Unless otherwise stated, all citations are taken from the New International Version (NIV).
1 Samuel 21 (David Goes to Gath)
Summary: David travels to Nob to see Ahimelech the priest (v.1), and he asks for food (v.3). David gets a weapon off of Ahimelech, telling him that he’s on official kingly business for Saul (v.8). Remember, this all happened before cell phones; one phone call to Saul could’ve ruined David’s entire rouse! David took Goliath’s sword and brought it to Gath (v.11). He pretended to be crazy so that the men there wouldn’t kill him (v.13).
David cannot go home to his wife, his home, or his job.
He goes to the Tabernacle. He flees to God.
Shew bread is in Leviticus 24.
David was trying to use his ingenuity—not trusting God.
(21:1) Ahimelech was “trembling” when he meets David—probably because David’s reputation preceded him.
(21:2) David lies to Ahimelech. One way of understanding this is that David was lying in order to save a life (a case of “Prioritized Ethics”). Another way to understand this passage is to understand David as slyly calling God the “king” who had commissioned him.[1] Note that David doesn’t mention Saul by name—only an anonymous “king.”
David had a cadre of mighty men that were loyal to him, and he was their “captain” or “leader” (1 Sam. 22:2).
(21:3) Only five loaves was a meager amount. David wanted the bare necessity to keep his men going.
(21:4-5) The priest is likely referencing passages like Exodus 19:14-15 or Leviticus 15:18. An example for this can be found in Uriah, who refused to sleep with Bathsheba while on military duty (2 Sam. 11:11).
(21:6) Jesus addresses this passage as a case of prioritized ethics (Mt. 12:1-8; Mk. 2:23-28; Lk. 6:1-5). Human life has more moral weight than ceremonial laws.
(21:7) Doeg the Edomite later comes up in the following chapter, as the man who maliciously kills a number of priests (1 Sam. 22:18-19).
(21:8-9) Earlier, David was asking for food, but now, he’s asking for weapons. David must have left this sword with the priests after keeping it in his own tent for a while (1 Sam. 17:54).
(21:10) David flees to Gath, which was Goliath’s hometown. He had killed their champion, and now, he comes to their city with Goliath’s own sword. Imagine how scared you would feel to be “public enemy number one” in this hostile city.
“Welcome to Gath… Home of Goliath!” And David is holding Goliath’s sword. David loved this song earlier, but not anymore.
The men know that he killed Goliath and he widowed hundreds of the people.
Psalm 56.
(21:11) David’s reputation had preceded him in Gath. They had even heard the songs written about him (1 Sam. 18:7). They call him “king of the land.” This could be “belittling his importance,”[2] or it could be a sign that even the Gentiles were recognizing the fact that God’s anointing had shifted from Saul to David.
(21:12) David is scared to death of Achish. Will he fight Achish? Try to create a coup on the Gath government? Attempt a political assassination?
(21:13) No, David pretends to be mentally insane. This expression is used of the behavior of drunkards (Jer. 25:16) or being reckless (Jer. 46:9; Nah. 2:4). David achieves a complete disguise by acting mentally incompetent.
(21:14-15) David’s ploy works. In a sense, Achish says, “I’ve got enough crazy around here… I don’t need any more!”
Writes Psalm 34. David was amazed with gratitude to God.
Psalm 142. He’s coming down from his spiritual high.
Concluding insights
This story shows prioritized ethics. Jesus picks up on this in the NT (Mt. 12:3-4), where he argues that the priests were not supposed to give consecrated bread to regular men. But they (righteously) did so in this situation. Is it more important to keep a ceremonial law, or save a life and feed the hungry? Also David lies to the king of Gath by acting mentally disabled. But this was right to do in this situation, because his life was at stake.
1 Samuel 22 (Saul Wipes out the Priests)
Summary: David’s family and men heard about him being in distress, and 400 of them joined him (v.2). Saul learns of these men joining with David (v.7) and calls this a conspiracy (v.8). Saul takes his paranoia out on the high priest Ahimelech (v.13). He commands that the priests should be killed for taking sides with David (v.17). The men wouldn’t kill the priests, but Doeg killed 85 of them (v.18). Abiathar escaped to be with David (v.20), and David promised to protect Abiathar (vv.22-23).
David continues in hiding
Doeg redirects Saul’s rage against Ahimelech.
If David told the truth, then Ahimelech wouldn’t have died.
Ps. 52 explains how David felt.
(22:1) David’s family were likely in mortal danger as well. This is likely why they followed David into hiding.
(22:2) David had a substantial fighting force of 400 men who were loyal to him. These men would’ve risked their life and limb to be on his side.
These men parted from the status quo of following Saul. They must’ve been discontent with Saul’s leadership.
1 Chron. 12:8. David turned them into this.
(22:3-4) Why would David take his family to Moab of all places? Remember, David’s great-grandmother was Ruth (Ruth 4:13-17), and Ruth was a Moabitess (Ruth 1:4). This could be an undesigned coincidence that shows the historicity of this account.
David was part Moabite, so it’s no wonder that he sends him here.
(22:5) In his psalm during this time, David knew that his ultimate “stronghold” was God himself (Ps. 18:2).
The priests are brutally murdered
Even though Doeg was an evil man, God used him to fulfill his judgment against the descendants of Levi (1 Sam. 2:31-33; cf. 1 Kings 2:26-27).
(22:6) The mention of Saul have his “spear in hand” is foreshadowing for what he would do based on how he had already done with that spear (1 Sam. 18:10-11; 19:9-10; 20:33).
(22:7) Saul is openly challenging David’s authority and what David can provide for them. Can David make you rich? Can he make you powerful?
(22:8) Saul’s paranoia has increased (“all of you have conspired against me”). In reality, Jonathan had made this covenant in secret, and Saul’s men wouldn’t have known this.
He has the narrative completely reversed.
Doeg rats out Ahimelech
(22:9-10) Doeg tells Saul that Ahimelech had given David a sword, food, and inquired to God for him. Under this state of affairs, this was interpreted as high treason to Saul’s dynasty. Psalm 52 lines up with this historical narrative.
Uh-hite-ub.
(22:11) Nob was only two miles from Gibeah,[3] and the priests come to see Saul.
(22:12) Ahimelech is obedient to Saul.
(22:13) Saul repeats Doeg’s accusations against Ahimelech (vv.9-10). Saul is more willing to trust a foreign Edomite (Doeg) than God’s priests.
(22:14-15) Ahimelech states that he was ignorant of the fact that David was a villain. As far as he knew, David was a trustworthy servant of Saul and in good standing with him.
(22:16) Saul doesn’t want to listen. He raises the death sentence against Ahimelech and his whole household.
(22:17) Saul’s men side with Ahimilech (and David), not being willing to kill the priests unjustly. Similarly, David was not willing to “stretch out his hand” against Saul in the days to come (1 Sam. 24:10). David even killed the Amalekite who claimed to kill Saul (2 Sam. 1:14).
(22:18-19) Doeg doesn’t just kill the priests. He is so bloodthirsty that he massacres the entire village.
A single escapee: Abiathar
(22:20-21) Abiathar escapes! He runs to tell David what had happened.
(22:22) David takes personal responsibility for what happened. This is really going over the top, because Doeg was the murderer—not David. Regardless, David promises to do whatever he can to make things right. Abiathar continues to serve David for the rest of his life.
(22:23) Youngblood comments, “King-elect and priest-elect have joined forces as fellow fugitives.”[4] Saul wants to take his life, but David wants to give his life.
David had tremendous hardship and suffering, but these were times where was closest to the Lord.
1 Samuel 23 (Saul Hunts David)
Summary: David and his men fight off the Philistines, because they were pilfering food in Keilah (vv.1-5). Saul heard that David was at Keilah and roused his entire army to surround him (v.7). David takes the ephod from Abiathar, the priest, to determine what to do. God tells David that the leaders of Keilah will hand him over, if Saul comes (v.12). This caused David to roam the hills, and Saul never sent him men after all (v.13). God protected David so Saul wouldn’t find him (v.14). When Saul was about to find David, he was called away by the Philistines (vv.27-28).
They probably called out to God, but he was too busy trying to kill David.
Saul didn’t come to Keilah until David was there!
David retreated—even though it was against his instincts.
Can’t feel bad for the people of Keilah. Saul just killed Ahimelech.
(23:1) Just when you think the story couldn’t get any worse, the Philistines reappear to attack one of Judah’s towns, Keilah. Imagine how stressful it would be to be in David’s shoes: On the one hand, Saul is trying to kill you, and on the other, the Philistines are relentlessly attacking your countrymen.
(23:2-3) David must have been “inquiring” through the use of the ephod brought from Abiathar (v.2). God gives David the green light to go (v.2), but his men aren’t getting the same message (v.3). They are already scared about Saul, and now, David wants them to pick a fight with the Philistines, too?
David was doing a lot of prayer here.
(23:4) David asks for reaffirmation from God, and God tells him to go fight. Notice that God doesn’t promise that he will protect David from Saul—only that he will give David victory over the Philistines.
(23:5) God empowered David and his men to drive out the Philistines, as he promised.
(23:6) Again, Abiathar was the rejected priest working with the rejected king (David).
Saul pursues David in Keilah
(23:7-8) Saul thinks that he has David trapped like an animal in a cage. Keilah likely only had one entrance and exit, and so, Saul sends him men to trap David.
(23:9) Instead of panicking, David turned to God for wisdom and direction.
(23:10) Why would the people of Keilah give over David after he had just rescued them? Likely, the people were thankful to David for rescuing them from the Philistines, but they would’ve felt like being tossed from the frying pan and into the fire when Saul arrived. They probably would’ve thought, “We just avoided massacre… Do we really want to allow Saul to slaughter us?”
(23:11-12) God’s foreknowledge is so extensive that he knows what the men would do in a given situation—even if it was never actualized. It’s interesting that David needs to ask twice whether the men of Keilah would surrender him to Saul.
(23:13) David’s army has grown from 400 to 600 men. Perhaps more joined him at Keilah. These men stick by David’s side throughout the rest of the book (1 Sam. 25:13; 27:2; 30:9).
Saul pursues David to the Desert of Ziph
Saul knew his reign was over—similar to Satan.
Saul calls the betrayers “blessed by God.”
David writes Psalm 54 during this time.
A messenger wasn’t out of the blue, but out of heaven. What are examples of a “rock of escape” in David’s life?
David is using this to prepare David for the throne. We are going to sit on a throne too.
(23:14) Ziph is roughly twelve miles southeast of Keilah.[5] David wasn’t on his own to survive. Rather, we read, “God did not deliver [David] into [Saul’s] hand.”
(23:15) David knows that Saul is close on his tail.
(23:16-18) Jonathan sees David one last time. He encourages him to not fear Saul, because God was with him. They make another covenant together. Sadly, this is the last time David will see Jonathan alive.
Final meeting. Saul knows that David is going to take the throne.
(23:19-20) Psalm 54 was written during this time. The Ziphites rat David out to Saul.
(23:21) Saul is a seething hypocrite. None of this has to do with God or God’s blessing. This is Saul’s maniacal bloodlust for David.
Incredible hubris!
(23:22-23) Saul asks for more reconnaissance on David’s whereabouts.
Saul pursues David to the Desert of Maon
(23:24) The Ziphites begin a manhunt for David, combing all of the nooks and crannies of the land to find him. Maon was five miles south of Ziph.[6]
(23:25-26) Saul finds David’s location. He is just about to close in on him, when…
(23:27-29) The Philistines just so happen to attack at the perfect time. Saul has no choice but to retreat and fight the Philistines. David escapes to Engedi by the skin of his teeth.
Concluding insights
Notice how much God is doing to direct and protect David in this chapter. As believers who are following the will of God, we should be confident that God is taking care of us. We shouldn’t sit around worrying about the problems that can fall on us. God is in control of these things. Worrying about them won’t change anything anyway.
God knows what could happen or will happen—even if it never occurs.
Saul thinks that God is behind him (v.7), when God is actually behind David (v.14). We can become so deluded in our thinking that we can believe God is behind us when he isn’t.
1 Samuel 24 (Saul Stops Hunting David)
Summary: Saul gathered 3,000 men to get David in Engedi (vv.1-2). Imagine how paranoid you’d need to be in order to gather 3,000 men for one man! Saul “just so happened” to go into a cave to relieve himself, where David and his men were hiding (v.3). David’s men took this as an act of God’s providence, giving Saul into David’s hand (v.4). David merely cut a piece of Saul’s robe off, but even this bothered his conscience (v.5). David didn’t believe that he should take Saul’s position as king, because God had chosen Saul (v.6), so he didn’t kill him (v.7). David used this as leverage to reason with Saul, showing that he didn’t want to hurt him (v.11). This caused Saul to break down crying at David’s mercy (v.16), and he left David without harming him.
(24:1-2) After Saul returned from pursuing the Philistines, he was told, “David is in the Desert of En Gedi.” 2 So Saul took three thousand chosen men from all Israel and set out to look for David and his men near the Crags of the Wild Goats.
En Gedi was a beautiful region. So, it’s no wonder why David chose to flee to there.
David only had 600 men (1 Sam. 23:13), but Saul had a 3,000 man army. So, he was outnumbered 5-to-1.
(24:3) He came to the sheep pens along the way; a cave was there, and Saul went in to relieve himself. David and his men were far back in the cave.
“Relieve himself.” This Hebrew idiom can be literally rendered “to cover his feet,” because it refers to “the Israelite practice of disposing of human excrement in a sanitary manner through covering it over with dirt (cf. Deut 23:13).”[7] This euphemism for defecation only occurs one other time in the OT, when Eglon was “relieving himself” after being killed by Ehud (Judg. 3:24).
Imagine how these men felt when they saw Saul’s army approaching, kicking up the dust from miles away. After they hide in this cave, they’re stuck. So, when they hear Saul enter, they think they’re dead.
Not so! Saul is the one who is in mortal danger. He just dropped his pants in a cave filled with 300 skilled soldiers.
Why did Saul enter alone? Of course, Saul was defecating. So, he most likely didn’t want any bodyguards. Moreover, he didn’t expect that this random cave would be filled with 300 men. Furthermore, it’s likely that Saul couldn’t hear David and the men because he has 3,000 men outside making noise.
(24:4-5) The men said, “This is the day the LORD spoke of when he said to you, ‘I will give your enemy into your hands for you to deal with as you wish.’” Then David crept up unnoticed and cut off a corner of Saul’s robe. 5 Afterward, David was conscience-stricken for having cut off a corner of his robe.
“David crept up unnoticed.” What excuses did David have to kill Saul? He probably thought, “This is self-defense. I don’t deserve to be living out in the woods for a decade on a permanent camping trip! I’m sick of this!” But even though Saul sinned against David 99%, David focused on his 1% and his view before God.
“This is the day the LORD spoke of…” David’s men interpreted this fortuitous occurrence to be God’s sovereignty, giving David an opportunity to kill Saul. After all, of all of the caves in Israel, why did Saul just so happen to choose to defecate in this one?
“Cut off a corner of Saul’s robe.” The “tearing was interpreted as a portent that the kingdom would be torn from Saul,[8] and it was symbolic for the “transfer of power from the house of Saul to the house of David.”[9] Firth agrees, “David cuts off the corner of Saul’s robe as a symbolic claim to the kingdom—note that in Mesopotamia a robe’s fringe could be used a symbol of authority, though the sense of this is varied.”[10] When Ahijah tore up his cloak, it symbolized the tearing up of the kingdom (1 Kin. 11:29-31).
This also religiously ruined Saul’s robe. The Law stated that the men needed tassels on the “corner” of their robes (Num. 15:38-39; Deut. 22:12). Consequently, “Saul’s most obvious symbol of kingship was made unwearable.”[11]
“Conscience-stricken.” Even though he didn’t kill Saul, David was subtly taking away his power. By cutting off a piece of Saul’s robe, he was symbolically disrespecting Saul’s authority as king.[12] This is why his conscience is troubled by this (v.5), and he later calls this a “sin” (v.11).
(24:6) He said to his men, “The LORD forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the LORD’s anointed, or lift my hand against him; for he is the anointed of the LORD.”
David respected Saul because God had put him into power. What do you think David’s men were thinking when he returned with a small piece of cloth, rather than Saul’s head? He needed to “rebuke his men” when he returned (v.7).
(24:7) With these words David rebuked his men and did not allow them to attack Saul. And Saul left the cave and went his way.
Saul stood up, wiped, and left the cave. He had no idea how close he came to death.
David defends himself to Saul
(24:8) Then David went out of the cave and called out to Saul, “My lord the king!” When Saul looked behind him, David bowed down and prostrated himself with his face to the ground.
“Called out to Saul.” The law stated that people needed to travel away from their camp in order to defecate, and then bury the human waste in the ground (Deut. 23:12-13). So, Saul may have been some distance from the rest of his men.
“My lord the king!” David is still referring to Saul as his “lord” and his “king.” He is still bowing down before him, showing his respect for God’s appointment of this man. Bergen writes, “David treated the king properly, not because of anything the king had done or might do, but because of what the Lord had done. David’s respect for human authority was based on his respect for divine authority.”[13]
(24:9) He said to Saul, “Why do you listen when men say, ‘David is bent on harming you’?
David doesn’t indict Saul with wrongdoing. Rather, he states that Saul was listening to poor counselors (“Why do you listen when men say…?”).
(24:10) “This day you have seen with your own eyes how the LORD delivered you into my hands in the cave. Some urged me to kill you, but I spared you; I said, ‘I will not lift my hand against my master, because he is the LORD’s anointed.’”
How does David reason with Saul? First, he pointed to the evidence right in front of him. Second, he showed that he had the means and the motive, but he refused to take advantage. Third, David revealed himself to Saul, taking the lower position of humility. A guilty man would’ve stayed in the cave.
(24:11) “See, my father, look at this piece of your robe in my hand! I cut off the corner of your robe but did not kill you. Now understand and recognize that I am not guilty of wrongdoing or rebellion. I have not wronged you, but you are hunting me down to take my life.”
David gives Saul material evidence—the corner of his robe.
David calls Saul his “father” because Saul was his father-in-law. Later, Saul calls David his “son” (v.16).
(24:12) “May the LORD judge between you and me. And may the LORD avenge the wrongs you have done to me, but my hand will not touch you.”
David trusts God to vindicate him and adjudicate the situation. But he refuses to take justice into his own hands.
(24:13) “As the old saying goes, ‘From evildoers come evil deeds,’ so my hand will not touch you.”
This must’ve been some sort of proverb in Israel at the time. Youngblood writes, “The proverb may in fact be double-edged, vindicating the righteous David’s refusal to harm Saul while at the same time condemning the wicked Saul for his malicious pursuit of David.”[14]
(24:14) “Against whom has the king of Israel come out? Whom are you pursuing? A dead dog? A flea?”
Next, David speaks of himself in self-deprecating ways: “I’m only a dead dog and a flea!” He’s asking Saul why he would be so paranoid over a man like himself. Bergen writes, “David tacitly accused the king of acting like a fool and squandering precious national resources. Yet the employment of rhetorical questions and unflattering comparisons of himself to a dead dog and a flea—all expressed in a poetic framework—helped to make David’s criticisms more palatable and poignant.”[15]
(24:15) “May the LORD be our judge and decide between us. May he consider my cause and uphold it; may he vindicate me by delivering me from your hand.”
How will Saul respond to David’s plea of innocence? Will he tell his men to attack David?
Saul’s change of heart
(24:16) When David finished saying this, Saul asked, “Is that your voice, David my son?” And he wept aloud.
Saul’s mind had been so twisted that he opens up his response by asking if this was actually David. Saul hadn’t heard David’s voice for quite some time, and these words were the last thing he would’ve expected to hear from David. Consequently, he wept bitterly.
(24:17) “You are more righteous than I,” he said. “You have treated me well, but I have treated you badly.”
Saul admits his own unrighteousness and David’s righteousness.
(24:18) “You have just now told me of the good you did to me; the LORD delivered me into your hands, but you did not kill me.”
Even in his twisted state of mind, Saul could see that God had led him into that cave.
(24:19) “When a man finds his enemy, does he let him get away unharmed? May the LORD reward you well for the way you treated me today.”
Saul prays for David’s blessing.
(24:20) “I know that you will surely be king and that the kingdom of Israel will be established in your hands.”
Saul knew it all along! (see 1 Sam. 23:17) No wonder he was so threatened by David.
(24:21) “Now swear to me by the LORD that you will not cut off my descendants or wipe out my name from my father’s family.”
In this time period, a person’s descendants and “name” were bound up with their identity.[16] If their descendants were killed, it would be like they never existed.
Saul places himself in a position of weakness by asking David for mercy. Like Jonathan (1 Sam. 20:14-17), Saul asks David to spare his family line.
(24:22) So David gave his oath to Saul. Then Saul returned home, but David and his men went up to the stronghold.
David makes this oath, but he doesn’t trust Saul enough to follow him back to Gibeah. David was a man of his word. He later honored this promise by protecting Mephibosheth (2 Sam. 9:1-13; 19:29; 21:7).
“But David and his men went up to the stronghold.” Why didn’t David go home with Saul? Isn’t it obvious? David forgave Saul, but he still didn’t trust him.
Concluding insights
Why didn’t David kill Saul? We need to wrestle with the question of why David didn’t kill Saul (see also chapter 26). Read through his reasons for not killing Saul again (v.6). What does this look like today?
David didn’t trust coincidence. This is an interesting passage for how to discover God’s will. Just because a providential event happened, this doesn’t mean that we should act on it based on our agenda.
David trusted God’s timing. If God wanted him to be king, then this would happen. He didn’t need to expedite the process. In our setting, the driven person needs to learn to be content with where they are right now. There is no need to push or manipulate to force ourselves into a new position of ministry. On the other hand, the timid person needs to learn to step forward when God is calling them to a new place.
David trusted God’s justice. He believed that God would take care of Saul, and eventually, God did.
David trusted that God was his protection. David wrote Psalm 57 and 142 during this time. In both psalms, David states that God—not the cave—is his refuge (Ps. 57:1; 142:5).
1 Samuel 25 (David, Nabal, and Abigail)
Summary: Samuel the prophet dies (v.1). Nabal was a descendent of Caleb, and he was a cruel and rude man (v.3). He was married to Abigail (v.3). David sent men to ask for provisions, because he had protected him before (vv.7-8), but Nabal refused (v.10). David gathered 400 men to go to war over this (v.13), but Abigail sent provisions secretly to David to quell the fighting (v.18). She goes out to intercept David before battle happens, and she talks him out of fighting. David accepts her offering (v.32). When Nabal heard of this event, it caused him to have a stroke (v.37) and he died (v.38). After his death, David made a wedding proposal to Abigail (v.39). David was polygamous (v.43).
(25:1) Now Samuel died, and all Israel assembled and mourned for him; and they buried him at his home in Ramah. Then David moved down into the Desert of Maon.
David most likely moved here because it “provided the most isolated location within David’s homeland for hiding from Saul.”[17]
(25:2-3) A certain man in Maon, who had property there at Carmel, was very wealthy. He had a thousand goats and three thousand sheep, which he was shearing in Carmel. 3 His name was Nabal and his wife’s name was Abigail. She was an intelligent and beautiful woman, but her husband, a Calebite, was surly and mean in his dealings.
Nabal is “very wealthy.” It isn’t as though he doesn’t have the resources to spare. He’s simply selfish.
Nabal’s name means “fool.” Baldwin[18] thinks that this wasn’t his birthname, but rather, people probably gave him this name because of his character.
Abigail is only one of three women called beautiful in the Bible (e.g. Abigail, Esther, and Rachel). But she is extolled in this chapter for her wisdom—not her beauty. Nabal’s name means “fool,” but Abigail’s name means “My [Divine] Father Is Joy.”[19]
“Calebite.” Caleb was a good and brave man who fought during the Conquest (Num. 13:30; Josh. 14:6-15). What happened to his descendant Nabal?
David asks Nabal for food
(25:4-6) While David was in the desert, he heard that Nabal was shearing sheep. 5 So he sent ten young men and said to them, “Go up to Nabal at Carmel and greet him in my name. 6 Say to him: ‘Long life to you! Good health to you and your household! And good health to all that is yours!’”
David opens with a message of greeting and peace. This is filled with irony because “Nabal would be denied both (cf. vv. 37-38) because of his mistreatment of the one who sent the blessing.”[20]
(25:7) “‘Now I hear that it is sheep-shearing time. When your shepherds were with us, we did not mistreat them, and the whole time they were at Carmel nothing of theirs was missing.”
David’s men had protected Nabal’s shepherds, as Nabal’s men themselves attested (vv.14-16). That is, even Nabal’s own men sided with David, rather than their foolish master Nabal (v.17).
(25:8) “Ask your own servants and they will tell you. Therefore be favorable toward my young men, since we come at a festive time. Please give your servants and your son David whatever you can find for them.’”
This “festive day” would’ve been the wealthiest time of year for Nabal (similar to tax season). So, David felt like this would be a good time to ask for some food for his men. David doesn’t even ask for a specific amount of food or supplies—only what Nabal can spare.
(25:9) When David’s men arrived, they gave Nabal this message in David’s name. Then they waited.
They spoke in David’s name. Therefore, Nabal’s response to this message is the same as responding to David himself. How would Nabal respond?
Nabal’s horrific response
(25:10) Nabal answered David’s servants, “Who is this David? Who is this son of Jesse? Many servants are breaking away from their masters these days.”
Nabal mocks David and his father’s line. He also calls David a traitor to the line of Saul. This threefold insult is in stark contrast to David’s courtesy and message of peace.
(25:11) “Why should I take my bread and water, and the meat I have slaughtered for my shearers, and give it to men coming from who knows where?”
Nabal won’t even spare “bread and water” (the basic necessities!) for David’s men.
Egotism fills Nabal’s mind. Youngblood[21] notes that Nabal uses the words “I” or “my” a total of eight times. This is truly the heart of a fool!
(25:12) David’s men turned around and went back. When they arrived, they reported every word.
The messengers tell David exactly what Nabal said. It would’ve been painful to repeat this message to David.
David’s response
(25:13) David said to his men, “Put on your swords!” So they put on their swords, and David put on his. About four hundred men went up with David, while two hundred stayed with the supplies.
David was a man of action. His response is to grab their swords. Negotiation and diplomacy were over! Of course, this isn’t a righteous response by David, as the rest of the chapter makes clear (vv.32-33, 39). This is descriptive—not prescriptive.
Nabal’s servants implore Abigail to help
David had implored Nabal, “Ask your own servants and they will tell you” (v.8). As a fool, Nabal doesn’t talk to them. But Abigail, a wise woman, listens to these servants. It’s no wonder that the servants talk to Abigail—not Nabal.
(25:14) One of the servants told Nabal’s wife Abigail: “David sent messengers from the desert to give our master his greetings, but he hurled insults at them.”
“[Nabal] hurled insults at them.” Nabal’s servants point out how mean-spirited Nabal was to David’s men. They are siding with David, as the subsequent context makes clear.
(25:15) “Yet these men were very good to us. They did not mistreat us, and the whole time we were out in the fields near them nothing was missing.”
By contrast, David’s men never “insulted” the shepherds, and David’s men never stole from them.
(25:16) “Night and day they were a wall around us all the time we were herding our sheep near them.”
David’s men protected Nabal’s servants and shepherds.
(25:17) “Now think it over and see what you can do, because disaster is hanging over our master and his whole household. He is such a wicked man that no one can talk to him.”
Nabal’s servants implore Abigail to do something. They must know that Abigail doesn’t love Nabal, because (1) they ask Abigail to go against her husband’s will and (2) they call Nabal a “wicked man.” Later, we discover that Abigail didn’t tell her husband about this interaction or her decision to give David’s men food (v.19).
(25:18) Abigail lost no time. She took two hundred loaves of bread, two skins of wine, five dressed sheep, five seahs of roasted grain, a hundred cakes of raisins and two hundred cakes of pressed figs, and loaded them on donkeys.
David had originally asked Ahimelech for “whatever he could find” (1 Sam. 21:3), and Ahimelech gave them some bread. When David asked the same question to Nabal (v.8), Abigail goes above and beyond the request.
(25:19-20) Then she told her servants, “Go on ahead; I’ll follow you.” But she did not tell her husband Nabal. 20 As she came riding her donkey into a mountain ravine, there were David and his men descending toward her, and she met them.
Abigail told the servants to “go on ahead” because David would find the food and water before they met her.
“But she did not tell her husband.” Abigail did all of this in secrecy from her husband. Surely if Nabal knew her plan, he would’ve stopped her.
Abigail meets David
No man could’ve done this because David had made an oath against the men. But not the women.
(25:21-22) David had just said, “It’s been useless—all my watching over this fellow’s property in the desert so that nothing of his was missing. He has paid me back evil for good. 22 May God deal with David, be it ever so severely, if by morning I leave alive one male of all who belong to him!”
Where is the vertical focus that we saw in the previous chapter? Where is the mercy and forgiveness that David had before? This shows that David is just like us: He conquered his anger and vengeance in one trial, but it conquered him in another.
David makes a foolish oath here, as the later context makes clear (vv.33-34). However, he stops short of making this oath in the name of the Lord (Ex. 20:7).[22]
(25:23) When Abigail saw David, she quickly got off her donkey and bowed down before David with her face to the ground.
Abigail came out to face an army of four hundred men! She was not only intelligent and beautiful (v.2), but she was exceedingly brave. Nabal was so foolish and wicked that Abigail would rather talk to David than to him (v.17).
(25:24) She fell at his feet and said: “My lord, let the blame be on me alone. Please let your servant speak to you; hear what your servant has to say.”
Abigail knows that she will need to talk fast to change David’s mind. She begins by prostrating herself and asking for mercy. She doesn’t wait for a response, but instead, she launches into her apologetic. This is the longest speech by a woman in the OT (153 Hebrew words).[23] It is a testimony to her great wisdom and intelligence.
(25:25) “May my lord pay no attention to that wicked man Nabal. He is just like his name—his name is Fool, and folly goes with him. But as for me, your servant, I did not see the men my master sent.”
Abigail knows that her husband is a wicked and foolish man. She denies that she had heard about David’s peaceful envoy until after the fact.
(25:26) “Now since the LORD has kept you, my master, from bloodshed and from avenging yourself with your own hands, as surely as the LORD lives and as you live, may your enemies and all who intend to harm my master be like Nabal.
Abigail argues that God was using her to intercede before the bloodshed happened. Abigail must have known that Nabal would die after all (“be like Nabal”).
(25:27) “And let this gift, which your servant has brought to my master, be given to the men who follow you.”
Abigail brought a gift for the men—a gift that Nabal refused to give.
(25:28) “Please forgive your servant’s offense, for the LORD will certainly make a lasting dynasty for my master, because he fights the LORD’s battles. Let no wrongdoing be found in you as long as you live.”
Abigail asks David for his forgiveness based on David’s own character.
Abigail never sinned. But she is absorbing the price of her husband’s sin.
(25:29) “Even though someone is pursuing you to take your life, the life of my master will be bound securely in the bundle of the living by the LORD your God. But the lives of your enemies he will hurl away as from the pocket of a sling.”
“As from the pocket of a sling.” This is a subtle reference to David killing Goliath with a sling (1 Sam. 17:40, 49-50). Bergen writes, “Abigail’s brilliant use of the sling metaphor no doubt brought to David’s mind a sling the Lord once used to dispense with an enemy much more imposing than Nabal (cf. 17:47-50).”[24]
(25:30-31) “When the LORD has done for my master every good thing he promised concerning him and has appointed him leader over Israel, 31 my master will not have on his conscience the staggering burden of needless bloodshed or of having avenged himself. And when the LORD has brought my master success, remember your servant.”
She acknowledges that God was with David, and he would one day bring him into the kingship over Israel. Bergen writes, “One of the most noteworthy aspects of Abigail’s speech was her repeated use of the term translated ‘my lord’ (Hb. ʾădonî). Her fourteen uses of the term are both ironic and prophetic since the word also means ‘my husband.’”[25]
David’s response
(25:32-33) David said to Abigail, “Praise be to the LORD, the God of Israel, who has sent you today to meet me. 33 May you be blessed for your good judgment and for keeping me from bloodshed this day and from avenging myself with my own hands.”
David realizes that God had sent Abigail. But he also praises Abigail herself for her wise discernment in stopping him from taking revenge.
(25:34) “Otherwise, as surely as the LORD, the God of Israel, lives, who has kept me from harming you, if you had not come quickly to meet me, not one male belonging to Nabal would have been left alive by daybreak.”
David encourages her for her promptness and bravery. If Abigail hadn’t acted quickly, this day would’ve gone a whole lot differently.
(25:35) Then David accepted from her hand what she had brought him and said, “Go home in peace. I have heard your words and granted your request.”
Nabal was the misogynistic “fool” who refused to listen to a woman. But not David.
Once again, David learned that vengeance wasn’t the way. Baldwin writes, “It was a major lesson in David’s training for kingship, and one that he was going to need to keep before him at future crises. The implication is that violence breeds violence, whereas restraint makes way for a peaceful solution. This he knows with his head, but he may fail to remember it when his blood is roused.”[26]
Abigail goes home
(25:36) When Abigail went to Nabal, he was in the house holding a banquet like that of a king. He was in high spirits and very drunk. So she told him nothing until daybreak.
“Banquet like that of a king.” Nabal had the money, but he refused to give it. Nabal was treating himself like a “king,” but his wife had just allied herself with David as the true “king” (v.30).
Because Nabal was drunk, she waits until “daybreak” to tell him the news. Earlier, it was “daybreak” that David chose to kill all of the men in town.
(25:37) Then in the morning, when Nabal was sober, his wife told him all these things, and his heart failed him and he became like a stone.
Abigail tells Nabal “all” of what she said and did. Nabal couldn’t believe that Abigail would give David’s men five sheep out of his total of 3,000 sheep (v.18). Nabal’s “heart” went from happy (v.36) to sad (v.37) in just one day’s time. This is the plight of the materialist.
“His heart failed him and he became like a stone.” Baldwin[27] and Bergen[28] think that this may have been a “stroke” that resulted in a short-lived coma before death.
(25:38) About ten days later, the LORD struck Nabal and he died.
Nabal’s heart turned to stone (v.37), and consequently, God struck him dead—not David.
David marries Abigail
(25:39) When David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, “Praise be to the LORD, who has upheld my cause against Nabal for treating me with contempt. He has kept his servant from doing wrong and has brought Nabal’s wrongdoing down on his own head.” Then David sent word to Abigail, asking her to become his wife.
David thanks God from keeping him from killing Nabal’s men, which he admits would’ve been “wrong.” God doesn’t kill all of the men (as David planned to do). Rather, God only kills Nabal—the man who deserved judgment.
“David sent word to Abigail, asking her to become his wife.” David doesn’t waste any time! He immediately proposes to Abigail. Perhaps, Abigail’s move to meet David was a way of showing that she wanted to be with him, rather than Nabal.
Youngblood sees foreshadowing here in David’s sin with Bathsheba and Uriah.[29] In both instances, the husband was killed, and David “sent” and “took” the man’s wife (2 Sam. 11:3-4). However, in this first instance, God was the one who judged an evil man (Nabal), while in the second instance, David was the one who killed an innocent one (Uriah). Perhaps David justified his sin with Uriah and Bathsheba based on this former incident with Nabal and Abigail.
(25:40-42) His servants went to Carmel and said to Abigail, “David has sent us to you to take you to become his wife.” 41 She bowed down with her face to the ground and said, “Here is your maidservant, ready to serve you and wash the feet of my master’s servants.” 42 Abigail quickly got on a donkey and, attended by her five maids, went with David’s messengers and became his wife.
Abigail accepts the proposal, and she shows the heart of a servant (Mk. 10:44).
(25:43) David had also married Ahinoam of Jezreel, and they both were his wives.
Who is Ahinoam? The only other woman with this name in the Bible is Saul’s wife (1 Sam. 14:50; cf. 2 Sam. 12:8).[30] Perhaps, David was already securing the throne at this point by marrying Saul’s wife. The text uses the pluperfect tense, which means that David had already married Ahinoam.[31]
(25:44) But Saul had given his daughter Michal, David’s wife, to Paltiel son of Laish, who was from Gallim.
Just as David took Saul’s wife (v.43), Saul took away David’s wife.
Concluding insights
David’s facts were right, but his actions were wrong. Nabal was a wicked fool. And in the end, God took Nabal’s life. However, David was putting the vengeance into his own hands. David defeated revenge in the previous chapter, but he failed here. He was going to commit a massacre because of being insulted. It’s no mystery that David wasn’t talking to God during this time. Unlike the other chapters, David wrote no Psalms during this period of his life.
Abigail’s actions show that it is godly to rebel against authority in certain circumstances. Some fundamentalists often state that the statement “wives submit to your husbands” should refer to all circumstances—even if the husband is telling the wife to sin (!!). This verse speaks against this notion.
David never should’ve made a vow. It is generally not good to make a vow because we aren’t in a position to know all of the possible outcomes. David had vowed to kill all of Nabal’s men, but when he sees Abigail, he has to recant on this.
Diplomacy is a good thing. David was ready to go for Nabal’s head, but Abigail chose a diplomatic solution. Which is better? Losing some loaves of bread, or losing your life? It’s amazing that people in conflict are willing to go for blood, when a diplomatic solution would leave them much better off.
1 Samuel 26 (David Could’ve Killed Saul)
Summary: Saul came after David again. David and Abishai found Saul lying asleep in his camp, and Abishai wanted to kill him (v.7). Again, David doesn’t want to kill God’s anointed (vv.9-11). David went across the valley and called to Abner (v.14). He chews him out for not guarding Saul properly (vv.15-16). David tries to reason with Saul again by asking what he has done wrong (v.18). Saul “repents” again (v.21), but David doesn’t trust him, telling him to send a servant to pick up his spear (v.22). Saul blesses David, and they both go home (v.25).
(26:1) The Ziphites went to Saul at Gibeah and said, “Is not David hiding on the hill of Hakilah, which faces Jeshimon?”
The Ziphites had already betrayed David (1 Sam. 23:19), and they rouse Saul’s paranoia and vengeance toward David (v.19). The Ziphites were a “Calebite subclan”[32] (1 Chron. 2:42). David had just married the wife of Nabal—a dead Calebite (1 Sam. 25:3). So, it’s no wonder that they are so willing to betray David (cf. 1 Sam. 23:19-24).
(26:2-5) So Saul went down to the Desert of Ziph, with his three thousand select Israelite troops, to search there for David. 3 Saul made his camp beside the road on the hill of Hakilah facing Jeshimon, but David stayed in the wilderness. When he saw that Saul had followed him there, 4 he sent out scouts and learned that Saul had definitely arrived. 5 Then David set out and went to the place where Saul had camped. He saw where Saul and Abner son of Ner, the commander of the army, had lain down. Saul was lying inside the camp, with the army encamped around him.
Abner is Saul’s cousin (1 Sam. 14:50), and he is Saul’s ultimate bodyguard and loyal protector. Moreover, Saul is sleeping in the center of three thousand men. So, he’s certainly impervious to any kind of attack. As Bergen writes, “The arrangement of Saul’s camp, combined with the location of the camp at the top of a hill, would have provided Saul with maximum protection.”[33]
(26:6-7) David then asked Ahimelek the Hittite and Abishai son of Zeruiah, Joab’s brother, “Who will go down into the camp with me to Saul?”
“I’ll go with you,” said Abishai.
David was a good leader. He went himself, rather than sending his other men to risk their lives. At the same time, he wanted company. So, he took Ahimelek and Abishai with him.
“Ahimelek the Hittite” is different from Ahimelech the priest, who died in chapter 22. This is the only mention of Ahimelech the Hittite in the entire Bible.
Abishai is David’s nephew (1 Chron. 2:13-16). He seems zealous for a fight. He is brave, but he is also “trigger happy,” as the text will later tell us (v.8).
“This is proof that God’s will is to kill Saul!”
(26:7) So David and Abishai went to the army by night, and there was Saul, lying asleep inside the camp with his spear stuck in the ground near his head. Abner and the soldiers were lying around him.
The last time David saw that spear it was hurling past his head.
(26:8) Abishai said to David, “Today God has delivered your enemy into your hands. Now let me pin him to the ground with one thrust of the spear; I won’t strike him twice.”
All David needed to do to kill Saul was do nothing. He could’ve just let Abishai stab him.
Abishai’s comments are reminiscent of the comments of David’s men in his earlier encounter with Saul (1 Sam. 24:4). Abishai wanted to kill Saul with his own spear, just as Saul had tried to kill David with that same spear (1 Sam. 18:10; 19:10).
Did Abishai doubt David’s resolve? Perhaps Abishai offered this because he thought David was too weak to kill Saul in the cave, and now, he’s too weak to kill him again. If so, Abishai didn’t realize that it wasn’t weakness that kept David from killing Saul. It was faith.
(26:9) But David said to Abishai, “Don’t destroy him! Who can lay a hand on the LORD’s anointed and be guiltless?
David writes Psalms 57-59 at this time. The titles of these psalms are, “Do not destroy.”
(26:10) “As surely as the LORD lives,” he said, “the LORD himself will strike him, or his time will come and he will die, or he will go into battle and perish.”
“[Saul] will go into battle and perish.” This foreshadows Saul’s death (1 Sam. 31:1-6). David knew that God was going to take his hands off of Saul, and therefore, Saul would die in battle. By letting God do the work, “no-one would be able to accuse David of having murdered Saul in order to set himself on the throne.”[34]
(26:11) “But the LORD forbid that I should lay a hand on the LORD’s anointed. Now get the spear and water jug that are near his head, and let’s go.”
Just like in chapter 24, David refuses to kill God’s “anointed.” Bergen comments, “The incident with Nabal had just affirmed David’s convictions regarding the Lord’s sovereignty in judgment.”[35]
(26:12) So David took the spear and water jug near Saul’s head, and they left. No one saw or knew about it, nor did anyone wake up. They were all sleeping, because the LORD had put them into a deep sleep.
God had given David and Abishai this encounter by causing Saul’s men to fall into some sort of deep, supernatural sleep.
David wakes up Saul
(26:13) Then David crossed over to the other side and stood on top of the hill some distance away; there was a wide space between them.
David gave a lot of distance so that Saul’s men couldn’t capture and kill him.
(26:14) He called out to the army and to Abner son of Ner, “Aren’t you going to answer me, Abner?”
Abner replied, “Who are you who calls to the king?”
“Aren’t you going to answer me, Abner?” David had to call to the men several times, because they were in a deep sleep (v.12).
(26:15) David said, “You’re a man, aren’t you? And who is like you in Israel? Why didn’t you guard your lord the king? Someone came to destroy your lord the king.”
David publicly calls out Abner for failing to do his duty. Abner was supposed to be Saul’s number one bodyguard. Implicitly, David is saying that he himself is Saul’s number one bodyguard, because he had the opportunity to kill Saul, but he didn’t take it.
(26:16) “What you have done is not good. As surely as the LORD lives, you and your men must die, because you did not guard your master, the LORD’s anointed. Look around you. Where are the king’s spear and water jug that were near his head?”
David proves his sincerity by producing material evidence: Saul’s spear and water jug. Abner is so publicly humiliated that he doesn’t speak a word in this section.
(26:17) Saul recognized David’s voice and said, “Is that your voice, David my son?”
David replied, “Yes it is, my lord the king.”
This is similar to Saul’s earlier words to David (1 Sam. 24:16). Saul couldn’t believe that David would let him live again. Also, perhaps it was hard for Saul to see David in the dark.
(26:18) And he added, “Why is my lord pursuing his servant? What have I done, and what wrong am I guilty of?”
David raises this question to rouse Saul’s conscience.
(26:19) “Now let my lord the king listen to his servant’s words. If the LORD has incited you against me, then may he accept an offering. If, however, people have done it, may they be cursed before the LORD! They have driven me today from my share in the LORD’s inheritance and have said, ‘Go, serve other gods.’”
The people of Ziph had incited David (cf. 1 Sam. 24:9).
“They have driven me today from my share in the LORD’s inheritance and have said, ‘Go, serve other gods.’” David is so tired of running that he wants to give up and serve other gods. He’s openly tired of following God because of the way he’s being treated by God’s people.
(26:20) “Now do not let my blood fall to the ground far from the presence of the LORD. The king of Israel has come out to look for a flea—as one hunts a partridge in the mountains.”
“Flea.” This metaphor shows that David is a nobody, and he’s not worth the king wasting his time hunting him. David isn’t saying that he’s a weakling, but that he isn’t dangerous. Truly, Saul would’ve done far better if he focused on the Philistines fighting at the borders of Israel.
“Partridge.” This analogy of chasing a partridge in the mountains shows that this is something that “no one in his right mind would take the time or make the effort to do.”[36] Baldwin adds, “David implies that Saul’s search, whether for a flea or a partridge, is beneath his dignity.”[37]
Saul repents… again
(26:21) Then Saul said, “I have sinned. Come back, David my son. Because you considered my life precious today, I will not try to harm you again. Surely I have acted like a fool and have been terribly wrong.”
“Come back.” Nope! Saul had been guilty of lying before (1 Sam. 15:24; 24:17). How could David be sure that this was any different?
(26:22) “Here is the king’s spear,” David answered. “Let one of your young men come over and get it.”
Why does David offer to give back the spear, but not the water jug? Some argue that the spear represents a “symbol of death,” but the jug is a “symbol of life.”[38] That is, David refuses to kill Saul, but he also will not give him life. This is mere speculation.
The key point is that David won’t travel over to Saul to give him the spear in person. Saul needs to have someone pick it up. David trusts Saul as far as he can throw him.
(26:23) “The LORD rewards everyone for their righteousness and faithfulness. The LORD delivered you into my hands today, but I would not lay a hand on the LORD’s anointed.”
Just because God providentially places us in a given situation doesn’t mean that we should take advantage of it.
(26:24) “As surely as I valued your life today, so may the LORD value my life and deliver me from all trouble.”
David parallels his mercy on Saul with God’s mercy on himself. David is asking that God would be as merciful with him, as he has been with Saul. As it turns out, God shows extreme mercy on David.
(26:25) Then Saul said to David, “May you be blessed, David my son; you will do great things and surely triumph.” So David went on his way, and Saul returned home.
David and Saul part ways—never to meet again. David shows discernment here. He doesn’t make his judgment based on Saul’s words, but his works. Saul has betrayed David so many times that David doesn’t trust him.
“May you be blessed, David my son; you will do great things and surely triumph.” These are the last words that Saul ever spoke to David. Baldwin concludes, “[David] has given up all hope of being able to trust Saul’s gestures towards reconciliation, so he submits Saul to the indignity of having to send a soldier to fetch his spear, and commits himself to the Lord, rather than to Saul, for protection and deliverance.”[39]
Why didn’t David kill Saul?
David didn’t trust in mere coincidences. Just because Saul entered the cave, this didn’t mean that David should take his life (1 Sam. 24:4-7; 26:7-8). David’s own men didn’t understand this, but that didn’t matter. David knew that he shouldn’t usurp the throne—even if it was coincidental.
David trusted God’s authority and God’s choice. Saul was “the Lord’s anointed” (1 Samuel 24:6, 10; 26:9, 11, 23; 2 Samuel 1:14).
David trusted a higher justice system. David said, “May the LORD judge between you and me. And may the LORD avenge the wrongs you have done to me, but my hand will not touch you… May the Lord be our judge and decide between us. May he consider my cause and uphold it. May he vindicate me by delivering me from your hand” (1 Sam. 24:12, 15). Later, David said, “The Lord himself will strike him, or his time will come and he will die, or he will go into battle and perish” (1 Sam. 26:10). Even Saul expected that David would receive a “reward” for doing this (1 Sam. 24:19).
David trusted God’s timing. David needed to learn to wait on God’s timing.
- David could tell that if he killed Saul that he would be forcing himself into this role prematurely and unethically.
- David had to wait longer than he wanted. Even though David knew that he was going to be the king (1 Sam. 16:12), he needed to wait for 15 years! During this time, God was teaching David how to follow others before he taught him how to lead.
- David wasn’t passive or playing dead during this time. He was still taking active steps of faith—still writing psalms, still saving villages, and still actively protecting the nation. He just wasn’t willing to lead a coup and take the throne.
- David could see God reveal his inner motives during this time. He had a potential failure with Nabal, but God stopped him. Abigail said, “The LORD has kept you, my master, from bloodshed and from avenging yourself with your own hands” (1 Sam. 25:26). God uses these times of waiting to reveal inner motives.
[1] Ronald F. Youngblood, “1, 2 Samuel,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel, ed. Frank E. Gaebelein, vol. 3 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1992), 727.
[2] Ronald F. Youngblood, “1, 2 Samuel,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel, ed. Frank E. Gaebelein, vol. 3 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1992), 731.
[3] Ronald F. Youngblood, “1, 2 Samuel,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel, ed. Frank E. Gaebelein, vol. 3 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1992), 735.
[4] Ronald F. Youngblood, “1, 2 Samuel,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel, ed. Frank E. Gaebelein, vol. 3 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1992), 737.
[5] Ronald F. Youngblood, “1, 2 Samuel,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel, ed. Frank E. Gaebelein, vol. 3 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1992), 741.
[6] Ronald F. Youngblood, “1, 2 Samuel,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel, ed. Frank E. Gaebelein, vol. 3 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1992), 742.
[7] Robert D. Bergen, 1, 2 Samuel, vol. 7, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1996), 239.
[8] Ralph W. Klein, 1 Samuel, vol. 10, Word Biblical Commentary (Dallas: Word, Incorporated, 1983), 239.
[9] Robert D. Bergen, 1, 2 Samuel, vol. 7, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1996), 239.
[10] David G. Firth, 1 & 2 Samuel, ed. David W. Baker and Gordon J. Wenham, vol. 8, Apollos Old Testament Commentary (Nottingham, England; Downers Grove, IL: Apollos; InterVarsity Press, 2009), 257.
[11] Robert D. Bergen, 1, 2 Samuel, vol. 7, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1996), 239.
[12] Ronald F. Youngblood, “1, 2 Samuel,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel, ed. Frank E. Gaebelein, vol. 3 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1992), 746.
[13] Robert D. Bergen, 1, 2 Samuel, vol. 7, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1996), 240.
[14] Ronald F. Youngblood, “1, 2 Samuel,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel, ed. Frank E. Gaebelein, vol. 3 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1992), 748.
[15] Robert D. Bergen, 1, 2 Samuel, vol. 7, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1996), 241.
[16] Ronald F. Youngblood, “1, 2 Samuel,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel, ed. Frank E. Gaebelein, vol. 3 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1992), 749.
[17] Robert D. Bergen, 1, 2 Samuel, vol. 7, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1996), 243.
[18] Joyce G. Baldwin, 1 and 2 Samuel: An Introduction and Commentary, vol. 8, Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1988), 158.
[19] Ronald F. Youngblood, “1, 2 Samuel,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel, ed. Frank E. Gaebelein, vol. 3 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1992), 753.
[20] Robert D. Bergen, 1, 2 Samuel, vol. 7, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1996), 246.
[21] Ronald F. Youngblood, “1, 2 Samuel,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel, ed. Frank E. Gaebelein, vol. 3 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1992), 756.
[22] Robert D. Bergen, 1, 2 Samuel, vol. 7, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1996), 248.
[23] Robert D. Bergen, 1, 2 Samuel, vol. 7, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1996), 250.
[24] Robert D. Bergen, 1, 2 Samuel, vol. 7, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1996), 250.
[25] Robert D. Bergen, 1, 2 Samuel, vol. 7, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1996), 251.
[26] Joyce G. Baldwin, 1 and 2 Samuel: An Introduction and Commentary, vol. 8, Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1988), 162.
[27] Joyce G. Baldwin, 1 and 2 Samuel: An Introduction and Commentary, vol. 8, Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1988), 163.
[28] Robert D. Bergen, 1, 2 Samuel, vol. 7, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1996), 252.
[29] Ronald F. Youngblood, “1, 2 Samuel,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel, ed. Frank E. Gaebelein, vol. 3 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1992), 765.
[30] Ronald F. Youngblood, “1, 2 Samuel,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel, ed. Frank E. Gaebelein, vol. 3 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1992), 764.
[31] Ronald F. Youngblood, “1, 2 Samuel,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel, ed. Frank E. Gaebelein, vol. 3 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1992), 764.
[32] Robert D. Bergen, 1, 2 Samuel, vol. 7, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1996), 255.
[33] Robert D. Bergen, 1, 2 Samuel, vol. 7, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1996), 255.
[34] Joyce G. Baldwin, 1 and 2 Samuel: An Introduction and Commentary, vol. 8, Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1988), 165.
[35] Robert D. Bergen, 1, 2 Samuel, vol. 7, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1996), 256.
[36] Ronald F. Youngblood, “1, 2 Samuel,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel, ed. Frank E. Gaebelein, vol. 3 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1992), 771.
[37] Joyce G. Baldwin, 1 and 2 Samuel: An Introduction and Commentary, vol. 8, Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1988), 166.
[38] Ronald F. Youngblood, “1, 2 Samuel,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel, ed. Frank E. Gaebelein, vol. 3 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1992), 771.
[39] Joyce G. Baldwin, 1 and 2 Samuel: An Introduction and Commentary, vol. 8, Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1988), 167.