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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadPaul Kretzmann Commentary - 1 Samuel 26:13 - 26:25
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Saul Overcome by David's Plea
v. 13. Then David went over to the other side, and stood on the top of an hill afar off; having crossed the valley, he climbed back to the very top of the hill from which he had probably come down in the evening; a great space being between them, for David trusted Saul so little that he preferred to have a great distance between himself and the king.
v. 14. And David cried to the people and to Abner, the son of Ner, saying, Answerest thou not, Abner? This is much like our expression, Heigh-ho! or, Halloo! Then Abner answered and said, Who art thou that criest to the king? Abner resented this calling toward the king, by which his rest was disturbed.
v. 15. And David said to Abner, Art not thou a valiant man, a warrior entrusted with the protection and security of the king? And who is like to thee in Israel? Wherefore, then, hast thou not kept the lord, thy king? It was the general's special duty to watch over the king's life. For there came one of the people in to destroy the king, thy lord; Saul had been in real peril of life.
v. 16. This thing is not good that thou hast done. As the Lord liveth, ye are worthy to die, literally, "Sons of death are ye," because ye have not kept your master, the Lord's anointed; they deserved death for their neglect of duty. And now see where the king's spear is, and the cruse of water that was at his bolster.
v. 17. And Saul knew David's voice and said, Is this thy voice, my son David? Since David was so far away and it was not yet light, Saul could recognize him only by his voice. And David said, It is my voice, my lord, O king!
v. 18. And he said, once more urging his innocence, which stood out all the more strongly in view of the fact that he had spared Saul's life once more, Wherefore doth my lord thus pursue after his servant? For what have I done? or what evil is in mine hand? His manner of addressing Saul is as humble, as gentle, and as reverent as ever.
v. 19. Now, therefore, I pray thee, let my lord the king hear the words of his servant. If the Lord have stirred thee up against me, let Him accept an offering, literally, "If Jehovah incited thee against me, let Him smell a peace-offering," the idea being that Saul should reconcile God to himself by an offering which had the purpose of restoring the right relationship between Jehovah and His children; but if they, the ones that incited the king, be the children of men, cursed be they before the Lord; for they have driven me out this day from abiding in the inheritance of the Lord, saying, Go, serve other gods. Their enmity had the object of making David flee out of the country where the Lord lived among His people in His Sanctuary and thus tempting him to commit idolatry, because he could not worship Jehovah at the altars erected to His honor.
v. 20. Now, therefore, let not my blood fall to the earth before the face of the Lord, Saul was not to continue his enmity to the point where he would force David to die in a strange land; for the king of Israel is come out to seek a flea, for by this name David emphasizes his own insignificance in the country, Cf 1Sa_24:14, as when one doth hunt a partridge in the mountains, for a. single straying partridge in the mountains is not worth hunting, since the birds may easily be found in flocks in the fields.
v. 2. l. Then said Saul, with the same momentary emotion which he had shown before, 1Sa_24:16, I have sinned; return, my son David; for I will no more do thee harm because my soul was precious in thine eyes this day. Behold, I have played the fool, and have erred exceedingly. Instead of turning to the Lord in true repentance and asking Him for grace and power to overcome the evil of his heart, he makes a promise which was no more sincere than that of the same kind made on the previous occasion.
v. 22. And David answered and said, Behold the king's spear! And let one of the young men come over and fetch it.
v. 23. The Lord render to every man his righteousness and his faithfulness, this being said with special references to himself; for the Lord delivered thee into my hand today, but I would not stretch forth mine hand against the Lord's anointed. He had stood the test when he spared the life of Saul, and exhibited his righteousness and faithfulness.
v. 24. And, behold, as thy life was much set by this day in mine eyes, literally, "made large," esteemed highly, so let my life be much set by in the eyes of the Lord, into whose hands David confidently committed himself, and let Him deliver me out of all tribulation, all the misery and distress which the hostility of Saul would still prepare for him.
v. 25. Then Saul said to David, Blessed be thou, my son David, still speaking under the influence of the fleeting better feeling which David's noble conduct awakened in him; thou shalt both do great things, and also shalt still prevail, both undertake and also fully perform, for Saul could not shut his eyes to the fact that the blessing of Jehovah was resting upon David. So David went on his way, not accepting Saul's invitation to return with him, and Saul returned to his place. Thus these two men parted forever, for Saul's enmity continued and forced David to flee into heathen territory. When a person has so hardened his heart that all kindness leaves no lasting impression, his final condemnation is only a matter of time.