David-His Men Obeyed Even Though They Didn't Want To.

by Mary Vee

II Samuel 16

From Abishai's Notes

I thought...I expected the kingdom to be settled in Jerusalem for all time once David sat on the throne. God anointed him king, and the people should have honored God's chosen one.  Recently, Absalom, David's son stole the people's heart and the throne.

I gave my allegiance to king David and will always remain loyal to him. The price we who followed him had to pay was banishment from the city where we had our homes. We brought our families, our wives and young children and left possessions we could not carry. When we slept at night, we had no idea where we would go the next day. 

But in all the uncertainty we had blessings. We had our king leading us, remaining faithful to God. We had our families, laughter, singing, and the knowledge we made the right choice, no matter how difficult.

On our journey we came to Bahurim in the country where Saul's family lived. A man named Shimei stomped out from his house cursing at David. He threw stones at our king and all the servants walking beside him.

The guards swarmed around David to protect him. Shimei yelled, "Come out! Come out! you blood thirsty man, you scoundrel. Can't you see the Lord has brought upon you this punishment for taking the thrown from the house of Saul? Now, see, the Lord has given the kingdom to your son, Absalom. Hah! Now you are caught in your own evil because you are a bloodthirsty man!"

I couldn't endure hearing another evil word from this man. He had no right to speak this way to the one God appointed as king. I leaned close to David and said, "Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Please let me go over and take off his head!"

I was ready. This man, Shimei would never say another evil word to my king again. My blood boiled and I had a burst of energy ready to take on an army.

But the king said, "No Abishai. Let him curse. The Lord has put this in his heart. Who can then say, why has David killed Shimei. No. Abishai. Leave him."

David turned to all his servants and said, "See how Absalom, my son, works to end my life? How much more should this Benjamite man? They both think they are right. Let this man alone and let him curse because the Lord has ordered him to do so. Maybe the Lord will look on my grief and hardship and repay me with good for enduring this cursing."

We didn't want to, but we obeyed David's orders. Shimei followed us along the hillside continuing to curse and throw stones. He even kicked dust on David. Imagine, having the nerve to kick dust on the king. Oh, if only I could have squashed that bug.

At long last we walked further than Shimei was willing to follow. There we took a break at a river.

Here is a Psalm we sing. You call it Psalm 4

Answer me when I pray,
    O God, my defender!
When I was in trouble, you helped me.
    Be kind to me now and hear my prayer.

 How long will you people insult me?
    How long will you love what is worthless
    and go after what is false?

 Remember that the Lord has chosen the righteous for his own,
    and he hears me when I call to him.

 Tremble with fear and stop sinning;
    think deeply about this,
    when you lie in silence on your beds.
 Offer the right sacrifices to the Lord,
    and put your trust in him.

 There are many who pray:
    “Give us more blessings, O Lord.
    Look on us with kindness!”
 But the joy that you have given me
    is more than they will ever have
    with all their grain and wine.

 When I lie down, I go to sleep in peace;
    you alone, O Lord, keep me perfectly safe.

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1.  What tribe did Shimei belong to?

2.  What did he do when David and his followers walked by his land?

3.  Why did he do that?

4.  What famous Israelite belonged to the same family as Shimei?

5.  What did Shimei want?

6.  Who tried to protect king David?

7.  What did David tell him and all his followers?

8.  Did they obey him?

David Honors But Doesn't Trust Saul

By Mary Vee
I Samuel 26

David's Thoughts

Abishai slid like a shadow between the soldier's laying fast asleep and handed me the spear and jug of water. "As you asked, Commander, David. I would rather have killed your enemy."


I respected him for obeying my orders despite his desires. We moved outside the camp to a safe distance on the top of a hill, far from Saul and his army. I found a place where we could look down on Saul's camp. What a sight.


The sleeping mats spanned the valley before us, each with a man laying still in sleep. Had the Philistines come to this valley our king and his best men would be killed. Not one stayed awake to guard the camp...or the king of Israel.


I cupped my hands around my mouth and called out "Abner. Are you there?"


Abner scrambled to his feet and rubbed the sleep from his eyes. He turned to my position, scanning the countryside to see who spoke. He raised his spear and puffed his chest out. "Who are you calling out to the king?"


The army soldiers leaped to their feet with their weapons poised. Those around Saul knitted a wall of protection with their bodies. A little too late, fellas. 


They had no clue we stood next to the king only a few moments before. "Abner, Are you a man? And who is your equal in Israel? Why haven't you guarded your lord the king? While you slept someone came in to kill your lord the king. You have failed at your job.


"As the lord lives, Abner, you deserve to die because you didn't guard your master, the Lord's anointed. Go, search by the king's bed for his spear and water jug."


Saul pushed the soldiers guarding him to the side and stepped forward. He shaded his eyes and looked up at the hill where I stood. "Is that your voice, my son David?"


"Yes, my lord, O king." I bowed. "Why does my king chase after me? What evil have I done? If the Lord has stirred your spirit to come after me, let him accept a sacrifice. If however, the people have sent you, let them be cursed before the Lord for they have driven me away from the Lord's inheritance. 


"Don't take my life, for you have come out to seek a flea, as when one huts a small bird in the mountains."


Saul stood there, not saying or doing anything. The morning birds fluttered to the sky gathering in clusters and swirling. He rubbed the back of his neck then looked my way. "David, I have sinned. Please come back with me. I promise not to harm you any more, for my life was precious in your eyes this day. Indeed, I have played the fool and erred exceedingly."


I don't know if he spoke the truth this time, but i needed to forgive him, yet again. "Send one of the young men to get your spear. May the Lord reward the righteousness and faithfulness of every man, for He delivered you into my hand today, but I chose not to kill the Lord's anointed. 


"And since your life was valued much this day in my eyes, so let my life be valued in your eyes and deliver me from this tribulation."


"May you be blessed, my son David. You will do great things and prevail in our land." Saul held his arms up toward me. 


Maybe he meant his words, I don't know. I chose not go back with him to find out.


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1. What did Abishai take?
2. Where did David and Abishai go after they left the camp?
3. Who is Abner?
4. What did David say to Abner?
5. Who stepped forward to speak?
6. What did Saul decide to do?
7. What should Saul have been doing?
8. What did David ask of Saul? 

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?