Chapter Twenty-Six
David Spares Saul's Life Again
26:1 Then the Ziphites came to Saul at Gibeah, saying, “Is not David hiding himself on the hill of Hachilah, which is on the east of Jeshimon?” 2 So Saul arose and went down to the wilderness of Ziph with three thousand chosen men of Israel to seek David in the wilderness of Ziph. 3 And Saul encamped on the hill of Hachilah, which is beside the road on the east of Jeshimon. But David remained in the wilderness. When he saw that Saul came after him into the wilderness, 4 David sent out spies and learned that Saul had indeed come.
Once again the people from Ziph came to Saul and reported to him that David and his men were hiding on the hill of Hachilah. The last time they reported seeing David there Saul did not take their observation as a credible sighting, so he did not pursue him at that time (see 1 Samuel 23:19-24). But this time he did, Saul went to the wilderness of Ziph with three thousand chosen men. They encamped on the hill of Hachilah next to the road, while David and his men were in the wilderness. David sent some of his men to spy on the encampment and determined that Saul was there too.
26:5 Then David rose and came to the place where Saul had encamped. And David saw the place where Saul lay, with Abner the son of Ner, the commander of his army. Saul was lying within the encampment, while the army was encamped around him.
David then came himself to Saul’s camp and saw where Saul was sleeping, who was near Abner, the commander of Saul’s army, and the men of the army were camped all around them.
26:6 Then David said to Ahimelech the Hittite (there are several individuals in the Bible with this name, this is the only reference to this man), and to Joab’s brother Abishai the son of Zeruiah, “Who will go down with me into the camp to Saul?” And Abishai said, “I will go down with you.” 7 So David and Abishai went to the army by night. And there lay Saul sleeping within the encampment, with his spear stuck in the ground at his head, and Abner and the army lay around him.
David returned to his men and asked Ahimelech (a Hittite), and Abishai if one of them would go back with him to Saul’s camp (similar to Gideon in Judges 7:9-11, and Jonathan in 1 Samuel 14:1), Abishai volunteered. So the two went to Saul’s camp by cover of night and noticed where Saul was sleeping and that Saul’s spear was stuck in the ground next to his head.
26:8 Then Abishai said to David, “God has given your enemy into your hand this day. Now please let me pin him to the earth with one stroke of the spear, and I will not strike him twice.” 9 But David said to Abishai, “Do not destroy him, for who can put out his hand against the LORD’s anointed and be guiltless?” 10 And David said, “As the LORD lives, the LORD will strike him, or his day will come to die, or he will go down into battle and perish. 11 The LORD forbid that I should put out my hand against the LORD’s anointed. But take now the spear that is at his head and the jar of water, and let us go.” 12 So David took the spear and the jar of water from Saul’s head, and they went away. No man saw it or knew it, nor did any awake, for they were all asleep, because a deep sleep from the LORD had fallen upon them.
Abishai tells David that God has given his enemy into his hand that day and asks David to allow him to “pin him to the earth,” killing him with one stroke of the spear. David tells him not to kill Saul, and notes, “For who can remain innocent after attacking the LORD’s anointed one?” (1 Samuel 26:9b, NLT) Then David explains that YHWH will decide when and where Saul dies, that he may die of old age, or perhaps die in battle (as vengeance is God’s business alone). But for now, David proclaims, YHWH forbid, he will not attack YHWH’s anointed, instead he tells Abishai to take Saul’s spear and the jar of water that was next to his head and leave. No one saw or heard them come or go, due to a deep sleep provided by YHWH.
26:13 Then David went over to the other side and stood far off on the top of the hill, with a great space between them. 14 And David called to the army, and to Abner the son of Ner, saying, “Will you not answer, Abner?” Then Abner answered, “Who are you who calls to the king?” 15 And David said to Abner, “Are you not a man? Who is like you in Israel? Why then have you not kept watch over your lord the king? For one of the people came in to destroy the king your lord. 16 This thing that you have done is not good. As the LORD lives, you deserve to die, because you have not kept watch over your lord, the LORD’s anointed. And now see where the king’s spear is and the jar of water that was at his head.”
Now outside Saul’s camp with “a great space between them,” David calls out to the army and Abner, who he begins to taunt by asking, “Is there anyone in Israel like him, is there anyone as mighty? So then, why didn’t he guard Saul when someone came to kill him?” David continues, “This isn’t good at all! I swear by the LORD that you and your men deserve to die, because you failed to protect your master, the LORD’s anointed! Look around! Where are the king’s spear and the jug of water that were beside his head?” (1 Samuel 26:16, NLT)
26:17 Saul recognized David’s voice and said, “Is this your voice, my son David?” And David said, “It is my voice, my lord, O king.” 18 And he said, “Why does my lord pursue after his servant? For what have I done? What evil is on my hands? 19 Now therefore let my lord the king hear the words of his servant. If it is the LORD who has stirred you up against me, may he accept an offering, but if it is men, may they be cursed before the LORD, for they have driven me out this day that I should have no share in the heritage of the LORD, saying, ‘Go, serve other gods.’ 20 Now therefore, let not my blood fall to the earth away from the presence of the LORD, for the king of Israel has come out to seek a single flea like one who hunts a partridge in the mountains.”
Recognizing David’s voice, Saul asks if that is his sin David, and David acknowledges that it is indeed him, and then asks why is he pursuing him. David then offers two scenarios: 1) If it is YHWH that has stirred him to pursue David, then he will offer a sacrifice to restore the broken relationship (he understood God’s promise to him and knew that God did not want hum dead); and 2) But if the stirring to pursue David is from men, then they are to be cursed before YHWH for they have banished him to live in places away from YHWH’s people, telling him to worship pagan gods. Must he die in foreign lands? David is expressing that he is feeling the pressure to violate what Gad the prophet told him in 1 Samuel 22:5 to do when he was in Moab, that he return to Judah. But he is being forced to leave again.
David then asks, why is the king of Israel out chasing a flea? (see also 1 Samuel 24:15) Why is he being hunted like a partridge in the mountains?
26:21 Then Saul said, “I have sinned. Return, my son David, for I will no more do you harm, because my life was precious in your eyes this day. Behold, I have acted foolishly, and have made a great mistake.”
Saul confesses he sinned, he acknowledges David’s assessment and accusation, and agrees not to harm David. Undoubtedly he could see that his spear and water jug were missing and that his life was indeed spared, Saul proclaims that since his life was precious in David’s eyes that day, he had acted foolishly and made a great mistake.
26:22 And David answered and said, “Here is the spear, O king! Let one of the young men come over and take it. 23 The LORD rewards every man for his righteousness and his faithfulness, for the LORD gave you into my hand today, and I would not put out my hand against the LORD’s anointed. 24 Behold, as your life was precious this day in my sight, so may my life be precious in the sight of the LORD, and may he deliver me out of all tribulation.”
David offers Saul his spear back, and then notes that YHWH rewards His people for doing good and being faithful, even though YHWH gave him an opportunity to be victorious, he was unwilling to proceed against YHWH’s anointed. So he asked Saul, just as he considered Saul’s life as being precious in his sight, would he extend that same recognition to David, and deliver him from all his troubles.
26:25 Then Saul said to David, “Blessed be you, my son David! You will do many things and will succeed in them.” So David went his way, and Saul returned to his place.
Saul agrees, and tells David that he will live on to do many things, and will succeed in all that he does. They then departed, David went in some unknown direction, while Saul and his men returned home.