1 SAMUEL LESSON 26


     We will begin this lesson in I Samuel 23:1 "Then they told David,
saying, Behold, the Philistines fight against Keilah, and they rob the
threshingfloors."

     This is a break from the troubles with Saul. Possibly, Saul had
been neglecting his borders with the Philistines, and they have come
against Keilah. These Philistine raiders thought they would take
advantage of the situation with David and Saul. They felt they could
make an attack against Keilah {not far from their border}, and rob the
threshingfloors.

     I Samuel 23:2 "Therefore David inquired of the LORD, saying,
Shall I go and smite these Philistines? And the LORD said unto David,
Go, and smite the Philistines, and save Keilah."

     David asks the will of God, before he takes this task in hand.
The most important thing to David was remaining in the will of the
Lord.  He thought of his wishes in subjection to the LORD. The answer
from the LORD is, go.

     I Samuel 23:3 "And David's men said unto him, Behold, we be
afraid here in Judah: how much more then if we come to Keilah against
the armies of the Philistines?"

     David's men feel, that this will leave them open to attack from
the Philistines on one side, and Saul on the other. If they are having
to hide from Saul, why should they open up another front to fight.
They have forgotten that the LORD is with them.

     I Samuel 23:4 "Then David inquired of the LORD yet again. And the
LORD answered him and said, Arise, go down to Keilah: for I will
deliver the Philistines into thine hand."

     David asks the LORD the second time to be sure. He wants his men
to believe they can win, also. This time, the answer from the LORD is
more emphatic. He still tells them to go, but now promises them that
they will win. The LORD will deliver the Philistines into their hands.

     I Samuel 23:5 "So David and his men went to Keilah, and fought
with the Philistines, and brought away their cattle, and smote them
with a great slaughter. So David saved the inhabitants of Keilah."

     Keilah was near where they were encamped. David and the men went
to fight for Keilah, and won. They killed the invaders, and took their
cattle. These Philistines had been cattle, sheep, and goat, rustlers,
as well as taking the grain. David retrieved it all and some extra as
well. David and his men, with the help of the LORD, saved Keilah.  All
the people of Keilah would be supporters of David, now.

     I Samuel 23:6 "And it came to pass, when Abiathar the son of
Ahimelech fled to David to Keilah, [that] he came down [with] an ephod
in his hand."

     Abiathar fled to David with the ephod in his hand. David knows
that God will speak to him through the ephod. Abiathar was respected
by David.

     I Samuel 23:7  "And it was told Saul that David was come to
Keilah. And Saul said, God hath delivered him into mine hand; for he
is shut in, by entering into a town that hath gates and bars."

     How could Saul be deceived into believing that God would be with
him? He has just killed 85 of the priests {chosen men of God}. He is
fooled into believing, that David is trapped in Keilah. The town had
gates and bars which could keep people out, but could, also, keep
others in.

     I Samuel 23:8 "And Saul called all the people together to war, to
go down to Keilah, to besiege David and his men."

     The battle against the Philistines is over. Saul calls his men to
go with him, to destroy David. If he can catch them inside the walled
city, it would be just a matter of time, until David would be
destroyed.

     I Samuel 23:9  "And David knew that Saul secretly practised
mischief against him; and he said to Abiathar the priest, Bring hither
the ephod."

     David has received word of Saul's evil intent. Notice, again,
David consults with God, before doing anything. Abiathar brings the
ephod, so God can give David his answers.

     I Samuel 23:10 "Then said David, O LORD God of Israel, thy
servant hath certainly heard that Saul seeketh to come to Keilah, to
destroy the city for my sake."  I Samuel 23:11 "Will the men of Keilah
deliver me up into his hand? will Saul come down, as thy servant hath
heard? O LORD God of Israel, I beseech thee, tell thy servant. And the
LORD said, He will come down."

     David is praying to God for directions of what he should do, from
this point on. Perhaps, David had planned to stay in the city after
the victory. Now, his plans may have to be changed. David presents the
problem to the LORD God, and waits for an answer through the ephod
from God. He is not sure just what would take place, if the giant army
of Saul comes against this city. The LORD answers him and says, He
will come down".

     I Samuel 23:12 "Then said David, Will the men of Keilah deliver
me and my men into the hand of Saul? And the LORD said, They will
deliver [thee] up."

     Again, David asks the LORD, and the LORD speaks through the
ephod. The men of Keilah will be afraid, and turn David over to Saul.

     I Samuel 23:13  "Then David and his men, [which were] about six
hundred, arose and departed out of Keilah, and went whithersoever they
could go. And it was told Saul that David was escaped from Keilah; and
he forbare to go forth."

     David did not wait. When he had the word from the LORD, he
immediately left with his men. Notice, David's men had grown to 600.
They hid wherever they could. Saul did not bother to come to Keilah,
after he heard David had left. It was David he wanted to kill, any way
he could.

     I Samuel 23:14 "And David abode in the wilderness in strong
holds, and remained in a mountain in the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul
sought him every day, but God delivered him not into his hand."

     David inquired of the LORD, when he moved. God protected David.
Saul had nothing on his mind, but capturing and killing David. David
hid in the wilderness, and in the mountains, moving often.

     I Samuel 23:15 "And David saw that Saul was come out to seek his
life: and David [was] in the wilderness of Ziph in a wood."

     Ziph was south of Hebron near the desert. This wilderness gave
them a hiding place from Saul.

     I Samuel 23:16  "And Jonathan Saul's son arose, and went to David
into the wood, and strengthened his hand in God."

     Jonathan and Saul were not on very good terms. Saul did not,
however, keep up with Jonathan's moves. Somehow, Jonathan knew where
David was, and went to him. Jonathan encouraged David. Perhaps, he,
also, told him that many people believed David was the rightful king.

     I Samuel 23:17 "And he said unto him, Fear not: for the hand of
Saul my father shall not find thee; and thou shalt be king over
Israel, and I shall be next unto thee; and that also Saul my father
knoweth."

     This was good news for David. His friend has given him the
courage he needs to fight on. Jonathan is aware the reason Saul wants
to kill David, is because he knows David will replace him as king.

     I Samuel 23:18 "And they two made a covenant before the LORD: and
David abode in the wood, and Jonathan went to his house."

     This covenant is an agreement that the things Jonathan said, in
verse 17 above, will happen. They will both live up to their
agreement. Jonathan does not go back to the camp of his father, but
goes home.  David remains hidden in the woods.

     I Samuel 23:19  "Then came up the Ziphites to Saul to Gibeah,
saying, Doth not David hide himself with us in strong holds in the
wood, in the hill of Hachilah, which [is] on the south of Jeshimon?"

     Ziph was in the highland area very close to where David was
hiding. This just means that some of these people went, and told Saul
where David was hiding.

     I Samuel 23:20 "Now therefore, O king, come down according to all
the desire of thy soul to come down; and our part [shall be] to
deliver him into the king's hand."

     These people will fight on the side of Saul. They are promising
to help Saul. The main thing they have forgotten, is that God is on
the side of David.

     I Samuel 23:21 "And Saul said, Blessed [be] ye of the LORD; for
ye have compassion on me."

     Saul knows that he is fast losing his power over the people. Many
have seen the cruelty of his reign. Those who are in his army, realize
that Saul has lost his mind. To have Saul speak a blessing of God upon
you, would mean nothing. Saul is not God's man.

     I Samuel 23:22 "Go, I pray you, prepare yet, and know and see his
place where his haunt is, [and] who hath seen him there: for it is
told me [that] he dealeth very subtly."

     Saul is aware that David is very careful. He knows that David
will move his location, if he finds that Saul knows where he is.  Saul
does not want to go out, and not find David. That would be another
embarrassment for him.

     I Samuel 23:23 "See therefore, and take knowledge of all the
lurking places where he hideth himself, and come ye again to me with
the certainty, and I will go with you: and it shall come to pass, if
he be in the land, that I will search him out throughout all the
thousands of Judah."

     If they can come with certainty to Saul, and tell him where David
is, he will take a large portion of his army, and seek him out, even
through all of Judah. Saul does not want to look foolish hunting for
David in an area, where he has already left.

     I Samuel 23:24 "And they arose, and went to Ziph before Saul: but
David and his men [were] in the wilderness of Maon, in the plain on
the south of Jeshimon."

     It seems that somehow, David found out they were going to Saul to
report where he was. While they were gone, he moved to the wilderness
of Maon, which is about 6 miles away from where they had been. This
location was between the Sea of Galilee and the Dead Sea.

     I Samuel 23:25 "Saul also and his men went to seek [him]. And
they told David: wherefore he came down into a rock, and abode in the
wilderness of Maon. And when Saul heard [that], he pursued after David
in the wilderness of Maon."

     Saul went to search David out, knowing the vicinity of where he
was. It seemed that, someone got word to Saul, that David was in the
wilderness of Maon, and Saul went immediately there.

     I Samuel 23:26 "And Saul went on this side of the mountain, and
David and his men on that side of the mountain: and David made haste
to get away for fear of Saul; for Saul and his men compassed David and
his men round about to take them."

     Saul had so many more men than David, that Saul could separate
his forces and close in on David. It appears, they were so close they
could see the other troops. There seemed to be a gorge which protected
David and his troops somewhat. It was frightening, however, to see the
large army of Saul so close.

     I Samuel 23:27  "But there came a messenger unto Saul, saying,
Haste thee, and come; for the Philistines have invaded the land."

     The LORD has delivered David out of the hands of Saul, again. The
Philistine invasion took the place of importance for the moment. Saul
will have to leave this battle, to keep his land from being taken by
the Philistines.

     I Samuel 23:28 "Wherefore Saul returned from pursuing after
David, and went against the Philistines: therefore they called that
place Sela-hammahlekoth."

     Saul calls his troops to the battle against the Philistines.
David is safe for the time being. "Sela-hammahlekoth" means the cliff
of divisions.

     I Samuel 23:29  "And David went up from thence, and dwelt in
strong holds at En-gedi."

     "En-gedi" means fountain of the wild goats. This tells us there
is water and food here. This place is full of caves. This would be an
ideal place for David and his men.

















                        1 Samuel 26 Questions


1.  Who have the Philistines attacked in verse 1?
2.  What are they robbing?
3.  What did David do, before he made up his mind to attack the
    Philistines?
4.  What did the LORD tell David to do?
5.  What did David's men say to David about going?
6.  What did David do, before he decided for himself and the men?
7.  What did God add to His response this time?
8.  Who will deliver the Philistines into their hands?
9.  What did David do, besides win the battle with the Philistines?
10. What animals had the Philistines rustled?
11. Who fled to David, with an ephod in his hand?
12. God will speak to David through the _______.
13. Why did Saul believe the LORD had delivered David into his hands?
14. What would happen, if the large army of Saul trapped David in the
    city walls?
15. What did David do, when he heard Saul was coming to trap him?
16. What did David ask of God?
17. What was God's answer to David?
18. Why would the men of Keilah turn David over to Saul?
19. David's men have grown to ________.
20. Where did David go from Keilah?
21. How often did Saul seek to kill David?
22. Who came to meet with David and re-assure him?
23. What did he tell David in the way of encouragement?
24. What was the covenant they made in the woods?
25. Who told Saul, where David was camped?
26. To have Saul speak a blessing from God on them, meant _________.
27. Where had David and his men gone from Ziph?
28. When David heard that Saul was coming, where did he go with his
    men?
29. How close did Saul come to taking David?
30. What news came to Saul, that caused him to leave David alone?
31. What does "Sela-hammahlekoth" mean?
32. Where did David go next?
33. What does "En-gedi" mean?