Saul’s tears

Saul, hearing David’s defense, was greatly moved. He raised his voice and wept. (1) Saul admitted that David was in the right and that he himself had treated David badly. (2) Furthermore, Saul acknowledged that David not killing him was a proof that David had no rebellious intentions. (3) And he prayed that as a reward for his good deeds, God would bless David.

Saul’s conviction

Next, astonishing words came from Saul’s mouth. (1) He finally acknowledged that David was the next king of Israel, as Samuel had prophesied. (2) Moreover, Saul pleaded with David that when he became king, he would not destroy his descendants. It was common in the Middle East for the new dynasty to eliminate the family of the previous dynasty. Knowing this, Saul made David swear not to let his descendants perish. (3) David accepted this. For David, this was essentially what he had already agreed to in the covenant with Jonathan (1 Sam. 20:14-15). Jonathan had known early on that David would become the next king of Israel. It was at this point that Saul finally realized it. (4) However, Saul’s return to sanity and his softening of heart to confess his sins were only temporary. Knowing this, David did not join Saul but went up to the stronghold instead. Concerning the “stronghold,” there are theories that this could be the wilderness stronghold of Engedi or the fortress of Masada, but the exact location is not certain. Saul’s confession differs from what is typically known as “repentance of sin.” Often, even if one acknowledges their sins and sheds tears, it does not necessarily lead to true repentance. Saul in this passage is a prime example of this. The hatred in his heart temporarily subsided, but when it reawakened, it flared up even more intensely than before. This aligns with what Paul said in Galatians 6:15, “For neither is circumcision anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation.”