1 Samuel 24

1 Samuel 24:22

David swore to Saul.  And Saul went to his home, but David and his men went up to the stronghold.

David's just promised that he will not destroy Saul's family when he becomes king, and Saul goes home, but David doesn't.  He goes right back up to where he had been hiding, as if the day's events had never happened.

Saul's just admitted he was wrong pursuing David, and admitted that David would be king (and deserved to be), but there's still some kind of problem.  This wasn't a peace, only a truce.  Was it because he knew David would succeed him, rather than his own son?  Was that some sort of cultural thing where he might know it, but couldn't admit it to others, or couldn't act like it lest he invite someone to bump him off?  Whatever happened, things are not all well in Israel yet, nor between Saul and David.

1 Samuel 23

1 Samuel 23:4

Then David inquired of the Lord once more.  And the Lord answered him and said, "Arise, go down to Keilah, for I will give the Philistines into your hand."

It is interesting that David asked for God's guidance twice on the same issue.  First he is told it's good to go fight, but when the men are worried, he doesn't just make some brave speech and rally them.  He goes back to God, to make sure He was right.  He both showed that he valued his men's opinions, and at the same time trusted God when the instructions were confirmed.

Also good to note is that God didn't get angry at this second check.  He could have said "were you not told already to go?  Now do not, for I will withhold my hand from you."  But he doesn't do that.  He simply repeats that they should go, and promises victory for the frightened men.  Nothing dramatic or fancy, just a promise that they'll win.

1 Samuel 22

1 Samuel 22:15

Did I just begin to inquire of God for him today?  Far be it from me!  Do not let the king impute anything to his servant or to any of the household of my father, for your servant knows nothing at all of this whole affair."

It is good to know that David sought the guidance of God, even before he was king.  From what's said here, it sounds like he asked the priests for God's will often, probably with each campaign.

One thing I'm curious about, is why he didn't say that David had told him that he was doing the Saul's business?  I would think it is at least possible that Saul would have reacted better if he'd known Ahimelech had been lied to.  I can't say for certain, of course, but wouldn't the idea of David being a liar have fit better into Saul's image of him, and his rage would have been directed at David rather than the priests?

1 Samuel 21

1 Samuel 21:13

So he disguised his sanity before them, and acted insanely in their hands, and scribbled on the doors of the gate, and let his saliva run down into his beard.

Once again, we come to an act which I have a real problem with.  Was it God's will that David should lie to the king of Gath?  Since he was not an Israelite, was it acceptable for David to deceive him, so save his own skin?  Or would God have given him favor if he'd laid out his circumstances to Achish?

Would the old saw "the enemy of my enemy is my friend" overrode any hesitation because of David's fame in battle?  A crazy man is of no benefit to a king, as David discovered.  But if he'd told the truth, Achish could have found his knowledge useful, both for strategy and tactics against other nations, and his insider knowledge in any diplomacy or trade with Israel that might occur.

1 Samuel 20

1 Samuel 20:34

Then Jonathan arose from the table in fierce anger, and did not eat food on the second day of the new moon, for he was grieved over David because his father had dishonored him.

I'm just getting back into this, so this might be kind of shallow, but it's what I noticed.

First, it appears Jonathan arose from the table only after Saul had thrown the spear at him.  I don't think this was one of those movie scenes, where father and son are at opposite ends of a huge long table.  They may have only been a few feet apart.  Jonathan didn't have to significantly dodge, even.  For Saul to have missed at such short range says a lot about how angry he was.  He must have been literally trembling.

I'm not sure who is being referred to on the final "him."  Is this David, or Jonathan?  If it's Jonathan, I can understand the dishonor he was done, since his own father had just tried to kill him.  If it was David, how was he dishonored?  Just because he was now a marked man?  Or was there some different, more specific way that Saul had dishonored him?