1 Samuel 26:1-5

Saul Pursues David Again. 1 Samuel 26:1-5

And the Ziphites came unto Saul to Gibeah, saying Doth not David hide himself in the hill of Hachilah, which is before Jeshimon?

2 Then Saul arose, and went down to the wilderness of Ziph, having three thousand chosen men of Israel with him, to seek David in the wilderness of Ziph.
3 And Saul pitched in the hill of Hachilah, which is before Jeshimon, by the way. But David abode in the wilderness, and he saw that Saul came after him into the wilderness.

4 David therefore sent out spies, and understood that Saul was come in very deed.
5 And David arose, and came to the place where Saul had pitched: and David beheld the place where Saul lay, and Abner the son of Ner, the captain of his host: and Saul lay in the trench, and the people pitched round about him.

1.

Did the Ziphites betray David again? 1 Samuel 26:1

The repetition not only of the treachery of the Ziphites, but also of the sparing of Saul by David, furnished no proof in itself that the account contained in chapter twenty-six is only another legend of the occurrences already related in chapter twenty-four. As the pursuit of David by Saul lasted for several years, in so small a district as the desert of Judah, there is nothing strange in the repetition of these similar scenes. The agreement between the two accounts reduces it entirely to outward and unessential things. On the other hand, all the details, as well as the final results of the two occurrences, differ entirely from one another. These decided differences prove clearly enough that the incident described in the second instance is not the same as the similar one mentioned earlier.

2.

Why did Saul have only 3,000 men with him? 1 Samuel 26:2

The men of Israel numbered 300,000 and the men of Judah were 30,000 in number when the combined armies went out to fight Nahash, the Ammonite, in (1 Samuel 11:8). Later there were only 2,000 men with Saul and 1,000 men with Jonathan (1 Samuel 13:1) when Saul and Jonathan were fighting the Philistine garrisons, The fact that there were 3,000 men with Saul when he went out against David would indicate that this was the size of the standing army which Saul kept. Israel could have mustered 1,300,000 men in the closing days of David's reign (2 Samuel 24:9). Saul must have felt that he did not need a huge army to fight David's small band of 600 men.

3.

Where were the two armies? 1 Samuel 26:3

Saul was in the hill of Hachilah in the center of the territory of Judah. This hill is described as being before Jeshimon. It was on the edge of the hill country which rose out of the Arabah, the deep valley which ran along the eastern border of Palestine. David was in the wilderness. Whether he was in the wilderness of Ziph near the center of Judah or in the wilderness of Paran (1 Samuel 25:1) cannot be determined. Since Saul had come to seek him in the wilderness of Ziph, it seems better to think of him as being located there at the time of this battle.

4.

Why did David send out spies? 1 Samuel 26:4

Ordinary precautions would dictate that a band of soldiers the size of David's army have some men serving as scouts. They would need to determine the location and strength of the enemy. Although this is the first time we find David using spies, it must have been Saul's usual practice for he seemed to be able to keep close watch on David's movements.

5.

What kind of trench was in Saul's camp? 1 Samuel 26:5

The American Standard Version translates this word with the phrase, place of the wagons. Once again we find a reference to the custom of ancient armies to throw up a rampart around their supplies (1 Samuel 17:20). It was around these supplies that the main body of the army had pitched its tents. Saul and Abner were in the place of the wagons. They must have been behind the rampart and in the center of the army where they would enjoy utmost protection.