King James Version, with Nii Okai's journal notes · 7 notes
1And it came to pass, when Saul was returned from following the Philistines, that it was told him, saying, Behold, David is in the wilderness of En-gedi.
2Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went to seek David and his men upon the rocks of the wild goats.
Was this not the same number he chose at the very beginning of his kingdom?
3And he came to the sheepcotes by the way, where was a cave; and Saul went in to cover his feet: and David and his men remained in the sides of the cave.
4And the men of David said unto him, Behold the day of which the LORD said unto thee, Behold, I will deliver thine enemy into thine hand, that thou mayest do to him as it shall seem good unto thee. Then David arose, and cut off the skirt of Saul’s robe privily.
Maybe the Lord had spoken in times past that all will bow before him and he will deliver his enemies into his hands 👐
5And it came to pass afterward, that David’s heart smote him, because he had cut off Saul’s skirt.
6And he said unto his men, The LORD forbid that I should do this thing unto my master, the LORD’s anointed, to stretch forth mine hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the LORD.
7So David stayed his servants with these words, and suffered them not to rise against Saul. But Saul rose up out of the cave, and went on his way.
8David also arose afterward, and went out of the cave, and cried after Saul, saying, My lord the king. And when Saul looked behind him, David stooped with his face to the earth, and bowed himself.
9And David said to Saul, Wherefore hearest thou men’s words, saying, Behold, David seeketh thy hurt?
10Behold, this day thine eyes have seen how that the LORD had delivered thee to day into mine hand in the cave: and some bade me kill thee: but mine eye spared thee; and I said, I will not put forth mine hand against my lord; for he is the LORD’s anointed.
They attributed everything to the Lord, and in this case rightly so. But earlier, when news was brought of the whereabouts of David, Saul, the rejected king by God, still attributed this to God.
It seemed it was part of their language to mention and attribute things to God, just like the way people just mention Jesus, including unbelievers.
11Moreover, my father, see, yea, see the skirt of thy robe in my hand: for in that I cut off the skirt of thy robe, and killed thee not, know thou and see that there is neither evil nor transgression in mine hand, and I have not sinned against thee; yet thou huntest my soul to take it.
12The LORD judge between me and thee, and the LORD avenge me of thee: but mine hand shall not be upon thee.
13As saith the proverb of the ancients, Wickedness proceedeth from the wicked: but mine hand shall not be upon thee.
14After whom is the king of Israel come out? after whom dost thou pursue? after a dead dog, after a flea.
15The LORD therefore be judge, and judge between me and thee, and see, and plead my cause, and deliver me out of thine hand.
16And it came to pass, when David had made an end of speaking these words unto Saul, that Saul said, Is this thy voice, my son David? And Saul lifted up his voice, and wept.
Hmm 😢 sad 😔.
Indeed Saul wept. David had shown himself to be a man and more righteous than Saul.
Saul wept but did not repent. He still had a heart ♥ and a conscience but had not changed.
We should not interpret the tears 😭 of men to mean repentance or transformation.
17And he said to David, Thou art more righteous than I: for thou hast rewarded me good, whereas I have rewarded thee evil.
18And thou hast shewed this day how that thou hast dealt well with me: forasmuch as when the LORD had delivered me into thine hand, thou killedst me not.
19For if a man find his enemy, will he let him go well away? wherefore the LORD reward thee good for that thou hast done unto me this day.
20And now, behold, I know well that thou shalt surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in thine hand.
21Swear now therefore unto me by the LORD, that thou wilt not cut off my seed after me, and that thou wilt not destroy my name out of my father’s house.
Saul was unfaithful and wicked, yet he wanted surety for his seed after him, that they should not be cut off.
Wicked men always try to prevent the consequences of their wicked ways.
This reminds me so much of Laban, Jacob's uncle, who sought a covenant that Jacob would not cross over to do him harm, when it was he who had cheated and deceived Jacob.
The ancients knew the power of a good name and living your name as a posterity in the earth.
22And David sware unto Saul. And Saul went home; but David and his men gat them up unto the hold.
They swore and covenanted with Saul, but were wise enough to still hide themselves.
For they knew that the wicked cannot be trusted.