Wait-Don't Kill Saul

By Mary Vee

I Samuel 26

David’s Thoughts

The Ziphites caused trouble again. Apparently their spies reported my hiding place in the Wilderness of Ziph to Saul. That was the second time they did this to me. Saul must be paying a high reward for information.

I sent a couple of my own spies to confirm the report. Sure enough, Saul went back on his promise to stop hunting me.  He and three thousand men were camped nearby.

I led my men to an area overlooking his camp. It was later in the evening but a few sunrays let us watch the army settle down for the night. Saul slept in the middle surrounded by his three thousand-manned army and guarded by Abner, the commander.

I signaled two of my men, Ahimilech a Hitite, and Abishai to come near. “I’m going down to Saul’s camp. Who will go with me?”

Abishai spoke up right away. “I’ll go.”

I didn’t have a plan. I know, a commander should always have a plan. The problem was I had refused to kill Saul, God’s anointed first king of Israel, yet I felt the urge to sneak into his camp.

Abishai and I crept passed the first set of guards and found Saul snoring in the center of the group with his spear stuck in the ground near his head. Abner and all the army snored loud enough to not hear a lion's roar.

Unbelievable. Not one soldier awake to guard the king.

Abishai rolled his eyes. “This is going to be easier than I thought. God delivered your enemy into your hand. Please let me take the spear next to his head and ram it right through him into the ground. I won’t need to strike a second time.”

“No. Don’t kill him. Who can reach out and kill God’s anointed and remain guiltless in the sight of God?”

Abishai didn’t like it. 

I had a good army; they were trained to protect our land from the enemy. Not one was afraid. Still, it was my duty to lead them to wise and right choices as God directed. 

“This isn't what God wants us to do. Be patient, Abishai, the Lord will strike him with some disease, or his day to die will come, or he will die in battle. But I will not be the one to take his life."

Abishai’s frustration covered his face. He needed something to do. “I have an idea. Get the spear and the jug of water that are near his head. We’ll carry them outside of his camp.”

Abishai acted like a little kids with a new toy. He moved between the sleeping soldiers as a shadow, yanked the spear out of the ground, and grabbed the jug. We escaped outside the camp, totally unnoticed by any soldier.

Saul had surrounded himself with an army he trusted. What would have happened if someone other than me had come into his camp?

If only He had kept his trust in God. The Lord protects his own, and his guard is never down.

Come back next week to read what Saul did.

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Photo courtesy of visualbiblealive.com

1. Who had tattled.

2. Where did David lead his men after he heard the report.

3. Who went with David to spy in Saul's camp?

4. What did David and the spy see?

5.  What did the spy want to do?

6. Who stopped him and why?

7. What could Saul have done to prevent the problem?