Read 1 Samuel 23 and 24 at Bible Gateway.
The Hebrew paragraph divisions for today’s chapters are:
1 Sam 23:1-2a {s} David inquired of the LORD re: Keilah and the Philistines
1 Sam 23:2b-3 {s} LORD: Save Keilah, but his men fear being delivered to Saul
1 Sam 23:4-5 {s} David inquired of the LORD a 2nd time/ he saves the inhabitants of Keilah
1 Sam 23:6-9 {s} Abiathar and the ephod + Saul plots evil against David
1 Sam 23:10-11a {s} David inquired of the LORD: will Saul come down to besiege me
1 Sam 23:11b {s} The LORD answered: He will come down
1 Sam 23:12 {s} David: will Keilah deliver me to him + LORD’s answer: they will deliver you
1 Sam 23:13-15 {s} David escaped to the wilderness of Ziph + Saul hunted him without success
1 Sam 23:16-18 {s} Jonathan strengthened David in God
1 Sam 23:19-29 {s} The Ziphites betray David to Saul + a narrow escape to En Gedi
1 Sam 24:1 {s} Saul told David was at En Gedi
1 Sam 24:2-7 {s} David spared Saul’s life the first time
1 Sam 24:8 {s} David called to Saul, and bowed down before the king
1 Sam 24:9-15 {p} David makes his case that his hand is not against Saul
1 Sam 24:16-22 {s} Saul repents of seeking David’s life/ David swears not to take vengeance on Saul’s descendants
The strong theme begun in 1 Sam 24:1 is finally concluded today:
1 Sam 22:1-24:15 {sx20+p} David betrayed to Saul 4x but the LORD delivered him/ David did not make himself Saul’s enemy.
There are several overlapping chiastic structures which prophesy amazingly of Messiah:
1 Sam 22:5-23:18
1a) 1 Sam 22:5-11 {sx3} God preserved David from Saul even when treachery discouraged him:
1) 1 Sam 22:5 {s} Gad warned David to depart for Judah + he went into the forest of Hereth;
2) 1 Sam 22:6-11 {s+s} Doeg the Edomite dealt treacherously with David + the priests of Nob;
1b) 1 Sam 22:12-19 {s+s} Since Ahimelech helped David, Saul killed the priests of Nob + destroyed the city;
1c) 1 Sam 22:20-23 {s} Abiathar the son of Ahimelech escaped and fled after David;
1d) 1 Sam 23:1-2a {s} David inquired of the LORD re: Keilah and the Philistines;
central axis) 1 Sam 23:2b-3 {s} The LORD to David: Save Keilah;
2d) 1 Sam 23:4-5 {s} David inquired of the LORD a 2nd time/ he saves the inhabitants of Keilah;
2c) 1 Sam 23:6, Abiathar the son of Ahimelech fled to David with the ephod;
2b) 1 Sam 23:7-13 {sx4} Saul plans to do to Keilah what was done to Nob, if they help David;
2a) 1 Sam 23:14-18 {s+s} God kept David, even though Saul sought his life daily + Jonathan encouraged him:
1) 1 Sam 23:14-15 {s} Saul sought David’s life, but God kept him + David in the Wilderness of Ziph in a forest;
1a) 1 Sam 23:14a, David stayed in strongholds in the mountains in the Wilderness of Ziph;
1b) 1 Sam 23:14b, Saul sought him every day;
central axis) 1 Sam 23:14c, But God did not deliver him into his hand;
2b) 1 Sam 23:15a, So David saw that Saul had come out to seek his life;
2a) 1 Sam 23:15b {s} And David was in the Wilderness of Ziph in a forest.
2) 1 Sam 23:16-18 {s} Jonathan went to David in the woods and strengthened his hand in God.
This chiastic structure reveals why David kept being betrayed to Saul, even though he was beloved by the people. Saul had instilled terror in the hearts of the people by the massacre of Nob, when the priest helped David, even though it was not known at that time, that there was a breach between Saul and David.
The central axis is the LORD’s command to David, to save the inhabitants of Keilah, even though, it turns out, the inhabitants of Keilah will not return the favor. David is a type of Messiah, and salvation is His ministry, even of His enemies (Rom 5:8-10)!
1 Sam 23:17-24:22
1a) 1 Sam 23:17-18 {s} Jonathan confirms David in the LORD’s promise of kingship:
1) 1 Sam 23:17a, Jonathan: “Do not fear, for the hand of Saul my father shall not find you;”
2) 1 Sam 23:17b, “You shall be king over Israel, and I shall be next to you;”
3) 1 Sam 23:18a, So the two of them made a covenant before the Lord;
4) 1 Sam 23:18b {s} David stayed in the woods, and Jonathan went to his own house.
1b) 1 Sam 24:19-24a, The Ziphites to Saul: We will deliver your enemy into your hand;
1c) 1 Sam 24:24b-26, Saul + his men sought David in the Wilderness of Maon;
1d) 1 Sam 24:27, But Saul left his pursuit to defend Israel against the Philistines;
central axis) 1 Sam 24:28-29 {s} The Rock of Escape/ David dwelt in the strongholds at En Gedi;
2d) 24:1 {s} When Saul had returned from following the Philistines, he was told of David’s whereabouts;
2c) 1 Sam 24:2, Saul + 3000 men sought David on the Rocks of the Wild Goats;
2b) 1 Sam 24:3-4a, David’s men: The Lord has delivered your enemy into your hand;
2a) 1 Sam 24:4b-22, Saul confirms David in the LORD’s promise of kingship:
1) 1 Sam 24:4b-19, The hand of David found Saul, for the LORD delivered him into his hand for mercy;
1a) 1 Sam 24:4b-7 {s} David’s righteousness revealed by the mercy he showed to Saul;
1b) 1 Sam 24:8 {s} David called to Saul, “My lord the king!” and bowed down;
central axis) 1 Sam 24:9-15, David’s speech to Saul: There is no wickedness in my hand against you;
1a) 1 Sam 24:9-11, The LORD delivered you today into my hand, but I spared you, for I am not against you;
1b) 1 Sam 24:12a, Let the Lord judge between you and me, and let the Lord avenge me on you;
1c) 1 Sam 24:12b, But my hand shall not be against you;
central axis) 1 Sam 24:13a, As the proverb of the ancients says, ‘Wickedness proceeds from the wicked;’
2c) 1 Sam 24:13b-14, But my hand (of a dead dog, a flea) shall not be against you;
2b) 1 Sam 24:15a, Let the Lord be judge, and judge between you and me, and see and plead my case;
2a) 1 Sam 24:15b {p} Let the LORD deliver me out of your hand.
2b) 1 Sam 24:16, Saul replied to David, “Is this your voice, my son David?” and wept;
2a) 1 Sam 24:17-19, Saul’s speech to David: Saul acknowledges David’s righteousness and mercy;
1a) 1 Sam 24:17, Saul: You have rewarded me with good when I have rewarded you with evil;
1b) 1 Sam 24:18a, You have shown this day how you have dealt well with me;
central axis) 1 Sam 24:18b, For when the Lord delivered me into your hand;
2b) 1 Sam 24:18c-19a, You did not kill me; does a man let his enemy get away safely?
2a) 1 Sam 24:19b, May the Lord reward you with good for what you have done to me this day.
2) 1 Sam 24:20, Now I know that you shall be king + kingdom of Israel shall be established in your hand;
3) 1 Sam 24:21-22a, David swears an oath to Saul that he will not cut off his descendants;
4) 1 Sam 24:22b {s} Saul went home, but David and his men went up to the stronghold.
The thing that is so extraordinary about this second structure, is first of all the central axis: the Rock of Escape. Life from Death, when someone’s death seems certain or is certain, but instead they miraculously escape death or are restored to life, is one of the signs of Messiah in the Old Testament, and this is the sign of Life from Death. David’s death was certain, as Saul closed around him, but suddenly, he escaped death when Saul was called away to battle against the Philistines.
Secondly, the 2a pair. Just as the LORD prevented David from being delivered into Saul’s hand (even though things might look bad, it isn’t over until it’s over!) He delivered Saul into David’s hand – for mercy, not for judgment! For this is the amazing thing: it was the mercy which David extended to Saul, which was the sign of his kingship! It was David’s mercy which revealed his righteousness which was greater than Saul’s! Wow, if this isn’t an amazing picture of Messiah Yeshua and the gospel of grace from the Hebrew scriptures, I don’t know what is! ♥
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