The story of Saul now draws to its terrible end. If the record had been the invention of

man, an epic poem with David as the hero and Saul as the villain, many passages would

have been either omitted, or completely altered. The Scriptures, however, are a true

record, and there is only one man whom they set forth as being perfect, the Man,

Christ Jesus. David, was, indeed, a man after God's own heart, but he was by no means

perfect.  He sinned and fell, more than once, though his repentance was deep and

genuine. Neither Aaron (Deut. 9: 16-20), nor Samuel (I Sam. 8: 1-3), nor David

(I Sam. 27: 1-12), were without fault; the three types of Christ, as Priest, Prophet

and King were all found wanting.

David's history in this section is closely associated with Ziklag. According to

Dr. Young, Ziklag means "bending". For David it was a place of humiliation and shame,

but it was also the place to which there came in the days of his humiliation, those who

afterwards were numbered among his mighty men. As always, the type, while teaching

certain truths, displays also certain weaknesses, a principle common to all the typical

characters of the O.T. from Adam onward. One has only to think of Adam, Noah and

Abraham to see examples of this. If Ziklag means "bending", it would seem that the

word, in connection with David, has a twofold significance--in the first place, the true

"bending", in humiliation and suffering at the hands of Saul; and secondly, the false

"bending", when, moved by fear, he compromised with the ungodly.

Originally Ziklag had belonged to Judah (Josh. 15: 31), but it subsequently passed to

Simeon (Josh. 19: 1-5), and in the days of Saul it had fallen into the hands of the

Philistines. It would therefore seem to suggest the believer's failure to "possess his

possessions", and the subsequent need for humbling before victory can be assured.

It will be seen from the structure below that the section before us is primarily a simple

alternation of the story of David at Ziklag, and the association of Saul with the witch of

Endor and his consequent death.