mal-administration, ch. 9-15. The choice of David, his struggles with Saul, Saul's ruin at last, and the opening of the way for David to the throne, ch. 16-31. And these things are written for our learning.

Matthew Henry: 1 Samuel 24 (Pendahuluan Pasal)

We have hitherto had Saul seeking an opportunity to destroy David, and, to his shame, he could never find it. In this chapter David had a fair opportunity to destroy Saul, and, to his honour, he did not make use of it; and his sparing Saul's life was as great an instance of God's grace in him as the preserving of his own life was of God's providence over him. Observe, I. How maliciously Saul sought David's life (1Sa 24:1, 1Sa 24:2). II. How generously David saved Saul's life (when he had him at an advantage) and only cut off the skirt of his robe (1Sa 24:3-8). III. How pathetically he reasoned with Saul, upon this to bring him to a better temper towards him (1Sa 24:9-15). IV. The good impression this made upon Saul for the present (1Sa 24:16-22).

Constable: 1 Samuel (Pendahuluan Kitab)

Introduction

Title

First and Second Samuel were originally one book called the Book of Samuel in the Hebrew Bible. The Greek Septuagint translation of the Old Testament (made ca. 250 B.C.) was the first to divide it into two books. The Septuagint translators titled these books 1 and 2 Kingdoms. That division has persisted ever since and has even been incorporated into subsequent editions of the Hebrew Bible (since A.D. 1517). The title "Samuel" was given by Jerome in his Latin translation, the Vulgate (ca. A.D. 400).

The Jews gave the name "Samuel" to it because Samuel is the first major character in the book. Samuel anointed both Saul and David, so in this respect he was superior to them both.

Date and Writer

Statements in the Book of Samuel imply that someone who had witnessed at least some of the events recorded wrote it. However the original writer must have written most of it after Samuel's death (i.e., -1 Sam. 25-2 Sam. 24) and some of it even after the division of the kingdom following Solomon's death (e.g., 1 Sam. 27:6). These features have made it difficult to date the book.

"Our guess is that the author was a high state official in frequent attendance at the court, enjoying the full confidence of David and his household, who served David throughout his reign in Jerusalem and also Solomon during the early years of his reign, and whose duties may have been connected with literary work."¹

Most conservative scholars prefer the view that Samuel may have written or been responsible for noting the record of earlier events in the book (chs. 1-24). Then some unidentifiable writer put it in its final form later, perhaps soon after Solomon's death.

Rationalistic critics of the book tend to believe it was the result of much more piecing together, and some of them date its final form as late as 500 B.C.²

Scope

The Book of Samuel covers the period of Israel's history bracketed by Samuel's conception and the end of David's reign. David turned the kingdom over to Solomon in 971 B.C.³ David reigned for 40 and one-half years (2 Sam. 2:11; 5:5). This means he came to power in 1011 B.C. Saul also reigned for 40 years (Acts 13:21) so he became king in 1051 B.C. We can estimate the date of Samuel's birth fairly certainly on the basis of chronological references in the text to have been about 1121 B.C.⁴ Thus the Book of Samuel covers about 1121-971 B.C., or about 150 years of history.

We should note that the first part of 1 Samuel overlaps historically with the end of the judges period that we find in the Book of Judges. Apparently Samson was born just a few years before Samuel. Samson's 20-year judgeship evidently began shortly before the battle of Aphek (1104 B.C.) at which time Eli died (1 Sam. 4:18). It ended not many years before the battle of Mizpah (1084 B.C.) when the Philistine domination of Israel ceased temporarily (1 Sam. 7:13). Samuel's ministry therefore probably ran concurrent with that of Samson until Samson died. Saul began to reign about 35 years after Samson died (i.e., 1051 B.C.). Samuel evidently lived about 30 years after that.⁵

Old Testament History
Events	Biblical References
Creation to Israel's move to Egypt	Genesis 1-50
The Exodus	Exodus 1-18
Israel at Mt. Sinai	Exodus 19--Numbers 10
The Wilderness Wanderings	Numbers 11-21
Israel on the Plains of Moab	Numbers 22--Joshua 2
The Conquest and Division of Canaan	Joshua 3-24
The Amphictyony	-Judges 1-1 Samuel 7
The Reign of Saul	1 Samuel 8-31; 1 Chronicles 10
The Reign of David	2 Samuel 1-24; 1 Chronicles 11-29
The Reign of Solomon	1 Kings 1-11; 2 Chronicles 1-9
The Divided Monarchy	-1 Kings 12-2 Kings 17; 2 Chronicles 10-31
The Surviving Kingdom of Judah	2 Kings 18-25; 2 Chronicles 32-36
The Return under Zerubbabel	Ezra 1-6
The Return under Ezra	Ezra 7-10
The Return under Nehemiah	Nehemiah 1-13

Message⁶

First and 2 Samuel are really one story. The translators divided them into two books for convenience, not because of subject matter.

First Samuel records Israel's transition from amphictyony to monarchy.

The key passage that explains this transition is 8:4-7. Two statements from this passage are especially significant.

The human desire that produced the transition expressed itself in verse 5: "Now appoint a king for us to judge us like all the nations." God had brought Israel into existence as a nation to be unlike all the nations (Exod. 19:5-6). The essence of its uniqueness was Yahweh's rule over it as King. God wanted Israel to be a demonstration for all the world to see how glorious it can be to live under the authority of God.

The real meaning of the people's request comes out in verse 7: ". . . they have rejected me from being king over them." During the period of the judges, religious apostasy spread and characterized Israel. The people refused to obey their King. It is this attitude that finds expression in verse 5. The people wanted to substitute the false for the true. This is the essence of sin, and it results in idolatry. Every idol is a witness to man's need of God. When people reject the true God they must put something in His place to meet that need. Human beings must have a god.

Israel turned from God as her King in 1 Samuel. She desired a king like the other nations. This book shows the immediate effects of that desire.

One of the great revelations of 1 Samuel is how from the human viewpoint God adapts to continue His reign.

This statement appears to contradict 8:7, but it does not. The people rejected Yahweh, but they did not dethrone Him. The first act is possible, the second is not. This is a major lesson of 1 Samuel. The great revelation of this book is not primarily its three central figures: Samuel, Saul, and David. It is Yahweh reigning by adapting to human situations and moving surely and steadily toward the fulfillment of His purposes. In spite of disobedience or obedience, failure or success, rebellious or loyal people, the reign of God moves on. We see this great lesson in the history of 1 Samuel's three central figures: Samuel, Saul, and David.

The writer introduced Samuel's story with his mother Hannah's experience with God. Hannah was a great woman of faith who lived in the judges period. Her faith became God's foothold for advance. Her song reveals a profound appreciation for Yahweh as the God who reigns over all (2:6-8, 10). The similarities between this prayer and Mary's Magnificat in Luke 1 are interesting and noteworthy.

Samuel was a prophet. In one sense he was the first of the prophets (Acts 3:24). Of course, Moses was a prophet and so was Abraham, but Samuel was the first of the order of prophets who mediated between God and the Israelites during the monarchy. The kings of Israel and Judah were never mediators between God and the people in the sense of speaking for God to the people. When the Israelites rejected Yahweh as their king, He withdrew from close communion and intimate fellowship with them. He never recognized their kings as standing between Himself and them to mediate His Word to the people. He chose their kings for them. He allowed their desire for a human king to work itself out in ultimate disaster through the centuries that followed. Yet He never spoke to the people through the king. He always spoke to them through the prophets. Samuel was the first of these. David, of course, was a king and a prophet. The role of the kings was to govern the people. The role of the prophets was to reveal God's will to them.

With Samuel the office of prophet in Israel emerges as that of Yahweh's authoritative representative to His people. Samuel became the king-maker finding and anointing both Saul and David. >From now on when God had a message for the people it normally did not come directly to the king but to the king and the people through the prophet. The prophet's office was always superior to that of Israel's kings. (You have the privilege of speaking for God to your generation. You have a high calling similar to that of Israel's prophets.) When Israel rejected Yahweh as her king, God chose Samuel, the child of a woman's simple faith, trained him in the tabernacle, and called him when he was only a boy. Then He gave him a message to deliver and sent him to anoint Saul as the king after the people's own heart, and David as the king after God's own heart. The prophets became God's mediators, His messengers, and the interpreters of His law. Thus Yahweh reigned though He adapted His methods of ruling by raising up the prophets. He called Samuel as the first of these mediators. During the monarchy God provided guidance through two offices rather than through one as He had done previously. The kings provided political leadership, and the prophets gave the people spiritual leadership. God had previously provided both types of leadership through single individuals namely Moses, Joshua, and the judges.

Saul's story is one of the most tragic in Scripture. It is unusually fascinating and has tremendous power in its appeal to our lives. When God placed Saul on Israel's throne He answered the prayer of His rebellious people in 8:5. God "gave them their request, but sent a wasting disease among them" (Ps. 106:15; NASB).

Saul was a revelation to the Israelites of what the possession of "a king like the nations" really meant. He had unusual physical strength, but he was fitful and he failed the people. He had mental acumen, but he was moody and eventually turned into a madman. He was sluggish and dull spiritually lacking in spiritual insight and power, and eventually he abandoned Yahweh for a witch.

His reign was also a disaster. At the beginning of his reign, Israel was virtually without a leader. At its end it was under the control of an enemy neighbor. Saul was never able to expand the borders of Israel because he never was strong enough to dominate his enemy neighbors. David on the other hand did both of these things. At the end of Saul's reign, Israel had almost destroyed itself through its wars with the Philistines.

David's story is one of the most glorious in Scripture. After Saul, God gave His people another king, but this time he was a man after God's own heart.

God prepared David for the throne by putting him through training as a shepherd in the fields, a courtier in the palace, and an "outlaw" in exile. (By "outlaw" I do not mean David was lawless but that he lived outside Saul's control.) His shepherd training prepared him to care for and protect the Israelites under his charge. His courtier experience prepared him to deal with high governmental leaders. His "outlaw" years perfected the disciplines that enabled him to become a strong ruler. These disciplines included relying on God in every situation, practicing self-restraint, and leading his people.

In all David's training God was reigning, moving forward to the fulfillment of His plans and purposes. God had previously done this by making the child of faith, Samuel, His prophet. He had also done this by making outwardly promising Saul a revelation to the nation of her sins in turning away from God.

The second great revelation of this book is that people cooperate with God by either being loyal or by being disloyal to Him.

In Samuel's case he had opportunity to glorify God because of his parentage, his call by God, and his appointment as God's prophet. He responded obediently, with loyalty to God. Consequently God's messages got delivered, and God's work moved ahead. Samuel was an instrument of blessing.

In Saul's case he had opportunity to glorify God too. His opportunity came in his call by God, his anointing by Samuel, his friendship with Samuel, his popularity with the people, and his personal abilities. He responded disobediently, with disloyalty to God as seen in his vacillating and self-will. Consequently he failed as a king, and he died under the judgment of God. His life was a failure.

In David's case his opportunities were his call, his anointing, his waiting, and his suffering. He responded obediently, with loyalty to God. Consequently he became God's instrument of progress and blessing. He was a success.

Each man had his opportunity, made his response, and experienced the consequences of his response. Two obeyed, one disobeyed. All cooperated with God in fulfilling His ultimate purposes either to his own blessing or to his own blasting.

As a result of these two major revelations I would summarize the message of 1 Samuel as follows. God will accomplish His purposes regardless of man's personal response to Him. However man's response to God's revealed will determines a person's own success or failure in life.

First Samuel teaches us the methods of the sovereign God. All territory is within God's jurisdiction, every person is under His control, and all events are in His hands. All of God's plans and purposes are moving toward accomplishment. He makes use of all antagonistic facts and forces as well as all positive facts and forces. He also makes use of all the agents He has chosen to use regardless of their responses. Paul's comments in 2 Tim. 2:20-21 are very much to the point here.

First Samuel also teaches us that God's ultimate victory is independent of the attitudes and actions of individuals and groups of people (e.g., Israel) toward Him. Nevertheless the ultimate destiny of individuals and groups of people depends on their attitudes and actions toward Him.

Samuel was obedient, was God's instrument, and experienced deliverance. Saul was disobedient, was God's instrument, and experienced destruction. David was obedient, was God's instrument, and experienced deliverance. My attitudes and actions do not determine God's ultimate victory, but they do determine my ultimate destiny. Everything depends on my choices and me regarding my earthly destiny. Nothing depends on me regarding God's ultimate victory. God uses all people, loyal and rebellious, to produce His ultimate purposes. However we determine the outcome of our lives by our attitudes and responses to Him. We see these principles working themselves out around us all the time. Dr. Walvoord is an example of a Samuel or a David in our day. The DTS graduates in prison are examples of the Sauls of our day.

Constable: 1 Samuel (Garis Besar)

Outline

I. Eli and Samuel chs. 1-3

A. The change from barrenness to fertility 1:1-2:10

1. Hannah's condition 1:1-8

2. Hannah's vow 1:9-18

3. Hannah's obedience 1:19-28

4. Hannah's song 2:1-10

B. The contrast between Samuel and Eli's sons 2:11-36

1. Eli's sons' wickedness 2:11-17

2. Hannah's godly influence on Samuel and its effect 2:18-21

3. Eli's lack of influence on his sons and its effect 2:22-26

4. The oracle against Eli's house 2:27-36

C. God's first revelation to Samuel ch. 3

1. Samuel's call 3:1-18

2. Samuel's ministry 3:19-4:1a

II. The history of the ark of the covenant 4:1b-7:1

A. The capture of the ark 4:1b-22

1. The battle of Aphek 4:1b-11

2. The response of Eli 4:12-18

3. The response of Phinehas' wife 4:19-22

B. Pagan fertility foiled by God ch. 5

C. The ark returned to Israel by God 6:1-7:1

1. The plan to terminate God's judgment 6:1-9

2. The return of the ark to Bethshemesh 6:10-18

3. The removal of the ark to Kiriath-jearim 6:19-7:1

III. Samuel and Saul 7:2-15:35

A. Samuel's ministry as Israel's judge 7:2-17

1. Samuel's spiritual leadership 7:2-4

2. National repentance and deliverance 7:5-14

3. Samuel's regular ministry 7:15-17

B. Kingship given to Saul chs. 8-12

1. The demand for a king ch. 8

2. The anointing of Saul 9:1-10:16

3. The choice of Saul by lot 10:17-27

4. Saul's effective leadership in battle 11:1-11

5. The confirmation of Saul as king 11:12-12:25

C. Kingship removed from Saul chs. 13-15

1. Saul's disobedience at Gilgal 13:1-15

2. Saul's struggle against the Philistines 13:16-14:23

3. Saul's cursing of Jonathan 14:24-46

4. Saul's limited effectiveness in battle 14:47-52

5. Yahweh's final rejection of Saul ch. 15

IV. Saul and David 1 Sam. 16-31

A. David's rise as the new anointed 16:1-18:5

1. God's selection of David for kingship ch. 16

2. The reason for God's selection of David ch. 17

3. The results of God's selection of David ch. 18:1-19:17

B. David driven out by Saul 19:18-20:42

1. God's deliverance in Ramah 19:18-24

2. Jonathan's advocacy for David ch. 20

C. David in exile chs. 21-31

1. David's initial movements chs. 21-22

2. Saul's pursuit of David ch. 23

3. David's goodness to two fools ch. 24-26

4. The end of Saul's reign 27-31

(Continued in notes on 2 Samuel)

Constable: 1 Samuel

1 Samuel

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Copyright 2003 by Thomas L. Constable

Haydock: 1 Samuel (Pendahuluan Kitab)

THE FIRST BOOK OF SAMUEL;

otherwise called,

THE FIRST BOOK OF KINGS.

INTRODUCTION.

This and the following Book are called by the Hebrews, the Books of Samuel, because they contain the history of Samuel, and of the two kings, Saul and David, whom he anointed. They are more commonly named by the Fathers, the First and Second Book of Kings. As to the writer of them, it is the common opinion that Samuel composed the first book, as far as the twenty-fifth chapter; and that the prophets Nathan and Gad finished the first and wrote the second book. See 1 Paralipomenon, alias 1 Chronicles, xxix. 19. (Challoner) --- The authors of the Third and Fourth Books of Kings were also prophets, but we know not exactly their names. These works have nevertheless been always esteemed authentic (Haydock) and canonical. (Worthington) --- Ven. Bede takes occasion to observe, from the Books of Kings (or as the Septuagint read, "of kingdoms;" Haydock) being placed after that of Judges, that the everlasting kingdom of Christ will succeed the general judgment. The translation of the priesthood and of the regal dignity, recorded in these books, denote also that Christ would united both in his own person; as the two wives of Eleana intimated, that both Jews and Gentiles would acknowledge the same Lord. (St. Jerome; St. Augustine; &c.) --- The transactions of Heli, Samuel and Saul, and the persecutions which David sustained from the latter, form the subject of the first book, (Haydock) during the space of 100 years. All the four books carry down the sacred history near 600 years, from the year of the world 2849 till the transmigration of Juda, in the year 3420. (Calmet) (Usher)

Gill: 1 Samuel (Pendahuluan Kitab)

INTRODUCTION TO 1 SAMUEL

This book, in the Hebrew copies, is commonly called Samuel, or the Book of Samuel; in the Syriac version, the Book of Samuel the Prophet; and in the Arabic version, the Book of Samuel the Prophet, which is the First Book of the Kings; and the Septuagint version, the Book of the Kingdom: it has the name of Samuel, because it contains an history of his life and times; and the Jews say ^a it was written by him; and as it may well enough be thought to be, to the end of the twenty fourth chapter; and the rest might be written by Nathan and Gad, as may he gathered from 1Ch 29:29 as also the following book that bears his name; and both may be called the Books of Kings, because they give an account of the rise of the kings in Israel, and of the two first of them; though some think they were written by Jeremiah, as Abarbinel; and others ascribe them to Ezra: however, there is no doubt to be made of it that this book was written by divine inspiration, when we consider the series of its history, its connection and harmony with other parts of Scripture; the several things borrowed from it, or alluded to in the book of Psalms, particularly what is observed in Psa 113:7, seems to be taken out of 1Sa 2:8, and the sanction which the Lord gives to it, by referring to a fact in it, whereby he stopped the mouths of the Scribes and Pharisees cavilling at his disciples, Mat 12:3, compared with 1Sa 21:3, yea, even, as Huetius ^b observes, some Heathen writers have by their testimonies confirmed some passages in these books, which they seem to have been acquainted with, as Nicolaus of Damascus ^c, and Eupolemus ^d; it contains an history of the government of Eli, and of the birth of Samuel, and his education under him; of the succession of Samuel in it, and the resignation of it to Saul, when he was chosen king; of his administration of his office, and of things done in the time of it, both before and after his rejection, and of the persecution of David by Saul, and is concluded with his death.

Gill: 1 Samuel 24 (Pendahuluan Pasal)

INTRODUCTION TO FIRST SAMUEL 24

Saul being returned from following the Philistines, renews his pursuit after David, 1Sa 24:1; and they meeting in a cave, where David had the opportunity of taking away the life of Saul, which his men pressed him to, yet only cut off the skirt of his robe, 1Sa 24:3; which, calling after him, he held up to him to convince him he had his life in his hands, but spared it, 1Sa 24:9; upon which he very pathetically reasons with him about the unreasonableness and unrighteousness of his pursuit after him, to take away his life, 1Sa 24:11; which so affected Saul, that he confessed he was more righteous than he, and owned that the kingdom would be his, and only desired him to swear to him not to cut off his offspring, which David did, and so they parted, 1Sa 24:16.