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CAVE CAPER. I Samuel 24:1-22. 8/9/20. #75.
1 Samuel 24 [New King James Version]
1 Now it happened, when Saul had returned from following the Philistines, that it was told him, saying, “Take note! David is in the Wilderness of En Gedi.” 2 Then Saul took three thousand chosen men from all Israel, and went to seek David and his men on the Rocks of the Wild Goats. 3 So he came to the sheepfolds by the road, where there was a cave; and Saul went in to attend to his needs. (David and his men were staying in the recesses of the cave.) 4 Then the men of David said to him, “This is the day of which the Lord said to you, ‘Behold, I will deliver your enemy into your hand, that you may do to him as it seems good to you.’ ” And David arose and secretly cut off a corner of Saul’s robe. 5 Now it happened afterward that David’s heart troubled him because he had cut Saul’s robe. 6 And he said to his men, “The Lord forbid that I should do this thing to my master, the Lord’s anointed, to stretch out my hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the Lord.” 7 So David restrained his servants with these words, and did not allow them to rise against Saul. And Saul got up from the cave and went on his way. 8 David also arose afterward, went out of the cave, and called out to Saul, saying, “My lord the king!” And when Saul looked behind him, David stooped with his face to the earth, and bowed down. 9 And David said to Saul: “Why do you listen to the words of men who say, ‘Indeed David seeks your harm’? 10 Look, this day your eyes have seen that the Lord delivered you today into my hand in the cave, and someone urged me to kill you. But my eye spared you, and I said, ‘I will not stretch out my hand against my lord, for he is the Lord’s anointed.’ 11 Moreover, my father, see! Yes, see the corner of your robe in my hand! For in that I cut off the corner of your robe, and did not kill you, know and see that there is neither evil nor rebellion in my hand, and I have not sinned against you. Yet you hunt my life to take it. 12 Let the Lord judge between you and me, and let the Lord avenge me on you. But my hand shall not be against you. 13 As the proverb of the ancients says, ‘Wickedness proceeds from the wicked.’ But my hand shall not be against you. 14 After whom has the king of Israel come out? Whom do you pursue? A dead dog? A flea? 15 Therefore let the Lord be judge, and judge between you and me, and see and plead my case, and deliver me out of your hand.” 16 So it was, when David had finished speaking these words to Saul, that Saul said, “Is this your voice, my son David?” And Saul lifted up his voice and wept. 17 Then he said to David: “You are more righteous than I; for you have rewarded me with good, whereas I have rewarded you with evil. 18 And you have shown this day how you have dealt well with me; for when the Lord delivered me into your hand, you did not kill me. 19 For if a man finds his enemy, will he let him get away safely? Therefore may the Lord reward you with good for what you have done to me this day. 20 And now I know indeed that you shall surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in your hand. 21 Therefore swear now to me by the Lord that you will not cut off my descendants after me, and that you will not destroy my name from my father’s house.” 22 So David swore to Saul. And Saul went home, but David and his men went up to the stronghold.
- Back to the chase
- Chapters 24-26 forms a unit of David sparing Saul and Nabol
- On three occasions David could have killed, but did not
- A theme of “God delivered you, but I stayed my hand”
- As soon as Saul returns from fighting the Philistines, he seeks to find and kill David again
- Saul is informed that David is near En Gedi
- There was no place David could hide that an informant would not see him and report him to Saul
- En Gedi was the perfect hiding place
- Full of rocks, caves, springs, crags, and forests
- Called the Rocks of the Wild Goats
- Chapters 24-26 forms a unit of David sparing Saul and Nabol
- Saul in the cave of destiny
- Saul enters a cave to relieve himself
- He doesn’t know David’s men are deep in the cave
- Providence has delivered Saul into David’s hand
- David’s men are sure that God had delivered Saul to be killed
- Why else would Saul choose that particular cave?
- Was this a deliverance or a test?
- David informs his men that he won’t kill God’s anointed
- David cuts off a part of the hem of Saul’s robe and even feels guilty about doing this
- David knows that God gave Saul his position of authority
- Romans 13:1-7 we are to obey and honor authorities
- Acts 5 we defy authorities when they demand that we do evil or disobey the will of God
- Authorities are to be honored to position they hold
- Saul enters a cave to relieve himself
- David demonstrates his fidelity
- God had delivered Saul into David’s hands
- David bows down before Saul and pays him homage
- David states that he means no harm to Saul
- David makes five arguments:
- David has shown that he is innocent of rebellion
- The Lord will judge between him and Saul
- Wickedness always proceeds from the wicked (David is accusing Saul of being wicked)
- David does not intend ever to rebel against Saul
- David will not attack God’s anointed
- Only God can rightly remove his anointed
- David refuses to assassinate Saul (ironically, Saul’s death would make Jonathan king)
- God had delivered Saul into David’s hands
- Saul’s humbled moment
- Saul realizes he came close to death
- Saul admits eight things:
- David is more righteous than he is
- David did well to Saul, who had done evil to him
- The Lord had delivered Saul into David’s hand
- David could have killed Saul, but spared him
- Saul admits to being David’s enemy
- Saul calls on God to bless David for his gracious act
- God will make David king after him
- David will have the power to destroy Saul’s progeny
- Saul pleads with David to spare his line and David agrees to it
- Saul’s humble moment is remorse and repentance (Saul is humble due to circumstances, but his heart has not changed)