Verse 44
David’s loss of his wife 25:44
As mentioned before, this chapter opens and closes with a tragedy in David’s life, the death of Samuel and the departure of Michal. Evidently Saul considered David as good as dead, and so, sometime during these events, he gave his daughter, David’s wife, to another man. He may also have done this to remove the possibility of David claiming Saul’s throne because he was Saul’s son-in-law. David later reclaimed Michal (2 Samuel 3:13-16), which proved to be a source of grief for David since Michal did not appreciate how David constantly bowed to Yahweh’s authority (cf. 2 Samuel 6:16-23; 1 Chronicles 15:29).
David’s second sparing of Saul’s life ch. 26
Again the scene shifts to Saul (cf. ch. 24). The writer contrasted his improper attitudes and behavior, and their consequences, with David’s proper attitudes and behavior, and their consequences. There are many similarities between this chapter and chapter 24, which records David sparing Saul’s life in the cave of Adullam. Perhaps the most significant difference is that in chapter 24 David was on the defensive whereas in chapter 26 he was on the offensive. Chapter 26 is the third and final episode in the mini-section on David’s treatment of two fools: Saul and Nabal. A prominent theme in this pericope is David’s learning to trust God to repay his enemies rather than taking vengeance himself.
The general structure of the chapter is chiastic.
"A. Saul searches for David, who then responds (1 Samuel 25:1-5).
B. David keeps his man Abishai from killing Saul (1 Samuel 25:6-12).
B’. David rebukes Saul’s man Abner for not protecting Saul (1 Samuel 25:13-16).
A’. Saul talks to David, who then responds (1 Samuel 25:17-25)." [Note: Youngblood, p. 767.]
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