Chapter 24

1 David in a cave at En-gedi, having cut off Saul’s skirt, spareth his life. 8 He sheweth thereby his innocency. 16 Saul, acknowledging his fault, taketh an oath of David, and departeth.

1. Wilderness of En-gedi. This chapter should have begun with v. 29 of the preceding chapter as it does in the current Hebrew text. En-gedi is a beautiful oasis on the shore of the Dead Sea, at the mouth of the Wadi elРKelb—a steep, tortuous canyon beginning back some 8 mi. (12.8 km.) in the white limestone wilderness of En-gedi at an elevation of about 1,200 ft. (368 m.) above sea level. In that small distance the bed of the wadi drops some 2,500 ft. (762 m.) till it reaches the level of the Dead Sea 1,305 ft. (398 m.) below sea level. The precipitous cliffs of the wilderness, about 2,000 ft. (610 m.) high, approach to within 1 1/2 mi. (2.4 km.) of the sea, so that they form a formidable palisade to the west of the town. Up in the wadi several hundred feet above the base of a cliff, the beautiful warm spring of En-gedi gushes out from beneath a large boulder at a reported temperature of 83° F. In the sides of the wadi are many caves, both natural and artificial. The site is known in modern times as ФAin Jidi.

2. Rocks of the wild goats. Portions of the wilderness west of the oasis are so badly eroded as to be almost hopelessly impassable. But there is a road from Carmel in Judah that crosses the Wilderness of Maon and En-gedi and descends through the Wadi elРKelb to this oasis. Saul probably took this road in his determined search for David.

3. Sheepcotes. All over Palestine the shepherds use the natural caves as places where the sheep may be protected from bad weather. Usually in connection with such caves are circular enclosures built of stone and briers, called “cotes,” which in good weather offer protection to the sheep from both man and beast.

Cover his feet. A euphemism for having a bowel movement (see Judges 3:24, margin). Coming from the outside, Saul could see nothing, but the men in the cave could see clearly, for their eyes were accustomed to the darkness.

4. Skirt of Saul’s robe. Literally, “the wing of Saul’s outer garment.” This robe was probably the exterior tunic without sleeves, wide, and reaching to the ankles, worn by women, and also by men of high rank, such as kings and priests, etc. Doubtless David’s men recognized the king as much by his dress as by his personal appearance. Although no record is given of a divine promise that David would have his enemy delivered into his hand, what the men said may, indeed, have been true. The opportunity probably came as a test to David to enable him to exhibit the characteristics he had developed. Had David at this juncture killed Saul, he would have shown that in one respect, at least, he was no better than Saul, who if the circumstances had been reversed, would have delighted to kill David.

Satan challenged Job’s goodness, contending that Job would curse God if certain blessings were removed and certain restrictions were placed upon him. To meet such a charge God permitted Satan to afflict Job to prove the falsity of the adversary’s statement, as well as the uprightness of His servant. Like Job, David stood the test. David was so close to God that, with his enemy in his hand, he not only refused to harm him personally but restrained his men from committing any untoward act in his name.

5. David’s heart. That is, his conscience accused him. The ancients used the word “heart” to describe the seat of the intellect(Prov. 15:28; 16:9, 23; 23:7, 12; Matt. 12:34; Luke 6:45). The word “conscience” does not occur in the OT. The NT word comes from the verb “to know,” and, therefore, emphasizes a faculty of the intellect rather than that of the feelings. Men say they are governed by their conscience when in reality they are often controlled by their feelings. Conscience is a safe guide only if illuminated by the light from above. Saul’s conscience was darkened, even seared with the hot iron of jealousy and envy (see 1 Tim. 4:2). David’s conscience had been under divine training, and, like Paul’s, was to a large degree void of offense (Acts 24:16). Having been given the divine unction of spiritual discernment, he had proved himself a true leader. He was not dependent on the customs and traditions of his day, but possessed a knowledge of that which was divinely and intrinsically correct.

7. Stayed his servants. Perhaps his men, like the disciples later, were looking forward to the positions of honor they would occupy when the kingdom of David was established. They had reached the place where they were not satisfied with the meager fare and the days and nights of vigilant watching and running away. Now that Saul was in their hand they exultingly thought the cause was won, and were impatient to end their long vigil. David corrected them by apologizing for even the slight liberty he had taken in spoiling the king’s garment. He probably informed them, as he later told the king, that the only way to true success is to await God’s hour.

Abraham awaited God’s suggestion, and was able to deliver Lot, a man who plunged ahead in his own wisdom. Moses refused the honors of Egypt, yet after 40 years of testing became the prophet of the Most High. How else can man, going into the laboratory of life to apprentice himself to Christ (see DA 297), work the works of God?

8. Stooped with his face. His keen spiritual perception and deep love of righteousness prevented David from hating Saul, criticizing him to others, and attacking him at the first opportunity. David had no need of sensing a so-called righteous indignation at the treatment he had received. So far as Saul’s attitude toward him was concerned, he could leave that with God, who doeth all things well. There was a calm confidence in his soul that God was with him, and in his heart there was pity for his king. No one would have been happier than David had Saul crucified his selfishness and humbled his heart before God. In the sincerity of his soul David probably yearned to have Saul experience the same fellowship with God that he had. His obeisance, therefore, was not a formality. He bowed with a heart full of reverence for the office of king and a yearning for the man in that office.

Christ had accepted Judas as one of the twelve. He had sent him out on missions of mercy and intercession. He had seen him gradually change over into the critical, opinionated, egotistical opponent of His whole program. Yet Christ loved him and would have been happy to make him one of the leaders of His church (see DA 294, 295, 717). At last He bowed before Judas with all the yearning of His soul, and in washing his feet, mutely appealed to him to give his heart to the One who came not to be ministered unto but to minister. Paul stood before Agrippa, making a defense of his new way of life. He also had had many evidences of providential care to which he personally might cling. The rulers had done him many injustices. He was not thinking of these. His heart was full of longing for the king, who finally exclaimed, “Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian” (Acts 26:28).

9. Men’s words. Notice how kindly and tenderly David addressed the king. Instead of blaming Saul for all the king’s actions, David looked back to the influence of false tongues, dripping with the malice of self-interest, which urged the king on and used him to their own advantage. That Saul was affected by such tongues may be inferred from ch. 22:7. Like Saul, many a leader has about him a company of men who are with him because of the loaves and fishes. The safety of their position depends on the patronage they can give the leader in power. If a change of administration should come, they would be without support. The henchmen of Saul had cast aside the mounting evidence of God’s protecting care over David. They had paid no attention to Jonathan’s estimate of the “son of Jesse.” Though many were convinced of the errors of Saul’s acts, yet for personal reasons they patronized him and blackened David’s name (see Ps. 55:3; Ps. 56:5, 6; Ps. 57:4; etc.). The fact that David was of another tribe may have had something to do with the evil reports that were spread around.

10. Kill thee. Superficial readers of the Scriptures think there is such a contrast between the eye-for-an-eye philosophy of certain OT passages and the philosophy of love advanced in the writings of the NT. But here, centuries before NT times, David’s actions illustrate the same spirit taught by Christ in His beatitudes (Matt. 5:11). David’s men were willing to love their friends, but they still cherished hatred for their enemies. In the midst of such attitudes David revealed respect for his worst enemy (see Matt. 5:43–48).

11. See the skirt. Saul would probably have paid little attention to the words of David about lifting his hand against the Lord’s anointed, but when he saw the edge of his robe held up before his eyes, and realized how close he had come to death, he trembled before the material evidence of David’s innocence. It was the triumph of spiritual force over physical prowess.

12. The Lord judge. The king could talk only in terms of physical achievement, and when David referred the whole matter to the One who had anointed Saul, the king knew he had to plead guilty. Saul’s response was voluntary, as was that of Judas when he returned the bribe he had so greatly coveted (Matt. 27:3–5). So it will be in the judgment day. When Christ’s innocence and eternal sacrifice are evidenced before the assembled hosts of all ages, every knee will bow and every tongue will acclaim the perfection of His character (Phil. 2:10, 11).

13. Proverb of the ancients. David did not add the converse, “goodness proceedeth from the righteous,” but Saul could and probably did draw his own conclusions. Had David been plotting to harm Saul, he would not have lost such an opportunity as had been his a few moments before. It is natural for men’s acts to reflect their feelings, so from a really wicked heart evil actions come forth. In offering this as additional proof of his innocence, David was urging the king to realize that every man is responsible to God for his acts. He was assuring him that, regardless of the depth to which he had fallen, God was able and willing to transform his evil nature. All that was needed was Saul’s choice and cooperation.

14. After a flea. Literally, “after one flea.” The statement is a striking manifestation of David’s humility. Compare the attitude of the woman of Tyre when asking for Christ’s help for her daughter (Mark. 7:24–30).

17. More righteous than I. Compare David’s respect for Saul both as a father-in-law and as a king, and his reverence for Saul as the Lord’s anointed, with Saul’s impetuous selfishness in bargaining by means of Michal to have David slain, his jealous hatred that turned him into a demon, and his unsatisfied thirst for the blood of the man who had spared his life. There was forced from Saul’s unwilling lips the confession of the truth, as the warmth of David’s magnanimity melted the icy hatred.

19. The Lord reward thee. What a manifest change in tone from the criticism Saul hurled at his own tribesmen because he could get no reports from them as to David’s whereabouts (ch. 22:8)! Then the king was harsh and exacting, but now his voice was manifestly tender. His emotion was so great that he wept. He could scarcely believe he had been saved by so narrow a margin. Once so boastful, now so humble! So will the wicked be before the judgment seat of the Most High (see GC 668, 669.)

Ellen G. White comments

1–22PP 661–663

1–6PP 661

4–6 MH484

11   PP 736

8–11, 16–22PP 662