Saul’s end nears
1 Samuel Chapters 26 – 28
Where David’s first opportunity to kill Saul presented itself to him as a coincidence, David creates a new opportunity to prove his innocence by sneaking up on Saul as he sleeps and stealing his spear and water jug, but not harming Saul.
When one of David’s men offers to kill Saul, David rebukes him, asking, “Who can lay a hand on the Lord’s anointed and be guiltless?”.
Saul’s death will come in time he said, whether it is a natural death, death in battle or being struck down by God. “But the Lord forbid that I should lay a hand on the Lord’s anointed.”
When David again presents Saul with evidence that he spared his life, Saul again repents.
David, though, knows the change will not last and this time seeks refuge with the Philistines. He is given the town of Ziklag as a base. From there he launches raids on nearby communities that are neither part of Israel or Philistine.
This earns him the trust of the Philistine king, who invites him to take part when he goes to war against Saul. What David would have done if forced into that situation isn’t resolved as the king’s advisers do not trust David and his men and insist they not take part.
Saul, who has now become unable to hear the word of God, commits further sin by consulting a medium to communicate with Samuel. In his earlier faithful days, Saul had expelled mediums from the land, so he goes in disguise to one who remains in hiding at Endor.
(If the name sounds familiar, there are locations called Endor both in Star Wars and in Tolkien’s Middle-earth. Samantha’s mother in the Bewitched TV series is named Endora).
The woman, known to us as the Witch of Endor, does raise Samuel’s spirit. Samuel tells Saul that both he and his sons will die.