UNROLL
The hill of Hachilah by night: a dark, bare ridge in the wilderness, and below it beside a road the faint orange glow of a camp's dying fires in a ring, moonlight on pale hills, under a calm, deep-blue starry sky.

The Book of

1 Samuel 26

Saul comes hunting again. This time David walks into the middle of his camp at night.

25 verses≈ 6 min4 peopleBSB

Images are artistic interpretations.

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In this chapter

Where we are

  1. 1–7SamuelA boy who listened
  2. 8–15SaulA king like the nations
  3. 16–20David risesThe LORD looks at the heart
  4. 21–27David huntedThe anointed one waitsChapter 26
  5. 28–31Saul fallsEndor and Gilboa

David Again Spares Saul

Tap to go deeper: meaning, history and related Scripture

Night, from the dark ridge above: Saul's camp below, a wide ring of heaped baggage with men asleep around small dying fires and a single spear standing upright in the center, while two dark figures crouch on the ridge in the foreground, looking down.

Then David set out and went to the place where Saul had camped. He saw the place where Saul and Abner son of Ner, the general of his army, had lain down. Saul was lying inside the inner circle of the camp, with the troops camped around him.

0:14

Narrated by Bob Souer · BSB audio, public domain

David

And David asked Ahimelech the Hittite and Abishai son of Zeruiah, Joab’s brother, “Who will go down with me to Saul in the camp?”

Abishai

“I will go with you,” answered Abishai.

That night David and Abishai came to the troops, and Saul was lying there asleep in the inner circle of the camp, with his spear stuck in the ground by his head. And Abner and the troops were lying around him.

Abishai

Abishai said to David, “Today God has delivered your enemy into your hand. Now, therefore, please let me thrust the spear through him into the ground with one stroke. I will not need to strike him twice!”

David

But David said to Abishai, “Do not destroy him, for who can extend a hand against the LORD’s anointed and be guiltless?” David added, “As surely as the LORD lives, the LORD Himself will strike him down; either his day will come and he will die, or he will go into battle and perish. But the LORD forbid that I should extend my hand against the LORD’s anointed. Instead, take the spear and water jug by his head, and let us go.”

Close at night by a bed of dying embers: a long spear stuck upright in the ground and a round clay water jug beside a sleeper's head, the sleeper only a dark shape wrapped in a crimson cloak, and one sun-browned hand reaching in from the edge of the frame for the jug.

So David took the spear and water jug by Saul’s head, and they departed. No one saw them or knew about it, nor did anyone wake up; they all remained asleep, because a deep sleep from the LORD had fallen on them.

Question

Quick question

For the second time, Saul lay helpless within David’s reach.

What did David take from beside the sleeping Saul?

David Reproves Abner

First light: David stands alone on top of a bare hill, holding a long spear and a clay water jug and calling out across a deep, wide valley to the far ridge where Saul's camp is just stirring.

Then David crossed to the other side and stood atop the mountain at a distance; there was a wide gulf between them.

David

And David shouted to the troops and to Abner son of Ner, “Will you not answer me, Abner?”

Abner

“Who are you who calls to the king?” Abner replied.

David

So David said to Abner, “You are a man, aren’t you? And who in Israel is your equal? Why then did you not protect your lord the king when one of the people came to destroy him? This thing you have done is not good. As surely as the LORD lives, all of you deserve to die, since you did not protect your lord, the LORD’s anointed. Now look around. Where are the king’s spear and water jug that were by his head?”

Saul

Then Saul recognized David’s voice and asked, “Is that your voice, David my son?”

David

“It is my voice, my lord and king,” David said.

And he continued, “Why is my lord pursuing his servant? What have I done? What evil is in my hand?

David
David

Now please, may my lord the king hear the words of his servant: If the LORD has stirred you up against me, then may He accept an offering. But if men have done it, may they be cursed in the presence of the LORD! For today they have driven me away from sharing in the inheritance of the LORD, saying, ‘Go, serve other gods.’ So do not let my blood fall to the ground far from the presence of the LORD. For the king of Israel has come out to look for a flea, like one who hunts a partridge in the mountains.”

Reflect

Waiting for God’s time

David asked Abishai, “who can extend a hand against the LORD’s anointed and be guiltless?” Twice David could have ended his trouble in a moment, and twice he waited for God. Where are you tempted to take a shortcut God hasn’t given you? Write down what waiting for His time would look like there.

Saul Acknowledges His Sin

Spared twice

The cave, bydayEn-gedi (24:3)The camp, bynightthe hill of Hachilah(26:3)A corner of therobecut in the dark (24:4)The spear andthe jugtaken from his head(26:12)The LORD’sanointedDavid will not strike(24:6; 26:11)Saul: my sonthen home again(24:16; 26:25)

Whiteboard

Twice the LORD put Saul in David’s hand: once in a cave at En-gedi by day, once in a sleeping camp at night. Twice David’s men saw their chance; this time Abishai said, “Today God has delivered your enemy into your hand.” Twice David refused: “who can extend a hand against the LORD’s anointed and be guiltless?” He took only a sign, a corner of the robe, then “the spear and water jug.” And twice Saul called him “David my son” and went home.

Then Saul replied, “I have sinned. Come back, David my son. I will never harm you again, because today you considered my life precious. I have played the fool and have committed a grave error!”

“Here is the king’s spear,” David answered. “Let one of the young men come over and get it.

May the LORD repay every man for his righteousness and faithfulness. For the LORD delivered you into my hand today, but I would not extend my hand against the LORD’s anointed. As surely as I valued your life today, so may the LORD value my life and rescue me from all trouble.”

1 Samuel 26:23–24

Morning in the wilderness from a high hill: two roads leading away from a valley floor in opposite directions, a long column of soldiers going north toward the hill country on one, and a smaller band of men walking south-east into the bare hills on the other.

Saul said to him, “May you be blessed, David my son. You will accomplish great things and will surely prevail.” So David went on his way, and Saul returned home.

Pray

He values my life

Thank the LORD that He values your life and rescues you “from all trouble.” Ask Him for patience to wait for His time, and for grace never to take by your own hand what He has promised to give. Pray for anyone you are tempted to strike back at, that God would deal with them in mercy.

You’ve experienced

1 Samuel 26

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A verse to carry with you

As surely as I valued your life today, so may the LORD value my life and rescue me from all trouble.

1 Samuel 26:24

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