PM April 13th 1 Samuel 26

April 13^th           1 Samuel 26      David spares Saul again

1: And the Ziphites came unto Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doth not David hide himself in the hill of Hachilah, which is before Jeshimon? 2: Then Saul arose, and went down to the wilderness of Ziph, having three thousand chosen men of Israel with him, to seek David in the wilderness of Ziph. 3: And Saul pitched in the hill of Hachilah, which is before Jeshimon, by the way. But David abode in the wilderness, and he saw that Saul came after him into the wilderness. 4: David therefore sent out spies, and understood that Saul was come in very deed. 5: And David arose, and came to the place where Saul had pitched: and David beheld the place where Saul lay, and Abner the son of Ner, the captain of his host: and Saul lay in the trench, and the people pitched round about him. 6: Then answered David and said to Ahimelech the Hittite, and to Abishai the son of Zeruiah, brother to Joab, saying, Who will go down with me to Saul to the camp? And Abishai said, I will go down with thee. 7: So David and Abishai came to the people by night: and, behold, Saul lay sleeping within the trench, and his spear stuck in the ground at his bolster: but Abner and the people lay round about him. 8: Then said Abishai to David, God hath delivered thine enemy into thine hand this day: now therefore let me smite him, I pray thee, with the spear even to the earth at once, and I will not smite him the second time. 9: And David said to Abishai, Destroy him not: for who can stretch forth his hand against the LORD's anointed, and be guiltless? 10: David said furthermore, As the LORD liveth, the LORD shall smite him; or his day shall come to die; or he shall descend into battle, and perish. 11: The LORD forbid that I should stretch forth mine hand against the LORD's anointed: but, I pray thee, take thou now the spear that is at his bolster, and the cruse of water, and let us go. 12: So David took the spear and the cruse of water from Saul's bolster; and they gat them away, and no man saw it, nor knew it, neither awaked: for they were all asleep; because a deep sleep from the LORD was fallen upon them. 13: Then David went over to the other side, and stood on the top of an hill afar off; a great space being between them: 14: And David cried to the people, and to Abner the son of Ner, saying, Answerest thou not, Abner? Then Abner answered and said, Who art thou that criest to the king? 15: And David said to Abner, Art not thou a valiant man? and who is like to thee in Israel? wherefore then hast thou not kept thy lord the king? for there came one of the people in to destroy the king thy lord. 16: This thing is not good that thou hast done. As the LORD liveth, ye are worthy to die, because ye have not kept your master, the LORD's anointed. And now see where the king's spear is, and the cruse of water that was at his bolster. 17: And Saul knew David's voice, and said, Is this thy voice, my son David? And David said, It is my voice, my lord, O king. 18: And he said, Wherefore doth my lord thus pursue after his servant? for what have I done? or what evil is in mine hand? 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: but if they 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. 20: Now therefore, let not my blood fall to the earth before the face of the LORD: for the king of Israel is come out to seek a flea, as when one doth hunt a partridge in the mountains. 21: Then said Saul, 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. 22: And David answered and said, Behold the king's spear! and let one of the young men come over and fetch it. 23: The LORD render to every man his righteousness and his faithfulness: for the LORD delivered thee into my hand to day, but I would not stretch forth mine hand against the LORD's anointed. 24: And, behold, as thy life was much set by this day in mine eyes, so let my life be much set by in the eyes of the LORD, and let him deliver me out of all tribulation. 25: Then Saul said to David, Blessed be thou, my son David: thou shalt both do great things, and also shalt still prevail. So David went on his way, and Saul returned to his place.

1 Samuel 27      David returns to Gath

1: And David said in his heart, I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul: there is nothing better for me than that I should speedily escape into the land of the Philistines; and Saul shall despair of me, to seek me any more in any coast of Israel: so shall I escape out of his hand. 2: And David arose, and he passed over with the six hundred men that were with him unto Achish, the son of Maoch, king of Gath. 3: And David dwelt with Achish at Gath, he and his men, every man with his household, even David with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the Carmelitess, Nabal's wife. 4: And it was told Saul that David was fled to Gath: and he sought no more again for him. 5: And David said unto Achish, If I have now found grace in thine eyes, let them give me a place in some town in the country, that I may dwell there: for why should thy servant dwell in the royal city with thee? 6: Then Achish gave him Ziklag that day: wherefore Ziklag pertaineth unto the kings of Judah unto this day. 7: And the time that David dwelt in the country of the Philistines was a full year and four months. 8: And David and his men went up, and invaded the Geshurites, and the Gezrites, and the Amalekites: for those nations were of old the inhabitants of the land, as thou goest to Shur, even unto the land of Egypt. 9: And David smote the land, and left neither man nor woman alive, and took away the sheep, and the oxen, and the asses, and the camels, and the apparel, and returned, and came to Achish. 10: And Achish said, Whither have ye made a road to day? And David said, Against the south of Judah, and against the south of the Jerahmeelites, and against the south of the Kenites. 11: And David saved neither man nor woman alive, to bring tidings to Gath, saying, Lest they should tell on us, saying, So did David, and so will be his manner all the while he dwelleth in the country of the Philistines. 12: And Achish believed David, saying, He hath made his people Israel utterly to abhor him; therefore he shall be my servant for ever.

 

1 Samuel 28

1: And it came to pass in those days, that the Philistines gathered their armies together for warfare, to fight with Israel. And Achish said unto David, Know thou assuredly, that thou shalt go out with me to battle, thou and thy men. 2: And David said to Achish, Surely thou shalt know what thy servant can do. And Achish said to David, Therefore will I make thee keeper of mine head for ever.

Saul and the Witch of Endor

3: Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had lamented him, and buried him in Ramah, even in his own city. And Saul had put away those that had familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land. 4: And the Philistines gathered themselves together, and came and pitched in Shunem: and Saul gathered all Israel together, and they pitched in Gilboa. 5: And when Saul saw the host of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart greatly trembled. 6: And when Saul inquired of the LORD, the LORD answered him not, neither by dreams nor by Urim, nor by prophets. 7: Then said Saul unto his servants, Seek me a woman that hath a familiar spirit, that I may go to her, and inquire of her. And his servants said to him, Behold, there is a woman that hath a familiar spirit at Endor. 8: And Saul disguised himself, and put on other raiment, and he went, and two men with him, and they came to the woman by night: and he said, I pray thee, divine unto me by the familiar spirit, and bring me him up, whom I shall name unto thee. 9: And the woman said unto him, Behold, thou knowest what Saul hath done, how he hath cut off those that have familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land: wherefore then layest thou a snare for my life, to cause me to die? 10: And Saul sware to her by the LORD, saying, As the LORD liveth, there shall no punishment happen to thee for this thing. 11: Then said the woman, Whom shall I bring up unto thee? And he said, Bring me up Samuel. 12: And when the woman saw Samuel, she cried with a loud voice: and the woman spake to Saul, saying, Why hast thou deceived me? for thou art Saul. 13: And the king said unto her, Be not afraid: for what sawest thou? And the woman said unto Saul, I saw gods ascending out of the earth. 14: And he said unto her, What form is he of? And she said, An old man cometh up; and he is covered with a mantle. And Saul perceived that it was Samuel, and he stooped with his face to the ground, and bowed himself. 15: And Samuel said to Saul, Why hast thou disquieted me, to bring me up? And Saul answered, I am sore distressed; for the Philistines make war against me, and God is departed from me, and answereth me no more, neither by prophets, nor by dreams: therefore I have called thee, that thou mayest make known unto me what I shall do. 16: Then said Samuel, Wherefore then dost thou ask of me, seeing the LORD is departed from thee, and is become thine enemy? 17: And the LORD hath done to him, as he spake by me: for the LORD hath rent the kingdom out of thine hand, and given it to thy neighbour, even to David: 18: Because thou obeyedst not the voice of the LORD, nor executedst his fierce wrath upon Amalek, therefore hath the LORD done this thing unto thee this day. 19: Moreover the LORD will also deliver Israel with thee into the hand of the Philistines: and to morrow shalt thou and thy sons be with me: the LORD also shall deliver the host of Israel into the hand of the Philistines. 20: Then Saul fell straightway all along on the earth, and was sore afraid, because of the words of Samuel: and there was no strength in him; for he had eaten no bread all the day, nor all the night. 21: And the woman came unto Saul, and saw that he was sore troubled, and said unto him, Behold, thine handmaid hath obeyed thy voice, and I have put my life in my hand, and have hearkened unto thy words which thou spakest unto me. 22: Now therefore, I pray thee, hearken thou also unto the voice of thine handmaid, and let me set a morsel of bread before thee; and eat, that thou mayest have strength, when thou goest on thy way. 23: But he refused, and said, I will not eat. But his servants, together with the woman, compelled him; and he hearkened unto their voice. So he arose from the earth, and sat upon the bed. 24: And the woman had a fat calf in the house; and she hasted, and killed it, and took flour, and kneaded it, and did bake unleavened bread thereof: 25: And she brought it before Saul, and before his servants; and they did eat. Then they rose up, and went away that night.

In todays Bible reading we see David sparing the life of Saul all over again and then David goes to Gath where the Philistines are. Then we read of the disgraceful event of Saul going to a witch who was also a medium and he gets her to summon the spirit of Samuel to get his advice. First Saul finds out where David might be and he goes with 3,000 men to find him. David sent out trusted men to find out what Saul was planning. David asks who will go with him and Abishai volunteers to go with him. They find all of Saul’s men asleep and Saul in a trench with his spear and a pillow.  Abishai asks for Davids permission to kill Davids enemy but David says never we must never hurt the Lords anointed. And he said the Lord will deal with him but not us. So they left taking his spear and water bottle. Then David stood a long way off and cried to Abner can you hear me Abner? Abner said who are you? David answered who is like you a courageous man of war. There is none like you in Israel. Yet you did not keep the king safe! Because a man came to you last night to kill your master. You have not done well Abner! You should be executed for not keeping your lord safe. Now then where is your masters spear and his water bottle? Saul heard everything and said is this the voice of my son David.? And David said yes it is my my lord. Why are you chasing after me? What evil have l done? Saul was smitted in guilt and said l have done wrong to you David. I have been acting like a fool and made a very great mistake. (A terrible thing for a king to have to say!) Then David said let a young man come and get your spear. David said the Lord will render to every man for his deeds but l would not touch you Saul – you are the Lords anointed. Then Saul blessed David and told him that God would prosper everything he did. And they parted company. Then David thought one day Saul will catch up with me so l will find a home with the Philistines. So David passed into enemy territory with his 600 men and his family and two wives. David lived there for a year and 4 months and Saul left off seeking him. Then David went and conquered the Geshurites, Gezrites, and the Amalekites. He killed all people but took all the flocks home. David kept the conquest secret. When the Philistines set themselves at war with Israel they asked if David would go with them. David replied l will tell you later what l will do. After the death of Samuel all Israel mourned for him and because Saul had put all mediums out of the Land of Israel and because he wanted guidance from the Lord and he had received nothing from the Lord, that he went to Endor to a medium there. He thought he might be able to speak to Samuel. Saul was very afraid of the Philistines when they invaded the land. Endor was south west of Galilee. Saul disguised himself and went at night and asked her to bring up the spirit of Samuel. But she protested saying that it had been forbidden by Saul to do this. Saul promised that she would have no punishment for this great evil thing. When she saw Samuel she cried out and realised that Saul had deceived her. She said l saw gods coming up out of the earth. Saul asked her what he looked like and she described Samuel exactly as he was when alive. Samuel asked Saul why he had disturbed him. Then Saul said l am greatly upset and troubled because the Philistines want to battle with me and the Lord refuses to listen to me or answer me. Samuel said God had taken the kingdom from you and given it to David and tomorrow you and your sons will loose the battle with the Philistines. Saul now was even more afraid. He was exhausted and weak in strength, because he had fasted. Then the woman insisted on giving him food and he was strengthened and left her.