Introduction:

The tragic ending of the life of Israel’s first king.

Note: The name of God does not appear in this chapter.

1 Samuel 31 NLT
The Death of Saul
^31:1 Now the Philistines attacked Israel, and the men of Israel fled before them. Many were slaughtered on the slopes of Mount Gilboa. ² The Philistines closed in on Saul and his sons, and they killed three of his sons—Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malkishua. ³ The fighting grew very fierce around Saul, and the Philistine archers caught up with him and wounded him severely.
⁴ Saul groaned to his armor bearer, “Take your sword and kill me before these pagan Philistines come to run me through and taunt and torture me.”
But his armor bearer was afraid and would not do it. So Saul took his own sword and fell on it. ⁵ When his armor bearer realized that Saul was dead, he fell on his own sword and died beside the king. ⁶ So Saul, his three sons, his armor bearer, and his troops all died together that same day.
⁷ When the Israelites on the other side of the Jezreel Valley and beyond the Jordan saw that the Israelite army had fled and that Saul and his sons were dead, they abandoned their towns and fled. So the Philistines moved in and occupied their towns.
⁸ The next day, when the Philistines went out to strip the dead, they found the bodies of Saul and his three sons on Mount Gilboa. ⁹ So they cut off Saul’s head and stripped off his armor. Then they proclaimed the good news of Saul’s death in their pagan temple and to the people throughout the land of Philistia. ¹⁰ They placed his armor in the temple of the Ashtoreths, and they fastened his body to the wall of the city of Beth-shan.
¹¹ But when the people of Jabesh-gilead heard what the Philistines had done to Saul, ¹² all their mighty warriors traveled through the night to Beth-shan and took the bodies of Saul and his sons down from the wall. They brought them to Jabesh, where they burned the bodies. ¹³ Then they took their bones and buried them beneath the tamarisk tree at Jabesh, and they fasted for seven days.

Examine the Scriptures

1 Samuel 31 NLT
The Death of Saul

The story picks up with the account of Saul and the Philistines.

The events of this chapter follow those of chapters 28 and 29.

Chapter 30 was the story of David defeating the Amalekites.

Chapter 29 ended with:

1 Samuel 29:11 NLT
¹¹ So David and his men headed back into the land of the Philistines, while the Philistine army went on to Jezreel.

This story tells of the tragic ending of the life of Israel’s first king. 

^31:1 Now the Philistines attacked Israel (at Gilboa), and the men of Israel fled before them.

This story begins at Mount Gilboa, just south of Jezreel. (Refer to a map.)

• This battle between the Israelites and the Philistines was, most likely, simultaneous with David’s battle against the Amalekites. (Chapter 30)

Many were slaughtered on the slopes of Mount Gilboa. 

• The Israelites are being slaughtered by the Philistines while the Amalekites are being slaughtered by David.

The Philistines with their iron chariots had an overwhelming advantage over the Israelites. (2 Samuel 1:6) 

² The Philistines closed in on Saul and his sons,

Jonathan, a faithful son, had followed his father, the king, into battle.

and they killed three of his sons—Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malkishua. ³ The fighting grew very fierce around Saul, and the Philistine archers caught up with him and wounded him severely. 

⁴ Saul groaned to his armor bearer,

Some interesting details:

Before fleeing from Saul, David was Saul’s armor bearer.

Saul had four sons.
Saul’s fourth son was named Ish-Bosheth (or Esh-Baal)

1 Chronicles 8:33 (or 9:39) NLT
Ner was the father of Kish.
Kish was the father of Saul.
Saul was the father of Jonathan, Malkishua, Abinadab, and Esh-baal.

Ishbosheth was not killed in this battle.

2 Samuel 2:8-9 NLT
Ishbosheth Proclaimed King of Israel
⁸ But Abner son of Ner, the commander of Saul’s army, had already gone to Mahanaim with Saul’s son Ishbosheth.^[a] 9 There he proclaimed Ishbosheth king over Gilead, Jezreel, Ephraim, Benjamin, the land of the Ashurites, and all the rest of Israel.

1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 2:8Ishbosheth is another name for Esh-baal.

• Saul was the father of Jonathan, Malkishua, Abinadab, and Esh-baal. 

 “Take your sword and kill me before these pagan Philistines come to run me through and taunt and torture me.” 

But his armor bearer was afraid and would not do it. So Saul took his own sword and fell on it. 

• Saul committed suicide, an act rarely known among the Israelites in the Old Testament.

This was the culmination of a long process of self-destruction.

Saul was unlike David who found his strength in the Lord.

1 Samuel 23:16 NLT
¹⁶ Jonathan went to find David and encouraged him to stay strong in his faith in God.

1 Samuel 30:6 NLT
⁶ David was now in great danger because all his men were very bitter about losing their sons and daughters, and they began to talk of stoning him. But David found strength in the Lord his God.

Saul feared torture, abuse, and eventual death from the Philistines.

This story is different from the story in 2 Samuel 1:6-10 (We’ll cover this in a future lesson.)

2 Samuel 1:6-10 NLT
⁶ The man answered, “I happened to be on Mount Gilboa, and there was Saul leaning on his spear with the enemy chariots and charioteers closing in on him. ⁷ When he turned and saw me, he cried out for me to come to him. ‘How can I help?’ I asked him.
⁸ “He responded, ‘Who are you?’
“‘I am an Amalekite,’ I told him.
⁹ “Then he begged me, ‘Come over here and put me out of my misery, for I am in terrible pain and want to die.’
¹⁰ “So I killed him,” the Amalekite told David, “for I knew he couldn’t live. Then I took his crown and his armband, and I have brought them here to you, my lord.”

This man is lying to gain favor with the person most likely to become the next king. 

⁵ When his armor bearer realized that Saul was dead, he fell on his own sword and died beside the king. 

Interesting detail.

Jewish tradition (not scripture) identified Saul’s armor-bearer as Doeg, the Edomite. If true, it was ironic that Doeg died by the same sword that he had used to massacre Israel’s priests at Nob: his own sword. (Constable)

Galatians 6:7 NLT
⁷ Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant. 

⁶ So Saul, his three sons, his armor bearer, and his troops all died together that same day.

This fulfills the prophecy we read in 1 Samuel 28:19.

1 Samuel 28:19 NLT (Saul Consults a Medium)
¹⁹ What’s more, the Lord will hand you and the army of Israel over to the Philistines tomorrow, and you and your sons will be here with me. The Lord will bring down the entire army of Israel in defeat.”

There were survivors.

Ex.  Abner, Saul’s general escaped.

One of Saul’s sons survived (He may or may not have been in this battle.)

• Saul, his three sons, his armor bearer, and his troops all died together that same day. 

⁷ When the Israelites on the other side of the Jezreel Valley and beyond the Jordan saw that the Israelite army had fled and that Saul and his sons were dead, they abandoned their towns and fled.

So the Philistines moved in and occupied their towns.

• The Philistines drove the Israelites out of their own towns.

⁸ The next day, when the Philistines went out to strip the dead,

Searching for anything of value.

they found the bodies of Saul and his three sons on Mount Gilboa. 

⁹ So they cut off Saul’s head and stripped off his armor.

• The Philistines cut off Saul’s head and stripped off his armor.

Note: David had cut off the head of Goliath. 

Then they proclaimed the good news of Saul’s death in their pagan temple and to the people throughout the land of Philistia. 

Likely displaying Saul’s head and armor.

¹⁰ They placed his armor in the temple of the Ashtoreths,

The fertility goddesses.

and they fastened his body to the wall of the city of Beth-shan.

This was a sign of great disrespect.  This action degraded the dead person by depriving him of a proper burial.

• Symbolically, the Philistines gave credit for this military victory to their Philistine gods. 

¹¹ But when the people of Jabesh-gilead

About 10-12  miles from Beth Shan (refer to a map)

heard what the Philistines had done to Saul, 

• Saul had saved Jabesh-gilead at the beginning of his reign which the men of the city remembered.

1 Samuel 11 NLT
Saul Defeats the Ammonites
^11:1 About a month later, King Nahash of Ammon led his army against the Israelite town of Jabesh-gilead  .…  

⁵ Saul had been plowing a field with his oxen, and when he returned to town, he asked, “What’s the matter? Why is everyone crying?” So they told him about the message from Jabesh.

⁶ Then the Spirit of God came powerfully upon Saul, and he became very angry. …

⁹ So Saul sent the messengers back to Jabesh-gilead to say, “We will rescue you by noontime tomorrow!” There was great joy throughout the town when that message arrived!  ^… 

¹¹ But before dawn the next morning, Saul arrived, having divided his army into three detachments. He launched a surprise attack against the Ammonites and slaughtered them the whole morning. The remnant of their army was so badly scattered that no two of them were left together. 

¹² all their mighty warriors traveled through the night to Beth-shan and took the bodies of Saul and his sons down from the wall. They brought them to Jabesh, where they burned the bodies. ¹³ Then they took their bones and buried them beneath the tamarisk tree at Jabesh,

• Warriors from Jabesh-gilead traveled through the night to Beth-shan and took the bodies of Saul and his sons down from the wall. They brought them to Jabesh, where they burned the bodies.Then they took their bones and buried them beneath the tamarisk tree at Jabesh,

In this case, the burning of bodies would not be considered desecration. This may have been done because decomposition of the bodies had already begun or to prevent any farther abuse of the bodies of Saul and his sons by the Philistines.

Later: 2 Samuel 21:12-14 NLT

2 Samuel 21:12-14 NLT
¹² he (David) went to the people of Jabesh-gilead and retrieved the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan. (When the Philistines had killed Saul and Jonathan on Mount Gilboa, the people of Jabesh-gilead stole their bodies from the public square of Beth-shan, where the Philistines had hung them.) ¹³ So David obtained the bones of Saul and Jonathan, as well as the bones of the men the Gibeonites had executed.
¹⁴ Then the king ordered that they bury the bones in the tomb of Kish, Saul’s father, at the town of Zela in the land of Benjamin. After that, God ended the famine in the land. 

and they fasted for seven days.

Mourning the death of Saul and his sons and mourning the fact that the Philistines were now in control.

• The Philistines are now in control.

This story tells how the life Israel’s first king ended.

Note how this story began:

1 Samuel 9:15-17 NLT
¹⁵ Now the Lord had told Samuel the previous day, ¹⁶ “About this time tomorrow I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin. Anoint him to be the leader of my people, Israel. He will rescue them from the Philistines, for I have looked down on my people in mercy and have heard their cry.”
¹⁷ When Samuel saw Saul, the Lord said, “That’s the man I told you about! He will rule my people.”

1 Samuel 10 NLT
Saul Is Acclaimed King
¹⁷ Later Samuel called all the people of Israel to meet before the Lord at Mizpah. ¹⁸ And he said, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, has declared: I brought you from Egypt and rescued you from the Egyptians and from all of the nations that were oppressing you. ¹⁹ But though I have rescued you from your misery and distress, you have rejected your God today and have said, ‘No, we want a king instead!’ Now, therefore, present yourselves before the Lord by tribes and clans.”
²⁰ So Samuel brought all the tribes of Israel before the Lord, and the tribe of Benjamin was chosen by lot. ²¹ Then he brought each family of the tribe of Benjamin before the Lord, and the family of the Matrites was chosen. And finally Saul son of Kish was chosen from among them. …
²⁴ Then Samuel said to all the people, “This is the man the Lord has chosen as your king. No one in all Israel is like him!”
And all the people shouted, “Long live the king!”

What’s missing in the previous passages?

1 Samuel 16:13 NLT
¹³ So as David stood there among his brothers, Samuel took the flask of olive oil he had brought and anointed David with the oil. And the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon David from that day on. Then Samuel returned to Ramah.

Joshua 1:7-9 NLT
⁷ Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left. Then you will be successful in everything you do. ⁸ Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do. ⁹ This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” 

Saul disobeyed the Lord and the Spirit of the Lord was not on Saul.

• Saul’s downfall was rejecting the word of the

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David Destroys the Amalekites

The Amalekites

A nomadic marauding people dwelling in the Negev from the times of Abraham to Hezekiah (2000-700 B.C.) David died somewhere around 970 B.C.

The Amalekites were always bitter foes of Israel.

Some Biblical references about the Amalekites:

Exodus 17:8-11 NLT
Israel Defeats the Amalekites
⁸ While the people of Israel were still at Rephidim, the warriors of Amalek attacked them. ⁹ Moses commanded Joshua, “Choose some men to go out and fight the army of Amalek for us. Tomorrow, I will stand at the top of the hill, holding the staff of God in my hand.”
¹⁰ So Joshua did what Moses had commanded and fought the army of Amalek. Meanwhile, Moses, Aaron, and Hur climbed to the top of a nearby hill. ¹¹ As long as Moses held up the staff in his hand, the Israelites had the advantage. But whenever he dropped his hand, the Amalekites gained the advantage.  (Aaron and Hur held up Moses’ arms.)

1 Samuel 15:1-3 NLT
^15:1 One day Samuel said to Saul, “It was the Lord who told me to anoint you as king of his people, Israel. Now listen to this message from the Lord! ² This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies has declared: I have decided to settle accounts with the nation of Amalek for opposing Israel when they came from Egypt. ³ Now go and completely destroy the entire Amalekite nation—men, women, children, babies, cattle, sheep, goats, camels, and donkeys.”

Saul was killed by an Amalekite (2 Samuel 1)

1 Samuel 30:1-31 NLT
David Destroys the Amalekites
30 Three days later, when David and his men arrived home at their town of Ziklag, they found that the Amalekites had made a raid into the Negev and Ziklag; they had crushed Ziklag and burned it to the ground. ² They had carried off the women and children and everyone else but without killing anyone.
³ When David and his men saw the ruins and realized what had happened to their families, ⁴ they wept until they could weep no more. ⁵ David’s two wives, Ahinoam from Jezreel and Abigail, the widow of Nabal from Carmel, were among those captured. ⁶ David was now in great danger because all his men were very bitter about losing their sons and daughters, and they began to talk of stoning him. But David found strength in the Lord his God.
⁷ Then he said to Abiathar the priest, “Bring me the ephod!” So Abiathar brought it. ⁸ Then David asked the Lord, “Should I chase after this band of raiders? Will I catch them?”
And the Lord told him, “Yes, go after them. You will surely recover everything that was taken from you!”
⁹ So David and his 600 men set out, and they came to the brook Besor. ¹⁰ But 200 of the men were too exhausted to cross the brook, so David continued the pursuit with 400 men.
¹¹ Along the way they found an Egyptian man in a field and brought him to David. They gave him some bread to eat and water to drink. ¹² They also gave him part of a fig cake and two clusters of raisins, for he hadn’t had anything to eat or drink for three days and nights. Before long his strength returned.
¹³ “To whom do you belong, and where do you come from?” David asked him.
“I am an Egyptian—the slave of an Amalekite,” he replied. “My master abandoned me three days ago because I was sick. ¹⁴ We were on our way back from raiding the Kerethites in the Negev, the territory of Judah, and the land of Caleb, and we had just burned Ziklag.”
¹⁵ “Will you lead me to this band of raiders?” David asked.
The young man replied, “If you take an oath in God’s name that you will not kill me or give me back to my master, then I will guide you to them.”
¹⁶ So he led David to them, and they found the Amalekites spread out across the fields, eating and drinking and dancing with joy because of the vast amount of plunder they had taken from the Philistines and the land of Judah. ¹⁷ David and his men rushed in among them and slaughtered them throughout that night and the entire next day until evening. None of the Amalekites escaped except 400 young men who fled on camels. ¹⁸ David got back everything the Amalekites had taken, and he rescued his two wives. ¹⁹ Nothing was missing: small or great, son or daughter, nor anything else that had been taken. David brought everything back. ²⁰ He also recovered all the flocks and herds, and his men drove them ahead of the other livestock. “This plunder belongs to David!” they said.
²¹ Then David returned to the brook Besor and met up with the 200 men who had been left behind because they were too exhausted to go with him. They went out to meet David and his men, and David greeted them joyfully. ²² But some evil troublemakers among David’s men said, “They didn’t go with us, so they can’t have any of the plunder we recovered. Give them their wives and children, and tell them to be gone.”
²³ But David said, “No, my brothers! Don’t be selfish with what the Lord has given us. He has kept us safe and helped us defeat the band of raiders that attacked us. ²⁴ Who will listen when you talk like this? We share and share alike—those who go to battle and those who guard the equipment.” ²⁵ From then on David made this a decree and regulation for Israel, and it is still followed today.
²⁶ When he arrived at Ziklag, David sent part of the plunder to the elders of Judah, who were his friends. “Here is a present for you, taken from the Lord’s enemies,” he said.
²⁷ The gifts were sent to the people of the following towns David had visited: Bethel, Ramoth-negev, Jattir, ²⁸ Aroer, Siphmoth, Eshtemoa, ²⁹ Racal, the towns of the Jerahmeelites, the towns of the Kenites, ³⁰ Hormah, Bor-ashan, Athach, ³¹ Hebron, and all the other places David and his men had visited.

Examine the Scriptures

1 Samuel 30:1-31 NLT

David Destroys the Amalekites

1 Samuel 29:11 NLT
¹¹ So David and his men headed back into the land of the Philistines, while the Philistine army went on to Jezreel.

^30:1 Three days later, when David and his men arrived home at their town of Ziklag,

David and his men left Aphek and traveled to Ziklag, a distance of about 50 miles.  The trip took 3 days.

 they found that the Amalekites had made a raid into the Negev and Ziklag;

• The Amalekites were thought to be a nomadic marauding people dwelling in the Negev.

• The Amalekites had plundered both Philistine and Israelite territory.

See verse 16

1 Samuel 30:16 NLT
¹⁶ So he led David to them, and they found the Amalekites spread out across the fields, eating and drinking and dancing with joy because of the vast amount of plunder they had taken from the Philistines and the land of Judah.

The Amalekites would have known that the Israelites and Philistines were gathering at Jezreel for a battle.  Ziklag would have been left defenseless.

The Amalekites would have wanted to “get even” with both David and Saul.

1 Samuel 27:8 NLT
⁸ David and his men spent their time raiding the Geshurites, the Girzites, and the Amalekites—people who had lived near Shur, toward the land of Egypt, since ancient times.

1 Samuel 15 NLT
Saul Defeats the Amalekites
^15:1 One day Samuel said to Saul, “It was the Lord who told me to anoint you as king of his people, Israel. Now listen to this message from the Lord! ² This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies has declared: I have decided to settle accounts with the nation of Amalek for opposing Israel when they came from Egypt. ³ Now go and completely destroy the entire Amalekite nation—men, women, children, babies, cattle, sheep, goats, camels, and donkeys.” 

 they had crushed Ziklag and burned it to the ground. ² They had carried off the women and children and everyone else but without killing anyone. 

• David arrived at Ziklag and found it burned to the ground.

God, in His sovereignty, had kept the Amalekites from killing their hostages.

Women and children would have been considered a valuable resource.

³ When David and his men saw the ruins and realized what had happened to their families, ⁴ they wept until they could weep no more. ⁵ David’s two wives, Ahinoam from Jezreel and Abigail, the widow of Nabal from Carmel, were among those captured. 

• David and his men were devastated by this tragedy.

⁶ David was now in great danger because all his men were very bitter about losing their sons and daughters, and they began to talk of stoning him.

Now, even David’s own men turned on him and talked about killing him.

• David’s own men turned on him and talked about killing him. 

But David found strength in the Lord his God.

Psalm 56:3-4 NLT
³ But when I am afraid,
I will put my trust in you.
⁴ I praise God for what he has promised.
I trust in God, so why should I be afraid?
What can mere mortals do to me?

⁷ Then he said to Abiathar the priest, “Bring me the ephod!” So Abiathar brought it. ⁸ Then David asked the Lord, “Should I chase after this band of raiders? Will I catch them?”

• David sought the Lord’s will in this matter (guidance). 

And the Lord told him, “Yes, go after them. You will surely recover everything that was taken from you!”

The Lord answered David’s question. 

• David and his men are promised the Lord’s help. 

⁹ So David and his 600 men set out, and they came to the brook Besor. 

About 20 miles south of Ziklag.

David and his men are still in Philistine territory.

¹⁰ But 200 of the men were too exhausted to cross the brook, so David continued the pursuit with 400 men.

• David and his men had been traveling hard for three days without a break and some of his men were exhausted. 

¹¹ Along the way they found an Egyptian man in a field and brought him to David. They gave him some bread to eat and water to drink. ¹² They also gave him part of a fig cake and two clusters of raisins, for he hadn’t had anything to eat or drink for three days and nights. Before long his strength returned.

David and his men helped this Egyptian even before they knew his identity.

¹³ “To whom do you belong, and where do you come from?” David asked him.
“I am an Egyptian—the slave of an Amalekite,” he replied. “My master abandoned me three days ago because I was sick. 

This slave was clearly being mistreated by his Amalekite master.

Since he was sick, he was of no value to the Amalekite.

• The Lord works in mysterious ways.

Ecclesiastes 11:5 NLT
⁵ Just as you cannot understand the path of the wind or the mystery of a tiny baby growing in its mother’s womb, so you cannot understand the activity of God, who does all things. 

¹⁴ We were on our way back from raiding the Kerethites in the Negev, the territory of Judah, and the land of Caleb, and we had just burned Ziklag.”

¹⁵ “Will you lead me to this band of raiders?” David asked.
The young man replied, “If you take an oath in God’s name that you will not kill me or give me back to my master, then I will guide you to them.”
¹⁶ So he led David to them, and they found the Amalekites spread out across the fields, eating and drinking and dancing with joy because of the vast amount of plunder they had taken from the Philistines and the land of Judah. ¹⁷ David and his men rushed in among them and slaughtered them throughout that night and the entire next day until evening. None of the Amalekites escaped except 400 young men who fled on camels. 

Clearly the Amalekite was quite large, much larger than David’s band of 400 men. (200 were left back at the brook of Besor.) 

¹⁸ David got back everything the Amalekites had taken, and he rescued his two wives. ¹⁹ Nothing was missing: small or great, son or daughter, nor anything else that had been taken. David brought everything back. ²⁰ He also recovered all the flocks and herds, and his men drove them ahead of the other livestock. “This plunder belongs to David!” they said. 

• David’s 400 men defeat the Amalekites, with God’s help, and get back everything the Amalekites had taken.

²¹ Then David returned to the brook Besor and met up with the 200 men who had been left behind because they were too exhausted to go with him. They went out to meet David and his men, and David greeted them joyfully. 

David did not reprimand the soldiers who were too exhausted to participate in the battle with the Amalekites.

²² But some evil troublemakers among David’s men

It is not surprising that there were troublemakers among David’s men.

1 Samuel 22:1-2 NLT
^22:1 So David left Gath and escaped to the cave of Adullam. Soon his brothers and all his other relatives joined him there. ² Then others began coming—men who were in trouble or in debt or who were just discontented—until David was the captain of about 400 men.

said, “They didn’t go with us, so they can’t have any of the plunder we recovered. Give them their wives and children, and tell them to be gone.”

• Some of David’s men wanted to drive away the 200 men who had stayed behind at the brook without giving them any part of the plunder.

²³ But David said, “No, my brothers! Don’t be selfish with what the Lord has given us. He has kept us safe and helped us defeat the band of raiders that attacked us. 

• David attributed the victory over the Amalekites to the Lord and gave him the glory.

²⁴ Who will listen when you talk like this? We share and share alike—those who go to battle and those who guard the equipment.” ²⁵ From then on David made this a decree and regulation for Israel, and it is still followed today. 

• David made a decree: The share of the men who stayed with the supplies is to be the same as that of him who went down to battle.

The plunder came from the Lord. 

²⁶ When he arrived at Ziklag, David sent part of the plunder to the elders of Judah, who were his friends. “Here is a present for you, taken from the Lord’s enemies,” he said.
²⁷ The gifts were sent to the people of the following towns David had visited: Bethel, Ramoth-negev, Jattir, ²⁸ Aroer, Siphmoth, Eshtemoa, ²⁹ Racal, the towns of the Jerahmeelites, the towns of the Kenites, ³⁰ Hormah, Bor-ashan, Athach, ³¹ Hebron, and all the other places David and his men had visited.

All of these places are located in southern Judah. 

• David returns to Ziklag and distributes the remaining plunder. 

Numbers 31:25-31 NLT
Division of the Plunder
²⁵ And the Lord said to Moses, ²⁶ “You and Eleazar the priest and the family leaders of each tribe are to make a list of all the plunder taken in the battle, including the people and animals. ²⁷ Then divide the plunder into two parts, and give half to the men who fought the battle and half to the rest of the people. ²⁸ From the army’s portion, first give the Lord his share of the plunder—one of every 500 of the prisoners and of the cattle, donkeys, sheep, and goats. ²⁹ Give this share of the army’s half to Eleazar the priest as an offering to the Lord. ³⁰ From the half that belongs to the people of Israel, take one of every fifty of the prisoners and of the cattle, donkeys, sheep, goats, and other animals. Give this share to the Levites, who are in charge of maintaining the Lord’s Tabernacle.” ³¹ So Moses and Eleazar the priest did as the Lord commanded Moses.

David could have kept all of the plunder for himself.  Instead, David used this plunder to show his gratitude to the people of those areas where he and his men had wandered while being pursued by Saul.

This may have influenced these people to support David in becoming king. Hebron was where David ruled as king for 7 ½ years.

Galatians 6:10 NLT
¹⁰ Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone—especially to those in the family of faith.

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The Philistines Reject David

In this story God is working through the Philistine commanders to keep David from fighting God’s chosen people.

God can use anyone for His Purpose.

1 Samuel 29 NLT
^29:1 The entire Philistine army now mobilized at Aphek, and the Israelites camped at the spring in Jezreel. ² As the Philistine rulers were leading out their troops in groups of hundreds and thousands, David and his men marched at the rear with King Achish. ³ But the Philistine commanders demanded, “What are these Hebrews doing here?”
And Achish told them, “This is David, the servant of King Saul of Israel. He’s been with me for years, and I’ve never found a single fault in him from the day he arrived until today.”
⁴ But the Philistine commanders were angry. “Send him back to the town you’ve given him!” they demanded. “He can’t go into the battle with us. What if he turns against us in battle and becomes our adversary? Is there any better way for him to reconcile himself with his master than by handing our heads over to him? ⁵ Isn’t this the same David about whom the women of Israel sing in their dances,
‘Saul has killed his thousands,
and David his ten thousands’?”
⁶ So Achish finally summoned David and said to him, “I swear by the Lord that you have been a trustworthy ally. I think you should go with me into battle, for I’ve never found a single flaw in you from the day you arrived until today. But the other Philistine rulers won’t hear of it. ⁷ Please don’t upset them, but go back quietly.”
⁸ “What have I done to deserve this treatment?” David demanded. “What have you ever found in your servant, that I can’t go and fight the enemies of my lord the king?”⁹ But Achish insisted, “As far as I’m concerned, you’re as perfect as an angel of God. But the Philistine commanders are afraid to have you with them in the battle. ¹⁰ Now get up early in the morning, and leave with your men as soon as it gets light.”
¹¹ So David and his men headed back into the land of the Philistines, while the Philistine army went on to Jezreel.

Examine the Scriptures

1 Samuel 29 NLT

1 Samuel 29 resumes he story that ended at 1 Samuel 28:2

1 Samuel 28:1-2 NLT
^28:1 About that time the Philistines mustered their armies for another war with Israel. King Achish told David, “You and your men will be expected to join me in battle.”
² “Very well!” David agreed. “Now you will see for yourself what we can do.”
Then Achish told David, “I will make you my personal bodyguard for life.”

1 Samuel 28:3-25 was the story of Saul Consulting a Medium.

The Philistines Reject David

^29:1 The entire Philistine army now mobilized at Aphek,

• The Philistines were preparing their armies for another war with Israel.

About 90 years earlier (Before Israel had a king.) 

^{4 : 1} And Samuel’s words went out to all the people of Israel.
The Philistines Capture the Ark
At that time Israel was at war with the Philistines. The Israelite army was camped near Ebenezer, and the Philistines were at Aphek. 

¹⁰ So the Philistines fought desperately, and Israel was defeated again. The slaughter was great; 30,000 Israelite soldiers died that day. The survivors turned and fled to their tents. ¹¹ The Ark of God was captured, and Hophni and Phinehas, the two sons of Eli, were killed.

• Israel had not effectively subdued the Philistine’s during Saul’s reign as king. 

and the Israelites camped at the spring in Jezreel. 

Refer to a map.

Aphek and Jezreel are about 40 miles apart. 

² As the Philistine rulers were leading out their troops in groups of hundreds and thousands, David and his men marched at the rear with King Achish.  

The Philistines had a large, powerful, well-trained army.

• David and his 600 soldiers were bringing up the rear of the Philistine procession. 

³ But the Philistine commanders demanded, “What are these Hebrews doing here?”
And Achish told them, “This is David, the servant of King Saul of Israel. He’s been with me for years, and I’ve never found a single fault in him from the day he arrived until today.”

To Achish, David was a valued defector.

• Achish thought of David as an honorable and righteous man.

Achish defended David.

David’s tactics described in 27:10-12 were highly successful.

1 Samuel 27:10-12 NLT
¹⁰ “Where did you make your raid today?” Achish would ask.
And David would reply, “Against the south of Judah, the Jerahmeelites, and the Kenites.”
¹¹ No one was left alive to come to Gath and tell where he had really been. This happened again and again while he was living among the Philistines. ¹² Achish believed David and thought to himself, “By now the people of Israel must hate him bitterly. Now he will have to stay here and serve me forever!” 

⁴ But the Philistine commanders were angry. “Send him back to the town you’ve given him!” they demanded.

1 Samuel 27:6 NLT
⁶ So Achish gave him the town of Ziklag (which still belongs to the kings of Judah to this day), 

 “He can’t go into the battle with us. What if he turns against us in battle and becomes our adversary?

• The Philistine commanders, except for Achish, thought that David was a plant, planning to mount an attack from within the Philistine defenses.

In chapter 14 we read about Jonathan’s daring, but successful, attack on a Philistine outpost.

1 Samuel 14:21 NLT
²¹ Even the Hebrews who had previously gone over to the Philistine army revolted and joined in with Saul, Jonathan, and the rest of the Israelites. 

Is there any better way for him to reconcile himself with his master than by handing our heads over to him? 

Achish trusted David

but the other Philistine commanders did not trust David.

They were afraid that David, a Hebrew, would turn against the Philistines in order to be reconciled with Saul.

1 Samuel 17:51 NLT
⁵¹ Then David ran over and pulled Goliath’s sword from its sheath. David used it to kill him and cut off his head.
When the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they turned and ran.

1 Samuel 18:27 NLT
²⁷ he and his men went out and killed 200 Philistines. Then David fulfilled the king’s requirement by presenting all their foreskins to him. So Saul gave his daughter Michal to David to be his wife.

⁵ Isn’t this the same David about whom the women of Israel sing in their dances, 

‘Saul has killed his thousands,
and David his ten thousands’?”   1 Samuel 18:7

1 Samuel 18:7
This passage found in 1 Samuel 18:7 referred to slain Philistines. (And Achish still trusted David.)

• The fame of David had spread throughout the land.

• The Philistine commanders had good reason to doubt David’s loyalty to the Philistine army. 

⁶ So Achish finally summoned David and said to him, “I swear by the Lord that you have been a trustworthy ally.

For polytheistic people, it was quite acceptable to make an oath in the name of a god other than the gods they normally served.

Achish swore by the existence of David’s God.   Many in the pagan world knew about God. (King Darius and King Nebuchadnezzar- Daniel)

This oath by Achish makes Achish’s support of David appear to be genuine.  (Review verse 3.)

1 Samuel 29:3 NLT
… And Achish told them, “This is David, the servant of King Saul of Israel. He’s been with me for years, and I’ve never found a single fault in him from the day he arrived until today.” 

I think you should go with me into battle, for I’ve never found a single flaw in you from the day you arrived until today. But the other Philistine rulers won’t hear of it. ⁷ Please don’t upset them, but go back quietly.” 

• Against his will, Achish asked David to go back to Ziklag.

In this story, God was working through the Philistine commanders to keep David from fighting God’s chosen people.

If David had fought with the Philistine army, this would probably have prevented him from being accepted by Israel as king.

David would have been considered a traitor to his country.  The Israelites would have objected to having David as their king. 

• In this story God was working through the Philistine commanders to keep David from fighting God’s chosen people. 

⁸ “What have I done to deserve this treatment?” David demanded. “What have you ever found in your servant, that I can’t go and fight the enemies of my lord the king?”

• David pretends to be disappointed.

Who was “my lord the king”?

Was David referring to Achish, a Philistine king of Gath?  We can be sure this is what David wanted Achish to believe.

Or

Was David referring to Saul?

• David continued his deception.

Remember David’s own words:

1 Samuel 24:6 NLT
⁶ He said to his men, “The Lord forbid that I should do this to my lord the king. I shouldn’t attack the Lord’s anointed one, for the Lord himself has chosen him.”

1 Samuel 26:9 NLT
⁹ “No!” David said. “Don’t kill him. For who can remain innocent after attacking the Lord’s anointed one?

The providence of God kept David from fighting against the Lord’s anointed and his own countrymen. 

⁹ But Achish insisted, “As far as I’m concerned, you’re as perfect as an angel of God.

This sounds a bit extreme.

But the Philistine commanders are afraid to have you with them in the battle. ¹⁰ Now get up early in the morning, and leave with your men as soon as it gets light.”

¹¹ So David and his men headed back into the land of the Philistines, while the Philistine army went on to Jezreel.

Jezreel is where the Israelites were camped (verse 1).

Jezreel was frequently used as a major battlefield for many armies.

• David and his men headed back into the land of the Philistines, while the Philistine army went on to Jezreel.

In this story God was working through the Philistine commanders to keep David from fighting God’s chosen people.  If David had fought with the Philistine army, this would probably have prevented him from being accepted by Israel as king.

This chapter is an encouraging revelation of how God takes care of His own when they are under extreme stress and not entirely obedient.

“David’s sixteen months at Ziklag marked a low point in his spiritual walk with God.

He displayed a lack of faith in going there, as though God could not protect him in his own land;

he was not honest with Achish after he arrived there;

Significantly, too, it was during this time that his men nearly mutinied against him, not being sure that he was leading them aright.” (Constable Bible Commentary)

1 Samuel 30:6 NLT
⁶ David was now in great danger because all his men were very bitter about losing their sons and daughters, and they began to talk of stoning him. 

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Saul Consults a Medium (Part 2)

Read the entire chapter.

Don’t miss the point of this story by getting hung up on something that you don’t understand.

This is certainly not a “satanic” séance that it started out to be.

1 Samuel 28:12-25 NLT
Saul Consults a Medium (Part 2)

From the previous lesson:
¹¹ Finally, the woman said, “Well, whose spirit do you want me to call up?”
“Call up Samuel,” Saul replied. 

¹² When the woman saw Samuel, she screamed, “You’ve deceived me! You are Saul!”
¹³ “Don’t be afraid!” the king told her. “What do you see?”
“I see a god coming up out of the earth,” she said.
¹⁴ “What does he look like?” Saul asked.
“He is an old man wrapped in a robe,” she replied. Saul realized it was Samuel, and he fell to the ground before him.
¹⁵ “Why have you disturbed me by calling me back?” Samuel asked Saul.
“Because I am in deep trouble,” Saul replied. “The Philistines are at war with me, and God has left me and won’t reply by prophets or dreams. So I have called for you to tell me what to do.”
¹⁶ But Samuel replied, “Why ask me, since the Lord has left you and has become your enemy? ¹⁷ The Lord has done just as he said he would. He has torn the kingdom from you and given it to your rival, David. ¹⁸ The Lord has done this to you today because you refused to carry out his fierce anger against the Amalekites. ¹⁹ What’s more, the Lord will hand you and the army of Israel over to the Philistines tomorrow, and you and your sons will be here with me. The Lord will bring down the entire army of Israel in defeat.”
²⁰ Saul fell full length on the ground, paralyzed with fright because of Samuel’s words. He was also faint with hunger, for he had eaten nothing all day and all night.
²¹ When the woman saw how distraught he was, she said, “Sir, I obeyed your command at the risk of my life. ²² Now do what I say, and let me give you a little something to eat so you can regain your strength for the trip back.”
²³ But Saul refused to eat anything. Then his advisers joined the woman in urging him to eat, so he finally yielded and got up from the ground and sat on the couch.
²⁴ The woman had been fattening a calf, so she hurried out and killed it. She took some flour, kneaded it into dough and baked unleavened bread. ²⁵ She brought the meal to Saul and his advisers, and they ate it. Then they went out into the night.

Examine the Scriptures
Saul Consults a Medium (Part 2)
1 Samuel 28:12-25 NLT

From the previous lesson:
¹¹ Finally, the woman said, “Well, whose spirit do you want me to call up?”
“Call up Samuel,” Saul replied. 

¹² When the woman saw Samuel,

More than 50 translations say, “… when the woman saw Samuel …”.

• We cannot say with certainty who or what the woman saw when she called up the spirit of Samuel.

She may have seen Samuel. (A literal translation of verse 12.)

She may have seen the “spirit of Samuel”. (See verse 13.)

She may have seen an apparition (a ghostlike image of a person) of Samuel.

This does not seem to be a good fit for this passage.  It is more likely to be true in a “satanic” séance. 

she screamed, “You’ve deceived me! You are Saul!”

It appears that this was an extraordinary event for the woman, one in which she was not in control.

Things were happening that were far beyond the expectations of the medium.

By whatever means, the medium became aware of the fact she was dealing with Saul.

The medium understood her inability to raise the dead in this manner and she must have known that it must have happened by the power of God and that her disguised inquirer must be Saul.

Mediums and spiritists do not have access to the dead but communicate with evil spirits posing as people who have died, not the people themselves.

• Recognizing Saul for who he really was meant that the life of the medium was in danger.

• God was allowing things to happen in this séance that would be out of the control of any medium.

The medium would have expected to contact a demon who was impersonating Samuel.

Whatever the explanation of this séance, the medium was used in some way to communicate to Saul the impending battle that would bring about his death, would dash his hopes for a dynasty, and would conclude his reign with a devastating defeat of Israel that would leave the nation at the mercy of the Philistines. All this would come, as Samuel had previously announced. (NIV notes)

Note:  God revealed Moses and Elijah to Peter, James, and John at Jesus’ Transfiguration.
(Mark 9:1-13 and Matthew 17:1-9) 

¹³ “Don’t be afraid!” the king told her. “What do you see?”
“I see a god coming up out of the earth,” she said.

“A God” is a term used to describe a spirit of the dead in ancient Near Eastern texts.

At this time in history, pagans believed that a person becomes a god – a spirit possessing supernatural abilities – after death. (NLT notes)

• The medium saw something that she perceived to be a “spirit” of a former living person.

The medium and Saul were seeing either Samuel or a likeness of Samuel. 

¹⁴ “What does he look like?” Saul asked.
“He is an old man wrapped in a robe,” she replied. Saul realized it was Samuel,

• Saul’s response makes us think that he believed he was seeing Samuel.

God made Saul believed that he was seeing Samuel, or the spirit of Samuel.

An old man wrapped in a robe would have been as Saul remembers Saul.

1 Samuel 15:27 NLT
²⁷ As Samuel turned to go, Saul tried to hold him back and tore the hem of his robe.

and he fell to the ground before him.

Saul recognized Samuel and bowed before him out of respect.  This was hypocritical since Saul had not previously obeyed Samuel. 

¹⁵ “Why have you disturbed me by calling me back?” Samuel asked Saul.

Samuel had good reasons to feel disturbed.

Deuteronomy 18:9-14 NLT (previous lesson)
A Call to Holy Living
⁹ “When you enter the land the Lord your God is giving you, be very careful not to imitate the detestable customs of the nations living there. ¹⁰ For example, never sacrifice your son or daughter as a burnt offering. And do not let your people practice fortune-telling, or use sorcery, or interpret omens, or engage in witchcraft, ¹¹ or cast spells, or function as mediums or psychics, or call forth the spirits of the dead. ¹² Anyone who does these things is detestable to the Lord. It is because the other nations have done these detestable things that the Lord your God will drive them out ahead of you. ¹³ But you must be blameless before the Lord your God. ¹⁴ The nations you are about to displace consult sorcerers and fortune-tellers, but the Lord your God forbids you to do such things.” 

Leviticus 20:6 NLT
⁶ “I will also turn against those who commit spiritual prostitution by putting their trust in mediums or in those who consult the spirits of the dead. I will cut them off from the community.

• “Calling forth the spirits of the dead” is detestable to the Lord.

God told the Israelites not to consult the Spirit world.  He promised to reveal to them what they needed to know through the prophets.

Deuteronomy 18:18
I will raise up a prophet like you from among their fellow Israelites. I will put my words in his mouth, and he will tell the people everything I command him. 

Note:
Mediums are successful, at times, communicating with evil (Satanic) spirits posing as people who have died, not the people themselves.

Samuel may have felt that he was involved in an activity that was detestable to the Lord.

Or Samuel just didn’t want to be bothered by someone who didn’t listen to him while he was still alive. (My thoughts) 

“Because I am in deep trouble,” Saul replied. “The Philistines are at war with me, and God has left me and won’t reply by prophets or dreams. So I have called for you to tell me what to do.”

• Saul’s response makes us think that he believed he was talking to Samuel.

Saul was desperate for divine guidance.

Samuel’s appearance here could be explained as the intervention of the Lord who graciously permitted Saul one last encounter with the prophet whom he had first so long ago in pursuit of his father’s lost donkeys (1 Samuel 9:6-9). (The Bible Knowledge Commentary) 

¹⁶ But Samuel replied, “Why ask me, since the Lord has left you and has become your enemy? 

Saul’s real enemy is not the Philistines or the Amalekites (v. 18), it is God himself.

God had ceased speaking to Saul because Saul had stopped listening to God.

¹⁷ The Lord has done just as he said he would. He has torn the kingdom from you and given it to your rival, David. ¹⁸ The Lord has done this to you today because you refused to carry out his fierce anger against the Amalekites. ¹⁹ What’s more, the Lord will hand you and the army of Israel over to the Philistines tomorrow, and you and your sons will be here with me.

The “spirit” raised up by the medium speaks much as Samuel had spoken to Saul during his lifetime.

1 Samuel 16:14 NLT
¹⁴ Now the Spirit of the Lord had left Saul, and the Lord sent a tormenting spirit that filled him with depression and fear.

1 Samuel 15:28 NLT
And Samuel said to him, “The LORD has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today and has given it to someone else—one who is better than you. 

1 Samuel 16:13 NLT
¹³ So as David stood there among his brothers, Samuel took the flask of olive oil he had brought and anointed David with the oil. And the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon David from that day on. Then Samuel returned to Ramah.

1 Samuel 15:17-19 & 23 NLT
¹⁷ And Samuel told him, “Although you may think little of yourself, are you not the leader of the tribes of Israel? The Lord has anointed you king of Israel. ¹⁸ And the Lord sent you on a mission and told you, ‘Go and completely destroy the sinners, the Amalekites, until they are all dead.’ ¹⁹ Why haven’t you obeyed the Lord? Why did you rush for the plunder and do what was evil in the Lord’s sight?” 

²³ Rebellion is as sinful as witchcraft,
and stubbornness as bad as worshiping idols.
So because you have rejected the command of the Lord,
he has rejected you as king.”

1 Samuel 31:6 NLT
⁶ So Saul, his three sons, his armor bearer, and his troops all died together that same day.

and you and your sons will be here with me.

Saul and his sons will be dead and will be with those who died before him (Samuel).

The Lord will bring down the entire army of Israel in defeat.”

• Verses 1-19 appear to be a divine revelation from God to Saul, not a message from demonic spirits.

The Israelites were told not to consult the spirit world.  God promised to tell them everything he wants them to know.

Deuteronomy 18:9-18 NLT
A Call to Holy Living
⁹ “When you enter the land the Lord your God is giving you, be very careful not to imitate the detestable customs of the nations living there. ¹⁰ For example, never sacrifice your son or daughter as a burnt offering. And do not let your people practice fortune-telling, or use sorcery, or interpret omens, or engage in witchcraft, ¹¹ or cast spells, or function as mediums or psychics, or call forth the spirits of the dead. ¹² Anyone who does these things is detestable to the Lord. It is because the other nations have done these detestable things that the Lord your God will drive them out ahead of you. ¹³ But you must be blameless before the Lord your God. ¹⁴ The nations you are about to displace consult sorcerers and fortune-tellers, but the Lord your God forbids you to do such things.”
True and False Prophets
¹⁵ Moses continued, “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your fellow Israelites. You must listen to him. ¹⁶ For this is what you yourselves requested of the Lord your God when you were assembled at Mount Sinai. You said, ‘Don’t let us hear the voice of the Lord our God anymore or see this blazing fire, for we will die.’
¹⁷ “Then the Lord said to me, ‘What they have said is right. ¹⁸ I will raise up a prophet like you from among their fellow Israelites. I will put my words in his mouth, and he will tell the people everything I command him. 

An evil spirit would not deliver a true prophecy. Whatever the limits on a medium’s power normally were, in this case it appears that the Lord let her raise the spirit of Samuel himself. 

²⁰ Saul fell full length on the ground, paralyzed with fright because of Samuel’s words.

Saul was already “frantic with fear” before meeting with this medium.

1 Samuel 28:5 NLT
⁵ When Saul saw the vast Philistine army, he became frantic with fear.

Samuel’s words to Saul now left him completely “paralyzed with fright”.

• Saul was already “frantic with fear” before meeting with this medium. Samuel’s words to Saul now left him completely “paralyzed with fright”.

He was also faint with hunger, for he had eaten nothing all day and all night.
²¹ When the woman saw how distraught he was, she said, “Sir, I obeyed your command at the risk of my life. ²² Now do what I say, and let me give you a little something to eat so you can regain your strength for the trip back.”
²³ But Saul refused to eat anything. Then his advisers joined the woman in urging him to eat, so he finally yielded and got up from the ground and sat on the couch.
²⁴ The woman had been fattening a calf, so she hurried out and killed it. She took some flour, kneaded it into dough and baked unleavened bread. ²⁵ She brought the meal to Saul and his advisers, and they ate it.

Saul had a similar meal with Samuel just before his being anointed as king.

1 Samuel 9:22-24 NLT
²² Then Samuel brought Saul and his servant into the hall and placed them at the head of the table, honoring them above the thirty special guests. ²³ Samuel then instructed the cook to bring Saul the finest cut of meat, the piece that had been set aside for the guest of honor. ²⁴ So the cook brought in the meat and placed it before Saul. “Go ahead and eat it,” Samuel said. “I was saving it for you even before I invited these others!” So Saul ate with Samuel that day.

• This meal with an outlawed medium came shortly before Saul’s death.

Then they went out into the night.

• After reluctantly accepting refreshment from the medium, Saul and his advisors arose and walked out into the night.

0

Saul Consults a Medium

1 Samuel 28:1-11 NLT
Saul Consults a Medium
^28:1 About that time the Philistines mustered their armies for another war with Israel. King Achish told David, “You and your men will be expected to join me in battle.”
² “Very well!” David agreed. “Now you will see for yourself what we can do.”
Then Achish told David, “I will make you my personal bodyguard for life.”
³ Meanwhile, Samuel had died, and all Israel had mourned for him. He was buried in Ramah, his hometown. And Saul had banned from the land of Israel all mediums and those who consult the spirits of the dead.
⁴ The Philistines set up their camp at Shunem, and Saul gathered all the army of Israel and camped at Gilboa. ⁵ When Saul saw the vast Philistine army, he became frantic with fear. ⁶ He asked the Lord what he should do, but the Lord refused to answer him, either by dreams or by sacred lots or by the prophets. ⁷ Saul then said to his advisers, “Find a woman who is a medium, so I can go and ask her what to do.”
His advisers replied, “There is a medium at Endor.”
⁸ So Saul disguised himself by wearing ordinary clothing instead of his royal robes. Then he went to the woman’s home at night, accompanied by two of his men.
“I have to talk to a man who has died,” he said. “Will you call up his spirit for me?”
⁹ “Are you trying to get me killed?” the woman demanded. “You know that Saul has outlawed all the mediums and all who consult the spirits of the dead. Why are you setting a trap for me?”
¹⁰ But Saul took an oath in the name of the Lord and promised, “As surely as the Lord lives, nothing bad will happen to you for doing this.”
¹¹ Finally, the woman said, “Well, whose spirit do you want me to call up?”
“Call up Samuel,” Saul replied.

Examine the Scriptures

1 Samuel 28:1-11 NLT
Saul Consults a Medium 

^28:1 About that time the Philistines mustered their armies for another war with Israel. 

Another war.

War between the Israelites and Philistines was becoming routine.

2 Samuel 11:1 NLT
David and Bathsheba
^11:1 In the spring of the year, when kings normally go out to war, David sent Joab and the Israelite army to fight the Ammonites. They destroyed the Ammonite army and laid siege to the city of Rabbah. However, David stayed behind in Jerusalem.

• In Old Testament times, in the Near East, war with surrounding nations was a common occurrence.

• The Philistines decided to attack Israel. Apparently they wanted to gain control over the northern Jezreel Valley, a wide agriculturally rich plain. (v. 4) 

King Achish told David, “You and your men will be expected to join me in battle.” 

As mercenaries paid by Achish, David and him men would be expected to do as Achish requests.

Also, in ancient Near East accepting sanctuary in a country involved obligations of military service.

• In ancient Near East countries accepting sanctuary involved obligations of military service. 

² “Very well!” David agreed. “Now you will see for yourself what we can do.”

David’s response was ambiguous.

The same verse in other translations.

David said to Achish, “Very well, you shall know what your servant can do.” (ESV) 

David said, “Then you will see for yourself what your servant can do.” (NIV) 

“Excellent,” David answered Achish. “Now you’ll see for yourself what your servant can do.” (CEB)

• David’s response to King Achish was ambiguous. 

Then Achish told David, “I will make you my personal bodyguard for life.”

Clearly, Achish mistakenly believed David was going to be loyal to the Philistines for the rest of his life.

David may have been doing some things for the benefit of Israel, but he was in fact living a life of deception and lies.

Proverbs 6:16-19 NLT
¹⁶ There are six things the Lord hates—
no, seven things he detests:
¹⁷ haughty eyes,
a lying tongue,
hands that kill the innocent,
¹⁸ a heart that plots evil,
feet that race to do wrong,
¹⁹ a false witness who pours out lies,
a person who sows discord in a family.

Proverbs 12:22 NLT
²² The Lord detests lying lips,
but he delights in those who tell the truth.

If King Achish had learned what was really happening, David would have found himself in a very precarious situation.

• David was living a life of deception and lies.

• King Achish mistakenly believed David was going to be loyal to the Philistines for the rest of his life.

Back to Saul

³ Meanwhile, Samuel had died, and all Israel had mourned for him. He was buried in Ramah, his hometown.

The person Samuel was no longer an option available to Saul for counsel. 

And Saul had banned from the land of Israel all mediums and those who consult the spirits of the dead.

Here Saul did something right in the eyes of the Lord.

Saul would have known that Mosaic Law spoke against mediums and those who consult the spirits of the dead.

Leviticus 19:31 NLT
³¹ “Do not defile yourselves by turning to mediums or to those who consult the spirits of the dead. I am the Lord your God.

Leviticus 20:27 NLT
²⁷ “Men and women among you who act as mediums or who consult the spirits of the dead must be put to death by stoning. They are guilty of a capital offense.” 

Deuteronomy 18:9-13 NLT
A Call to Holy Living
⁹ “When you enter the land the Lord your God is giving you, be very careful not to imitate the detestable customs of the nations living there. ¹⁰ For example, never sacrifice your son or daughter as a burnt offering. And do not let your people practice fortune-telling, or use sorcery, or interpret omens, or engage in witchcraft, ¹¹ or cast spells, or function as mediums or psychics, or call forth the spirits of the dead. ¹² Anyone who does these things is detestable to the Lord. It is because the other nations have done these detestable things that the Lord your God will drive them out ahead of you. ¹³ But you must be blameless before the Lord your God.

• Saul had banned from the land of Israel all mediums and those who consult the spirits of the dead.

Question

Are people able to practice fortune-telling, or use sorcery, or interpret omens, or engage in witchcraft, ¹¹ or cast spells, or function as mediums or psychics, or call forth the spirits of the dead?

Note:
Mediums are successful, at times, communicating with evil (Satanic) spirits posing as people who have died not the people themselves.

Demonic practices do take place. 

⁴ The Philistines set up their camp at Shunem,

Repeat: Apparently, they wanted to gain control over the northern Jezreel Valley, a wide agriculturally rich plain. 

and Saul gathered all the army of Israel and camped at Gilboa. 

Gilboa was in the vicinity of Mount Gilboa. 

⁵ When Saul saw the vast Philistine army, he became frantic with fear.

Saul faced overwhelming odds as the Philistines prepared to attack.

Being estranged from the Lord would have added anxiety to Saul’s emotions.

If the Philistines successfully gained control over the northern Jezreel Valley, the nation of Israel would be cut in half geographically.

• When Saul saw the vast Philistine army, he became frantic with fear. 

 ⁶ He asked the Lord what he should do, but the Lord refused to answer him, either by dreams or by sacred lots or by the prophets. 

Dreams, sacred lots (Urim), or prophets were allowable means of determining the will of the Lord.

Saul knew of a time earlier in his life when God refused to answer him and at that time he suspected the reason for God’s refusal to answer his request.

1 Samuel 14:37 NLT
³⁷ So Saul asked God, “Should we go after the Philistines? Will you help us defeat them?” But God made no reply that day.
³⁸ Then Saul said to the leaders, “Something’s wrong! I want all my army commanders to come here. We must find out what sin was committed today. ³⁹ I vow by the name of the Lord who rescued Israel that the sinner will surely die, even if it is my own son Jonathan!” But no one would tell him what the trouble was.

1 Samuel 15:23 NLT
²³ Rebellion is as sinful as witchcraft,
and stubbornness as bad as worshiping idols.
So because you have rejected the command of the Lord,
he has rejected you as king.” 

• Saul asked the LORD what he should do, but the LORD refused to answer him.

⁷ Saul then said to his advisers, “Find a woman who is a medium, so I can go and ask her what to do.”

Saul turns to a pagan practice that he himself had outlawed.

Saul chooses to do something that he knows is wrong.

Saul is acting like a hypocrite, by saying one thing and doing something different.

Choices have consequences.

1 Chronicles 10:13-14 NLT
¹³ So Saul died because he was unfaithful to the Lord. He failed to obey the Lord’s command, and he even consulted a medium ¹⁴ instead of asking the Lord for guidance. So the Lord killed him and turned the kingdom over to David son of Jesse.

Saul’s behavior was not only wrong, but it was also foolish!

His advisers replied, “There is a medium at Endor.”

Saul’s advisors knew where to find a medium.

The location of the ancient site of Endor is widely debated and many locations have been suggested. From the biblical accounts, an Endor that is located on the south edge of the Jezreel Valley seems to fit best. (Wikipedia) Our map locates Endor north of Shunem.

• Saul turns to the pagan practice of consulting mediums that he himself had outlawed. Saul’s behavior was not only wrong, it was foolish! 

⁸ So Saul disguised himself by wearing ordinary clothing instead of his royal robes. Then he went to the woman’s home at night, accompanied by two of his men.

If Endor was located north of Shunem, as our map shows, Saul would have had to pass through the territory occupied by the Philistines.

“I have to talk to a man who has died,” he said. “Will you call up his spirit for me?”

⁹ “Are you trying to get me killed?” the woman demanded. “You know that Saul has outlawed all the mediums and all who consult the spirits of the dead. Why are you setting a trap for me?”

The woman knew that Saul had banned all mediums and those who consult the spirits of the dead from the land of Israel.

Mediums caught “consulting the spirits of the dead” faced execution.

Leviticus 20:27 NLT
²⁷ “Men and women among you who act as mediums or who consult the spirits of the dead must be put to death by stoning. They are guilty of a capital offense.” 

¹⁰ But Saul took an oath in the name of the Lord and promised, “As surely as the Lord lives, nothing bad will happen to you for doing this.”

While blatantly walking in disobedience to God, Saul uses the phrase “As surely as the Lord lives.”  An oath like this invokes the Lord’s involvement.  Saul really doesn’t want this.

Scripture tells us not to take an oath.

James 5:12 NLT
¹² But most of all, my brothers and sisters, never take an oath, by heaven or earth or anything else. Just say a simple yes or no, so that you will not sin and be condemned.

Repeat Leviticus 20:27

Apparently Saul’s oath put the woman at ease. 

¹¹ Finally, the woman said, “Well, whose spirit do you want me to call up?”
“Call up Samuel,” Saul replied.

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Introduction:

A lesson for us and a lesson to pass on to the next generation.

1 Samuel 27 NLT
David among the Philistines
^27:1 But David kept thinking to himself, “Someday Saul is going to get me. The best thing I can do is escape to the Philistines. Then Saul will stop hunting for me in Israelite territory, and I will finally be safe.”
² So David took his 600 men and went over and joined Achish son of Maoch, the king of Gath. ³ David and his men and their families settled there with Achish at Gath. David brought his two wives along with him—Ahinoam from Jezreel and Abigail, Nabal’s widow from Carmel. ⁴ Word soon reached Saul that David had fled to Gath, so he stopped hunting for him.
⁵ One day David said to Achish, “If it is all right with you, we would rather live in one of the country towns instead of here in the royal city.”
⁶ So Achish gave him the town of Ziklag (which still belongs to the kings of Judah to this day), ⁷ and they lived there among the Philistines for a year and four months.
⁸ David and his men spent their time raiding the Geshurites, the Girzites, and the Amalekites—people who had lived near Shur, toward the land of Egypt, since ancient times. ⁹ David did not leave one person alive in the villages he attacked. He took the sheep, goats, cattle, donkeys, camels, and clothing before returning home to see King Achish.
¹⁰ “Where did you make your raid today?” Achish would ask.
And David would reply, “Against the south of Judah, the Jerahmeelites, and the Kenites.”
¹¹ No one was left alive to come to Gath and tell where he had really been. This happened again and again while he was living among the Philistines. ¹² Achish believed David and thought to himself, “By now the people of Israel must hate him bitterly. Now he will have to stay here and serve me forever!”

Examine the Scriptures

1 Samuel 27 NLT
David among the Philistines 

^27:1 But David kept thinking to himself, “Someday Saul is going to get me.

Two other translations:

Then David said in his heart, “Now I shall perish one day by the hand of Saul. (ESV) 

But David thought to himself, “One of these days I will be destroyed by the hand of Saul. (NIV)

• David falters in his faith.

Sometimes we falter in our faith.

Events David needed to remember:

1 Samuel 16:13 NLT
¹³ So as David stood there among his brothers, Samuel took the flask of olive oil he had brought and anointed David with the oil. And the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon David from that day on. Then Samuel returned to Ramah.

1 Samuel 23:14 NLT
¹⁴ David now stayed in the strongholds of the wilderness and in the hill country of Ziph. Saul hunted him day after day, but God didn’t let Saul find him.

1 Samuel 23:17 NLT
¹⁷ “Don’t be afraid,” Jonathan reassured him. “My father will never find you! You are going to be the king of Israel, and I will be next to you, as my father, Saul, is well aware.”

1 Samuel 24:20 NLT
²⁰ And now I (Saul) realize that you are surely going to be king, and that the kingdom of Israel will flourish under your rule.

1 Samuel 26:25 NLT (previous passage)
²⁵ And Saul said to David, “Blessings on you, my son David. You will do many heroic deeds, and you will surely succeed.” Then David went away, and Saul returned home.

1 Samuel 25:29-31 NLT Abigail
²⁹ “Even when you are chased by those who seek to kill you, your life is safe in the care of the Lord your God, secure in his treasure pouch! But the lives of your enemies will disappear like stones shot from a sling! ³⁰ When the Lord has done all he promised and has made you leader of Israel, ³¹ don’t let this be a blemish on your record. Then your conscience won’t have to bear the staggering burden of needless bloodshed and vengeance. And when the Lord has done these great things for you, please remember me, your servant!” 

REMEMBER all that God has done for you in the past.

David’s own words:

1 Chronicles 16:11-12 NLT
¹¹ Search for the Lord and for his strength;
continually seek him.
¹² Remember the wonders he has performed,
his miracles, and the rulings he has given,

Psalm 78:4 NLT (A psalm of Asaph.)
⁴ We will not hide these truths from our children;
we will tell the next generation
about the glorious deeds of the Lord,
about his power and his mighty wonders.                                                  

• Remind yourself of everything God has done for you.

 The best thing I can do is escape to the Philistines. Then Saul will stop hunting for me in Israelite territory, and I will finally be safe.”

David does not appear to be seeking God’s guidance like he has done in the past.

One example of this.

1 Samuel 23:2-4 NLT
² David asked the Lord, “Should I go and attack them?”
“Yes, go and save Keilah,” the Lord told him.
³ But David’s men said, “We’re afraid even here in Judah. We certainly don’t want to go to Keilah to fight the whole Philistine army!”
⁴ So David asked the Lord again, and again the Lord replied, “Go down to Keilah, for I will help you conquer the Philistines.”

David does not refer to God anywhere in this chapter.

We all need to remember to:

Proverbs 3:5-6 NLT
⁵ Trust in the Lord with all your heart;
do not depend on your own understanding.
⁶ Seek his will in all you do,
and he will show you which path to take.

A reminder for us here today.

• • • Seek God’s will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.

• David decides that he can no longer stay in Israel. 

² So David took his 600 men and went over and joined Achish son of Maoch, the king of Gath. 

For the second time David seeks refuge in the land of the Philistines. (David is now known by the Philistines as a formidable adversary of Saul.) 

³ David and his men and their families settled there with Achish at Gath.

Gath was one of the five great Philistine cities.

This was the final stage of David’s “outlaw” career.

David and his men present themselves to king Achish as mercenaries.

Mercenaries are soldiers who fight for money, not loyalty or ideology. They have been hired by kings, empires, and warlords throughout history. 

David brought his two wives along with him—Ahinoam from Jezreel and Abigail, Nabal’s widow from Carmel. 

David and his 600 men and their families move to Gath.  Though David is the rightful king of Israel, he believes that he must remain in exile for the time being. 

⁴ Word soon reached Saul that David had fled to Gath, so he stopped hunting for him.

Saul would now have to take on the Philistines to get to David.

With David out of the country he would not appear to be as much of a threat to Saul.

• Saul stops hunting for David. 

⁵ One day David said to Achish, “If it is all right with you, we would rather live in one of the country towns instead of here in the royal city.”

David wanted to get away from the watchful eye of Achish.  He wanted the freedom to act without interference. 

⁶ So Achish gave him the town of Ziklag (which still belongs to the kings of Judah to this day), ⁷ and they lived there among the Philistines for a year and four months.

At this point in time Ziklag was a Philistine town.

In Ziklag David could come and go without constant observation by the Philistines.

David lived in Ziklag until the time of Saul’s death.

• David and his men move to Ziklag, away from the watchful eye of Achish. 

⁸ David and his men spent their time raiding the Geshurites, the Girzites, and the Amalekites—people who had lived near Shur, toward the land of Egypt, since ancient times. 

David pretends to be loyal to Achish by attacking various non-Israelite people in the area while giving Achish that he is attacking Israel itself.

The Geshurites, living in an area south of Philistia, were not defeated at the time of the conquest of the Promised Land.

The Girzites are not mentioned anywhere else in the Old Testament.

The Amalekites were bitter foes of Israel.

All three groups were troublesome to both the Philistines and the Israelites.

David was clearing the Promised Land of Israel’s enemies so that the Israelites could occupy the land.

• David pretends to be loyal to Achish by attacking various non-Israelite people in the area while giving Achish that he is attacking Israel itself. 

⁹ David did not leave one person alive in the villages he attacked.

¹¹ No one was left alive to come to Gath and tell where he had really been.

Deuteronomy 20:16-18
¹⁶ In those towns that the Lord your God is giving you as a special possession, destroy every living thing. ¹⁷ You must completely destroy the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, just as the Lord your God has commanded you. ¹⁸ This will prevent the people of the land from teaching you to imitate their detestable customs in the worship of their gods, which would cause you to sin deeply against the Lord your God.

He took the sheep, goats, cattle, donkeys, camels, and clothing before returning home to see King Achish.

This would provide David and his men additional resources necessary for his men and their families to survive. (refer to comments under verse 3)

¹⁰ “Where did you make your raid today?” Achish would ask.

And David would reply, “Against the south of Judah, the Jerahmeelites (on friendly terms with David – descendants of Judah), and the Kenites (on friendly terms with the Israelites).”

David lied.

• Achish believed that David was attacking the outposts of Israel itself. He believed that David was being loyal to the Philistines.

¹¹ No one was left alive to come to Gath and tell where he had really been. This happened again and again while he was living among the Philistines.  

¹² Achish believed David and thought to himself, “By now the people of Israel must hate him bitterly. Now he will have to stay here and serve me forever!”

At this point in time David had Achish fooled.

Proverbs 1:32 NLT
Fools are destroyed by their own complacency.

If David had been raiding the southern portions of Judah, he would have alienated himself from the Israelites and would have become dependent on the Philistines.

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