Although Saul was determined to kill him, David recognised that Saul was the LORD’s anointed and Israel’s rightful king. Therefore he would do nothing to harm him. It is against human nature to be non-resistant to evil and to do good to those who persecute us, but Jesus requires us to “turn the other cheek” and to love our enemies, and David is a supreme example of one who did this - doing good in return for evil and blessing them that cursed him. In this chapter we read how he had the opportunity to kill Saul while he slept, and indeed his men urged him to do it.v.4Waiting for response for 1 Samuel 24:4 It seemed to them that God had brought this opportunity to David to fulfil his promise,v.4Waiting for response for 1 Samuel 24:4 but David would not harm the LORD’s anointed.v.6Waiting for response for 1 Samuel 24:6 He did, however, show Saul how close he had come to death and how his life had been spared.vs.9-14Waiting for response for 1 Samuel 24:9-14 This brought a confession from Saul that David was a righteous man.v.17Waiting for response for 1 Samuel 24:17 He also expressed his recognition that David would sit upon the throne, even though he was pursuing David to prevent this,v.20Waiting for response for 1 Samuel 24:20 and therefore sought David’s promise that when he became the king of Israel he would not harm any of his sons,v.21Waiting for response for 1 Samuel 24:21 and David gave his word.v.22Waiting for response for 1 Samuel 24:22
Verses 16-17
Waiting for response for 1 Samuel 24:16-17
In the following chapters we can read how Saul quickly resumed his pursuit of David, forcing him even to live in the land of the Philistines, Israel’s enemy, to escape. 1 Samuel 27:7Waiting for response for 1 Samuel 27:7
Although Saul was determined to kill him, David recognised that Saul was the LORD’s anointed and Israel’s rightful king. Therefore he would do nothing to harm him. It is against human nature to be non-resistant to evil and to do good to those who persecute us, but Jesus requires us to “turn the other cheek” and to love our enemies, and David is a supreme example of one who did this - doing good in return for evil and blessing them that cursed him. In this chapter we read how he had the opportunity to kill Saul while he slept, and indeed his men urged him to do it.v.4Waiting for response for 1 Samuel 24:4 It seemed to them that God had brought this opportunity to David to fulfil his promise,v.4Waiting for response for 1 Samuel 24:4 but David would not harm the LORD’s anointed.v.6Waiting for response for 1 Samuel 24:6 He did, however, show Saul how close he had come to death and how his life had been spared.vs.9-14Waiting for response for 1 Samuel 24:9-14 This brought a confession from Saul that David was a righteous man.v.17Waiting for response for 1 Samuel 24:17 He also expressed his recognition that David would sit upon the throne, even though he was pursuing David to prevent this,v.20Waiting for response for 1 Samuel 24:20 and therefore sought David’s promise that when he became the king of Israel he would not harm any of his sons,v.21Waiting for response for 1 Samuel 24:21 and David gave his word.v.22Waiting for response for 1 Samuel 24:22