SERIES J --- THE WARRIOR KING

BIBLE STUDY LESSON 06

SPEAR AND JUG

DAVID TAKES SAUL’S SPEAR AND JUG
From 1 Samuel 26
“The hunt was still on! King Saul and his best troops continued to seek out David so that they might kill him. Some people who pretended to be friends of David were very quick to betray him, such as the people of Ziph. When David moved back to the wilderness and hid at a place called Hachilah Hill, the men of Ziph went to King Saul and told him that David was there. Saul left Gibeah with his trained hunting party of three thousand men, searching for David in the wilderness area where he was hiding. He set up camp at Hachilah Hill, by the road that led into the desert, near Jeshimon. Meanwhile David’s spies followed Saul’s movements and kept David informed about them. One night David decided to go into Saul’s camp for a surprise visit. First he slipped down to the camp alone to see how it was arranged. He found that Saul was sleeping in the centre, with his army commander beside him, surrounded by three thousand choice soldiers. When David returned to his own camp, he asked for volunteers to go with him into Saul’s camp. Ahimelech the Hittite and Abishai, Joab’s brother, was there.

‘Who will go with me?’ David asked. ‘I will,’ Abishai responded. David and Abishai crept past the sleeping soldiers into the midst of Saul’s camp, where Saul was sleeping with his spear stuck into the ground beside his head. ‘God has placed your enemy within your power,’ Abishai whispered. ‘Let me stab him to the ground with his own spear. I will only need one thrust.’ ‘No,’ David whispered back. ‘You must not murder the man whom God has chosen to be king. God will strike him down some day, either by a natural death or by letting him be killed in battle. I hope the Lord never allows me to kill the man He has chosen. Let’s take his spear and water jug and go!’ David grabbed the spear and water jug near Saul’s head and he and Abishai slipped out of camp without waking anyone. Not one soldier noticed that they had been there; they were all sound asleep, with a deep sleep which the Lord had sent. David and Abishai climbed a nearby hill to a safe distance from Saul’s camp. Then David shouted down so that all could hear. ‘Abner!’ David shouted. ‘Wake up!’ ‘Who is calling?’ Abner answered. David began to make fun of Abner. ‘You’re quite the hero, aren’t you?’ he teased. ‘One of the great men of all Israel! But you haven’t guarded King Saul when his enemy came near him.

Someone slipped into camp and could have murdered your master. You should be put to death for doing such a poor job in protecting him. Look and see if you can find the spear and water jug which were beside Saul’s head. Go ahead! Find them!’ Saul recognized David’s voice and called to him. ‘Is that you, my son David?’ he asked. ‘Yes my king, it is I,’ David answered. ‘Why are you chasing me? What have I done? What is my crime? If the Lord has set you against me, then I present my peace offering to Him. But if men have set you against me, then let there be a curse upon them, for you have forced me to leave my home and my people, to live with those who worship other gods. Do you want me to die away from home and the Lord’s people? Why have you come here to hunt me like a partridge in the mountains?’ ‘I have sinned,’ Saul cried out. ‘Come home, my son David and I will not harm you. You have spared my life today and I have been very foolish. Send one of your young men for your spear, O king,’ David replied. ‘The Lord will give His own reward for loyalty. I could have killed you, but I didn’t. May the Lord spare my life as I have spared yours and may He save me from my troubles.’ ‘Blessings on you, my son David,’ Saul answered. ‘You will do many great things.’ After this Saul returned home, but David did not go with him. Instead, he went his own way.”

COMMENTARY

DAVID’S WANDERINGS
Once again David had an opportunity to kill Saul. Again David refused to do this wrong. While Saul was sleeping David took Saul’s spear and jug from his side to show that he had been close enough to kill him, but had not done so. The shamed Saul promised not to harm David and returned home with his army. Saul’s determination to kill David forced David to flee Gibeah and go to Samuel at Ramah. But word soon reached Saul and David was again forced to run. Hoping to find refuge among Saul’s enemies, he headed for Gath. But the Philistines were suspicious. David escaped death in the Philistine court only by pretending madness. He returned to Israel and found refuge in caves at Adullam. There he gathered a group of followers. But David’s growing support did not ease his fears for his family. He took his parents to Mizpah and appealed to the king of Moab to protect them. Returning from Moab, David rejoined his men at Masada. The prophet Gad warned him not to remain and David moved on to the forest of Hereth. After David’s successful battle against the Philistines in Keilah, Saul was again on his trail. David escaped to the Wilderness of Ziph, but the residents reported his presence to Saul. He rejoined his men in the Wilderness of Maon as soon as Saul became busy with Philistine raids. David then fled to En-gedi. There he had the chance to kill Saul, but he did not. The king confessed David’s innocence, but David returned to Masada rather than risk his life in Gibeah. After Samuel’s death, Saul again took up his pursuit. David was in the Wilderness of Ziph when Saul found him. David left Israel and returned to Philistia. He remained in Ziklag until Saul’s death.

TEST YOURSELF

1.) Who came with David, on his foray into Saul’s camp?
            A) Meridoch
            B) Ahiezer
            C) Abishai
            D) Joab

2.) What did David take from beside Saul’s head?
            A) A spear and a jug
            B) A goatskin on wine
            C) A large goblet
            D) A loaf of flat bread

3.) Whom did David taunt about guarding Saul?
            A) Abishai
            B) Ahiezer
            C) Joab
            D) Abner

4.) Where did David stay until Saul’s death?
            A) Zelba
            B) Zin
            C) Ziklag
            D) Zerdum