4. The end of Saul's reign chs 27-31

David's commitment to God resulted in his continuing to be God's instrument of blessing to the Israelites and His instrument of judgment to Israel's enemies. This was true in spite of David's failure to seek guidance from the Lord before moving back into Philistine territory. David's strength continued to grow as Saul's continued to wane. In these last chapters of 1 Samuel the writer moved back and forth first describing David's activities, and then Saul's, then David's, and then Saul's. This technique puts the fates of the two men in stark contrast side by side. Thus the book closes with the narrative contrast technique with which it opened in which the writer contrasted Samuel and Eli's sons.

 David's return to Philistia ch. 27

 Saul's attempt to secure divine guidance from a medium 28:3-25

The story involving Saul's meeting with the "witch"of En-dor is one of the best known in 1 Samuel. It contains some unique events that have troubled Bible students for many years. Again the spotlight of revelation turns back to Saul from David. We see here the spiritual insensibility of Saul due to his departure from God.

"This visit to the medium of Endor is cited by the Chronicler as proof positive that Saul deserved the judgment that fell on him at Gilboa (1 Ch. 10:13)."²⁷²

 Yahweh's providential protection of David ch. 29

As Saul reached the depth of his fortunes, David attained the height of his popularity thus far. This chapter seems to antedate the previous one slightly. The writer appears to have incorporated it in his narrative here to highlight the contrasts between Saul and David in chapters 27-31.

 David's wise leadership of the Israelites ch. 30

This chapter reveals many qualities that marked David as an outstanding leader. As Saul continued to decline, God perfected the characteristics of leadership in David that prepared him for the throne. The Amalekites' capture of Ziklag at first looked as if tragedy had struck, but later it proved to be a great blessing. In this respect this event resembled David's whole career. As a result of this victory, the people of Judah came to regard David as the obvious successor to Saul's throne.

The chiastic structure of the chapter focuses attention on the defeat of the Amalekites, the people that God had commissioned Israel's leaders to annihilate.

"A.David reaches destroyed Ziklag and finds it plundered (30:1-3).

B.David and his men are promised the Lord's help (30:4-8).

C.David defeats the Amalekites (30:9-20)

B'.David shares the Lord's plunder with his men (30:21-25).

A'.David returns to Ziklag and distributes the remaining plunder (30:26-31)."²⁸⁷

 The death of Saul ch. 31

The scene shifts back to Mt. Gilboa in the North. Saul's battle with the Philistines in this chapter may have been simultaneous with David's battle against the Amalekites in the previous one.

"Chapters 30 and 31 gain in poignancy and power if we regard their events as simultaneous. In the far south, David is anxious about his own and about spoil, while in the far north Saul and the Israelite army perish. . . . While David smites (hikkah) [fought,' 30:17] the Amalekites, and they flee (nus) [30:17], the Philistines smite (hikkah) [killed,' v. 2] Saul and his sons, and Israel flees (nus) [vv. 1, 7]."²⁹⁷

The account of Saul's death here differs from the one that the Amalekite messenger gave David later, which the writer recorded in 2 Samuel 1. This one is quite clearly the factual one (cf. 1 Chron. 10).²⁹⁸