1 Samuel - Odessa, Missouri Community of Christ

2007 Edition Dr. Constable's Notes on 1 Samuel 103David again compared himself to a mere flea, essentially harmless but annoying to Saul(v. 20; cf. 24:14). He was making a word play on Abner's question, "Who are you whocalls (Heb. qarata) to the king?" (v. 14) by referring to himself as a "partridge" (v. 20,Heb. haqqore, lit. caller-bird). The partridge darts from one bush to another when ahunter pursues it, as David had been doing, though it tires fairly quickly and then can becaught easily. 289 David's point in comparing himself to a partridge and a flea was thatSaul's search for such an insignificant person as David was beneath the king's dignity.David's trust in God 26:21-25Saul again confessed that he had sinned, as he had done when he had sacrificed at Gilgal(v. 21; cf. 15:24, 30) and when David had spared his life in the cave (24:17).Nevertheless he seems to have failed again to follow through with genuine repentance(cf. 27:1). He also admitted that he had played the fool (similar to Nabal) and hadcommitted a serious error. 290 The writer did not record Saul as having gone this far inadmitting his faults in the preceding chapters.David returned Saul's spear to him (v. 22) and with it the symbol of the right to rule.Perhaps David did not return the jug of water to remind Saul that he still had the power toend Saul's life. He felt confident God would repay each of them eventually, and hedetermined to wait for Him to do so (v. 23). David acknowledged that Yahweh was hisreal deliverer (v. 24). 291 Saul could have overwhelmed David's smaller band of followers.Instead he departed with a prophetic declaration of David's final success (v. 25; cf.24:20). The text does not record another meeting of David and Saul before Saul died.The main lesson of chapter 26 appears in verse 23: "the Lord will repay" (cf. Prov. 20:22;24:29; Rom. 12:17, 19). The Lord Jesus Christ is our greatest example of one who trustedthe Father to vindicate Him (cf. Luke 23:46). Our vindication does not always come inthis lifetime, as David's did. Sometimes it comes after death, as Jesus' did. Another greatrevelation is God's patience with Saul. God gave him many opportunities to repent and toexperience God's blessing within the sphere of his judgment (cf. 15:26), but Saul did notrepent.David had borne witness twice to Saul's guilt before God (chs. 24 and 26; cf. Num.35:30). God proceeded to put him to death not long after this (ch. 31). David becameGod's instrument in passing judgment on Saul for his sin and so became a blessing to allIsrael.4. The end of Saul's reign chs. 27—31David's commitment to God resulted in his continuing to be God's instrument of blessingto the Israelites and His instrument of judgment to Israel's enemies. This was true in spite289 Youngblood, "1, 2 Samuel," p. 771.290 Contrast Paul's testimony in 2 Tim. 4:7.291 This may have been the occasion when David composed Psalm 54 (see its title) the last verse of whichascribes David's deliverance from his enemies to Yahweh.