Deeper Reflection
THE RECURRING MENTION of Saul’s “spear” in 1 Samuel 18 to 26 is not without significance. Saul’s “spear” is mentioned 13 times, with six times in 1 Samuel 26. Like a sceptre, Saul’s “spear” symbolises royal presence and power,³³ and “that spear…is a hall-mark of Saul”³⁴. This is portrayed in Saul “sitting…on the height” at Gibeah “with his spear in his hand, and all his servants were standing in front of him” during his pursuit after David’s life (1 Sam 22:6). God’s intention for Saul’s “spear” was to deliver His people from the Philistines (1 Sam 9:16). But out of selfish ambition, jealousy, insecurity and anger, Saul used his “spear” twice to try to kill David (1 Sam 18:10-11; 19:9-10) and even on his own son for defending David (1 Sam 20:33). Saul’s spear “always seemed to be in his hand”³⁵ (1 Sam 18:10; 19:9), except in 1 Samuel 26: Saul was sleeping “with his spear stuck in the ground at his head” (v.7). Saul was now totally defenceless, despite “the omnipresent symbol of his power”³⁶ in his spear and protection of Abner and 3,000 men (vv.7-8). The irony is, Saul was almost assassinated by Abishai with his own spear (v.8). Saul was effortlessly disarmed by David when he took his spear (vv.7-8) – a symbol of Saul’s power was gone. Saul’s spear was now in David’s hand and David had the power to return it to Saul (vv.21-22). But ultimately, “the spear in Saul’s hand” (1 Sam 18:10; 19:9) was in God’s sovereign hand.

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³³ Ronald F. Youngblood, 768; Robert D. Bergen, 256

³⁴ Ronald F. Youngblood, 768 – citing David M. Gunn

³⁵ Dale Ralph Davis, 198

³⁶ Dale Ralph Davis, 273