1 Samuel 23:19-23: a reflection

19Then the Ziphites came up to Saul to Gibeah, saying, “Doesn’t David hide himself with us in the strongholds in the woods, in the hill of Hachilah, which is on the south of the desert? 20Now therefore, O king, come down. According to all the desire of your soul to come down; and our part will be to deliver him up into the king’s hand.” 21Saul said, “You are blessed by the LORD, for you have had compassion on me. 22Please go make yet more sure, and know and see his place where his haunt is, and who has seen him there; for I have been told that he is very cunning. 23See therefore, and take knowledge of all the lurking places where he hides himself; and come again to me with certainty, and I will go with you. It shall happen, if he is in the land, that I will search him out among all the thousands of Judah.”

The men of Ziph betray David's hiding place to Saul, seeking to win the king's favor by handing over the one he hunted, a warning against betraying others to curry favor with those in power. Doesn't David hide himself with us in the strongholds, the Ziphites say to Saul; come down, O king, and our part will be to deliver him into your hand. David, fleeing for his life from Saul, had taken refuge in the wilderness near the Ziphites. Rather than shelter or protect him, they went to Saul and offered to betray him, to hand over his hiding places, hoping to gain the king's favor by delivering up the man he sought. They were willing to betray an innocent man being hunted, to curry favor with the one in power. This shows the wrong of betraying others to curry favor with those in power. Do not betray others to curry favor with those in power. Currying favor by handing over the vulnerable is a real wrong. The desire to please those in power can lead us to betray the innocent. Beware gaining favor at the cost of betraying others.

Notice what the Ziphites did and why. David was a fugitive, fleeing for his life from Saul, who hunted him though David had done no wrong. David had taken refuge in the wilderness near the Ziphites; he was, in a sense, in their care, hidden among them. They could have sheltered him, or at least kept silent. But instead, they went to Saul and offered to betray him: to reveal his hiding places and help deliver him into the king's hand. And their motive was to curry favor with Saul, to win the approval and gratitude of the one in power by handing over the man he sought. They were willing to betray an innocent man being hunted in order to please those in power. This holds a searching warning. There is a real temptation to curry favor with those in power, those who can advance or reward us, and sometimes this temptation leads to betraying others: giving up the vulnerable, informing on the innocent, handing over those who trusted us, in order to gain the approval of those in power. But to betray others, especially the innocent or vulnerable, to win favor with those in power, is a real wrong. The desire to please those in power, to be on the winning side, to gain advantage, must not lead us to betray others who have done no wrong or who are at our mercy. We do well not to betray others to curry favor with those in power, but to be faithful and protective rather than betraying, even when betrayal might win us favor. Do not betray others to curry favor with those in power. Currying favor by handing over the vulnerable is a real wrong. Do not let the desire to please those in power lead you to betray the innocent. Be faithful and protective, even when betrayal might win you favor.

That is worth taking to heart, for it is a real wrong to betray others to curry favor with those in power, and we do well to be faithful rather than betraying, as the Ziphites wrongly betrayed David to win Saul's favor. We can be tempted to gain favor with those in power by handing over others; but the Ziphites betrayed an innocent man being hunted to please the king. Do not betray. Do not let the desire to please those in power lead you to betray the innocent or vulnerable; be faithful and protective, even when betrayal might win you favor. Do not betray others, especially the innocent or vulnerable, to curry favor with those in power, but be faithful and protective even when betrayal might win you favor, as the men of Ziph betrayed David's hiding place to Saul to win the king's favor by handing over the one he hunted, saying David hid himself with them and that they would deliver him into the king's hand; for David, fleeing for his life from Saul, had taken refuge near the Ziphites, but rather than shelter or protect him they went to Saul and offered to betray him and hand over his hiding places, hoping to gain the king's favor by delivering up the man he sought, willing to betray an innocent man being hunted to curry favor with the one in power, which holds a searching warning, since there is a real temptation to curry favor with those who can advance or reward us and sometimes this leads to betraying others, giving up the vulnerable, informing on the innocent, and handing over those who trusted us to gain the approval of those in power, but to betray others, especially the innocent or vulnerable, to win favor is a real wrong, and the desire to please those in power or gain advantage must not lead us to betray others who have done no wrong or are at our mercy, so that we do well not to betray others to curry favor with those in power.

Lord, the men of Ziph betray David's hiding place to Saul, seeking to win the king's favor by handing over the one he hunted, a warning against betraying others to curry favor with those in power. Doesn't David hide himself with us in the strongholds, the Ziphites say to Saul; come down, O king, and our part will be to deliver him into your hand. David, fleeing for his life from Saul, had taken refuge in the wilderness near the Ziphites. Rather than shelter or protect him, they went to Saul and offered to betray him, hoping to gain the king's favor by delivering up the man he sought. They were willing to betray an innocent man being hunted, to curry favor with the one in power. Show me what the Ziphites did and why. David was a fugitive, fleeing for his life from Saul, who hunted him though David had done no wrong. David had taken refuge near the Ziphites; he was, in a sense, in their care. They could have sheltered him, or at least kept silent. But instead, they went to Saul and offered to betray him. And their motive was to curry favor with Saul, to win the approval of the one in power by handing over the man he sought. They were willing to betray an innocent man to please those in power. This holds a searching warning. There is a real temptation to curry favor with those in power, those who can advance or reward me, and sometimes this temptation leads to betraying others: giving up the vulnerable, informing on the innocent, handing over those who trusted me, in order to gain the approval of those in power. But to betray others, especially the innocent or vulnerable, to win favor with those in power, is a real wrong. The desire to please those in power must not lead me to betray others who have done no wrong or who are at my mercy. Take that to my heart. Keep me from betraying others to curry favor with those in power; do not let the desire to please those in power lead me to betray the innocent or vulnerable, Lord, but help me be faithful and protective, even when betrayal might win me favor, refusing to gain favor at the cost of betraying others.