|
|
|
|
Lesson 52, Geography Study Concerning the Scriptures, The Wars of Saul, Continued
The Wars of SaulAmmonite War (1 Samuel 11)First Philistine War (1 Sam 13-14) Moabite War Edomite War (1 Sam 14:47Syrian War (1 Sam 14:47)Amalekite War (1 Sam 14:48; 15:1-35)
Second Philistine War (1 Sam 17-18)
There were doubtless many conflicts between Israelites and Philistines during the reign of Saul.
The second Philistine war was notable in that David, who had been anointed privately by Samuel, appeared on the field of battle for the first time.
In the Valley of Elah, a valley that provided passage from the plain of Philistia into the hill country of Judah, between Socoh and Azekah, David met and slew the Philistine champion, Goliah of Gath.
The Israelite victory which followed made David a national hero. This, however, only enraged Saul who determined to rid himself of the youth who seemed to challenge his own popularity.
Saul’s pursuit of David
1 Samuel 18:6-9, And it came to pass as they came, when David was returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, that the women came out of all cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet king Saul, with tabrets, with joy, and with instruments of music. 7And the women answered one another as they played, and said, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands. 8And Saul was very wroth, and the saying displeased him; and he said, They have ascribed unto David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed but thousands: and what can he have more but the kingdom? 9And Saul eyed David from that day and forward.
Enraged by the chant and its possible political implications, Saul set out on a course of destroying this young shepherd-turned soldier.
The tragic closing years of Saul’s life were spent in the vain attempt to track down and slay one whom he supposed to be an enemy.
Perceived as an enemy of Saul’s state, David had no choice but to flee for his life and, in that sense, to undertake the life of a fugitive and outlaw, a situation that continued perhaps for as long as a decade, until Saul’s inevitable demise atop Mt. Gilboa.
David fled first (1) to the prophet Samuel at Ramah where, after a period of time, he was delivered from Saul’s hand by Jonathan, Saul’s son. He next traveled to Nob (2), where Ahimelech the priest provided him with nourishment and gave him Goliath’s sword that had been kept there.
Next he journeyed to Gath (3) where, through a stange and haunting irony, the aforementioned words of the chanting women actually forced David to feign madness in order to escape a Philistine prison.
I Samuel 21:10- 15, And David arose, and fled that day for fear of Saul, and went to Achish the king of Gath. 11And the servants of Achish said unto him, Is not this David the king of the land? did they not sing one to another of him in dances, saying, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands? 12And David laid up these words in his heart, and was sore afraid of Achish the king of Gath. 13And he changed his behaviour before them, and feigned himself mad in their hands, and scrabbled on the doors of the gate, and let his spittle fall down upon his beard. 14Then said Achish unto his servants, Lo, ye see the man is mad: wherefore then have ye brought him to me? 15Have I need of mad men, that ye have brought this fellow to play the mad man in my presence? shall this fellow come into my house?
He then fled to Adullam (4), where, by this time, some 400 men had joined forces with him.
Apparently sensing that even his family members were not safe from Saul’s temper, David took steps to provide for the security of his father and mother; he led them to the safe refuge of Moab, (5) from where David’s own great-grandmother, Ruth, had come. I Samuel 22:3-5, And David went thence to Mizpeh of Moab: and he said unto the king of Moab, Let my father and my mother, I pray thee, come forth, and be with you, till I know what God will do for me. 4And he brought them before the king of Moab: and they dwelt with him all the while that David was in the hold. 5And the prophet Gad said unto David, Abide not in the hold; depart, and get thee into the land of Judah. Then David departed, and came into the forest of Hareth.
After that, David himself took up residence first along the western shore of the Dead Sea at Masada (6) (“stronghold”) and later farther inland at the forest of Hereth. While at Hereth, (7) David learned of the treachery of Saul who had slain Ahimelech (who gave him Goliath’s sword) for showing loyalty to David. He discovered too that Philistines were plundering the Judean city of Keilah, (8) so he and his men decided to travel there and to launch a counteroffensive against the Philistine antagonists.
I Samuel 23:5,6, So David and his men went to Keilah, and fought with the Philistines, and brought away their cattle, and smote them with a great slaughter. So David saved the inhabitants of Keilah. 6And it came to pass, when Abiathar the son of Ahimelech fled to David to Keilah, that he came down with an ephod in his hand. Realizing now that he was a threat to both Saul and the Philistines and possibly fearing Philistine retaliation, David proceeded into the heart of the Judean Negeb, first to the wilderness of Ziph, (9) and then to the wilderness of Maon (10).
But Saul was in relentless pursuit, so David moved to the forbidding wilderness of Judea at Engedi (11).
While staying in this stronghold, David received his first opportunity to slay his rival; but he denied himself that moment of vengeance, feeling that he could not raise his hand against the Lord’s anointed with impunity.
1 Samuel 24:1-7, And it came to pass, when Saul was returned from following the Philistines, that it was told him, saying, Behold, David is in the wilderness of Engedi. 2Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went to seek David and his men upon the rocks of the wild goats. 3And he came to the sheepcotes by the way, where was a cave; and Saul went in to cover his feet: and David and his men remained in the sides of the cave. 4And the men of David said unto him, Behold the day of which the LORD said unto thee, Behold, I will deliver thine enemy into thine hand, that thou mayest do to him as it shall seem good unto thee. Then David arose, and cut off the skirt of Saul’s robe privily. 5And it came to pass afterward, that David’s heart smote him, because he had cut off Saul’s skirt. 6And he said unto his men, The LORD forbid that I should do this thing unto my master, the LORD’S anointed, to stretch forth mine hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the LORD. 7So David stayed his servants with these words, and suffered them not to rise against Saul.
Knowing full well that his life had been spared, however, Saul gave pretense of abandoning the hunt temporarily, and so David returned south to Masada (12). Masada
Rock fortress on the western shore of the Dead Sea, opposite the Lisan, about 19 miles s of En Gedi, where the Jewish Zealots made their last stand against the Romans in 73 a.d. Today it is called in Arabic Qasr es-Sebbe and in Hebrew Metsada.
Some time later, David re-entered the wilderness of Maon (13) and came to the vicinity of the towns of Maon (MAY-ahn) and Carmel, where he met and eventually married Abigail.
But as was the case before when David came to this wilderness, Saul once again was notified of David’s presence in the area and was inspired to renew his manhunt.
I Samuel 23:19,23, Then came up the Ziphites to Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doth not David hide himself with us in strong holds in the wood, in the hill of Hachilah, which is on the south of Jeshimon? 20Now therefore, O king, come down according to all the desire of thy soul to come down; and our part shall be to deliver him into the king’s hand. 21And Saul said, Blessed be ye of the LORD; for ye have compassion on me. 22Go, I pray you, prepare yet, and know and see his place where his haunt is, and who hath seen him there: for it is told me that he dealeth very subtly. 23See therefore, and take knowledge of all the lurking places where he hideth himself, and come ye again to me with the certainty, and I will go with you: and it shall come to pass, if he be in the land, that I will search him out throughout all the thousands of Judah.
When the king arrived in the wilderness, he is said to have bivouacked on a hill at Hachilah.
During the night, David and his servant stealthily entered Saul’s camp and carried off the king’s spear, which had been stuch in the ground right beside his head.
When at a safe distance, David again reminded Saul that he represented no real threat to the monarch.
I Samuel 26:13-25, Then David went over to the other side, and stood on the top of an hill afar off; a great space being between them: 14And David cried to the people, and to Abner the son of Ner, saying, Answerest thou not, Abner? Then Abner answered and said, Who art thou that criest to the king? 15And David said to Abner, Art not thou a valiant man? and who is like to thee in Israel? wherefore then hast thou not kept thy lord the king? for there came one of the people in to destroy the king thy lord. 16This thing is not good that thou hast done. As the LORD liveth, ye are worthy to die, because ye have not kept your master, the LORD’S anointed. And now see where the king’s spear is, and the cruse of water that was at his bolster. 17And Saul knew David’s voice, and said, Is this thy voice, my son David? And David said, It is my voice, my lord, O king. 18And he said, Wherefore doth my lord thus pursue after his servant? for what have I done? or what evil is in mine hand? 19Now therefore, I pray thee, let my lord the king hear the words of his servant. If the LORD have stirred thee up against me, let him accept an offering: but if they be the children of men, cursed be 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. 20Now therefore, let not my blood fall to the earth before the face of the LORD: for the king of Israel is come out to seek a flea, as when one doth hunt a partridge in the mountains. 21Then said Saul, I have sinned: return, my son David: for I will no more do thee harm, because my soul was precious in thine eyes this day: behold, I have played the fool, and have erred exceedingly. 22And David answered and said, Behold the king’s spear! and let one of the young men come over and fetch it. 23The LORD render to every man his righteousness and his faithfulness: for the LORD delivered thee into my hand to day, but I would not stretch forth mine hand against the LORD’S anointed. 24And, behold, as thy life was much set by this day in mine eyes, so let my life be much set by in the eyes of the LORD, and let him deliver me out of all tribulation. 25Then Saul said to David, Blessed be thou, my son David: thou shalt both do great things, and also shalt still prevail. So David went on his way, and Saul returned to his place.
|