The skirt of Saul's robe

[barbw]

I was quite mystified as to how David could have “cut off the skirt of Saul’s robe privily” the privily seeming to say without Saul knowing it. (I Samuel 24:4) Per biblehub.com the English Standard Version has, “Then David arose and stealthily cut off a corner of Saul’s robe.” No doubt the underlying explanation as to how even that could have been successfully done lies in David’s obedience to God and Saul’s lack of the same.

[jacob45]

It must be that Saul took off his robe before he went to the “Bathroom.”

• This reply was modified 9 years, 3 months ago by jacob45.

[spencel]

I really appreciate the lesson writer for the use of the story of Saul and David this week. Today I came across an article from the Christian Science Journal. For a couple of years there was a series of Bible Lessons written by F.E. Mason. The following lines are excerpts from the article on David, Saul and Jonathan by F. E. MASON C.S.B. from SEPTEMBER, 1889, No. 3. 1 SAM. xvii. 32-51.
Bible Lesson No. 9

“Saul saw in him (David) a rival for the throne he intended for Jonathan and determined to take his life.

We find that David’s fears were absolutely groundless, for in the end of the lesson we see that while David was in the cave hiding from Saul, Saul himself enters and approaches so close to David as to allow David to cut off the skirt of his robe, yet Saul is totally unconscious of David’s presence! Saul enters, coming in from the light of worldliness, and is blinded. David recognizes Saul,
but Saul knows naught of David’s presence. Looking toward the light of truth reveals error to us and hides us from the error.The power of David over his enemy is here apparent. David’s fear is simply self-mesmerism. The only power anything antagonistic to God has, is the power wherewith we endow it.

And he said to David, Thou art more righteous than I: for thou hast rewarded me good, whereas I have rewarded thee evil.

Golden Text: Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.”

• This reply was modified 9 years, 3 months ago by spencel.

[spencel]

Having bull dozed my way through life this was a clear reminder of the need for patience, a knowledge of God and his precepts so I can be alert to the temptations that would take me off the path. I am grateful to be learning to recognize human will, which is opposed to God, and challenge this way living with practical steps.

Matthew Henry Commentary
“God delivered Saul into David’s hand. It was an opportunity given to David to exercise faith and patience. He had a promise of the kingdom, but no command to slay the king. He reasons strongly, both with himself and with his men, against doing Saul any hurt. Sin is a thing which it becomes us to startle at, and to resist temptations thereto. He not only would not do this bad thing himself, but he would not suffer those about him to do it.”

[barbw]

Thanks to both jacob45 and spencel for your helpful and interesting responses to my questioning!

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