A Job, An Escape, and an Act of Mercy
1 Samuel: The Promise of the True King • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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1 It was reported to David, “Look, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah (keh-ee-law) and raiding the threshing floors.” 2 So David inquired of the Lord: “Should I launch an attack against these Philistines?” The Lord answered David, “Launch an attack against the Philistines and rescue Keilah.” 3 But David’s men said to him, “Look, we’re afraid here in Judah; how much more if we go to Keilah against the Philistine forces!” 4 Once again, David inquired of the Lord, and the Lord answered him, “Go at once to Keilah, for I will hand the Philistines over to you.” 5 Then David and his men went to Keilah, fought against the Philistines, drove their livestock away, and inflicted heavy losses on them. So David rescued the inhabitants of Keilah. 6 Abiathar son of Ahimelech fled to David at Keilah, and he brought an ephod with him.
The city of Keilah is about 12 miles east of Gath and was a desirable prize for the Philistines. It was relatively isolated from other Israelite cities and rich in agriculture.
It was early summer and it was either the barley or wheat harvest so it was ripe for plunder.
David was hiding in the forest of Hereth when he received word that Keilah was being raided.
As soon as David heard the news he was stirred to action - before setting out David stopped and inquired of God if he should go - Great point here - before making any move make sure to go to God for directions.
The method David used to discern God’s will is unknown - he did not have the ephod until Abiathar met him at Keilah - the ephod contained the Urim and Thummim which were used to determine God’s will - whatever method he used did not seem satisfactory to David’s men.
They men had legitimate concerns being a much smaller army and with greater weaponry. The Philistines would have been very difficult to defeat so naturally David’s men wanted another clarification.
David asked again - it is good to note that God was not angry David inquired again
We could assume David asked God the same question - “Should I launch an attack against the Philistines?” - God’s answer is a little different, answer 1 is = “launch an attack against the Philistines and rescue Keilah” but answer 2 is = “Go at once to Keilah, for I will hand the Philistines over to you.” - The first answer is yes attack the second answer is more detailed in the sense that God affirms He is taking an active roll in the defeat of the Philistines.
So after 2 confirmations fro the Lord David and his men went and fought against the Philistines - they inflicted heavy losses on the Philistine army and even took the Philistine’s livestock which is interesting because this was not the Philistine’s home territory so why have livestock…
One the livestock could have been flocks the Philistines brought to feed themselves but also to eat the pasture lands and grain fields of Keilah to inflict damage - the second reason could be that the livestock were beast of burden brought down to help carry the spoils back to Philistine.
At the end of the battle Abiathar arrived and brought the ephod with him.
7 When it was reported to Saul that David had gone to Keilah, he said, “God has handed him over to me, for he has trapped himself by entering a town with barred gates.” 8 Then Saul summoned all the troops to go to war at Keilah and besiege David and his men. 9 When David learned that Saul was plotting evil against him, he said to the priest Abiathar, “Bring the ephod.” 10 Then David said, “Lord God of Israel, your servant has reliable information that Saul intends to come to Keilah and destroy the town because of me. 11 Will the citizens of Keilah hand me over to him? Will Saul come down as your servant has heard? Lord God of Israel, please tell your servant.” The Lord answered, “He will come down.” 12 Then David asked, “Will the citizens of Keilah hand me and my men over to Saul?” “They will,” the Lord responded. 13 So David and his men, numbering about six hundred, left Keilah at once and moved from place to place. When it was reported to Saul that David had escaped from Keilah, he called off the expedition. 14 David then stayed in the wilderness strongholds and in the hill country of the Wilderness of Ziph. Saul searched for him every day, but God did not hand David over to him.
Here is the interesting thing - David was trying to evade Saul BUT David had been given command of the army so when trouble came David didn’t hesitate to go and fight.
Of course Saul heard about David going to fight and finding victory in Keilah.
Saul go excited for the wrong reasons - there is no mention of Saul being grateful for the victory but instead falsely thinks God has handed David over to him because David is now in a town that is fortified making escape almost impossible.
David is clearly reliant on the Lord - he hears that Saul has rallied troops and are headed for him - David calls for the ephod…
Again we are seeing the contrast between Saul and David - Sual assumes wrong something about God and never asks - David assumes nothing and first seeks God before a move.
David states the issue and asks the question - will the people turn him over to Saul?
Probably the people of Keilah heard what Saul had done to the people of Nob and most likely feared Saul would do the same to them.
The answer was yes, the people will turn and rat him out to Saul (not biblical language) - David took his now 600 men - this is up 200 from before.
David’s quick exit caused Saul to call of the trip, spring the people of Keilah but Saul kept searching for David.
The author makes it clear, God did not allow Saul to find David - Always good to know that God is in control of all things.
15 David was in the Wilderness of Ziph in Horesh when he saw that Saul had come out to take his life. 16 Then Saul’s son Jonathan came to David in Horesh and encouraged him in his faith in God, 17 saying, “Don’t be afraid, for my father Saul will never lay a hand on you. You yourself will be king over Israel, and I’ll be your second-in-command. Even my father Saul knows it is true.” 18 Then the two of them made a covenant in the Lord’s presence. Afterward, David remained in Horesh, while Jonathan went home.
David hid out and learned that Saul was coming to kill him.
Jonathan came and found David and did what good friends do - he encouraged him.
Jonathan reminded David to remain strong in his faith because Saul would never hurt him because one day David will be king.
They confirmed and extended the commitments they made to each other - this is the last recorded time David and Jonathan will meet together.
David stayed and Jonathan went home.
19 Some Ziphites came up to Saul at Gibeah and said, “David is hiding among us in the strongholds in Horesh on the hill of Hachilah south of Jeshimon? 20 So now, whenever the king wants to come down, let him come down. As for us, we will be glad to hand him over to the king.” 21 “May you be blessed by the Lord,” replied Saul, “for you have shown concern for me. 22 Go and check again. Investigate where he goes and who has seen him there; they tell me he is extremely cunning. 23 Investigate all the places where he hides. Then come back to me with accurate information, and I’ll go with you. If it turns out he really is in the region, I’ll search for him among all the clans of Judah.” 24 So they went to Ziph ahead of Saul. Now David and his men were in the wilderness near Maon in the Arabah south of Jeshimon, 25 and Saul and his men went to look for him. When David was told about it, he went down to the rock and stayed in the Wilderness of Maon. Saul heard of this and pursued David there. 26 Saul went along one side of the mountain and David and his men went along the other side. Even though David was hurrying to get away from Saul, Saul and his men were closing in on David and his men to capture them. 27 Then a messenger came to Saul saying, “Come quickly, because the Philistines have raided the land!” 28 So Saul broke off his pursuit of David and went to engage the Philistines. Therefore, that place was named the Rock of Separation. 29 From there David went up and stayed in the strongholds of En-gedi.
The Ziphites sought our king Saul to let him know they have seen David - again the news of Nob spread and caused fear among the people.
It is understandable that they would provide the king with the info in an attempt to remove the threat of destruction by Saul’s forces but the enthusiastic support the offered Saul is less so… the virtually begged Saul to come down - then they voluntarily committed themselves to hand David over. This encounter is talked about in Psalm 54
For the choir director: with stringed instruments. A Maskil of David. When the Ziphites went and said to Saul, “Is David not hiding among us?” 1 God, save me by your name, and vindicate me by your might! 2 God, hear my prayer; listen to the words from my mouth. 3 For strangers rise up against me, and violent men intend to kill me. They do not let God guide them. Selah 4 God is my helper; the Lord is the sustainer of my life. 5 He will repay my adversaries for their evil. Because of your faithfulness, annihilate them. 6 I will sacrifice a freewill offering to you. I will praise your name, Lord, because it is good. 7 For he has rescued me from every trouble, and my eye has looked down on my enemies.
Saul responded to their offer in a manner that is spiritually inappropriate - The Ziphites has just betrayed the Lord’s anointed yet Saul said in essence “the Lord bless you”
The information provided to Saul helped him track down David in what became a cat and mouse game - David would move and Saul would follow in his heals.
It almost came to a head when Saul arrived at the hiding place - Saul and his men were scaling the hillside and a battle seemed inevitable yet David most likely would have won - he had the high ground.
Interestingly, David made a militarily foolish but theologically wise retreat by abandoning their advantageous site and hurried to get away from Saul.
As if by a miracle a message arrives in the nick of time - the Philistines have attacked so Saul broke off his pursuit and went to fight the Philistines.
1 When Saul returned from pursuing the Philistines, he was told, “David is in the wilderness near En-gedi.” 2 So Saul took three thousand of Israel’s fit young men and went to look for David and his men in front of the Rocks of the Wild Goats. 3 When Saul came to the sheep pens along the road, a cave was there, and he went in to relieve himself. David and his men were staying in the recesses of the cave, 4 so they said to him, “Look, this is the day the Lord told you about: ‘I will hand your enemy over to you so you can do to him whatever you desire.’ ” Then David got up and secretly cut off the corner of Saul’s robe. 5 Afterward, David’s conscience bothered him because he had cut off the corner of Saul’s robe. 6 He said to his men, “As the Lord is my witness, I would never do such a thing to my lord, the Lord’s anointed. I will never lift my hand against him, since he is the Lord’s anointed.” 7 With these words David persuaded his men, and he did not let them rise up against Saul. Then Saul left the cave and went on his way.
Saul did what was needed to turn back the Philistines but once that was over Saul gathered an elite force of 3000 to look for David.
David and his men hid in the caves and again as if by some miracle (okay so this would be a weird miracle but one none the less) it was the same cave Saul would choose to relieve himself in.
Needless to say Saul was in a vulnerable situation - alone and not paying attention to his surroundings and opportunity presented itself.
David’s men quoted a prophecy to David but what they said is found nowhere else in scripture.
David crept up on Saul - he did not kill him but cut off a corner of his robe which doesn’t seem all that bad.
The act was far from meaningless however. David’s confiscation of a portion of the royal robe signified the transfer of power from the house of Saul to the house of David. Furthermore, by removing the corner of the robe, David made Saul’s robe to be in a state of noncompliance with Torah requirements - Saul’s most obvious symbol of kingship was made unwearable - David, in essence, had symbolically invalidated Saul’s claim to kingship.
Realizing what he had done David is overcome with regret. His conscience told him that at some level he had lifted his hand against “the anointed of the Lord”.
This was more than an act against the king; it was a rebellion against the Lord, who had commanded Israelites not to curse their rulers, and had previously punished Israelites who had expressed a rebellious attitude against constituted authority.
David immediately repented of his actions which impressed his men so much that they also refused to rise up against Saul.
Amazingly Saul had no idea any of this was going on… either he was completely clueless or something else was going on - I am leaning to God had a hand in preserving David by keeping Saul in the dark and by preventing David from doing something more…
8 After that, David got up, went out of the cave, and called to Saul, “My lord the king!” When Saul looked behind him, David knelt low with his face to the ground and paid homage. 9 David said to Saul, “Why do you listen to the words of people who say, ‘Look, David intends to harm you’? 10 You can see with your own eyes that the Lord handed you over to me today in the cave. Someone advised me to kill you, but I took pity on you and said: I won’t lift my hand against my lord, since he is the Lord’s anointed. 11 Look, my father! Look at the corner of your robe in my hand, for I cut it off, but I didn’t kill you. Recognize that I’ve committed no crime or rebellion. I haven’t sinned against you even though you are hunting me down to take my life. 12 “May the Lord judge between me and you, and may the Lord take vengeance on you for me, but my hand will never be against you. 13 As the old proverb says, ‘Wickedness comes from wicked people.’ My hand will never be against you. 14 Who has the king of Israel come after? What are you chasing after? A dead dog? A single flea? 15 May the Lord be judge and decide between you and me. May he take notice and plead my case and deliver me from you.”
From here to the end of the chapter contain the longest recorded quotes by both David at 114 Hebrew words and Saul at 67 Hebrew words found in 1 Samuel. This indicates the author finds the exchange to be central.
Two major items are found here: David’s most passionate affirmation of loyalty to the king and Saul’s confession that David would be Israel’s next king.
David revealed himself to Saul - instead of attacking Saul, David fell to the ground to honor the king.
David shrewdly asks Saul “Why do you listen to the words of people who say…” David knows perfectly well that Saul is the instigator because of his paranoia but David carefully avoided laying the blame on Saul - think about how people usually respond when accused of something, they get defensive and frustrated and often combative.
David laid out both eyewitness and material evidence to make his case and then used it to lead Saul to an unavoidable conclusion.
David recognizes that Saul is the “Lord’s anointed” - David’s respect for human authority was based on his respect for divine authority.
David confirms that he will not do anything for the wrongs done against him - Saul was violating the Torah and was in danger of bringing divine wrath up on himself - the Lord would judge between them and the Lord would avenge the wrongs.
David was actually pleading for Saul to save himself, not just to spare David.
16 When David finished saying these things to him, Saul replied, “Is that your voice, David my son?” Then Saul wept aloud 17 and said to David, “You are more righteous than I, for you have done what is good to me though I have done what is evil to you. 18 You yourself have told me today what good you did for me: when the Lord handed me over to you, you didn’t kill me. 19 When a man finds his enemy, does he let him go unharmed? May the Lord repay you with good for what you’ve done for me today. 20 “Now I know for certain you will be king, and the kingdom of Israel will be established in your hand. 21 Therefore swear to me by the Lord that you will not cut off my descendants or wipe out my name from my father’s family.” 22 So David swore to Saul. Then Saul went back home, and David and his men went up to the stronghold.
In what I believe is a spiritual turn of events - previously Saul had been referring to David as “Jesse’s son” but here he calls him David again. The other times was when Saul was under the control or influence of the tormenting spirit so I think God has removed the spirit allowing Saul to be in his right mind again.
This also brings on a revelation - David has done nothing wrong but Saul was the one doing evil. Think about someone under the influence of drugs or alcohol that they have no memory of the events but once they find out what they did they are overcome with regret… this is Saul.
Saul confirms, almost prophetically, that David would be king and that Israel would thrive under his rule.
Saul then asks David for a favor - promise that his “descendants will not be cut off” - David pledged that he would honor this oath just as he had previously done for Jonathan.
Saul went home and for now the threat was abated…
Still, David chose to not go home but went to the stronghold.
