Who Can Be Guiltless?

Chapter 26 repeats the scene of chapter 24 with important differences. This time David chose to enter Saul's camp, rather than Saul stumbling into David's cave. The opportunity seemed even more clearly God-given: Yahweh had sent a deep sleep on the entire army. Abishai was sure: God has delivered up your enemy into your hand today.

Yet David's conviction had only grown stronger. Don't destroy him, he said, for who can stretch out his hand against Yahweh's anointed, and be guiltless? David entrusted Saul's end to God entirely, whether by Yahweh's hand, natural death, or battle. Taking the spear, the symbol of Saul's power, and the jar of water, the source of life in the wilderness, David showed he could have done anything but chose mercy.

David's appeal to Saul was both bold and humble. He asked what evil was in his hand and compared himself to a flea or a partridge hunted on the mountains. Saul again confessed, I have sinned, and even admitted he had played the fool. David answered, Yahweh will give to every man his righteousness and his faithfulness. This is the last meeting between Saul and David recorded in 1 Samuel.