1-15 David Saves the City of Keilah
- David is told Philistines are fighting Keilah and robbing the threshing floor.
- God tells David to go fight, and even though his men are reluctant, after a second inquiry of God, they go, defeat the Philistines there, bringing away their livestock and rescuing Keilah.
- Saul hears that David is in Keilah, an enclosed town, and determines to capture him there.
- David, with Abiathar the priest and the ephod he brought when he escaped from Nob, asks God if Saul will come, and if his men will give him up to Saul.
- God tells him they will, so David scatters with his 600 men, David to the Wilderness of Ziph.
- Saul decides not to go to Keilah, but keeps looking for David.
- Jonathan comes to Horesh to David to encourage him and to renew their covenant of faithfulness to each other. Knowing what will happen to Jonathan makes this a sad scene, for Jonathan also states his father knows that David will be king and that Jonathan "will be second" to him.
- Ziphites come to Saul to reveal David's hiding place, pledging their support of Saul, who blesses them and asks them to discover all the places he might hide, for "I am told he is very cunning."
- At one time in the pursuit, in the wilderness of Maon, David is on one side of a mountain, and Saul is on another, when Saul is told the Philistines are raiding Israel, so Saul temporarily has to give up the chase.
- Because of this, the rock where David is hiding is later called the Rock of Escape. From there David goes to En-gedi.
1-22 David Spares Saul's Life
- Saul, finished with pursuing the Philistines, takes 3000 men to resume looking for David in the wilderness of En-gedi.
- For some relief, he enters a cave, where David and his men are hiding, deeper into the cave.
- David's men tell him this is his chance to overcome the king, but all David does is sneak up and cut off a corner of Saul's cloak, later feeling guilty about even doing that much in "raising his hand" against his king. He forbids his men from attacking Saul. David is forever consistent in his respect for the office of the king -- which also transfers into his continuous loyalty to God.
- After Saul leaves the cave, David follows him, calls to him and bows to the ground before him.
- David tells him he had a chance to kill him but didn't, proving he is not treacherous. "May the LORD judge between me and you." At this point, I'm not sure what this means. Is this the same thing as saying, "As God is my witness"?
- Saul, hearing David's voice, weeps, extols David's righteousness, admits he knows that David will be king, and asks him not to wipe Saul's name from his father's house. Saul is not so consistent -- one moment he's a picture of remorse, the next he's obsessive about wiping out David. Today, I think we might call him bi-polar. In his case, a lot of it -- I think -- stems from his lack of self-respect and guilt caused by his prideful disobedience.
- David swears to this, Saul goes back home, and David returns to his stronghold. Even with this incident, David and his men do not go back with Saul. Evidently, trust has not been restored on David's part.
1-28 Descendants of Benjamin in Jerusalem
- Benjamin fathered 5 sons: Bela, Ashbel, Aharah, Nohah, and Rapha
- Stories along the way:
- Shaharaim (I can't tell which of Benjamin's sons is his ancestor) had sons by his wife Hodesh in Moab after he sent away his wives Hushim and Baara. Hm-m-m! Sounds like an interesting story. I'm not sure we're given any details anywhere else.
- The sons of Elpaal built Ono and Lod
- Beriah and Shema were heads of the tribes in Aijalon, who "put to flight the inhabitants of Gath"
- In Gibeon: included Ner, father of Kish, father of Saul - Jonathan - Merib-baal - Micah - Ahaz - Jehoaddah - Zimri - Moza - - - - Eshek - Ulam
- Story along the way: The sons of Ulam were mighty warriors, archers, having many children and grandchildren, 150.
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