1 Samuel 18 - A Persecuted King

Previously in 1 Samuel, we saw David go to battle with Goliath. David occasionally served as Saul’s armorbearer, but was not a regular part of the army since he was likely not fighting age. When he arrived to the front lines of the battle with food for his brothers and their captain, he saw the giant taunting the Israeli army and the Israeli army cowering in fear. David was incensed that the giant’s defiance of the armies of the living God was going unanswered. He tried to encourage the men to go fight, but they would not. As a result, David then decided to go fight with the Philistine. With complete trust and confidence in God, a stone, and a sling, he ran toward the Philistine, struck him in the forehead, killed him, and cut off his head. This succeeded in arousing the courage of the Israeli army, and they pursued after the Philistine army, killed them, and plundered their tents. David returned to speak with Saul with the head of Goliath in his hand. From that day forward, Saul would no longer allow David to go home to his father.

After he was done speaking with Saul, it states that Jonathan’s soul was knit to David’s, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul. Jonathan and David were a lot alike: they both had a heart for God, they both were men of faith, and they were willing to take action on that faith. They made a covenant that day, and Jonathan gave David his robe and his armor, even to his sword and his bow. Jonathan was the first born of Saul, so he would have been the recipient of the crown after Saul’s death. Essentially, Jonathan is relinquishing that right, and stating that David would be the next king. This was in accordance with the will of God stated from the mouth of Samuel. This says a lot about Jonathan’s character: the will of God was more important to him than an earthly kingdom.

Saul set David over the men of war, so he went from armorbearer to being a general in Saul’s army overnight. He was accepted by all the men and by Saul’s servants. That approval of man that Saul so desperately wanted, David received because he was a man of God, and everyone could see God working through him. When they came back home from fighting the Philistines, the women came out from all the cities of Israel to meet King Saul, joyfully singing and dancing with tambourines and musical instruments. They sang, “Saul has slain his thousands, And David his ten thousands.” This made Saul very angry, and he said, “They have ascribed to David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed only thousands. Now what more can he have but the kingdom?” Saul did not know that David had been anointed king in his place, but he was obviously insecure because of the word of the Lord from Samuel. The love that Saul had for David instantly turned to envy when he perceived that David was more popular than he was. There is a godly jealousy that seeks to protect what is rightfully ours, and there is an ungodly jealousy that is envious of what others have that does not belong to us. This ungodly jealousy or envy is a fruit of the flesh, and at its heart is covetousness. Saul could have accepted his discipline in losing his kingdom, but he sought to hold onto it contrary to the will of God. Solomon wrote in Proverbs, “Wrath is cruel and anger a torrent, But who is able to stand before jealousy? (Pro 27:4) David would not be able to stand before Saul as we will see shortly. Saul would watch David with suspicion from that day forward.

The following day, the evil spirit came upon Saul while he was in his house, and he prophesied. We should not make the mistake this was of the Lord, but this was either false prophecy or idle babbling, either one of which were demonically inspired. They brought David in as they had done previously to play music before Saul, but this time it would not work. As I previously stated, worship is not a replacement for repentance and submission to God. Saul had a spear in his hand, and he threw it at David, hoping to pin him to the wall. However, David escaped from Saul, not just once, but twice. I don’t know about you, but if someone threw a spear at me once, I think I’d be looking for a new job. This is one of the problems with a monarchy: David probably did not have a choice; he was there by order. He knew God had promised him he would be king, so he had to trust the Lord would keep him safe.

Saul was afraid of David, because he knew the Lord was with David and had departed from him. Because of this, he removed David from his presence and made him a captain over a thousand men. David behaved himself wisely, and the Lord was with him. He conducted successful military operations, and continued to grow in popularity with the people as a result. This made Saul even more afraid of David.

Next, Saul offered his oldest Daughter, Merab, to David as a wife if David would be valiant for him in fighting the Lord’s battles. However, Saul thought to put him in harm’s way so that he would die at the hand of the Philistines rather than at his. Even when the evil spirit was not upon Saul, he still had murderous intentions toward David. David may have suspected Saul was up to something, but he responded humbly, “Who am I, and what is my life or my father’s family in Israel, that I should be son-in-law to the king?” Throughout the rest of Saul’s life, David will continue to show respect and honor to Saul, even though it would not be returned. When it came time to give Merab to David as a wife, Saul gave her to another man.

Saul had another daughter, Michal, who loved David, and when Saul found out, he was very pleased. He thought to himself, “Let me give her to him, that she may be a snare for him and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him.” It is likely that Michal was not a godly woman, and that she would entice David into some sort of sin that would remove God’s blessing and protection from David. As we will see later in 1 Samuel, this sin was probably idolatry. Saul told his men to tell David privately that he and his men loved David, and therefore he should be his son-in-law. David replied, “Does it seem to you a little thing to become the king's son-in-law, since I am a poor man and have no reputation?” David was too poor to pay the dowry for a king’s daughter. The king replied that he did not want any dowry, except for 100 foreskins of the Philistines, again hoping that David would die in battle. This pleased David, and he went out and killed 200 Philistines, bringing their foreskins in full count to the king. David must have known he was being mistreated, but he still went above and beyond what was asked of him, even though this would have been a less-than-pleasant job. Jesus would later say, “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also. And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two.” (Mat 5:38-41) So Saul gave Michal as a wife to David. What else could he do? David had risked his life in giving him double what he had asked; he would have really looked like a heel if he would have reneged on this one.

It states that Saul saw and knew that the Lord was with David. This is the third time we see this similar phrase, so Saul is becoming increasingly aware of God’s presence with David. He became increasingly afraid of David, and was David’s enemy continually. Even when the Philistines came out to battle, David would behave more wisely than all of Saul’s men, and he became highly esteemed among the people.

Do we find ourselves being envious of what others have? If so, we are in violation of the 10th Commandment: “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s.” The apostle Paul would also later write, “For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.” (Eph 5:5) Thus, Paul equates covetousness with idolatry. Like in the case of Saul, covetousness is wanting something we cannot have. This is either because the thing is blatantly sinful, or because we are not content until we get it. Like the children of Israel in the wilderness who wanted meat, they were not content, and they murmured and complained until they got it. Paul wrote that he learned that in whatever state he was in, to be content (Phil 4:11), and that godliness with contentment is great gain (1 Tim 6:6). It is ok to ask the Lord for things; in fact, it is encouraged by the Scriptures. However, we need to be content with His answer and His timing. If we are like David who was being mistreated by Saul, let us take the high road by doing even more then is asked of us, even if it is a dirty job. And then do as Jesus said, “But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.” (Mat 5:44-45) In the next chapter we will see Saul’s persecution of David only intensify as God continues to bless David. These would be hard lessons for David to learn, but necessary ones for him to become a godly king.