1 ซามูเอล 26:23 วิจารณ์

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.

The Lord render to every man his righteousness, and his faithfulness,.... Or recompense every man that deals justly and faithfully with others, as he had done with Saul; or the Lord, who is just and faithful to his promises, reward the men that act the good and upright part; and this was a prayer of faith; for David doubted not that, though Saul might fail, yet God could not: for the Lord delivered thee into my hand this day; or, "into an hand" (x) into the hand of Abishai, who had it in his power to slay him, when he went and took the spear that was at his bolster, and would have done it, but David suffered him not: but I would not stretch forth my hand against the Lord's anointed; nor suffer another to stretch forth his hand against him; so careful and tender was he of his life. (x) "in manum", Pagninus, Montanus.

In the case of David also, we read of both good and bad actions. But where David’s strength lay, and what the secret of his success was, is sufficiently plain, not to the blind malevolence with which Faustus assails holy writings and holy men, but to pious discernment, which bows to the divine authority and at the same time judges human conduct correctly. The Manichaeans will find, if they read the Scriptures, that God rebukes David more than Faustus does. But they will read also of the sacrifice of his penitence, of his surpassing gentleness to his merciless and bloodthirsty enemy, whom David, pious as he was brave, dismissed unhurt when now and again he fell into his hands. They will read of his memorable humility under divine chastisement, when the kingly neck was so bowed under the Master’s yoke, that he bore with perfect patience bitter taunts from his enemy, though he was armed and had armed men with him. And when his companion was enraged at such things being said to the king and was on the point of requiting the insult on the head of the scoffer, he mildly restrained him, appealing to the fear of God in support of his own royal order and saying that this bad happened to him as a punishment from God, who had sent the man to curse him.

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."