1 Samuel 24:20 Komentář

We have hitherto had Saul seeking an opportunity to destroy David, and, to his shame, he could never find it. In this chapter David had a fair opportunity to destroy Saul, and, to his honour, he did not make use of it; and his sparing Saul's life was as great an instance of God's grace in him as the preserving of his own life was of God's providence over him. Observe, I. How maliciously Saul sought David's life (Sa1 24:1, Sa1 24:2). II. How generously David saved Saul's life (when he had him at an advantage) and only cut off the skirt of his robe (Sa1 24:3-8). III. How pathetically he reasoned with Saul, upon this to bring him to a better temper towards him (Sa1 24:9-15). IV. The good impression this made upon Saul for the present (Sa1 24:16-22).

INTRODUCTION TO FIRST SAMUEL 24 Saul being returned from following the Philistines, renews his pursuit after David, Sa1 24:1; and they meeting in a cave, where David had the opportunity of taking away the life of Saul, which his men pressed him to, yet only cut off the skirt of his robe, Sa1 24:3; which, calling after him, he held up to him to convince him he had his life in his hands, but spared it, Sa1 24:9; upon which he very pathetically reasons with him about the unreasonableness and unrighteousness of his pursuit after him, to take away his life, Sa1 24:11; which so affected Saul, that he confessed he was more righteous than he, and owned that the kingdom would be his, and only desired him to swear to him not to cut off his offspring, which David did, and so they parted, Sa1 24:16.

And now, behold, I know well that thou shalt surely be king,.... Not merely by the common report, that he was anointed by Samuel, to which yet he might give credit; but by the providence of God prospering and preserving him, and by his princely spirit and behaviour, and by calling to mind what Samuel had said to him, that his kingdom should be given to a neighbour of his better than he, and so David was by his own confession, Sa1 24:17; and the cutting off the skirt of his garment might put him in remembrance of the rending of the skirt of Samuel's mantle, upon which he told Saul his kingdom should be rent from him; though some think that was Saul's skirt, and so now he knew thereby, when David cut off his skirt, that the kingdom would be his; and it is a tradition of the Jews (f), that Samuel said to him at that time, that he that cut off the skirt of his garment should reign after him: and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in thine hand; and not be rent from him; and yet notwithstanding after this he sought to destroy him. (f) Midrash Tillim apud Abarbinel. in loc.

And now because I know for certain that you will reign, etc. This is the voice of the penitent people of the Jews, seeking the path of salvation from Christ whom they acknowledged. And now because I know for certain that you are He of whom it is said, "His government will be multiplied, and there will be no end of peace" (Isa. IX), having in your dominion that kingdom in which the pure in heart will see God without any end to their blessedness, confirm, I pray, the faith which you have granted by the largess of your sacraments, and augment that same faith in me with your heavenly gifts, so that, having received the pledge of the Spirit, I may have confidence that the offspring of my works, born from my heart, will be saved from eternal destruction after the dissolution of the body. Nor take away my name from the house of the heavenly habitation, which you have deigned to give to my fathers, who awaited you faithfully and lovingly through the law to come. But as for some of the Jews who poured forth these and similar words of confession, the Lord justly granted their petition, and imbued with the sacraments of the Gospel, He made them faithful from among the catechumens and the competent.

Saul is informed that David is at En-gedi, and goes to seek him with three thousand men, Sa1 24:1, Sa1 24:2. He goes into a cave to repose, where David and his men lay hid; who, observing this, exhort David to take away his life: David refuses, and contents himself with privily cutting off Saul's skirt, Sa1 24:3-7. When Saul departed, not knowing what was done, David called after him; showed him that his life had been in his power; expostulates strongly with him; and appeals to God, the Judge of his innocence, Sa1 24:8-15. Saul confesses David's uprightness, acknowledges his obligation to him for sparing his life; and causes him to swear that, when he should come to the kingdom, he would not destroy his seed, Sa1 24:17-21. Saul returns home, and David and his men stay in the hold, Sa1 24:22.

I know well that thou shalt surely be king - Hebrew, Reigning, thou shalt reign. He knew this before; and yet he continued to pursue him with the most deadly hatred.

DAVID IN A CAVE AT ENGEDI CUTS OFF SAUL'S SKIRT, BUT SPARES HIS LIFE. (Sa1 24:1-7) Saul . . . went . . . to seek David . . . upon the rocks of the wild goats--Nothing but the blind infatuation of fiendish rage could have led the king to pursue his outlawed son-in-law among those craggy and perpendicular precipices, where were inaccessible hiding places. The large force he took with him seemed to give him every prospect of success. But the overruling providence of God frustrated all his vigilance.

This wish was expressed in perfect sincerity. David's behaviour towards him had conquered for the moment the evil demon of his heart, and completely altered his feelings. In this better state of mind he felt impelled even to give utterance to these words, "I know that thou wilt be king, and the sovereignty will have perpetuity in thy hand." Saul could not prevent this conviction from forcing itself upon him, after his own rejection and the failure of all that he attempted against David; and it was this which drove him to persecute David whenever the evil spirit had the upper hand in his soul. But now that better feelings had arisen in his mind, he uttered it without envy, and merely asked David to promise on oath that he would not cut off his descendants after his death, and seek to exterminate his name from his father's house. A name is exterminated when the whole of the descendants are destroyed, - a thing of frequent occurrence in the East in connection with a change of dynasties, and one which occurred again and again even in the kingdom of the ten tribes (vid., Kg1 15:28., Sa1 16:11.; 2 Kings 10).