1 Samuel 24:8 Ulasan

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.

David also arose afterward,.... After Saul was gone: and went out of the cave; where he had been all the time that Saul had been in it: and cried after Saul: with a loud voice: my lord the king; by which titles Saul would know that he was called unto: and when Saul looked behind him; to see who it was that called unto him: David stooped with his face to the earth, and bowed himself: giving reverence and honour to him as a king; See Gill on Sa1 20:41.

Saul, therefore, came out of the cave unaware of what had happened, wearing the little garment which had been trimmed all around. David came out behind him in self-assurance, and having seized the hill lying above the cave in advance, held out the end [of Saul’s robe] in his hand. This was nothing other than a bloodless trophy against his enemies. And he cried out to Saul in a loud voice and told him about this new and marvelous heroism, which was unstained by the defilement of blood, in which the hero was victorious and the one defeated was saved from death. For David’s excellence is not attested in the fall of his enemy, but the superiority of his power is made clearer in the salvation of his opponent from danger. He had such an excess of confidence that he did not think that his own salvation lay in the destruction of those arrayed against him, but even when those who plotted against him survived he was confident that no one would harm him.But the Word teaches rather by this story that the one who excels in virtue does not fight bravely against those of his own race but fights against the passions. The anger in both men, then, was destroyed by such excellence as David had, in the one, when he destroyed his own wrath by means of reason and quenched the urge to take vengeance, and in the other, when Saul put to death his evil against David because of the clemency which he had experienced. For one can learn from the story itself the kind of things Saul uttered afterwards to the victor when he was submerged in shame for what he had undertaken and demonstrated his spontaneous turning away from evil by his lament and tears.

So what did David reply? “Your servant, my lord the king.” A contest and rivalry then developed as to which one would pay greater respect to the other: one admitted the other to kinship, the other called him lord. What he means is something like this: I am interested in one thing only, your welfare and the progress of virtue. You called me child, and I love and am fond of you if you have me as a servant, provided you set aside your resentment, provided you do not suspect me of any evil or think me to be scheming and warring against you. He fulfilled that apostolic law, note, that bids us excel ourselves in showing one another honor, unlike the general run of people, whose disposition is worse than beasts’ and who cannot bear to be the first to greet their neighbor, having the view that they are shamed and insulted if they share a mere greeting with someone.

When he had offered this excellent sacrifice, then, achieved the victory and omitted nothing needed for a trophy, the cause of the problem, Saul, arose and left the cave, all unaware of what had gone on. “David also left behind him,” looking in the direction of heaven with eyes now free of concern, and more satisfied on that occasion than when he had overthrown Goliath and cut off the savage’s head. It was, in fact, a more conspicuous victory than the former one, the spoils more majestic, the booty more glorious, the trophy more commendable. In the former case he needed a sling, stones and battle line, whereas in this case thought counted for everything, the victory was achieved without weapons, and the trophy was erected without blood being spilt. He returned, therefore, bearing not a savage’s head but resentment mortified and rage unnerved—spoils he deposited not in Jerusalem but in heaven and the city on high.

And bowing himself, David prostrated on the ground and worshiped. The Savior, with his compassionate heart, bowed down to help and aid earthly and weak hearts, showing through the ministers of His word, He Himself first presented examples of worship and reconciliation with God to those who had already offended Him long ago. He said to the people of the Jews through the heralds of the Gospel: "Why do you listen to the words of human wisdom, of the Scribes and Pharisees speaking: Jesus seeks harm against you; if we let Him go on like this, everyone will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation" (John 11). Behold, at the time of My passion with so many miracles appearing, whoever could truly see, saw in you that the Lord had delivered you into My power, since at a single gentle word of My response when I said, "I am He," such a large armed band fell trembling, and when I was crucified, an unusual darkness covered the whole sky at midday; when I gave up My spirit, the whole earth was moved, rocks were split, tombs were opened, and countless bodies of the dead were raised. Finally, at the appearance of an angel testifying to My resurrection, an immense earthquake occurred, and your guards were stunned and became like the dead. And indeed I thought that if you did not repent, I would destroy you; but patient regard of My compassion spared you, favoring that through penance you might deserve pardon and salvation. For I said: I will not strike completely, nor will I remove from the midst the people, although sinful and hostile to Me, from which I received the form of a servant, in which I would win back the whole world; which in the fathers long ago divine generosity imbued with the blessing of singular grace.

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.

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.

HE URGES THEREBY HIS INNOCENCY. (Sa1 24:8-15) David also arose . . . and went out of the cave, and cried after Saul--The closeness of the precipitous cliffs, though divided by deep wadies, and the transparent purity of the air enable a person standing on one rock to hear distinctly the words uttered by a speaker standing on another (Jdg 9:7). The expostulation of David, followed by the visible tokens he furnished of his cherishing no evil design against either the person or the government of the king, even when he had the monarch in his power, smote the heart of Saul in a moment and disarmed him of his fell purpose of revenge. He owned the justice of what David said, acknowledged his own guilt, and begged kindness to his house. He seems to have been naturally susceptible of strong, and, as in this instance, of good and grateful impressions. The improvement of his temper, indeed, was but transient--his language that of a man overwhelmed by the force of impetuous emotions and constrained to admire the conduct, and esteem the character, of one whom he hated and dreaded. But God overruled it for ensuring the present escape of David. Consider his language and behavior. This language--"a dead dog," "a flea," terms by which, like Eastern people, he strongly expressed a sense of his lowliness and the entire committal of his cause to Him who alone is the judge of human actions, and to whom vengeance belongs, his steady repulse of the vindictive counsels of his followers; the relentings of heart which he felt even for the apparent indignity he had done to the person of the Lord's anointed; and the respectful homage he paid the jealous tyrant who had set a price on his head--evince the magnanimity of a great and good man, and strikingly illustrate the spirit and energy of his prayer "when he was in the cave" (Psa 142:1). Next: 1 Samuel Chapter 25

But when Saul had gone out of the cave, David went out, and called, "My lord king," that when the king looked round he might expostulate with him, with the deepest reverence, but yet with earnest words, that should sharpen his conscience as to the unfounded nature of his suspicion and the injustice of his persecution. "Why dost thou hearken to words of men, who say, Behold, David seeketh thy hurt? Behold, this day thine eyes have been that Jehovah hath given thee to-day into my hand in the cave, and they said (אמר, thought) to kill thee, and I spared thee:" lit. it (mine eye) spared thee (cf. Gen 45:20; Deu 7:16, etc., which show that עיני is to be supplied).