1 Samuele 26:7 Commento

David's troubles from Saul here begin again; and the clouds return after the rain, when one would have hoped the storm had blown over, and the sky had cleared upon that side; but after Saul had owned his fault in persecuting David, and acknowledged David's title to the crown, yet here he revives the persecution, so perfectly lost was he to all sense of honour and virtue. I. The Ziphites informed him where David was (Sa1 26:1), and thereupon he marched out with a considerable force in quest of him (Sa1 26:2, Sa1 26:3). II. David gained intelligence of his motions (Sa1 26:4), and took a view of his camp (Sa1 26:5). III. He and one of his men ventured into his camp in the night and found him and all his guards fast asleep (Sa1 26:6, Sa1 26:7). IV. David, though much urged to it by his companions, would not take away Saul's life, but only carried off his spear and his cruse of water (Sa1 26:8-12). V. He produced these as a further witness for him that he did not design any ill to Saul, and reasoned with him upon his conduct (Sa1 26:13-20). VI. Saul was hereby convinced of his error, and once more desisted from persecuting David (Sa1 26:21-25). The story is much like that which we had (ch. 24). In both David is delivered out of Saul's hand, and Saul out of David's.

INTRODUCTION TO FIRST SAMUEL 26 This chapter relates that Saul, upon the information of the Ziphites, went out again with an armed force to seek David, Sa1 26:1; of which David having intelligence, and of the place where he pitched, came with one of his men and reconnoitred his camp, and finding Saul and his men asleep, took away his spear, and the cruse of water at his head, and departed, without taking away his life, though solicited to it by his servant, Sa1 26:4; which spear and cruse of water he produced to the reproach of Abner, Saul's general, and as a testimony of his sincere regard to Saul, and that he had no design upon his life, Sa1 26:13; of which Saul being convinced, blessed David, and returned home again, Sa1 26:21.

So David and Abishai came to the people by night,.... Josephus (l) wrongly says, that he took with him both Abishai and Ahimelech; he chose to have but one, for the greater secrecy. This was a bold enterprise, for two men to go into a camp of three thousand men, though it was in the night; when though they might suppose the greater part of them were asleep, yet they could not well suppose this of all, and especially of the guards or sentinels; but no doubt David was moved to this, not merely by the dint of his natural courage, but by the Spirit of God, by whom he might be assured of protection, and that Saul and the people were cast into a deep sleep by the Lord, as they were, Sa1 26:12; and this the Lord moved him to, that he might have an opportunity a second time to convince Saul of his innocence, and that he had no design upon his life: and, behold, Saul lay sleeping within the trench; See Gill on Sa1 26:5, and his spear stuck in the ground at his bolster; ready to take up and defend himself, should he be surprised; or this was his sceptre, which he always carried about with him, as an ensign of royalty, and by which very probably David knew which was Saul's tent or couch, where he slept: but Abner and the people lay round about him; as in Sa1 26:5. (l) Antiqu. l. 6. c. 13. sect. 9.

If Saul had been asked the reason for his hostility, he would have been compelled to admit that it was the favors received from David’s hand. Moreover, even though Saul had been found asleep by David during the very time that the latter was being pursued, and although Saul lay, an easy victim, before his enemy, his life was again spared by that just man, for he refrained from doing him violence.

Therefore, David and Abisai came to the people by night, etc. The Lord and his disciples came to visit the people, who were sitting in darkness and in the shadow of death, and found his kingdom entirely depressed in kinship, and torpid with blind stupor, all the defenses of virtues, with which they ought to have been armed against spiritual enemies, lived in earthly desires, but also all the teachers and listeners languishing with the same pestilence of sloth as the princes.

The Ziphites inform Saul of David's hiding place, Sa1 26:1. Saul, with three thousand men, goes in pursuit of him, Sa1 26:2, Sa1 26:3. David sends out spies; and finds where Saul had pitched his camp; and he and Abishai come to the camp by night, find all asleep, and bring away Saul's spear, and the cruse of water that was at his head, Sa1 26:4-12. David goes to the opposite hill; awakes Abner, captain of Saul's host; chides him for being so careless of his master's life; and calls on Saul to send one of his servants for the spear; and severely chides him for his continued hostility to him, Sa1 26:13-24. Saul humbles himself to David; promises to persecute him no more; and returns to his own place, Sa1 26:25.

SAUL COMES TO THE HILL OF HACHILAH AGAINST DAVID. (Sa1 26:1-4) the Ziphites came unto Saul to Gibeah--This people seem to have thought it impossible for David to escape, and therefore recommended themselves to Saul, by giving him secret information (see on Sa1 23:19). The knowledge of their treachery makes it appear strange that David should return to his former haunt in their neighborhood; but, perhaps he did it to be near Abigail's possessions, and under the impression that Saul had become mollified. But the king had relapsed into his old enmity. Though Gibeah, as its name imports, stood on an elevated position, and the desert of Ziph, which was in the hilly region of Judea, may have been higher than Gibeah, it was still necessary to descend in leaving the latter place; thence Saul (Sa1 26:2) "went down to the wilderness of Ziph."