Day 70 – 1 Samuel 26:8-16

Scripture Review

1 Samuel 26:8-16

"Then said Abishai to David, God hath delivered thine enemy into thine hand this day: now therefore let me smite him, I pray thee, with the spear even to the earth at once, and I will not smite him the second time." (1 Samuel 26:8)

Abishai sees the moment as a perfect opportunity. He says, "God hath delivered thine enemy into thine hand this day." In his mind, the open door means permission to act. He even offers to do it himself. "Let me smite him," he says, and he promises it will be done quickly, "I will not smite him the second time." Abishai is ready, confident, and decisive, but wrong about what should be done with the opportunity God has allowed.

"And David said to Abishai, Destroy him not: for who can stretch forth his hand against the LORD'S anointed, and be guiltless?" (1 Samuel 26:9)

David answers immediately, "Destroy him not." "for who can stretch forth his hand against the LORD'S anointed, and be guiltless?" David does not deny that Saul is acting wickedly. He does not deny that Saul is his enemy. But he still will not touch him, because Saul is "the LORD'S anointed." David's conviction is bigger than the moment of opportunity. He will not do wrong, even when the wrong seems justified.

"David said furthermore, As the LORD liveth, the LORD shall smite him; or his day shall come to die; or he shall descend into battle, and perish." (1 Samuel 26:10)

David goes further and leaves Saul's end in the hands of God. He says, "the LORD shall smite him; or his day shall come to die; or he shall descend into battle, and perish." David knows Saul will not escape God's justice. David also knows he is not the one appointed to carry it out by murder in the night. There are different ways Saul may fall, but David refuses to make himself the instrument of unlawful revenge.

"The LORD forbid that I should stretch forth mine hand against the LORD'S anointed: but, I pray thee, take thou now the spear that is at his bolster, and the cruse of water, and let us go." (1 Samuel 26:11)

David repeats, "The LORD forbid that I should stretch forth mine hand against the LORD'S anointed." This is not weakness it is spiritual strength. Then David gives a different command. Instead of taking Saul's life, they are to take "the spear that is at his bolster, and the cruse of water." These items will serve as proof David had the chance to kill Saul and refused.

"So David took the spear and the cruse of water from Saul's bolster; and they gat them away, and no man saw it, nor knew it, neither awaked: for they were all asleep; because a deep sleep from the LORD was fallen upon them." (1 Samuel 26:12)

David takes the spear and the cruse of water, and they leave unseen. The verse emphasizes the completeness of it: "no man saw it, nor knew it, neither awaked." Then it tells me why: "because a deep sleep from the LORD was fallen upon them." God had made the all this possible.