Joab Murders Abner

Introduction:

Joab is an example of an individual following the desires of his sinful nature.

The sinful nature wants to do evil … Galatians 5:17 NLT

Note the destructive forces of sin in this story.

2 Samuel 3:22-39 NLT
Joab Murders Abner
²² But just after David had sent Abner away in safety, Joab and some of David’s troops returned from a raid, bringing much plunder with them. ²³ When Joab arrived, he was told that Abner had just been there visiting the king and had been sent away in safety.
²⁴ Joab rushed to the king and demanded, “What have you done? What do you mean by letting Abner get away? ²⁵ You know perfectly well that he came to spy on you and find out everything you’re doing!”
²⁶ Joab then left David and sent messengers to catch up with Abner, asking him to return. They found him at the well of Sirah and brought him back, though David knew nothing about it. ²⁷ When Abner arrived back at Hebron, Joab took him aside at the gateway as if to speak with him privately. But then he stabbed Abner in the stomach and killed him in revenge for killing his brother Asahel.
²⁸ When David heard about it, he declared, “I vow by the Lord that I and my kingdom are forever innocent of this crime against Abner son of Ner. ²⁹ Joab and his family are the guilty ones. May the family of Joab be cursed in every generation with a man who has open sores or leprosy or who walks on crutches or dies by the sword or begs for food!”
³⁰ So Joab and his brother Abishai killed Abner because Abner had killed their brother Asahel at the battle of Gibeon.

David Mourns Abner’s Death

³¹ Then David said to Joab and all those who were with him, “Tear your clothes and put on burlap. Mourn for Abner.” And King David himself walked behind the procession to the grave. ³² They buried Abner in Hebron, and the king and all the people wept at his graveside. ³³ Then the king sang this funeral song for Abner:
“Should Abner have died as fools die?
³⁴ Your hands were not bound;
your feet were not chained.
No, you were murdered—
the victim of a wicked plot.”
All the people wept again for Abner. ³⁵ David had refused to eat anything on the day of the funeral, and now everyone begged him to eat. But David had made a vow, saying, “May God strike me and even kill me if I eat anything before sundown.”
³⁶ This pleased the people very much. In fact, everything the king did pleased them! ³⁷ So everyone in Judah and all Israel understood that David was not responsible for Abner’s murder.
³⁸ Then King David said to his officials, “Don’t you realize that a great commander has fallen today in Israel? ³⁹ And even though I am the anointed king, these two sons of Zeruiah—Joab and Abishai—are too strong for me to control. So may the Lord repay these evil men for their evil deeds.”

Examine the Scriptures

2 Samuel 3:22-39 NLT
Joab Murders Abner 

²² But just after David had sent Abner away in safety,

Previous lesson:

2 Samuel 3:20-21
²⁰ When Abner and twenty of his men came to Hebron, David entertained them with a great feast. ²¹ Then Abner said to David, “Let me go and call an assembly of all Israel to support my lord the king. They will make a covenant with you to make you their king, and you will rule over everything your heart desires.” So David sent Abner safely on his way.

• David was at peace with Abner and now treated him as a friend and ally.

Joab and some of David’s troops returned from a raid, bringing much plunder with them. 

Remember: Joab was the commander of David’s army.

No details of this raid are given.  We do know, however, this is what armies did routinely.

2 Samuel 11:1 NLT
^11:1 In the spring of the year, when kings normally go out to war, David sent Joab and the Israelite army to fight ….

1 Chronicles 20:1 NLT
^20:1 In the spring of the year, when kings normally go out to war, Joab led the Israelite army in successful attacks … 

²³ When Joab arrived, he was told that Abner had just been there visiting the king and had been sent away in safety. 

²⁴ Joab rushed to the king and demanded, “What have you done? What do you mean by letting Abner get away? 

• Joab was upset when he found out that David had entertained Abner with a great feast.

2 Samuel 3:20 NLT
²⁰ When Abner and twenty of his men came to Hebron, David entertained them with a great feast.

Joab would have viewed Abner as the enemy.

Abner was the rival commander-in-chief.

Joab wanted revenge (verse 27) not reconciliation.

Joab was upset when he found out that David had entertained Abner with a great feast.

In addition to wanting revenge for the death of his brother, Joab appears to be jealous of the attention Abner was getting from David.

(If it wasn’t jealousy, it was one of the sins listed in Galatians 5:19-21.)

Jealousy (sin) is a serious and destructive problem.

James 3:16 NLT
¹⁶ For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind.

Proverbs 14:30 NLT
³⁰ A peaceful heart leads to a healthy body;
jealousy is like cancer in the bones.

Proverbs 27:4 LT
⁴ Anger is cruel, and wrath is like a flood,
but jealousy is even more dangerous. 

²⁵ You know perfectly well that he came to spy on you

Many translations say:

came to deceive you

• Joab accused Abner of deception. 

and find out everything you’re doing!”

Joab accused Abner of being a spy.

• Joab tries to discredit Abner in David’s eyes. 

²⁶ Joab then left David and sent messengers to catch up with Abner, asking him to return. They found him at the well of Sirah

Sirah is about 2.5 miles north of Hebron. ???  Precise location of the well is unknown. 

and brought him back,

Joab is being deceptive. 

though David knew nothing about it.  

(This will be addressed in more detail later in this lesson.) 

²⁷ When Abner arrived back at Hebron, Joab took him aside at the gateway as if to speak with him privately.

• Joab deceived Abner (refer to verse 25). 

But then he stabbed Abner in the stomach and killed him in revenge for killing his brother Asahel.

Remember: Joab and Asahel were brothers.

1 Chronicles 2:13-16 NLT
¹³ Jesse’s … seventh was David.
¹⁶ Their sisters were named Zeruiah and Abigail. Zeruiah had three sons named Abishai, Joab, and Asahel.

Abishai was a part of this plot.

In verse 30 we read:  So Joab and his brother Abishai killed Abner.

Reasons for Joab to dislike Abner included:

Abner was the rival commander-in-chief,
Abner was highly respected (cf. v. 38).
Abner was a threat to Joab’s career advancement,
Abner had killed his brother, Asahel, in battle (v. 30).

These are all possible reasons for Joab’s jealousy.

Joab was a murderer. His killing of Abner was the result of a blood feud; it was not an act of war. (blood vengeance)

Abner had killed Asahel in the course of battle.

• Joab killed Abner in revenge for killing his brother Asahel.

Romans 12:19 NLT
¹⁹ Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say,
“I will take revenge;
I will pay them back,”
says the Lord.

Note:  (This may or may not apply here.)

Hebron was a city of refuge

Joshua 21:13 NLT
¹³ The following towns with their pasturelands were given to the descendants of Aaron the priest: Hebron (a city of refuge for those who accidentally killed someone), 

2 Samuel 2:22 NLT
²² Again Abner shouted to him, “Get away from here! I don’t want to kill you. How could I ever face your brother Joab again?”

Where such revenge was not permitted. 

²⁸ When David heard about it, he declared, “I vow by the Lord that I and my kingdom are forever innocent of this crime against Abner son of Ner. 

• David was very careful to let everyone know that Abner’s murder was Joab’s doing and not his.

If it had been David’s doing, he would have lost the support of the northern tribes. 

²⁹ Joab and his family are the guilty ones. May the family of Joab be cursed in every generation with a man who has open sores or leprosy or who walks on crutches or dies by the sword or begs for food!”

Remember, Joab was a nephew of David.

• David cursed Joab, but at this point in time Joab was not punished for murdering Abner.

³⁰ So Joab and his brother Abishai killed Abner because Abner had killed their brother Asahel at the battle of Gibeon.

David Mourns Abner’s Death

• David cursed Joab (his nephew) and mourns for Abner (a former adversary).

³¹ Then David said to Joab and all those who were with him,

“Tear your clothes and put on burlap. Mourn for Abner.”

• Joab was compelled, by David, to join the mourners. 

And King David himself walked behind the procession to the grave. 

Note: The writer refers to David as “King David”.

David’s public presence in the mourning procession communicated to the public that he respected Abner and had not ordered Abner’s killing.

³² They buried Abner in Hebron,

This was another indication that Abner had shifted his support from Saul to David.

 and the king and all the people wept at his graveside. 

³³ Then the king sang this funeral song for Abner:

“Should Abner have died as fools die?

Abner had been deceived by Joab, an enemy posing as a friend.

³⁴ Your hands were not bound;
your feet were not chained.
No, you were murdered—
the victim of a wicked plot.”

A seasoned warrior became the victim of a wicked plot.

David’s compassion and forgiving spirit toward Abner are evident here, qualities that separated him from most other men.

• David’s funeral song reflected his respect for Abner. 

All the people wept again for Abner. ³⁵ David had refused to eat anything on the day of the funeral, and now everyone begged him to eat. But David had made a vow, saying, “May God strike me and even kill me if I eat anything before sundown.” 

³⁶ This pleased the people very much. In fact, everything the king did pleased them! ³⁷ So everyone in Judah and all Israel understood that David was not responsible for Abner’s murder. 

• Judah and Israel were gradually coming back together, 

³⁸ Then King David said to his officials, “Don’t you realize that a great commander has fallen today in Israel? 

Here again David shows high respect for Abner. 

³⁹ And even though I am the anointed king, these two sons of Zeruiah—Joab and Abishai—are too strong for me to control.

• David admits that Joab and Abishai are too strong for his to control.

We know from previous lessons that in the northern kingdom Abner, the commander of Ishbosheth’s army, was more powerful than Ishbosheth the king.

In the same way, David, the king of Judah, had, at times, difficulty controlling Joab, the commander of his army.

Joab was a brave, competent, and skilled military leader.
Joab won many key battles for David.
Joab was able to influence David’s decisions.
At times Joab acted in his own interest.
At times Joab disregarded David’s orders.
At times Juab’s actions were ruthless.
At times David was unable to control Joab. 

So may the Lord repay these evil men for their evil deeds.”

Even though David felt that he could not control Joab, he had faith that God would repay Joab for killing Abner. 

Note:

Joab is still in the picture when David is on his deathbed.

David’s final instructions to Solomon.

1 Kings 2:5-6 NLT
⁵ “And there is something else. You know what Joab son of Zeruiah did to me when he murdered my two army commanders, Abner son of Ner and Amasa son of Jether. He pretended that it was an act of war, but it was done in a time of peace, staining his belt and sandals with innocent blood. ⁶ Do with him what you think best, but don’t let him grow old and go to his grave in peace.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Abner Joins Forces with David

Previous lesson:

A disastrous civil war. (A war between citizens of the same country.)

Abner was the commander of Ishbosheth’s army.

Joab was the commander of David’s army.

David’s real rival in the North was Abner, not Ishbosheth.

Abner knew David from the time David had killed Goliath.

Abner knew Joab, Abishai, and Asahel well.

We ended our previous lesson with both armies calling for a truce and going back to their hometowns.

Today’s lesson.

Abner Joins Forces with David (Remember, Abner was the commander of Ishbosheth’s army.)

2 Samuel 3:1-21 NLT
^3:1 That was the beginning of a long war between those who were loyal to Saul and those loyal to David. As time passed David became stronger and stronger, while Saul’s dynasty became weaker and weaker.
David’s Sons Born in Hebron
² These are the sons who were born to David in Hebron:
The oldest was Amnon, whose mother was Ahinoam from Jezreel.
³ The second was Daniel, whose mother was Abigail, the widow of Nabal from Carmel.
The third was Absalom, whose mother was Maacah, the daughter of Talmai, king of Geshur.
⁴ The fourth was Adonijah, whose mother was Haggith.
The fifth was Shephatiah, whose mother was Abital.
⁵ The sixth was Ithream, whose mother was Eglah, David’s wife.
These sons were all born to David in Hebron.
Abner Joins Forces with David
⁶ As the war between the house of Saul and the house of David went on, Abner became a powerful leader among those loyal to Saul. ⁷ One day Ishbosheth, Saul’s son, accused Abner of sleeping with one of his father’s concubines, a woman named Rizpah, daughter of Aiah.
⁸ Abner was furious. “Am I some Judean dog to be kicked around like this?” he shouted. “After all I have done for your father, Saul, and his family and friends by not handing you over to David, is this my reward—that you find fault with me about this woman? ⁹ May God strike me and even kill me if I don’t do everything I can to help David get what the Lord has promised him! ¹⁰ I’m going to take Saul’s kingdom and give it to David. I will establish the throne of David over Israel as well as Judah, all the way from Dan in the north to Beersheba in the south.” ¹¹ Ishbosheth didn’t dare say another word because he was afraid of what Abner might do.
¹² Then Abner sent messengers to David, saying, “Doesn’t the entire land belong to you? Make a solemn pact with me, and I will help turn over all of Israel to you.”
¹³ “All right,” David replied, “but I will not negotiate with you unless you bring back my wife Michal, Saul’s daughter, when you come.”
¹⁴ David then sent this message to Ishbosheth, Saul’s son: “Give me back my wife Michal, for I bought her with the lives of 100 Philistines.”
¹⁵ So Ishbosheth took Michal away from her husband, Palti son of Laish. ¹⁶ Palti followed along behind her as far as Bahurim, weeping as he went. Then Abner told him, “Go back home!” So Palti returned.¹⁷ Meanwhile, Abner had consulted with the elders of Israel. “For some time now,” he told them, “you have wanted to make David your king. ¹⁸ Now is the time! For the Lord has said, ‘I have chosen David to save my people Israel from the hands of the Philistines and from all their other enemies.’” ¹⁹ Abner also spoke with the men of Benjamin. Then he went to Hebron to tell David that all the people of Israel and Benjamin had agreed to support him.
²⁰ When Abner and twenty of his men came to Hebron, David entertained them with a great feast. ²¹ Then Abner said to David, “Let me go and call an assembly of all Israel to support my lord the king. They will make a covenant with you to make you their king, and you will rule over everything your heart desires.” So David sent Abner safely on his way.

Examine the Scriptures

2 Samuel 3:1-21 NLT

^3:1 That was the beginning of a long war between those who were loyal to Saul and those loyal to David.

• A long war began between those who were loyal to Saul and those loyal to David.

The truce called by Joab and Abner was short-lived.

2 Samuel 2:26-28 NLT
²⁶ Abner shouted down to Joab, “Must we always be killing each other? Don’t you realize that bitterness is the only result? When will you call off your men from chasing their Israelite brothers?”
²⁷ Then Joab said, “God only knows what would have happened if you hadn’t spoken, for we would have chased you all night if necessary.” ²⁸ So Joab blew the ram’s horn, and his men stopped chasing the troops of Israel.

The civil war occurred during the time David was the ruler of Judah (This civil war lasted between 2-7 years).

The supporters of Saul’s family wanted to limit David’s reign to Judah.

Those of David’s dynasty were convinced that it was time for David to become the ruler of the entire nation of Israel. 

As time passed David became stronger and stronger, while Saul’s dynasty became weaker and weaker.

• As time passed David became stronger and stronger, while Saul’s dynasty became weaker and weaker.

• One way David’s dynasty became stronger was by David marrying more wives and having more sons.

David’s Sons Born in Hebron

² These are the sons who were born to David in Hebron:
The oldest was Amnon, whose mother was Ahinoam from Jezreel.
³ The second was Daniel, whose mother was Abigail, the widow of Nabal from Carmel.

Daniel is Kilead in Hebrew.

Chileab is the name used in many translations. 

The third was Absalom, whose mother was Maacah, the daughter of Talmai, king of Geshur.

Geshur is a small Canaanite Kingdom located east of the Jordan River, north of the Sea of Galilee.

Talmai, king of Geshur, would be an ally to David on Ishbosheth’ northern border.

Marrying into neighboring royal families to create political alliances was a common practice in the ancient Near East.

Solomon carried out this practice and it led to his downfall.

• Marrying into neighboring royal families to create political alliances was a common practice in the ancient Near East.

⁴ The fourth was Adonijah, whose mother was Haggith.
The fifth was Shephatiah, whose mother was Abital.
⁵ The sixth was Ithream, whose mother was Eglah, David’s wife.
These sons were all born to David in Hebron.

More about these sons in future lessons.

Abner Joins Forces with David

⁶ As the war between the house of Saul and the house of David went on, Abner became a powerful leader among those loyal to Saul. 

Abner, the commander of Ishbosheth’s army, became a powerful leader among those loyal to Saul.

Abner was the one who put Ishbosheth on the throne and whose power held him there.

Ishbosheth was simply a figurehead.

• As time passed Abner began to make his own move to take the throne.

See verse 10:
I’m going to take Saul’s kingdom and give it to David.

⁷ One day Ishbosheth, Saul’s son, accused Abner of sleeping with one of his father’s concubines, a woman named Rizpah, daughter of Aiah.

• Conflict breaks out between Ishbosheth and Abner. (This won’t be good for Ishbosheth.)

Great significance was attached to taking the concubine of a former king.

It is unclear whether Abner actually did so.

Taking a king’s wife or concubine was often a usurper’s attempt to replace the king.

Going in to the king’s concubine was a statement of power and rightful claim to the throne.

If a royal concubine had a son, this son, according to custom, could become king one day.

This could be considered an act of treason (attempting to overthrow the government).

This happened with ten of David’s concubines and David’s son Absalom.

2 Samuel 16:21 NLT Ahithophel Advises Absalom
²¹ Ahithophel told him, “Go and sleep with your father’s concubines, for he has left them here to look after the palace. Then all Israel will know that you have insulted your father beyond hope of reconciliation, and they will throw their support to you.”

• Going in to the king’s concubine was a statement of power and rightful claim to the throne.

⁸ Abner was furious. “Am I some Judean dog to be kicked around like this?” he shouted. “After all I have done for your father, Saul, and his family and friends by not handing you over to David, is this my reward—that you find fault with me about this woman? 

Abner was furious with Ishbosheth.

Remember, Abner had control over the life and death of Saul’s son.

• Abner was furious with Ishbosheth. 

⁹ May God strike me and even kill me if I don’t do everything I can to help David get what the Lord has promised him! 

• It is clear that Abner had “political” ambitions. He wasn’t about to let Ishbosheth get in his way.

• Abner was aware of God’s plan for David.

If Abner was aware of God’s plans for David, then many other people throughout Israel also must have known it.

1 Samuel 13:13-14 NLT
¹³ “How foolish!” Samuel exclaimed (to Saul). “You have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you. Had you kept it, the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. ¹⁴ But now your kingdom must end, for the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart. The Lord has already appointed him to be the leader of his people, because you have not kept the Lord’s command.”

• Abner was committing himself to help David become the King of all of Israel. 

¹⁰ I’m going to take Saul’s kingdom and give it to David. I will establish the throne of David over Israel as well as Judah, all the way from Dan in the north to Beersheba in the south.” 

Abner was a very powerful man.  (As stated before, Abner was the real power in the Northern kingdom.)

Abner was committing to help establish the throne of David over Israel as well as Judah.

This sounds like God’s plan for David. 

¹¹ Ishbosheth didn’t dare say another word because he was afraid of what Abner might do.

Ishbosheth knew that Abner was the real power behind the throne.

Ishbosheth did not dare go against Abner’s wishes. 

¹² Then Abner sent messengers to David, saying, “Doesn’t the entire land belong to you? Make a solemn pact with me, and I will help turn over all of Israel to you.”

Being aware of God’s plan for David, Abner was setting himself up for a leadership position in David’s kingdom.

• Abner wants assurance that he will not face reprisals for his past loyalty to the house of Saul.

Abner wanted to be on the winning side and to be honored as the one who brought all the people under David’s rule. 

¹³ “All right,” David replied, “but I will not negotiate with you unless you bring back my wife Michal, Saul’s daughter, when you come.”

David demanded that Abner restore, as a sign of his good faith, his long-separated wife, Michal to him.

¹⁴ David then sent this message to Ishbosheth, Saul’s son: “Give me back my wife Michal, for I bought her with the lives of 100 Philistines.”

• David felt that Michal legally belonged to him since he had paid the “bride price” for her.

• David wanted Ishbosheth, Saul’s son, not Abner to give Michal back to David. This would make the act more official.

• Also, in the minds of the people (the northern elders), the reunion of David and Michal would strengthen David’s claim to the throne as a legitimate son-in-law of Saul. 

¹⁵ So Ishbosheth took Michal away from her husband, Palti son of Laish. ¹⁶ Palti followed along behind her as far as Bahurim, weeping as he went. Then Abner told him, “Go back home!” So Palti returned. 

¹⁷ Meanwhile, Abner had consulted with the elders of Israel. “For some time now,” he told them, “you have wanted to make David your king. 

More political maneuvers on the part of Abner.

• Apparently, the elders of Israel had begun supporting the idea of making David king over Israel.

(There has been no mention of this support up to this time.)

¹⁸ Now is the time! For the Lord has said, ‘I have chosen David to save my people Israel from the hands of the Philistines and from all their other enemies.’” 

By this time, it appears that Samuel’s anointing of David had become common knowledge.

Saul had failed to save the Israelites from the Philistines.

1 Samuel 9:16 NLT
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.”

• Abner was actively advocating the idea of David becoming the rightful king over all of Israel. 

¹⁹ Abner also spoke with the men of Benjamin.

The men of Benjamin, men from Saul’s own tribe, would have been Ishbosheth’s primary supporters.

• Abner persuaded the men of Benjamin that the rule of David over them was in their best interest. 

Then he went to Hebron to tell David that all the people of Israel and Benjamin had agreed to support him. 

²⁰ When Abner and twenty of his men came to Hebron, David entertained them with a great feast.

• David was at peace with Abner and now treated him as a friend and ally.

Remember: Abner and David knew each other from the time David had killed Goliath.

 ²¹ Then Abner said to David, “Let me go and call an assembly of all Israel to support my lord the king. They will make a covenant with you to make you their king, and you will rule over everything your heart desires.”

This covenant would unite the north and south with David as their king.

So David sent Abner safely on his way.

War between Israel and Judah

Introduction:

A disastrous civil war.

2 Samuel 2:12-32 NLT
¹² One day Abner led Ishbosheth’s troops from Mahanaim to Gibeon. ¹³ About the same time, Joab son of Zeruiah led David’s troops out and met them at the pool of Gibeon. The two groups sat down there, facing each other from opposite sides of the pool.
¹⁴ Then Abner suggested to Joab, “Let’s have a few of our warriors fight hand to hand here in front of us.”
“All right,” Joab agreed. ¹⁵ So twelve men were chosen to fight from each side—twelve men of Benjamin representing Ishbosheth son of Saul, and twelve representing David. ¹⁶ Each one grabbed his opponent by the hair and thrust his sword into the other’s side so that all of them died. So this place at Gibeon has been known ever since as the Field of Swords.
¹⁷ A fierce battle followed that day, and Abner and the men of Israel were defeated by the forces of David.

The Death of Asahel
¹⁸ Joab, Abishai, and Asahel—the three sons of Zeruiah—were among David’s forces that day. Asahel could run like a gazelle, ¹⁹ and he began chasing Abner. He pursued him relentlessly, not stopping for anything. ²⁰ When Abner looked back and saw him coming, he called out, “Is that you, Asahel?”
“Yes, it is,” he replied.
²¹ “Go fight someone else!” Abner warned. “Take on one of the younger men, and strip him of his weapons.” But Asahel kept right on chasing Abner.
²² Again Abner shouted to him, “Get away from here! I don’t want to kill you. How could I ever face your brother Joab again?”
²³ But Asahel refused to turn back, so Abner thrust the butt end of his spear through Asahel’s stomach, and the spear came out through his back. He stumbled to the ground and died there. And everyone who came by that spot stopped and stood still when they saw Asahel lying there.
²⁴ When Joab and Abishai found out what had happened, they set out after Abner. The sun was just going down as they arrived at the hill of Ammah near Giah, along the road to the wilderness of Gibeon. ²⁵ Abner’s troops from the tribe of Benjamin regrouped there at the top of the hill to take a stand.
²⁶ Abner shouted down to Joab, “Must we always be killing each other? Don’t you realize that bitterness is the only result? When will you call off your men from chasing their Israelite brothers?”
²⁷ Then Joab said, “God only knows what would have happened if you hadn’t spoken, for we would have chased you all night if necessary.” ²⁸ So Joab blew the ram’s horn, and his men stopped chasing the troops of Israel.
²⁹ All that night Abner and his men retreated through the Jordan Valley. They crossed the Jordan River, traveling all through the morning, and didn’t stop until they arrived at Mahanaim.
³⁰ Meanwhile, Joab and his men also returned home. When Joab counted his casualties, he discovered that only 19 men were missing in addition to Asahel. ³¹ But 360 of Abner’s men had been killed, all from the tribe of Benjamin. ³² Joab and his men took Asahel’s body to Bethlehem and buried him there in his father’s tomb. Then they traveled all night and reached Hebron at daybreak.

Examine the Scriptures

2 Samuel 2:12-32 NLT
War between Israel and Judah (Civil war) 

¹² One day Abner led Ishbosheth’s troops from Mahanaim to Gibeon. 

Refer to map 

Abner had been the commander of Saul’s army.

Abner had proclaimed Ishbosheth king over the northern portion of Israel.

Abner was now the commander of Ishbosheth’s army.

David’s real rival in the North was Abner, not Ishbosheth.

Ishbosheth, Saul’s son, was forty years old when he became king, and he ruled from Mahanaim for two years.

2 Samuel 2:8-10 NLT
⁸ But Abner son of Ner, the commander of Saul’s army, had already gone to Mahanaim with Saul’s son Ishbosheth. ⁹ There he proclaimed Ishbosheth king over Gilead, Jezreel, Ephraim, Benjamin, the land of the Ashurites, and all the rest of Israel.
¹⁰ Ishbosheth, Saul’s son, was forty years old when he became king, and he ruled from Mahanaim for two years. Meanwhile, the people of Judah remained loyal to David.

• Abner was the commander of Ishbosheth’s army.

• David’s real rival in the North was Abner, not Ishbosheth. 

¹³ About the same time, Joab son of Zeruiah

Here Joab, son of Zeruiah, is introduced into this story for the first time.

Zeruiah was David’s sister, so Joab was David’s nephew.

1 Chronicles 2:13-16 NLT
¹³ Jesse’s … seventh was David.
¹⁶ Their sisters were named Zeruiah and Abigail. Zeruiah had three sons named Abishai, Joab, and Asahel.

Joab is the commander of David’s army. (2 Samuel 8:16)

Joab was a competent but ruthless military leader.

At times David was unable to control Joab.

We will learn more about Joab in future lessons.

• Joab was the commander of David’s army. 

(Joab son of Zeruiah) led David’s troops out and met them at the pool of Gibeon.

Gibeon

Located in the tribal area of Benjamin.

A key city in Benjamin.

Saul and his family were members of the tribe of Benjamin.

The Philistines did not occupy Gibeon.

The pool of Gibeon.

37 feet in diameter. 35 feet deep.  This cylindrical cutting had a circular staircase that led to a stepped tunnel that continued downward another 45 feet below the pool’s floor to a water chamber.

The two groups sat down there, facing each other from opposite sides of the pool.

The two sides were talking.

• The two armies met at Gibeon to determine who would be Israel’s leader. 

¹⁴ Then Abner suggested to Joab, “Let’s have a few of our warriors fight hand to hand here in front of us.”

A custom often referred to as champion warfare.

A contest of champions.

Example:
1 Samuel 17:8-9 NLT
⁸ Goliath stood and shouted a taunt across to the Israelites. “Why are you all coming out to fight?” he called. “I am the Philistine champion, but you are only the servants of Saul. Choose one man to come down here and fight me! ⁹ If he kills me, then we will be your slaves. But if I kill him, you will be our slaves! 

• Abner suggested a “contest of champions” to determine who would control the nation. 

“All right,” Joab agreed. ¹⁵ So twelve men were chosen to fight from each side—twelve men of Benjamin representing Ishbosheth son of Saul, and twelve representing David. 

The talks led to fighting.

¹⁶ Each one grabbed his opponent by the hair and thrust his sword into the other’s side so that all of them died. So this place at Gibeon has been known ever since as the Field of Swords.

In theory this may have been a good idea, but in this case it did not work and nothing was resolved. 

¹⁷ A fierce battle followed that day, and Abner and the men of Israel were defeated by the forces of David.

The fighting led to battle.

A full scaled battle took place.

The casualty count of this battle is recorded in verses 30 and 31.

• A fierce battle followed that day, and Abner and the men of Israel were defeated by the forces of David.

The Death of Asahel 

¹⁸ Joab, Abishai, and Asahel—the three sons of Zeruiah—

Zeruiah was David’s sister.

Her three sons were David’s nephews. (we’re talking family)

were among David’s forces that day. Asahel could run like a gazelle, 

Asahel was one of David’s thirty mighty warriors.  (2 Samuel 23:24 and 1 Chronicles 11:26). 

(Asahel could run like a gazelle,) ¹⁹ and he began chasing Abner. He pursued him relentlessly, not stopping for anything. ²⁰ When Abner looked back and saw him coming, he called out, “Is that you, Asahel?”

• Abner knew Joab, Abishai, and Asahel well.

Abner met David after David killed Goliath.

Go back to 1 Samuel:

1 Samuel 17:55-57 NLT
⁵⁵ As Saul watched David go out to fight the Philistine, he asked Abner, the commander of his army, “Abner, whose son is this young man?”
“I really don’t know,” Abner declared.
⁵⁶ “Well, find out who he is!” the king told him.
⁵⁷ As soon as David returned from killing Goliath, Abner brought him to Saul with the Philistine’s head still in his hand.

• Abner knew David from the time David had killed Goliath.

“Yes, it is,” he replied. 

²¹ “Go fight someone else!” Abner warned. “Take on one of the younger men, and strip him of his weapons.” But Asahel kept right on chasing Abner.

Obviously Abner was an experienced warrior.

• Abner did not want to kill Asahel. 

²² Again Abner shouted to him, “Get away from here! I don’t want to kill you. How could I ever face your brother Joab again?”

Abner knew that if he killed Asahel, the hostility between him and Joab would be intensified.

David’s forces would seek revenge.

A civil war could destroy the nation. 

²³ But Asahel refused to turn back, so Abner thrust the butt end of his spear through Asahel’s stomach, and the spear came out through his back. He stumbled to the ground and died there. And everyone who came by that spot stopped and stood still when they saw Asahel lying there. 

²⁴ When Joab and Abishai found out what had happened, they set out after Abner.  (This was predictable.)

• After Asahel was killed by Abner, Joab and Abishai, the two brothers of Asahel, wanting to revenge the death of their brother set out after Abner. 

The sun was just going down as they arrived at the hill of Ammah near Giah, along the road to the wilderness of Gibeon. ²⁵ Abner’s troops from the tribe of Benjamin regrouped there at the top of the hill to take a stand.

If another battle took place, it would lead to more killing.

²⁶ Abner shouted down to Joab, “Must we always be killing each other? Don’t you realize that bitterness is the only result? When will you call off your men from chasing their Israelite brothers?”

• Abner realized the awful consequences of a civil war.

²⁷ Then Joab said, “God only knows what would have happened if you hadn’t spoken, for we would have chased you all night if necessary.” 

• Joab honored Abner’s appeal, thus preventing more soldiers being killed.

²⁸ So Joab blew the ram’s horn, and his men stopped chasing the troops of Israel.

Bringing this battle to an end.

• This battle was ended, but the hostility continued.

2 Samuel 3:1 NLT
^3:1 That was the beginning of a long war between those who were loyal to Saul and those loyal to David. As time passed David became stronger and stronger, while Saul’s dynasty became weaker and weaker.

²⁹ All that night Abner and his men retreated through the Jordan Valley. They crossed the Jordan River, traveling all through the morning, and didn’t stop until they arrived at Mahanaim.

³⁰ Meanwhile, Joab and his men also returned home. (Hebron)

• Abner and his men returned to Mahanaim. Joab and his men also returned to their homes in Judah.

When Joab counted his casualties, he discovered that only 19 men were missing in addition to Asahel.  (19 + 1 = 20) ³¹ But 360 of Abner’s men had been killed, all from the tribe of Benjamin. ³² Joab and his men took Asahel’s body to Bethlehem and buried him there in his father’s tomb. Then they traveled all night and reached Hebron at daybreak.

David lost 20 soldiers.  Abner lost 360 soldiers.

David Anointed King of Judah

Introduction:

Name the first three kings of Israel.

Details are important.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 NLT
¹⁶ All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. ¹⁷ God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.

2 Timothy 2:15 NLT
¹⁵ Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth.

Acts 17:11 NLT
¹¹ And the people of Berea were more open-minded than those in Thessalonica, and they listened eagerly to Paul’s message. They searched the Scriptures day after day to see if Paul and Silas were teaching the truth.

Joshua 1:8 NLT
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.

The first three kings of Israel: Saul, Ishbosheth, and David.

2 Samuel 2:1-11 NLT
David Anointed King of Judah
^2:1 After this, David asked the Lord, “Should I move back to one of the towns of Judah?”
“Yes,” the Lord replied.
Then David asked, “Which town should I go to?”
“To Hebron,” the Lord answered.
² David’s two wives were Ahinoam from Jezreel and Abigail, the widow of Nabal from Carmel. So David and his wives ³ and his men and their families all moved to Judah, and they settled in the villages near Hebron. ⁴ Then the men of Judah came to David and anointed him king over the people of Judah.
When David heard that the men of Jabesh-gilead had buried Saul, ⁵ he sent them this message: “May the Lord bless you for being so loyal to your master Saul and giving him a decent burial. ⁶ May the Lord be loyal to you in return and reward you with his unfailing love! And I, too, will reward you for what you have done. ⁷ Now that Saul is dead, I ask you to be my strong and loyal subjects like the people of Judah, who have anointed me as their new king.”

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.  ⁹ There he proclaimed Ishbosheth king over Gilead, Jezreel, Ephraim, Benjamin, the land of the Ashurites, and all the rest of Israel.
¹⁰ Ishbosheth, Saul’s son, was forty years old when he became king, and he ruled from Mahanaim for two years. Meanwhile, the people of Judah remained loyal to David. ¹¹ David made Hebron his capital, and he ruled as king of Judah for seven and a half years.

Examine the Scriptures

2 Samuel 2:1-11 NLT
David Anointed King of Judah

^2:1 After this, David asked the Lord, 

David’s home base of Ziklag has been burned to the ground by the Amalekites.

Saul is no longer pursuing David.

David and his men were no longer fugitives.

• Before making the decision to move back to Judah, David sought the Lord’s guidance. 

“Should I move back to one of the towns of Judah?”

David was from the tribe of Judah

• David had many friends and contacts in Judah.

1 Samuel 30:26-31 NLT
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. 

“Yes,” the Lord replied.

Then David asked, “Which town should I go to?”

David wanted a specific answer.

“To Hebron,” the Lord answered.

Hebron was an old, established, and important city in southern Judah.

Hebron was centrally located in Judah.

Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Rebekah, Leah, and Jacob were all buried in the cave of Machpelah purchased by Abraham which is located in Hebron.

The people of the area were sympathetic toward David. 

² David’s two wives were Ahinoam from Jezreel and Abigail, the widow of Nabal from Carmel.

Michal had been given to another man after David fled from Saul. (1 Samuel 25:44)

So David and his wives ³ and his men and their families all moved to Judah, and they settled in the villages near Hebron. 

• The Lord told David to move to the town of Hebron which was located in the center of Judah. 

⁴ Then the men of Judah came to David and anointed him king over the people of Judah.

Rather than seeking a relative of Saul who was from the tribe of Benjamin, the people of Judah chose one of their own, the hero David, to be their king.

Previously, God had chosen David to be the king.

1 Samuel 16 NLT
Samuel Anoints David as King
^16:1 Now the Lord said to Samuel, “You have mourned long enough for Saul. I have rejected him as king of Israel, so fill your flask with olive oil and go to Bethlehem. Find a man named Jesse who lives there, for I have selected one of his sons to be my king.”
¹⁰ … all seven of Jesse’s sons were presented to Samuel. But Samuel said to Jesse, “The Lord has not chosen any of these.” ¹¹ Then Samuel asked, “Are these all the sons you have?”
“There is still the youngest,” Jesse replied. “But he’s out in the fields watching the sheep and goats.”
“Send for him at once,” Samuel said. “We will not sit down to eat until he arrives.”
¹² So Jesse sent for him. He was dark and handsome, with beautiful eyes.
And the Lord said, “This is the one; anoint him.”
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. ….

David’s anointing by Samuel was done privately in the presence of David’s family.

This anointing was a public ceremony.

• David was formally installed by oil-anointing as King over Judah.

Later, in 2 Samuel 5:3, David will be anointed a third time as king over the entire nation of Israel.

• This move completely alienated David from the Philistines with whom he had previously taken refuge and made an alliance.

Most likely the tribe of Simeon was involved in this ceremony.

These two tribes had a history of working together.

Joshua 19:1 NLT
^19:1 The second allotment of land went to the clans of the tribe of Simeon. Their homeland was surrounded by Judah’s territory.

Judges 1:3 NLT
³ The men of Judah said to their relatives from the tribe of Simeon, “Join with us to fight against the Canaanites living in the territory allotted to us. Then we will help you conquer your territory.” So the men of Simeon went with Judah. 

When David heard that the men of Jabesh-gilead had buried Saul, ⁵ he sent them this message: “May the Lord bless you for being so loyal to your master Saul and giving him a decent burial. ⁶ May the Lord be loyal to you in return and reward you with his unfailing love! And I, too, will reward you for what you have done. 

• David is moved by the men of Jabesh’s loyalty to Saul and wants to reward them for what they have done.

⁷ Now that Saul is dead, I ask you to be my strong and loyal subjects like the people of Judah, who have anointed me as their new king.”

• David asks the men of Jabesh-gilead to be his strong and loyal subjects.

David is presenting himself as Saul’s successor and wants to be their king.

This appeal for their support was ignored.

Ishbosheth Proclaimed King of Israel

⁸ But Abner son of Ner, the commander of Saul’s army (and Saul’s cousin), had already gone to Mahanaim with Saul’s son Ishbosheth (or Esh-baal).

Mahanaim was located east of the Jordan River. (Refer to a map)

Mahanaim was named by Jacob.

Genesis 32:1-2 NLT
^32:1 As Jacob started on his way again, angels of God came to meet him. ² When Jacob saw them, he exclaimed, “This is God’s camp!” So he named the place Mahanaim.

• Mahanaim was beyond the sphere of Philistine domination. 

 ⁹ There he (Abner) proclaimed Ishbosheth king over Gilead, Jezreel, Ephraim, Benjamin, the land of the Ashurites, and all the rest of Israel.

Abner is attempting to continue Saul’s kingdom. He was not willing to follow the Lord’s anointed king.

Abner appears to be the power behind the throne.

Refer to the Twelve Tribes of Israel map.

• Abner proclaimed Ishbosheth king over the northern tribes.

• Note: At this point in time the Philistines controlled large sections of Israel.

1 Samuel 31:7 NLT
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 had slaughtered many of the soldiers of Israel on the slopes of Mount Gilboa.

1 Samuel 31 NLT
^31:1 Now the Philistines attacked Israel, and the men of Israel fled before them. Many were slaughtered on the slopes of Mount Gilboa. 

The Philistine army was clearly superior to the Israeli army at this time.

Ishbosheth did not appear to have much support from the people of Israel and his reign was quite limited. 

¹⁰ Ishbosheth, Saul’s son, was forty years old when he became king, and he ruled from Mahanaim for two years.

Ishbosheth’s two year reign and David’s seven and a half years don’t seem to reconcile.

It appears that David was made king over all of Israel shortly after Ishbosheth’s death (2 Samuel 4 and 5).

It took Ishbosheth a number of years to be recognized as his father’s successor.

Apparently a period of 5 years occurred in which the Northern tribes were without a king.

The presence of the Philistines may have played a role in preventing Ishbosheth from gaining control of this northern territory.

• Ishbosheth ruled from Mahanaim for two years. 

Meanwhile, the people of Judah remained loyal to David. 

¹¹ David made Hebron his capital, and he ruled as king of Judah for seven and a half years.

During this period of time the twelve tribes had two kings.

• Note: God’s plan was for David to be the king of Israel. (1 Samuel 16:1)

David’s Song for Saul and Jonathan

This is a lamentation, written by David, for Saul and Jonathan at the time of their death. Notice how David demonstrates a gracious, forgiving attitude in this lament, especially toward King Saul.  (David and Jonathan were always loyal toward each other.)

In this passage David was focused on the good aspects of Saul’s (and Jonathan’s) life.

Philippians 4:8 NLT
⁸ And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.

2 Samuel 1:17-27 NLT
¹⁷ Then David composed a funeral song for Saul and Jonathan, ¹⁸ and he commanded that it be taught to the people of Judah. It is known as the Song of the Bow, and it is recorded in The Book of Jashar.
¹⁹ Your pride and joy, O Israel, lies dead on the hills!
Oh, how the mighty heroes have fallen!
²⁰ Don’t announce the news in Gath,
don’t proclaim it in the streets of Ashkelon,
or the daughters of the Philistines will rejoice
and the pagans will laugh in triumph.
²¹ O mountains of Gilboa,
let there be no dew or rain upon you,
nor fruitful fields producing offerings of grain.
For there the shield of the mighty heroes was defiled;
the shield of Saul will no longer be anointed with oil.
²² The bow of Jonathan was powerful,
and the sword of Saul did its mighty work.
They shed the blood of their enemies
and pierced the bodies of mighty heroes.
²³ How beloved and gracious were Saul and Jonathan!
They were together in life and in death.
They were swifter than eagles,
stronger than lions.
²⁴ O women of Israel, weep for Saul,
for he dressed you in luxurious scarlet clothing,
in garments decorated with gold.
²⁵ Oh, how the mighty heroes have fallen in battle!
Jonathan lies dead on the hills.
²⁶ How I weep for you, my brother Jonathan!
Oh, how much I loved you!
And your love for me was deep,
deeper than the love of women!
²⁷ Oh, how the mighty heroes have fallen!
Stripped of their weapons, they lie dead.

Examine the Scriptures

2 Samuel 1:17-27 NLT
David’s Song for Saul and Jonathan 

¹⁷ Then David composed a funeral song for Saul and Jonathan, 

A funeral song
A song
A sad song
A lamentation
A lament

• It was a common practice in the ancient Near East to compose laments for fallen leaders and/or heroes.

Scripture also records a lament written by David for Abner, Saul’s commander-in-chief (3:33-34)

and one written for his son Absalom (18:33).

In spite of frequently being treated badly by Saul, David chose to remember Saul in a positive light in this lament. 

¹⁸ and he commanded that it be taught to the people of Judah.

• All of Israel was expected to learn this funeral song (this lamentation). 

It is known as the Song of the Bow, and it is recorded in The Book of Jashar. 

Jonathan’s bow is mentioned in verse 22.

The Book of Jashar is thought to have been a collection of poetry, probably odes and psalms in praise of Israel’s heroes and exploits. It vanished during the Babylonian captivity. (International Dictionary of the Bible).

Joshua 10:13 also refers to this book.

Joshua 10:13 NLT
¹³ So the sun stood still and the moon stayed in place until the nation of Israel had defeated its enemies.
Is this event not recorded in The Book of Jashar? The sun stayed in the middle of the sky, and it did not set as on a normal day.

The Book of Jashar is not now and never has been a part of the Bible, but it does contain portions of scripture such as the Song of the Bow.

• The Book of Jashar is an account of Israel’s wars as well as other events that took place during the early history of the Hebrews (perhaps written in poetic form). 

¹⁹ Your pride and joy,

Referring to Saul and Jonathan who, up to this time, had experienced many military victories over Israel’s enemies.

David’s description focused more on Saul’s royal position than on his personal characteristics. 

O Israel, lies dead on the hills!

Note: Some translations say “A gazelle lies slain” but most translations do not use this phrase. (Gazelle is a symbol of youthful elegance and symmetry.)

This refers to Saul and Jonathan being killed in battle. 

 Oh, how the mighty heroes have fallen!

Israel’s mighty heroes have fallen.

David’s focus is on the good qualities and achievements of Saul and Jonathan. 

²⁰ Don’t announce the news in Gath,
don’t proclaim it in the streets of Ashkelon,

Gath and Ashkelon are Philistine cities.

Gath in the East and Ashkelon in the West represent the Philistine territory.

or the daughters of the Philistines will rejoice 

• In ancient war culture, young women sometimes celebrated victories in song.

1 Samuel 18:6-7 NLT
⁶ When the victorious Israelite army was returning home after David had killed the Philistine, women from all the towns of Israel came out to meet King Saul. They sang and danced for joy with tambourines and cymbals. ⁷ This was their song:
“Saul has killed his thousands,
and David his ten thousands!”

Exodus 15:20-21 NLT
²⁰ Then Miriam the prophet, Aaron’s sister, took a tambourine and led all the women as they played their tambourines and danced. ²¹ And Miriam sang this song:
“Sing to the Lord,
for he has triumphed gloriously;
he has hurled both horse and rider
into the sea.”

and the pagans will laugh in triumph.

• David does not want the Philistines to rejoice over Saul’s death.

David did not want the Philistines to glorify their false god, Dagon, while mocking Israel’s God, Yahweh. 

²¹ O mountains of Gilboa,
let there be no dew or rain upon you,
nor fruitful fields producing offerings of grain.

Rain is considered to be a blessing from God to make for a good harvest of grain.

Isaiah 30:23 NLT
²³ Then the Lord will bless you with rain at planting time. There will be wonderful harvests and plenty of pastureland for your livestock.

David does not want this blessing to take place where Saul and Jonathan were killed.

• David evoked a cure on the place of Saul and Jonathan’s death. 

For there the shield of the mighty heroes was defiled;
the shield of Saul will no longer be anointed with oil.

The shield of Saul symbolizes his military exploits as king.

Leather shields were treated with oil to keep them in good condition.  A properly oiled shield was more effective than a “dry” shield.  Since Saul was dead he will no longer be oiling his shield.

A dried out shield was a symbol of defeat and death. 

²² The bow of Jonathan was powerful,
and the sword of Saul did its mighty work.
They shed the blood of their enemies
and pierced the bodies of mighty heroes.

The bow was used by Jonathan and the sword was used by Saul.  Both men used their weapon with power, accuracy, and effectiveness.

These two soldiers killed many of Israel’s enemies.

• Saul and Jonathan were both military heroes, but neither to the degree that David was.

1 Samuel 18:6-7 NLT
⁶ When the victorious Israelite army was returning home after David had killed the Philistine, women from all the towns of Israel came out to meet King Saul. They sang and danced for joy with tambourines and cymbals. ⁷ This was their song:
“Saul has killed his thousands,
and David his ten thousands!” 

²³ How beloved and gracious were Saul and Jonathan!

David demonstrated a gracious, forgiving attitude by including Saul in this comment.    

• David demonstrated a gracious, forgiving attitude in his lament. 

They were together in life and in death.

Father and son died together in battle.

Jonathan was loyal to his father, the Lord’s anointed king, and the nation of Israel in spite of the way his father treated both him and David. 

They were swifter than eagles,
   stronger than lions. 

Again, David focuses on the good qualities of Saul and Jonathan.

• David focused on the good qualities of Saul and Jonathan. 

²⁴ O women of Israel, weep for Saul,
for he dressed you in luxurious scarlet clothing,
in garments decorated with gold.

David credited Saul for bringing luxury and bounty to Israel.

• Saul’s reign had been good for Israel economically. 

²⁵ Oh, how the mighty heroes have fallen in battle!
Jonathan lies dead on the hills.

Now the focus is on Jonathan alone.

²⁶ How I weep for you, my brother Jonathan!
Oh, how much I loved you!
And your love for me was deep,
deeper than the love of women!

Jonathan had always been loyal to David.

Jonathan’s loyalty and friendship to David involved personal risk and sacrifice.

• The commitment shared between David and Jonathan was a noble, loyal, and selfless devotion. 

²⁷ Oh, how the mighty heroes have fallen!
Stripped of their weapons, they lie dead.

• David had a remarkable respect for the King and a deep love for Jonathan.

David expressed genuine sorrow over the deaths of Jonathan and Saul.

In this passage David was focused on the good aspects of Saul’s (and Jonathan’s) life.

Philippians 4:8 NLT
⁸ And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.

 

Introduction:

Shortly after David returned to Ziklag from his successful raid against the Amalekites he was met by a man coming from Saul’s camp at Gilboa.

It would have been a three or four day trip walking from Mount Gilboa to Ziklag, a distance of approximately 80 miles.

Question.  Why do you think this man came to see David?

2 Samuel 1:1-16 NLT
David Learns of Saul’s Death
¹ After the death of Saul, David returned from his victory over the Amalekites and spent two days in Ziklag. ² On the third day a man arrived from Saul’s army camp. He had torn his clothes and put dirt on his head to show that he was in mourning. He fell to the ground before David in deep respect.
³ “Where have you come from?” David asked.
“I escaped from the Israelite camp,” the man replied.
⁴ “What happened?” David demanded. “Tell me how the battle went.”
The man replied, “Our entire army fled from the battle. Many of the men are dead, and Saul and his son Jonathan are also dead.”⁵ “How do you know Saul and Jonathan are dead?”
David demanded of the young man.
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.”
¹¹ David and his men tore their clothes in sorrow when they heard the news. ¹² They mourned and wept and fasted all day for Saul and his son Jonathan, and for the Lord’s army and the nation of Israel, because they had died by the sword that day.
¹³ Then David said to the young man who had brought the news, “Where are you from?”
And he replied, “I am a foreigner, an Amalekite, who lives in your land.”¹⁴ “Why were you not afraid to kill the Lord’s anointed one?” David asked.
¹⁵ Then David said to one of his men, “Kill him!” So the man thrust his sword into the Amalekite and killed him. ¹⁶ “You have condemned yourself,” David said, “for you yourself confessed that you killed the Lord’s anointed one.”

Examine the Scriptures

2 Samuel 1:1-16 NLT
David Learns of Saul’s Death

¹ After the death of Saul, David returned from his victory over the Amalekites and spent two days in Ziklag. 

2^nd Samuel is a continuation of 1^st Samuel.

• 1^st and 2^nd Samuel were originally one book.

Stories at the end of 1 Samuel included the following:

David Destroys the Amalekites

1 Samuel 30:17-18 NLT
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.

David and his men had killed many Amalekites because of what they had done to David’s city Ziklag and family.

1 Samuel 30:26 NLT
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.

The Death of Saul

1 Samuel 31:1-2 NLT
^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.

• 2 Samuel begins with David returning to Ziklag after his victory over the Amalekites. 

² On the third day a man arrived from Saul’s army camp.    Similar wording in most translations.

• Shortly after David returned to Ziklag from his successful raid against the Amalekites he was met by a man coming from Saul’s camp at Gilboa.

It would have been a three or four day trip walking from Mount Gilboa to Ziklag (approximately 80 miles).

Question.  Why do you think this man came to see David? 

He had torn his clothes and put dirt on his head to show that he was in mourning. He fell to the ground before David in deep respect.

Torn clothes and dirt on a person’s head are signs of mourning, grief, anguish or sorrow.

This may or may not be how the man really felt.

This may have been a “show” to impress David.

As the story progress, this man appears to be an opportunist, looking out for himself. 

³ “Where have you come from?” David asked.

“I escaped from the Israelite camp,” the man replied.        Similar wording in most translations.

I escaped from the Israelite camp.    Verse two stated that he came from Saul’s army camp.

Is this also a lie?

There is no indication that this man was a member of Saul’s army. Most likely he was not a member of Saul’s army.

In 1 Samuel 15 Saul was slaughtering the Amalekites. The Amalekites were the bad guys. 

⁴ “What happened?” David demanded. “Tell me how the battle went.”

At this point in time, David was not aware of what had happened to Saul. 

The man replied, “Our entire army fled from the battle.

Some translations (5) say “Our” army.

Other translations say “the people” fled, the “troops” fled, “the Israelites”, or “the men”.

Again there appears to be “holes” in the man’s story.

• There appears to be “holes” in the man’s story. 

Many of the men are dead, and Saul and his son Jonathan are also dead.”

Could this man have known that David was God’s choice to be the next king of Israel?

1 Samuel 16:1, 12, 13 NLT
Samuel Anoints David as King
^16:1 Now the Lord said to Samuel, “You have mourned long enough for Saul. I have rejected him as king of Israel, so fill your flask with olive oil and go to Bethlehem. Find a man named Jesse who lives there, for I have selected one of his sons to be my king.”
¹² So Jesse sent for him. He was dark and handsome, with beautiful eyes.
And the Lord said, “This is the one; anoint him.”
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.

• It appears that this man thought that David would be glad to hear that Saul and his sons were dead.

It appears that this man thought that he would be rewarded for bringing David this “good” news. 

⁵ “How do you know Saul and Jonathan are dead?” David demanded of the young man. 

⁶ The man answered, “I happened to be on Mount Gilboa,

The statement “I happened to be on Mount Gilboa,” is questionable.

Another lie?

The Amalekite was probably a scavenger looking for valuables left behind by the dead soldiers. 

and there was Saul leaning on his spear with the enemy chariots and charioteers closing in on him. 

Chariots and Charioteers were a symbol of power and strength.  Saul had no chance to escape.

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.

The Amalekites had been plaguing the Israelites for generations (from the time they left Egypt). 

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.’

A third lie?

Did the man think that his story would be more believable to have an “enemy” kill Saul rather than one of his own soldiers put him out of his misery?

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.” 

¹⁰ “So I killed him,” the Amalekite told David, “for I knew he couldn’t live.

• This story is different from the story in 1 Samuel 31 and 1 Chronicles 10

1 Samuel 31:4 NLT
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.  

1 Chronicles 10:1-6 NLT
The Death of King Saul
^10:1 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.
⁴ Saul groaned to his armor bearer, “Take your sword and kill me before these pagan Philistines come to 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. ⁶ So Saul and his three sons died there together, bringing his dynasty to an end.

The Amalekite may have been hoping this news would get him a big reward.

The Amalekite is lying to gain favor with the person most likely to become the next king.

 

Saul was probably already dead when the Amalekite found him.

David believed the Amalekite’s story. 

Then I took his crown and his armband, and I have brought them here to you, my lord.”

1 Samuel 31 does not mention a crown or armband.

The crown would have verified Saul’s identity as Israel’s king to the Amalekite.

The Amalekite found Saul before the Philistines got to him.

1 Samuel 31:8 NLT
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. 

¹¹ David and his men tore their clothes in sorrow when they heard the news. ¹² They mourned and wept and fasted all day for Saul and his son Jonathan, and for the Lord’s army and the nation of Israel, because they had died by the sword that day.

David could have rejoiced that his enemy was dead.  Instead he fasted and mourned for Saul, Jonathan, the Lord’s army, and the nation of Israel.

They expressed their grief in typical Near Eastern fashion.

• David demonstrated genuine, heartfelt grief for Saul, Jonathan, the Lord’s army, and the nation of Israel by mourning, weeping, and fasting. 

¹³ Then David said to the young man who had brought the news, “Where are you from?”

And he replied, “I am a foreigner, an Amalekite, who lives in your land.”

The man was probably unaware of David’s recent hostile encounters with the Amalekites.

¹⁴ “Why were you not afraid to kill the Lord’s anointed one?” David asked.

David always viewed Saul as the “Lord’s anointed one.

1 Samuel 24:6-7 NLT (Saul in a cave)
⁶ He (David) 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.” ⁷ So David restrained his men and did not let them kill Saul.

1 Samuel 26:9-11 NLT (Saul sleeping)
⁹ “No!” David said. “Don’t kill him. For who can remain innocent after attacking the Lord’s anointed one? ¹⁰ Surely the Lord will strike Saul down someday, or he will die of old age or in battle. ¹¹ The Lord forbid that I should kill the one he has anointed! But take his spear and that jug of water beside his head, and then let’s get out of here!”

Leviticus 24:22 NLT
²² “This same standard(s) applies both to native-born Israelites and to the foreigners living among you. I am the Lord your God.”

In David’s mind, this standard applied to this Amalekite. 

¹⁵ Then David said to one of his men, “Kill him!” So the man thrust his sword into the Amalekite and killed him. 

The Amalekite misjudged David’s reaction to his story.

He expected a reward for killing David’s rival but instead he was killed for killing the Lord’s anointed.

• Instead of rejoicing that his enemy was dead, David mourns Saul’s death and executes the man who claims to have killed Saul. 

¹⁶ “You have condemned yourself,” David said, “for you yourself confessed that you killed the Lord’s anointed one.”

The Amalekite’s own testimony brought about his execution.

The Amalekite, not David, was responsible for his own death.

It would have been dangerous for David to kill the Amalekite.  He was still living in Philistine territory, in Ziklag.  The Philistines could have interpreted any sorrow over Saul’s death as treasonous. David was willing to risk danger in order to do what was right.  It was time for David to break from the Philistines and return to Israel.

Wrong motives

Proverbs 14:12 NLT
¹² There is a path before each person that seems right,
but it ends in death.

 

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

 

 

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.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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. 

 

---

 

 

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.