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The Ziphites came to Saul to Gibeah, saying, “Doesn’t David hide himself in the hill of Hachilah, which is before the desert?”
Verse 1. Ziph. Having declared themselves so decidedly against David, they apprehended the utmost danger if he should ascend the throne.—Hill. Hebrew “Gabaa,” as the Vulg. leaves it, verse 3. It lay to the right hand of Ziph, (Calmet. 23:19,) or “of Jesimon.” Sept.
Then Saul arose and went down to the wilderness of Ziph, having three thousand chosen men of Israel with him, to seek David in the wilderness of Ziph.
Saul encamped in the hill of Hachilah, which is before the desert, by the way. But David stayed in the wilderness, and he saw that Saul came after him into the wilderness.
David therefore sent out spies, and understood that Saul had certainly come.
Verse 4. Certainly, or in a place strongly secured by nature. Septuagint “well armed.”
Then David arose and came to the place where Saul had encamped; and David saw the place where Saul lay, with Abner the son of Ner, the captain of his army. Saul lay within the place of the wagons, and the people were encamped around him.
Verse 5. Tent, or covered chariot, such as the Scythians use in their marches. Justin i. or in a “royal tent.” Septuagint λαμπηνη, (Pollux. Menochius.) “richly ornamented,” (Lucifer of Cagliari) “in the midst” (Aquila) of his troops. Calmet.—David might see all was quiet from an eminence, or he might be informed by his spies. Menochius.
Then David answered and said to Ahimelech the Hittite, and to Abishai the son of Zeruiah, brother of Joab, saying, “Who will go down with me to Saul to the camp?” Abishai said, “I will go down with you.”
Verse 6. Hethite. He had probably embraced the Jewish religion.—Abisai was the son of Sarvia, David’s sister, and made a great figure at court. Calmet.—David was directed by God to manifest his clemency ( Menochius.) and reverence for Saul in this perilous attempt. Bible.
So David and Abishai came to the people by night; and, behold, Saul lay sleeping within the place of the wagons, with his spear stuck in the ground at his head; and Abner and the people lay around him.
Then Abishai said to David, “God has delivered up your enemy into your hand today. Now therefore please let me strike him with the spear to the earth at one stroke, and I will not strike him the second time.”
Verse 8. My. Hebrew “the spear,” which was fixed in the ground at Saul’s pillow. Prot. “let me smite him, I pray thee, with the spear, even to the earth, at once, and I will not smite him a second time.” Bible.
David said to Abishai, “Don’t destroy him, for who can stretch out his hand against the LORD’s anointed, and be guiltless?”
Verse 9. Guiltless. Saul was still his king, how wicked soever, and this title rendered his person inviolable. The eastern nations are very seldom guilty of rebellion, or of murdering their kings; a thing of which we find so many examples in the Roman, English, and French histories. Calmet.—A private man could not lay violent hands upon the king without a crime; and therefore David represses Abisai, and commits his cause to God. Calmet. 24:13. Menochius.—He will not permit any one to destroy the life of the king, though he was already anointed to succeed him. Worthington.
David said, “As the LORD lives, the LORD will strike him; or his day shall come to die, or he shall go down into battle and perish.
Verse 10. To die a natural death. Thus those who are slain, are said to die before their day. Psalms 54:2–8. Jesus was not taken, because his hour was not yet come. John 2:4 and 7:30. Calmet.—David waits with patience, that God might take off his adversary by sickness, old age, or the sword. Menochius.—He will not ascend the throne before the time appointed, and he will not kill Saul, except it be in battle, in his own defence. Bible.
The LORD forbid that I should stretch out my hand against the LORD’s anointed; but now please take the spear that is at his head and the jar of water, and let’s go.”
So David took the spear and the jar of water from Saul’s head, and they went away. No man saw it, or knew it, nor did any awake; for they were all asleep, because a deep sleep from the LORD had fallen on them.
Verse 12. Water, for refreshment, or for purifications.—Lord. It is not necessary to have recourse to a miracle, ( Calmet.) though it must have been by a special providence that all continued in such a deep sleep, ( Bible.) to give David an opportunity of manifesting his innocence. Worthington.
Then David went over to the other side, and stood on the top of the mountain far away, a great space being between them;
and David cried to the people, and to Abner the son of Ner, saying, “Don’t you answer, Abner?” Then Abner answered, “Who are you who calls to the king?”
David said to Abner, “Aren’t you a man? Who is like you in Israel? Why then have you not kept watch over your lord the king? For one of the people came in to destroy your lord the king.
Verse 15. Israel. This was a cutting irony. Calmet.—Salien attributes to it the enmity which Abner bore to David for above seven years. Menochius.
This thing isn’t good that you have done. As the LORD lives, you are worthy to die, because you have not kept watch over your lord, the LORD’s anointed. Now see where the king’s spear is, and the jar of water that was at his head.”
Verse 16. Death; that is you deserve to die. Such negligence was punishable with death, according to the Roman laws; & qui excubias. Grot.
Saul recognized David’s voice, and said, “Is this your voice, my son David?” David said, “It is my voice, my lord, O king.”
He said, “Why does my lord pursue his servant? For what have I done? What evil is in my hand?
Now therefore, please let my lord the king hear the words of his servant. If it is so that the LORD has stirred you up against me, let him accept an offering. But if it is the children of men, they are cursed before the LORD; for they have driven me out today that I shouldn’t cling to the LORD’s inheritance, saying, ‘Go, serve other gods!’
Verse 19. Sacrifice, that he may be appeased; (Jonathan. Vatab.) or rather, I am willing to fall a victim, ( Menochius.) and pray that thy sacrifice may be acceptable, and all thy designs against me succeed. Psalms 19:4.—They are. The opposition of this sentence to the preceding seems to require “let them be,” and so forth What in effect did not those deserve who wished to make David adore false gods? Calmet.—Lord in the land of Israel.—Gods. They said so, at least by their actions. Menochius.—All other countries were in a manner abandoned to idol-worship, so that a person could not dwell in them, without the most imminent danger. See 2 Kennicott. 14:16. Psalms 83:12. Calmet.
Now therefore, don’t let my blood fall to the earth away from the presence of the LORD; for the king of Israel has come out to seek a flea, as when one hunts a partridge in the mountains.”
Verse 20. Before, the contrary to the decrees of the Lord, ( Bible.) who will be my avenger.—Hunted, (persequiur) is here used in a passive sense; ( Calmet.) or it may be rendered, “as a partridge pursues” what it feeds upon. Bible.
Then Saul said, “I have sinned. Return, my son David; for I will no more do you harm, because my life was precious in your eyes today. Behold, I have played the fool, and have erred exceedingly.”
Verse 21. Precious, and treated as such, with care and respect. See 4 Kennicott. 1:14. Psalms 48:9. Isaiah 43:4.—Ignorant. Yet Saul was inexcusable. 2 Kennicott. 24:10, and so forth
David answered, “Behold the spear, O king! Let one of the young men come over and get it.
Verse 22. It. He would not keep the spear, lest it might seem disrespectful.
The LORD will give to every man his righteousness and his faithfulness; because the LORD delivered you into my hand today, and I wouldn’t stretch out my hand against the LORD’s anointed.
Behold, as your life was respected today in my eyes, so let my life be respected in the LORD’s eyes, and let him deliver me out of all oppression.”
Verse 24. Set by. Lit. “magnified,” or deemed very precious. Bible.—Distress. These were the last words which David addressed to Saul; and they seem to have made a deep impression upon him. But as no dependance could be placed on Saul’s most solemn promises, David resolved, by God’s advice, to retire to the country of Geth. Salien. A. 2978.
Then Saul said to David, “You are blessed, my son David. You will both do mightily, and will surely prevail.” So David went his way, and Saul returned to his place.
Verse 25. Prevail, and mount the throne.—Place, Gabaa. Menochius.