Some students of the Old Testament have tried to prove that the account in this chapter is merely an adaptation of the one in chapter 24, but the evidence stands against this interpretation. There are differences in locations (a cave in Engedi; Saul’s camp near Hachilah), times (day; night), activities (Saul came to the cave; David went to the camp), David’s responses (cutting off part of Saul’s robe; taking Saul’s spear and water jug), and David’s words (spoke only to Saul; spoke to Abner and Saul). This second experience with Saul was certainly more daring on David’s part since he was actually in Saul’s camp. David’s recent experience with Nabal and Abigail had reassured him of his future reign and had taught him a profitable lesson about revenge.
Treachery (vv. 1–4). Like Nabal, the Ziphites were related to Caleb (1 Chron. 2:42), but being members of the tribe of Judah, they should have been loyal to David. Hoping to gain the king’s approval, for a second time they betrayed David to Saul (1 Sam. 23:19ff.; see Ps. 54). Saul had learned to appreciate David’s skill as a tactician, so he took his 3,000 soldiers to search for David in the wilderness. But David was already far ahead of him, for his spies had located Saul’s camp, and David was safe in the desert. The Lord kept David safe and delivered him whenever Saul was near. “He delivered me from my strong enemy, from those who hated me, for they were too strong for me” (Ps. 18: nkjv).
Audacity (vv. 5–12). The Lord must have instructed David to go to Saul’s camp that night, because He sent a deep sleep upon Saul and his men. Saul and Abner, who was Saul’s captain (14:10) and cousin (v. 50), were sleeping at the heart of the camp, surrounded by the wagons and baggage (“the trench” kjv). Because of the supernatural sleep sent by the Lord, David and his nephew Abishai were able to penetrate to where Saul and Abner lay. This is the first mention of Abishai in Scripture. As usual, Saul’s spear was at hand, the symbol of his office and his authority (26:7, 11; 22:6; 18:10; 19:9; 20:33).
Abishai was sure that it was God’s will that he kill Saul and put an end to his selfish rule and his relentless persecution of Israel’s true king, but David stopped him. David had settled this matter in the cave (24:1–6), and there was no need to consider it again. He had also seen what the Lord did to Nabal. David was sure that Saul’s life would end at the right time and in the right way, either by natural death or by a judgment from God, and then the throne would be his. When Abishai looked at Saul, he saw an enemy, but David looked at him and saw “the Lord’s anointed.” Instead of taking Saul’s life, David took his spear and water jug, just so he could prove to Saul a second time that he didn’t have designs on the king’s life. David didn’t let Abishai take the spear lest he be tempted to use it.
It would have been easy to argue that David had been wrong in the cave and that God was giving him a second chance to kill Saul, but David’s decision was based on principle and not circumstances. David knew that it was wrong to lay hands on God’s anointed, even though the king wasn’t serving as God wanted him to serve. David might not have been able to respect the man, but he did respect the office and the God who gave that office to Saul.
Mockery (vv. 13–16). David and his nephew made their way to the hill opposite Saul’s camp where they were safe and from which they could be heard, and David called back to the soldiers in the camp and especially to Abner, the king’s bodyguard. He was careful not to humiliate Saul in the presence of his men, although Saul couldn’t easily escape the embarrassment of the situation. David didn’t identify himself to Abner but only referred to himself as “one of the people” (v. 15). The absence of the spear and water jug was evidence enough that someone indeed had been close to the king and could have killed him. Abner was guilty and could have been disciplined for not doing his duty.
Dishonesty (vv. 17–25). Saul recognized David’s voice and responded by calling him “my son, David,” but David didn’t call him “my father” as he had before (24:11). His address was only “my lord, O king.” Saul’s daughter Michal was no longer David’s wife (25:44), so David was no longer son-in-law to the king. Furthermore, Saul certainly hadn’t treated David like a son.
Once again, David tried to reason with Saul and show him how wrong he was in his thinking and acting. David wanted to know what his crime was that Saul had to pursue him and seek to kill him. If David had broken one of God’s laws, then he was willing to bring a sacrifice and have his sin forgiven by the Lord. But if Saul was treating David like a criminal because of the lies his officers had told him, then they were the offenders, not David, and they would pay for their sins. Saul and his officers had driven David out of his own land, the very inheritance that the Lord had given his family, and if David moved to other lands, how could he worship Jehovah away from the priesthood and the sanctuary?
But if David wasn’t guilty of any crime or sin, why should Saul invest so much time and energy in pursuing him? The king of Israel was chasing a partridge just for the privilege of shedding its blood! (Partridges don’t like to fly. They run from one cover to another.)
Once again, Saul lapsed into one of his sentimental moods (see 24:17) and confessed that he was a fool and a sinner. He promised that he wouldn’t harm David, but David didn’t believe him. His only reply was, “Behold the king’s spear! Let one of the young men come over and fetch it” (26:22). When David cut Saul’s robe in the cave, he reminded him that his kingdom would be severed from him, but in taking the spear, he humiliated the king and robbed him of the symbol of his authority.
For the second time, David had spared Saul’s life, and David knew that the Lord would reward him for what he had done (Ps. 7:8). But David didn’t expect Saul to value his life as he had valued Saul’s life, because he knew Saul couldn’t be trusted. Rather, he asked that the Lord reward him with protection and safety just as he had protected the king. See Psalm 18:20–27.
The last recorded words of Saul to David are in 1 Samuel 26:25, a statement that affirms the greatness of David’s deeds and the certainty of his kingship. The two men parted, Saul heading for ultimate disgrace and death, and David to ultimate glory and victory. However, David’s unbelief would take him to the land of the Philistines and the city of Ziklag, where he would live for about a year and a half. Soon David’s years of wandering and testing would end and he would be ready to sit on the throne of Israel and rule God’s people. One day David would look back on those difficult years and see in his painful experiences only the goodness and mercy of the Lord (Ps. 23:6).