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Noble Spirit of David
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be guiltless? ... As the Lord lives, the Lord shall strike him, ... or
he shall go out to battle, and perish. The Lord forbid that I should
stretch out my hand against the Lord’s anointed. But please take
now the spear and the jug of water that are by his head, and let us
go.’ ... And no man saw or knew it or awoke ... because a deep sleep
from the Lord had fallen on them.”
When David was a safe distance from the camp, he called with
a loud voice to Abner, “‘Are you not a man? And who is like you
in Israel? Why then have you not guarded your lord the king? For
one of the people came in to destroy your lord the king. This thing
that you have done is not good. As the Lord lives, you deserve to
die, because you have not guarded your master, the Lord’s anointed.
And now see where the king’s spear is, and the jug of water that was
by his head.’ Then Saul knew David’s voice, and said, ‘Is that your
voice, my son David?’ David said, ‘It is my voice, my lord, O king.’
And he said, ‘Why does my lord thus pursue his servant? For what
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have I done, or what evil is in my hand?’”
Again King Saul Confesses He Is Wrong
Again the king acknowledged: “I have sinned. Return, my son
David. For I will harm you no more, because my life was precious
in your eyes this day. Indeed I have played the fool and erred
exceedingly.”
David answered, “Here is the king’s spear. Let one of the young
men come over and get it” Although Saul had made the promise, “I
will harm you no more,” David did not place himself in his grasp.
Saul exclaimed as they parted, “May you be blessed, my son
David! You shall both do great things and also still prevail.” But the
son of Jesse had no hope that the king would continue thinking this
way for very long.
David felt hopeless that there would ever be a reconciliation with
Saul. It seemed that he would finally fall victim to the hatred of the
king. With the six hundred men under his command, he went over
to Achish, the king of Gath.
David’s conclusion that Saul would accomplish his murderous
intent was formed without the counsel of God. Even while Saul was
plotting his destruction, the Lord was working to obtain the kingdom