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34. David's Flight
and Danger.
When the king saw
that David was becoming more and more popular, he was angry with him in
his heart and sought to kill him. He even threw his sharp spear at David
as he played the harp. But David bent so that the spear hit the wall.
David finally had to flee secretly to save his life, but Jonathan, his
valiant friend, helped him to escape and came to him secretly while he
was near and gave him good advice, even though he knew that David, and
not he, would receive the kingdom after Saul's death. But when David had
to move on, they kissed and wept and renewed their covenant. ‘What you
and I have sworn today in the name of the Lord will remain forever!’ God,
give every godly man a Jonathan for a friend in joy and sorrow, and
every man a mind worthy of a friend!
When David had escaped - he would no longer have been safe at home with
his parents - he had the giant's sword given to him for armour, for he
said: ‘There is none better.’ With this he marched out into the open and
gradually gathered around him a band of six hundred men, a free corps,
so to speak. Anyone who came to him was all right with him, and he was
their captain; but after him was Ithai. With them he went to and fro
from one border of the country to the other like a frightened chicken to
protect himself against the king's persecutions. As long as the
king lived, he persecuted him. But David was in God's hands. Those whom
God protects are safe even among enemies and find friends even among
enemies. The enemy and the friend must help to save him and promote the
wise intentions of God. A band of robbers from the land of the
Philistines invaded the region of Keilah and robbed the threshing floors.
David and his six hundred men rushed up, attacked the robbers, put them
to flight and took away all the livestock with which they intended to
continue their robbery. For the noble man took care of the oppressed and
persecuted everywhere, even though he himself was persecuted and had to
flee from one place to another. It is a great blessing from God that
good people in misfortune can still have mercy on others and stand by
them and help them in their own distress. The human heart is blessed by
God with this wondrous goodness.
When David had driven out the robbers, he marched victoriously into the
city of Keilah to take up residence there for a time. Saul learnt of
this and took great pleasure in it. He came secretly with armies to
surround the city and take him captive, and the inhabitants were
ungrateful and angry enough to hand him over. But God warned him to go
out at the right time into the desert, that is, into a lonely region
where few people lived. The region was called Siph. But who sought out
the pious David in the desert? Who came to him in the lonely desert?
Jonathan, the friend of his heart, came to him once again and
strengthened his covenant with him. He comforted and strengthened his
courage, and it was the right time. For the inhabitants of Ziph,
inhospitable people, sent to Saul and told him that David was with them.
Then Saul attacked him secretly with his army; there was only a mountain
between them. Saul marched on one side of the mountain, David on the
other. He was already surrounded from afar, and he was about to be
surrounded and captured. But at the same time the Philistines invaded
the land and fought against Israel. So the king set out in haste to meet
the enemy, and for this time he stood apart from David. In this way God
saved the oppressed man, when he was at a loss, through his own enemies,
the Philistines.
When I walk in the midst of anguish, you refresh me and stretch out your
hand over the wrath of my enemies and help me with your right hand.
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