I Samuel Chapter 26
Please read: I Samuel 26 –
Saul the king of Israel is a man who could not be trusted, he did not keep his word. He had previously said that he would not continue his evil pursuit to take David’s life. We read about his promise in chapter 24 and how remorseful he was. At the time Saul had even shed tears over his evil intentions toward David. Now in this chapter he is again hunting down David with his army of 3,000 men. Think about this from the perspective of the men in Saul’s army. This is the second time they have been marched out into the wilderness in pursuit of a man with an army of less than a thousand men. This must have seemed ridiculous to them, but they had to follow orders. And it must have been extremely embarrassing to learn that David had crept into their camp while they slept and took the king’s spear and jar of water!
David could have easily ended this problem he had with the king, but he knew that was not what God wanted him to do. David knew that Saul would get what he had coming to him; that God would send His judgement on Saul in one way or another. To Abishai it looked as if God had delivered Saul into David’s hands, but David recognized and revered that the king was God’s anointed.
Let's Reflect
1. How did Saul once again learn of the whereabouts of David and his men?
2. Who was asleep beside Saul when David and Abishai crept in to take the spear and water jar? What was this man’s position under Saul?
3. According to verse 10 what did David tell Abishai that would happen to Saul one day?
4. According to verse 12 David and Abishai had some assistance. Who assisted them?
5. When David and Abishai were a safe distance away from Saul and his men, who did David call out to?
6. When Saul recognized he was hearing David’s voice, he once again called him his son. David asked again why the king was pursuing him. He said if he had done something wrong to tell him and what would he do according to verse 19?
7. Saul once again seems to confess his sin and seems remorseful. But in reality, he is sorry that he got caught. He was caught in a very precarious position where David could have easily taken his life. Yet he makes another statement about God’s plan for David’s future. What did Saul say about David that he knows to be truth?
