David again refuses to kill Saul (26:1–12). As in 24:2, Saul takes three thousand (or three “companies” of) men to track David down in the Desert of Ziph, where he narrowly escaped from Saul earlier (23:24–28). David’s scouts tell him where Saul and his army are camping for the night, and David himself comes close enough to see where Saul and Abner are lying down. With characteristic boldness, David decides to pay a visit to the camp, accompanied by Abishai, his nephew who will later become one of his top generals (2 Sam. 18:2). It seems like a foolish idea, but the Lord has put Saul’s army “into a deep sleep” (26:12). David and Abishai creep right up to Saul, and Abishai sees a golden opportunity t…