1 Samuel 26:6-12 – Trusting God is the right thing to do

In 1 Samuel 26:5, we note that David had located Saul’s camp where the latter and his men were lazing around in a circle with Saul in the center. So he turned to Ahimelech the Hittite and Abishai and asked who would go with him down to the camp of Saul. And Abishai responded, “I will go with you.” Note that this Ahimelech wasn’t the priest, that’s why he was specifically identified as the Hittite. So we can see that in David’s band of men there were foreigners. Then who is Abishai? He was the brother of Joab and the son of Zeruiah. According to 1 Chronicles 2:16, Zeruiah was one of David’s sisters who had three sons, namely Abishai, Asahel, and Joab.  So Abishai was a nephew of David.

David and Abishai went on their mission that night in the cover of darkness. They came to the camp of Saul and found the king asleep with his spear stuck to the ground beside his head, while his army was sleeping encamped all around. What an opportunity it must have been for David! Saul and his men were obviously oblivious of the looming danger. Had David wanted to kill Saul this was the perfect moment. At least, this was what Abishai believed and voiced his thought. He said, “Today God has delivered your enemy into your hand; now, therefore, please let me strike him with the spear to the ground with one stroke, and I will not strike him the second time.”  

This situation was somewhat the same as 1 Samuel 24:4. There Saul was in the cave in Engedi, unaware of the presence of David and his men. David’s men urged him to finish Saul off. But he refused and only cut off a corner of his robe. This time Abishai said he would do it on David’s behalf. Perhaps he had learned that David would not touch the king. But David refused to let him touch Saul. His words to him were, “Do not destroy him, for who can stretch out his hand against the Lord’s anointed and be without guilt? As the Lord lives, surely the Lord will strike him, or his day will come that he dies, or he will go down into battle and perish. The Lord forbid that I should stretch out my hand against the LORD’s  anointed….” Though David was not in agreement with Saul, he respected his office. He refused to take the easy way out. He would rather let God’s will and plan play out in His own good time. Any lesser man would choose the easy way out. But not David. He showed the consistency that he feared the Lord.  

It could also be that David had processed his life and learned much from all his experiences. Remember between the time he departed from Engedi and now in Hachilah, he went through much. The incidence where God intervened to avert bloodshed of Nabal’s household and Abigail’s wise and discerning move must have taught him much. He knew that his life was entirely in the hand of God, his vindicator. His experience so far must have made him a wise and restraint person. Many can go through multiple experiences in life but learn nothing. Whereas we like David must learn to discern from life’s experiences. Every encounter in life is something God wants us to experience. Through them, God molds our character. Hence it is wise to evaluate our life after each day and pray the prayer that David prayed in Psalm 139:23-24:

Search me, O God, and know my heart;
Try me and know my anxious thoughts;
And see if there be any hurtful way in me,
And lead me in the everlasting way.  

Logically speaking, David’s pain inflicted by Saul would have ended with just one swift swing of his sword now. But David refused to do it. He had trusted God thus far and was not about to end it now. He had enough faith in God to leave Him to deal with Saul in His way and in His time. That gave him the ability to control himself. So David would not go with the advice of Abishai. Instead, he told Abishai  “…now please take the spear that is at his head and the jug of water, and let us go.”  Taking away Saul’s spear and jug of water was as far as he would go. David’s action was right and the account in verse 12 closed with these words “…but no one saw or knew it, nor did any awake, for they were all asleep, because a sound sleep from the Lord had fallen on them.” It was the LORD who had put Saul and his men to sleep. In other words, God’s hand was moving and David was right to trust Him and leave the matter with Him. Anyone would have jumped and seized any opportunity to get even. Yet the lesson from David’s restraint at Hachilah tells us that its best to leave any thought of revenge to the Lord. He will take care of it in His way and in His time. Just trust Him!

1 Samuel 26:1-5 – In the safe hand of God

In the opening verses of 1 Samuel 26, we find the Ziphites, who betrayed David in 1 Samuel 23:19, did the same thing again. As with the first time, they came to Gibeah which was up north, a great distance from them, and reported to Saul, saying “Is not David hiding on the hill of Hachilah, which is before Jeshimon?” Remember David had already spared Saul’s life once in Engedi. In that incidence, recorded in 1 Samuel 24, David only sliced off a corner of the king’s garment while he was releasing himself in the cave and oblivious of David’s presence there. In that incidence, when Saul realized how David had spared him, wept and confessed that the latter was more righteous than he. He went on further in 1 Samuel 24:20 to acknowledge David’s future saying, “Now, behold, I know that you will surely be king and that the kingdom of Israel will be established in your hand.” He even made David promise not to cut off his descendants or to destroy his father’s household. We would have thought that Saul would have repented since David had spared him at Engedi. But it was not to be. How do we know? His response to this second information provided by the Ziphites shows us that he had not changed. Once again Saul took with him three thousand men and went to the wilderness of Ziph, seeking David’s life again. As before, his force outnumbered David’s men five-times.

Saul and his men arrived and camped at the hill of Hachilah. Perhaps the information provided by the Zilphites was not as accurate this time. David was not found there, instead, he and his men were hiding in the wilderness. David then sent out spies to do a recce. It could also be he wanted to be sure of Saul’s purpose before he acted. When informed by his spies that Saul had indeed come to the wilderness seeking him, he knew at once that nothing had changed. It must have been a Déjà vu situation for him. Nothing had changed since his last encounter with Saul at Engedi. However, the scene was different this time. He had the advantage over Saul. It appears that from where he was, he could see Saul and his men clearly. So verse 5 tells us that  “David then arose and came to the place where Saul had camped. “And David saw the place where Saul lay, and Abner the son of Ner, the commander of his army; and Saul was lying in the circle of the camp, and the people were camped around him.” It was the perfect moment to strike. What would David do now since Saul had not changed, not even a bit? He had tried reconciliation at Engedi. It had proven pointless. What should he do? Haven’t we been at crossroads like this? Haven’t we been to a Déjà vu situation and left wondering what we should do?  The best response is to stay calm and abandon oneself to the Lord. Psalm 27:4-6 urge us to:

Delight yourself in the Lord;
And He will give you the desires of your heart.
Commit your way to the Lord,
Trust also in Him, and He will do it.
He will bring forth your righteousness as the light
And your judgment as the noonday.     

1 Samuel 25:36-44 – With God, we can never lose

It is true that vengeance belongs to the Lord and He will vindicate His own. David did the right thing to trust God to redress the wrong he received from Nabal. He heeded the persuasion of Abigail and did not take matters into his own hand to destroy Nabal and his family. Being discerning and sensitive to God’s leading, David was able to show restraint. God then undertook and vindicated him. First Samuel 25:36-38 described how God did it without David having to lay a hand on Nabal.

This was how it all happened. When Abigail returned home after her intervention with David, she found Nabal in a great mood. He “…was holding a feast in his house, like the feast of a king. And Nabal’s heart was merry within him, for he was very drunk...." So Abigail waited till the morning when he was sober to tell him what she had done. When Nabal heard all that Abigail had done, "...his heart died within him.” He was probably so shocked that he became as lifeless as a stone. Ten days later he died. Thus, the Lord had avenged David. When David heard that Nabal was dead, he blessed the Lord and was grateful that He had intervened on time and averted a calamity. God saved him from the guilt of having to shed needless blood. When Nabal insulted David, he was in effect insulting God. This incident tells us how we need to treat the leader of God. We are not at liberty to belittle God’s appointed leader, and one can only do so at one’s own peril. What happened to Nabal proved it. Let us accord respect to our leader and in so doing, we honor God who had appointed and anointed the leader.

This chapter closed by giving us a little of David’s domestic affair. First, he sent for Abigail and took her as his wife. She was only too glad to become David’s wife. So verse 42 said that “Then Abigail quickly arose, and rode on a donkey, with her five maidens who attended her; and she followed the messengers of David and became his wife.” Verse 43 also gave us information that David married Ahinoam of Jezreel. In the whole chapter of 1 Samuel 25, Saul was not mentioned until the last verse. He was again shown in a not so honorable light. We are told that he gave Michal, David’s wife to another man from Galiim by the name of Palti, the son of Laish. This was not the right thing to do, but for a man whom he was against, Saul could no longer tell right from wrong. That’s the story of Saul. But God’s anointed, David, was not only protected but was showered with grace. When we put ourselves totally into the hand of God, we cannot even begin to count the blessings He will bestow on us. This is the story of God’s grace.

1 Samuel 25:32-35 – Timely intervention

Abigail had intervened successfully with David and managed to avert a calamity for her family and people. She not only did it diplomatically but also at the right time. What she said persuaded David to abandon his intended bloodshed. David realized that it was God who had sent Abigail on time. So he said to her, “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, who sent you this day to meet me, and blessed be your discernment, and blessed be you, who have kept me this day from bloodshed and from avenging myself by my own hand. Nevertheless, as the Lord God of Israel lives, who has restrained me from harming you, unless you had come quickly to meet me, surely there would not have been left to Nabal until the morning light as much as one male.” 

David’s change from anger and fury, to calm and reasoning, was almost immediate. He recognized the hand of God in the whole matter. Gratefully he accepted all that Abigail had said. Acknowledging her courage, he admitted that had God not sent her to stop him, a catastrophe would have taken place. He would have brought harm to her and devastated her family and people. Her intervention was indeed timely. Accepting the goodwill she had brought to him, David then sent her back in peace to her house.

This account reminds us of an English proverb that says, “a stitch in time saves nine.” To act rightly is important but to do so with timeliness is critical. Is there something in our lives that needs immediate intervention? Have we been pushing and making excuses for our passivity? Learn from Abigail, act quickly. Can you imagine what devastating consequence it would have brought to her family had she procrastinated? Perhaps God is signaling to us to do something with what is happening around us. It’s time to relook at our walk with God. It’s time to stop making excuses, leave behind complacency and start acting before it’s too late. Someone put it this way: Don’t just say it, show it; don’t just talk about it, do it; and don’t just promise it, prove it. So, arise!

1 Samuel 25:23-31 – Be prudent

When Abigail met David, she immediately dismounted her donkey, got down on her knees and fell with her face to the ground before David. This was exactly what David did to Saul in 1 Samuel 24:8. Her humility was clearly visible. Her words were congruous with her posture. She showed great honor to David and began by taking the blame for her husband’s foolish behavior. Humbly she pleaded for an opportunity to speak to David. Abigail went on without pausing to wait for David's consent to her request. Her plea here was for David not to have any regard for Nabal, whom she referred to as worthless. His folly had been attested to in two ways, by his name and his behavior. She assured David that her action would be very different had it been her that David’s men met. But unfortunately, she did not see them when they went to Nabal. With her humble stunt, she got the attention of David.

In verse 26 she saw her intervention as a timely providence of the LORD. She saw it as God preventing David from having to suffer from the guilt of shedding innocent blood. She was suggesting to David that he should let the  LORD take vengeance on his behalf. Unknowingly Abigail had linked whatever was happening to how David had spared Saul in the cave at Engedi. He was also spared the guilt of having to shed the blood of Saul. Abigail then requested for the privilege to fulfill what her foolish husband refused to do. She asked David to accept what she had brought to him and his men. 

What Abigail said in the next four verses is very interesting. In seeking forgiveness for her husband’s transgression she became very prophetic. She spoke of the LORD giving David a great future, an enduring house because the battle he was fighting was the LORD’s. She also unknowingly alluded to the way he had been used to destroy Goliath with a sling. Abigail wisely worked into her speech her request for forgiveness, saying, “And when the Lord does for my lord (meaning David) according to all the good that He has spoken concerning you, and appoints you ruler over Israel, this will not cause grief or a troubled heart to my lord, both by having shed blood without cause and by my lord having avenged himself. When the Lord deals well with my lord, then remember your maidservant.” She was pleading with David not to shed innocent blood on account of her husband's foolishness, and also not to let the good work God had appointed him to be sullied by the guilt of the impending bloodshed.  She asked to be remembered when the LORD had finally fulfilled His plan in David’s life.  

Abigail’s intervention affirmed how insightful she was. Not only was she wise and prophetic but she was also diplomatic. How blessed Nabal was to have such a wife! Of course, it’s wonderful to have such an insightful wife. But more than that, the lesson we can glean is this: We can enjoy victory without having a conscience plagued by guilt. How? When we avoid being needlessly ruthless. We should instead collaborate with God to know that He is the ultimate vindicator of all that we would go through. Trust God and His plan for our lives! 

1 Samuel 25:18-22 – Dealing with life's dilemmas

Abigail was a wise and perceptive woman. She was the very opposite of her husband, Nabal. She was also kind and generous. When she was told about her husband's foolish reaction toward David’s men, she didn’t delay any further. Like that sensible young man who brought the news, she knew how serious the matter was and quickly jumped into action. So 1 Samuel 25:18-19 said, “Then Abigail hurried and took two hundred loaves of bread and two jugs of wine and five sheep already prepared and five measures of roasted grain and a hundred clusters of raisins and two hundred cakes of figs, and loaded them on donkeys.  She said to her young men, “Go on before me; behold, I am coming after you.” But she did not tell her husband Nabal.” 

Abigail probably knew her husband well, so she did not tell him before she went into action. Wise move! No reason was given but we can somewhat guess. One reason could be that she wanted to avoid a needless argument with an unreasonable man. Having lived with him, she must have been aware of how he would react. Secondly, it was so critical that she didn’t want her goodwill to David to be sabotaged. Like her, we must also act wisely. There are times in our life, for the sake of peace, we need to withhold information from certain people, even if they are close to us. Who are those people? People who may torpedo our God guided direction. People who are godless, troublesome and self-centered, and have the possibility of disentangling our God-given plan. We learn to act wisely like Abigail so that God’s plan can be brought into fruition unhindered.  

Notice how she wisely strategized the delivery. Like Israel of old, she sent the goods ahead of her while she followed a little distance from behind. Meanwhile, David was already on the way. She couldn’t tell how David would respond to her kind gesture, so we conjecture that there must have been some trepidation on her part. We imagined that at a certain vantage point she could see David, but he couldn’t see her. Perhaps it was at that point that David furiously said, “Surely in vain I have guarded all that this man has in the wilderness, so that nothing was missed of all that belonged to him; and he has returned me evil for good. May God do so to the enemies of David, and more also, if by morning I leave as much as one male of any who belongs to him.” Then at that critical moment, Abigail appeared, and they met.

What we learn here is about a wise person who took the right risk. She probably could surmise how her husband would react had she told him about what she was going to do. But what was more needful was to act quickly to save his whole family and people from being annihilated. Life often presents us with all kinds of situations. And we know that there is no one-fix response to every situation. There are times in life when we will have to choose between the lesser of two evils. It is precisely in those moments that our walk with God will be brought to bear. That’s why we must consistently connect with God so that with His given wisdom, we will know how to deal appropriately with life’s dilemmas.     

1 Samuel 25:14-17 – Being alert and wise

Offended, David and 400 of his men, each girded with a sword with devastating intent, were heading toward where Nabal was. Anticipating a severe consequence, one of Nabal’s young men showed alertness and quickly did something to avert it. He overheard the conversation between David’s men and Nabal and understood the impending disaster. Had it not been for that sensible young man the result would be shattering. So he quickly jumped into action. He approached Abigail, his master’s wife, and notified her of the impending tragedy.

In verses 14-17, he came to Abigail and narrated to her the exchange he overheard between David’s men and Nabal, his master. According to him, David sent messengers from the wilderness with goodwill to Nabal, but they were snubbed by him. This sensible young man could attest to the claim of David that his men had ensured the security for him and his fellow workers. They were so well protected that he and his fellow shepherds could go about their work in peace. So long as they were near the men of David, they were well protected. David’s men were like a wall to them, both by day and night, enabling them to go about their duties tending to their sheep unharmed.

With the calamity looming large, Nabal’s sensible young man urged Abigail to do something to avert it. We can sense that urgency in his words. He said to her, “Now therefore, know and consider what you should do, for evil is plotted against our master and against all his household; and he is such a worthless man that no one can speak to him.” Notice how he referred to his master. He called him a worthless man and he was not wrong. The way Nabal had responded to David’s kind gesture showed how foolishly he had acted. What’s sad was that he was so stupidly adamant that no one could persuade him otherwise. Nabal’s response to David’s men proved how worthless he was.  This word “worthless” was the same word used earlier to describe Eli’s sons. Unwittingly, Nabal had joined a class of people that were not only undiscerning but also a good-for-nothing.

Earlier we saw how contrasting David was with Nabal. Here in these four verses, we saw how contrasting one of Nabal’s workers was with him. This worker though young was alert, wise, discerning and sensible. He may not have much materially. But he had much in terms of quality to be of value to his master. Evaluating the situation, this sensible young man could sense impending danger. He could tell what’s right from what’s not. Being alert, he acted swiftly to avert a calamity. Being wise and discerning, he knew who he could approach to have the matter rightly dealt with. In the Lord’s work, there is a need for workers who are alert, sensible, wise and discerning. Let us be such disciples for God.

1 Samuel 25:9-13 – Seek wisdom and cultivate humility

As instructed the ten young men went to Nabal and sought for assistance “in David’s name.” But notice how Nabal showed his disdain for David. Contemptuously, he sneered at David’s name and asked, “Who is David?” “Who is this son of Jesse?” He went on further to insultingly said, “There are many servants today who are each breaking away from his master. Shall I then take my bread and my water and my meat that I have slaughtered for my shearers, and give it to men whose origin I do not know?” These rhetorical questions tell us that he must have heard about David and known much about him. Can you remember who had disparagingly referred to David as the ‘son of Jesse’? It was Saul. And here Nabal had arrogantly behaved like Saul and referred to David with a similar attitude of condescension. And he dispassionately refused to render any assistance to David and his men. David’s men returned to him and reported exactly what Nabal had said.

The contrast between David and Nabal was that the former was unassuming while the latter was presumptuous. One rendered service without thought of payment but one felt that he had the right to expect service without reciprocating. Any fair-minded person would have responded kindly to any service rendered, but not Nabal. He was said to be “harsh and was evil in his dealing.” Perhaps this was an indication of the methods he used to attain his riches.  

Notice how self-centred Nabal was. This was seen in the number of times he used the pronoun “my”. Emphatically, he said, “ Shall I take my bread, and my water and my meat, that I have slaughtered for my shearers and give it to men whose origin I do not know.” Nabal had made it unmistakably clear that he was a self-centred man, and he was not going to give to David and his men any assistance.

It was entirely Nabal’s prerogative to decide whether to assist David and his men or not, but he had no right to be so insulting. Perhaps David would not be so angry but just moved on to seek assistance elsewhere. But Nabal’s words were too cutting and were more than anyone could bear. Nabal obviously was not accustomed to Proverbs 15:1 that says, “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” His words and actions only affirmed what a fool he was. It was so apt for him to be named Nabal, the fool. On hearing the insult, David ordered his men saying, “Each of you gird on his sword.” We can tell his intention. He wanted to show that fool a thing or two. So 400 of his men girded their swords and followed him, leaving behind 200 to look after their belongings.

Wisdom and humility are two virtues the Bible constantly exhorts us to attain. Proverbs 8:11 said, “For wisdom is better than jewels; And all desirable things cannot compare with her.” And Proverbs 22:4 said, “The reward of humility and the fear of the Lord are riches, honor and life.” We need both wisdom and humility to rightly relate with others. But unfortunately Nabal had neither of them. We must not be like him. We should instead heed the words of God, to seek wisdom and cultivate humility. Let us go for both!

1 Samuel 25:5-8 – The Law of Reciprocity

In the earlier verses, we discover that Nabal was a wealthy businessman from Maon. He owned three thousand sheep and a thousand goats. He was about to increase his wealth, as this was the shearing season and he was found shearing his sheep. When David heard the news that Nabal was shearing his sheep in Carmel, he summoned ten of his young men and gave them specific instruction, saying “Go up to Carmel, visit Nabal and greet him in my name; and thus you shall say, ‘Have a long life, peace be to you, and peace be to your house, and peace be to all that you have. Now I have heard that you have shearers; now your shepherds have been with us and we have not insulted them, nor have they missed anything all the days they were in Carmel. Ask your young men and they will tell you. Therefore let my young men find favor in your eyes, for we have come on a festive day. Please give whatever you find at hand to your servants and to your son David.’”

From these verses, we can imagine that plenty of activities had taken place between 1 Samuel 25:1 which says that David was in Paran, and 1 Samuel 25:2 which introduces us to Nabal, the wealthy businessman. David and his men had spent some time around Carmel, the place where Nabal conducted his business. It was in Carmel that the shepherds of Nabal’s men kept their master’s sheep. Since David and his men were there in the same region, they dealt kindly with the shepherds of Nabal and did them no harm. Not a single sheep of their’s suffered any loss because David and his men helped to ensure that. Without a doubt, David and his men had benefitted Nabal’s sheep industry.   

Now David and his men had needs. Since they had been providing security for Nabal’s shepherds, he was hoping that their master would reciprocate their kindness and be generous toward them by helping them with their needs. David approached the whole request with much humility. Notice how his men were to approach Nabal. He literally instructed them not to show arrogance but make their request humbly. Notice that David was not insistent. He wasn’t unreasonable and assuming. The kindness he and his men had shown could be attested to by Nabal’s men. David did not make any demand. Instead, all he requested was for Nabal to give them what he deemed reasonable.

David's approach was more for assistance then for payment. He wasn’t demanding though he could have. He requested for assistance even though he had every right to ask for a return for his favor. One lesson we learn here is on the law of reciprocity. We should always initiate to respond to kindness without having to be asked, especially when it comes to God, who had done so much for us. Gratitude tells us that we must return to serve God with our very best in the light of the very best He had given to us.  

1 Samuel 25:1-4 – Don’t be a Nabal

Besides announcing Samuel’s death in the opening verse of 1 Samuel 25, we are also told that David arose and went to the wilderness of Paran, towards the south. Paran was well away from Israel where Saul was, where he had no control. Thus it makes sense for David to be where Saul had no influence. In this interim period of David’s life, we are introduced to a man by the name of Nabal who lived in Maon. He was a wealthy businessman who did his business in Carmel. We must not mix this up with Mount Carmel. Remember in 1 Samuel 15:12, we were told that Saul built a monument there. Nabal owned three thousand sheep and a thousand goats. But he was a harsh man and was evil in his dealings. And the meaning of his name, “fool” fits him well.

Let’s dwell a bit on this man with such a name. Ever wonder why would his parents give him this name? Or why was he called a fool? We can never guess but we can deduce something about him from his name. If a name is anything to go by and it often is, then we can guess the kind of a person he was. Firstly, the meaning “fool” suggests that he was godless. That is what the Bible in Psalm 53:1 said. “The fool has said in his heart, ‘There is no God…’”  So we surmise that he was a Nabal because he did not care to think about God in his life.

Secondly, we are told that he was “harsh and evil in his dealings”. Again we turn to Psalm 53:1. The later part of verse 1 went on to describe the fool as “corrupt, and have committed abominable injustice….” That was precisely what was said of Nabal in 1 Samuel 25:3. “He was harsh and evil in his dealings.” Hence, Nabal was not only godless but was also cruel and heartless. He probably had no qualm in dealing with anyone unjustly. And thirdly, we are told that “he was a Calebite”. To mention that he was a Calebite was probably a sarcastic remark. Caleb, his forefather, was unlike him. Caleb was a godly and faith-filled man. Every bit that Nabal was, Caleb was not.    

Fortunately, Nabal had a wife who would supplement his lack. She was the very opposite of him. Her name was Abigail and she was said to be beautiful and intelligent. Nabal was a fool whereas Abigail was perceptive. He was harsh but she was beautiful. He had no concern for others, but she was intelligent and thoughtful of others. This would be seen in how she dealt with David later.  

What kind of a person would we be associated with? A Nabal or an Abigail? There is a necessity in life to connect with God. For in truly knowing Him we will not act become a Nabal. Instead, we will act like Abigail, perceptively, displaying the fruit of love, joy peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. And that’s who God wants us to be. So let’s allow God to build our character to be like an Abigail!

1 Samuel 25:1 - Living fully for God

Let’s recapitulate what had happened so far. The book of 1 Samuel essentially deals with the life of three persons, namely Samuel, Saul, and David. Samuel was the prophet, the priest, and the godly kingmaker whom God used to anoint both Saul and David. Saul was the first king of Israel, a man after man’s heart. Before he could warm the throne, he was already found wanting. He acted in ways that displeased the Lord and had disappointed Him. So God sought out for Himself another man, one who feared Him and was after His heart. This other man was David. Since the day David killed Goliath, he had become the national hero and was adored above Saul. Finding it hard to accept that he was only second best to David in the eyes of his people, Saul became extremely uncomfortable and insecure. He took it upon himself to seek David’s life to deal with his insecurity. But God had other plans. He saw in David a man fit to lead His people. From the day of his anointing to the time he ascended the throne, there was much training that God had to take him through. There are so many lessons that can be gleaned from this book, concerning life with God and the leadership He wants to develop in each of us. Though we have already learned much, we must also acknowledge that we have barely scratched the surface. Be sure that there will be fresh lessons to glean each time we return to this book.

In the opening of 1 Samuel 25, we are greeted with the sad news of the death of Samuel. Verse 1 tells us that “Then Samuel died; and all Israel gathered together and mourned for him, and buried him at his house in Ramah.” He was one man who had lived his life fully to fulfill God’s call and plan for him. Though we have fond memories of this great man, we must realize that he too like every man was made of feet of clay and was not indispensable. The truth is this, since the fall of Adam, death had become a part of the human experience. And we must realize that in life, what truly matters is what we do with the time God has granted us between the time of our birth and the day of our death. He had given us a free will to make choices. We can choose to spend the time getting to know God Himself, seizing the opportunities He accorded to us and live it to accomplish His purpose. Samuel made that choice and had seized his day to live for God. What about us? Will we live our lives considering God and His plan for us? Let us not squander the time and opportunities He had accorded to us and passed on without leaving a legacy.

This news of Samuel’s death is a timely reminder to us that no matter how talented, or how much we have been used by God, there will come a time when our season in life would be over. We mustn’t entertain the thought that we are indispensable and will be here forever. Nobody is! That’s the truth! What a sobering thought! But that does not mean that we cannot exploit life to the fullest for God. Samuel had and so must we. We are told that all Israel gathered to mourn his passing and to bury him in Ramah. This is a testimony of how much his life had impacted the nation. He had exploited life, and since young, he had responded to God positively. As soon as he could recognize the voice of God, he had moved in tandem with His will to fulfill the call placed on his life.  What about us? What would be said of us on our epithet? When it’s all said and done, will it be said that we have done what truly matters? Let us fully exploit the remaining years of our lives and present to God a heart of wisdom. What’s done for God will last forever! Let’s live, learn, love and leave behind a legacy!

1 Samuel 24:16-22 – Not returning evil for evil

The words of David must have driven home deep into Saul’s heart. When he had finished speaking, Saul recognized that it was David’s voice. He asked a question in shock, realizing how near he had come to death, yet he was unaware. David who could have easily killed him did not, but instead spared him. It had been a while since he had addressed David so endearingly. More often he had referred to him as “the son of Jesse”. But now in shock, he asked, “Is this your voice, my son David?” It was probably an “ah-ha” moment for him. The person he thought was his enemy did not take advantage when he had the opportunity. So he lifted up his voice and wept. Here we see that he had come to the realization and spoke honestly what he knew in his heart all along. He said in verses 17-19, “You are more righteous than I; for you have dealt well with me, while I have dealt wickedly with you. You have declared today that you have done good to me, that the Lord delivered me into your hand and yet you did not kill me. For if a man finds his enemy, will he let him go away safely?   

His conscience was jostled by David’s words. He knew deep in his heart that everything David said couldn’t be disputed. He did not die at the hand of David when he should, proved beyond a doubt that he was not his enemy. For the first time, he was willing to acknowledge what he knew all along but had refused to come to grips with it. He said, “Now, behold, I know that you will surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel will be established in your hand.” These were not just words that were wrangled out of him. This was Saul’s sincere honest assessment of the situation. By returning Saul’s evil with good, David had brought Saul to realize how wrong he had treated him.  

Having realized the truth, Saul could only seek David’s favor. He requested David saying “…swear to me by the Lord that you will not cut off my descendants after me and that you will not destroy my name from my father’s household.”  Didn’t Jonathan ask this of David earlier? So Saul now asked for the same thing. What David swore to Jonathan, he now swore to Saul. Then David departed to the stronghold.

What David did not do to Saul gives us a divine principle. He returned good for evil. He did not return evil for the evil Saul had done to him. If he had, he would be acting no differently from an animal. But Saul, in returning evil for the good David had done, he was emulating what the devil himself had done. Beloved, we are made in the image of God, and we must emulate God. We can always choose to return good for the evil others had committed toward us. It is true that treating others righteously and mercifully, we will be a far more effective witness of Christ. And such we are called to be by our master Himself. So let’s be merciful and we shall receive mercy That’s His promise to us.

1 Samuel 24:8-15 – Vengeance is the Lord’s

Saul was in the cave relieving himself, unaware that David was hiding in the inner recesses of the same cave. He was literally at the mercy of David who could have finished him off had he wanted to. In fact, David was goaded by his men to do so. Any lesser person would not have spared his victim. But David had not regarded Saul as his enemy. The truth was that he saw him as the Lord’s anointed and would rather leave it to God to deal with him, regarding whatever wrong he had done. All he did was to slice off a small part of his robe. Even doing that his conscience disturbed him. So that day David spared Saul who did not even know it and left the cave.

David then emerged at the mount of the cave and made a very bold move. He called out after Saul, addressing him as “my lord and king.” When he had caught the attention of the king, he then bowed his face toward the ground and prostrated himself. This indicates to us how respectful he was toward his father-in-law, the king. He not only saw him as the Lord’s anointed but also recognized him as his father. So in verse 11 he even addressed him as “my father.” David told Saul that he had no malice against him. Dramatically, he delivered a very powerful speech. He said to Saul, “Why do you listen to the words of men, saying, ‘Behold, David seeks to harm you’? Behold, this day your eyes have seen that the Lord had given you today into my hand in the cave, and some said to kill you, but my eye had pity on you; and I said, ‘I will not stretch out my hand against my lord, for he is the Lord’s anointed.’” Then he showed Saul the edge of his robe which he had cut off when the king was not even aware. He movingly told the king saying, “Now my father, see! Indeed, see the edge of your robe in my hand! For in that I cut off the edge of your robe and did not kill you, know and perceive that there is no evil or rebellion in my hands, and I have not sinned against you, though you are lying in wait for my life to take it.” The very fact that he was standing there at the mount of the cave was clear evidence that he could have taken the king’s life had he wanted to. He let Saul know that he had been merciful and urged him to reciprocate the same as he did and leave matters in the hand of the Lord. He would rather leave the vindication to the Lord.   

Using a proverb, David conveyed to Saul that he had no wicked intent toward the king. As d far as he was concerned, he had no malicious intent toward him. He wondered why the king should feel threatened by him. Referring to himself as a dead dog or a single flea, David was not demeaning himself. He was showing Saul how inappropriate and undignified of him, a king, to pursue such an insignificant person. He then concluded by calling on the Lord to vindicate the matter and to deliver him from Saul.   

Reasoning tells us that it is sound logic to finish off one’s pursuer when the opportunity presents itself. But that’s logical only if we don’t factor God and His plan into the equation of one’s life. In the most trying of circumstances, David had never left God out of the equation of his life. He could have taken the easy route out and free himself from the menace that Saul had created for him by finishing him off. But he would not touch the Lord’s anointed. He knew the truth that vengeance belongs to the Lord. He knew God would settle it in due time. Like him, if we trust God absolutely, there can be no situation that He would not bring to a logical conclusion at the right time and according to schedule. Remember, we must trust the Lord with every bit of our heart and lean not on our own understanding. And as we acknowledge and consider Him in all of our ways, He will make our path straight. That’s guaranteed!    

1 Samuel 24:1-7 – Doing what is right before God

It was quite apparent that God was helping David. Just when Saul was closing in, news of the Philistine invasion of his land forced him to return home to deal with it, thus allowing David to escape. Once the situation back home had been dealt with, Saul wasted no time in going after David again. When Saul heard that David was found in the wilderness of Engedi, he took 3,000 chosen men and went hunting for him. Remember, David only had 600 men with him. In other words, Saul had a numerical advantage over David. He had five times more men than David, the fugitive. Besides, David’s men were made up of the depressed, dejected and discouraged. Whereas Saul’s 3,000 men were chosen, meaning they at least had some training in the skills of war. Saul had the upper hand. But that’s only from the human perspective.

Interestingly, we are told in verse 3 that Saul had to answer nature’s call and he went into a cave to do it. Ironically, the cave where he went in to relieve himself was the same one that David and his men were hiding. The last part of the same verse tells us so. The exact words were “Now David and his men were sitting in the inner recesses of the cave.” We are told that David’s men suggested to him saying, “Behold, this is the day of which the Lord said to you, ‘Behold; I am about to give your enemy into your hand, and you shall do to him as it seems good to you.’” Of course, we know that the Lord did not say these words, but we can understand the reason why his men would suggest that to him. They saw that as an opportunity to finish Saul off since he was now at David’s mercy. As they would say, “How the table has turned!” This must have been a tempting moment for David too. So he stealthily and surreptitiously crept up to where Saul was. But instead of finishing him off, he only sliced off a corner of the king’s robe. What an anti-climax! After all the effort he had taken, it seems grossly incongruous that he should let Saul off.   

Afterward, it was said that David regretted his action. Any lesser person would have finished Saul off and not felt a thing. But not for David. Even cutting a part of the King’s robe was not to be taken lightly. His conscience was smitten. It seems especially bizarre for us to see him feeling that way. For after all, was it not right to take out the man who sought to take his life? Was it not the best opportunity? We can only conclude that David was a person who wanted to do what was right and not what seemed to be right. In God’s economy, there is a timing for everything and a season for every experience. No one can rush it.  Others viewing our lives may have some perspectives on what we should do. But if we are true to God and to ourselves, we know better. Often, it’s a case of ‘others may but we cannot’.

David knew too well. His words to himself in verse 6 were, “Far be it from me because of the Lord that I should do this thing to my lord, the Lord’s anointed, to stretch out my hand against him since he is the LORD’S anointed.” He knew better why he should not take matters into his own hand. He believed in divine sovereignty and it would not be right to take matters into his own hand. David not only did not kill Saul but instead persuaded and forbade his motley bunch from doing so. Saul was spared and he departed from the cave unscathed. In God’s own time and season, He will make all things beautiful. What a lesson for us all! Doing what is conscionably right is more important than doing what is advantageous. Even when an opportunity affords itself, we should never take advantage of it when our God-quickened conscience tells us otherwise. Because God’s timing is perfect!

1 Samuel 23:19-29– God’s timing is precise

Blinded by rage, Saul was fanatical about getting David. But God’s unseen hand was helping David who had already eluded Saul many times. If Saul was more discerning, he would have realized that it’s was all a futile pursuit.  But then how could a person so blinded by incense see? So he relentlessly hounded David. This incident of some Ziphites showing up to at Gibeah and released information to Saul concerning David’s whereabout once again reveals how God was at David’s back.

We read here how some Ziphites came to Saul in Gibeah saying to him Is David not hiding with us in the strongholds at Horesh, on the hill of Hachilah, which is on the south of Jeshimon?”  It would not be unreasonable to conclude that they could have heard about what he did to the priests at Nob and decided that they had better not trifle with the enraged king. So they sent him news that David was hiding among them.  They even gave him the exact location where David could be located. Helpfully, they even goaded him to on. Obviously, they were doing this for self-preservation. And verses 21 tells us that the king was pleased with them for providing the information to him.

Saul had become so paranoid that he was so totally out of perspective. We can’t help but get the impression that he was seeing himself as the victim when it was David who was the one who was running for his dear life. So desperate was Saul to get David and he wanted detail information from the Ziphites that leaked the information to him. He ordered them saying, “Go now, make more sure, and investigate and see his place where his haunt is, and who has seen him there; for I am told that he is very cunning. So look, and learn about all the hiding places where he hides himself and return to me with certainty, and I will go with you; and if he is in the land, I will search him out among all the thousands of Judah.” So those Ziphites went ahead of Saul.

Verse 24 also brings us back to the scene where David was. He and his men were “in the wilderness of Maon, in the Arabah to the south of Jeshimon.” They were located where the Ziphites had told Saul. So the obsessed king went there in search of him. Notice here that David also got wind that Saul was lurking. Of course, he had a far more superior and accurate source of intelligence and help from above. We can imagine that the two groups, they and their men, were both at the mountain. Saul’s group was closing in and David’s group was hurriedly trying to get away. And as God’s sovereignty would have it, at that exact point news came to Saul that the Philistines were raiding his land. He was forced to turn back to deal with the Philistines.  So once again the hand of God was at work to deliver David and he went and stayed in the stronghold of Engedi.

How David was rescued shows us that God never let his own down. He will never leave his without a way of escape. His rescue is always timely and precise. And He uses unexpected means to recuse his own. Who would have thought that at such a precise moment that the Philistines would invade the land causing Saul to turn back? Just imagine he was just a hair’s breadth of seizing David. What a divine co-incident. God cares for His own. Take heart, He will always be on time to rescue us.     

1 Samuel 23:15-18 – Being a true friend

There was no telling the degree of hatred Saul had for David. His focus, as we have seen so far, was to eliminate him totally. He saw David as a threat to his throne and popularity. He didn’t realize that his time and season were over. God had appointed for Himself another man after His own heart. One of the saddest facts of life is for a person not to be able to appraise himself but remain oblivious of his own status. Saul was such a man. Blinded by his incense for David, he pursued him relentlessly even though he had not been successful. How could he when God was on David’s side? Everyone, except for Saul, could see from what was happening that David was the true leader. The saying is true, there is none so blind as one who would not see. If we are to take hold of life appropriately, we need to honestly appraise ourselves.

Since Michal, his wife sent him off, David had been a fugitive. He had been running with his father-in-law in hot pursuit. Every time Saul got wind of where he was, he would soon be there. With Saul hot on his heel, so determined to exterminate him, David felt the enormous pressure. Not only had he to consider for his own safety, but he also had to consider the safety of those who dared to associate with him. His experience in Nob with both Ahimelech and Doeg told him so. Now at Keilah, he had to evaluate the people he was in contact with and to decide for himself whether he could trust them not to give him away to Saul. He found it difficult to put himself at ease with the people of Keilah whom he had rescued from the hand of the Philistines. But thankfully he had a God whom he could totally trust, and Who had his back covered. Like him, this God, whom we have also come to love, has our back covered, and we can trust Him. Now David was in the wilderness of Ziph at Horesh, located in the southern part of Judah, approximately about twelve miles south of Keilah. He was also fully aware of Saul's evil intention against him, seeking his life.

A simple calculation will tell us that he must be at the lowest point of his life. How wouldn’t he? He was running with his motley bunch of 600 with Saul in hot pursuit. He had been betrayed by Doeg. Then told by God that the people of Keilah would surrender him to Saul. Now he was located in the wilderness. Apart from a faithful God, what hope would he have? Thankfully he had a good friend in Jonathan. A true friend is one who knows your plight, who would turn up in the most critical and depressing moment of your life and speak the truth into your future. While his father was pursuing David’s life, Jonathan came and encouraged him in God. A true friend and a godly one too. The moment between the two must be quite a scene. This was the last time they would meet.     

Jonathan’s words were comforting. Though humanly speaking he was the heir apparent, yet he could see clearly the plan God had for David. He could tell that he was God’s appointed. So he said to David, “Do not be afraid, because of the hand of Saul my father will not find you, and you will be king over Israel and I will be next to you; and Saul my father knows that also.” What an encouragement! Jonathan knew David was God’s man and he was not jealous. So that day where they were, the two bosom friends reaffirmed their covenant. Then Jonathan went home. This was their final meeting.

True friends are affirming. They are not threatened by your gifting and calling. They are faithful and would encourage and help you to evaluate yourself more accurately. They speak into your life honestly and truthfully. More importantly, they pray for you. Not only do we need such a godly friend, but we must also seek to be one. A true friend is really rare!

1 Samuel 23:6-14 – God will take care of His own

Abiathar, we remember, was the sole survivor of the massacre of the priests at Nob. When he escaped the massacre, he brought the ephod along with him. This was probably the part of the priest’s garment worn over the tunic and the robe. Attached to the breast piece of the ephod was the Urim and Thummim for the priest to seek direction from the Lord. Here we are told that he joined David at Keilah. It is interesting to note that God had not been communicating with Saul but he spoke often with David. He warned him through the prophet Gad. He answered David’s personal cry. And now with the coming of Abiathar with the ephod, he had another means to seek God’s guidance and direction. Indirectly, this was the making of Saul. Had he not murdered the priests, Abiathar would not have gone to join David, making the ephod available to the would-be king.

While news of Keilah being attacked came to David, and he made a plan to rescue the people there, news of David in Keilah also reached Saul. Notice how different the perspectives both of them had. The news impacted the two differently. David was concerned with rescuing the people there, Saul was thinking of exterminating David. David saw an opportunity to help the people. Saul presumptuously thought to himself, “God has delivered him (David) into my hand, for he shut himself in by entering a city with double gates and bars.” So he summoned all the men of war to join him in Keilah to besiege David and his men.

In verse 9, we are told that David was aware of the evil plot of Saul against him. Unperturbed, he told Abiathar to bring the ephod to him. This is an indication that he consulted God. He basically asked two concerns. Firstly, he was concerned about the threat posed to the people of Keilah. Secondly, he was concerned about whether the people would surrender him to Saul. The answer God gave to both his questions was in the affirmative. David knew too well that the fear of Saul and what he would do had dominated the land. He probably also remembered how Ahimelech and the priests at Nob got into trouble with Saul on his account. Being a considerate man, he did not want the same to happen to Keilah. Hence, at no time was David disappointed when he heard how the people of Keilah would surrender him to Saul.  

David and his men, who had now grown from 400 to 600, departed Keilah. When Saul heard that David had escaped, he gave up on pursuing him. His plan was spoilt again. Verse 14  tells us that “David stayed in the wilderness in the strongholds, and remained in the hill country in the wilderness of Ziph.” Notice what the closing line of verse 14 says, “God did not give David into his hand.” Simply put: God protected David from Saul. Like David, if we truly love God and stay connected to Him, our lives are in His hand. He will make it His business to protect us and ensure our safety. All we need is to do our part and God will do His. Remember to do what we can and leave God to do what we cannot. Trust Him absolutely!

1 Samuel 23:1-5 – Better to move with God than the general consensus

The purpose why Saul was appointed as king of Israel was made clear in 1 Samuel 9:16. At that point, Samuel was told by God saying, “About this time tomorrow I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin, and you shall anoint him to be prince over My people Israel; and he will deliver My people from the hand of the Philistines. For I have regarded My people because their cry has come to Me.”  But instead of doing what he was commissioned to do, Saul was obsessed with pursuing and destroying David. On the other hand, David not only took down Goliath but was also consistently fighting the Philistines and gaining ground for Israel. He was fulfilling the purpose that Saul was allotted to do.  He had unwittingly taken over the work that Saul was supposed to do and was rescuing the people from the Philistines. The first fourteen verses of 1 Samuel 23 show us that while he was running for his life, he was still fighting the Philistines and helping the people of Israel.

In verse 1 we are given a glimpse of how differently David responded to the situation that the people of Israel faced. When he heard that the Philistines were fighting against Keilah and plundering their threshing floor, his immediate response was to inquire of the Lord. He factored God into the decision he had to make. This is something we must also learn to do intuitively. If we do this consistently, we will be able to discern and walk in the center of God’s will. So regarding the news of the Philistine’s attack of Keilah, David prayed to the Lord immediately. He was told, “Go and attack the Philistines and deliver Keilah.”

David’s men were not keen to go along with his plan. Unlike David, they were more self-focused. Their immediate consideration was self-preservation. Their concern was for their own safety. So they said, “Behold, we are afraid here in Judah. How much more then if we go to Keilah against the ranks of the Philistines?” However, their unwillingness did not disturb David. He just went to confirm with the Lord again. It shows how wise he was. He did not disregard their fear but instead, turned to the Lord again. David confirmed one more time with the Lord and again he had the affirmation, “Arise, go down to Keilah, for I, will give the Philistines into your hand.” David went ahead without hesitation. David shows us here that he was a man who would fearlessly move in the direction of God. He shows us that moving with God is more important than seeking a general consensus. Verse 5 tells us “David and his men went to Keilah and fought with the Philistines; and he led away their livestock and struck them with a great slaughter. Thus David delivered the inhabitants of Keilah.”

David would be more comfortable securing his own safety and dodging Saul. And it would not be wrong for him not to meddle with the problems the people of Keilah had with the Philistines. But being a person who had set his heart on God, he could not disregard God’s overarching plan and purpose for his people. He did not consider his own needs only. Once he had ascertained what God wanted him to do, despite his own plight he went about doing it, even though others disagreed with him. Knowing and obeying God’s will is more important than moving with the general consensus. Once we can ascertain what God wants, no matter how many others disagree, God and us always form the majority. Obeying God is more important than pandering to people’s advice.