Category: king

David Hood & His Merry Men

“Now they told David, “Behold, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah and are robbing the threshing floors.” 2 Therefore David inquired of the Lord, “Shall I go and attack these Philistines?” And the Lord said to David, “Go and attack the Philistines and save Keilah.” 3 But David’s men said to him, “Behold, we are afraid here in Judah; how much more than if we go to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines?”  

4 Then David inquired of the Lord again. And the Lord answered him, “Arise, go down to Keilah, for I will give the Philistines into your hand.” 5 And David and his men went to Keilah and fought with the Philistines and brought away their livestock and struck them with a great blow. So, David saved the inhabitants of Keilah.” 

1 Samuel 23: 1-5

 (BTW, Keilah is pronounced “kee-EYE-luh.”)  

David can’t shake off the desperation of the Keilahites. Their plight becomes a passionate purpose for David. He hears of the need, and understands the injustice of these Philistine raiders. He knows deep down that they must be stopped.

Spiritual “wealth” is found here in this passage. Gold nuggets, and flawless diamonds for the taking. Let’s get started. 

But here’s a few things that might be helpful. 

  • It seems that David is quite approachable. He listens to the guidance of his men. He listens and then responds. David never diminishes their concerns, they’re depending upon him.
  • David seeks the guidance and will of the Lord twice because of their caution. 
  • David is going to do what King Saúl was supposed to do; to protect and defend the city of Keilah. It seems Saul had abdicated his call as king in his desperate pursuit of David. 
  • There seems to be a real risk involved. This was not a summer stroll. 
  • David knows in his heart what he has to do. Since Saul didn’t come to defend Keilah, he must do what is needed. 
  • God does not chide David for asking twice. There seems that there were several men in the Old Testament that required another ‘conversation’ with God. 

Can we do what is right when the situation demands it? Sometimes we see a need that others have neglected to meet. Can we step into what is needed at that moment?

What if the “detours” and the interruptions are really the path we were meant to take?  

These are good questions to ask ourselves.  Our compassion should not be rigid. I remember a time when the Lord asked me to be interruptible. That is, to set aside what I thought was essential, to take up something that made little sense, but did matter to the one asking. 

When I learned to be interrupted, it ended up giving me a blessing that came out of nowhere. Hitting the pause button is rarely a mistake if you believe the Holy Spirit is leading you. 

War Crime

“Why did you give him food and a sword? Why have you consulted God for him?

Why have you encouraged him to kill me, as he is trying to do this very day?” 

14 “But sir,” Ahimelech replied, “is anyone among all your servants as faithful as David, your son-in-law? Why he is the captain of your bodyguard and a highly honored member of your household! 15 This was certainly not the first time I had consulted God for him! May the king not accuse me and my family in this matter, for I knew nothing at all of any plot against you.” 

16 “You will surely die, Ahimelech, along with your entire family!” the king shouted. 17 And he ordered his bodyguards, “Kill these priests of the Lord, for they are allies and conspirators with David! They knew he was running away from me, but they didn’t tell me!” But Saul’s men refused to kill the Lord’s priests. 

18 Then the king said to Doeg, “You do it.” So, Doeg the Edomite turned on them and killed them that day, eighty-five priests in all, still wearing their priestly garments. 19 Then he went to Nob, the town of the priests, and killed the priests’ families—men and women, children and babies—and all the cattle, donkeys, sheep, and goats. 

20 Only Abiathar, one of the sons of Ahimelech, escaped and fled to David. 21 When he told David that Saul had killed the priests of the Lord, 22 David exclaimed, “I knew it! When I saw Doeg the Edomite there that day, I knew he was sure to tell Saul. Now I have caused the death of all your father’s family. 23 Stay here with me, and don’t be afraid. I will protect you with my own life, for the same person wants to kill us both.” 

1 Samuel 22:12-23, NLT 

The deeply paranoid king is desperate; he must capture David. Saul needs information and intelligence; at times like this he must rely on his network of spies. Most leaders depend on that. Especially bad ones. 

King Saul is trying hard to find David.

Saul’s consumed. He’s insane. When at last he gets a lead, he takes his army to the priestly city of Nob. Doeg the Edomite gives Saul the tip, he had seen David there, consulting with the Lord, and taking bread and a sword from Abimelech, the high priest. 

Simply based on Doeg’s singular witness, Saul will order the deaths of 85 priests and the entire town of Nob, a city populated with the Levitical priesthood and their families. When Saul orders the murder, his own men refused to carry it out. They simply refused, and so he must rely on the Edomite, Doeg. 

This passage is terrible and reveals all of Saul’s depraved brutality. 

One by one, systematically Doeg murders each priest. The bodies keep stacking up. It’s a massacre. Doeg now begins to slaughter their families. And then to all the livestock, until the entire town is one bloody graveyard. 

I admit I don’t understand exactly why? 

But there is one priest who escapes. Just one man and he flees to David and carries the horrific news of the wholesale slaughter of Nob. Saul and Doeg have completely decimated the city to punish them for aiding David. 

And David remembers seeing Doeg there. He also has a moment of truth as he understands his own guilt in this massacre. I suspect he now understands Saul’s cruelty, and David learns a lesson he will never ever forget. 

“This is one of the worst acts in the life of Saul; his malice was implacable, and his wrath was cruel, and there is no motive of justice or policy by which such a barbarous act can be justified.”  

EnduringWord.com

“Until I know what God is going to do for me.”

“Later David went to Mizpeh in Moab, where he asked the king, “Please allow my father and mother to live here with you until I know what God is going to do for me.” 

4 So David’s parents stayed in Moab with the king during the entire time David was living in his stronghold.”5 “One day the prophet Gad told David, “Leave the stronghold and return to the land of Judah.” So David went to the forest of Hereth.” 

6 “The news of his arrival in Judah soon reached Saul. At the time, the king was sitting beneath the tamarisk tree on the hill at Gibeah, holding his spear and surrounded by his officers.”

 1 Samuel 22:3-6 

David and 400 (“the 3D men”) are together in the Cave of Abdullam waiting for what, I do not know. I suspect they didn’t know either. For any of us who are in a “holding .pattern,” David’s stay can be understood. But God hasn’t forsaken you, not a bit. Waiting on God is never easy. Every disciple goes through this. 

David takes up this time to care for his parents. You see they followed David out into the wilderness. I’m pretty sure that were prime candidates for blackmailing David. They could be easily taken as hostages by Saul, to manipulate David who is hiding. 

Now there is a reason that they went to Moab. David’s great-grandmother Ruth was a Moabite (Ruth 4:18-22, 1:4). That would mean that one of his parents could claim that Ruth was a grandma to one of them. It’s said that “blood is thicker than water.” That proverb has a powerful theological meaning. 

As David arranges for their safety with the king of Moab, he makes a curious statement, “until I know what God is going to do for me.” That phrase encapsulates David’s heart and mind. David doesn’t know how or why; he has no idea what is going to happen next. 

In his heart he’s taking it one step at a time, and he really doesn’t know what the next step is going to be. He’s walking by faith, not by sight. And you know that is how God works out His will. We don’t always understand, but we do obey. 

Gad the prophet steps up and speaks the word of God to David. He must return to Judah. That is probably not what David wanted to hear; after all, it’s moving toward danger. King Saul rules Judah, and David must be thinking that he would be moving into peril. 

King Saul hears of this and he’s waiting for David.

The safest place to be is in the center of God’s will. Perhaps it’s here that David pens this verse. David is learning that the Cave of Adullam is not a safe place, he must understand his real safety is in the Rock of God. 

 “The  Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my savior; 
    my God is my rock, in whom I find protection. 
He is my shield, the power that saves me, 
    and my place of safety.” 

Psalm 91:2

 

The Cave of Adullam

“David therefore departed from there and escaped to the cave of Adullam. So when his brothers and all his father’s house heard it, they went down there to him. 2 And everyone who was in distress, everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was discontented gathered to him. So he became captain over them. And there were about four hundred men with him.” 

1 Samuel 22:1-2, NKJV. (Background: Psalm 57 and Psalms 142.) 

The cave of Abdullam is now a national park in Israel. It’s part of a system of caves, but this is the biggest and most well-known. Thousands visit it every year; it’s on the list that tourists want to visit. 

Our passage today tells us that immediately after the “insane” David skedaddled from Gath, he travelled to this cave. I suspect that Saul had spied everywhere, so the king had a general idea where David was. But the cave of Adullam was very close to the Philistine border. 

A state of war between Israel and Philistia existed, and king Saul could not risk any appearance of violating that without causing an incident. Perhaps Saul was somewhat content that David was isolated in a “hole in the ground,” and everyone would simply forget him. 

But the was not the case. 

First, it was family, then others came. I suspect David’s brothers may have realized that they now were on Saul’s “list.” 

The others had other reasons. Most knew of David’s prowess as a warband leader; some may have served with him. They may have known of his anointing by the prophet to be the next king. 

Now these I call the “three Ds.” The distressed, the debtors, the discontented, sought out David. Our text tells us there was 400 men (plus their families). If David thought, he was hidden and alone he was mistaken. 

Logistically, I’m not sure how that works out. Where did their support come from? And again, what was Saul thinking? 

I suspect that some of these would develop and become the “mighty men” of David, and they would become some of his generals that David would rely on when he became king. 

Verse 3 tell us that “he became captain over them.” They submitted to David and meshed themselves into whatever destiny may come.

“Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me!
For my soul trusts in You;
And in the shadow of Your wings I will make my refuge,
Until these calamities have passed by.“

Psalm 57:1, from a song written by David while in the cave of Adullum.

David Pretends Madness

10 And David rose and fled that day from Saul and went to Achish the king of Gath. 11 And the servants of Achish said to him, “Is not this David the king of the land? Did they not sing to one another of him in dances, 

‘Saul has struck down his thousands, 
    and David his ten thousands’?” 

12 And David took these words to heart and was much afraid of Achish the king of Gath. 13 So he changed his behavior before them and pretended to be insane in their hands and made marks on the doors of the gate and let his spittle run down his beard. 14 Then Achish said to his servants, “Behold, you see the man is mad. Why then have you brought him to me? 15 Do I lack madmen, that you have brought this fellow to behave as a madman in my presence? Shall this fellow come into my house?” 

1 Samuel 21:10-15, ESV 

David is now carrying Goliath’s sword, given to him by Abimelech the high priest. That sword was special, for David used it to cut off the head of the renown Philistine champion. I’m sure that David’s memories flooded back to him as he held it.

David was now carrying that sword into Goliath’s hometown. That was foolish and dangerous. He seems to move from the crisis of Saul to the crisis of seeking refuge with the Philistines. The risk was great, and yet David told himself that he had “no choice.” 

Is David still “a man after God’s own heart?” 

Sometimes as believers, we do very foolish things. God has a path for us, and instead of seeking Him we turn to our own understanding. When I think through this account, I come to the realization that I seldom look to the Lord for His wise direction. 

“When people do not accept divine guidance, they run wild. But whoever obeys the law is joyful.” Proverb 29:18 

On his arrival in Gath, David hears the murmuring of the crowd. Interestingly, they call David “the king of the land.” They recognized this before Saul did. This is the first time David has heard that they have known him. That song comes up, and it seems again (like always) it just creates even more problems.

David thought he could find anonymity or sympathy from the Philistines. 

Our passage tells us that David is now “much afraid.” I think he realizes then he has made a very stupid decision by going to Gath, (carrying Goliath’s sword for all to see). His reputation has proceeded with him, and yet David has another plan.

He feigns insanity. I suspect that this was just a split-second decision, something rash and impulsive. He knew that acting insane was the only way to escape. He attacked the doors, scratching them. He foamed at the mouth with his saliva dripping down his beard. 

One look at David acting crazy we see that king Achish dismissed David and his antics as beneath his deliberation. He sees David as a madman, and apparently the king has had his fill of madmen. Some have said that the very presence of an insane person was an evil omen. And to kill them was forbidden. 

The question I have is this. Was David walking in the Spirit or in the flesh? Was David outside of God’s will while he was in Gath?

David would write Psalms 34 and 56 as a response to this event.  

The title of Psalm 34 reads: “A psalm of David, regarding the time he pretended to be insane in front of Abimelech, who sent him away.” 

The title of Psalm 56 reads: “A psalm of David, regarding the time the Philistines seized him in Gath.” 

Now these are beautiful psalms, and they describe David’s experience in the very heart of the Philistines’ stronghold. Things are getting strange, but David’s heart is still in God’s hand.

What happened here has given believers hope and guidance for centuries.

David Deceives the High Priest

7 Now a certain man of the servants of Saul was there that day, detained before the Lord. His name was Doeg the Edomite, the chief of Saul’s herdsmen.

Then David said to Ahimelech, “Then have you not here a spear or a sword at hand? For I have brought neither my sword nor my weapons with me, because the king’s business required haste.” 9 And the priest said, “The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom you struck down in the Valley of Elah, behold, it is here wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod. If you will take that, take it, for there is none but that here.” And David said, “There is none like that; give it to me.” 

1 Samuel 21:7-9, ESV 

Mark my words; Doeg the Edomite was an evil man. Evil men do very evil things. He is immortalized forever in the pages of 1 Samuel as terribly wicked. Doeg is not a Hebrew, and he is called a chief shepherd overseeing other shepherds, and he was in the service of King Saul. 

Was he a captive? Was he a traitor? And what about this phrase, “detained before the Lord?” I got curious so I looked up the word, “detained.” The Hebrew word is pretty broad and I didn’t get any real insight. It’s used 46x and has several meanings, but the general sense is “restrained, halted, or stopped.” Why? 

(If you want, you can jump ahead to 1 Sam. 22:19 to understand Doeg’s heart.) 

In vv. 7-8 the spotlight is turned back on David and Ahimelech. David continues the charade. His deception lies continue as he presses his need to the high priest of Israel. David takes the holy loaves of bread, but he wants more. He really needs a sword. 

Apparently, the sword that Goliath carried had been kept in Nob in safe keeping. For the priests it was special, maybe even holy. No matter, it was a memento of a glorious victory, but everything is different now. 

“It is painful to the last degree to see one whose faith towered to such a lofty height in the encounter with Goliath, coming down from that noble elevation, to find him resorting for self-protection to the lies and artifices of an impostor.” William Blaikie 

Did you catch that? An imposter. David had become a deceiver, a liar. What do we do with that ugly indictment? I guess I have more questions than answers. Just maybe, in the heat of the moment lying became permissible. 

Maybe David should of just leveled with the high priest. 

In Psalm 34 David wrote, “Does anyone want to live a life that is long and prosperous?  Then keep your tongue from speaking evil and your lips from telling lies!” 

Wow, David. Are you sure about that? To be honest, I don’t want to malign with David. After all he was fleeing for his very life. Undoubtably there was a price on his head, and the bounty hunters would be out in force. David was scared out of his wits. 

You might say he was just being resourceful, and he didn’t want to implicate anyone else in his escape. Saul and his army were hunting him, and maybe David thought that the priests would be beyond Saul’s reach. Maybe they would have. 

Except for Doeg, the Edomite. 

Writing Down The Early Psalms

As I dug around, I found this: it’s the order of the early Psalms. Basically, a chronological way of seeing when, and why he wrote a “song.” I found it quite interesting to see the backdrop or setting of each one. 

Please remember two words when you read the Psalms: 

  • Authentic observations 
  • Profound theology 

It’s a collection of songs, not in any real order. Interestingly David only wrote about ½ of them. Also, they are lyrics, we don’t have notes or melodies. Which is somewhat sad. I guess we’ll hear them when we go to heaven. 

The psalms cover over the span of 1000 years. Psalm 90 was written as the earliest; Moses was the author in 1407 BC. The latest was written anonymously in the mid-400s BC. Thus, the book of Psalms was written over the span of about 1,000 years. 

New Testament leaders, including Jesus quotes the Psalms frequently. Some of these were directly connected. For example, the work of Jesus is directly revealed in Psalm 22. Many others are linked to specific verses. It’s all is pretty fascinating. 

Here’s some interesting trivia: 

  1. Psalm 119 is the longest chapter in the Bible, containing 176 verses. 
  1. Psalm 117 is the shortest chapter, containing only two verses. So, the Psalms contain both the longest and shortest chapters in the Bible. 
  1. Psalm 117 is also the middle chapter of the whole Bible out of a total of 1,189 chapters. 
  1. Psalm 118:8 is the absolute center of the Bible. It states, “It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man.” What a great verse for our day and age.1 
  1. Did you know that there are duplicate Psalms? A lot of people don’t realize that. Psalms 14 and 53 are word-for-word identical descriptions of fallen mankind. And there is a reason why those duplications are needed in each of the books one and two. They are structurally important for understanding those books. Likewise, all of Psalm 108 is included as part of Psalm 60, and all of Psalm 70 is included as part of Psalm 40. 

When and where: 

The entire list can be found at https://biblehub.com/timeline/psalms/34.htm 

Also, https://dailypax.com/p-is-for-psalms/ 

See also, https://biblicalblueprints.com/Sermons/BibleSurvey/16%20psalms 

Jonathan’s Secret Message

In verses 36-39 a young boy was chasing down arrows. The plan was one both David and Jonathan understood. If the arrows fell short, it meant David could return safely and securely to the court of Saul. But if the arrows went long, David had better run. 

“Only Jonathan and David knew the matter. 40 And Jonathan gave his weapons to his boy and said to him, “Go and carry them to the city.” 41 And as soon as the boy had gone, David rose from beside the stone heap and fell on his face to the ground and bowed three times. And they kissed one another and wept with one another, David weeping the most. 42 Then Jonathan said to David, “Go in peace, because we have sworn both of us in the name of the Lord, saying, ‘The Lord shall be between me and you, and between my offspring and your offspring, forever.’” And he rose and departed, and Jonathan went into the city.” 

1 Samuel 20:39-42, ESV

As I read these last few chapters, I’m amazed by David’s desire for reconciliation with the king. He desperately wants peace; David wants restoration, but the “ball” is in Saul’s court now. Now, I guess that I wouldn’t be as patient as David. But that only emphasizes the wonderful character of David. 

I also sense that David wanted to avoid the wilderness. He never wanted to go there, maybe the wilderness was a place of “death.” Maybe not a physical one, but a death to everything David knew. It would be a hard place: thirsting, scavenging, and hiding. A difficult place to survive. 

There is one last time that David and Jonathan will meet. I think it was something bittersweet, and each reassured their covenant to each other. There must’ve been much pain. Neither wanted this, of all things to happen. Sometimes we’ll be put in a similar situation. It’s always difficult. 

Jonathan, knowing that David has been anointed the next king of Israel, submits his heart to what the Lord God has decided though the prophet Samuel. He accepts this and refuses to take the route of Saul, rather Jonathan appeals to David as the future king. 

The request is a bit bold maybe, but Jonathan asks that David would honor this, “between my offspring and your offspring, forever.’” Jonathan is asking David to refuse revenge and not try to get even with the house of Saul. Now David could have made an end to Saul’s progeny; that could mean stability for him, and for Israel. 

It’s then that must say goodbye, each goes on their very separate paths. This is the very last time they were together, but I doubt they would never forget their covenant. 

Jonathan Has a Plan

Jonathan’s commitment to David is being tested, and yet his covenant to David is rock solid. With this quite sure he advances a plan. It will reveal Saul’s thinking. The plan is simple, but effective. Everything hinges on king Saul’s attitude and approach concerning David.  

“Then Jonathan told David, “I promise by the Lord, the God of Israel, that by this time tomorrow, or the next day at the latest, I will talk to my father and let you know at once how he feels about you. If he speaks favorably about you, I will let you know. 13 But if he is angry and wants you killed, may the Lord strike me and even kill me if I don’t warn you so you can escape and live.” “May the Lord be with you as he used to be with my father.” 

1 Samuel 20:12-13

“May the Lord be with you as He used to be with my father.”

The foundation of this is that of covenant. Jonathan is “locked” into providing David’s next step—will it be restoration, or will it turn him into a fugitive? It amazes me that David is still holding on to hope. But remember that Saul’s hostility had already turned into attempted murder Twice he tried to kill David by throwing spears at David. 

Saul had even ordered his men to snuff out David. (1 Sam. 19:1-2.) 

“Saul now urged his servants and his son Jonathan to assassinate David. But Jonathan, because of his strong affection for David, told him what his father was planning.” 

Perhaps this was a temporary phase, and just maybe it was just a short-term moment of passion. Despite Saul’s past anger, David remained loyal and true to his king. If it were me, I would have already left. I’m struck by David’s heart. And perhaps he’s aware of the challenges of the wilderness. 

Jonathan’s plan is perfect, though. 

It’s up to him to discern his father’s heart. Jonathan will “drop” David’s name, and watch Saul’s reaction. If it’s positive, David will stay. If it’s anger, then David will flee. Here, in this passage we see that all is contingent on this. It is quite simple actually. 

It’s also a concern of David that Jonathan returns quickly. David needs to know this promptly. Minutes matter, and he knows it’s a matter of time before he’s discovered by Saul’s men.  

“There are “friends” who destroy each other, but a real friend sticks closer than a brother.” 

Proverbs 18:24 

God has knitted these two together, and a covenant was made. That makes all the difference. Having this is a rarity; we seldom experience this today. That is a shame. How different our lives would be if such covenants could be made. A lot of pain might be elevated. 

Jonathan understands that the Lord is no longer a real part of Saul’s life. A shift has been made. Jonathan acknowledges this and understands enough to speak it to David. I think that this would be difficult to put into words, but it is real and David now carries God’s presence and anointing.  

Jonathan accepts this and understands. 

Jonathan’s actions showed his commitment to David, even when it meant putting David’s needs before his own family’s interests.

Influenced but Without Surrender

In an odd scene in the life of King Saul is recorded in 1 Samuel 19:18–24, where Saul, enraged, sends soldiers to capture David. Three groups are overpowered by the Holy Spirit, and each group begins prophesying instead of arresting David. Finally, a frustrated Saul himself goes to Ramah, and there he too is overcome by the Spirit: 

“He tore off his clothes and lay naked on the ground all day and all night, prophesying in the presence of Samuel. The people who were watching exclaimed, “What? Is even Saul a prophet?” 

1 Samuel 19:18-24 

“Influence Without Surrender” is one of the better ways to explain this strange passage. Even after several readings, this seems to be the best interpretation. Saul (and three groups of soldiers) come under “the influence” of the Holy Spirit and are prevented from capturing David. 

God proactively intervenes in the life of His anointed one. 

David must have been in shock. God defends him in an astonishing way, but in a manner that amazed the onlookers. And David was learning what God was really like. When the Lord goes to battle, anything can happen. In His powerful sovereignty, God decides the weapons He will use. In Saul’s case, the prophetic works perfectly. 

Troop after troop is floored by the presence of a mighty God. Finally, Saul decides to intervene. Why isn’t David in custody? Saul intends to find out; when he steps into the prophet’s presence. When this happens, Saul falls under the very presence of God and encounters the Lord. 

And really, we must understand that Saul comes under the influence of God but refuses to surrender. Isn’t this the epitome of his life? He may understand, but Saul refuses to surrender and to yield and submit to the Lord God. 

That’s what God does to His rebellious and disobedient children. 

For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, He hath also rejected thee from being king.

1 Samuel 15:23

Saul does this every time.

Please understand. God “is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9.) 

Climbing Out the Window

Engraving by Gustave Doré (1886)

11 Then Saul sent troops to watch David’s house. They were told to kill David when he came out the next morning. But Michal, David’s wife, warned him, “If you don’t escape tonight, you will be dead by morning.” 12 So she helped him climb out through a window, and he fled and escaped. 13 Then she took an idol[b] and put it in his bed, covered it with blankets, and put a cushion of goat’s hair at its head. 

14 When the troops came to arrest David, she told them he was sick and couldn’t get out of bed. 

15 But Saul sent the troops back to get David. He ordered, “Bring him to me in his bed so I can kill him!” 16 But when they came to carry David out, they discovered that it was only an idol in the bed with a cushion of goat’s hair at its head. 

17 “Why have you betrayed me like this and let my enemy escape?” Saul demanded of Michal. 

“I had to,” Michal replied. “He threatened to kill me if I didn’t help him.” 

1 Samuel 19:11-17 

Let’s consider the resourcefulness of Michal: 

Much of this passage deals with Michel, David’s first wife. She is clever, showing ingenuity in helping David escape. An explanation– When Saul realized that the Lord was with David and how much his daughter Michal loved him, 29 Saul became even more afraid of him, and he remained David’s enemy for the rest of his life. (18:28-29.) 

Her actions enabled David to escape. First, she warned him. Second, she gave him directions to leave their bed chamber. Third, put a facsimile of David in their bed to buy him more time to escape. They both knew that Saul’s troops were coming. 

Notice Saul’s distorted thinking; he considered her actions as a “betrayal.” He knew that David escaped due to her actions to gain David some time, 

Saul interrogated her himself; he strongly asserted that she helped David escape. She lied to protect herself–” “He threatened to kill me if I didn’t help him.” (v. 17.) Now this wasn’t true, but her own life was at stake. Whether or not the lie was necessary, it created enough latitude for her to escape any punishment. 

Her crafty wisdom would give David a chance to escape. 

One thing struck me reading the text. These troops were most likely man who had served under the direction of David against the Philistines. There is something false about them, a betrayal of what they knew as false orders to apprehend and to kill David. 

David would face these men again. Saul’s hatred and his attempted murder of David had just begun.  

Evil Carries a Spear

“And there was war again. And David went out and fought with the Philistines and struck them with a great blow, so that they fled before him. 9 Then a harmful spirit from the Lord came upon Saul, as he sat in his house with his spear in his hand. And David was playing the lyre. 10 And Saul sought to pin David to the wall with the spear, but he eluded Saul, so that he struck the spear into the wall. And David fled and escaped that night.” 

1 Samuel 19:8-10, NLT 

There are things in this passage that I don’t fully understand. I will try to share what little I do know. Let’s have a go at it. 

If I could, I would get out my X-Acto Knife and carefully cut out verse 9, I would do it. The very idea that the Lord would send “a harmful spirit” to come to Saul is hard to grasp. Perhaps we need to recognize that after his sin, sparing Agag in 1 Sam. 15:20, nothing good is ever spoken of Saul in scripture. 

Sin develops over time. Nothing is a mere trifle or insignificant. 

Saul’s sin metastasizes, and any real repentance becomes impossible. This is sobering. And scary. It’s no wonder we’re warned repeatedly to renounce our sin. At this point Saul comes under the direct influence of evil powers. His continued disobedience becomes his very character. 

Saul sits with his spear in hand, and David, his arch enemy, stands before Saul playing the harp. Instead of being comforted, he becomes murderous. It seems he cannot control himself. And with that spear Saul throws it at David, and Saul intends to “pin David to the wall.” 

Somehow David eludes it, and escapes into the night. 

Some of this seems logical and understandable. The “good” escapes; but the evil in the heart of Saul remains. From this point on, Saul is basically “unreachable.” He becomes full of darkness. 

And without God’s Holy Spirit convicting and leading us through our own sin, we too will destroy ourselves. The lesson of Saul’s repeated rebellion should terrify the believer who wants to follow Jesus. Let’s not trifle with sin; if not dealt with will also destroy us. 

“One great power of sin is that it blinds men so that they do not recognize its true character.” 

 Andrew Murray 

Jonathan Understands

“And Saul spoke to Jonathan his son and to all his servants, that they should kill David. But Jonathan, Saul’s son, delighted much in David. 2 And Jonathan told David, “Saul my father seeks to kill you. Therefore be on your guard in the morning. Stay in a secret place and hide yourself. 3 And I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where you are, and I will speak to my father about you. And if I learn anything I will tell you.”  

4 “And Jonathan spoke well of David to Saul his father and said to him, “Let not the king sin against his servant David, because he has not sinned against you, and because his deeds have brought good to you. 5 For he took his life in his hand and he struck down the Philistine, and the Lord worked a great salvation for all Israel. You saw it, and rejoiced. Why then will you sin against innocent blood by killing David without cause?” 6 And Saul listened to the voice of Jonathan. Saul swore, “As the Lord lives, he shall not be put to death.”  

7 “And Jonathan called David, and Jonathan reported to him all these things. And Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence as before.” 

1 Samuel 19:1-7 

What a strange sequence of events, but stranger things have happened and will happen to David (the future king of Israel). 

Saul finally takes his rage out into the open. He wants David to be executed, but he never offers any justification for his anger or decision. All he wants is David’s head. No explanation is given. David is regarded as a traitor, but to whom? 

Saul requires his court to take action. The king wants David dead. This proclamation has never happened before—the king of Israel demanding the death of another Israelite. This is the deep power of wickedness coming from a twisted heart. This can only come from something quite satanic. 

Jonathan, at this critical point, understands the strong power of covenant. He has vowed to defend David, no matter what the cost is. He will be true forever. So Jonathan determines to defend his “brother.” 

Jonathan has now become a spy. He listens closely and then passes to David about what has heard. He will defend him no matter the cost. Jonathan understands that the very life of David is in his hands. 

Jonathan reminds king Saul of the heroics of David on behalf of the nation of Israel. He speaks truth into untruth. Saul listens and is persuaded that his decrees are wrong. He backs off and vows to treat David favorably. 

Saul swears that David should not be touched (executed). That will be temporary as we can see. It seems that Saul’s wrath is simmering below the surface. His repentance is only for show, at least for this moment. Oh, the depth of an angry unforgiveness. 

Because of Jonathan’s intercession, David is forgiven temporarily, and he is restored to his place in court. Perhaps David’s past triumphs are the key to his present survival, at least for the moment.  

There are many lessons to be drawn from this passage. I hesitate to list them as I believe that the Holy Spirit will show you what is necessary.

Saul Really Hates David

“Saul gave him his daughter Michal for a wife. 28 But when Saul saw and knew that the Lord was with David, and that Michal, Saul’s daughter, loved him, 29 Saul was even more afraid of David. So Saul was David’s enemy continually.” 

30 “Then the commanders of the Philistines came out to battle, and as often as they came out David had more success than all the servants of Saul, so that his name was highly esteemed.” 

1 Samuel 18:28-30 

David was fighting two battles at once. He had to face King Saul’s hostility, and the ongoing war with the Philistine’s army. I suppose that it was a tremendous drain. After the battle he came home and found nothing but jealousy and anger. 

Saul was very afraid of David. 

Fear like this turned into deep seated malevolence and hatred. Despite his tremendous success he, upon returning home, found zero recognition. To many he was a hero, but to Saul he was despised and detested. And again, Saul was deeply afraid of David. 

Fear accomplishes nothing. Fear only destroys. 

Saul was in a spiritual downward spiral. It was just a matter of time before the end. King Saul had become evil. God’s Spirit had left him, and he was nothing more than a shell, vacant and empty of anything good. Perhaps David was grieved to see the king turn into something unrecognizable and dark. 

David had been anointed as the next king. 

“Then Samuel took a flask of oil and poured it on his head and kissed him and said, “Has not the Lord anointed you to be prince over his people Israel? And you shall reign over the people of the Lord and you will save them from the hand of their surrounding enemies. And this shall be the sign to you that the Lord has anointed you to be prince over his heritage.” 

(1 Samuel 10:1, ESV.) 

The prophet’s word had been spoken. There would be resistance and hostility which seemed to contradict this prophecy. David would soon discover the enemies battle against what God had declared. (But what choice did he have?) 

God’s declaration of David’s anointing didn’t matter to Saul. He would continue the path he had chosen. David would continue to find success against the Philistines.

“David behaved more wisely than all the servants of Saul, so that his name became highly esteemed: Saul’s plan has completely backfired. David is not only alive but also more popular and closer to the LORD than ever. Saul isn’t finished and will use more manipulation, cunning, and outright violence to attack David.” 

David Guzik 

100 Foreskins

24 When Saul’s men reported this back to the king, 25 he told them, “Tell David that all I want for the bride price is 100 Philistine foreskins! Vengeance on my enemies is all I really want.” But what Saul had in mind was that David would be killed in the fight. 

26 David was delighted to accept the offer. Before the time limit expired, 27 he and his men went out and killed 200 Philistines. Then David fulfilled the king’s requirement by presenting all their foreskins to him. So Saul gave his daughter Michal to David to be his wife. 

28 When Saul realized that the Lord was with David and how much his daughter Michal loved him, 29 Saul became even more afraid of him, and he remained David’s enemy for the rest of his life. 30 Every time the commanders of the Philistines attacked, David was more successful against them than all the rest of Saul’s officers. So David’s name became very famous. 

1 Samuel 18:24-30, NLT 

A snare had been set. King Saul wanted David dead. A trap would destroy him; Saul had the bait, and he also knew that nothing could be traced back to him. David had become very popular, and so Saul had to be very careful. 

Saul had a plan, and yet it seemed it was a good one. 

David was called upon to do what seemed impossible. Saul declared that David was to bring him back 100 “foreskins” taken from the dead Philistines. Now the Philistines had been a terrible problem for the people of Israel. They had been attacking and destroying without any restraint. 

Saul surmised that whether to win or lose, that the David problem would be resolved. If anything, David would be tarnished in the minds of the Philistines. Perhaps a bounty would be placed on David’s head. He would become a “target” and be especially hated. Perhaps this is true? 

But David would ultimately prevail. 

David exceeded and even doubled Saul’s wishes. Instead of just meeting, he doubled what Saul had required. Returning from the battle, he carried 200 of the foreskins back to the king. He returned with not just the minimum but surpassed it. 

Ah yes, the matter of the foreskins. First, we must understand how the Philistines had attacked and harmed Israel. They continued to advance and Israel hadn’t really responded to their continual harassment. Saul understood that many had died and he had no answer to their constant attacks. 

Second, David was a man of his times. Things were brutal and the very survival of Israel demanded a response. Yes, David needed to respond with force. The Philistines needed to know that Israel could return fire with fire. David did this. 

Third, these were dead men. David collected these foreskins from the dead his men had already killed. He didn’t seize the enemy and forced them to endure “surrender” their penises at “gunpoint.” David collected these foreskins from the Philistines that were already dead. 

Now granted this wasn’t perfect or New Testament theology, and yet it was the need of the moment.