1 Samuel 26:1-12
1 Then the Ziphites came to Saul at Gibeah, saying, “Is David not keeping himself hidden on the hill of Hachilah, which is opposite Jeshimon?”
2 So Saul set out and went down to the wilderness of Ziph, taking with him three thousand chosen men of Israel, to search for David in the wilderness of Ziph.
3 And Saul camped on the hill of Hachilah, which is opposite Jeshimon, beside the road, and David was staying in the wilderness. When he saw that Saul had come after him into the wilderness,
4 David sent out spies, and he learned that Saul was definitely coming.
5 David then set out and came to the place where Saul had camped. And David saw the place where Saul lay, and Abner the son of Ner, the commander of his army; and Saul was lying in the circle of the camp, and the people were camped around him.
6 Then David said to Ahimelech the Hittite and to Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab’s brother, saying, “Who will go down with me to Saul in the camp?” And Abishai said, “I will go down with you.”
7 So David and Abishai came to the people by night, and behold, Saul lay sleeping inside the circle of the camp with his spear stuck in the ground at his head; and Abner and the people were lying around him.
8 Then Abishai said to David, “Today God has handed your enemy over to you; now then, please let me pin him with the spear to the ground with one thrust, and I will not do it to him a second time.”
9 But David said to Abishai, “Do not kill him, for who can reach out with his hand against the Lord’s anointed and remain innocent?”
10 David also said, “As the Lord lives, the Lord certainly will strike him, or his day will come that he dies, or he will go down in battle and perish.
11 The Lord forbid that I would reach out with my hand against the Lord’s anointed! But now please take the spear that is at his head and the jug of water, and let’s go.”
12 So David took the spear and the jug of water that were at Saul’s head, and they left; and no one saw or knew about it, nor did anyone awaken, for they were all asleep, because a deep sleep from the Lord had fallen on them.
David Sparing Saul’s Life Again
To the wilderness of Ziph
Ziph was a city located a few miles north of Carmel in Judah. The Ziphites once again betrayed David by informing Saul about his whereabouts, and they do so actively. (1) Having learned of David‘s hiding place from the Ziphites, Saul once again sets out to pursue David with his elite force of 3,000 men. (2) Saul’s army camps by the road at the hill of Hachilah. (3) Meanwhile, David sends out spies and confirms that Saul’s army has indeed approached nearby. (4) Then, David sneaks into Saul’s camp at night alone, identifying the exact location where Saul and his commander Abner are sleeping.
The entire camp asleep
(1) David, accompanied by Ahimelech the Hittite and his nephew Abishai, sneaks into Saul’s camp once again. These two were among David’s strongest followers and would play significant roles after David became king. (2) Saul was deep in sleep. Seeing this, Abishai interpreted it as an opportunity. He suggested killing Saul, but knowing that David would not approve, he offered to do it himself with a single thrust of his spear. (3) This was a great temptation for David because killing Saul would have immediately freed him from the trouble he was currently facing. (4) However, David refuses Abishai’s offer. David had confidence that the Lord Himself would remove Saul at the best time. (5) Thus, David once again spared the life of Saul, who had been anointed by the Lord. But to prove that he had the opportunity to kill him, he took Saul’s spear and water jug from beside his head as they left. The spear symbolizes authority. Normally, someone would awaken, hearing the sound of an enemy moving about, but in this case, no one woke up. The Bible explains that this was because “a deep sleep from the Lord had put had fallen upon them,” so they were all fast asleep. God is able to bless those who walk according to His will. Are you walking while waiting for God’s timing and method, just like David? No matter how authoritative someone may be, their fate lies in the hands of the Lord.
Today's prayer
Almighty God, please help me not to rush ahead with my own plans. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen.