旧约 - 撒母耳记上(1 Samuel)第24章

After Saul returned from pursuing the Philistines, he was told, "David is in the Desert of En Gedi."
So Saul took three thousand chosen men from all Israel and set out to look for David and his men near the Crags of the Wild Goats.
He came to the sheep pens along the way; a cave was there, and Saul went in to relieve himself. David and his men were far back in the cave.
The men said, "This is the day the LORD spoke of when he said to you, 'I will give your enemy into your hands for you to deal with as you wish.'" Then David crept up unnoticed and cut off a corner of Saul's robe.
Afterward, David was conscience-stricken for having cut off a corner of his robe.
He said to his men, "The LORD forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the LORD'S anointed, or lift my hand against him; for he is the anointed of the LORD."
With these words David rebuked his men and did not allow them to attack Saul. And Saul left the cave and went his way.
Then David went out of the cave and called out to Saul, "My lord the king!" When Saul looked behind him, David bowed down and prostrated himself with his face to the ground.
He said to Saul, "Why do you listen when men say, 'David is bent on harming you'?
This day you have seen with your own eyes how the LORD delivered you into my hands in the cave. Some urged me to kill you, but I spared you; I said, 'I will not lift my hand against my master, because he is the LORD'S anointed.'
See, my father, look at this piece of your robe in my hand! I cut off the corner of your robe but did not kill you. Now understand and recognize that I am not guilty of wrongdoing or rebellion. I have not wronged you, but you are hunting me down to take my life.
May the LORD judge between you and me. And may the LORD avenge the wrongs you have done to me, but my hand will not touch you.
As the old saying goes, 'From evildoers come evil deeds,' so my hand will not touch you.
"Against whom has the king of Israel come out? Whom are you pursuing? A dead dog? A flea?
May the LORD be our judge and decide between us. May he consider my cause and uphold it; may he vindicate me by delivering me from your hand."
When David finished saying this, Saul asked, "Is that your voice, David my son?" And he wept aloud.
"You are more righteous than I," he said. "You have treated me well, but I have treated you badly.
You have just now told me of the good you did to me; the LORD delivered me into your hands, but you did not kill me.
When a man finds his enemy, does he let him get away unharmed? May the LORD reward you well for the way you treated me today.
I know that you will surely be king and that the kingdom of Israel will be established in your hands.
Now swear to me by the LORD that you will not cut off my descendants or wipe out my name from my father's family."
So David gave his oath to Saul. Then Saul returned home, but David and his men went up to the stronghold.
撒母耳记上第廿四章   第 24 章 

  撒上 24:3> 大卫所藏的山洞原来是那么样的大── 

  24:3 大卫和跟随他的六百人发现隐基底是藏匿的好地方,因为在那里有许多山洞。当地人使用这些山洞作为住宅,也作坟地,对跟随大卫之人来说,这是避难佳所。今日仍可以见到这些山洞,其中有些大到可容数千人。 

  撒上 24:4> 神在何时何地说过这话? 

  24:4 圣经并没有记载神对大卫,或是对跟随他的人说过这样的话。跟随大卫之人可能对过去的一些事件,例如大卫受膏( 16:13 )、约拿单预言大卫必要作王( 23:17 )等,提出自己的看法。他们看见扫罗进入山洞里,就误以为这是神的指示,叫他们采取行动。 

  撒上 24:5-6> 大卫的做法是怯懦吗?对待当权者的态度── 

  24:5-6 尽管扫罗想杀害大卫,大卫却极其尊重他。虽然扫罗犯罪、悖逆神,大卫仍尊重他是神所膏立的君王。大卫知道自己将来必要作王,更知道不应当杀害神所立在宝座上作王的这一位。如果他杀害扫罗的话,就会给反对他之人立下先例,将来也可以除灭他。 

  罗马书 13 章 1 至 7 节告诉我们,神设立执政掌权的人。我们可能不领会他们当权的原因,但是要像大卫一样,服从神所赐给他们的权威。不过,也要记得:神才是最高的权威,我们不应当违背神的律法,以致得罪神。 

  撒上 24:16-19> 大卫再次善待扫罗表现出他高尚的品德,我会为达目的而不择手段吗? 

  24:16-19 我们知道达到目的之手段和目的本身一样重要。大卫的目标既然是作王,所以跟随他的人劝他有机会时杀死扫罗,以达成目的。但他不肯依从,非因胆怯,乃是英勇的表现──他有勇气力排众议,坚持原则,去做他所当做的事。不要因为顺服群众的压力,就放松自己的道德标准。 

  撒上 24:21-22> 大卫以信守诺言着称;当守诺言与我的利益冲突时,我会…… 

  24:21-22 大卫信守诺言,从来没有对扫罗家族或他的后裔施行报复。扫罗大多数的儿子是与非利士人作战时阵亡的( 31:2 ),有些是因基遍人报仇而杀死的(参撒下 21:1-14 )。他应许要恩待扫罗之子约拿单的后裔( 20:14-15 ),他把约拿单的儿子米非波设接到王宫里,就是照着承诺去行(参撒下 9 )。 

  大卫与扫罗一生的比较──《灵修版圣经注释》