Those Faithful to David Also Become the Target of Saul's Persecution

Narrator: Chris Genthree
Duration: 5min
 •  4 min. read  •  grade level: 7
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Frustrated at his lack of success in slaying David, Saul extends the scope of his fury to those who would be faithful and true to David even at the jeopardy of their lives. He complained to his servants: All of you have conspired against ME, and there is none that showeth ME that my son hath made a league with the son of Jesse, and there is none of you that is sorry for ME, or showeth unto ME that my son hath stirred up my servants against ME...Then the king sent to call Ahimelech the priest...and all the priests...And Saul said unto him, Why have ye conspired against ME, thou and the son of Jesse, in that thou hast given bread, and a sword, and hast inquired of God for him, that he should rise against ME.
One has little difficulty in seeing who was foremost in Saul's thoughts. Me, me, me! everything in Saul's mind focused on himself.
Self-importance, loving prominence, "honor me" (1 Sam. 15:3030Then he said, I have sinned: yet honor me now, I pray thee, before the elders of my people, and before Israel, and turn again with me, that I may worship the Lord thy God. (1 Samuel 15:30)). "It is indeed most grievous...to find some forward, self-sufficient one making himself the center of the meeting"—JND. It is the opposite of the spirit of Christ, who "emptied Himself," "humbled Himself," was "meek and lowly."
Beware of too sublime a sense
Of your own worth and consequence;
The man who deems himself so great,
And his importance of such weight,
That all around and all that's done
Must move and act through him alone,
Will learn by deep humiliation
The folly of self-exaltation.
"THAT HIS HEART BE NOT LIFTED Up above his brethren..." (Deut. 17:2020That his heart be not lifted up above his brethren, and that he turn not aside from the commandment, to the right hand, or to the left: to the end that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he, and his children, in the midst of Israel. (Deuteronomy 17:20)). These words were instruction for the king, given long before Israel was in the land. How grievously Saul, their first king, failed in this very thing!
Ahimelech, faithful to David, answers the king, and said,.. and who is so faithful among all thy servants as David...and is honorable..." Such faithfulness cannot escape Saul's hatred and he said: ... thou shalt surely die... and... slay the priests of the Lord; because their hand is with David, and because they knew when he fled and did not show it ME... and Doeg the Edomite turned, and he fell upon the priests, and slew on that day fourscore and five persons... and Nob, the city of the priests, smote he with the edge of the sword, both men and women, children and sucklings, and oxen and asses and sheep with the edge of the sword (1 Sam. 22:8-198That all of you have conspired against me, and there is none that showeth me that my son hath made a league with the son of Jesse, and there is none of you that is sorry for me, or showeth unto me that my son hath stirred up my servant against me, to lie in wait, as at this day? 9Then answered Doeg the Edomite, which was set over the servants of Saul, and said, I saw the son of Jesse coming to Nob, to Ahimelech the son of Ahitub. 10And he inquired of the Lord for him, and gave him victuals, and gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine. 11Then the king sent to call Ahimelech the priest, the son of Ahitub, and all his father's house, the priests that were in Nob: and they came all of them to the king. 12And Saul said, Hear now, thou son of Ahitub. And he answered, Here I am, my lord. 13And Saul said unto him, Why have ye conspired against me, thou and the son of Jesse, in that thou hast given him bread, and a sword, and hast inquired of God for him, that he should rise against me, to lie in wait, as at this day? 14Then Ahimelech answered the king, and said, And who is so faithful among all thy servants as David, which is the king's son in law, and goeth at thy bidding, and is honorable in thine house? 15Did I then begin to inquire of God for him? be it far from me: let not the king impute any thing unto his servant, nor to all the house of my father: for thy servant knew nothing of all this, less or more. 16And the king said, Thou shalt surely die, Ahimelech, thou, and all thy father's house. 17And the king said unto the footmen that stood about him, Turn, and slay the priests of the Lord; because their hand also is with David, and because they knew when he fled, and did not show it to me. But the servants of the king would not put forth their hand to fall upon the priests of the Lord. 18And the king said to Doeg, Turn thou, and fall upon the priests. And Doeg the Edomite turned, and he fell upon the priests, and slew on that day fourscore and five persons that did wear a linen ephod. 19And Nob, the city of the priests, smote he with the edge of the sword, both men and women, children and sucklings, and oxen, and asses, and sheep, with the edge of the sword. (1 Samuel 22:8‑19)).
What ruthless murder!
Again: Saul arose, and went down to the wilderness of Ziph, having three thousand chosen of Israel with him to seek David... David came to the people by night; and behold Saul lay sleeping... and his spear stuck in the ground at his head... So David took the spear and the cruse of water from Saul's head... for they were all asleep; because a deep sleep from the Lord was fallen upon them... And David cried to the people... See the king's spear and the cruse of water that was at his head...Then said Saul, I have sinned... My soul was precious in thine eyes... I have played the fool, and have erred exceedingly. And David answered and said, Behold the king's spear! and let one of the young men come over and fetch it (1 Sam. 26:2, 4, 7, 12, 14, 16, 21, 222Then 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. (1 Samuel 26:2)
4David therefore sent out spies, and understood that Saul was come in very deed. (1 Samuel 26:4)
7So 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: but Abner and the people lay round about him. (1 Samuel 26:7)
12So David took the spear and the cruse of water from Saul's bolster; and they gat them away, and no man saw it, nor knew it, neither awaked: for they were all asleep; because a deep sleep from the Lord was fallen upon them. (1 Samuel 26:12)
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? (1 Samuel 26:14)
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. (1 Samuel 26:16)
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. (1 Samuel 26:21‑22)).