Day 54 Reading Schedule: 1 Samuel 20-24

1 Samuel 20: David and Jonathan's Oath 

[Summary]

This chapter talks about the friendship between Jonathan and David, who shared a love more beautiful than any love between a man and a woman in the Bible. When David was in danger because of Saul's persistent pursuit of him and his attempt to kill him, he asked Jonathan for help. Jonathan, who loved David, promised to ask his father Saul for him (vv. 1-11). Then, David and Jonathan made a covenant before God to keep their friendship unchanging forever (vv. 12-23). ​​While eating with Saul on the New Moon, Jonathan asked his father for David's sake, but he was almost killed by Saul, and he was deeply saddened by this (vv. 24-34). The next day, Jonathan secretly met David and told him about Saul's unchanging hatred for David and advised David to flee. Then, the two said goodbye in sorrow (vv. 35-42).

[Kang Hae]

Saul hated David more and more as the days went by. He became obsessed with killing David whenever he had a chance. The text records an incident that occurred just before David left for his ten-year exile to escape Saul. It depicts in detail the friendly scene where Saul’s son Jonathan risked his life to help David escape.

1 Samuel 21：David's Exile to Gath 

[Summary]

David, chosen by God as the second king of Israel, had to endure many years of suffering before officially ascending to the throne. This chapter shows David finally leaving Israel and going on a journey of exile to a foreign country after realizing that Saul's hatred had already reached an irreversible state. After fleeing to Nob to escape Saul, David went to the priest Ahimelech and asked him to provide food for his party. Ahimelech gave him the bread of the Presence offered to God to satisfy his hunger (verses 1-6). At that time, David obtained the sword of Goliath, whom he had killed in the past, from Ahimelech (verses 7-9). And then, as Saul's servants happened to be there, they fled to the distant land of Gath. There, David deliberately acted like a madman to escape the threat of Achish, the king of Gath (verses 10-15). In this way, unlike Saul, we can see that the numerous hardships he went through to become king were ultimately God’s plan to make David a great king.

[Explanation]

After fleeing from Saul’s palace, David had to live in exile for about ten years until Saul died. This passage contains the story of what happened after David first went to Nob to see the high priest Ahimelech while escaping from Saul. Indeed, David must have felt devastated after escaping the plot to kill the king. However, in this situation, David judged that Nob, where God’s servant was, was the most suitable place for a refuge. As a man of faith, David went to Nob to find God’s servant and find out what God’s will was.

1 Samuel 22：Saul Murders the Priests of Nob 

[Summary]

David's suffering due to Saul's jealousy continued endlessly. This chapter shows that this suffering did not only affect David but also many people who followed and helped him. When David escaped from Gath and took refuge in the cave of Adullam, four hundred men came to David. David took them and fled to Moab again, but then returned to the land of Judah according to the prophet's words (verses 1-5). When Saul learned of this, he rebuked his servants for not reporting David's actions to him (verses 6-10). Then, he killed all the priests and the men, women, and children in Nob, the city of priests, because Ahimelech had helped David. Among them, Abiathar, who barely survived, told David all of this (verses 11-23).

​​[Explanation]

A sad incident appears in the text. Ahimelech, the high priest of Nob, who had shown kindness to David, was brutally murdered by Doeg’s report. Furthermore, Saul slaughtered the entire family of the high priest. Indeed, Saul did not hesitate to reveal his wicked side by fearlessly and cruelly murdering even the holy servants of God in order to eliminate his enemies.

1 Samuel 23：David in Keilah 

[Summary]

After returning to Judah from the battlefield by God's command, David had to continue his life of constant wandering to avoid Saul's persecution in Judah. ​​However, in the midst of this, he saved the people of Keilah who were suffering from the Philistines (verses 1-5). This shows David's mature personality, in contrast to Saul's, of loving the people and trying to fulfill his duty. Meanwhile, Saul found out that David was in Keilah and pursued him, and when David heard the news, he fled again (verses 6-14). After taking refuge in the Wilderness of Ziph, David met Jonathan there and confirmed their friendship, but he had to leave even there due to the Ziphites' report (verses 15-23). ​​After that, Saul pursued David to the Wilderness of Maon, but gave up the pursuit and returned due to the Philistines' invasion (verses 24-29).

[Lecture]

The text describes in detail David’s life as a fugitive, wandering from place to place, under the sword of Saul. In this way, David suffered indescribable hardships and trials before becoming king. Even in these times, God protected and protected David, and eventually led him to the right path to become the king of Israel. Indeed, God, who leads us to the right path even in the midst of crisis, is alive and working today, and is guiding our saints.

1 Samuel 24：David Saves Saul 

[Summary]

David risked his life and went to the battlefield to fight for Saul, but Saul repaid David with hatred. Despite this, David did not give up his love for Saul. This chapter records the beautiful figure of David repaying Saul, who treated him evilly, with good. Saul, who had been pursuing David to the wilderness of En Gedi, went into a cave there. David, who happened to be in the cave, cut off only the corner of Saul's robe and let him go despite the advice of his men (verses 1-7). After Saul left the cave, David appeared to Saul and swore that he would not kill him, requesting reconciliation with Saul (verses 8-15). Upon learning of this, Saul repented of his wrongdoings for a moment, asked David for forgiveness, and returned home (verses 16-22). David's actions that moved Saul with goodness showed that goodness is the most powerful force that can defeat all evil.

[Explanation]

Saul, who had been trying to kill David until now, was now faced with a crisis in which the situation was reversed in the text. While pursuing David to the cave of Engedi, Saul, unable to overcome fatigue, fell asleep in the cave of Engedi. And at this time, David had the opportunity to kill Saul. However, David did not kill Saul, but saved his life.