1 Samuel 20:25

And the place of David appeared empty, etc. To unbelievers, the place of Christ appears empty in the Scriptures; because although they recount the entire series of the Old Testament, they do not deserve to find Him whom the learned scribe in the kingdom of …

), and yet had his heart as full of envy and malice against David as it could hold. He should first have been reconciled to him, and then have come and offered his gift; but, instead of that, he hoped, at this feast, to drink the blood of David. What an abomination was that sacrifice which was brought with such a wicked mind as this!

quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens

And the king sat upon his seat as at other times,.... Upon the seat he usually sat on: even upon a seat by the wall; on a couch by the side of the wall; or, as Jarchi and R.

the king sat upon his seat, as at other times . . . by the wall--The left-hand corner at the upper end of a room was and still is in the East, the most honorable place. The person seated there has his left arm confined by the wall, but his right hand is at full liberty.

quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase

THERE may be much to learn from an empty place. The world thinks much of the places which have been emptied through the home-going of its celebrated men. Those who have served the world are remembered by it. Those who have served the Church are remembered, too, and empty chairs in the world, in the Church, and in the family awaken a great many memories. I do not intend to keep to one subject, tonight. I think I have, in these words about David's place, a roving commission and, keeping to my text, I shall be able to consider a great many subjects and to speak briefly upon each. I. First, then, let us think of THE EMPTY PLACE IN THE PERSECUTOR'S HOUSE—"David's place was empty." David had good reason for vacating his place at Saul's table, for the passionate king was so malicious and so embittered against him, that he sought his life. Saul had, on several occasions, in his fits of mad anger, hurled javelins at the man to whom he owed so much—and the envious king determined to put his rival to death at the first convenient opportunity! David, therefore, very properly left a place in which his life was continually in peril. Oh, how happy are we, in these days, that we are not subjected to the fierce sufferings and the cruel persecutions which the early Christians and even our own forefathers had to endure! How often, in a Jewish family, as soon as a young man had become a follower of Christ, from that moment none of his household would acknowledge him. He was a follower of the hated Nazarene! "A curse be upon him," said his father. And even a mother's tenderness seemed to be dried up, so that she could not think of him without bitterness and gall. The same thing happened, also, in the old Roman families.