1 Samuel 24:1-22

3. David’s goodness to two fools chs. 24-26

". . . chapters 24-26 form a discrete literary unit within 1 Samuel. Chapters 24 and 26 are virtually mirror images of each other, beginning with Saul’s receiving a report about David’s latest hiding place (1 Samuel 24:1; 1 Samuel 26:1), focusing on David’s refusal to lift a hand against Saul, ’the Lord’s anointed’ (1 Samuel 24:6; 1 Samuel 24:10; 1 Samuel 26:11), and concluding with the words of a remorseful Saul and his returning home from his pursuit of David (1 Samuel 24:17-22; 1 Samuel 26:21; 1 Samuel 26:25). The two chapters form a frame around the central chapter 25, where the churlish Nabal functions as an alter ego of the rejected Saul. In addition, divine protection that keeps David from shedding innocent blood runs as a unifying thread through all three chapters." [Note: Youngblood, p. 745.]

Saul, who had disregarded God’s Law, became a deadly threat to David (1 Samuel 23:19-28). However, David, who regarded God’s Law, became a source of life to Saul (1 Samuel 23:29 to 1 Samuel 24:22) and to others in Israel (ch. 25).

In the previous section, Saul sought the opportunity to take David’s life. In this one (1 Samuel 23:29 to 1 Samuel 24:22), given the opportunity to take Saul’s life, David spared him.

David’s first sparing of Saul’s life ch. 24

The incident recorded in this chapter concerns "cutting off" (1 Samuel 24:4-5; 1 Samuel 24:11; 1 Samuel 24:21). David had the opportunity and received encouragement to cut off Saul’s life but chose to cut off only his robe hem. He ended up promising not to cut off Saul’s descendants and name.

"The verb ’cut off’ forms something of a recurring theme, a leit-motiv, in 1 Samuel 20-24." [Note: Baldwin, p. 146. Cf. 15:28; 20:14-17; 24:4.]