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DAVID’S FLIGHT CONTINUES AND SAUL PURSUES:

David Spares Saul at a Cave in En-gedi (2)

I Samuel 24:13-22

Victor M. Eskew

 

1.      Outline

 

i.                    THE RESOLVE OF DAVID (I Sam. 24:13-15)

ii.                  THE REMORSE OF SAUL (I Sam. 24:16-22a)

iii.                THE RETREAT OF THE RIVALS (I Sam. 24:22b)

 

2.      What did David quote to Saul? (I Sam. 24:13)

 

As saith the proverb of the ancients…

 

A.    The proverbs of the ancients

 

B.      This is not a proverb of Solomon.  It was a proverb that was just well-known throughout the land of Israel.  A few phrases catch the attention of the public and are passed down from generation to generation.  (Ex., cleanliness is next to godliness).

 

3.      Define:  proverb (I Sam. 24:13)

 

A.    Strong (4912):  a pithy maxim, usually metaphorical in nature

 

B.      BDB:  proverb, sentences of ethical wisdom, ethical maxims

 

4.      What did the proverb say? (I Sam. 24:13)

 

…Wickedness proceedeth from the wicked, but mine hand shall not be upon thee.

 

A.    The proverb is:  “wickedness proceedeth from the wicked.”

1.      Wicked men are known for their wicked actions.

2.      A wicked man proves he is wicked by his wicked deeds.

 

B.      David’s deeds were not wicked.  He said:  “…but mine hand shall not be upon thee.”  David’s demonstrations of good prove that David is not a wicked man.  He has no wickedness in his heart toward Saul.

 

5.      What two questions did David ask Saul? (I Sam. 24:14)

 

After whom is the king come out?  After whom dost thou pursue?

 

A.    After whom is the king come out?

 

B.      After whom dost thou pursue?

 

6.      What two things did David use to describe himself? (I Sam. 24:14)

 

…after a dead dog, after a flea?

 

 

A.    Dead dog:

1.      Dogs were contemptible to the Jews.

2.      II Samuel 16:9; Luke 16:21

 

B.      Flea:  an extremely weak creature

 

7.      What four things did David want God to do between himself and Saul? (I Sam. 24:15)

 

The Lord therefore be judge, and judge between me and thee, and see, and plead my cause, and deliver me out of thine hand.

A.    Judge between me and thee

 

B.      See (to view the evidence of the case)

 

C.     Plead my cause

 

D.    Deliver me out of thine hand

 

8.      How did Saul address David after David finished speaking? (I Sam. 24:16)

 

And it came to pass, when David had made an end of speaking these words unto Saul, that Saul said, Is this thy voice, my son David?

 

A.    He addressed David as “my son.”

1.      This is the term an elder would use of a younger.

2.      It is the term that Saul would use regarding his son-in-law.

3.      It is a term of endearment between close friends, one older and the other younger.

 

9.      T – F    Saul wept when he knew this was the voice of David. (I Sam. 24:16)

 

And Saul lifted up his voice, and wept.

 

A.    David has said many things to Saul.  It would be interesting to know the exact reason Saul wept at this time.

 

10.  “And he said to David, Thou at more righteous than I…” (I Sam. 24:17)

 

11.  Define:  righteous (I Sam. 24:17)

 

A.    Strong (6662):  just                       :- lawful

 

B.      BDB:  just, lawful, right, correct

 

C.     Think of the two situations:

1.      Saul was pursuing an innocent man in an attempt to put him to death.

2.      David has opportunity to kill his enemy who had transgressed against him, but refused.

 

12.  Why was David more righteous than Saul? (I Sam. 24:17)

 

…for thou has rewarded me good, whereas I have rewarded thee evil.

 

A.    When David had the opportunity to kill Saul, he refused to do so.

 

13.  T – F    Saul felt that David had dealt wickedly with him (I Sam. 24:18)

 

And thou has shewed this day how that thou hast dealt well with me.

 

A.    False.  David had deal well with him.

 

14.  Why did he feel David had “dealt well” with him? (I Sam. 24:19).

 

…forasmuch as when the Lord had delivered me into thine hand, thou killest me not.

 

A.    He was delivered into David’s hands, but David did not kill him.

 

15.  T – F    When a man finds his enemy, he allows him to escape (I Sam. 24:19).

 

For if a man find his enemy, will he let him go well away?...

 

A.    False.  Most of the time, he will take the opportunity to kill him.

 

B.      The example of Jael and Sisera (Judg. 4:17-21)

 

Howbeit Sisera fled away on his feet to the tent of Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite:  for there was peace between Jabin the king of Hazor and the house of Heber the Kenite.  And Jael went to meet Sisera, and said unto him, Turn in, my lord, turn in to me; fear not.  And when he had turned in unto her into the tent, she covered him with a mantle.  And he said unto her, Give me, I pray thee a little water to drink; for I am thirsty.  And she opened a bottle of milk, and gave him drink, and covered him.  Again he said unto her, Stand in the door of the tent, and it shall be, when any many doth come and enquire of thee, and say, Is there any man here?  That thou shalt say, No.  Then Jael Heber’s wife took a nail of the tent, and took an hammer in her hand, and went softly unto him, and smote the nail into his temples, and fastened it into the ground:  for he was fast asleep and weary.  So he died.

 

16.  “…wherefore the Lord reward thee good for that thou hast done unto me this day” (I Sam. 24:19).

 

A.    It is difficult for an enemy to wish evil upon his adversary has done him good.

 

B.      Romans 12:19-21

 

Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath:  for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.  Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink:  for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.  Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

 

17.  What two things did Saul know that would come to pass for David? (I Sam. 24:20)

 

And now, behold, I know well that thou shalt surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in thine hand.

 

A.    Thou shalt surely be king

 

B.      The kingdom of Israel shall be established in thine hand.

18.  What did Saul ask David to swear to? (I Sam. 24:21)

 

Swear now therefore unto me by the Lord, that thou wilt not cut off my seed after me, and that thou wilt not destroy my name out of my father’s house.

 

A.    He wanted David to swear that he would not cut off his seed after him.

1.      New kings often killed all in the family of the previous king in order to secure his position on the throne.

2.      Ex.:  Jehu (II Kings 10:11)

 

So Jehu slew all that remained of the house of Ahab in Jezreel, and all his great men, and his kinsfolk, and the priests, until he left none remaining.

 

B.      He asked David not to destroy his name out of his father’s house.

 

19.  T – F    David refused to sware these things to Saul. (I Sam. 24:22).

 

And David sware unto Saul.

 

A.    False.

 

B.      David now had two incentives not to slay the descendants of Saul:  his covenant with Jonathan and his oath to Saul.

 

20.  Where did Saul go after this encounter with David? (I Sam. 24:22)

 

And Saul went home…

 

A.    Home

 

21.  Where did David go after this conversation with Saul? (I Sam. 24:22)

 

…and David and his man gat them up unto the hold.

 

A.    David was not assured of Saul’s repentance.

 

B.      He did not return to his home, but continued in the hold, the place of safety in the wilderness.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DAVID’S CONFLICT WITH NABAL (1)

I Samuel 25:1-22

Victor M. Eskew

 

1.      Outline

 

i.                    I SAMUEL 25:1a

ii.                  I SAMUEL 25:1b-3

iii.                I SAMUEL 25:4-8

iv.                I SAMUEL 25:9-11

v.                  I SAMUEL 25:12-13

vi.                I SAMUEL 25:14-20

vii.              I SAMUEL 21-22

 

2.      What great man finally died? (I Sam. 25:1)

 

3.      Who mourned for him? (I Sam. 25:1)

 

4.      Where was he buried? (I Sam. 25:1)

 

5.      Where did David go when he left En-gedi? (I Sam. 25:1)

 

6.      A great man lived in Maon.  How many sheep and goats did he have? (I Sam. 25:2)

 

7.      What was this man doing in Carmel? (I Sam. 25:2)

 

8.      What was the man’s name? (I Sam. 25:3)

 

9.      What was his wife’s name? (I Sam. 25:3)

 

10.  How is Nabal’s wife described? (I Sam. 25:3)

 

A.                                                                    B.

 

11.  What two words are used to describe Nabal? (I Sam. 25:3)

 

A.                                                                    B.

 

12.  What was the house of Nabal’s lineage? (I Sam. 25:3)

 

13.  What did David hear about Nabal? (I Sam. 25:4)

 

14.  Who did David send to Nabal? (I Sam. 25:5)

 

15.  How were they to greet Nabal? (I Sam. 25:5)

 

16.  “And thus shall ye say to him that liveth in prosperity, ____________ be both to thee, and _____________ be to thine house, and _______________ be unto all that thou hast” (I Sam. 25:6).

 

17.  T – F    David’s men had taken care of Nabal’s men all the while they were in Carmel. (I Sam.

25:7)

 

18.  What did David’s men tell Nabal that he desired? (I Sam. 25:8)

 

19.  “And when David’s young man came, they spake to Nabal according to all those words in the name of __________________, and ______________” (I Sam. 25:9)

 

20.  What did Nabal charge David with having done? (I Sam. 25:10)

 

21.  T – F    Nabal still gave David’s men a small portion to take back to David (I Sam. 25:11)

 

22.  What did David’s men do after they had their conversation with Nabal? (I Sam. 25:12)

 

23.  What did David command his men to do? (I Sam. 25:13)

 

24.  How many men went with David? (I Sam. 25:13)

 

25.  How many “abode by the stuff”? (I Sam. 25:13)

 

26.  Who told Abigail about the visit from David’s men? (I Sam. 25:14)

 

27.  How did the individual describe Nabal’s actions toward David’s men? (I Sam. 25:14)

 

28.  What did the young man affirm to Abigail? (I Sam. 25:15)

 

29.  “And they were a ____________unto us both by ___________ and __________, all the while we were with them keeping the sheep” (I Sam. 25:16)

 

30.  What did the young man tell Abigail to do? (I Sam. 25:17)

 

31.  What was determined against Nabal and his house? (I Sam. 25:17)

 

32.  Nabal is described as “a son of ________________, that a man cannot speak to him” (I Sam. 25:17).

 

33.  What did Abigail gather together and put on the donkeys? (I Sam. 25:18)

 

A.                                                                    B.

 

C.                                                                    D.

 

E.                                                                     F.

 

34.  When Abigail left, she told Nabal where she was going? (I Sam. 25:19)

 

35.  Where did Abigail meet David? (I Sam. 25:20)

 

36.  “Now David had said, Surely in _________________ have I kept all this fellow hath in the wilderness…” (I Sam. 25:21).

 

37.  How had Nabal requited David? (I Sam. 25:21)

 

38.  Who was David determined to destroy before the morning light? (I Sam. 25:22)