1 Samuel 26: David’s Second Test: To Kill or Not to Kill?

The Rev. Rick Jones, Chaplain and Vice President of Spiritual Life for the Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch, in, Minot, ND, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study 1 Samuel 26.

David learns that Saul is pursuing him in the wilderness of Ziph with three thousand men. He sneaks into Saul’s camp at night with Abishai, his nephew, and finds Saul sleeping with his spear and water jug near his head. Abishai wants to kill Saul with his own spear, but David refuses to harm the Lord’s anointed. Instead, he takes the spear and the water jug and leaves. From a safe distance, he calls out to Saul and his commander Abner, rebuking them for not guarding the king. He shows them the spear and the water jug as proof of his mercy.

The Book of 1 Samuel beings with the unique birth of Samuel, the last judge of Israel. Soon, the people of Israel begin to press upon the aging prophet Samuel to anoint a king over them like the other nations. YHWH assures Samuel that the people are rejecting their God, not Samuel. He advises Samuel to give the people what they want. What follows is the rise and fall of King Saul, the eventual anointing and coronation of David as king, the forerunner of Jesus. It’s a true story of political intrigue and warfare, but it’s also more than that. 1 Samuel shows us God working to save his people from their enemies and even from themselves.