1Sa 26 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for 1Sam 26:1-25: 26:1-25 This was the last time Saul and David were together. The Ziphites told Saul for the second time where David was hiding (see 23:19-20 ), and David spared Saul’s life a second time as he did in the cave at En-gedi (see ch 24 ). 26:1 Men from Ziph had previously volunteered to capture David and hand him over to Saul (23:19-20 ). • Hakilah ... Jeshimon is the same geographical location they had mentioned to Saul before (23:19 ). David had not moved far, probably because the hilly terrain was dotted with numerous caves, providing many good hiding places.

Summary for 1Sam 26:1-25: 26:1-25 ^a This was the last time Saul and David were together. The Ziphites told Saul for the second time where David was hiding (see 23:19-20 ^b), and David spared Saul’s life a second time as he did in the cave at En-gedi (see ch 24 ^c). 26:1 ^d Men from Ziph had previously volunteered to capture David and hand him over to Saul (23:19-20 ^e).

• Hakilah ... Jeshimon is the same geographical location they had mentioned to Saul before (23:19 ^f). David had not moved far, probably because the hilly terrain was dotted with numerous caves, providing many good hiding places.
26:3 ^g Saul had come after David again, despite his earlier remorse (24:17-21 ^h). Saul had become incapable of acting rationally or speaking truthfully.
26:5 ⁱ Abner son of Ner: See study note on 20:25.
26:6 ^j This is the only reference to Ahimelech the Hittite.

• Zeruiah was David’s sister (1 Chr 2:16 ^k), so Abishai was David’s nephew. The sons of Zeruiah (Abishai, Joab, and Asahel) were three of David’s most faithful followers (e.g., 2 Sam 2:18 ^l), but they sometimes caused David difficulty (see 2 Sam 3:39 ^m; 16:10 ⁿ; 19:22 ^o).
26:8 ^p God has surely handed your enemy over to you: Cp. 24:4 ^q.
26:9 ^r the Lord’s anointed: See study note on 24:6.
26:10 ^s David was confident that God would judge between him and Saul just as he had done between him and Nabal (see 25:38 ^t). Saul did die ... in battle against the Philistines (31:6 ^u).
26:14 ^v Abner: See study note on 20:25.
26:16 ^w deserve to die: Death was the punishment for dereliction of duty.
26:17 ^x Is that you, my son David? Cp. 24:16 ^y.
26:19 ^z If the Lord has stirred you up against me: David was perplexed by Saul’s behavior and concerned with the possibility of unintentional sin on his part.

• a human scheme: Possibly a reference to Doeg (22:9-10 ^aa).

• worship pagan gods: The sentiment parallels Ps 137:4 ^ab. Anyone who was exiled from the holy land was unable to worship the Lord by participating in sacrifice at the central sanctuary.
26:20 ^ac a single flea: Cp. 24:14 ^ad.
26:21 ^ae I have sinned: Saul had seen the error of his ways once before (24:16-19 ^af). David had no good reason to trust him this time (see 27:1 ^ag).

• I have been a fool: This Hebrew term (sakal, “play the fool,” see also 13:13 ^ah) is different from the word meaning “fool” (nabal) used in ch 25 ^ai. However, the two words have parallel meanings. Saul and Nabal are parallel figures.
26:23 ^aj David did not harm Saul (24:6 ^ak; 26:9 ^al) because Saul was the Lord’s anointed one (see study note on 24:6).
26:24 ^am may the Lord value my life, even as I have valued yours: David could not count on Saul to reciprocate. Thus, his fate was in God’s hands.
26:25 ^an Saul returned home, and this may have been David’s last personal encounter with him.