DAVID’S DECENCY TOWARD SAUL While Saul was collapsing before himself and before others, David, on the other hand was increasing in glory; and probably his strength had been most obvious when Saul fell into his hand while pursuing him. And while David’s men counted it the proper time for Saul to die, and for David to reign (1 Samuel 24: 5), David, on his part, found it a unique chance to realize the Lord’s commandment; so he only cut off a corner of Saul’s robe; and, “It happened afterward that David’s heart troubled him because he had cut Saul’s robe” (1 Samuel 24:: 5). David stood humbly but firmly, to reproach Saul for pursuing him; and then, Saul felt that David was destined to get the kingdom. 1- David in the cave of ‘Ein Gedi’ 1 – 15. 2- Saul gets smaller in his own sight 16 – 22. 1- DAVID IN THE CAVE OF ‘EIN GEDI’ David escaped to the stronghold of ‘Ein Gedi’ though it was only about 200 meters away from the Dead Sea; access to it was not without great danger. It was a place populated by Syrian goats; therefore, this maybe where it got its name. When Saul returned from following the Philistines who invaded his own personal land, he resumed his bitter chase of David; So he set forth, with 3000 men, to the wilderness of Ein Gedi, to the rocks of the wild goats.. These are rugged rocky terrain that could1 be reached only by wild goats. He insisted on going through all those hardships in order to get rid of David. He came to a sheepfold by the road, where there was a big cave, and went into it to attend to his needs. David and his men were staying in the recesses of the cave (1 Samuel 24: 3). As the cave was dark, he could see nothing; while David and his men, who were inside and their eyes adapted to the darkness, saw and recognized Saul as he entered the cave. David’s men urged him to avenge himself against Saul, while alone in the cave, to seize the kingdom by force; saying that that opportunity was from God; They said to him: “This is the day of which the Lord said to you, ‘Behold, I will deliver your enemy into your hand, that you may do to him as it seems good to you” (1 Samuel 24: 4). However, David rejected their advice. As the prophet Samuel said to Saul: “The Lord has sought for himself a man after his own heart” (1 Samuel 13: 14); and, “The Lord has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today, and has given it to a neighbor of yours, who is better than you” (1 Samuel 15: 28); It is obvious that God did not call David to deal with Saul as an enemy but chose him a king in his place, because of the purity of his heart, and because he was better than Saul, and would treat him as a friend. It seems that David and his men waited for Saul to fall asleep in a corner of the cave, before David arose to cut off a corner of Saul’s robe. But it happened afterward that David’s heart troubled him because, by this act, he did wrong to the Lord’s anointed. St. Augustine says: [By saying to his men, ‘The Lord forbids that I should stretch out my hand against the Lord’s anointed,’ David demonstrated a great consideration to what the shadows of the future things symbolize2]. David saved Saul from the hands of his men who sought to kill him; then waited until Saul came out of the cave, then followed him to call humbly after him: . 1 كتاب السنن القويم في تفسير أسفار العهد القديم، سفر صموئيل الأول، ص 113 2 City of God 17: 6. 2 “My Lord the king! “, and when Saul looked behind him, “David stooped with his face to the earth and bowed down” (1 Samuel 24: 8). How amazing! Saul the wicked, forsakes all the kingdom’s affairs, to concentrate his efforts on killing David; while David saves his life, honors him by bowing down to him, he who does not deserve to be honored. David the prophet, humbly bows down before a rejected king, to break his pride; while many people are reluctant to bow down before the icons of saints to give them honor - Bowing down to worship is only offered to God. By his humility, David was exalted in the sight of both God and men; He said to Saul: “After whom has the king of Israel come out? Whom do you pursue? A dead dog? A flea?” (1 Samuel 24: 14). Abbot Dorotheos says: [Humility saves us from all the tricks of the enemy... There is nothing stronger than humility;... Indeed brethren, blessed is he, who is truly humble1]. Together with great humility and contrition, even before a rejected king, whom, he knew for sure that he will eventually replace, we see him as well, firm, frank, and brave. He did not show himself up to Saul inside the cave, where he had the upper hand on him, but after he left it, to prove to him that he had no fear of his sword or spear. Frankly, he revealed to him the deception of his counselors who claimed that he sought his harm; and revealed to him that he did not fear him, and would let the Lord judge between the two of them: “Why do you listen to the words of men who say, ‘Indeed David seeks your harm?’ Look, this day your eyes have seen that the Lord delivered you today into my hand in the cave, and someone urged me to kill you, but my eyes spared you, and I said, ‘I will not stretch out my hand against my Lord, for he is the Lord’s anointed... See that there is neither evil nor rebellion in my hand, and I have not sinned against you. Yet you hunt my life to take it. Let the Lord judge between you and me, and let the Lord avenge me on you. As the proverb of the ancient says, ‘Wickedness proceeds from the wicked’; But my hand shall not be against you” (1 Samuel 24: 9 - 13) He got the opportunity to avenge himself, but refrained from stretching his hand against the Lord’s anointed; Because his heart was not wicked to produce evil, David left the matter to the judgment of the Lord who would allow the wicked to lay their hands on Saul to avenge himself.. We praise the person of the prophet David, about whom St. John Chrysostom said: [David lifted himself up above the old law, and came close to the apostolic commandments2] as though he practiced the biblical commandment concerning the love for enemies, even while under the law. And St. Ambrose says: [What a pious behavior by David, who spared the life of his enemy, on whom he had the upper hand to harm him! How much did that benefit him when he reigned, demonstrating to all his subjects, how to be faithful to their king, and how they should respect and honor him3]. 2- SAUL GETS SMALLER IN HIS OWN SIGHT Saul, the murderer of priests, for no reason but the envy and hatred that filled his heart, could not bear to hear the voice of David, so full of humility, or to face such amazing delicacy. He got smaller in his own sight; and we see: a- In response to David’s humility and meekness, calling him “My Lord the king” and, “My father” (1 Samuel 24: 1), Saul said, “Is this your voice, my son 1 On Humility. 2 In Matt. Hom 3. 3 Duties of the Clergy 3: 9 (60). 3 David?” (1 Samuel 24: 16) though most of the time he could not utter his name, but used to call him, “Son of Jesse” (1 Samuel 22: 7; 8; 13). For the first time, he called him a son as he felt unworthy to be called a father by David. b- The mighty Saul who came with 3000 men of war, lifted his voice and wept! He felt very weak and very mean, so he cried out fervently; He felt that the world around him grew narrower, and that he put himself in a trap and a snare with nobody to save him! c- Saul confessed his wickedness; He, who previously spoke to the Ziphites as though he was the one oppressed by David (1 Samuel 23: 21). Now, comparing himself to David, he says: “You are more righteous than I; For you have rewarded me with good, whereas I have rewarded you with evil;... For when the Lord delivered me into your hand you did not kill me” (1 Samuel 24: 18) d- Saul realized that the kingdom of Israel would be taken away from him, “Now I know indeed that you shall surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in your hands. Therefore swear now to me by the Lord, that you will not cut off my descendants after me, and that you will not destroy my name from my father’s house” (1 Samuel 24: 20, 21) It became confirmed to him that what he heard from the prophet Samuel would be realized (1 Samuel 15: 28).
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