The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Samuel — Section 488

on the hill Hachilah, while David, instead CHAPTER XXVI. of being all but caught as before, had scouts 8AtrL, ON INFORMATION FROM THE ZIPH· to watch Saul's movements, and was himself lTEB, AGAIN BEEK., TO DESTROY DAVID (vers. safe in the wilderness on the south. On 1-3). Ver. 1.-The Ziphites came unto the previous occasion Saul had withdrawn Baul. There are so many points of simi- from bis men, but here he lies in his camp larity between this narrative and that con- surrounded by them, when David, accom- tained in eh. xxiii. 19-24 ; xxiv. 1-22, panied only by Abishai, undertakes this bold that it has been argued that in these two enterprise, which was entirely in accorrlancc accounts we have substantially the same fact, with his growing sense of security. The only modified by two different popular tra- argument, moreover, that Saul must have ditions, and not recorded until a late sub- been a "moral monster" thus to seek sequent period, at which the narrator, unable David's life after his generous conduct to- to decide which was the true form of the wards him keeps out of view the fact that story, determined upon giving both. The Saul was scarcely accountable for his actions. main points of similarity are-(1) The treach- We have seen that he was subject to fits of ery of the Ziphites (eh. xxvi. 1 ; xxiii. 19). madness, and that the form which it took (2) David's position in the hill Hachilah was that of deadly hatred against David. (eh. x..xvi. 1, 3 ; xxiii. 19). (3) Saul's march Even this was but a fo1m of the ruling with 3000 men (eh. x.xvi. 2; x.xiv. 2). (4) passion which underlies all Saul's actions, The speech of David's men (eh. xxiv. 4 ; namely, an extreme jealousy of everything xxvi. 8). (5) David's refusal to lay hands on that in the slightest degree seemed to trcncl1 the anointed of Jehovah (eh. xxiv. 6 ; xxvi. upon his royal prerogative and supremacy. 9, 11). (6) Saul's recognition of David's To what an extreme length his ferocity m:s voice (eh. xxiv. 16; xxvi. 17). (7) David's capable of proceeding in punishing what he comparison of himself to a flea (eh. xxi v. regarded as an overt act of resistance to his 14 ; xxvi. 20 ). Besides these there arc authority we have seen in the account of the several remarkable verbal coincidences ; but massacre of the priests at N obwith their wives some other matters which have been enumer- and children (eh. xxii. 18, 19). No worse act ated are either such as must have happened, is recorded of any man in history, and we may supposing the two events to have occurred, hope that Saul would not have committed or are even points of difference. Of these such a crime had not his men ta! faculties there are many. Thus the first occasion on been disturbed. Nor was Saul alone in his which David spared Saul's life was in a cave estimate of what was due to him as J ehov!lh's at En-gedi; the latter was in Saul's entrenched Messiah ; David had equally high views of camp. In this second narrative David's re- Saul's rights and position, and regarded turn to Maon was the natural result of his them as fenced in by religious sanctions. marriage with Abigail, and when the Ziphites But in Saul's case the passion had grown till report his presence there to Saul, which they it had become o. monomania, and as he were sure to do for fear of David's vengeance brooded over his relations to David, a.nd for their former betrayal of him, he awaits thought of him as one that was to usnrp his Saul's attack, whereas before he fled in haste, crown, and was already a rebel and an out- and was saved for the moment by tne wonder- law, the sure result was the return of his ful ravine which Conder has so unmistakably hatred against David, and when news was verified (sec on eh. xxiiL 26), and fimilly by brought him tho.t his enemy was so near, an invasion of the Philistines. Mr. Conder's be ~Iadly welcomed a.nother opportwaity of visit to the ground, and the way in which gettmg him into his power. On the hill of the difficulties in the previous narrative ar~ :e:achile.h. Sea eh. xxiii. 19. It is there cleared up by what he saw, sets the historical said to be " on the ri~bt band," but here credibility of that account above all reason- "over against," i. e. facmg the desert which .able doubt. Had thore been a mountain lies on the north-ea.stern coast of the Dead between David and his pursuers, he would Sea. have been safe enough ; but as it was he was Vers. 2-4.-Three thousand chosen men. in full sight of his enemies, and the ravine Not chosen for this expedition, but the force alone enabled him to escape from Saul's which Saul always kept under arms (eh. xiii. vengeance. The number of Saul's army, 2). By the way. The high road which led 3000, was the number of the chosen men down to Arad. David a.bode in the wilder• whom he always had iu attendance upon ness. Hebrew, "abides." Instead of fleeing him (eh. xiii. 2); and it is Saul who oncnmps in haste as before, be remains apparently OD 1 BAM. KK  TIIE FIBST DOOK OF SAMUEL. [c11. xxvr. 1--25.