Saul heard that David was discovered, and the men who were with him: now Saul was sitting in Gibeah, under the tamarisk tree in Ramah, with his spear in his hand, and all his servants were standing about him.
When people refuse to submit to God’s authority over them, they begin to die: spiritually, socially, psychologically, and physically (Romans 6:23). Eli and Saul had both refused to submit to God’s authority. Eli, the priest, put his family before God. Consequently God cut off his family. Even though David was the cause of 85 priests’ deaths, this was one way God partially fulfilled the prophecy concerning Eli’s descendants (1 Samuel 2:27-36). God used David’s folly to accomplish His will. So even in this David became a blessing. This in no way justifies David’s lie (1 Samuel 21:2), but it does show how even in his sinning, David was used by God for blessing (cf. Psalms 76:10; Romans 6:1-2). Saul, the king, put himself before God. Therefore God cut off his life. Saul became increasingly paranoid, isolated from others, hateful toward his supporters as well as his enemies, and guilty of shedding innocent blood.