1 Samuel 31

1 Samuel 31:12

all the valiant men rose and walked all night, and took the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Beth-shan, and they came to Jabesh and burned them there.

After a bitter defeat and humiliation, these men still had the wits and courage to do what was right.  Their king had fallen, his sons with him, and their bodies desecrated.  They learned of this, and undertook the dangerous mission of returning to Saul and his sons what dignity they could.  The royal line may be broken, but they will still do their duty to the king.

One thing I'm confused about is why they burned the bodies.  In the next verse, it says they buried the bones.  Maybe it's a part of Hebrew/Jewish ritual I'm not familiar with, but why not just bury the bodies to start with?

1 Samuel 30

1 Samuel 30:24

And who will listen to you in this matter?  For as his share is who goes down to the battle, so shall his share be who stays by the baggage; they shall share alike."

I'm not the kind of person who likes to stand in front of a crowd and be known.  I'm not a public speaker, or musician, or even particularly a leader.  I'm a logistican, the type who stays in the background, working a board, or monitoring a feed.  The type who might normally only be on stage before or after the "performance," to lay things out or tidy them up.  If I'm on stage during the "show," it means something went wrong that has to be fixed immediately.

As such, I tend not to get much praise or reward.  My jobs aren't those that people come up to thank you for later, or offer congratulations.  If I'm doing my job right, they never even know I'm there.  Nonetheless, without me (or at least, those like me), things would fall apart.  So it is pleasing to know that someone like David would remember the backgrounders, those of us who may not be the most visible, but are still needed.

1 Samuel 29

1 Samuel 29:4

But the commanders of the Philistines were angry with him, and the commanders of the Philistines said to him, "Make the man go back, that he may return to his place where you have assigned him, and do not let him go down to battle with us, or in the battle he may become an adversary to us.  For with what could this man make himself acceptable to his lord?  Would it not be with the heads of these men?

I label this conversation divine inspiration.

David was in something of a quandary.  The Philistines, with whom he has been hiding, are going to war against his people, the nation he will someday rule.  He has to go to war with them, for he's promised just that to the king.  So, how does he get around this promise, without breaking it, so that he doesn't have to risk fighting his people (and future subjects)?

God provides the answer in the suspicions of the enemy.  They put two and two together, and realize that having someone from their sworn enemy fighting alongside the king is a security risk.  They lay it out very simply:  wouldn't the best way for David to make peace with his people to be to turn on the king, and deliver him to them (alive or dead)?  No sense taking such a risk, so send him home.

The thing is, I wonder if David really did intend this...

1 Samuel 28

1 Samuel 28:14

He said to her, "What is his form?"  And she said, "An old man is coming up, and he is wrapped with a robe."  And Saul knew that it was Samuel, and he bowed with his face to the ground and did homage.

OK, this just freaks me out.  I have never really been one to believe that mediums really can speak to "the departed."  In my opinion, they're all charlatans and con men, or just crazy (maybe deluded).  The spirits of the dead can't be communicated with; they no longer exist in this world.

However, this passage shows that I'm (at least partially) wrong.  While I still think there's strong evidence that most are wrong, it's at least possible for some to be real.  We don't know if this was a special "gift" from God to Saul, or if it was much more common that we know.  Regardless, spirits are real, and it is possible for them to communicate with the living.

1 Samuel 27

1 Samuel 27:10

Now Achish said, "Where have you made a raid today?"  And David said, "Against the Negev of Judah and against the Negev of the Jerahmeelites and against the Negev of the Kenites."

Once again, David lies to keep himself out of trouble.  He tells the king he has been attacking Israel, when he's actually attacking the other nations around it.  He makes things up to curry favor with this foreign king, because he thinks he needs the king's protection from Saul.

But does he?  God has seen him through all this, saved him from Saul multiple times.  Why does he suddenly doubt that God will continue to protect him?  After all He's done, why doubt now?  He has God's promise of what his future will be, and He has kept His promises so far.  Why would he suddenly now decide to renege, and let David die?