Ishbosheth Is Murdered

Continuing a chronological Bible study:

(2 Samuel 4:1) And when Saul's son heard that Abner was dead in Hebron, his hands were feeble, and all the Israelites were troubled.

In the last chapter and post, Abner had joined forces with David, but Joab accused him of deception and killed him, unbeknownst to David.  When Saul's son Ishbosheth, who Abner had set up as king over Israel, heard that he was dead, his hands probably trembled in fear.  But the meaning may more likely be that his hands were weakened because in Abner, he had lost his main support and strength.  All the Israelites were troubled by the news of Abner's death.

(2) And Saul's son had two men, captains of bands, the name of the one Baanah, and the name of the other Rechab, the sons of Rimmon a Beerothite of the children of Benjamin (for Beeroth also was reckoned to Benjamin, (3) And the Beerothites fled to Gittaim and were sojourners there until this day).

Ishbosheth had two men who were captains of troops in his army, two brothers, Baanah and Rechab, sons of Rimmon, a Beerothite of the tribe of Benjamin.  The Beerothites had previously fled from Beeroth to Gittaim, another city in Benjamin, probably at the news of Saul's death (1 Samuel 31:7), gathered from what follows in the next verse.  

(4) And Jonathan, Saul's son, had a son lame of feet. He was five years old when the tidings came of Saul and Jonathan out of Jezreel, and his nurse took him up and fled, and it came to pass, as she made haste to flee, that he fell and became lame. And his name was Mephibosheth.

Saul's eldest son, Jonathan, had a son named Mephibosheth who was five years old when his father and grandfather were killed.  When the news came of their death, the boy's nurse scooped him up and fled, but at some point, he fell and became permanently lame.

(5) And the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rechab and Baanah, went and came about the heat of the day to the house of Ishbosheth, who lay on a bed at noon.

Back to Ishbosheth's two captains, Rechab and Baanah, they went into the house of Ishbosheth one day during the heat of the day when Ishbosheth rested on his bed.

(6) And they came there into the midst of the house, as though they would have fetched wheat, and they struck him under the fifth rib, and Rechab and Baanah his brother escaped. (7) For when they came into the house, he lay on his bed in his bedchamber, and they struck him, and killed him, and beheaded him, and took his head, and got away through the plain all night.

Rechab and Baanah, who were captains in Ishbosheth's own army, came into his house as though they were just fetching some wheat as must have been customary for them to do to feed the soldiers.  However, they went into Ishbosheth's bedchamber and stabbed him under the fifth rib as he rested on his bed.  Under the fifth rib appears to be the deliberate choice of murderers as this is the third time in recent study someone has been stabbed and killed in that location.  That is roughly the location of the lung or heart and would prove to be a fatal wound.  After they killed him, the brothers beheaded him and took his head and escaped into the plains where they apparently ran the rest of the day and all night.

(8) And they brought the head of Ishbosheth to David to Hebron, and said to the king, "Behold the head of Ishbosheth the son of Saul your enemy who sought your life, and the Lord has avenged my lord the king this day of Saul and of his seed."

They took Ishbosheth's head to David at Hebron, expecting him to consider it a very acceptable gift, as they presented it as being of his enemy who had sought his life and claimed it was of the Lord who had avenged him of Saul and his offspring.

(9) And David answered Rechab and Baanah his brother, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, and said to them, "As the Lord lives who has redeemed my soul out of all adversity, (10) When one told me, saying, 'Behold, Saul is dead,' thinking to have brought good tidings, I took hold of him and killed him in Ziklag who thought that I would have given him a reward for his tidings, (11) How much more, when wicked men have slain a righteous person in his own house on his bed? Shall I not therefore now require his blood of your hand and take you away from the earth?"

David answered the brothers in a way they had not expected.  First of all, he acknowledged that the Lord had been the one to deliver his soul out of all adversity; he did not need the aid of murderers.  He told them of the time when the young man came to him to tell him of Saul's death (and how he had finished him off), thinking David would have thought that good news and perhaps rewarded him, he instead had him killed (2 Samuel 1:15).  He rhetorically asked the brothers how much more should he do to wicked men who had slain a righteous man in his own house in his own bed.

(12) And David commanded his young men, and they killed them, and cut off their hands and their feet, and hanged them up over the pool in Hebron. But they took the head of Ishbosheth and buried it in the sepulchre of Abner in Hebron.

David commanded his men to kill Rechab and Baanah.  They cut off their hands and their feet and then hanged them up over the pool in Hebron.  Dr. John Gill, in his Exposition of the Bible, said that they cut off the hands because those had killed Ishbosheth, and they cut off the feet because those had taken them into Ishbosheth's house and bedchamber to kill him.  The Jews called it measure for measure.  Then David and his men took the head of Ishbosheth and buried it in the sepulcher of Abner in Hebron.

David was showing himself to be a just king.  Even though these men had killed a supposed enemy to David, as well as the man who killed Saul, David's fiercest enemy, David showed a strict regard for justice.  Those murderers had taken the law into their own hands and had executed men who were at the time innocent according to the law.  David would not allow vigilante justice.  David, as king, would render capital punishment, and these men had confessed to the murders, and David had them put to death.  

David had been equally incensed when Joab had murdered Abner, but at the time felt he was too new to the kingdom (and not fully accepted as king of all Israel since Ishbosheth still ruled at the time) to make Joab's execution one of his first acts, especially since he was of high office and very powerful.  David had said that the Lord would judge Joab according to his deed.

Abner Joins David, But Joab Murders Him

Continuing a chronological Bible study:

(2 Samuel 3:1) Now there was long war between the house of Saul and the house of David, but David waxed stronger and stronger, and the house of Saul waxed weaker and weaker.

In the last chapter and post, David had been anointed king over Judah, and even though Saul was dead, the captain of his army, Abner, made Saul's son Ishbosheth king over Israel, all of Israel except Judah, that is.  There was war between the two factions, but it seems David's men must have usually won the battles as David grew stronger and the house of Saul grew weaker.

(2) And to David were sons born in Hebron, and his firstborn was Amnon of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess;

While David reigned in Hebron, sons were born to him.  His firstborn son was Amnon, and his mother was Ahinoam, David's wife, the Jezreelitess.

(3) And his second, Chileab, of Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite; and the third Absalom the son of Maacah the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur;

David's second son was born to his wife Abigail, the widow of Nabal, and his name was Chileab.  Apparently, David took a third wife, Maacah, daughter of Talmai king of Geshur, and she gave him his son, Absalom.

(4) And the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith; and the fifth, Shephatiah the son of Abital; (5) And the sixth, Ithream, by Eglah David's wife. These were born to David in Hebron.

It appears that David married as many wives as he had sons, or rather vice versa.  His fourth wife was Haggith and she gave him Adonijah; his fifth wife Abital gave him Shephatiah, and his sixth wife, Eglah, gave him Ithream.  These six sons were born to David in Hebron.

(1 Chronicles 3:1) Now these were the sons of David who were born to him in Hebron, the firstborn Amnon of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess; the second Daniel, of Abigail the Carmelitess;

1 Chronicles 3 also named David's sons.  However, Chileab, the son of Abigail, is called Daniel here.  Daniel is probably his real given name.  Chileab means "like his father," so that may have been a nickname as Junior might be now because he was so much like his father.

(2) The third Absalom the son of Maacah, the daughter of Talmai, king of Geshur; the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith; (3) The fifth, Shephatiah of Abital; the sixth, Ithream by Eglah his wife. (4) These six were born to him in Hebron, and there he reigned seven years and six months, and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty-three years.

The rest of David's sons who were born to him in the seven and a half years he reigned in Hebron are repeated.  David then reigned in Jerusalem for thirty-three years.

(2 Samuel 3:6) And it came to pass, while there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David, that Abner made himself strong for the house of Saul.

During the time there was war between the house of David and the house of Saul, Abner was strong in his support for the house of Saul.

(7) And Saul had a concubine whose name was Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah; and Ishbosheth said to Abner, "Why have you gone in to my father's concubine?"

Saul had a concubine whose name was Rizpah, and it seems that Abner had had sexual relations with her, and Saul's son Ishbosheth demanded to know why he had done such a thing.

(8) Then was Abner very angry for the words of Ishbosheth, and said, "Am I a dog's head, which against Judah do show kindness this day to the house of Saul your father, to his brethren, and to his friends, and have not delivered you into the hand of David, that you charge me today with a fault concerning this woman?"

Abner was angry with Ishbosheth because of his accusation against him, although he did not really deny it.  He asked Ishbosheth if he was no better than the head of a dead dog who did not care with whom he lay.  He who had defended the house of Saul, his brethren, and his friends, against the tribe of Judah, and had not allowed him to be delivered into the hand of David, he that loyal supporter of Saul, that is who Ishbosheth dared to accuse of fault concerning Saul's concubine.  Abner might have actually been owning up to the fact that he had had sexual relations with Saul's concubine, but that it could not be seen as a fault because of his fierce loyalty to the house of Saul.

(9) "So do God to Abner, and more also, except, as the Lord has sworn to David, even so I do to him, (10) To transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul, and to set up the throne of David over Israel and over Judah, from Dan to Beersheba."

Abner was so angry that he wished God to destroy him if he did not see that the kingdom of Saul was transferred to David to be king over all of Israel.  It's interesting that he apparently knew all along what the will of God was, but he was actively working against it to set up Ishbosheth as king.  That confirms that he had probably been doing it for only his own self-interests.  Now God used Abner's desire for revenge against Ishbosheth to bring forth His will to have David king over all Israel.

(11) And he could not answer Abner a word again because he feared him.

Ishbosheth had nothing to say to Abner because he feared him.  After all, it was Abner who had made him king, and with the king's army at his command, Abner could easily take him out.

(12) And Abner sent messengers to David on his behalf, saying, "Whose is the land?" Saying, "Make your league with me, and behold, my hand will be with you to bring about all Israel to you."

Abner then sent messengers to David on his own behalf, not from Ishbosheth.  I believe his point was that he was acknowledging that the land was David's, and that he now desired to make a covenant of friendship with him, and he would do everything he could to bring all of Israel under his reign.

(13) And he said, "Well, I will make a league with you, but one thing I require of you, that is, you shall not see my face except you first bring Michal Saul's daughter, when you come to see my face."

David agreed it was well and good to join with Abner, but first before that could happen, Abner must bring David's wife Michal, Saul's daughter, to him.  It seems that even though David had had six wives since Michal, he must have still cared for her, or perhaps it was to demonstrate honor to Saul's family that his daughter might share with him the benefits of his reign.

(14) And David sent messengers to Ishbosheth Saul's son, saying, "Deliver my wife Michal whom I espoused to me for a hundred foreskins of the Philistines."

David then sent messengers to Ishbosheth telling him to deliver his wife Michal to him.  David added that he had purchased her at a great expense and danger to his life by killing a hundred Philistines and bringing their foreskins to Saul as he required in order to marry his daughter (1 Samuel 18:25).

(15) And Ishbosheth sent and took her from her husband, from Phaltiel the son of Laish.

Ishbosheth had Michal removed from her husband, Phaltiel, or Phalti, as he was called in 1 Samuel 25:44, when it was first told that Saul had given his daughter to him.

(16) And her husband went with her along weeping behind her to Bahurim. Then Abner said to him, "Go, return." And he returned.

Michal's current husband went along with her as far as Bahurim, a city in the tribe of Benjamin, because he evidently loved her very much and did not want to lose her, but he was forced to give her up by command of the king and the king's captain.

(17) And Abner had communication with the elders of Israel, saying, "You sought for David in times past to be king over you. (18) Now then do it, for the Lord has spoken of David, saying, 'By the hand of my servant David I will save My people Israel out of the hand of the Philistines and out of the hand of all their enemies.'"

Abner communicated with the elders of Israel, reminding them that it was generally known that David had been anointed to be king over Israel, certainly after Saul's death.  He encouraged them to now make David their king, implying he would no longer oppose him.  He reminded them of the words of the Lord declaring that it would be David who would save Israel out of the hand of the Philistines and all their enemies.  There is no record in the Bible of the Lord saying those words, but He probably did say them to Samuel when He first said He wanted David as king, and they were not recorded, but probably verbally passed down and now general knowledge.

(19) And Abner also spoke in the ears of Benjamin, and Abner went also to speak in the ears of David in Hebron all that seemed good to Israel and that seemed good to the whole house of Benjamin.

Abner spoke these same words especially to the tribe of Benjamin of which was the family of Saul.  He spoke these same words in the hearing of David, or perhaps the meaning is rather that after speaking to the elders of the other tribes, he brought the news to David that all were agreeable that David should be king over them.

(20) So Abner came to David to Hebron, and twenty men with him. And David made Abner and the men with him a feast. (21) And Abner said to David, "I will arise and go and will gather all Israel to my lord the king, that they may make a league with you, and that you may reign over all that your heart desires." And David sent Abner away, and he went in peace.

Abner went to David in Hebron with twenty men.  David received them and made a feast for them.  Abner told David that he would go and do all he could to gather all of Israel to come into agreement with David as their king.  He said he would do this so that David could reign over all that his heart desired, although David had not expressed any impatience to take over the entire kingdom, but had been content to wait on God's timing.  David sent Abner on his way in peace, having made a covenant of peace with him.

(22) And behold, the servants of David and Joab came from a troop and brought in a great spoil with them, but Abner was not with David in Hebron, for he had sent him away, and he was gone in peace. (23) When Joab and all the host with him had come, they told Joab, saying, "Abner the son of Ner came to the king, and he has sent him away, and he has gone in peace."

After Abner had left David, Joab, the captain of David's army, came with his men, apparently after some military excursion against the enemy, and they brought in a very large spoil after evidently conquering the enemy.  Some in David's court told Joab about Abner coming to David, and instead of seizing him, David had allowed him to go in peace.

(24) Then Joab came to the king, and said, "What have you done? Behold, Abner came to you; why is it you have sent him away, and he is quite gone?"

Joab asked David what he had done in allowing Abner to come to him and letting him go in peace, implying that he should have seized him as the enemy.

(25) "You know Abner the son of Ner, that he came to deceive you and to know your going out and your coming in and to know all that you do."

Joab told David that surely Abner had come to deceive him and to learn his movements in order to surely destroy him.

(26) And when Joab had come out from David, he sent messengers after Abner who brought him again from the well of Sirah, but David did not know it.

When Joab left David, he sent messengers after Abner who was apparently at the well of Sirah, which the historian Josephus said was two and a half miles from Hebron.  The messengers brought him from there back to Joab, but David did not know any of this.

(27) And when Abner was returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside in the gate to speak with him quietly and struck him there under the fifth rib that he died, for the blood of Asahel his brother.

When the messengers brought Abner back to Hebron, Joab met him at the gate and pulled him aside supposedly to speak to him in private, but he stabbed him under the fifth rib, in the same place Abner had struck Joab's brother Asahel, and he died.

(28) And afterward, when David heard, he said, "I and my kingdom are guiltless before the Lord forever from the blood of Abner the son of Ner; (29) Let it rest on the head of Joab and on all his father's house, and let there not fail from the house of Joab one who has an issue, or who is a leper, or who leans on a staff, or who falls on the sword, or lacks bread."

When David heard what Joab had done, he declared that he and his kingdom were guiltless before God forever for the murder of Abner, that it was wholly on the head of Joab and his father's house.  It may be that David made that declaration publicly because Joab was his general, and he wanted it known that he did not command that his general kill Abner, that it was totally on Joab.  David went on to curse the family of Joab, wishing that there would always be one who had an issue of blood, or gonorrhea, as it sometimes meant, or one who was a leper, or one who was lame or fell on a sword or lacked food.  David said this in his anger, but I can't help but think he should have cursed Joab alone, not his innocent family after him.

(30) So Joab and Abishai his brother killed Abner because he had slain their brother Asahel at Gibeon in the battle.

It appears that Abishai was in on the plan to murder Abner because he had killed Asahel, the brother of Joab and Abishai, sons of David's sister, Zeruiah.  So it would appear that David's curse would be on his sister's house, all the more reason he should have directed his anger to Joab and maybe Abishai only.  But he had said it in anger; it was not meant as a prophetic curse.

(31) And David said to Joab and to all the people who were with him, "Rend your clothes, and gird yourself with sackcloth, and mourn before Abner." And King David followed the bier.

David told Joab and all the people with him to mourn Abner by the usual expressions of mourning, by tearing their clothes and putting on sackcloth.  King David followed the bed on which Abner's body was laid and carried to the grave.

(32) And they buried Abner in Hebron; and the king lifted up his voice and wept at the grave of Abner, and all the people wept.

They buried Abner in Hebron.  David wept loudly at the grave of Abner, and all the people with him wept.

(33) And the king lamented over Abner, and said, "Did Abner die as a fool dies?"

David lamented over Abner and said words over his grave.  He asked if Abner had died as a fool dies.  The word that was translated as "fool" is "nabal" and also meant stupid and wicked.  I believe David's point was that Abner had not died as a criminal or for any wickedness he had done.  He was unjustly murdered before his time.

(34) "Your hands were not bound nor your feet put into fetters; as a man falls before wicked men, so you fell." And all the people wept again over him.

Abner had not been bound and fettered as a criminal who knew his fate.  He had fallen as one murdered by wicked men.  This made the people weep again over Abner.  This he said in the presence of Joab whom he had told to mourn Abner with him.

(35) And when all the people came to cause David to eat food while it was yet day, David swore, saying, "So do God to me and more also, if I taste bread or anything else till the sun be down."

The people came to David to persuade him to eat, but he refused, swearing an oath that he wished for God to do the greatest evils against him if he even tasted bread before sundown, as he would continue his mourning for Abner until then.

(36) And all the people took notice, and it pleased them, as whatever the king did pleased all the people. (37) For all the people and all Israel understood that day that it was not of the king to kill Abner the son of Ner.

The people took notice of how David conducted himself throughout the entire death and burial of Abner, and it pleased them, for they understood that David had never intended for Abner to be killed.

(38) And the king said to his servants, "Do you not know that there is a prince and a great man fallen this day in Israel?"

Perhaps in explanation to his servants as to why he mourned the man who had so recently been considered an enemy, David explained that Abner had been a great man and even a prince in the house of Saul, as he was Saul's first cousin and a member of the royal family, as well as having the important position as Saul's general.

(39) "And I am this day weak, though anointed king, and these men the sons of Zeruiah are too hard for me. The Lord shall reward the doer of evil according to his wickedness."

Although David had been anointed king, he was very new to the kingdom and had not yet been fully accepted by all of Israel, but Abner had been working on that.  Joab and Abishai, the sons of David's sister Zeruiah, were yet too powerful for David to make one of his first acts as king to punish them.  He said that the Lord would take care of their just punishment.

David Made King Over Judah and Ishbosheth Made King Over Israel

Continuing a chronological Bible study:

(2 Samuel 5:4) David was thirty years old when he began to reign; he reigned forty years.

King Saul had been killed, and now David began his reign at thirty years of age.  He reigned as king for forty years.

(1 Chronicles 29:27) And the time that he reigned over Israel was forty years; seven years he reigned in Hebron, and thirty-three years he reigned in Jerusalem.

This scripture also spoke of David having reigned over Israel forty years.  Here it was added that he reigned in Hebron for seven of those years and in Jerusalem for 33 years.  It is interesting to note that Jesus began his ministry at age 30.  Also Hebron was the city of priests (Joshua 21:28), and Jerusalem was the city of the kings, of the law.  David's reign was a perfect foreshadowing of the gospel state that would come with Jesus.

(2 Samuel 2:1) And it came to pass after this, that David enquired of the Lord, saying, "Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah?" And the Lord said to him, "Go up." And David said, "Where shall I go up?" And He said, "To Hebron."

David had been living in Ziklag in the land of the Philistines while he was hiding out from Saul.  Now that Saul was dead, he asked the Lord if he should go back to Judah, and if so, where?  The Lord told him to go to Hebron, a city of priests and a city of refuge (Joshua 21:13).

(2) So David went up there, and his two wives also, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail, Nabal's wife, the Carmelite.

So David did as the Lord told him and went from Ziklag to Hebron, taking his wives, Ahinoam and Abigail.

(3) And his men who were with him David brought up, every man with his household, and they dwelt in the cities of Hebron.

The men who were with David also went to Hebron with their households and dwelt in the towns and villages around Hebron.

(4) And the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. And they told David, saying, "The men of Jabesh Gilead were the ones who buried Saul."

The men of Judah came to David in Hebron and anointed him king over their tribe, Judah.  They did not take it upon themselves to make him the king of all Israel even though that was God's plan.  They seemed to have thought like David, not to force him upon all of Israel at once, but the Lord would provide the way in His timing.  The men of Judah told David that Saul had been buried by the men of Jabesh Gilead.

(5) And David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh Gilead, and said to them, "Blessed you of the Lord, that you have showed this kindness to your lord, to Saul, and have buried him. (6) And now the Lord show kindness and truth to you, and I also will requite you this kindness because you have done this thing. (7) Therefore now, let your hands be strengthened and be valiant, for your master Saul is dead, and also the house of Judah has anointed me king over them."

David sent word to the men of Jabesh Gilead to offer blessings to them for their kindness in burying Saul.  David told them that the Lord would bless them for their kind deed and that he would also repay them for their kindness.  He told them to be strong and valiant, probably meaning not to be afraid of the Philistines who had killed Saul, that although their king was dead, the house of Judah had made him their king, implying that he would now be their protector.

(8) But Abner, the son of Ner, captain of Saul's host, took Ishbosheth the son of Saul and brought him over to Mahanaim, (9) And made him king over Gilead, and over the Ashurites, and over Jezreel, and over Ephraim, and over Benjamin, and over all Israel.

Abner, Saul's first cousin, had been the captain of his army.  Perhaps he felt a fierce loyalty to Saul, and against David, or maybe it was for his own power and position, but he felt that Saul's only living heir should be made king over Israel.  That was Ishbosheth, or Eshbaal as in 1 Chronicles 8:33.  Dr. John Gill, in his Exposition of the Bible, expounded further than I have seen on the reasoning for the change of names.  Ish/Esh are essentially the same.  Baal was the name of a despicable and shameful false idol.  Bosheth meant "shame."  Perhaps rather than saying the name of a shameful idol, a word that meant the same was substituted, so Esh-baal became Ish-bosheth, as Jerub-baal, as Gideon became known (Judges 6:32), became Jerub-besheth in 2 Samuel 11:21.  Merib-baal became Mephi-bosheth, although there was a slight change to the first part of the name, as well.

Abner took Ishbosheth to Mahanaim which was in Gad on the other side of the Jordan, perhaps because it was close to Jabesh Gilead where Saul was buried, and maybe because it was away from David at Hebron, as seen on this map borrowed from Free Bible:

Abner apparently had the power, or at least he took it upon himself, to make Ishbosheth king of all Israel with the exception of Judah where David had been made king.

(10) Ishbosheth Saul's son was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel and reigned two years. But the house of Judah followed David. (11) And the time that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months.

Ishbosheth was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and he reigned for two years.  The tribe of Judah considered David their king, and he reigned over Judah for seven years and six months.  Evidently, it was a common belief that Ishbosheth reigned over Israel the whole time that David reigned over Judah, so perhaps the meaning is that Ishbosheth reigned two years before the following took place:

(12) And Abner the son of Ner and the servants of Ishbosheth the son of Saul went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon. (13) And Joab the son of Zeruiah and the servants of David went out and met together at the pool of Gibeon, and they sat down, the one on the one side of the pool and the other on the other side of the pool.

Abner, now the commander of Ishbosheth's army, along with the servants of Ishbosheth, went out from Mahanaim to the other side of the Jordan to Gibeon.  Zeruiah was David's sister, and it appears that Joab her son was the captain of David's army.  Joab and the servants of David went to the pool of Gibeon where Abner's army was, and they sat by the pool on one side across from Abner and his army.

(14) And Abner said to Joab, "Let the young men now arise and play before us." And Joab said, "Let them arise."

Abner told Joab to let the young men arise and "play," as gladiators or duelers might, to see who was the most skilled in the use of the sword.  Joab agreed to let his men arise and play.

(15) And then there arose and went over by number twelve of Benjamin of Ishbosheth the son of Saul, and twelve of the servants of David.

Twelve men from Ishbosheth's army went over the pool to meet twelve men of David's army.

(16) And they caught every one his fellow by the head and thrust his sword into his fellow's side so they fell down together; therefore that place was called Helkathhazzurim, which is in Gibeon.

The twelve of David's men each caught their opponent by the head and thrust his sword into his opponent's side so that all twelve of Abner's men fell down together.  They called that place Helkathhazzurim, which literally meant "Field of Swords" in Gibeon.

(17) And there was a very sore battle that day, and Abner was beaten and the men of Israel, before the servants of David. 

There was a very severe battle that day, and in the end, David's men won the "game" defeating Abner's men.

(18) And there were three sons of Zeruiah there, Joab, and Abishai, and Asahel; and Asahel was as light of foot as a wild roe.

There were actually three sons of David's sister there, Joab, Abishai, and Asahel.  Asahel was said to be as swift of foot as a wild deer.

(19) And Asahel pursued after Abner, and in going he turned not to the right hand nor to the left from following Abner.

Asahel pursued after Abner, straight after him, not turning his attention to the right or the left.

(20) Then Abner looked behind him, and said, "Are you Asahel?" And he answered, "I am." (21) And Abner said to him, "Turn aside to your right hand or to your left, and lay hold of one of the young men, and take his armor." But Asahel would not turn aside from following him.

Abner looked behind him and saw Asahel, and Asahel confirmed that it was indeed him.  Abner told him to turn aside to the left or right and take hold of one of his soldiers and take his armor, rather than pursuing him, but Asahel would not turn aside from following Abner.

(22) And Abner said again to Asahel, "Turn aside from following me, for why should I strike you to the ground? How then should I hold up my face to Joab your brother?"

Abner warned Asahel to turn from following him or else he would be forced to strike him, which he apparently did not really want to do.  After all, neither he nor Joab had been "playing," and he did not want to have to face Joab if he struck Asahel.

(23) However, Asahel refused to turn aside; therefore Abner with the hinder end of the spear struck him under the fifth rib that the spear came out behind him, and he fell down there and died in the same place; and it came to pass, as many as came to the place where Asahel fell down and died, stood still.

Asahel refused to turn aside, and he, being swift as a wild deer, was surely gaining on Abner, and Abner felt he must strike or be killed himself.  It seems as if Abner's spear had a pointed head on both ends, and he struck Asahel behind him by thrusting his spear backwards at him.  He struck Asahel under the fifth rib, and the spear went all the way through him, coming out his back, and he fell down and died.  All who came up to the place where he died were dumbfounded and just stood there, not pursuing Abner or any of his men.

(24) Joab also and Abishai pursued after Abner, and the sun went down when they had come to the hill of Ammah that lies before Giah by the way of the wilderness of Gibeon.

However, it seems that Joab and Abishai, Asahel's brothers, had been pursuing after Abner behind Asahel, and they continued pursuing him.  The sun had gone down when they reached the hill of Ammah before Giah by the road of the wilderness of Gibeon.  The exact locations of these places are unknown, but they must have been near to Gibeon.

(25) And the children of Benjamin gathered themselves together after Abner and became one troop and stood on the top of a hill.

Men from the tribe of Benjamin came out behind Abner and formed a troop at the top of a hill against Joab and Abishai and their men.

(26) Then Abner called to Joab, and said, "Shall the sword devour forever? Don't you know that it will be bitterness in the latter end? How long shall it be then until you bid the people return from following their brethren?"

Abner called out to Joab asking if they should continue the battle of the swords forever until it resulted in a bitter end, with the killing of a great number more men and perhaps even him and Joab themselves.  He asked how long it would be before Joab called off his men from following their brethren.  He now called the men of Israel and the men of Judah brethren, but that didn't seem to bother him when he first suggested the brethren "play."

(27) And Joab said, "As God lives, unless you had spoken, surely then in the morning the people would have gone up every one from following his brother."

Joab answered, and I believe the sense is that had Abner not spoken as he had, Joab's army would have pursued all night and not quit until the morning.  Or perhaps he meant that had Abner not spoken in the first place to have the men "play," Joab's men would never have pursued them that morning or day.

(28) So Joab blew a trumpet, and all the people stood still, and pursued after Israel no more, neither did they fight anymore.

So Joab blew a trumpet which signaled his men to stop from pursuing and fighting with the men of Israel.

(29) And Abner and his men walked all that night through the plain and passed over Jordan and went through all Bithron, and they came to Mahanaim.

So Abner and his men walked all night through the plain and across the Jordan River, back to their place in Mahanaim.

(30) And Joab returned from following Abner, and when he had gathered all the people together, there lacked of David's servants nineteen men and Asahel. (31) But the servants of David had struck of Benjamin and of Abner's men, three hundred and sixty men who died.

Joab returned from following Abner, and when he gathered all his men together, he found that nineteen men plus Asahel had been killed.  However, they had killed 360 of Abner's men and the men of Benjamin.

(32) And they took up Asahel and buried him in the sepulchre of his father which was in Bethlehem. And Joab and his men went all night, and they came to Hebron at break of day.  

Joab and his men took the body of Asahel and buried him in the sepulcher of his father, Zeruiah's husband, which was in Bethlehem.  Then they walked all night and came back to Hebron at daybreak the next morning.

The Lord had rejected Saul and now he was dead, but David, the Lord's choice for king, the man after His own heart, still was not made king over all Israel.  In fact, it seems a civil war was brewing between Judah and Israel.  Abner, probably more for his own benefit and power, set up Saul's son Ishbosheth as king of Israel.  God allowed this testing and refining time for David.  After all, David had been just a shepherd boy.  He had a heart for the Lord, but he needed time to mature and develop the leadership qualities to be king.  After all, he was to become Israel's greatest king and from his line of descendants would come the Messiah.  God was preparing David for his awesome role in Biblical history.

David Spares Saul's Life Again

Continuing a chronological Bible study:

(1 Samuel 26:1) And the Ziphites came to Saul to Gibeah, saying, "Does David not hide himself in the hill of Hachilah, before Jeshimon?"

David had gone to Carmel where he met and married Abigail.  He apparently then hid out in a hill of Hachilah before Jeshimon which was a wilderness north of Hachilah.  Being in close proximity to Ziph, the Ziphites knew David's movements and went to Saul a second time to tell on David (1 Samuel 23:19).  It seems strange that David would hide out in the same area where the Ziphites had told on him before, but perhaps he wanted to stay close to Abigail's home.  This map at Bible Hub shows where Ziph and Hachilah were in relation to Carmel:

(2) Then Saul arose and went down to the wilderness of Ziph, having three thousand chosen men of Israel with him, to seek David in the wilderness of Ziph.

So much for the good will Saul had seemed to offer after David had spared his life in the cave (1 Samuel 24:17-20), when he heard where David was hiding, his anger toward David was renewed, and he went to the wilderness of Ziph to seek him, taking 3000 choice men, meaning surely men of war, with him.

(3) And Saul pitched in the hill of Hachilah before Jeshimon, by the road.  But David abode in the wilderness, and he saw that Saul came after him into the wilderness.

Saul encamped at the hill of Hachilah by the road.  David had moved to the wilderness around Hachilah and saw that Saul had come after him.

(4) David therefore sent out spies and understood that Saul had indeed come. (5) And David arose and came to the place where Saul had pitched, and David beheld the place where Saul lay, and Abner, the son of Ner, the captain of his host; and Saul lay in the trench, and the people pitched round about him.

David had sent out spies who confirmed that Saul had indeed come.  He then went to where Saul was encamped and saw him in the trench with Abner, the captain of his army, and the rest of his army pitched around him.

(6) Then David answered and said to Ahimelech the Hittite and to Abishai the son of Zeruiah, brother to Joab, saying, "Who will go down with me to Saul to the camp?" And Abishai said, "I will go down with you."

David spoke to two men with him, Ahimelech, probably a Hittite at birth who had converted, and Abishai, who was the son of David's sister, Zeruiah, as was Joab.  He asked which one of them would go with him down to Saul's camp, and his nephew, Abishai, said he would go with him.

(7) So David and Abishai came to the people by night, and behold, Saul lay sleeping within the trench and his spear stuck in the ground at his bolster, and Abner and the people lay round about him.

David and Abishai went to Saul's camp at night.  Saul was sleeping in the trench with his spear stuck in the ground at his pillow, or whatever he was using as a headrest.  Abner and the rest of his army lay all around him.

(8) Then Abishai said to David, "God has delivered your enemy into your hand this day; now therefore, let me strike him, I pray you, with the spear even to the earth at once, and I will not strike him the second time."

I believe the sense of what Abishai said to David was that the Lord had delivered Saul to him, and he asked that he be allowed to strike Saul with a spear clear to the ground, and he would not have to strike a second time because Saul would surely be dead.

(9) And David said to Abishai, "Do not destroy him, for who can stretch forth his hand against the Lord's anointed and be guiltless?"

However, David told Abishai not to kill Saul, because he believed no one was able to raise a hand against the Lord's anointed king and not incur guilt for his actions.

(10) David said furthermore, "As the Lord lives, the Lord shall strike him, or his day shall come to die, or he shall descend into battle and perish. (11) The Lord forbid that I should stretch forth my hand against the Lord's anointed, but I pray you, take now the spear that is at his bolster, and the jug of water, and let us go."

David told Abishai the Lord would take his own anointed king in His time in His manner, so he would not dream of doing it himself.  However, he did tell Abishai to take Saul's spear and a jug of water which would be sufficient to let Saul know they had been there and what they could have done if they so desired.

(12) So David took the spear and the jug of water from Saul's bolster, and they got away, and no man saw nor knew, neither awaked, for they were all asleep because a deep sleep from the Lord had fallen upon them.

It was David, in fact, who took the spear and the jug of water.  Perhaps the meaning of verse 11 was more like, "let us take the spear...and go."  Even though Saul was surrounded by his captain and all his army, none of them awakened because the Lord had caused a deep sleep to come over them.  David and Abishai got away unnoticed.

(13) Then David went over to the other side and stood on the top of a hill afar off, a great space between them, (14) And David cried to the people and to Abner, the son of Ner, saying, "Do you not answer, Abner?" Then Abner answered and said, "Who are you who cries to the king?"

David went away from the camp and stood on a hill far away, but close enough, that the people would hear him when he shouted.  It seems David must have been crying out before Abner actually heard him, as he cried out to Abner to answer him as if he had not answered his previous call.  Abner asked who it was who was calling to the king.  Again, it seems evident David had been calling out to Saul before he was heard or was acknowledged.

(15) And David said to Abner, "Are you not a man? And who is like you in Israel? Why then have you not kept your lord, the king? For there came one of the people in to destroy the king your lord. (16) This thing is not good that you have done. As the Lord lives, you are worthy to die because you have not kept your master, the Lord's anointed. And now see where the king's spear is and the jug of water that was at his bolster."

David sarcastically asked Abner if he was a man like no other in Israel, and if so, why then had he let someone have access to the king to destroy him?  David told Abner he was worthy of death because he had not protected the king.  He then showed him where the king's spear and jug of water were that had been at the king's headrest while he slept.

(17) And Saul knew David's voice, and said, "Is this your voice, my son David?" And David said, "My voice, my lord, O king."

Saul knew David's voice and called out to ask if it was indeed David's voice he heard.  It's interesting that Saul still called him, "my son," even though he had given David's wife to someone else and pursued him to kill him.  David answered that it was indeed him.

(18) And he said, "Why does my lord thus pursue after his servant? For what have I done? Or what evil in my hand? (19) Now therefore, I pray you, let my lord the king hear the words of his servant. If the Lord has stirred you up against me, let Him accept an offering, but if the children of men, cursed they before the Lord, for they have driven me out this day from abiding in the inheritance of the Lord, saying, 'Go serve other gods.'"

David asked Saul why he pursued him and what he had done to stir him up against him.  He said if it was the Lord who had stirred Saul up against him, then let Him receive an offering, probably meaning himself that he would give if it was indeed the Lord's will.  I don't think David would have used such flippant language if he was sincere about an offering to the Lord to appease His anger toward himself or Saul, either one.  His point was that if God had stirred Saul to kill him, then so be it.  However, if it was men by lies and slanders, then let them be cursed before God because they had driven an innocent man away from his inheritance and forced him to dwell among pagan idolaters.

(20) "Now therefore, do not let my blood fall to the earth before the face of the Lord, for the king of Israel has come out to seek a flea, as when one hunts a partridge in the mountains."

David asked that Saul not spill his blood before the Lord who knew who was righteous and would surely avenge his death.  And that was because Saul hunted someone as insignificant as a flea, or as one out bird hunting.

(21) Then Saul said, "I have sinned. Return, my son David, for I will no more do you harm because my soul was precious in your eyes this day. Behold, I have played the fool and have erred exceedingly."

Saul once again softened toward David, even acknowledging his sin this time which is more than he did the first time David spared his life (1 Samuel 24:17).  He told David to return to his home for he would do him no harm because he had spared his life that day.  He admitted that he had been foolish and mistaken about David.

(22) And David answered and said, "Behold the king's spear! Let one of the young men come over and fetch it."

David returned Saul's spear to him.  However, he asked that one of Saul's young men go and fetch it from David, as he was not so trusting of Saul's apparent change of heart to go down and deliver it to him himself.

(23) "The Lord render to every man his righteousness and his faithfulness, for the Lord delivered you into my hand today but I would not stretch forth my hand against the Lord's anointed. (24) And behold, as your life was much set by this day in my eyes, so let my life be much set by in the eyes of the Lord, and let Him deliver me out of all tribulation."

David went on to suggest that the Lord be the one to render judgment to every man, or perhaps his point was that he had faith that the Lord would render to him according to his faithfulness.  After all, the Lord had delivered Saul into his hand that day, but he would not dare to strike the Lord's anointed.  Then he proposed to Saul that as he had valued Saul's life that day, so let the Lord value his (David's) life and deliver him out of his tribulation.  It's noteworthy that he did not say that Saul should value his life as David had valued his.  He had no confidence in Saul to do the fair thing, but he knew he could depend on his Lord.

(25) Then Saul said to David, "Blessed you, my son David; you shall both do great and also shall still prevail." So David went on his way, and Saul returned to his place.

Saul offered a blessing to David and called him his son again.  He acknowledged that David would go on to do great things, and he would prevail, which seems to be a realization that David would prevail against Saul himself and all his enemies.  So he returned to his palace, and David went on his way.  John Wesley, in his Notes on the Bible, tells us that this was the last time Saul and David saw each other.  It seems Saul may have finally come to the full realization that the Lord was with David, and he would indeed prevail against him and his army of David's enemies.

Jonathan Warns David, and David Leaves

Continuing a chronological Bible study:

(1 Samuel 20:1) And David fled from Naioth in Ramah and came and said before Jonathan, "What have I done? What is my iniquity? And what is my sin before your father that he seeks my life?"

When we last left David, Saul had his servants surrounding David's house at night waiting to kill him the next morning, but his wife Micah let him down out a window where he fled to Samuel in Ramah, and then Samuel and David went to Naioth.  Saul went to Naioth after him, but the Lord put a spirit of prophecy on Saul, and he was detained a day and a night, giving David time to escape from Naioth.  He came to Jonathan and begged to know what he had done that made Saul seek to kill him.

(2) And he said to him, "God forbid, you shall not die; behold, my father will do nothing either great or small, but that he will show it to me; and why should my father hide this thing from me? It is not so."

Jonathan told David he was sure his father was not trying to kill him because his father always told him his plans, great or small, and he could not believe that his father would hide so great a thing from him.  He was sure it was not true.

(3) And David swore moreover, and said, "Your father certainly knows that I have found grace in your eyes, and he said, 'Do not let Jonathan know this, lest he be grieved,' but truly, as the Lord lives and your soul lives, there is but a step between me and death."

David swore to Jonathan that he knew it to be true.  He told him that his father surely knew that David had found great favor with Jonathan and that he had hidden his intentions from Jonathan because of their great friendship.  He swore to him that he knew his life was in imminent danger.

(4) Then Jonathan said to David, "Whatever your soul desires, I will do for you." (5) And David said to Jonathan, "Behold, tomorrow is the new moon, and I should not fail to sit with the king at the meal, but let me go that I may hide myself in the field until the third day at evening."

Jonathan assured David he would do whatever David asked him to do.  David told him that the next day was the new moon which was the first day of the month, as the months of the Hebrews were lunar months, counted from new moon to new moon.  On the new moon they offered sacrifices and had a feast (Numbers 28:11), and David said he would be expected to join the king at the feast.  However, he asked Jonathan to let him go and hide out until the third day when the feast was over.

(6) "If your father at all misses me, then say, 'David earnestly asked of me that he might run to Bethlehem his city, for a yearly sacrifice there for all the family.'"

David told Jonathan that if his father asked about him, to tell him that David wanted to go to Bethlehem for a yearly sacrifice there for all his family.  That may have been true and not just an excuse as his family did indeed make yearly sacrifices (1 Samuel 1:21).

(7) "If he says thus, 'It is well,' your servant shall have peace, but if he is very angry, be sure that evil is determined by him."

David told Jonathan that if his father said that it was well and good that David should go to his family feast, then he knew he would be safe.  However, if his father became very angry, then Jonathan could be sure that Saul determined evil against David.

(8) "Therefore you shall deal kindly with your servant, for you have brought your servant into a covenant of the Lord with you; notwithstanding, if there is in me iniquity, slay me yourself, for why should you bring me to your father?"

David knew that Jonathan would deal kindly with him because of a covenant of friendship between Jonathan and David, of which Jonathan had been the initiator.  However, David said that if there was any iniquity found in him, he implored that Jonathan kill him himself rather than bring him to his father.

(9) And Jonathan said, "Far be it from you! For if I knew certainly that evil was determined by my father to come upon you, then wouldn't I tell you?"

Jonathan told David that thought should be far from him that he would conceal his father's ill intentions against him.  If he had known of any such intentions, he would have certainly told David.

(10) Then David said to Jonathan, "Who shall tell me? Or what if your father answers you roughly?"

David asked Jonathan how he would know how Saul had responded when he wasn't at the feast.  What if his father dealt with him harshly because he knew that he loved David and may have protected him?

(11) And Jonathan said to David, "Come and let us go out into the field." And both of them went out into the field. (12) And Jonathan said to David, "O Lord God of Israel, when I have sounded out my father anytime tomorrow or the third day, and behold, if there is good toward David, and then I do not send to you and show it to you, (13) The Lord do so and much more to Jonathan, but if it please my father to do you evil, then I will show it to you and send you away, that you may go in peace, and the Lord be with you, as He has been with my father."

Jonathan asked David to go out into the field with him, probably so that they could talk more freely, not being overheard by Saul's servants.  They went out to the field, and Jonathan assured David by the Lord God of Israel, that when he knew the mood and intentions of his father, he would certainly tell him.  Let the vengeance of the Lord fall on him if he failed to tell David.  He would tell him if the news was good, and if it was bad, he would tell him and help him get away, that he may go in peace.  He added the blessing that the Lord be with him as He had been with his father, suggesting that he might be aware that David was to succeed his father as king.

(14) "And you shall not only while I yet live show me the kindness of the Lord, that I not die, (15) But you shall not cut off your kindness from my house forever; no, not when the Lord has cut off the enemies of David every one from the face of the earth."

For David's part in this covenant, Jonathan asked that he show kindness to him when he came to the throne and not take away his life.  He asked that David not cut off that kindness from his family forever, or for as long as he was on the throne.  Not even after the Lord had cut off all his enemies and presumably then he had peace, he was never to cut off his kindness to Jonathan's posterity.

(16) So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, "Let the Lord even require at the hand of David's enemies."

It appears that this covenant was to go beyond David's time on the throne and was to continue with his descendants, "the house of David."  If either side broke this covenant, Jonathan asked that the Lord punish the violators by the hand of David's enemies.

(17) And Jonathan caused David to swear again because he loved him, for he loved him as he loved his own soul.

Jonathan asked David to swear to this oath, for he loved him like a brother or even closer, like himself, and he desired that their families continue to observe their covenant throughout their generations.

(18) Then Jonathan said to David, "Tomorrow is the new moon, and you shall be missed because your seat will be empty. (19) And when you have stayed three days, you shall go down quickly and come to the place where you did hide yourself when the business was and shall remain by the stone Ezel."

Jonathan reiterated the fact that the next day was the new moon and that David would not be at the feast.  He went on to instruct him to wait three days and then go down to the place where he had hidden before when the business of Saul seeking David's life first became known to them (1 Samuel 19:2).  He told him to remain at a stone called Ezel.

(20) "And I will shoot three arrows to the side, as though I shot at a mark. (21) And behold, I will send a lad, 'Go find the arrows.' If I expressly say to the lad, 'Behold, the arrows are on this side of you, take them,' then you come, for there is peace to you and no hurt, as the Lord lives. (22) But if I say thus to the young man, 'Behold, the arrows are beyond you,' go your way for the Lord has sent you away."

Jonathan devised a signal for David.  After the three days, he would go out to the field and shoot three arrows.  He would tell the servant with him to go fetch the arrows.  If he expressly told the young man that the arrows were to the side of him, then David was to come forth because Jonathan meant that it was safe and no harm would come to him; as sure as the Lord lived, he could be assured of his safety.  However, if he said to the young man that the arrows were beyond him, that was David's signal to go away, for it was not safe.  Jonathan said it would mean that the Lord had sent him away.  They assigned everything to the will of God.  If Saul became angry at David's absence, it would be the will of God that David should leave.

(23) "And the matter which you and I have spoken of, behold, the Lord be between you and me forever."

Jonathan added, as if it might be the only parting message he could make if David was to flee after his signal, that the Lord was the witness to their covenant that should remain forever.

(24) So David hid himself in the field, and when the new moon had come, the king sat down to eat the meal. (25) And the king sat upon his seat as at other times, upon a seat by the wall, and Jonathan arose, and Abner sat by Saul's side, and David's place was empty.

David hid in the field as he and Jonathan had planned.  The new moon came the following day, and Saul sat down to eat the feast.  He sat at his usual place by the wall.  Jonathan arose, probably out of respect for his father who had come to the table.  Abner, Saul's cousin and the captain of his army, sat by Saul's side, and David's place was empty.

(26) Nevertheless, Saul spoke not anything that day, for he thought, "Something has befallen him; he is not clean, surely, he is not clean."

However, Saul didn't say anything about David not being there.  He assumed something had happened that made him unclean and not lawful for him to attend the feast.

(27) And it came to pass on the next day, the second day of the month, that David's place was empty, and Saul said to Jonathan his son, "Why has the son of Jesse not come to eat, neither yesterday nor today?" (28) And Jonathan answered Saul, "David earnestly asked leave of me to go to Bethlehem. (29) And he said, 'Let me go, I pray you, for our family has a sacrifice in the city, and my brother has commanded me to be there, and now, if I have found favor in your eyes, let me get away, I pray you, and see my brethren.' Therefore he comes not to the king's table."

On the second day of the feast, when David was absent again, Saul asked Jonathan why he was not there for two days in a row.  Jonathan gave Saul the prearranged story that David had asked to return to his home for a sacrifice his family was having, saying that his brother had commanded his attendance.  David had pleaded with Jonathan, and in Saul's absence, Jonathan gave him permission to go.

(30) Then Saul's anger was kindled against Jonathan, and he said to him, "You son of the perverse rebelliousness! Do I not know that you have chosen the son of Jesse to your own shame and to the shame of your mother's nakedness?"

Saul became angry with Jonathan, calling him rebellious and saying that he knew he had chosen David over his own family and had brought shame to himself and to his mother.  After all, Jonathan should have succeeded Saul to the throne, so what would men think?  They might assume Jonathan had no right to the throne, that a son-in-law took his place, perhaps because his mother had played the whore, and he was no son of Saul.  Saul felt that Jonathan had brought shame on the entire family.

(31) "For as long as the son of Jesse lives upon the ground, you shall not be established, nor your kingdom. Now, therefore, send and fetch him to me, for he shall surely die."

Indeed, Saul told Jonathan that as long as David lived, Jonathan would never be established as king.  Therefore, he told Jonathan to go get David and bring him back to him, as he must die.

(32) And Jonathan answered Saul his father, and said to him, "Why shall he be killed? What has he done?" (33) And Saul cast a javelin at him to strike him, by which Jonathan knew that it was determined of his father to kill David.

Jonathan asked Saul why David should be killed, what he had done to deserve death.  Saul was so angry that he cast his javelin at Jonathan with the intention of hitting him with it.  Jonathan knew without a doubt that Saul intended to kill David.

(34) So Jonathan arose from the table in fierce anger and ate no food the second day of the month, for he was grieved for David because his father had done him shame.

Jonathan was also very angry and arose from the table without eating of the feast.  He grieved for David, and he was angry because of what his father had done to him in calling him perverse and rebellious and even trying to kill him in his anger.

(35) And it came to pass in the morning, that Jonathan went out into the field at the time appointed with David, and a little lad with him. (36) And he said to the lad, "Run, find out now the arrows which I shoot." As the lad ran, he shot an arrow beyond him.

The next morning Jonathan went out to the field with a lad with him, as he had prearranged with David.  He told the lad to run ahead and fetch the arrows he was going to shoot.  He then shot an arrow beyond the lad as he was running.

(37) And when the lad had come to the place of the arrow which Jonathan had shot, Jonathan cried after the lad, and said, "Isn't the arrow beyond you?"

The young man went to the place at which the arrow had been shot, but Jonathan cried out to him that he thought the arrow was beyond him, which of course was the signal to David that he should run away.

(38) And Jonathan cried after the lad, "Make speed, haste, do not stay!" And Jonathan's lad had gathered up the arrows and came to his master. (39) But the lad did not know anything. Only Jonathan and David knew the matter. (40) And Jonathan gave his artillery to his lad and said to him, "Go, carry them to the city."

Jonathan then called to his lad to get the arrows quickly, which he did and came back to Jonathan.  The lad knew nothing of David in the field and that Jonathan had just given him a signal.  Jonathan gave his bow and arrows to the young man and told him to take them back to the city.

(41) As soon as the lad was gone, David arose out of a place toward the south and fell on his face to the ground and bowed himself three times, and they kissed one another and wept with one another until David exceeded.

As soon as the young man left, David came out from hiding and fell on his face to the ground.  He bowed himself three times before Jonathan, probably reverencing him as the prince who could have had him killed, but instead was his great faithful friend.  They kissed one another and wept until David's emotions exceeded.  He was losing more than his friend Jonathan.  He had lost his wife and his family before that.  He had lost the altar of God as he was to be in exile.

(42) And Jonathan said to David, "Go in peace, since we have sworn both of us in the name of the Lord, saying, 'The Lord be between you and me, and between my descendants and your descendants forever.'" And he arose and departed, and Jonathan went into the city.

Jonathan told David he could go in peace because of the covenant that he and David had made that would remain throughout their generations of descendants.  David rose up and departed, and Jonathan went to the city. 

David and Goliath

Continuing a chronological Bible study after a brief interlude of psalms:

(1 Samuel 17:1) Now the Philistines gathered together their armies to battle and were gathered together at Shochoh in Judah and pitched between Shochoh and Azekah in Ephes Dammim.

In chapter 16, David had been anointed to be the next king and had meanwhile gone to live in the palace of King Saul as his musician, Saul not knowing David was to replace him.  Chapter 17 reverts back to the Philistine wars (1 Samuel 14:52).  The Philistines gathered their armies together at Shochoh, a city in the tribe of Judah, and actually camped between Shochoh and Azekah in a place called Ephes Dammim.

(2) And Saul and the men of Israel were gathered together and pitched by the valley of Elah and set the battle in array against the Philistines.

Saul gathered his men together and they camped by the valley of Elah, also called the valley of Terebinth for the terebinth or turpentine trees.  Saul set his army in array, prepared to go against the Philistines.

(3) And the Philistines stood on a mountain on one side, and Israel stood on a mountain on the other side, and a valley between them.

The Philistines stood on a mountain on one side, apparently at or near Ephes Dammim, and the Israelites apparently went up a mountain from the valley of Elah and faced the Philistines, with the valley of Elah between them.

(4) And there went out a champion out of the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath, of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span.

Someone called a champion of the Philistines, named Goliath, went forth out of the camp of the Philistines.  He was a giant of a man, six cubits and a span in height.  A cubit was the length from the cubitus (the elbow) to the end of the middle finger, about eighteen inches.  A span was the span of a hand, from the tip of the middle finger to the bottom of the thumb at the wrist.  That was generally thought to be about half a cubit, or nine inches.  Therefore Goliath was about nine feet nine inches tall.

(5) And a helmet of brass on his head and armed with a coat of mail, and the weight of the coat five thousand shekels of brass.

Goliath wore a helmet of brass on his head and a coat of chain mail that weighed 5000 shekels of brass, or 156 pounds, meaning Goliath must have been a very strong man to carry all that weight.

(6) And greaves of brass on his legs, and a target of brass between his shoulders, 

Goliath had shin armor of brass on his legs and something of brass between his shoulders.  The original word "kiydon" that was translated as "target" was most often translated as "spear" or "shield."  It was likely something of brass to protect his neck.

(7) And the staff of his spear like a weaver's beam, and his spear's head six hundred shekels of iron, and one bearing a shield went before him.

The staff of Goliath's spear was like a weaver's beam on which the weaver's cloth was rolled, but there is no consensus on the exact size of that.  The spear's head weighed 600 shekels of iron, or about eighteen pounds.  One carrying a shield went before Goliath.

(8) And he stood and cried to the armies of Israel, and said to them, "Why have you come out to set battle in array? Am not I a Philistine, and you servants to Saul? Choose you a man for you, and let him come down to me."

Goliath stood in the valley between the two mountains of armies and cried out to the army of Israel.  Why had they set a battle line as if to fight the Philistines?  He seemed to be suggesting that it was needless as he was a Philistine and their dispute could be settled by a battle between just him and a servant to Saul, as he called the Israelites.  He told them to choose a man and send him down into the valley to Goliath.

(9) "If he is able to fight with me and to kill me, then will we be your servants, but if I prevail against him and kill him, then shall you be our servants and serve us."

Goliath proposed that the Israelites send one man out to fight him, and if he was able to kill him, the Philistines would become the servants of Israel.  However, if Goliath was able to kill the Israelite man, then Israel would be servants to the Philistines.

(10) And the Philistine said, "I defy the armies of Israel this day; give me a man that we may fight together."

Goliath taunted the Israelites, challenging them to send one man to fight him.

(11) When Saul and all Israel heard those words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid.

When Saul and the Israelites heard those words of Goliath, they were disheartened and afraid.  Saul had formerly behaved with much courage against his enemies, but now the Spirit of God had left him, and he was afraid.  

(12) Now David was the son of that Ephrathite of Bethlehem Judah, whose name was Jesse, and he had eight sons, and the man went among men an old man in the days of Saul. (13) And the three eldest sons of Jesse followed Saul to the battle, and the names of his three sons who went to the battle, Eliab the firstborn, and next to him Abinadab, and the third Shammah.

David was the youngest son of Jesse, the Ephrathite from Bethlehem Judah.  Jesse had eight sons, and he was considered an old man among men in the days of Saul, maybe said to explain that he was too old for war, but his three oldest sons, Eliab, Abinadab, and Shammah, followed Saul to battle.

(14) And David was the youngest, and the three oldest followed Saul. (15) But David went and returned from Saul to feed his father's sheep at Bethlehem.

David, Jesse's youngest son, did not follow Saul to battle, but left Saul's palace to return to his father to tend his sheep.

(16) And the Philistine drew near morning and evening and presented himself forty days.

Meanwhile, the Philistine Goliath came near the Israelite camp every morning and evening for forty days, daring them to send down a man to fight with him, and probably taunting and ridiculing them for their cowardice in not doing it.

(17) And Jesse said to David his son, "Take now for your brethren an ephah of this parched grain, and these ten loaves, and run to the camp to your brethren, (18) And carry these ten cheeses to the captain of their thousand, and see how your brethren fare and take their pledge."

Jesse told David to take some food out to his brothers at the Israelite camp.  He told him to also take ten cheeses to the captain of one thousand men under whom his brothers fought.  He told him to see how his brothers were faring and bring back what they had to say in return.

(19) Now Saul, and they, and all the men of Israel, were in the valley of Elah, fighting with the Philistines.

Saul, David's brothers, and all the army of Israel, were in the valley of Elah, or probably actually in array on the mountain just above the valley because they weren't actually in battle yet but prepared for it, as it appears that only Goliath was in the valley calling on someone to come down and fight him.

(20) And David rose up early in the morning and left the sheep with a keeper and took and went as Jesse had commanded him, and he came to the trench as the host was going forth to the fight and shouted for the battle. (21) For Israel and the Philistines had put the battle in array, army against army.

David rose up early in the morning, leaving his father's sheep in the care of a keeper, and took the provisions Jesse had told him to take, and went to where the Israelite army was.  He came to the trench of the army just as they were preparing to go forth to battle and shouted for it, for the Israelites and the Philistines had put themselves in battle lines to go forth against each other.

(22) And David left his carriage in the hand of the keeper of the carriage and ran into the army and came and saluted his brothers.

The original word "keliy" that was translated as carriage, actually more precisely meant anything prepared, any apparatus--utensils, vessels, bags, furniture, tools, weapons, etc.  In this case, I'm sure it rather meant the vessels in which were the provisions he brought.  He probably left those in the care of the keeper of such things for the army and ran to greet his brothers among the army.

(23) And as he talked with them, behold, there came up the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, out of the armies of the Philistines, and spoke according to the same words, and David heard.

As David talked to his brothers, Goliath came forth, speaking the same words he had been speaking for forty days, telling the Israelite army to send one man out to fight him.  David heard him.

(24) And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him and were sore afraid. (25) And the men of Israel said, "Have you seen this man who has come up? Surely to defy Israel has he come up, and it shall be, the man who kills him, the king will enrich him with great riches and will give him his daughter and make his father's house free in Israel."

When they saw Goliath come forth, all the Israelites were afraid and fled from him.  However, they spoke among themselves, probably trying to encourage one another, that the king had said he would reward the man who killed Goliath, enriching him with great riches, giving him his daughter in marriage, and making his father's house free from tributes or taxes.

(26) And David spoke to the men who stood by him, saying, "What shall be done to the man who kills this Philistine and takes away the reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?" (27) And the people answered him after this manner, saying, "So shall it be done to the man who kills him."

David spoke to the men near him and asked what was to be done with the man who killed Goliath and took away the dishonor that the uncircumcised pagan Philistine was doing to Israel, for that detestable man was not one to be defying the armies of the one true living God.  The people told David what they had been discussing in verse 25, that the king would enrich such a man who killed Goliath and reward him and his father's house. 

(28) And Eliab, his oldest brother, heard when he spoke to the men, and Eliab's anger was kindled against David, and he said, "Why did you come down here? And with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your pride and the haughtiness of your heart, for you have come down that you might see the battle."

David's oldest brother Eliab heard what David had been saying to the men, and he grew angry, probably because he felt what David had said was a reproach of him and the others who did not have the courage to fight Goliath.  He asked David why he had come there.  He suggested that he had been negligent in the care of his father's sheep, that perhaps he was too proud to be merely a shepherd, and he had come down to see the battle for selfish reasons.

(29) And David said, "What have I done now? Is there not a cause?"

David asked Eliab what blameworthy thing he had done.  He had merely spoken what he felt.  Was there not a reason for his indignation against this uncircumcised Philistine and a concern for the glory of God and the honor of the people of Israel?

(30) And he turned from him toward another and spoke after the same manner, and the people answered him again after the former manner.

David turned from Eliab and spoke to another man near him, asking him what was to be done about this Philistine and the man who should attempt to kill him, and probably also communicating to him his indignation against the pagan wretch who defied the one true living God and His people.  People told him the same thing about how the king wished to reward the man who killed Goliath.

(31) And when the words were heard which David spoke, they reported them to Saul, and he sent for him.

Eventually the words that David had been speaking reached Saul, and he sent for David.

(32) And David said to Saul, "Let no man's heart fail because of him; your servant will go and fight with this Philistine."

When David came before Saul, he told him that no more should men be afraid of Goliath, nor should Saul worry about who to send, for he volunteered to go fight him.  

(33) And Saul said to David, "You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him, for you a youth, and he a man of war from his youth."

Saul told David he was not able to go against Goliath as he was but a youth, and Goliath, besides being a giant of a man, had been an experienced man of war since his youth.

(34) And David said to Saul, "Your servant kept his father's sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock, (35) And I went out after it, and struck it, and delivered it out of its mouth, and when it arose against me, I caught it by its beard, and struck it, and killed it."

David told Saul that as a shepherd of his father's sheep, he had opportunities to fight and kill dangerous beasts who would take lambs from the flock, and he had been successful and rescued the lambs.

(36) "Your servant killed both the lion and the bear, and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he has defied the armies of the living God."

David went on to tell Saul that he had killed a lion and a bear, and he saw the Philistine Goliath as just another beast deserving of death because he had defied the armies of the one true living God.

(37) David said moreover, "The Lord who delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, He will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine." And Saul said to David, "Go, and the Lord be with you."

David went on to add that He knew that the Lord who had delivered him from the lion and the bear, would deliver him out of the hand of that Philistine.  David had complete faith that the Lord would give him victory over Goliath.  Saul, seeing that great faith and assuredness of victory, told David to proceed and prayed the Lord be with him.

(38) And Saul armed David with his armor, and he put a helmet of brass upon his head; also he armed him with a coat of mail.

Saul armed David with his own personal armor.  He put a brass helmet on his head and covered him with a chain mail coat.

(39) And David girded his sword upon his armor, and he assayed to go, for he had not proved it. And David said to Saul, "I cannot go with these, for I have not proved them." And David put them off him.

David girded his sword onto the armor and appraised how it would work on him since he had not before tested it.  He then told Saul that he could not use the armor because he had not ever tested and practiced with such armor.  He took the armor off.

(40) And he took his staff in his hand and chose him five smooth stones out of the brook and put them in a shepherd's bag which he had, even in a pouch, and his sling was in his hand, and he drew near to the Philistine.

Having taken off the armor, David took his staff in his hand and picked up five smooth stones out of the brook.  He put them in a shepherd's pouch that he had, and with his sling in his hand, he drew near to the Philistine.

(41) And the Philistine came on and drew near to David, and the man who bore the shield before him. (42) And when the Philistine looked about and saw David, he disdained him for he was a youth, and ruddy, and of fair countenance. (43) And the Philistine said to David, "Am I a dog that you come to me with sticks?" And the Philistine cursed David by his gods.

The Philistine came toward David, with a man bearing a shield before him.  When Goliath the Philistine saw David, that this fresh-faced good-looking kid was going to fight him, he had disdain for David.  He asked him sarcastically if he was dog to be beaten by David's stick or staff.  Goliath then cursed David by his pagan gods.

(44) And the Philistine said to David, "Come to me and I will give your flesh to the fowls of the air and to the beasts of the field."

The Philistine, probably having so much disdain for so pitiful a combatant, that he would not go forth as if to consider this an actual battle, told David to come to him, and he would give his flesh to the birds and the beasts.

(45) Then David said to the Philistine, "You come to me with a sword and with a spear and with a shield, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. (46) This day will the Lord deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you and take your head from you, and I will give the carcasses of the host of the Philistines this day to the fowls of the air and to the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel."

Then David told Goliath that although he had come to David with a sword and a spear and a shield, he, David, had come in the name of the Lord of all the hosts, the heavenly hosts and the hosts of the world, and particularly the armies of Israel whom Goliath had defied.  And rather than Goliath giving David's flesh to the birds and the beasts, the Lord would deliver Goliath to David, and he would give the carcasses of the Philistines to the birds and the beasts, so that all the world would know that there was the all-powerful living God in Israel.

(47) "And all this assembly shall know that the Lord saves not with sword and spear, for the battle is the Lord's, and He will give you into our hands."

David went on to add that everyone there would know that the Lord did not need the swords and spears of men, for this battle was His and His alone, and He Himself would deliver the Philistines into Israel's hand.

(48) And it came to pass, when the Philistine arose and came and drew near to meet David, that David hasted and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine.

Then the Philistine Goliath came toward David, and David ran toward him and the Philistine army.  So confident in his complete faith of the Lord to deliver him and Israel, he ran directly toward the enemy and did not flee as the Israelite army had done.

(49) And David put his hand in his bag and took from there a stone and slung it and struck the Philistine on his forehead, that the stone sunk into his forehead, and he fell upon his face to the earth.

David then retrieved a stone from his pouch and using his sling, slung the stone and struck Goliath on his forehead.  The stone went deep into his forehead, and Goliath fell on his face to the ground.  Dr. John Gill, in his Exposition of the Bible, pointed out what he called a difficulty, with how David could strike Goliath in the forehead if he was wearing a brass helmet (verse 5).  I see no such difficulty as he could have struck him in between his eyes or even in his eye, as the original word "metsach" also meant "brow."  If David struck right underneath the brow of Goliath's eye, it would account for how the stone could sink deep into Goliath's head, into his brain, and kill him instantly.

(50) So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone and struck the Philistine and killed him, but no sword in the hand of David.

Thus David killed Goliath with just a sling and a stone; he had no sword or spear, nor any such weapon.  The Lord, working through David and his great faith, killed the Philistine just as David said He would in verse 47, "not with sword and spear."

(51) Therefore David ran and stood upon the Philistine and took his sword and drew it out of its sheath and killed him and cut off his head with it. And when the Philistines saw their champion was dead, they fled.

David ran toward the body of Goliath and stood on it.  He took Goliath's sword out of its sheath and cut off his head with his own sword.  When the Philistines saw that their champion had been killed, they fled.

(52) And the men of Israel and of Judah arose and shouted and pursued the Philistines until you come to the valley and to the gates of Ekron. And the wounded of the Philistines fell down by the way to Shaaraim, even to Gath and to Ekron.

The men of Israel and Judah rose up out of their camps and their trenches, shouted, and pursued the fleeing Philistines back to the gates of their own city, Ekron, one of the five principalities of the Philistines.  The wounded of the Philistines fell down by the way to Shaaraim, a city in Judah, and to the borders of Gath and Ekron, Philistine cities.

(53) And the children of Israel returned from chasing after the Philistines, and they spoiled their tents.

The Israelites returned from chasing the Philistines and plundered their camp.

(54) And David took the head of the Philistine and brought it to Jerusalem, but he put his armor in his tent.

David took the head of Goliath to Jerusalem, and he kept Goliath's armor in his own tent.

(55) And when Saul saw David go forth against the Philistine, he said to Abner, the captain of the host, "Abner, whose son is this youth?" And Abner said, "As your soul lives, O king, I cannot tell." (56) And the king said, "Enquire whose son the stripling is."

When Saul had seen David go forth against Goliath, he asked the captain of his army, whose son he was.  Saul had evidently not recognized David when he tried to arm him with his armor.  That seems a bit strange, but then Saul employed David when his mind was plagued by the evil spirit, and even then he may not have had occasion to actually see much of David.  I can imagine servants whisking David into the room of the king who was sitting or lying down and having him play his harp behind the king.  Abner, the captain of his army, said that he did not know whose son David was, so the king sent him on a mission to find out.

(57) And as David returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, Abner took him and brought him before Saul with the head of the Philistine in his hand.

As David returned from killing Goliath and with his head in his hand, Abner took him aside and brought him before the king, Saul.

(58) And Saul said to him, "Whose son are you, young man?" And David answered, "I am the son of your servant Jesse the Bethlehemite."

Saul asked David whose son he was, and David told him he was the son of Jesse, the Bethlehemite, which I suppose differentiated him from any other Jesse.  Perhaps this refreshed Saul's memory of David, but we aren't told that specifically.

Robert Hawker, in his Poor Man's Commentary, made the observation of how illustrative David and this encounter were of the coming Messiah.  Goliath, with his bold and open defiance of Israel and with his taunting of the people, was symbolic of Satan who goes about as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour (1 Peter 5:8).  David who was very indignant that no one defended the Lord's honor is likened to Jesus in the prophecy in Isaiah 63:5, he "looked and there was none to help...therefore my own arm brought salvation to me..."  

I saw even more similarities in the event.  As the Messiah defeated Satan without a sword, so David defeated Goliath, actually the Lord Himself through David.  And when David stood upon the body of Goliath, I couldn't help but think of Genesis 3:15 when God prophesied and cursed the serpent in the garden of Eden that the eminent seed of the woman, the Messiah, would bruise the head of the serpent, the devil.  You can just picture Jesus crushing the head of the serpent, and David cut off the head of Goliath.  I am always in awe of the many places you find Jesus in the Old Testament!