What I Noticed Today (1 Samuel 21-24)
1 Samuel 21
David flees to Nob and then to Gath.
In verses 1-9, David fled to Ahimelech, the priest at Nob. David deceived Ahimelech about his real purpose in being in Nob. He asked for bread, and the priest gave him the consecrated bread for his men. Doeg the Edomite, who was Saul’s chief shepherd, was there and overheard David. (We’ll see why this was important in 1 Samuel 22:9.)
In verses 10-15, David fled further away from Saul, going all the way to Gath, which was in Philistine territory. When David realized that people had heard of him, even referring to him as king, he got nervous and pretended to be crazy, so the Philistines would leave him alone.
Some thoughts for further consideration:
- I am a bit surprised at David’s scheming in these chapters. This is the man who had such faith and courage before the Lord that he took on Goliath in battle. He led Saul’s army to many victories over the Philistines. Yet when it came to Saul, he lied repeatedly and involved others in his lies and deceptions. The one thing I don’t see here is David consulting God for direction. He seems to be living out this period of his life on his own wisdom rather than seeking God’s wisdom.
1 Samuel 22
David reenters Saul’s territory, and Saul becomes even more paranoid.
In verses 1-3, David had the good sense to leave Gath but reentered Saul’s territory when he hid in the cave of Adullam. When David’s family heard he was there, they joined him. Some 400 men who were desperate, in debt, or discontented rallied around David, and he became their leader.
In verses 3-4, David took his parents to the king of Moab and requested permission to leave them in the land of Moab.
Note: Remember, Moab was the son of Lot (Genesis 19:37).
In verses 6-10, Saul’s leadership style comes into view as he tries to play on the sympathies of the people, complaining that no one feels sorry for him (v. 8). Saul even makes the false claim that his son Jonathan was stirring up servants to ambush Saul. Doeg the Edomite then told Saul about seeing David at Nob.
In verses 11-23, Saul confronts the priests at Nob, accusing them of not being loyal to him. He orders their execution. When even his own soldiers don’t murder the priests, Doeg steps up and kills 70 priests, and then wipes out everyone and everything in the town of Nob. Only Abiathar, son of Ahimelech, survived the slaughter and escaped to join up with David.
1 Samuel 23
David rescues the people of Keilah in Judah.
In verses 1-6, the Philistines were raiding the threshing floors of the people of Keilah, and this was reported to David.
- David asked the Lord if he should go and attack the Philistines and rescue the people of Keilah (Keilah was 15 miles southwest of Jerusalem, near the Philistine border).
- David’s men were concerned with attacking the Philistines since being in Judah put them in danger.
- David asked the Lord a second time, and the Lord confirmed they should go and rescue the people of Keilah. David saved them by driving the Philistines back.
Note: If the Philistines were raiding the threshing floors, it was harvest time. The Philistines would wait until the grain was harvested and then raid the town stealing the grain.
Note: The phrase translated “Go at once” to attack the Philistines carries a sense of urgency. David was to attack immediately.
In verses 7-14, Saul found out that David was in Keilah, so he summoned his army to go besiege the city of Keilah and trap David.
- When David learned that Saul was after him again, David inquired of the Lord and learned that the Keilahites were prepared to turn him over to Saul, so David and his 600 men fled into the wilderness of Ziph.
- It seems David and Saul played cat and mouse for some time. Saul kept launching campaigns to find and kill David, but David always managed to find out and escape Saul’s forces.
In verses 15-18, Saul’s son Jonathan came to David in Horesh, and they confirmed their covenant with each other. Jonathan said he knew his father would not catch David, David would become king, and Jonathan would be David’s second in command.
Note: Jonathan’s predictions did not all come true. He never became David’s second in command. He was killed in battle fighting alongside his father, Saul (1 Samuel 31:2).
In verses 19-29, some Ziphites betrayed David to Saul:
- Ziphite men told Saul David was hiding among them in the hills of Horesh
- They promised to hand David over to Saul.
- Saul told the men to keep watch on David and report his exact routine and location.
- David was told about Saul coming for him, so David fled to the Wilderness of Maon (about 5 miles further south).
- Saul chased after David and was getting close when a messenger came and told Saul the Philistines were attacking. Saul broke off his chase to capture David and went to engage the Philistines.
- David and his men went to the strongholds of En Gedi.
Note: En Gedi was an oasis 10 miles north of Masada.
1 Samuel 24
David spares Saul’s life.
Saul took 3,000 soldiers to look for David in the wilderness near En Gedi. Saul went into a cave to relieve himself. This was the same cave where David and his men were hiding.
- David had the opportunity to kill Saul and was urged by his men to do so, but David had great respect for the Lord’s anointed and refused to kill him.
- Instead, David snuck up on Saul and cut off a corner of his robe.
- When David demonstrated that he could have killed Saul and chose not to because he was loyal to Saul, Saul recognized that David was more righteous than he and that God would indeed make David king.
- Saul made David swear an oath that he would not cut off his descendants or wipe out his name.
Some thoughts for further consideration:
- David was the kind of leader that consulted God regularly, and importantly, he didn’t let the voices of others sway him from God’s direction. There will be times in our lives when people we help or befriend will turn on us and treat us badly. But God has promised to provide, protect, and deliver us as we follow Him faithfully!
What did you notice in your study today? Feel free to visit the website and leave a question or a comment.
